(THE PSYCHO ANGEL)

I am running from the man who is running after me. I don't know who he is, and I don't even have an idea why he is chasing me. I am so scared it seems that I've done him wrong. He is holding a vase while chasing me, his eyes staring at me, telling me that he wants to hurt me or, worse, kill me. I don't know what to do because I am so scared and I want to scream, but there is no voice coming from me. So I keep on running even though I don't know where to go, and he keeps on chasing.

The thunder roars so loud that I can't even hear my heartbeat; I am breathing heavily, praying that I hope someone will rescue me, but I know there is no one, only me and myself. He is not a robber, and he doesn't want anything but me. I tried to open the door and windows, but I don't know why I couldn't open it; it seems that he locked it from outside, and how did he do it? I don't have an idea. I went inside my room and picked the ballpen I found on the table beside the bed to use as my weapon if he saw me and hurt me. Even there is no assurance that it would save me from him. I hide under my bed, with my heart can't stop beating fast because I am afraid and I can't even breathe. The thunder continuously roars, but this time with lightning, pieces of information can see his shadow from under the bed. If he's near, I can also hear him whistling as if he's so calm while I'm in fear. I can also hear his footsteps and still whistling and holding the vase that I know he will use to smash me in the head. He stopped in front of me, still searching where I was hiding. I know he already has an idea where I am hiding because he looks so chill; He is just playing around like a cat trying to catch a mouse or like a tiger trying to play with his food before he eats it. He is not even talking or moving objects. I saw him getting something from his pocket, and it was a lighter and a cigarette. He lit the cigarette and started smoking while I was still under the bed, thinking about how to go out without noticing me. I tried to look around, but there was no chance of going out

because he waited for me to come out. It is like we are playing hide and seek, and He is the one who needs to seek but this time on a different level.

Once he found me, I was dead. He walks backwards and forward and then backwards again. I don't know, but it seems that he's trying to find something without touching anything because I don't see things moving. It is still thundering, and I am waiting for him to leave the room, so I can crawl out from the bed but instead, he drops his cigarette on the floor, steps on it, and sits in the chair beside the bed. I know he knows that I am under the bed, hiding like a scared kid, lost in my own house, in my room. I tried to stop my fear and close my eyes, pray for him to go away, but I saw him stand up again and start whistling. I closed my eyes. I can feel him keep walking until he suddenly stops. The whistles, the movement, so I open my eyes to check if he's gone. I slowly crawl from under my bed with thunder and lightning. I was surprised when he pulled me on my hair with all of his force. I tried to scream again, but I couldn't scream. I dropped the pen that was supposed to be my weapon. He dragged me only with one hand and smashed me on the wall. He is so strong, and My back hurts; I feel like one of my backbones broke, and I can't move. He walks near me with a steel vase in his hand. He lifts it and hits me. I saw his face, but it was blurry. That's why I can't recognise him. He kept on hitting me with a vase until I lost consciousness.

I woke up with my boyfriend sound asleep in my bed with my heavy breathing and the sweat on my forehead. Even the air-conditioner is on. I thank God that it is all just a dream though it looks natural. I am alive and kicking. There is no lightning and thunder; the weather is one because I can see the sunlight even when the windows and curtains are closed. No bad man and broken bones too. I got up from my bed, stretched my body, and I was about to start my day when I heard my parents fighting again downstairs. Daddy is home after a half month of not going home. His reason is his out of town business without calling my mom while he's on his business makes my mom paranoid. I tried to sneak to check what was happening to them. My mom is so mad with my dad. She keeps on telling things that she already said a thousand times while dad keeps on explaining himself a thousand times too. They are always Like that. Good thing that we don't have neighbours living nearby because they are so embarrassing.

"Where have you been?!" Mom asked, full of range, but dad didn't answer as if he's deaf.

"You are gone for half a month", She added with a shaking voice.

"What is your reason now?" She asked, still with a shaking voice, trying not to cry because I could feel her breaking down again, but dad kept on ignoring her. Instead of answering mama, he went to the kitchen and made his coffee. My mom followed him, still mad at him, but he ignored mom as if she was invisible.

"Why don't you answer my question?" She asked

"fix yourself, Judie. You are drunk again," He said

"I am like this because of you. I am waiting for you to come back," She said while looking at daddy.

"Even though I know that you are with her," She added and started to cry. But instead of comforting mom. Dad shows dismay to her that makes her madder.

