Amulet in my Blood

Chapter One

My name is Tyler Dela Cruz and the year was 2014. I was 17 years old back then and almost graduating from high school in one of the private schools of Dagupan City, Pangasinan. I was about to have my Higher Education Aptitude Test also known as H.E.A.T. This test will be a life-turning event for the senior students of my school, Academy of the Holy Word and all of the other senior students in the Philippine Archipelago. With this aptitude test, once the decision of the Commission of Higher Education (C.H.E.D.) is final then it is deemed as final. There will be no turning back. If you failed the test then the C.H.E.D. will have no choice but to scar you forever as ineligible for tertiary education. Still, you have options as provided by the government. You can enroll in a 2-year vocational course. Meanwhile, if you pass the test, then the C.H.E.D. will be the one to choose for you the course you will have in college without the option to switch to another career path. Let’s say that you passed the H.E.A.T and C.H.E.D. chose the medical career path for you. You have no other option to shift into a different career path like commerce or perhaps engineering. You’ll be stuck in the medical field for life but you can shift to other medical courses that would suit you.

     Well the medical field is the one I’m rooting for, that’s why I’m studying the science subjects more than anything else. It’ll be a week from now before we will take the H.E.A.T. It has been staggering for me to study more subjects than usual since college is going to be my immediate future. Once I pass, I would like to study in one of the prestigious universities of the north, which is St. Therese University in Baguio City.

     It also has been the hopes of my family to be in the medical field. My Mom is a nurse and my Dad is a doctor and both of them are working in the local public hospital in our city. They would like me to follow in their steps. I’d say that I am inclined to follow my Dad’s footsteps. Not only would I want to be a doctor. I want to be a neurosurgeon. That would be perhaps my lifetime happiness.

     My sister as well would want to be a nurse. I’m not sure if she would want to be a doctor as well. But she’ll perhaps get to that later once she makes up her mind. She’s just a year younger than I am and I think she’s already preparing for the H.E.A.T. as well. A little too early, but it seems prudent though.

     My younger brothers, I’m not well sure what they want. They’ll perhaps choose later on once they are old enough since they are still in their elementary years.

     So here I am again in our school library reading several books at the same time. I’ve got books about biology, human anatomy and physiology, zoology, microbiology, and biochemistry opened in front of me. I have been doing this every day since school started. My classmates in my senior year think that I am some sort of a geek or something. But I don’t care. I am just safeguarding my future.

     As I was skimming through my notes when a tall, seventeen-year old girl came into the library and waved at me. She was no other than my old friend Mia Dominguez. I’ve known her since we were in kindergarten.

     “So you’re here again Tyler,” she said quite loudly.

     “Well, you always know where to find me,” I replied silently while eyeing the librarian dusting the books just behind Mia. “So what’s up?”

     “I’m here to join you,” pulling out several notes from her bag then she took a seat. “I need to review too you know.”

     “Yeah, I guess you should do several hours a day too like what I usually do nowadays. You should invite some of our friends who are not quite serious about what is ahead of them.”