Cardo

Ruer Torculas

I pride myself that my Tatay is a policeman– like Cardo Dalisay. So, he did not hesitate to pull out his toy gun from his side pocket and show it off to his friends. It was just for an act.

Point blank.

I did not flinch when he suddenly pulled the trigger in front of me. The bullet went straight to his friends’ heads. First was the mother hugging her son. Next was the son. I stare blankly at their bodies as they fall onto the bare ground. It must be a good show.

Tatay stood upright, completely unbothered. He must have gotten used to it, I thought.

But his friends were supposed to play dead.

Illustration by Emmy Nava