A Crawl in the Slums

It was midnight when the rain cant stop pouring along the streets of Tondo,Manila. The sound of rain keeps on filling every person's ear together with the sound of a family having a karaoke at this hour. Thea,a college student who lives along the small apartments within the small squatter area,making her way home after her part-time job. Feeling the freezing cold breeze of the midnight wind adds up to the cold she is feeling from her wet Denver green hoodie. The moment Thea steps a foot on her apartment she walked straight to the shower to clean herself up. Looking at herself in the mirror as her short bobbed cut hair getting soggy from all that rain. Her white skin that's turning pale together with her lips from all that cold while walking home.

"I lost another job."her whisper echoed inside the four walls of the bathroom. "Seems like I need to skip classes tomorrow to find a job."

As she finished her midnight bath Thea took a look at the window beside her as she is making up her night routine.

"Its raining cats and dogs."

The lights in her room are out as Thea is about to sleep before she could doze off,she have thrown a glance at the lights in the district. Behind the hour ;pass twelve in the midnight, the lights are still on work in most of houses. Grown-up men's voices and the sound of bottles are playing with sound of the round as those people are still up for drink along small road that is mostly occupied by some illegal settlers.

Thea could still feel the pain in her left lower back as she was caught by fight with some gangs within the district. She walked towards the switch to open up the light at faced her back in front of the human length-ed mirror beside her. Thea took a peek to her back only to see a massive bruise on the part she is feeling pain.

"Did the hit from the bat that severe to leave a bruise on me?!"she asked herself pissed.

Thea immediately called off the light and got back to bed."I need to be careful this time not to walk along a crazy fight over gangs."

*This bruise better not be a bother to me tomorrow and on the following days.*

The next morning,Thea was woke up not by her daily but the violent sound of banging in her apartment's door. Her place is small that can't be inhabited by two. It do only have small sink,a small bathroom and single bed placed on the left areas of the room.

"Amithea!Wake up! You better open this door before I call the tanods!"a voice of an old woman shouting that made Thea get-up from to open up the door.

"Aling Sinang promise I will pay for my rentals this end of the month__"

"Stop blabbering those promises,its already three months and I haven't received your rental payment for that three months!I will be giving an extension until this end of the month and if you still wont be paying you better pack your things up!"said Aling Sinang a fat woman who always wear Hawaiian patterned dusters.

After that early morning scolding Aling Sinang left with a grumpy face leaving Thea all worked up from the worries she's been having for the last months. Before closing the door,the stressed girl gave herself a deep sigh.

"Goddamn-it!!! Just how many jobs I need to have to pay all my debts!"Her voice echoing in her small room at make her way to her bed breaking down from the stress she is having.

She looked up at her white ceiling and closed her eyes as she feel her tears running down to her cheeks.*Thea,let's just stop all this crying,this wont help you!*

After seconds of internally cheering herself-up,she immediately have her way to complete her morning routine. Its still seven in the morning her first class every day is nine in the morning after her morning routine she made way out of the room.

"I still have two hours to look for a job that will do."she said to herself.

Being that she is living in a squatter area,seven in the morning is already a late hour at the district. She can hear kitchen utensils clinging the sound the children crying and those mothers who is having stressful start of their day. As usual,she wearing jeans and shirt together with her blue-pack bag. Walking on the narrow streets of the district where some notorious criminals and dangerous gangs are all grouped somewhere within the district,with that,she cant let her guard down.

"Are you doing well Thea?I saw you last night caught up in Jude's fight with the other gang last night." Thea looked at the direction in where that sultry voice came.

It was Ysay the girl who lived next to her apartment. With sultry outfit and red lipstick on her lips early in the morning describes her line of work;prostitution. Almost every night she can see Ysay bringing some men inside her apartment and later on hearing some loud moaning. Being Ysay lived next door and their apartments having almost thin walls making Thea have some sleepless nights when Ysay is having her work in her place.

Thea gave a slight smile to her and nod."Thank you for the concern,but Im doing well so far."

"Nope.Im not concern. I just momentarily observing you. I hear Aling Ysay barged at your place early this morning,are you sure you dont need my help?"Ysay asked Thea with smirk on her face.

"No,Im good, thank you."Thea politely brushed off that rude offer and hurriedly made her way out of the place.

"You're Welcome!"Ysay teasingly shouted at Thea.

As she made her way out of the squatter area, Thea asked the each store she walked by and unfortunately they are not in sear of new employees.

*I feel like I need to pack my things up and find a better place. But that place is cheap.....though its quite dangerous.*

Before she could make her way to another store she felt something vibrating inside her bag. It was her phone and someone is calling.