MONOBON by MAICA CASTILLO

 Monobon by Maica Castillo

 

The Line Between 

 

In a field of grass whispers among the stones, breathing figures circled together in the line between heaven and dirt. They chant in prayer with hopes of its transcendence to the Other. I stare at the leaves dancing like a flock of birds. My eyes rest on the letters etched on granite. My father’s namesake. The man I had only known for four years but whose face I had worn for the past two decades. The face you stared at as you stood in the line between EDSA Avenue and SM North. Oblivious of the same green-striped shirts we wore, you spilled stories about your dead father while I chewed beans of the halo-halo you ordered. Their prayer has ended, and the sun has kneeled on the earth. The mark of its surrender. I wonder if you’re also standing in the line between, perhaps on your knees. 

 

Chanting a prayer you don’t believe in 

 

 

*****

 

Maica Castillo is a second-year Creative Writing student at the University of Santo Tomas. Her focus lies in crafting essays, stories, and poetry that delves into themes of coming-of-age, romance, grief, and melancholia. In addition to her academic pursuits, she actively participates in production work at the official broadcasting arm of the university, driven by her passion for storytelling in all its forms. Moreover, she has been serving on the student council of her faculty for the past two years because of her interest in law and governance.