Daniel steps down a jeepney in front of his school, wearing his white uniform and black school pants, in the middle of the heat of the afternoon. He then stood at one side of the road and placed his hands in is tight pockets and then crossed the road. “Kuya Dan!” shouted Kris, a petite, young, lively, female classmate of his from across the road with a hefty smile that she usually exudes. But Daniel did not seem to hear and continuously crosses the road slowly with his vacant eyes.
Then a bus was seen headed rapidly towards Daniel. The guy just looked at the approaching vehicle, eyes not even reflecting a little hint of alarm or fear as he just continues to walk in his slow, unhurried pace. Kris grew quite alarmed to see the bus headed at a hasty speed, but she was more alarmed to see Daniel undaunted, with no sign of panic or attempt to save himself. Kris had her hand grasping the metal railing harder and her breath held in panic as Daniel just continues to step with sluggish speed and stare at the rapidly approaching bus with blank eyes.
A strong gush of wind blew around Kris as the bus passed by Daniel safely as the guy just arrived at the other side just in time. Kris still had her breath held as the gush of wind and dust that the speeding bus produced subsequently dispersed away.
Daniel then touched Kris’s head as his wordless greeting, but then Kris immediately shoved it back. “What were you thinking?! You didn’t even hurry up, what if you got hit by that bus?!” She shouted out of instinct. Her voice was quite serious, which was not usual in her fun attitude. Daniel just chuckled, “Then I die.” He stated in high, joking tone, refusing to make eye contact with his still hazy stare. “Aren’t you afraid to die, stupid?” Kris replied still with her loud tone. “Once you’ve lost everything that’s important to you, the next thing you’ll lose is fear.” Daniel uttered in a humorous but hurried tone, yet deep and harsh voice, as if pulled out of something really bitter and miserable. His eyes which was turned away was vacant, and deeply filled with nothing – oblivion.
Kris was speechless for a while as Daniel headed behind her. She could not help it but feel pity in bitterness in the man’s voice, as well as to fear the abyss that the man’s eyes reflect.
“What has happened to you Kuya Dan? For the past days, you’ve seemingly changed. Your happy vibe has been lost; you don’t seem sad, but your smile, your eyes are different, it’s like… empty. You always looked carefree, uncaring and free, but this is different…” Kris thought as he watches Daniel walk away. Kris then remembered the moments when she watches Daniel in the classroom. He does what he does in his studies and he never failed to do his duties with his always high intellect and grades, but then in the back of Kris’s mind as she watches him, she feels subconscious pity and dread for what Daniel exudes in his eyes and smiles.
Daniel has been Kris’s elder brother in the school. Their three year age gap made her see him in such a way, as well as they were both the same in hiding the pains and turmoil that they have been experiencing in everyday life, making the two of them being the only ones who understand their deep hardships and attitudes.
It already was quite dark outside and the lights inside the air-conditioned room were quite dim as Kris talks to Daniel in her boisterous tone as they sit in the small, but comfortable computer lab. Daniel was typing in the computer; Kris was talking about how terrible her aunt treats her, and about her boyfriend who cheated her. She talks in a lively, joking manner, trying to evade anything dramatic or serious, just as she always was.
“I don’t think I could take it anymore…” Kris uttered smiling and jokingly, although she feels truly sad.
“What if you couldn’t take it anymore? If you couldn’t bear it any longer? If you let go, where will you fall?” Daniel suddenly whispered just strong enough for the lady to barely hear.
