KABANATA 70

Thankyou For Everything, Such A Big Help

(Gabion POV)

I wasn’t sure what we hoped to find there. Umaasa akong nasa maayos na kalagayan ang Ina ni Arzelle. Sana hindi siya nadamay sa sunog.

Ang naunang si Ade at Bernard ay nagparamdam din sa wakas.

Tinawagan ako ni Ade at ang sabi ako na lang daw ang pupunta. Hindi daw kakayanin ni Arzelle na makita ang nangyari sa farm nila. Bukod pa roon ay di mahanap hanap ang Ina niya. Kung nawawala ba ito o nasama sa sunog! Kaya pumunta akong mag-isa to see.

Damn. Everything was gone for Arzelle if ever she lost her mom also. I’d hoped I’d find something to take back to her, some small thing that had survived, that was miraculously hers, but there was nothing but ashes and fire remains in the street, surrounded by a plastic security boundary. Do Not Cross.

I stared at the place where their house had been, glad she wasn’t with me to see it. It was sad to lose halos lahat ng pinaghirapan nilang mag-ina, but if I’d taken her here when I’d wanted to o