"What?! you're with your mistress again!" She screamed,

"Why don't you answer?" She said and pulled dad's collar. He dropped his coffee, and the cup shattered on the floor. Mom got shocked when dad slapped her hard on the face enough to make her fall on the floor. She cried so hard and almost felt like dying how dad treated her since she found out that he was cheating on her.

"If you will not stop asking me, I will f*** leave you!" He said and fixed his collar and went to the balcony while mom was crying.

The cup shattered into pieces like my mom's trust when she found out that daddy was cheating on her with his co-worker and business partner, to the woman that once mom treated as a friend. I closed My door and sat on my bed. They didn't notice me watching them fighting. I lie on my bed again, composing myself because of the bad dream and the fight I always heard since mom found out about Belinda gives me a headache. She lost her sanity. Mom is always suspicious and paranoid. Belinda is dad's business partner and another woman. She is the one who organised mom and dad's marriage, and now she's the reason why the marriage is breaking. At first, they were scared to let mom know about their relationship, but when mom found out, mom confronted Belinda to stay away from my daddy instead of listening. They continue their relationship, and this time, they don't care about what mom feels about it or how hurt for her. As long as they are happy, they don't care.

I can still hear them fighting when I lie down on my bed beside Echo because I still feel sleepy. I didn't sleep well last night because of my dream. That is why my head is aching, but I can't go back to sleep because of their screams and fights. Even I cover my ears with a pillow so I cannot hear them fighting. I can still hear them. With my head aching, I decided to stand up and get my cigarette and lighter at the mini table beside the bed and light the cigarette.

"Good morning", Echo greeted with a smile. He just woke up naked and kissed my cheek, but I didn't mind him or even look at him.

"What's the matter, babe?" He asked, but I didn't answer

Echo has been my boyfriend for almost a year now. He is always there for me, especially when I need him most because he loves to listen to me, and I love him too. He's a quiet man who loves to wear black and everything black but behind that black craze of him. He is a religious man. He's not like other men who love to drink, smoke and play around. His life might be boring for others, but he's the one who brings me closer to God. He reminds me about God every time He sings me the Give thanks. By Don Moen, a Christian song that inspires me every time I hear it. It is so pleasant to my ears but not now because I am stressed and tense because of the fights I saw a while ago. I keep on smoking to ease the tension in my head until mom knocks on my door. I don't want to open the door, but her knock annoys me. I hurriedly threw my cigarette away, partly opened the door, and asked her what she wanted without even looking at her.

"What's your plan, Helena?" She asked, but I didn't answer. After she fights daddy, she's here knocking on my door and wants to get mad at me without any reason. She pushes the door to get inside, but I keep blocking the door because I don't want her to get inside to see Echo. Echo hurriedly wears his clothes just in case mom gets inside.

"Your room smells like cigarette smoke!" She shouted. She can smell it from outside, but I don't care. She keeps pushing the door to get inside, but I keep blocking it so she can't get inside.

"Open the door?!" She shouted while pushing the door.

"What do you want?" I asked her

"Are you not going to school?!" She madly asked

"No", I answered, hoping for her to leave me alone.

"Why?" She asked in an irritated voice

"You want to be an out of school c***!" She added

I rolled my eyes and said, "Leave me alone," I said while keeping on avoiding her from getting inside my room.

"Let me in!" She shouted, so I pushed the door and hit her on her forehead.

"I am sorry," I told her while she held the part that got hit by the door.

"I didn't mean to", But she slaps me hard like spiking the volleyball.

"You are like your dad! you didn't know how to respect me," She furiously said while pointing at me and walking away.

I banged the door and sat on my bed beside Echo. I start crying, and he comforts me. I don't want to go to school, and I just want to stay at home with Echo because school is boring for me. He always Visits me every time mom and dad are out for work because I lost interest in school since my nanny Silva died. My nanny treated me as her daughter, who loves me dearly and always takes good care of me. She died because she got sick when I was sixteen years old, and since then, my life has changed. I am a twenty-two year old and still in university, who's not interested in studying anymore because life is boring, school is boring since I got depressed when my nanny died. My nanny stood as my second mother when my real mother abandoned me since she found out that dad was cheating on her. Her love for me is gone, and even her love for herself.

