Mark: (shaking his head ) It's too late.
Mark is in front of Carla pointing the gun at her, clenching and unclenching his hands.
Carla closes her eyes, waiting to be shot. She can't move from being tied up.
Carla: (praying) Oh my God, Oh my God... help, please...
Mona: (screaming) KUYA! STOP!! ... Kuya...don't... !!
Suddenly, his cell phone rings. He sees who calls and without taking his eyes off Carla's face, takes a deep breath and answers the phone. .
Mark: Boss, (relieved)… yes, I have her.
After a short pause, Mark takes a picture of Carla and sends on his phone. He walks away, still talking to Mr Beltran..
Mark: .. okay boss... sure, no problem....
Carla is trying to listen but can't hear the rest of what Mark is saying. The sound of the ocean waves are getting louder and louder.
Later, Mark comes back to the room.
Carla looks at his poker face and the gun in his hand.
Carla: W-w-what are you going to do? Are you going to kill me?
Mark: ...yes...
Carla's face is horrified.
Mona: NO!! , Kuya Mark. No!!! (crying) What happened to you Kuya? How did you turn into a bad person?
Begin Flashback:
Scene: Christmas Eve at the house. Mark is now 10 and Mona is 7. Mark's bedroom. Almost midnight.
Mona comes inside Mark's room and shakes him awake. Mark isn't really asleep, just pretending to be.
Mona: (whispering) Kuya.. Kuya Mark, wake up.. ..
Mark: Go back to sleep Mona.
Mona: (whispering) Kuya..
Mark: What? What are you doing up, you're supposed to be sleeping!
Mona: Shhhhh... Kuya, not so loud. I hear something...
Mark: That's probably just Mama.
Mona: No, Mama is not home yet. I checked.
Mark: She's not home yet? What time is it?
Mona: (excited) Kuya, I hear something, I think it's Santa Claus!!
Mark: What Santa Claus? I told you already, there's no Santa Claus! It's all made up!
Mona: Of course there is. I asked Mama the other day and she said there was no Santa for hard headed boys like you but there's still Santa Claus for good girls like me. hihihihi
Mark: She was probably drunk as usual. She probably didn't even know she was talking to you.
Mona: Kuya....
Mark: You know I'm right. Ever since Dad died, all she does is drink . She doesn't care about us anymore.
Mona: Kuya, of course Mama cares about us. She's just sad because Papa is gone.
Mark: She's not the only one who is sad that Papa is gone. We're all sad!
Mona: I miss Papa a lot too. But don't forget he's in heaven now. He's probably getting ready for Papa Jesus' birthday party tomorrow. We're gonna celebrate too! It's going to be a great! Papa is not with us anymore but we can still celebrate.
Mark: Sure, he's in your stupid imaginary heaven with your stupid imaginary Santa Claus.
Mona: Kuya!! What are you talking about? Heaven is not stupid and it is not imaginary!
Mark: Mona, you're just a little kid, there's lot of things you don't know.
Mona: I may be a kid but I know Heaven is real, Jesus is real, Santa Claus is real! I also know they are not in heaven together because Santa lives in the North Pole. He's going to leave me a present because I have been a very good girl all year. Mama says so. Mama says she's 100% sure
Mark: Whatever, Mona. Just go to sleep okay?
Mona: But I heard a sound Kuya! Don't you want to see Santa? Maybe we can get one of the bells from his sleigh!
Mark: I feel bad for you when you find out the truth..
Mona: What Kuya?
Mark: I said you should sleep now because Santa may not give you a present if he sees you up and about.
Mona: You're right! Okay, I'll go to sleep now. Tomorrow I'm baking Christmas cookies early in the morning with Mama. She promised we would.
Mona jumps down from the bed and runs to the door, where she pauses to look back at Mark.
Mona: I can't wait to see what present Santa left for me. I wish it was already tomorrow!!
Mark shakes his head in exasperation.
Later, Mark still can't sleep. He looks at the clock, it is past midnight. He gets out of bed and walks to Mona's room. He sees that she is fast asleep. He walks to his mother's room and sees that it is empty. The whole house is quiet and empty except for him and Mona. He walks to their living room to the Christmas tree in the corner. He looks through the presents and has a look of disgust. He walks back to his room angrily.
Inside Mark's room, he gets a wrapped present from his closet. He takes the tag that says "To Mona, From Kuya Mark" and replaces it with a tag that says "To Mona, From Santa Claus". He angrily walks back to the living room and throws the present under the tree. He mutters angrily as it knocks some decorations down.
