Bloody Throne

Jhustine Rose C. Festijo @jhusfstj

All eyes are on them One lil mistake of the King And foes will uproar

Lilim

Jasmine Mae M. Panganiban @jaspanganiban

Bakit ba tayo inutusan magbigay ng flyers kung kailan katanghalian na? Kainaman!” sambit ng aking kaibigan habang pinupunasan ang tumatagaktak niyang pawis. Samantalang napabuntong hininga na lamang ako habang namimigay sa mga nadaan.

Wala naman kaming magagawa kundi ang sumunod kasi pinili naman namin na magboluntaryo para sa kaganapan na ito kasi may sweldo pagkatapos. Hindi nga lamang namin inakala na ito ang matotoka na gawain sa amin.

“Sis, punta ako doon sa malapit sa park ah? Mukhang marami ring tao don na pwedeng mabigyan ng flyers.” pasigaw kong sabi sa aking kaibigan dahil malayo layo ang kinatatayuan niya mula sa akin.

“Sige sis. Ingat ka!” sagot niya.

Habang naglalakad papalapit sa parke ay maayos na tinanggap ng ilang tao ang aking binigay na flyers samantalang ang iba naman ay kitang kita ko na malayo pa lamang ay naiwas na. Sa paglipas ng oras ay mas lalo pang nainit kaya naman noong may nakita akong puno ay agad akong pumunta sa lilim nito.

Pinagmasdan ko kung paano hipan ng hangin ang bawat dahon sa puno na aking sinilungan at ang mga damo sa paligid. Ang sarap sa pakiramdam na matapos ang matagal kong pananatili sa initan ay nakahanap ako ng isang lilim na pwede kong pag pahingahan. Sa konting katahimikan at pagtitig na iyon ay bigla kong naisip ang masasayang alaala ko kasama ang aking pamilya.

“Para sa kanila ay kakayanin ko lahat!” sigaw ko na may pagtaas pa ng kamay at siya namang dahilan ng pagtingin ng maraming tao sa akin. Agad akong nakaramdam ng hiya at ibinaba ang aking kamay.

Naglakad na ako ulit sa initan at namigay ng flyers. Pagkatapos nitong mainit na maghapon alam kong makakabalik na ulit ako sa aking habang buhay na lilim, ang aking pamilya.

Jomardel J. Constantino @thejomable

; sa bawat pagsulong sa bawat hampas ng alon tila patuloy na hinahamon ng tunay na mapaglarong panahon padayon; magpapahinga pero muling babangon poem

Syntax Error

Hydie Mariel M. Adarlo @hydzmrl

Past x-es and y's Conflicting emotions on the rise

Unsolvable problems hear my cries

Surging variables

Full of anxious and terror

Beeping calculator

Syntax error.

By the Window

Kim Lawrence D. Cortez @kyem_lowrenz

Watching Emma through the window is not a new thing for Matt. The moment he first saw her at their freshmen orientation two years ago, he instantly fell. The butterflies he felt on his stomach that day, when he saw Emma’s bright smile, made him realize that she, indeed, will be the one to make his college life more exciting.

Matt decided to pursue her. He followed her everyday, with the hopes of her noticing him. He would always dress prettily in case the destiny permits it, Emma would look behind and she will see this young man admiring him from afar.

He continued following her for a long time. Time passed and it's already junior year for the both of them. Lots of things happened during those two years but it did not change Matt’s feelings at all. He is still there, watching her, by the window.

Looking at Emma, Matt suddenly became sad. He asked himself why he couldn't take a step through the door. Emma is just there, sitting on her chair, but Matt is too afraid to even greet her. Emma is just a few feet away, but it seems like a million lightyears to get in front of her.

Matt was struck with reality. He realized that just watching her from afar won’t make any change. He felt greedy, and he took the courage to get close. Without opening the door, he went inside the room. He walked as fast as he could, but stopped when he realized something.

He was stunned. How did he get through the wall?

He looked at Emma with shock on his face. His head started to ache. His world became dark, and flashbacks filled his mind. A memory of him jumping through the window came up and a picture of the CEAFA building from the ground.

Matt looked at his hands full of blood, then quickly looked at his reflection by the window where he would always watch Emma. He searched for himself, but he saw nothing. He doesn’t have a reflection, nor a shadow.

Time passed and Emma graduated from the university. Emma is already 21, but Matt is still 18. Matt accepted his fate and became content. During Emma’s last days, Matt continued doing the same. Watching and following her.

Now that Emma is gone, Matt decided to just stay. Like his feelings, Matt is still there. With sadness and despair, he is still standing there, by the window.

haiku