It was early in the morning.

I looked at the clock hanging at my wall.

7:46, not bad.

I turned on my laptop to watch a favorite series of mine. The drama series was about a lawyer resolving
a huge political issue. I sipped my coffee as the scene is getting really exciting.

I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer. I want to be a human rights lawyer not because I’m so argumentative
and can get anybody off, but because I am an advocate for human rights, and I think being a Human
Rights advocate is not enough to call for the end of the inhumane killings of innocent civilians, mostly
activists and human rights advocates. Several people have been killed these past few days because they
advocated for their rights. It is not enough to unite the fight for the protection of human rights. It is not
enough to seek justice for the thousands of human rights violations committed against the people.

We need to take greater heights.

We have a justice system in this country that treats you much better if you're rich and guilty than poor
and innocent. Wealth, and not culpability, shapes outcomes. . .

And yet we seem to be very comfortable.

“They fight a stupid fight, you die a stupid death.” said by my favorite character, Alissa. I laughed
bitterly. All the words coming out of her mouth were nothing but the truth. Unbearably truths.

I take a look at the clock. It’s 9:30 already. My first class will be starting in a couple of minutes.

I should go now.

It was broad daylight. There were a ton of people around. As I was waiting for a tricycle, I was silently
adoring the clear blue sky as the cold breeze hit my face. Feels strange.

I have finally got into the tricycle, there was a lady inside, from the looks on her face, I think, she is
already in her mid-40s, she was sitting beside me.

She smiled at me.

I smiled back.

I felt a strange feeling.

I did not say any word.

I felt nervous.

I looked at the time in my watch and it is exactly 10:15 as I reached my destination.

I stepped out of the tricycle but before I could walk, there was a two men get in the way. They were
wearing a black mask covering their face.

My heart starts beating faster. I couldn’t move. Not anymore.

Next thing I knew, they were already gone . .

and I am lying on the road.

It was getting dark. . .

How is it that we are paying lives for our freedom and dignity? I advocating for human rights to protect
and help people on their rights but this- where is the right to self-defense? My motherland is now
unrecognizable to me.

And darker . . .

I couldn’t help but think of what my favorite character, Alissa, said. .

“They fight the stupid fight, you die a stupid death.”

All the words coming out of her mouth were nothing but the truth.

Unbearably truths.