Wala si Yana. The next days we burried Yana. Malapit sa iba't-ibang mga bulaklak na pinagtulungan naming i-arrange bilang mga palamuti. Yong was in somber. He's crying in front of Yana who is wearing a white dress that I made it. I got a thread and a needle. I knitted it, just like Aling Khaty did. Got them from the boxes. I heard Sam again—transferring from one boxes to another. I know all Mahar is watching us. Because they know I need clothes for her. But they gave thread and needle instead. They still need me to be challenged. Afterall, it's a goddamn game for them—picking their bets.
Madaling araw pa lang kanina ay maaga na akong nagising at nag-ikot. Kumuha ako ng mga boxes sa pag-aakalang mayroon kaming makukuha. At hindi ako nabigo. I got 10 boxes. I have spelled the words. Those one of the most difficult words. I almost missed it but as I closed my eyes, jumbled letters began to flow like pixie dusts forming a word. It's like a magic but It's not
"So you were twins," Tanong ni Pen kay Yong at Vani. Nakapalibot kami lahat sa isang apoy na lumalagablab. Gabi na at panahon na para magpahinga ngunit napagdesisyunan naming mag-usap muna. At kung mayroong killers dito sa grupo namin ay hindi kami magpapatayan. "What do you think?" Yong asked back. Nagluluto siya ng isang hippo. Tumango na lamang si Pen kasi halata naman sa mukha nila. Mariin naman siyang humiga at tumingin sa kalangitan. Pinaghalo ng hanging malamig at init ng apoy ang aming paligid. We can hear the crickets, pati ang uwang ng mga lobo, we can hear the cascading waterfall nearby. Napalilibutan kami ng kadiliman ngunit kapag tumingin sa taas ay makikita ang mga bituing nagniningning ngunit mapula ang buong kalangitan na para bang nagbabadya. I smiled when I heard people singing blocks away. I am glad they're alive. Those jinglers who love music. Always joyful. Nang biglang umiyak ang dalawang sanggol ay bigla na lang
Tirik na ang araw nang gumising ako. Akala ko papatayin nila ako kasi pagkabangon ko ay bigla na lang nila akong hinampas sa ulo ng itlog. Nabiyak ang itlog at namantsahan ako sa laman nito at ang hinihigaan kong grass. "Happy Birthday, Synecdoche!" Sabay na sabi nila. I did not expect this. I was so shocked. I looked Vani, nagtutukan lang kami at bigla na lang siyang tumawa. "I don't need to explain. I just told them. It's your special day." "Why throw me eggs?" Tiningnan nila si Yong. "It's a tradition in the Youth Industry. We, youths throw eggs. Buti nga walang flour dito sa Arena. Bagay siya pagkatapos batuhin ng itlog para dumikit. And here's a blood," Lumapit siya sa akin. He marked something on my forehead, "We mark cross on the celebrant's forehead using the chicken's blood." I smiled. Ganoon pala 'yun? "Earlier this morning, ginising kami ni Vani and he told us that it's your birthday. Went to a farm to catch th
Only energy in its purest form. Heat and power and connection. In a world where letters are the indicators—of our death. Sa buong buhay ko, I've been afraid it would overwhelm me. That the feelings are too big, the people too many, the pain too great. I spent every minute of every hour of every day understanding the definitions of everything from having to feel all the life there that is around me. I always taught myself that I am not alone. Because even the words have synonyms. Even the words have creators. May ibat-ibang lengguwahe. The words can be deceiving. May kani-kaniyang pinagmulan. Kagaya nila, namin, nating lahat. It's the freedom. We lost our vocabulary, our knowledge. What we have lost, we have lost together. To say that the government deliberately adopted the Machiavellian policy of mastering the revolution by setting race against race, shatters those who shattered, reaped on the 2nd Maharlika Spelling Twistbee—would be to pay too high a compliment to i