"Stop crying," Echo said while tapping my back, but I couldn't stop myself from crying. I am having a breakdown because of mom. They are always busy and have no time for me. They are always out of town and leaving me alone, and once they are home, they are always fighting. Our house would be in chaos if they were home. I told myself that this was no longer a home but a house. I keep on crying when Echo hugs me and kisses me. He whispered to my ear like an angel reminding me that I could end all of my sufferings if I wanted to. I asked him what to do and he smiled at me. "Surrender them to the Lord." I look at him to make sure about what he's saying. He smiled at me again and said. "Surrender them to the Lord, babe."

The words he said were like an echo to my ears that hypnotised me. I stand up and look at myself in the mirror, trying to find myself, but I can't see myself anymore. I didn't know the girl who was staring back at me. She is not happy, not sad, not lost, but she is not here. I know who she is, and I know what she is now. She is COLD. Cold as ice and hard like stone. While staring at the girl in front of me. Echo starts singing the praising song Give thanks in my ear. His voice is like an angel to me, and the song is like a drug to me. That gives me energy. I wiped my tears and got the cord from my old telephone landline, and silently went downstairs while singing the Give thanks in my head. I heard daddy talking to Belinda on the phone. He is whispering because he doesn't want mom to listen to him. He is still wearing his office suit and drinking a new cup of coffee. He didn't even notice me standing behind him because he was so busy talking to his other woman. I slowly struggle him with the cord that I am holding. He tried to grab me from behind, but I hit him with the coffee cup twice until it broke on his head. I saw his face turn red because of the hot coffee, but I didn't care. I am still struggling him until he's not moving anymore. He's dead now, and I surrender my dad to the Lord. I know he will be at peace now, no more pain and suffering. I close my eyes and pray to God, thanking him for guiding me to do my job well after killing my father. I felt like he blessed me with a task to be his representative or a helper to help people ease their pains. I feel like new energy went inside my body; I feel so new, alive and fearless with the christian song that keeps playing in my head. I keep on singing with my eyes closed and arms wide open. Praising God for my successful first mission. While daddy is lying dead on my lap.

"Helena," My mom called me in shock.

"What did you do?" Mom asked me when she saw daddy lying dead on my lap with a cord in his neck. She went to my father, pushed me away and checked if my father was still breathing. She listens to his heartbeat, but she can't hear a beat.

"What did you do, Helena?" She asked again with dismay, but I didn't answer. She touches my father's pulse to double-check if he is still alive, but unfortunately, he is dead.

"You killed your father", She cried and hugged daddy.

,

"Fernando," She said with a disgrace of what I did.

I can feel the pain in her tears that are flowing on her cheeks like hot lava. Even daddy cheated on her, hurt her, She is still there for the man who doesn't deserve her love. While I am here sitting beside her, watching her cry. I decided to end her suffering too. I went near her and struggled with the cord that I was holding like a chicken. She tried to remove the cable from her neck, but I struggled with her more until she was not breathing anymore.

"Sssshhh," I said and kissed her forehead.

"You can rest in peace now, mama", I whispered to her while the "give thanks" was still playing on my head.

"Good job, Helena", Echo told me after he saw my father and mother lying dead on the floor. I didn't notice him watching me doing the mission.

"Let's pray to God now so that their souls can cross over", He added.

We close our eyes and pray to God after offering my parents to him. I end their fights and sufferings by giving them eternal peace. Now the house is peaceful, no tense, no fighting, no hatred. I pulled them one by one and made them sit on the chairs at the dining table facing each other with our long rectangular table. I know our table will have a happy family that's eating together. I also wiped my father's forehead to remove the little blood from the cup that I smashed to him twice when he tried to fight. I stare at them for a couple of minutes because this is the first time in my life that I remember that they are not fighting. They look so peaceful, and I love it.

"The two of you look so good now," I told them with a smile. While still staring at them, sitting facing each other peacefully and now I can start my day peacefully too. I keep the cord and sweep the broken cup on the floor. While cleaning the mess, I suddenly felt hungry, and when I checked the time, it was already lunchtime. I cooked lunch for us while they were at the dining table waiting for me to be finished, and once I was done. I served them the food that I cooked. I put rice and chicken soup on my parents' plates, and I also served food to Echo. I sit beside him, and we pray before we start our meal. Once we're done saying our grace prayer. We start eating.

