DEAR VABIEN

TRES

CHAPTER 3

VABIEN

I walked back at my platform bed while clutching the letter close to my chest. Instead of going straight to the comforts of my bed, I decided to sit on the steps adjoining the floor and the platform. The elevation helps me sleep peacefully. It emitted blue light due to my body weight's pressure on it.

Muli kong tinignan ang itim na sobre na naglalaman ng aking pangalan. Siniguro ni lolo na ang bawat regalong papasok ay naka ayon sa kulay na siya nitong pinagmulan. Ito lang ang naiiba. Kulay itim. Hindi ko rin maintindihan kung bakit ako nakaramdam ng kalungkutan sa paghawak ko pa lamang sa sobre. Pag-angat ko ng aking paningin ay nakita ko ang kumpol ng kalat. Hindi ko pa man tapos buksan ang lahat ng regalo ay halos mapuno na ng mga pambalot ang receiving area ng aking kuwarto.

I lifted my right arm and clicked the button at the side of my watch. A hologram appeared baring the face of Astra, my personal maid.

"Good evening, Lady Vabien. What is it that I can do for you?" her robotic voice answered.

"I need you to clean my room. Now." I ordered.

Her hologram nodded and disappeared in thin air. Hindi ko kailan man nagustuhan si Astra. Pero siya ang pinaka pinagkakatiwalaan ko sa lahat ng mga kasambahay dito sa bahay. She knows some of my secrets and yet she didn't tell a soul about those even if I did not ask her to do so. Siguro ay kaya ko lang siya hindi gusto dahil biased ako sa pagtingin sa mga tulad niyang robot.

Habang hinihintay si Astra ay napagpasyahan ko nang buksan ang sobre.

It is quite unusual to receive a letter on a piece of paper. We used orb balls to deliver those. Orb balls looks like human eyeballs made of metal hence, the term orb balls. They float around looking for the receiver of the message they are carrying. No one can open an orb ball except its rightful receiver and sender. Once you get hold of it, you must place it in front of your eyes, and it will project the letter right at your cornea up through your brain. And there you have it, that is how you use an orb ball.

It's easy to use and manage and yet the sender of my letter decided to give me a piece of paper. An old parchment and nothing else are inside. Not that I am expecting something though. The stench of the old paper welcomed my nose and I liked it.

"What a pleasant smell." I muttered.

I read the letter aloud. And every word hitched my breathing till it's getting hard to breath. The letter goes like this:

EARTH

3RD PLANET FROM THE SUN

SOLAR SYSTEM, MILKY WAY GALAXY

SEPTEMBER 1, 3011

Dear Vabien,

If you are reading this, that only means that you survived. I want to thank you for that. I only have three things to say in this letter that you are currently holding.

1. You are amazing. Do not let other people control your life. Live the way you want to live.

2. Love your planet. It is your home. And no one shall harm your home. Your real home.

3. Learn to speak and be the voice of the needing. Not all people are as privileged as you. Learn to hold out a helping hand.

After reading this letter, I want you to burn it. No one shall read it except you. Trust no one except your heart.