NOW BOARDING

And so it came to pass.

It seems that he was the only one hearing it. A serenade was coming from the night and the boy kept on wondering where he could possibly find this assembly of tune he's been hearing two weeks before he went out of the zone. The musical theme narrows into sad mellows -- the tone, that reverberates to sooth the sick.

The yelps and hiccups from his favorite superstar failed to nail the waive of emotions down. He was sad. He knew he should be happy. And counting the days left has never set an encouraging mood. He was at the verge of an emotion cliff.

Then, the time was at its final stretch and dealing with everything, at the very sense of the word "every/thing" is like playing an unstoppable jumping rope. He must keep it neither high nor low to fit. He must keep it just right to beat the compelling condition the time exerts. The struggle of his mind went beyond the script of the usual "I'm-leaving-now seasons" on the television. At those particular moments were episodes of swings, in that extent that the boy could no longer accommodate to control and resist the rushing avalanche of the need to walk away, for now. More than confused, it's likely that he's got the rhythm but not the beat.

One will soon realize that the reason why we see ourselves outside of the box is maybe for the simple reason that the box may not be able to sustain us anymore. We rationalize and tell ourselves that reasons are yet to be discovered after sometime. Or,maybe for a greater reason, as for the case of the boy -- a strong magnetic pull factored in by his family.

The people around him were aware about the fact that he might not come back but the boy is conscious that he shall do the otherwise. It was never easy to say your final messages and later, farewell to them. It was like casting an arrow in an invisible bow. The boy has never thought of leaving but it transpired. There was not even a single blame that crossed his mind. Though it was difficult to shape an optimistic remark in the process of lowering all sorts of despair, he took that event as a challenge to finally see how life works in the Rogue -- the place he abandons in his pen outlay.

Ironic for now as he is in the country plagued with instruments which pushed him to write against aristocracy and imperialism. But maybe a greater reason later for he is currently in the process of experiencing "a fraction" of its political, economic and cultural plight -- literally, all sides of the system. But, with the foundation laid upon him by his mentors, he can use this to assess the objective reality and take all of these as something that can sharpen his pen to better serve its acquired bias. After all, experiences may show writers the accurate framing of thoughts. They are capable of transcending these in a more realistic Manner; however the Matter and the Method of maneuvering the Pen are regarded crucial to favor a certain cause.

Moving on but will never forget. As of now, the boy just doesn't know where to place himself in a spectrum of emotions. He knows that this struggle is only for now, at the hype of being a newcomer and an "unlikely prisoner." The shared experiences with his colleagues and friends will be treasured eternally. The principles and duties embraced will always be a fight to win. For now, he (whether it sounds rationalizing or not) takes this as an extension of a wild learning process. This time trying to live with the Stressor.

For now, it's a practicum course that boy never enlisted, thereby settling it in a typical four-word sentence -- IT IS A CHALLENGE. A challenge not to be engulfed and ruined by the system. A challenge not to give up and defy its streams. A challenge not to trade off the People's sentiments. A challenge to stand up and resist the system's words of sweet caress.

He runs. He faces. He fights.

The boy will try to continue strengthen his artillery. And this worthy-to-dismiss emotion cliff made of happy and sad edifices will falter, fade and later, decay.

Sa mapanubok na pagkakataong ito,
pipilitin kong hindi magpadaig.
Magpapakatatag. Kayanin ko sana!