Prologue

I putted down my tablet and watched Arissa instead, banging her head to the beat of the music. She's going crazy over that new released song. I just laughed when she began humping on her seat as the chorus entered.

"So I put my hands up! They're playing my song, and the butterflies fly away! Noddin' my head like yeah! Movin' my hips like, yeah!" She sings out of her lungs. She even held my hand and rose it for me to sing along with her.

I giggled and sang the chorus along with her. "Yeahhh! It's a party in the USA!"

Maingay na itong kotse dahil sa malakas na tugtog, samahan pa ng malakas naming mga boses. We were cheerfully swaying our upper bodies here at the backseat while hands together, letting the music eat our systems up.

Mom sitting beside dad turned to face us. Tumawa siya, "Oh sweethearts, you really are breaking my eardrums!" She shook her head with a smile on her face.

"Don't complain, honey. They inherited it from you," Dad teased.

"Honey! I'm not that loud!" Mom playfully slapped Dad's shoulder.

We all laughed at that. It's a beautiful morning and they are sending us to school. I'm in third grade while Ate Arrisa is in fourth. It's always like this, enjoying the 40 minutes ride with them everyday.

Dad looked us through the rare-view mirror. "Wanna stop by to the donut shop, sweeties?" he asked.

Agad natuwa si Arissa nang marinig iyon. Everyone knows how much her love for the donuts. Para inisin siya ng kaunti, sasabihin ko sana kay Daddy na 'wag na siyang ibili nang nagulat kami sa biglaang pagpreno ng sasakyan. We groaned at that. Hindi kami nakasuot ng seatbelt ni Arissa kaya medyo tumilapon kami paharap. Buti na lang hindi kami nasaktan.

Now, I realize how important seatbelts are.

"Sweethearts? Are you okay?!" nag-aalalang boses ni Mommy.

Nakalingon siya sa amin. Dahil nasa likuran lang niya ako nakaupo, madali niyang naabot ang pisngi ko. Pilit niya ring inabot si Ate Arissa.

Out of curiosity, I looked in front to see what's going on. There's a black car blocking our way. I even saw Dad getting something in the storage compartment and it's a gun! Lalo pang nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang lumabas ang mga nakaitim na lalaki mula sa kotseng nasa harapan namin, may mga hawak na baril.

Hinarangan ng mukha ni Mommy ang mga nakikita ko. She's holding my face with both of her hands. "Lean down," she told me. Inabot niya rin si Arissa. "I want you both to stay here and lean down. No matter what happens, don't get out in this car," she emphasized.

Nagtanong pa si Arissa kung anong nangyayari pero hindi siya sinagot ni Mommy. Hinalikan niya kaming pareho sa noo bago kami payukuin. Lumakas ang tugtog sa radio player na malamang ay nilakasan niya bago lumabas ng sasakyan. Sobra akong kinakabahan at nag-aalala. I just saw guns! I saw one of it from my classmate and he told me that his was just a toy gun, but his father has a real one that can kill people!

I glanced at Arissa who's leaning down, politely obeying what mom instructed. Hindi ako mapakali! Adults aren't playing with toy guns anymore, they use real guns!

Sa sobrang pag-aalala, dahan-dahan akong sumilip mula sa likod ng passenger seat. My heart is trobbing more faster than the beat of the music playing. Napatakip ako ng bibig. Nanlalaki ang mga mata nang nakatutok ang mga baril nila kay Mom and Dad. May hawak ding baril sina Mommy. I wasn't able to hear them because of the loud music playing here inside.

Napakislot ako nang magulat sa sunod-sunod na pagputok. The next thing I saw was blood dripping down on Mom and Dad's back. Suddenly, I felt deaf. I can't hear anything around me. Tears fell down on my cheek as I saw their body slowly falling down onto the ground.

They were shot!

"Alora what are you doing?! Don't get out!" Arissa shouted. She pulled my hand to stop me from going out.

The door was already open. Mom and Dad were shot and I need to check if they are still breathing!

Kumawala ako sa hawak niya kaya agad akong tumakbo papunta kina Mommy. Hindi ko napansin na lumabas din pala siya para habulin ako.

"Alora!" she called.

Bago pa man ako makalapit sa nakabulagtang katawan nina Mom and Dad, nagsipaglapitan na sa akin ang mga nakaitim na lalaki.

"Get the kid!" one of them ordered.

My feet stopped from moving forward as I heard that. Nanginginig na ako sa takot lalo na nang itutok nila sa akin ang mga baril habang lumalapit. I have never been afraid like this before. My hands and knees are trembling. This is scarier than spiders and spooky movies I have watched!

Bago pa man sila tuluyang makalapit sa akin, nahila na ako sa likod ni Arissa. She's taller than me so it's just easy for her to lift me up and drag me back inside the car. Nang ipasok niya ako sa loob, nakalapit na sa amin ang mga lalaki kaya ang nahila nila ay si Arissa.

"Ate!" I shouted, calling her. I'm crying nonstop and it feels like I'm about to faint.

Hindi pa naman naisasara ang pinto kaya lalabas sana ako para hilain siya papasok.

"Lock the door!" she yelled angrily.

Sinipa niya ang pintuan pasara bago pa man siya buhatin ng lalaki. Some of the guys rushed to open the door but I quickly locked it before they can open. I crawled backwards away from the door while weeping so loud. Tiningnan ko si Arissa na pilit kumakawala sa hawak ng mga lalaki. Isinampay siya sa balikat kaya nakikita ko ang pagtanaw niya sa akin habang umiiyak. I know she can't see me from there outside but she keeps on shouting that I shouldn't open the door while continuously shaking her head.

"Ate! Mom! Dad!" I cried.

Nagsialisan ang mga bad guys. Naiwan ako rito sa loob, umiiyak at naghihintay ng tutulong sa akin. The music already stops. Katahimikan na ang pumalit. Ilang saglit pa, may mga dumating na sasakyan. Mabilis akong bumaba sa upuan para magtago kaya ganoon na lang ang kaba ko nang may kumatok.

"Open the door!"

Nabuhayan ako ng makita kung sino ang nasa pinto. Agad akong tumayo at inabot ang lock para buksan. Pumasok si Uncle at hinigit ako para yakapin.

"Uncle Greg!" I cried on his shoulder.

Hinaplos niya ang buhok ko habang niyayakap. Kinarga niya ako palabas ng sasakyan.

"Are you okay?"

"T-There's a lot of bad guys! T-They killed M-Mom and Dad! They also took Ate!"

Gumalaw ang panga ni Uncle Greg at idiniin na ako sa balikat niya para patahanin. Habang naglalakad siya papunta sa kotse niya, narinig ko pang mag inutos siya sa kaniyang mga tauhan.

"Send a letter to Robert Spencer! Tell him we will take a revenge! I will kill his son and wife as an exchange of killing my brother and kidnapping my niece!"