The young w1tch started her plan. It was a plan of revenge. Six years was a long wait. The w1tch decided it's time to start what she should have started six years ago. Her created woman is the key. "She needs a name," the w1tch told herself. "Her name is Kristine."

Six years ago, my dad took up the Bar exams. He always wanted to be a lawyer. He took up his Masters of Criminology and took up Law. That perseverance hasn't helped him pass the Bar. He failed. It was a blow to him since this was his second failure. The first failure was on 1984, two years before I was born. At first I couldn't believe it. My dad is a Cum Laude graduate, a top notch in elementary and highschool, and an outstanding Police Officer. He has hiked himself up the rank ladder. And he's even a professor!

After that, I asked him if he'd still pursue to be a lawyer. He shook his head. "No more for me."

I was a sophomore highschool student (I was 14 then), when we attended a family reunion. It was grand, every aunts and uncles and their parents attended. My father stood as the host (since it's his parent's house) and took the time telling stories about family memories. Just after some funny punchlines, he called my name and told me to get in stage beside him. With a smile, I climbed up the platform and waved at everyone. To my surprise, my dad started giving the drama talk about his twice bar exams failure. I couldn't understand why he called me up there when he's just going to tell everyone his sad story. The drama story ended and he turned to me. Then to everyone.

"Listen up, everybody. This daughter of mine standing next to me will continue my dream. Just wait and see. The lawyer you have been waiting for isn't me after all. But this girl."

I am quite sure he's referring to me since everyone averted their eyes on me. I just smiled...nervously. "What in the world did Dad just say? I never recalled him having a conversation with me about this."

So that's the story. I think it's a commitment for me to go to Law school. The clan is expecting a lawyer. And they think it's me.

Everyone's expecting. Especially my dad. He's been my role model. I loved my dad and wanted to be like him. Even without money (a drama story he told me before) he graduated from college and became a professional.

 

Right now, I am still awake. I promised myself to study my lessons for my Prelim exams on Thursday. But then it's raining. And the weather is inviting me to slumber. It's cold outside and it's nice to snuggle in your bed with the covers to your chin. I procastinated my studies because of the weather.

It's already 1:20 a.m. My mother has no idea I'm logged in the internet. Actually, nobody knows I'm typing a blog right now (well, except for my two puppies: Oreo and Milo). As I said. It's raining and the weather is inviting. I'm just refusing the invitation. Because something not right.

Current emotions: SAD.
Reason: No idea.

I have no idea why I'm so sad right now. Maybe because I'm disliking this life day by day. Or maybe because I'm getting too close to give up this family and just go live by myself. Troubled, heh?

(My two pups are now staring hungrily at my chocolate)

But then, maybe there's something missing. That's right! I'm not exactly sad. I just feel that something's missing.

Well, what is missing?

Anyway, I've been trying to divide my time between the novel writing contest and my studies. I've always wanted to join writing contests. This time, I'm on time. The deadline's on March 28th of the succeeding year. That makes about more than 8 months to accomplish the novel. I have already made a synopsis and a messy outline. I've defined the characters, added problems and clashes, and researched on the settings and real stuff. Chapter One is on the way.

Yeah, about my studies...that came a while ago. I was scratching my head, hoping that'll find the solution of the accounting problem I'm working on. I already have the textbook and calculator, but still I have no idea how to solve the problem. (This book is killing me.)

What's for tomorrow? Oh yeah, I have to get my MP4 fixed. Then buy a taxation quizzer book. Go to the library and update on my borrower's card (mine got stolen some months ago). Feed Milo and Oreo (These puppies are quarter Japanese Spitz and a quarter Duchschund...I don't know about the rest of the half...). Take the laundry out (hopefully, the sun will take over tomorrow. My clothes are still partially wet since it rained the whole day.) Review my lessons. Memorize the tax code. Go to school. Go home. Sleep. Forget about problems first.

I asked my mother if I could live alone for a while. You know, leave my urban lifestyle and live a temporary country life. She shook her head and said, "You're only twenty, for God's sake! You have never lived alone in your life!"

I could try, right? It's worth a while. I mean, if I haven't tried living alone, I could try and live alone. It's just that simple.

But my parents won't let me. For them it's a pathetic. So I think I'm still a caged bird.

I wanted to leave the city because of the noise, technology and television. I want to know how I will live with just a radio and a shelf of books. I sure want to feed the chickens and tend to my mother's garden (we have a house in the province and Mama patched a garden there). Anyway, it's just for three days (I have to go to school too).

Bohooo.

My Accounting Professor promised to "read" our "drawings". We have to draw a house, some water and a snake. I drew a two-storey house, hoping that the second floor has a meaning. Then a tree behind it. I placed the snake away the house.

The tree is supposed to be me. The house is my family/home. The snake is my supposed soul mate (whether he exists or not).

Here's my professor's interpretation:

I have a very close relationship with my family (the tree being too close the house). The only place where I can think and be happy is my house (the city). I never want to be in other places except for my home (house in the city).

There's the contradiction.

Maybe the meaning of that drawing is that I wanted so much to leave home but I can't. I'm a tree chained to the house.

As usual, as one of our country's saying goes: "Haay, ganyan talaga ang buhay!" (Haay, that's life!).

The newly created woman was garbed with an old dress. The young assumed that the woman will catch the attention of the merchants and rich men on the street. In that way, the woman will be of perfect use.

The woman hasn't spoken a word since her formation. The young  would want it to stay that way. She wanted her plan to be perfect.

 

My parents wanted me to take up Accounting as my major course. I have opted to enroll Information Technology, a computer course. But parents are parents. My options went down to one. Accounting.

My siblings were treated differently. All of them took up the courses they wanted. My parents didn't have objections. "If that's what you want, then go for it!"

It was different in my case. "Computers are not that essential. I want to raise professionals. Not technology geeks."

Funny, huh? It was obviously unfair.

Anyway, I took up that course to make my parents proud. I did more things to make them proud. I became a leader of an school organization. High grades. The all-around secretary.

But they wanted more. They want me to take up Law school. It wasn't a fair bargain, really. Here I am, working hard to get out of Accounting by graduation. And they wanted my brain to work more with the big rules. I once asked them. Why me? Why not my sisters? My brother?

"You are the only one who's got the potential to be a lawyer." That's what Papa said.

That's my story. The parent pressure has a big impact in my student life. I have to cross out other opportunities for me out there. I have only two options: listen to what your parents say or just get out of the house and be one of the prodigals.

I don't despise my parents. I love them so much actually. But I was born to make them proud. And that felt so wrong.

The young bent over the boiling pot. Upon seeing numerous bubbles bursting from her stew, she smiled. The 's chamber was suddenly filled with a putrid smell, like a whole meal left untouched for three weeks.
The young cut and dropped a lock of her hair in the pot. Then she grabbed a long stick to stir the stew.
It's almost done, she thought.
Moments later, the steam from the stew remained visible over the pot. It grew and slowly formed a figure of a human.
The closed her eyes and knelt on the floor before the grotesque human-steam.
The steam figure began to materialize. Flesh was forming and hair began sprouting from its head. Eyes, nose and mouth started to appear on it, too.
Eventually, a perfect physical semblance completely materialized before the young .
"This is perfect," the muttered. "She's alive."
The newly created woman stepped down from the pot. After glancing at every angle around the room, she adverted her eyes to the hooded person kneeling before her.
"Welcome," she heard the person say. "Now you have awaken. It is time for us to create your destiny."