"The next time that you will do your mission, we will do it together," He told me-at the same time, enjoying his meal, the rice and chicken soup with broccoli. I smiled back at him and thanked him for giving me peace in my life. Because now I can see mom and dad happy with each other, they are no longer fighting. This house Will be at peace now because of Echo.

Echo is my lifesaver because I will be nothing, useless, scared and invisible without him. It's good that he came into my life to remind me that I am worth it because I am God's chosen one, and I don't need to be scared because he is there to guide me. That is why I have loved him all my life, and I know that he loves me too, and from now on, he will stay with me. I don't need to hide him inside my room; I don't need to sneak just to see him because we are now free in my parents' house. We will officially live now as a couple with three bedrooms, two toilets, one oversized garage, a backyard and three cars: My mom's car, dad's car and my car. We will be rich. I know that we will fill this house with peace and love.

"Have your chicken soup now, daddy. I know you always wanted that. Belinda told me the last time she visited here as a friend of yours because mom still didn't know about the two of you." I told him while gently pouring the soup into his cup. Trying to be nice to him even though he wasn't nice to me, but sadly he didn't want the soup I gave him that made me angry.

"Why don't you like my soup?" I asked him, but he didn't answer.

"You don't like it?" I asked him again, and this time. I'm a bit mad.

"It is because I cooked it, not Belinda!" I furiously shouted and threw the cup of soup on his face. His face turns red, and a part of his skin gets burned, but I don't care,

"I am sorry, that is not what I mean," My father told me, but I didn't listen to him. I continue shouting at him, curse him and call him names.

"Sssssh, stop, babe," Echo said, trying to ease my anger.

"He is still your father", He reminds me and kisses me with his smooth and soft lips. It aroused me; I kissed him back, which Made my anger gone. We go upstairs to my room and make love again.

It feels so good to wake up without irritating fights downstairs. I slept peacefully last night beside Echo. After our make-love, we fall asleep, naked and only the blanket covers our body. He hugs me tight after we make love. That is why I feel different now. I kissed him on his forehead before going downstairs to check mom and dad.

"Good morning", I greeted them with a smile. I sat in front of them and looked at them sitting silently.

"It's good to see you quiet," I told them with a smile because I missed the old times that they loved each other and we were living in a happy home.

"I hope you are really happy now," Mom told me, but I didn't answer because I was not sure about what she was trying to say.

"Please, let us go now, Helena," Dad said

"But this our home, there is nowhere to go but home and God," I said with a smile and while pointing up. Pointing to God up in heaven.

"Unless you want to go to your other woman", I added while cleaning the table and glanced at mama to see her reaction. She couldn't look at me, and daddy didn't reply. I look at him and ask him again.

"Do you want to go to her?" but still no reply from him.

"Accept the fact that you will be going to be stuck here because we are your family. You don't need her. You only need mama and me," I told him.

I looked back at him and told him to forget about his mistress because he is hurting mama again every time he acts weird because of his mistress.

"You need to be thankful, mama, because daddy cannot leave us anymore," I told mama while still cleaning the table, but mama remained silent, staring at me.

"He is going to be stuck here with you, so you don't have a problem now," I added, and I put all the dishes that we used yesterday in the sink to wash it when I saw the door near the kitchen. I know it's nanny's Silva's room. I tried to stop myself from opening it, but the feeling of missing her pushed me to open the door and get inside. I take a deep breath and roam my eyes inside her room. My heart felt heavy because I thought I already moved on from her death, but the memories lingered inside this four-cornered wall. I didn't notice that my tears were slowly rolling down from my eyes while looking at the things inside her room. The bed is clean, and the blanket nicely folds. Her clothes were hanging, and some were folded. The smell of her newly washed clothes filled the air as if she was here waiting for me to open the door. I opened her cabinet, and I found the heart necklace with our photos inside that I gave her as a gift on her 60th birthday, besides my stick figure drawing that I gave her when I was six years old and our photo together when I was fifteen years old. She was hugging me while I did a wacky pose. I remember her smile after receiving it. She's so happy. She hugs me, kisses me on my forehead and calls me "Daughter", making me reminisce more about her makes my heart beat so fast. It's been a long time, but her loss feels new to me. Seeing the necklace, the drawing and our photo. I feel like I want to scream for missing her so much because before Echo. She is the only one I have. She treated me as her daughter; she made me feel special and loved while my parents did their selfish business and had no time for me.

