Night and Day

10 - The Garden of Life

Shin-ae stares at the poster made for the Summer Arts Festival posted at the club room. The eyes of the Philippine deer on the center glares back at her, cut from a shard of green glass. The entirety of its mosaic face was made of faux leather, repurposed from old materials. Its antlers, made from twigs and leaves, form the name of the event on top. Finally, the animal was laid on top of a handwoven textile native to the region. She has yet to see one in the flesh herself, but if it means saving more of their lives from men, then might as well live not to see that day. The influence her seniors might have brought on her made her smile.

She paused and turned around when she remembered something else for the day.

Shin-ae takes her phone and looks at the time. She fiddles for a while before looking for her friend's number then finally taps the call button.

"Hello, Shi?" the man on the other line receives after a few rings.

"Kuya Gio, Happy Birthday!" she greets the friend on the other line.

"Hala, naalala mo. Thank you! Regalo ko?"

"Sige soon, Let's meet sa vacation namin ha? 'Wag mo 'kong i-seen zone please," she teases.

There was a brief pause, Gio might have gotten her reference already.

"Sa June pa? Hindi ko na birthday yun."

Shin-ae moves to the club window to look at the afternoon sun which is now brighter due to start of the summer season in the country.

"Anong celebration mo ngayon, Kuya?"

"May pasok ako today eh. Nag-lunch lang din kami ng mga office mates ko kanina. Nasa baba pala 'ko ng apartment ngayon. Wait, may 'pakita ko sa'yo."

Shin-ae receives a picture message. She smiles at the sight of a smiling Gio holding a few bottles of alcohol in a bag. He looks somehow okay, nawala yung shadows sa mata n'ya, she thought, but she suddenly shifts her focus on the bottles.

"Kuya!" she returns on the call.

"I know, I know. Hindi ko naman uubusin 'to tonight. Mag-stock lang ako sa bahay."

"Promise ha? Yung tolerance mo."

He is laughing nervously on the other line.

"Sige, I'll make a promise this time," he sulks.

"Hey, Shi..."

"How is he?" he asks on a serious note.

"Bakit mo tinatanong? Kasi birthday mo?" she laughs.

"Just so you know, I still have it with me," she adds.

She hears him chuckle a little.

"Keep it."

Shin-ae searches the ground below, along the already completed green enclosure is the man her friend is looking for. Tom was alone on the central dap-ay, trying to test the small bonfire. She remembers the deer earlier with the piercing eyes, staring through her soul, contented to be alone on its own world, a prey away from its hunters. Tom raised his head by her direction and gives her a smile and a wave. Shin-ae feels her heart become light. She waves back at the friend below.

"He looks okay na, Kuya. He's smiling," she answers Gio.

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