★–[Valencia, city|Jacobs house|March 20, 2018|1:25 PM]--★
The golden sun bathed the small neighborhood in soft light.
Laughter echoed in the air.
Children ran barefoot through the dusty yard, shouting and squealing with joy.
> Jacob (grinning):
"Tag! You're it!"
> Kid 1 (giggling):
"Still tagai! You didn't touch me right!"
> Jacob:
"Hoy! You just 'cheered'! That's not how you tag!"
He laughed, dodging to the side.
They kept playing—carefree, as if their small world had no pain.
For a moment, Jacob smiled like he had no worries at all.
———————————————————————
SIGNBOARD: ALING PASING STORE
3:30 PM – Before Tragedy
———————————————————————
Plastic chairs circled a wobbly wooden table. Bottles clinked, pulutan half-eaten—air filled with smoke and cheap laughter.
> Nard (grinning): "Tagay pa, pare! Mamulutan ka rin!"
>Henry (laughing): "Haha! Salamat, pare! O ito—pera, dagdagan pa natin!"
>Estong: "Ohhh, pareng Nard, bili ka na ng dagdag!"
>Nard (standing): "Sige—basta 'wag niyo lang gawing hapunan 'yung pulutan, ha!"
They all laughed—carefree, sun still high in the Bukidnon sky.
> Estong (smiling): "Iba ka talaga, Henry. Balita ko, nag-aaral na 'yung anak mo? Congrats, pare!"
Suddenly, the laughter died in Henry's throat.
His smile faded. His eyes narrowed.
> Henry (bitter laugh): "Pshh… Aral."
He stood up abruptly, chair scraping harshly on the cement.
> Estong (surprised): "Uy? Saan ka pupunta, pare? Tagay pa tayo!"
>Nard (whispering): "Anong problema nun?"
>Estong (shrugging): "Ewan. Parang nainis. Hayaan mo na."
Henry walked off—footsteps heavy, head low.
He didn't say another word, leaving behind only the sound of clinking bottles… and questions.
★–[ Inside jacobs house| 3:59 PM]--★
> Henry (shouting):
"LEZIL!!
LEZIL, where are you?!"
Lezil:
"What is it?"
[Henry punches her across the face.]
Lezil (in pain):
"Ah—what the hell?!"
Henry (shouting):
"Why did you enroll Jacob in school, huh?! You had no right to make that decision without me!"
Lezil (angrily):
"And why not?! Was that your money?!
That money came from me, Henry! I saved every peso for Jacob's future!"
Henry (mocking):
"Saved money? Then where's that little brat? Let me hit some sense into him too."
Lezil (panicking):
"No! Henry, please don't touch Jacob! He's your son! Have mercy!"
---
[Meanwhile, Outside ]
Neighbor 1 (whispering):
"They're fighting again."
Neighbor 2 (shaking head):
"Same old scene. That poor woman..."
---
[Back inside – house.]
Henry (shouting):
"Mercy? Don't talk to me about mercy.
I've never liked that boy! He's weak. A crybaby. That's not a son to me."
Lezil:
"Stop! Please stop! Don't you dare—!"
Henry (exploding):
"Why are you yelling at me?!"
[He punches her again. She stumbles. He kicks her in the stomach. Grabs her hair.]
Lezil (screaming):
"Ahhh—!"
[Desperate, Lezil grabs a sharp tool near the stove—just enough to stab.]
[She raises it, trembling, and points it at Henry's neck.]
Jacob (softly):
"I should head home.
Mom's probably looking for me by now."
---
When Jacob finally returned home,
he saw a crowd gathered in front of their small wooden house.
People murmured. Some just stared.
> Jacob (blinking):
"Haahh…? Why are there so many people?"
He pushed through the crowd—
And there, in the center of it all…
His mother, Lizel, was being led away by the police.
Her hands cuffed. Her eyes distant. Her steps weak.
> Jacob (frozen):
"...Ma?" (barely a whisper)
"...Pa?"
Tears welled up in his eyes.
> Jacob (screaming):
"MA!!!"
Lizel turned. Her eyes locked onto his.
She tried to smile—but instead, she broke down.
> Jacob (rushing forward):
"Ma! What happened?! Why are they—"
But before he could reach her, a hand stopped him.
A woman in uniform from DSWD knelt beside him gently.
> DSWD Officer (softly):
"Come with us, Jacob. You're safe now."
Jacob didn't speak.
He only turned one last time—
to see his mother, crying, as the police took her away.
—
[Screen fade to black]
Skipp! To 15 years~~~