"Nanny Silva", I cried in pain while recalling all the happy moments that we are together. The pain of losing her is undescribable. I thought I was already moved on from her death, but I am wrong because I am still crying and missing her.

"Why you?" I asked even though I knew that there was no answer to it.

"I wish I could turn back the hands of time", I cried.

"I wish you back," I whispered while crying and put our photo close to my heart.

Why her? I asked God deep inside, even though I knew that he had the right not to answer. I wished my times with her never ended. I remember her warm embrace, kisses, and even her life advice, always telling me to be honest, and most of all, I am beautiful inside and out. That is why she always wants me to wear a dress because she can see me like a doll and until now I am wearing a dress because of her. She inspires me in many ways, and I know that she will not be here, but she will stay inside my heart forever. She will always be missed, and she will always be remembered.

"Are you okay?" Echo asked me while tapping my shoulder. I immediately wipe my tears and look at him. "Yes", I lied, but I didn't convince him.

"No, you are not," He said

My tears start falling again. "I miss nanny Silva so much," I cried.

"I know," He said, and he hugged me.

"Why her?" I asked Echo while crying like a kid

"We will know the answer someday", He answered.

"Stop crying now", He said while wiping my tears.

"It still hurts," I said

"I know, the pain will be gone soon," He said.

"It just takes time," He added, and he wiped my tears again.

"Thank you so much," I told him.

"For what?"

"For always being there for me", I answered.

"Of course, because I love you." He said with a smile that brought butterflies to my stomach.

"I love you too," I told him and kissed his cheek.

"Compose yourself now and start your day," He said because he knows that I am breaking down because of the memories of nanny Silva that I recall. I kissed him again as my thank you because he is constantly there as my comfort in my storm and my sunshine in the rain, and I am still lucky that I have Echoed in my life.

I went outside to breathe fresh air when I noticed that the flowers that my nanny Silva planted were getting dry and died. I remember when she planted those flowers. I was with her planting too. Getting my dress dirty, but it is okay with her because she can wash it again. The quality of time we are together is much more important than the dirt in my dress. Under the sunlight of morning, we are busy making our flowers grow; She named it Helena. All of the flowers that she planted, she named it after my name because she said that someday I would bloom beautifully like flowers that she planted, and I remember when she told me that I need to talk to the flowers sometimes because they are alive like humans. Flowers have feelings too. I remember when she said it with a smile. That is why she also taught me the importance of planting; she planted many flowers in our backyard; some rose, jasmine, daffodils, orchids and sunflowers make our backyard colorful and beautiful. Because she knows that someday it will give us fresh air to breathe and make our surroundings beautiful, and she's not Wrong because when her flowers have already bloomed. It gives us fresh and colorful surroundings. And it smells good too. I hurriedly opened the hose to water the flowers, planted by nanny Silva and like her. I talked to them to save them from dying. I don't want the flowers to die because I don't want nanny Silva's effort to be wasted. After all, the flowers are one of her remembrances of love for me. Even though she is dead now, I can still feel her love for me by the flowers that she planted in our backyard. I feel like she's just there watching me every time the wind blowing the flowers are waving their petals to me. Telling me that her love is legacy.

"Don't die, please", I whispered to the flowers while still watering them one by one. I apologized to nanny Silva too for forgetting her flowers. I hope she's not upset with me.

I heard the doorbell ring twice while I was watering the flowers in our backyard. I am not expecting any visitors because I don't have visitors. That is why I am wondering who it is. I put the hose down and closed the faucet to check who was doorbelling.

"Yes?" I asked the pregnant woman standing in front of me

"Is Fernando there?" She asked with a shy voice

"I need to talk to him", She added while she was touching her belly.

I know that she is Belinda, and she is pregnant, and my dad is the father, and she is the reason why my mom and dad are always fighting. I look at her, and I look at her belly. I guess the baby is already in the sixth month, and I feel excited about the baby. Finally, I will have a sibling. I let her in and told her that daddy was inside, waiting for her while looking at her. I know that she is also suffering from being another woman in a secret relationship, no matter how much you love someone. Still, you will be kept as secret as possible because the man you love and impregnate you is already married. I can feel her, and I know I need to end her suffering because that is my duty.

"Is your mom there?" She suddenly asked just to make sure that mama was not home.

"No", I lied to her, and she suddenly hugged me, which surprised me.

