Grandpa’s Last Letter to Juliet

“Release me from my doubts that held me prisoner against my fate.”

4th of September, 2045 Dearest One,

I wish I knew your name. But I need not such information, when I remember every detail of your eyes.

I am uncertain about the fact that I still hold the right to write for you. But, please do believe the sincerity of this message that desires to fulfil the thirst of my curiosity, since it has been almost several winters since we have had our last conversation, and I do not mean to pry your resting mind. I came to write this letter, to show you that time may have departed us from our youth, yet there’s still these moments where even in a piece of paper, can I truly express myself despite how they claimed that pushing buttons on an electronic chopping board would be easier. I cannot figure out how they used one of those thin metallic sheets of blinking lights, because I never had the urge of needing to use one. I see no wrong in simply writing an unfeigned letter to someone they want to reach out unto, which in my case is to you.

I’ve been meaning to tell you that I kept seeing you everywhere in the tiniest fragments of my dreams. And it seems like my mind refuses to believe that it’s just a vivid invention of my shattered

frame of delusional scenery. I want you to tell me that you do exist, and it wasn’t just false memories. People would tell me that a man of my age, which speaks of such non sense, is suffering the consequences of the inevitable chaos of time or rather, to simply put it, imagining things. Every now and then, I get constant flashbacks of what seems like memories that lurks within the depths of my remotely twisted versions of reality. But, I assure you, I am positive with the authenticity of these visions. I want you to know, that it’s such a torment to remember the smell of your hair when the summer wind blew across our path. When your face, and your cheeks makes the sunset sink into silent jealousy. I miss the days where we used to watch the clouds on a bright summer day, not like how nowadays, everything is accommodated on a smart TV that has this confusing buttons everywhere. This generation I’ve been living in, is getting peculiar by each passing time. Even the music that we used to dance to, was slowly consumed and banished by this modern pop culture. I do not understand any of it, especially the sky. It used to be so bright and full of stars like when we were holding hands with only the warmth of each other to sustain our passionate greed. But now, I can barely see the moon. So trust me when I say this, you were the most beautiful light that my eyes had ever laid on. No city lights, no neons, nor LEDs could ever replace those sparkle in your orbs. Yet, we couldn’t have it all.

Those were the happy bits of moments in my life. But alas, fate

was not kind. We soon had to drift away on that one lonesome winter day. And, well, God had other plans for us. I learned from way far back that you’ve married, and was happy enough without my presence. So I moved on and stretched unto life. But, the feeling didn’t fade, like how I expected it would. I still remember the lines you’ve made with your face when you smile, and imagine how it would look like if I ever see you today. Because, I do not have much time, and let’s just say, on my dying breath, I’m writing a letter to fend off my sentiments to you. I held unto hope for much too long that perhaps I may be able to see you again rather than just in my dreams. To assure myself that you were real.

My life is currently being sustained by a machine that constantly beeps at night, singing the song of suffering each time I want to cease out of this world. I don’t have any more reasons to remain but to see you one last time. This machine breathes me air, but you are the one keeping me alive. I kept thinking if the happiness I felt while reminiscing the significance of your face was as genuine as how it appeared in my memory.

That’s why, my nameless Juliet, if you do exist, I beg of you to save me from this madness, release me from my doubts that held me prisoner against my fate, and bring me back the bliss that once faded within my grasp. I cannot move on, Juliet. It’s killing me too much from the inside.

So as I bid farewell and sulk in my gloaming retreat, I shall wait for the remnants of your light to complete my enamoured yearning of that memory which will forever linger in my heart.

A love that we once had.

All my heart, Leonardo x

Para sa mga martir na sacada ng Escalente, Bacolod.

Kung anong tamis ng inyong itinanim, S’ya namang pait ng naging katas ng inyong paghihirap. ‘Di matitigang ang lupang dinilig ng dugo At dito sisibol ang bagong mandirigma.