Am I to be Blamed?

Hey! Hey! You! Stop! Stop running, thief! Stop her! Help!

I could hear the scream of the angry lady chasing me. Behind her is a set of officers and soon they overtook the lady and ran towards me as fast as they can.

I feel exhausted. I'm gasping and panting from that tiring chase. I then decides to find a hideout to have some rest or else I'll passed out. Fortunately, I found a nook. I immediately sneak in.

"Haaaay! At last I can rest." I closed my eyes holding tightly the bag of money I got earlier. I have enough money now to buy food for my starving tummy and for my brothers as well. I can buy medicine for my sick mother too. I was smiling like crazy. But the happiness I felt, vanished in an instant.

"Aha! There you are impudent thief!"

I was startled by the loud voice.

As I opened my eyes, there I saw the lady frowning with her hands akimbo.

"What are you waiting for officers! Arrest him now!"

I tried to escape but my arms were quickly grabbed by the police.

"Stop! Let me go! Let me go home before you imprisoned me" I plead but they pretended as if they hear nothing...it's too late. I was brought to headquarters and was then interrogated.

"No sir! You are mistaken! I was once a good girl just like any of your daughters! Just like the rest of you here!

"You don't know anything! You have no idea how I went through!" Soon my face were filled with tears. My tears were not colorless. It is chocolate brown. Due to living in a horrible place. Where dust is what we inhale and what we breathe.

"Very well officers! I'll tell you my story"

Just like I said. I was once a good girl...but time was, when I was reared in slums. But I tell you, we lived honestly in life. My mother, my father, my brothers, sisters and I. Then, there came the biggest storm which made our lives completely devastated.

Poverty enters the portals of our home. My father become jobless, my mother got sick. The money that my mother had kept for our expenses were spent all. All for our daily needs and her needed medicine.

One night, the night I'll never forget for the rest of my life happened. My father went out, told us that he would come back with plenty of foods and money. I got excited. All of us can't wait for my father's return. I would imagine a savory, crunchy fried chicken. Just imagining it, my mouth became watery. We waited. But to no avail, even his shadow didn't came.

That was the last time I saw him. "You know what happened next, Captain?" He went with another woman!

My father whom I idolized and loved, dared to leave us with nothing on our dinner table! With my mother struggling and bedridden. If only I could lay my hands on his neck, I would wring it without pain! Until he breaths.. no more!

"If you were on my place, you'll do it won't you?

"What's with the face? You still don't believe in me?

Come...follow me on my home and I'll show you how my life sucks. A dilapidated shanty by a railroad.

I have convinced the officers to come with me. To my home. I couldn't even consider it a house or home as it has the absence of love, tranquility, happiness and safety.

As soon as we get there I look for my mother. But what I saw was my siblings weeping beside our mother.

"Mother? Mother? I'm home, mother? Mother?!"

As I held my mother's cold hand. I lose my strength. I'm down on my knees.

"There Captain! See my dead mother! I exclaimed.

"Captain, there are tears in your eyes?"

Now pack these stolen money and return it to the owner. What good would this do to my mother now? She's already gone.

Do you hear me? She's already gone!

Thus, let me ask you..

AM I TO BE BLAMED FOR THE THINGS I HAVE DONE?

Reference: Am I To Be Blamed—Declamation Piece