Literary Archives - The Flame

12

Jul

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how much more do i need to offer

before the smoke of the candle reaches You? these hands have stayed curved to protect the weak flame about to die out. the wick can only hold so much of my plea until the wax melts into its origins. so close Your eyes, meditate. look for the sound…

Human Rights Story of the Year: How a journalist uncovered his profession on stage

09

Jul

By Adam Joseph Bolante

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Human Rights Story of the Year: How a journalist uncovered his profession on stage

HOW SHOULD a journalist fulfill his mission to serve the disadvantaged in an industry that values both idealism and profit and highlights certain truths over others? For The Philippine Star business reporter and Virgin Labfest newcomer Elijah Felice Rosales, finding an answer to the dilemma entailed stepping out of the…

06

Jul

By Anthea Anika de Sales

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Mourning Songs

HIS NAME was not Orpheus, but it might as well have been. Every song echoed like a love song as he strummed the beaten-up six-string. While the sweet melodies were meant for his bride, they flowed into the city and concealed the dangers lurking in the Manila streets. He turned…

Human Rights Story of the Year: When the truth is not enough

05

Jul

By Adam Joseph Bolante

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Human Rights Story of the Year: When the truth is not enough

IF A journalist distorts the truth for a story that will change society, is the act justified? Written by The Philippine Star business reporter Elijah Felice Rosales, Human Rights Story of the Year explores the ethics of journalism and asks whether the media wholeheartedly serves the interests of the marginalized.…

28

Jun

By Adam Joseph Bolante

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The Beast of Quezon Drive

HAVE YOU ever felt a brush against your leg while sitting on the campus benches, or heard a faint cry just before leaving St. Raymund’s? If the answer is yes, you may have just encountered the beast of Quezon Drive. Within the trees rests a creature draped in tiger stripes,…

Home Along Da Riles Da Reunion: A shaky trip down memory lane

25

Jun

By Bettina Katryn Reyes

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Home Along Da Riles Da Reunion: A shaky trip down memory lane

THE FANS of Team Riles go wild as their home team is about to pull an upset against the visiting squad composed of volleyball standouts. The home team only needs one point to win the match and the crowd is hoping that the ball will land on the opponent’s court. When…

21

Jun

By Bettina Katryn Reyes

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When the great flood comes

MY FATHER could have been an architect — an engineer, even, so he could bump shoulders with bigger beasts. I can already taste our life in the version where he obtained his license. He would drive home in foreign cars that aren’t even available in the country yet. Once his…

21

Jun

By Anthea Anika de Sales

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Backrooms: To exist or to exit?

THE HORROR of finding oneself in a strange and surreal place cannot compare to the hauntings of the past. Kane Parson’s Backrooms forces its characters and viewers into a rabbit hole of questions, but only one echoes loudly in the yellow-wallpapered halls of this other dimension: Can you ever escape…

Obsession: The monkey’s paw movie for 21st Century dating

20

Jun

By Adam Joseph Bolante

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Obsession: The monkey’s paw movie for 21st Century dating

THE ILLUSION that accompanies the feeling of being in love is a dangerous spell that can lead to regrets. When desire and desperation trigger the impulse to turn a wish into a reality, one can only revel in the immediate euphoria it brings for so long until it goes awry.…

07

Jun

By Adam Joseph Bolante

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The broken glass lodged into your feet

This journey is a long trail of burning sand where the oasis at the end is a spotlit stage. For every step taken is a delicate photograph, a bundle of memories traced onto glass panes. Everything I wanted and sought to keep whole were brittle sheets of…