Scientist Mr. David Abalos has been assigned the position of Acting Ambassador, La Maharlika Projects—for telling the truth. Military Presence will be increased until the Rebellion can be put down and the game is complete. We will not be stopped short of our unification Goal. The bidders still want to bid. Billions of words to pick, no matter how long and short they are. Mahar is still a paradise for all. Scientist Mr. Connor Everdeen has been found guilty of treason and sentenced to death by order of the house of the lords, origin office—for a no permit experimentiation of a tribute named Synecdoche Rochet, from District G. Disqualification is amended. Current Ambassador Hugo Cassidy will execute the sentence at his discretion. May silence bring him peace. Naririnig ko pa rin si Mikey sa speaker. As soon as the day engulfs by darkness, I saw the flying ship again, silver and gold. So closed to the ground. Not even before. The ship cover
We eradicated the chaos. Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization. Ang bulalakaw na pumukaw sa natutulog na paraiso ang dahilan ng pagkabuklod-buklod. Bawat letra ay katumbas ng bawat tao, sa bawat distrito, na may kani-kaniyang pamumuhay. Our world is arranged in Alphabetical order—as well our life. Natutunan kong 'di lahat ng sinasabing maayos ay nakaayos. I am not a word but I have my origin, my definition, my purpose, my own example. Regardless of how short and long—how easy and difficult, how complicated. Young people have this almost romantic attachment to civil rights, liberties, emancipating people from oppression, from being controlled. The idea that such oppression exists in this nation offends me, but it's able to be pushed and sold because education in this nation is so woefully incompetent and inept—but it's not too late. This is who we are and
Grass Facility #07C Hey you, yes you! If a Manjie finds you holding and reading this book, he will destroy it and you! Hide when you read. The Manjies are everywhere. All information you will get here are Grass' Secret. Don't let the Embassy know our secrets. Consider yourself warned. As a respect to our District, you should recite our mantra. We are Maharlikas.We belong to Grass.We are not a trash.Give freedom to us. Strictly recite it three times. Again and again! You can not proceed if you don't recite it! You are now a citizen of Maharlika, a resident of District G. Claim it! Welcome to District G, the Grass. The home of Farmers.Suppliers of Grains. Where green and brown surround us.The color of growth and humanity. But no Freedom. No equal rights. Don't buy the farm!
Synecdoche's POV. "THE DICTIONARY is simply our universe arranged in Alphabetical order. Let the letters let you, Synecdoche Rochet. Remember why you are here," Coach Medrano reminded me for the last time as he inserted the golden wheat leaves in my hair that symbolized our identity. "Go. Grow. Glow," I said, clenching my fist, scrunching fingers like cannonballs. Alam kong maraming mga matang nakatingin dito sa loob ng Launch Room ng Mahar. Alam kong bente-kwartro oras silang naka-monitor sa mga surviellance rito—mga Manjies, iyong mga sundalo. "Anong ibig mong sabihin, Synecdoche?" Coach Medrano asked hat is off. "The prize," bulong ko kay Coach. Nagtataka ako kung bakit nandito siya. I wonder why the Embassy gave each tribute a chamber. I hope Ulap, Token, Keithwarth, and Vani will stick to our plan for the final stage of the competition. Hindi kami nagkita ngayong araw ngunit alam kong handa kami sa pag-spell ng words. We're trained enough.
Synecdoche’s POV. Our hearts beat only with their permission. But at least, we have never known a world without them. I did not know that our nation was divided separately and alphabetically from A to Z—not until I read a dictionary, stopped on its page 143, saw an English word and went outside to see if we have it. "Sabi nila, ang isang butil daw ng palay ay katumbas ng isang kitil ng buhay. Na ang pagkain ng palay ay paghain ng pagkawalay—kahit kalahati ng isang butil. That's why, I don't want you to go out, Synecdoche. Soldiers—the Manjies, will attack you," Padre Oriel said, lighting up the candle near the altar. Siya ang paring kumupkop sa akin. I want to thank him a million times for saving my life—several times as how often I recite, recall and reflect on those letters and definitions of the words in the dictionary; sa ilang taon na tumitingin sa labas ng aming bintana. "Can I be in a state of fear without being afraid of them?" I asked