A Game of Tag
Chase or be chased? — Choose.
Everything is a blur.
I decided to take a walk outside our house.
Saw trees — many
can’t keep count
numbers are enough
quite a good shade
Saw children — eight
Gender, same in numbers
Age, six to ten
Probably
“Game!” they shouted. They hurriedly formed a circle. The shortest girl pointed at each of them as they chanted;
Langit, Lupa, Impyerno, Im-im-impyerno
(Heaven, Earth, Hell, he-he-hell)
Sak-sak puso tulo ang dugo
(Stabbed heart dripping in blood)
Patay, buhay, umalis ka na sa pwesto mong mabaho!
(Dead, Alive, get out of your stinky spot!)
A boy in a red cap was the last pointed out.
He laughed as he chased after the seven who ran as fast as they could to find a place or a thing (anything) to clamber.
Tips to be saved:
Not to remain on the same ground as the boy in a red cap.
Anyone on the same ground can be tagged.
A Child’s Game Logic:
The ground is Hell, anything higher is Heaven.
The boy figured all seven managed to clamber.
His head turned to look around. I saw him smile when he finally focused and moved toward the shortest girl on a rock. He counted one to ten;
“8… 9… and 10!”
The boy tagged the shortest girl as soon as her feet touched the same ground, “Taya!” I saw a face of relief for he already passed the burden of “it”.
A short girl — Short limbs, an easy prey.
The shortest girl was about to cry but she ran after the seven. She too counted but she didn’t know how to aim for prey.
But even if she knew, could she?
My eyes opened. It is 1:25 am. Searched for the latest news.
Played the first one:
An Interview with a Local Official Accused of Human Trafficking
I can’t understand a word he said. But he was wearing a red cap.
I wonder where problems or conflicts go when they are solved.
Do they vanish?
Or are they just passed on to someone somewhere?
I don’t know which is worse.
To know that it was just a dream,
or that soon it will all just be — A Dream.
