1 *Innocently smart*
" Mom,what are they doing?", Kenna ask her mom while watching the 21 inches colored television.The only entertainment they have aside from refrigerator where their mom stock their food, children are holding something in their right hand and a white thing was infront of them where they scribble something.
" They are writing, they are in school and the one infront of them and teaching them how to write is called teacher", her mom replied.
" I like that also mom! What age should we go to school?", she asked her mom. Most of the time her over observant irritate her mother unlike now that she's in the mood to answer her queries.
" A person should start going to school since three years old for preparatory and up till they reach college, after college they will work and have family of their own." her mom explained. Her youngest daughter was the most observant and good immitator amongst her five children but she know she could not underestimate this girl's intellect.
" What is meant by have a family of your own?", she innocently asked.
" When a person got married and have children of their own", her mom replied..
" You already finish your college mom? because you already have family of your own", she ask her mom. She didn't notice the blushing that showed up in her mom's sad expression.
" Mom, when we'll go to school?", wonderingly she asked her mom.
" I'll ask dad about that", her mom answered after a long minutes of thought.
" Why Ninna, Rinna, Chanda and Marko didn't go to school?", again she asked.
" That's enough you asked too many questions", her mom angrily retorded because she no longer feel comfortable with her young daughter, she's only four years old but she's asking too many questions which she found difficult to answer.
Since that day Kenna keep asking Noanna when she'll go to school. Til their father arrive the next day.
" Dad,, Kenna was already asking when she'll go to school?",Noanna told Rudy.
" How did she know about going to school?", Rudy asked.
" She had watched on t.v.", Noanna said.
" Why you allowed them to indulge too much time on t.v?", Rudy asked.
" But dad that's the only thing they can do, aside from playing," Noanna tried to reason out.
" That's enough", Rudy's eyes secretly warned Noanna..
" Please can you buy papers and ballpens for the kids", Noanna beg.
" Then why don't you teach your children? anyway that's your obligation as their mother,to teach them how to write and read", Rudy angrily said.. But Rudy brought school supplies for the kids on the next day.
All of the kids were excited to learn, she taught them how to write their names and read,.Kenna is a fast learner and that's an amazing discovery for Noanna she easily learned the alphabet and in a few days only she can read..
She still spends too much time on t.v.
and once Noanna was washing the dishes when Kenna showed up her karate tricks which she learned in watching Jackie Chan's movies.
" Mom,look I can kick really high, and my karate moves", Kenna proudly showed up to her mom. Her other siblings laugh at her tactics while six year old Marko tried to follow her moves. Eight years old Chanda, is laughing so hard, while twelve years old Ninna and ten years old Rinna were just amused at their young sister. Noanna know that her young daughter was so keen to learn new skills. Given a chance she know she will succeed in life. Noanna sigh at the thought of how she can be able to help her children. She wanted to give the best for her children but how she can do that in their condition that they were trapped in this underground dungeon her dad had made for her and their children.
At that moment their dad show up, and he saw how Kenna proudly shows her karate skills at their mother and siblings.
" I told you not to let her indulge too much in t.v.", Rudy angrily told Noanna. Kenna
is wondering why her dad is so angry, he took off his belt and lash at her.
" Dad please, she's only four years old", Noanna tried to stop Rudy. But he keep on lashing at Kenna as though he wanted to kill the child. Noanna scope her daughter in her arm to protect her from her father, she could not bare to hear the pain in Kenna's cry.
" What have I done dad? ", kenna asked her dad in batween sobs.
" I don't want you to do that tricks again, from now on no one will watch television I will remove that from here" Rudy decided.
" Just because I can kick and do karate moves you will hit me?", Kenna smartly asked.
" Yes, I don't want you to do those tricks again, the next time i'll caught you I will not let you eat for a week, understand?", Rudy warn.
True to his words Rudy brought with him the television when he go up the stairs. The other kids were just staring while their father go up the stair carrying the television. Ninna and Rinna were just staring at their father blankly.
Noanna was crying but she can't do anything to stop her father from taking away the only source of happiness of her children.
" Mom, why can't we go up that stairs?", again Kenna asked innocently. Again she don't know how to answer her question. She's beginning to ask why they are locked down in this underground. In a short time she will discover things that were not allowed them to know..She know that her father don't want Kenna to learn how to fight him in the future, he was trying to prevent something that can be used against him. She don't know how she ends up living in this dungeon and having kids even against her will. She know it is because of her cowardice that allow her father to abuse her and to keep her away from people's eyes when she become pregnant and locked them down in this underground.
