PROLOGUE

Calista's in the middle of examining her new case to defend when the lights went out. Good thing, her laptop was fully charged that it gives her light in the dark. Ang kaninang mga paa na nakapatong sa munting lamiseta ay nakababa na. Kinapa niya rin ang kanyang telepono sa tabi kung saan niya inilagay kanina.

She puts the laptop away from her lap before turning on the flashlight from her phone. Agad na siyang tumayo at daling isinuot ang mga tsinelas. She walked the direction to the kitchen to find lamps on the cupboards. She then grabs one and lit it with a match.

Their house is big that she lit five lamps. She puts it on their front door, the stairs up to the floor where their rooms are, on the salas, on the comfort room, and on their kitchen.

She was on her way back to the salas when she almost dropped the lamp as soon as she heard the thunder loudly roaring. May kaunting takot siya sa mga kulog lalo na't siya lang mag-isa ang nasa bahay. Hindi rin sinasagot ng ama niya ang telepono. Nagtataka na nga siya kung saan na pumunta ang ama niya.

Right after she observed that thunder didn't roar much, she dialled her father's phone number. She clicked the call button before putting her phone against her ear. Kumunot ang noo niya. Ganoon pa rin talaga ang sistema, nagri-ring pero walang sumasagot.

And then the heavy rain came that she hastily ran towards the foyer to close the door. Their floor mat almost got wet because of the rain. Kung hindi niya lang talaga nabilisan ang pagtakbo, tiyak na mababasa ang floor mat nila.

Pumunta siyang muli sa kusina patungong banyo para kumuha ng mop nang biglang tumunog ang telepono niya. It might be Dad, she thinks. Isinandal niya muna ang mop sa gilid para kunin ang telepono niya. And when she viewed the caller ID, it was a random number. Kunotnoo niya itong sinagot bago inilagay sa tainga ang telepono.

"Hello?" she started.

But no one answered. She repeatedly say, "Hello", yet there's still no response from the other line. Inalis niya sa tainga ang telepono upang tingnan kung nandoon pa ba ang tawag. And to her surprise, the call is still on-going. She was already bothered yet she put her phone against her ear for the second time.

"Look, Mister or Miss, or to whoever you are... wala akong oras para makipagsayangan ng baterya sa tawag mo. If you won't speak, I'll definitely drop the call," pagbabanta niya.

And right before she could drop the call, she heard a voice.

"Calista..." said by a familiar voice, that could be his dad.

"Papa? Nasaan ka?" Umayos siya ng tayo nang tanungin niya ito.

"I'm coming home, baby..." her dad said with a trembling voice.

Bothered yet she nods. "Sige po. Mag-ingat ka po. Madilim pa naman po yung daan dahil nag black out."

After that, she then didn't hear her father speak but the call is still on-going. Maya-maya pa'y puro hangin na lang ang naririnig niya at ang mga pagbagsak ng ulan sa kahit saan. Nagtataka na si Calista kung saan nga ba ang punta ng kanyang ama. Ni alam niya rin sa sarili niya na hindi ito nagdala ng payong dahil sa hindi niya rin marinig ang pagpatak ng ulan sa payong kung may dala mang payong ang kaniyang ama.

She soon ended the call as she realized she still has to mop the wet parts on the foyer. Kailangan niyang patuyuin iyon para wala masyadong madulas kapag tatapak sa parteng iyon. Good thing that their mop was dry and not wet. She paced the mop back and forth until she's satisfied. Inangat niya rin ang mop pagkatapos niya, saka naglakad patungong banyo kung saan ay ilalagay niya ang mop sa kung saan ito nakalagay kanina.

Moments after she stomped to clean the mop, she came back to the salas with a glass of water. And right before she could sip a little, nahulog niya ang baso sa naka tiles nilang sahig na siyang dahilan sa maya-mayang pagkabasag.

Her body became stiff as she stared at the door. Nakasarado na ito kanina pero laking gulat na lang din niya nang makitang malawak na ang pagkakabukas nito ngayon. It seems like there's someone who breaks into their house. Pero sila lang din naman ng ama niya ang nakakaalam ng address ng bahay nila. Wala nang iba kundi sila lang talaga.

Nang lumitaw ang liwanag ng kidlat ay agad ding bumungad ang anino ng isang lalaki na hindi niya malaman kung sino. Agad ding nawala nang nawala rin ang liwanag ng kidlat. Fear crawled into her systems, causing her knees to tremble.

"S-Sino 'yan?" she asked with a voice trembling. But no one answered.

Now her mind was fighting between walking closer to the door to close it or just wait until someone who has that shadow answers her question. Inulit niya pang muli ang tanong, ngunit wala naman ding sumagot pabalik. She thought that maybe it's her father fooling around. Madalas pa naman siyang biruin at pag-tripan ng ama niya.

"Papa, please, hindi magandang biro iyan. Madilim ang paligid at takot ako. Can we just continue this prank when the lights are on again?" she asks and she heard no other sound from him than the rain.

Takot pero buo na ang desisyon ni Calista na lapitan na lang ang pintuan. Liwanag ng kidlat lang naman iyon at puwedeng ibang bagay ang tumayo roon kagaya ng puno na posibleng pinagmulan ng anino. As soon as she walked the foyer to grab the door knob, fear again devoured her senses the moment someone hold her wrist.

