THIS IS WHERE YOU ARE BURIEDBernice Castro She falls (and they say pride co es !efore" !

#t perhaps it is $anity that p#shes her%& Her cri es are not as 'reat" and she is !elo$ed" so her sal$ation (o#ld later co e in the for of a prince (ho is fascinated !y her da nation& )or no(" the forest (a'es (ar !eca#se it*s lost its +#een" and the (ind and his (arriors chase death a(ay" !#t she is dead and dead she stays& She is adored" and ele$ated" !#t in the (ay people display their idols& Her corpse is laid to rest on crystal and roses" and they do not ,no( that had she !een ali$e" she (o#ld ha$e plotted her f#neral on the sa e !ed of pretty thin's& She is adored" e$en in her fall" she is ele$ated& The princess falls" and they say pride co es !efore" !#t ay!e it*s her $anity that p#shed her& &&& Dead !odies fascinate the prince" it is $ital that they do& To !e the second son to a ,in' is s#ch an #nfair thin' to !e" and it is $ital that so ethin' set hi apart fro his older !rother" his a#'#st" older !rother" (ith his s(ord and his spear and his secret safe in a closet" their father co#ld not ha$e !een ore pro#d" and the yo#n'er one" (ith !ri'ht eyes and red chee,s" and his position in the iddle of their other*s (orld& The prince (as" it

see ed" fore$er 'ifted !y one parent to the other" #n(anted" !#t an indispensa!le pa(n ne$ertheless& He has no protector" no one to carry a fla' for hi in" no one to rephrase oc,in' retorts into so ethin' that can !e said to royals& And so dead !odies fascinate the prince" !eca#se the sa e cannot !e said for his !rothers" and so ethin' has to spea, for hi & His other-s hand aiden listens to hi " tho#'h" !ehind c#rtains" #nder !eds& She !rin's hi his corpses" and he s iles at her (hen she does so& .erhaps this is (hy she #rders ore 'irls" prettier 'irls" !eca#se she li,es it $ery #ch (hen he loo,s at her for a second lon'er& .erhaps this is (hy the ,in'do +#estions the ,in'" !eca#se #nder his onarchy" they are losin' (o en& The royal fa ily ,no(s" of co#rse& At the $ery least" they ,no( eno#'h to point a fin'er at the prince and flin' !la e& They ,no( eno#'h to tell hi that he does not ha$e to lea$e" and he also ,no(s that there is no roo in the ,in'do for a second son (ho is ore fascinated (ith corpses& &&& The princess (a,es" and her eyesi'ht is o!sc#red !y death-s fin'ers" !ony and fra'ile and cold" her !ody #nresponsi$e" !eca#se it is on the 'ro#nd and she is not #sed to lo(er depths& The princess (a,es" !eca#se a sin'le person is not stron' eno#'h to carry her crystal

restin' place" not e$en (hen he so desires to !e stron'& There is an apple in her o#th" and she doesn-t dare s(allo( it a'ain& Death is !ea#tif#l" !#t color !eco es her& &&& They (elco e hi !ac," !eca#se the (o an he !rin's is the first they ha$e seen in +#ite a(hile" and the prettiest& The hand aiden (elco es hi !ac," !eca#se finally" finally" he has !ro#'ht another she can #rder for hi & &&& Whoe$er said he (anted her ali$e/