WHO ARE YOU?

UNEDITED SAMPLE LITERARY ARTICLE
By Ma. Rosario Teresa Sararaña Cases
IV - Michael Faraday


Whenever my sister hears your name, she gets mad. I ask her why but she gets madder. I didn’t know what to do. And I feel so stupid for not actually knowing what is going on her mind especially that I am her only sister. I hear her cry. And I blame you.

Fourth of July when I saw my mother cry again. I didn’t know why she was doing it but I was there. And it was so hard for me not to comfort her. I even thought that her tears were full of hatred. And I blame you again.

Even my closest aunt does not want to talk about you. It was like you are so poisonous that she was so afraid of getting hurt by just mentioning you. Now think, you should blame yourself.

My life turns normally at the surface. But I know that something was missing. Good thing that I just knew it and I seldom felt it. You were nothing and something to me. Why something? Because we need you in filling up forms, in filling up identification cards, in answering interviews and personal questionnaires and in many more that your name should exist. But you never existed in my life, so your still nothing to me.

I may be rude but I’m facing reality. I may not know what happened in the past but I am not an innocent nor an ignorant. It registered to me that you never knew I existed. I accept the fact that you lied and ran away. I may not know your reason but you still left us unanswered, never to return. I asked myself if I’m ever going to see you. Fat chance.

I do not know what to call you anymore. I seldom mention the real call for it. What if I was going to talk to you? I will surely not be comfortable because you’re a perfect stranger to me.

I’m living quietly now. I’m living happily. Like I never needed you. My family, excluding you, is very strong and is tightly held with each other. We seem perfectly normal even without you. In our neighborhood, my mother is the jolliest. She seem never bothered with you at all these days. And I am very happy for her and very proud.

I admit that I long for you. But that longing has turned into negative thoughts. I’m sorry but you made me feel this way. I know that if you read this, you’ll get hurt. But you hurt us more. I don’t know if I’m ever going to call you mine. I don’t know whether I was to call you father. I do not know who you are.