"I don't know if you are mad at me, but I miss you," She said while hugging me.

"The last time I saw you was when you were fifteen years old, three days after your birthday", She added.

I remember her giving me things that I don't like, such as bags, make-ups and strong perfumes, maybe to impress me or get my attention. Hoping that someday I would like her, but she never buys me by giving me that stuff. Of course, she is the reason why our perfect family fell apart; she is why mama became an alcoholic, she's the reason dad cheated, and I hate her for breaking our family. We went inside the house, and I secretly locked the door so that she could not get out quickly.

"Have a seat", I offered her with a smile.

"Thanks," She said and sat on the couch.

"I will call dad. He is in the kitchen having his coffee," I lied.

"Okay, thank you," She said.

I left her waiting in the living room, and I went to the kitchen. I went to daddy and told him that his mistress was here, and she was pregnant. As usual, mom heard it, and she got mad again. I hush her because I don't want Belinda to hear her.

"Are you okay there, Helena?" She asked; maybe she is wondering what took me so long.

"Yes, I am", I answered, and I hurriedly went to the kitchen drawer to get the knife I would use on her.

"Helena," She called in, shocked. Standing now behind me.

"What happens to them?" She asked while staring at my parents

"Are you not happy that they are quiet now?" I asked her, but she didn't answer

"Are you not happy that they are together now?" I asked again while looking at her, but she didn't answer.

"Are they dead?" She asked while still staring at my parents.

"Not really, I just surrender their pains and sufferings to the Lord," I answered. She looks at me holding the knife, and I can see the fear in her eyes now.

"What are you going to do with that knife?" She asked in fear, but I didn't answer. I am sensing her fear, her fear with me that ignited me and pushed me to do my mission.

"You are scaring me, Helena," She said, but I couldn't hear her because all I could hear was the song "give thanks" playing in my head. Hypnotising me. I am repeatedly singing while holding the knife and staring at her blankly.

"PUT THAT KNIFE DOWN! HELENA!" She commanded, becoming authoritative now.

Instead of putting the knife down, I walk near her with the Christian song in my head. At the same time, she's gently walking away from me. I know she will run. That is why I locked the door so that she could not open it.

"That is a bad joke, Helena, put it down please, I am pregnant", And now she's begging, and she suddenly runs when she feels that there's no way that I will put the knife down. I ran after her with a knife in my hand. I grab her before she reaches the door and stabs her, but she's quick. She kicks me even though her waist is already bleeding. She tried to run, but I grabbed her again on her hair before I

Stab her again. She pushes me away from her, and she runs to the door.

"Echo, quick!" I shouted, commanding Echo to block her.

"Who is Echo?" She asked and froze when she saw Echo standing in front of her.

It is my chance now. I grab her and stab her many times with the kitchen knife that I am holding while singing the song. Each stab I made relieved me, and I know it relieved her because her pain will end now. After stabbing her repeatedly, I say my thank you prayer to God for giving me the strength to do my mission, and I also thanked Echo because without him. I will never do this perfectly. We cleaned all the blood on the floor, the knife that I used. I washed it and put it back inside the kitchen drawer. We cleaned as nothing happened. I dragged her into the dining area. I let her sit in between mama and daddy. I wipe the blood on her body and comb her hair to make her look beautiful.

"How good to see you in peace," I said with a smile to them.

"What did you do?" Dad asked me

"Aren't you happy?" I asked back while giving him a sharp look.

"She's pregnant," He said

"I know, but that child is made of sin, so I need to surrender it to the Lord," I said while continuously fixing Belinda.

"You are evil, Helena", Belinda cried.

"Don't say that," I told her.

"I am God's angel, and I washed away all your sins...you should be thankful", I added.

"I don't want to hear any fights from you guys. Please let me live in peace," I told them before leaving the dining area. I left them in the dining area and double-checked everything. I made sure that there was no evidence to find. Because people in the physical world wouldn't understand my mission, they will judge me if they know about it because they will not believe in me that I am God's angel, and he sends me to this world to do a mission. They will just think that I am crazy. So I need to be careful, not just for me but for Echo too.

"Who is the woman that you'll just surrender?" ' Echo asked while looking at Belinda.

"She's dad's mistress", I answered.

"Oh, that is why she has a heavy heart and a negative energy," He said. "But I guess she is more than a mistress,'' he added.

