5

FEATURE
“DREAMSappear”
by Jessica Marie A. David

Fiveyears.

It’s been five years

now since I started doing this.
It’s been five years since I started
dreaming of becoming a writer.
And it’s been five years now
since I started writing stories.
I am now writing my
3rd novel, but I can’t find the
right terms that fit my book so I
turned on the television to kill the
deafening silence. The moment
I turned it on, the face of the most
famous writer of this generation
flashed. She’s smiling from ear to
ear. The media is congratulating her
in advance for her upcoming novel,
and everyone seems so proud of her.
Write. Navigate. Transcend.
I smiled but I turn off the T.V this time.
I continued what I’m writing. I can’t fail this
time. I can’t fail this because this would be the last
time that I’m going to write. After this, there would be
no dreams to pursue anymore.
I am tired.
Suddenly, my phone beeped and I saw her
message “meet me at the coffee shop.” I immediately
finished what I’m writing and fixed everything before
I went to the coffee shop.
She was already there when I arrived. She’s wearing an
all-black outfit covering her real identity. that is not me.
She should hide because people might see her.
People might see the most famous writer
they look up to, as I hand her the novel that she
paid. I
handed her my novel that would be published
anytime soon credited to her and she handed me
the payment that I’ll use for my mom’s treatment.
That’s what I’m doing for five years. Five
years of being unknown. Five years of dreaming.
And five years of heteronomy. Five years of being
locked by my fears. Five years of being someone

“Replica”
by Jessica Marie A. David

What I have is what you want and it
irritates me. You are where I am. You
are me and I am you. I hate it. I hate
you.
I can’t have something
that is mine alone, because there is
you, wanting what is mine. You are
a plagiarized. You keep on copying
me, don’t you have originality?
I hated you from the day
that you were born. I hated you
when you had my favorite dress. I
hated you when you got the bear that
I always wanted. I hated you when
you copied my hairstyle. I hated
you for idolizing me. I hated you for
being my sister.
e grew up having the same
stuffs, but not until one day. Photo courtesy: Sue Tsai Gallery

I woke up, and miraculously, our house was
quiet. There is no you who greeted good
morning to me. Suddenly, mom called and she
said you were rushed into the hospital. My heart
pounded rapidly. I felt nervous and for the very
first time, I cared for you. For the first time, I
wanted to see you. For the first time, I wanted
to be with you.
I went to the hospital and there I saw
you. You smiled though you are weak. You
stretched your arms and seems like you want
to hug me. I unconsciously walked towards
you, and I was right, you indeed hugged me the
moment I reached you.
“I’m sorry” that’s what you said. You
were sorry for copying me. You were sorry for
making me feel irritated because of you. You
were sorry for being born. You were sorry
for copying me. You were sorry for making me
feel irritated because of you. You were sorry
for being born. You were sorry for being born
next to me. You were sorry for being my twin
sister.
I found out that you are badly ill.
I heard the doctor when he said it got worse
because you stopped taking your medicine.
are badly ill. I heard the doctor when he said
it got worse because you stopped taking your
medicine.
I didn’t know that you were sick. I
didn’t know that you are dying. Because all I
know is I hate you, and I don’t want to have a
twin sister like you.
I went back home together with my
guilty heart. I can feel the pain, the care, and
the love that I’d never felt before.
You said you were sorry, but no, it
should be the other way around.
I am now staring at you, lying inside a white
coffin wearing a beautiful white dress, and for
the first time, it was different from mine. You
should not be there; if only I had not been
so selfish, and you were not so selfless, if you
only asked me the only thing that I have and
you needed the most, my bone marrow. You
should be alive because I haven’t apologized to
you yet.
You should be alive because I had
never been your sister yet. You should be
alive so I can show my love and care for you.
You should be alive because I am incomplete
without you.
You are me and I am you right? But
where are you now?