Liyab

Fruits of Labor

Fruits of Labor

By DENISSE P. TABOR EDITOR’S NOTE: This piece is one of the works in a six-part series in line with the Dapitan 2020 theme Ina. All works that are part of the series are written by the Flame’s Letters staffers. SHE sat down on the curb to rest, putting down…
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Dear City

Dear City

  THE sun is a phoenix diving into the horizon, dispersing its light in dots, specks, and bursts till it fills the city. It slowly becomes blanketed in darkness. The wires are a messy bundle of vines, falling and rising into posts. The pavement is shattered porcelain, repeatedly fixed and…
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The Morning After Halloween

The Morning After Halloween

Trigger Warning: death, rape The crisp air of dawn cleared a young lady’s lungs as she walked home through a path in the woods. She came from a costume party from the night before. A pristine floor-length dress with long billowing sleeves was her interpretation of a white lady. The…
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Arrival

Arrival

BENEATH the dirt, sand, and mud where the parents conceal their eggs comes also the act of burying all hopes of ever seeing their young once again. The parents head back into the ocean, refusing to look back as they trust the cycle of life to be set in motion.…
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Zombies of Katipunan

Zombies of Katipunan

CONTRARY to scientific belief, zombies exist. They appear in the dark limbo - the train station; a barren wasteland where only the fittest survive, and where the strongest compete in push and pulls in order to win a spot inside the coveted train, which is the only way out of…
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Insidious

Insidious

THE breaking of light rings like sirens put on full blast, rousing the people from below in bewilderment. With their eyes inflamed and cushioned by wrinkles of exhaustion, they heave in defeat. Day has just began tapping her nails on the windowpane, and she continues to loom over their sleepless…
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Apo Lakay

Apo Lakay

“AGBIAG ni Apo Lakay” they proudly shout in Norte. Behind those cheers are the agonizing howls of the victims of Martial Law. The dark figure the blind ones vainly praise is a man whose sagging skin is stained with blood. September 21, 1972 was the date the Philippines became an…
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Remnants of Childhood

Remnants of Childhood

TODAY, he has decided to take the long route so he can clear his head. In his middle 30s, his life is still a far cry from successful; being stuck in a dead-end job with no family of his own. He strolled around the bustling city, yearning to find comfort…
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Burdened Smiles

Burdened Smiles

SHE was a long way from home. All the children were. The government had shut down their schools due to the possibility of armed conflict and traveling here was the only way they could continue studying. When they arrived, we were encouraged to chat with them. She stood alone in…
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Lady of the Forest

Lady of the Forest

THE path to the bamboo forest was strewn with junk left by careless and ignorant travelers. I treaded carefully, the leaves and stones getting crushed beneath my feet. I avoid the chaos left in its wake. The bamboo towered over me like city skyscrapers. “Tabi-tabi po” I murmured, as the…
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