"Soon, you will know all about her," He said while facing me, but I didn't mind him.

I didn't know what he was saying, but all I knew was that I felt relief because of what I had done to Belinda. Another mission was accomplished, and I know there is more to go. I went to the dining room; I opened the fridge and took the box of pizza out. I put it inside the microwave and heat it for one minute, and sit beside Belinda with my one leg up. I looked at the three of them and invited Echo to have a pizza with me, but he ignored me; maybe he was still full, and I looked at them again and saw Belinda crying.

"Honey, why are you crying?" I asked Belinda to take a slice of pizza flavoured pepperoni and cheese and bite on it.

"Don't you wish to be here?" I asked her, but she didn't answer. She just keeps on crying.

"You should be happy because you are here with daddy," I told her, but she was still crying.

"Please, let us go, Helena", Mama begged. I looked at mama and said nothing, and I looked back to Belinda again.

"Forgive us for all the things that we've done to you", She added, but I didn't mind her.

"Look at the couples that you ruined, Honey," I told her, but she didn't mind me as if she didn't hear me. She just keeps on crying.

"Look at the family that you ruined", I added while staring at her, but she just kept on crying.

"You know what?" I asked and tried to bite my pizza again. Licking the sauce in my mouth.

"My mom became an alcoholic when she found out about you and daddy. She was totally in pain, lost herself, and she even lost me," I started while chewing the pizza and swallowing it.

"Every day and every night, she's drinking to kill the pain of betrayal because of the two of you caused. She became hot-headed. She loses her glow because her husband cheated on her with a woman she once treated as a friend. She confronted you, begged you to stay away from the man that she loves so much but instead of listening, you continue your bull**** with him," I added while looking at daddy too.

"And now you are pregnant; what kind of woman are you?" I asked Belinda, but she said nothing but cried.

"Helena, please don't start", Dad begged. I looked at him.

"You started all of this, and then you want me to stop?" I asked him while giving him a sharp look.

"My God, dad, you are weird", I added and looked back to Belinda and bit on my pizza again. She is still crying, and she can't even look at me.

"It is too late for that, honey; your tears won't do a thing now," I told her while finishing the last slice of pizza.

"I remember when my dad slapped me because of you," I said, recalling everything.

"I'm trying to remember what happened, but I can't remember why daddy slapped me, but I remember how hurt it is. The pain is still here tattooed in my heart," I told her while facing her.

"Helena, please stop!" Daddy raised a voice on me that made me angry.

"How dare you raise your voice at me?!" I furiously asked him and went closer to him.

"Just stop," He said without looking at me. I looked at mama and looked back at daddy.

"This is all your fault and you're bi***-" But before I finish what I want to say, he interrupts.

"Shut up! Helena!" He shouted, and I suddenly remembered how he shouted at me and slapped my face the same way he shouted at me. Now that makes me furious.

"How dare you?!" I furiously asked and slapped his face

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" I screamed at him, slapped his face too, grabbed the fork I left on the table and stabbed him many times. And I don't care where I stab him because I am mad. I AM MAD AT HIM.

"You ruined your family! You ruined our family!" I shouted while mama was silently crying, watching me getting furious. I looked at Belinda, and she was crying too.

"I will never forgive you!" I screamed and continued stabbing him with the fork that I was holding.

"Stop," Echo said, and he held my hand to stop me. He takes the fork that I am holding, puts it down on the table, and hugs me to calm me down.

"I am mad at him," I said with a shaky voice while pointing at daddy. Trying not to cry because he didn't deserve any tears from me.

"I know, but he is still your father", He reminds me while still hugging me.

"I am mad at him," I said again.

"It is already done. What's supposed not to happen has already happened, and we have nothing to do about it. The important thing is. It is over," Echo said in a very calm voice.

"How about me? when will my pain be over?" I asked him, still holding back my tears.

"Soon. It will be over soon. You still need to know a lot of things. When the time comes, you will know what you need to know, and every pain you feel will be over," He said in a sweet, calm voice. He looked at me and said:

"What matters now is you're God's chosen ones to help him end the sufferings of the people like your mom and dad and Belinda."

I understand what he is saying, and I listen to him quietly when my head suddenly aches because of what happened. I pushed him a Without a word, I drank a glass of water and went upstairs. I left him in the dining room. He didn't stop me. He didn't say a word because he knew I was tired of what happened and needed rest.