Your Voice

|1| The Only Exception

#YourVoice01WP

|1| THE ONLY EXCEPTION

Life is a battlefield where humans should be soldiers not losers.

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{ ZENO's POV }

"One... two... three...

Four... five... six...

Seven... eight... nine...

Ten... eleven... twelve..."

I was staring at a little kid who is busy counting the cars on the streets right in front of her. She was patiently counting every cars that passes by.

I did try to count it too. But I can't count it, for it never ends. One lane has plenty of cars already plus the other lane.

How did she manage to do it?

"Kuya..." She giggle as she caught me staring at her. "Did you count it all?" She asked.

Umiling ako. Mas lalong lumawak ang ngiti niya. Maybe because she find it funny that a guy like me can't even count like her.

"Kuya bilangin mo lang yung kayang abutin ng mga mata mo para hindi ka po mahirapan. Sa buhay hindi importante kung kaya mong gawin at lampasan ang lahat. Ang importante masaya ka at mabuti sa iba."

I smiled at her behind the mask I'm wearing. I raised my thumb to show her my approval. When the bus arrived I hurriedly entered in. I don't want to be late in my first day of school.

Akala ko kasabay ko siyang sasakay ngunit naiwan na naman siya sa labas. Gamit ang maliliit na kamay ay nakangiting kinakaway niya ito sa akin.

The door closed and the bus started moving. My eyes are still on her. I waved back when I saw her still waving her little hands at me.

For two years of travelling alone through buses. Walang araw na hindi ko siya nakikitang nakatayo dun at naghihintay din tulad ko. But what I was wondering is that, she's all alone.

She look so fine though. Nakabihis naman siya ng maayos. She wear an I. D. from a well-known kindergarten here in the City. I noticed the name of her school because of her ID sling.

But still, it was never safe for a child to be alone.

For children at her age, the world can be the scariest place.

Travelling alone through public buses is one of my therapy. For four long years after I gain my freedom- all I ever did is to battle against all the demons I have deep within me. I need to overcome so that I can finally live in peace.

This is my first time to go in school. Gusto sana akong ihatid ni Grandpa ngunit tumanggi ako. I want to be independent as much as possible. Grandpa is old. I can't depend on him forever.

I need to face this world alone. It was not easy at first though. The sight of the crowd scares me but later on I manage to overcome some of my phobias.

Alternative Learning System helped me to cope up with my studies. I graduated a year ago and now I'm a freshman student in a well-known University here in our City.

I look at my wristwatch to check the time. It's 7:00 in the morning now. It's a bit traffic and I'm kinda worried because I don't really want to be late in my first day.