As Mark fixes the Christmas tree, he looks out the window and sees a car parked outside their house. He sees some people inside the car. He frowns.
Mark goes outside the house to the parked car. The car looks shiny and new. He sees two people inside the car straightening their clothes. Then a young man gets out of the drivers seat and walk a bit unsteadily to the other side and open the passenger door. Mark's mom Elena gets out of the car. She is obviously drunk. She almost falls as the man catches her.
Elena: Oh, oh, hihihihihi, th-thaaaanxxxs Brettttt.....
Mark: (angry) Mama.. Mama, who is this guy!
Elena and the man finally notices Mark scowling at them.
Brett: Oh, hey there little man... You must be...
Elena: Markkk, mmmyy ssshonnn... Markkk, shay hhaay tu yuur Unkh-cllle Brettttt...
Elena is still being supported by Brett. Mark is staring at them, his scowl getting darker. He doesn't answer. Elena looks at Mark's face and starts laughing hysterically as Brett helps up the house.
Elena: hahahahahaha Whyyy the long fffeyyyzzzzz hmmmmm? hahahaha Youuu need to lighten uppppp!
Brett helps her inside her bedroom as Mark follows several feet behind them.
Brett: Bye babe. I'll call you soon. Thanks again! I still can't believe you bought me that brand new car. I can't wait to see my friends' faces when they see this. hahahaha You're the best!
Elena is in bed, looking at him as if she almost doesn't recognize him.
Elena: Huh? Oh sure...
Brett leaves without giving Mark a second glance. Mark goes to his mom as soon as Brett leaves.
Mark: Mama! Did I hear right? Did you buy that as$hat a car?
Elena: Huhh? M-maaybee I did. Shooo whaaat?
Elena seems to be falling asleep. Mark is so furious at his mom. He goes to the bathroom sink and gets cup of water and runs back to his mom on the bed. He throws the cup of water on her face.
Elena: Heyyy!! Hey!! How dare you!!! How dare you!!
Mark: How dare I ? You bought some as$wipe a new car when we can barely pay the bills in this house?!! Are you out of your mind?
The splash of water sobered her up a bit. Elena gets up unsteadily and without warning, slaps Mark on the face. PAK !
Elena: You watch your mouth! You are only my son! I am still your mother! How I spend money is none of your business!
Mark has no reaction from being slapped. He just stares at her.
Elena: (crying) I'm so sorry Mark. Look what you made me do! (crying) I'm sorry. Stop looking at me like that! (sob) If only Guillermo was here..(sob) Why did he have to die?
Mark held his mom tightly as she cried and cried and cried.
Mark: Mama.. it's gonna be okay.. We're gonna be okay..
Elena: (sob) No, we won't! Don't you see? . (sob) We had the perfect family, didn't we Mark? (sob) Everything was perfect. Things can change in an instant..
He laid her in bed as she continues to sob.
Elena: (sob) Guillermo..Guillermo... I miss you so much... (sob) why did you leave us?
Mark stayed with his mom until she fell asleep. Then he went to his own room to cry himself to sleep.
Scene: Early Christmas morning. Mark's room. He's sleeping. Mona is standing next to the bed.
Mona: (excited) Kuya! Kuya! Wake up!
Mona shakes Mark until he wakes up.
Mark: Go back to sleep Mona.
Mona: Kuya...
Mark: Uhhh... What time is it? Why are you waking me up?
Mona: Kuya! It's December 25! It's Christmas ! Come on!!! Get up!!!
Mona is trying to pull Mark from the bed who doesn't want to move.
Mona: Kuya! how can you sleep at a time like this! It's Christmas day!!
Mona is jumping up and down in excitement.
Mona: Kuya, guess what! There's a present for me from Santa Claus under the tree!! I told you! I told you!
Mark: Great, you got a present from Santa! Now, leave me alone! I need to go back to sleep
Mona: Kuuuyyyaaa... C'mon.. I'm going to Mama's room to wake her up!
Mark: Mona, don't wake her up...
Mona ignores him and runs to Elena's room. After a few minutes later she comes back.
Mona: (sadly) She said she has a headache and need to sleep some more.(happy) But we're up so let's make the Christmas cookies and surprise Mama.
Mark: I ain't baking no cookies!
Mona: Fine! If you don't want to then, I'll do it myself then.
Mark: Go! Get out of here! Bake a million cookies! Burn the house down, I don't care!
Mona stomps away.
