The shade of my red and purple umbrella as upon me made me darker than my shadow. Hiding underneath its protective dome made me feel safe. The darkness embraced me. I was hididng from the sun’s scorching heat and the rain’s never-ending downpour.
Red and purple, such wonderful colors! I never imagined back then that the same colors would be the ones which would keep me awake on those dreadful sleepless nights.
I’ll always protect you, Ate.
Promise?
Syempre, your my sister. Promise talaga! I’ll keep everyone safe, especially you!
Dondi, what did she say before she left us?
Mama?
Yes.
She told me she loves us.
I know. I miss her, Dondi.
I lied, Ate. She never told me that. All she said was “Help me!” I was there when my father beat her to death that night four years ago. I couldn’t do anything to help her. Then he beat me until he was too tired to even think of beating you, sleeping unaware that time. We have live with our grandparents since.
Our grandparents left early one rainy afternoon. They wouldn’t be back until the next day. Ate Nadia and I had the little house for ourselves.
“Can I borrow your umbrella, Don?” asked Ate Nadia pointing at the red and purple sheet that hung behind the main door in the living room.
“Ate talaga!” I replied with a complaining tone. “You know, I won’t lend you that umbrella. Why don’t you use lola’s?”
Ate Nadia raised her eyebrows. “I never really asked you why you wouldn’t let anyone else use that umbrella, Don.”
I never really knew why I cared for that umbrella that much that I wouldn’t even let my sister use it. “Just don’t, okay?”
“Well if you hadn’t noticed,” she said. “Lola brought her umbrella with her. I guess you would have to lend me yours. Come on, Dondi, I’m just want to rent some DVDs.”
“Why don’t you just stay here and I’ll get the DVDs for you.”
“Whatever,” sighed Ate Nadia. “All for that stupid umbrella.”
She told me the DVDs she wanted to rent half-threatening me not to come back if I didn’t have them with me. I took my umbrella and started to walk through the rain. The rain poured hard but my umbrella shielded me pretty well, I was in quite a good mood.
I arrived home seeing a horribly familiar scene. The clouds seemed to throw up. Rain fell like rocks that afternoon. My eyes must have turned red when I saw my own father standing in front of Ate Nadia who seemed to have been pushed to the corner of the room. He had already torn Ate Nadia’s shirt. Her long silky hair was disarranged like that of a wild mermaid. Her swollen lips were cut and there were purple bruises on her pale arms. There were red welts across her cheeks. She hugged her legs and his her face from me, like an armadillo protecting itself.
I threw the DVDs and started towards the man as quickly as I can. Before he could even see who was coming, he was already hit. He fell down with a loud bang on the coffee table. I wasn’t going to freeze anymore. I clenched my fists and began clobbering his face, then his stomach, his sides. My knee hit his chin and his chest. He was obviously incapable of hitting me back. He couldn’t even see me yet. But I kept beating and beating him.
At that time, I was free. The Dondi that needed to come forth was born. I saw the matamorphosis of a dark moth within me. I was angry! I will not be beaten. This is no longer revenge, old man. This is redemption.
I tied the old bastard using lolo’s old farming ropes. I don’t know what to do with him. I should call the police, of course. But a part of me didn’t want to. A part of me wanted to keep on beating him. I wanted him to be like old Prometheus. And everyday, I’ll be his demon vulture ready to feed on his entrails.
I saw him blink his eyes. The he looked at Ate Nadia. He then assumed his maniacal smile again. Ate Nadia’s eyes were caught by his.
“You look just like your bitch mother, you slut!” said the old man between his teeth.
“Don’t listen to him, Ate,” I said.
The bastard laughed, it ended with a coughing spell. I guess I hit his ribs too hard. “Shut up, Dondi. Look at you. You know you’re just like me, son.”
“N-no…”
“You are me,” he said.
I was horrified. I looked at Ate Nadia and saw her eyes wet and afraid—afraid of me! I have become my father’s son!
“Oh yes, you bastard!” my father said. “I’m gonna get you and I’m gonna screw your sister like a fuc–”
That was all he could say before I hit him with the red and purple umbrella across his face. I could barely hear my Ate Nadia scream. Then a non-stop rapping sound followed. I felt possessed by the devil himself as I coldly rammed the umbrella on his head, overwhelmed by the mad sensation.
Then everything was still. The red and purple umbrella was smashed into pieces.
-Javin Jet Tevar-