She looked at it. It was bloody and wet. Nag-angat siya ng tingin upang tingnan kung sino ang humawak sa kanya, ngunit ganoon na lamang ang pagbagsak niya sa sahig nang makitang ama niya ang duguan. Her father showered in blood. Blood. Is it his own blood?

"Calista..." he called. But Calista is now tearing up while slowly crawling backwards. Takot ang ekspresyon na makikita mula sa mga mata niya. Confusions next.

"P-Papa, what happened?" she asks as she continuously crawled backwards to avoid contact with her bloody father that obviously scares her.

"I-I can explain, baby..."

Umiling si Calista saka kinuha ang tsansang tumayo at patakbong hinatak ang telepono. She felt his father run, too. But she was quick to face him, causing him to make a distance between them.

"Huwag ka pong lalapit..."

"Calista, it's me..."

Tears streaming down her face as she types something to her phone.

"Calista, please don't call the police. I can explain..."

Umiling siya. "No, Papa."

At bago pa man niya mapindot ang call button ay mabilis na inagaw ng kaniyang ama ang kaniyang telepono, ngunit kasing bilis niya rin ang tatay niya na hindi bitawan ang telepono. She knew her Dad was strong for her to fight for her phone and call the police, but she also knew that she can't just let it not happen.

He was bathing in blood! Ni hindi niya rin malaman kung dugo ba ng tatay niya iyon o dugo ng ibang tao. Her mind was a mess to think and choose what she thinks the reason is.

"Papa, please give the phone! We should call the police!" she gritted her teeth.

Umiling ang Papa at sinabing, "I want to settle this with you first before the police."

"Papa, you're freaking me out!" she cried. "I can't face you in that case."

Mahigit ilang minuto ang pag-aagawan nila nang biglang napatid si Calista dahil sa lakas ng tatay niya. Her head bumped on to some table made with rich woods that for sure is hard enough to make her pass out.

Napahawak siya sa ulo niya habang sinusubukan pa ring umatras. She merely hears his father.

"C-Calista," is the last word she heard from her father with his voice trembling. Hangga't sa kaya niya, umatras siya nang umatras hanggang sa umabot siya sa kitchen kung saan ay may spare phone doon na puwede niyang gamitin sa pagtawag ng pulis.

She knew it's his father, yet she knew she should side the law.

As fast as she could, she typed the number of the police hotline and ring it. Hindi niya na narinig ang sinabi ng pulis nang nasagot na iyon, ngunit nasabi niya ang address nila bago siya nawalan ng malay.

Monster is the last word from her mind when she saw someone bathing in blood approaching her.

WEEKS LATER...

Calista massaged her temple as soon as her eyes laid on some cases. She barely understands the case well as her mind was full of questions. Ano ang ginawa ni Papa at ganoon na lamang siyang duguan? She even though it's not his own blood the moment a memory of them two fighting over some phone flashed back in her mind. He's too strong to think he's bathing in his own blood!

Maya-maya pa'y naistorbo ang pag-iisip niya nang biglang lumitaw sa harapan niya si Michael dala ang dalawang tasa na kape. Gaya niya, tulala rin si Michael nang pagmasdan niya ito. Seems like he's bothered with something.

"Hi," panimula ni Calista na s'ya namang ikinagising ni Michael.

"Oh! Hi!" pabalik na bati nito bago inabot ang isang tasa ng kape kay Calista. "How are you?"

Calista reached the coffee. "I'm fine. Stressed as always. Kita mo namang marami pang kaso sa harapan ko ngayon..." She tries to smile even a little to make Michael think she's fine and is doing well.

Michael nods before sipping his cup of coffee. "Ano palang ginagawa mo rito?" tanong ni Calista na s'yang nag-agaw sa pansin niya.

Michael brows shot up as he thinks of an answer. "Nothing. Just visiting my prettiest girl. Bakit? Bawal ba dumalaw?" he joked.

Calista smirked before she shook her head. "Hindi naman. I was just asking you since it's another first time of you to visit me here in my block. Matagal-tagal ka na ring hindi nakabisita rito sa block ko. So, yeah..."

The office was then filled with a laughter but soon stopped when a Prosecutor came inside their office with files on his hands. Calista stands up to bow before making a curious face.

"This case was supposed to be ours, yet they want me to pass this to you."

"Ano 'to?" Calista asks.

"Read it."

"Ano ba?" Alyssa then enters the room with a loud anger voice. "Can't you all be sensitive for once? The person is grieving for goodness' sake!"

Kumunot ang noo ni Calista. Nalilito siya sa komosyong nangyayari sa paligid niya. "Ano ba iyan?" tanong niya sa kalmadong tono.

The Prosecutor who had the file then cleared his throat. "Basahin mo at nang malaman mo. Matter of fact, you're desperate to know the truth, so... help yourself." Nilapag niya sa lamesa ang mga papel bago tuluyang umalis ng opisina.

Naiwan si Calista na nagtataka. Hindi niya malaman kung ano ba talagang nangyayari, ngunit patuloy naman ding sinasabi ng Prosecutor na nasa mga papel na ang hinahanap niyang sagot.

Kinuha niya ang papel bago bumuntonghininga. She might not be ready of what will happen, but she knows that deep inside her, she wants to know everything. Then her eyes widened the moment she read the name of the defendant on the paper.

"I-It's... It's Papa!"