Mona: What's wrong with people in this house... It's Christmas day. It's Papa Jesus' birthday! It's supposed to be the happiest day of the year.
Later: Mark is awake but does not feel like getting up. He sees that Mona is back upstairs in his room. He sits up on the bed.
Mona: Yey!! You're up. Shall we wake Mama up? I can't wait to open presents!
Mark: If she's still sleeping, let her sleep..
Mona: Oh okay... (big smile) Are you less grumpy now that you got more sleep?
Mark: (shaking his head) I don't know how you can still be so happy.
Mona: It's Christmas today! What's there not to be happy about?
Mark: There you go again! Are you blind? Don't you see what's going on? Papa's gone, Mama is drunk and depressed. She bought … (remembering the new car his mom bought someone made him angry again) Gaaah! How can you be so cheerful!
Mona: Of course, I'm sad about Papa gone but you're here, Kuya.... Don't you remember when he died, Mama, you and me, we were all around him in the hospital... he said you are the man of the house when he's gone? …And I promised our Papa I will take care of you, so you have nothing to worry about.
Mona gives Mark a big smile. He looks at her big brown eyes and smiles too, shaking his head.
Mark: You? Take care of me.?You're crazy!
Mona: What's so funny about that, huh? Just because I'm smaller than you doesn't mean I can't take care of you!
Mark pats Mona's head.
Mark: Must be nice to be so young and innocent. Don't be in such a hurry to grow up, Mona.
Mona: Kuya, you talk like you're 200 yr old grandpa, you smell like it too, phew!!
Mark starts laughing at the faces Mona is making.
Mona: (smiling big) See, I know you have the Christmas spirit in you! hihihi
Mark: Not sure if I have Christmas spirit... But Papa is right. If Mama can't take care of us, then I will take care of the both of you.
Mona: You mean, I'll take care of you.
Mark: haha, Okay, we will take care of each other.
Mona nods vigorously.
Mark makes a face.
Mona: Oh, now what?
Mark: Don't you smell that?
Mona: What?
Mark: Smoke.. I smell smoke...
Mark jumps out of bed and runs to the bedroom door. Smoke is coming from the cracks around the door. He opens the door anyway. Blazing flames and thick smoke can be seen from the hall way. They walk out of the room and see that the fires look like they are coming from downstairs kitchen
Mona: (cough) Oh NO! My cookies! (cough)
Mark: (cough) What!?
Mona: (cough) (cough) I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I was baking cookies but I forgot! … Oh my God... Mama... (cough)
Mark: Mama....
Mark looks at the large fire then at the terrified Mona..
Mona: (crying hard and coughing) I'm sorry.. I'm sorry, kuya !
He grabs her arm and they run back to his bedroom and lifts her to the large open window.
Mark: Go! (cough) You have to jump down into the bushes!
Mona is clinging to the side of the window. They take a deep breath of fresh air from outside.
Mona: (crying hard) I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to do this.... Kuya... (sobs)
Mark: (shaking his head) It's my fault.. I should have been watching you...
Mona: (crying) What about Mama ?
Mark: I'll go get her. You jump down!
Mona: No!! I'm not jumping down without you!
Mark is trying to push Mona out the window but she kicks and squirms out of his arms.
Mark: Ouch! .. Don't... be hard headed! Go!!
Mona: No! No!
Mark: Fine! You wait right here! I'll get Mama.. But if the fires get close, you have to jump down!
Mona nods.
Mark runs out the hallway as Mona tearfully waits, scared to death, clinging to the open window.
Several minutes later, Mark comes back with their mom but she is unconscious. He is dragging her dead weight and having a difficult time.
Mona helps Mark drag Elena closer . Mark is almost passed out and finally succumbs. Mona looks at Mark and Elena now both unconscious next to the window.
Mona: (crying hard) Kuya!! (cough) Mama...(cough) (cough) Wake up!!
The fire is closing in and the room is almost filled with smoke. Mona keeps shaking Mark and he comes to a little.
Mark: (weakly standing up to grab her) Mo..na... ju..jummpp...
Mona: (crying hard) Not (cough) going (cough) without (cough )you...
Mona pulls Mark to the window and with great effort pulls and pushes him up to the window, coughing hard. She can barely see from the smoke stinging her eyes and is now very weak from inhaling it.
Mona: (thinking) Papa Jesus.... please help me.. please save Kuya..
With one last burst of strength, she pushes the unconscious Mark out the two story window. Mona passes out from the smoke.
End Flashback
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