My throat ached for air as sweat roll down my forehead. My feet won't stop running and I wouldn't want it to stop either. I can hear my heart pounding so hard and I couldn't care less. I've been running for an hour now with fear on my mind. Physical limits came in and I fell down. With heavy breathing I tried to look up for hope. There is none, not even a starry sky. All I see are tree branches. Some with leaves and some not. They all look like dreadful arms trying to reach for my life. My head aches so much that I could not bare the pain anymore. The pain and bruises I have from the scratch of tree branches and falling down is hurting a lot that causes me to close my eyes for a moment while beads of water freely fall down my eyes.
I just might die in this forest after all.
"Rica darling, can you come here for a moment? Daddy and I need to tell you something." Mom sounds calm but she cannot hide the guilt.
I am hesitant to go near. I heard things like this happen to my friends and classmates but never expected for it to happen to my family as well. My father is sitting at the other end of the sofa, he's clasping and squeezing his hands with head down. I believe he is somewhat crying but never heard a sound. Mom is sitting on the other end with some bags and belongings around her. She tried to smile and wait as I slowly walk towards her.
It doesn't take a minute to hear from my mom's mouth the reason for her calling. Divorce. I heard the word but never knew the real meaning until now. I don't know what to feel since everything happens fast. After mom explained everything, I was left sitting on the sofa while mom carries all her things and dad tries stopping her at the door. Dad fails to stop her. He always fail.
Everything change since then. I was just nine years old when mom and dad decided to have a divorce. Mom found another man to be with, said he don't love my dad anymore. She left me under the care of my dad. I grew up being told by my dad always that I am like my mom. A b***h, a s**t, or a w***e. Dad was never the same, he always come home drunk. He would sometimes hit me but I get used to it. I never finished schooling and decided to take care of him and help him pay debts. Debts that wouldn't have happened if mom stayed home.
Until one day, Dad got a fight with someone. That someone came into our house and killed him. I saw dad's throat being slashed five to six times. Blood coming out from his neck as tears fall down from my eyes. I managed to ran away from the house. I have nowhere else to go to for help. I then remembered an address. One of the letters my mom sent me.
I opened my eyes wide. I can't die. I just can't. I just realize I was unconscious for a moment and I am back on my feet. The bruises still hurts but I need to keep running till I get to mom's house.
As I reached mom's house the door was purposely open. I was shocked with everything that I saw. Things scattered all around. It was like a burglar came into the house.
"Mom? .. Mom? It's me Rica, are you there?" I tried calling but no answer.
"Mom, I'm going up okay?" I went upstairs to her bedroom and I was blown away by the image.
Mom is on the floor with a pool of blood. "Mom?! Mom?! wake up! Mom?! Please.. open your eyes mom!" I was crying and shouting on the top of my lungs. It's no use, her pulse is gone.
My emotions are mixed with fear, sadness, and anger. I search for meaning until I saw a piece of paper on the side of mom's body. A name is written on it with blood. Finally, her dying message to identify the killer.
The name written is.
RICA
![[send message]](https://www.writerscafe.org/images/mail.png){kind=small}
![[befriend]](https://www.writerscafe.org/images/friend.png){kind=small}
Share This
Email
Facebook
Twitter
Read Request
My Library
Flag Writing
