Turn Around

Losing a friend was never easy. As you watch her walk away, you feel like you're the worst person in the world. Seeing her back facing you for the first time, you feel like there are millions of people trying to keep the two of you from each other. There are suddenly lots of people in front of you and you can no longer see her back.

Five Days Prologue

The air is filled with happiness and laughter. Wherever you look, people are happy, some even elated. They act as if everything is all smiles in this world. They act as if nothing bad could ruin  everything they have--everything they worked hard for--in just a moment. How naive these people are.

Unlike these naive people, there are those who don't hope. They don't hope at all, for they know that hoping will only lead into depression and sadness. And depression and sadness will affect your body physically and mentally until you can't take it anymore and die. Yes, there are people who can avoid that almost inevitable fate, but they are rare and scarce.

Fortunately, I am one of them.

More Time

In a particularly small town in a considerably small country, there was a girl named Lolit. She was a girl like any other, smiling and laughing and playing all at the same time. That is, until she heard she had leukemia. Because of her sickness, she was isolated in the hospital and, a few months later, put to permanent sleep. Patients who are terminally ill are more likely to face mercy killing or euthanasia. However, euthanasia should not be practiced in local hospitals and instead, doctors should continue to nurture the patients with illnesses such as acute myeloid leukemia and breast cancer until their final breath, so that patients who still have hope can be cured, patients still have time to pursue opportunities, and lawsuits will be avoided.

A lot of illnesses have a 50-50 chance of either killing their hosts or letting them live. Patients who still have a chance deserve to be treated properly and not like an old stuffed animal-thrown away and mistreated until it falls apart. People deserve to be treated by the way they act and not the way they suffer. Despite their weakened state, they are still humans and humans are supposed to be treated like humans, not like some ant that is of no significance to society. Lives are precious and should be cherished and valued, not stepped on and shattered to pieces. When cured, numerous patients could still be able to find their way back to life and pursue opportunities they can't pursue when they're dead.

They say that opportunities seldom knock twice. I bet that they get more seldom once you're dead. Patients should have the chance to pursue opportunities that swarm to them while they're still alive. Opportunities are like raindrops during a drought-precious and rare. The patients will have more time to pursue these opportunities during their lives rather than what's after. Whether it is to be a best-selling writer or to buy their dream house, opportunities are opportunities and missing them would be like missing half of your life. And when opportunities aren't met and dreams are shattered, a lawsuit is a patient's best friend.

Some relatives, after their loved ones go through euthanasia, become so distraught that they files lawsuits against the doctors, or worse-the whole hospital. Without euthanasia, no patient will die because of what the doctor decided was "best for all of them" and therefore, no lawsuits. Non-voluntary euthanasia is a kind of euthanasia wherein the doctor gives the "okay" sign, instead of the patient, because they are unable to do so and this kind of euthanasia may end up with the doctor being persecuted. In addition, there is also a kind of euthanasia where the patient's consent is ignored and after that, the possibility of a conflict best resolved in court is escalating. For those reasons, euthanasia should furthermore be banned in all local hospitals.

Without euthanasia, the world would be a better place: a place where hope resides, a place where dreams could be chased, a place where peace stands its ground and a place where Lolit grew up and became a successful woman after she was cured, no lawsuits included.

Pest

You stumble to get on your feet, the giant only a few inches from squashing you. You hope he doesn't notice you peering up at him. You slowly crawl toward shade where he cannot see you, hoping that you won't get caught. Because if he does, you'll definitely die. The giants rarely make mistakes and you were fortunate to experience one earlier, but hoping for another mistake would be plain ridiculous.

You suddenly slip on a black wire and the giant freezes and cranes his big head to hear more. You breathe as softly as you can, but he still spots you and before you can react, he readies his weapon to strike, death in his eyes.

You quickly scurry away and hide beneath a big wooden structure that the giant's kind has made. If you weren't in a life or death situation, you would have stopped and marveled at the complicated parts of the mechanism that your kind could never make. But you remind yourself that you are in a life or death situation, so you pa no heed to your complaining curiosity and crouch beneath the structure, your heart plummeting hard against your chair.

You watch the giant's two feet pace around for a while, certainly looking for you. You hear him breathe loudly--another thing the giants could do that your kind couldn't--and walk away, hiding his weapon, ready for the next encounter.

It was a simple day for you. A chase between the giant and you with you surviving and the giant leaving in defeat. It was not normal for your kind to do this. Most of them only went out when the giants were gone or when they were sleeping for fear that they may die. Not you though. You are curious and you want to learn more of what the giants can do that your kind can never achieve even with all of them working altogether.

They had told you to stop, to fear for your life, but you rather die having knowledge than to live knowing nothing. They had forced you to attend sermons, lectures that explain the danger of these giants, yet nothing fazed you and you remained determined to learn.

You love the way they can make things with the help of other things they also make. You are amazed on how they don't seem grateful for all the magnificent things around them. If you were one of them, you would have spent years and years learning and appreciating everything around you.

You love their way of life. There was only one thing that you hated: the way they hunted your kind. They would go to different lengths to get rid of you, investing precious time and money to make sure you would not exist, but they have never succeeded in wiping out your kind's existence.

What was that word they called you again?

Oh yes.

Cockroach.

Les Miserables Cast

The Cast of Les Miserables

I loved Anne Hathaway's Fantine so much. I could feel the feelings from her--the anger, the grief, everything. Fantine is a mother and thinks of nothing else but her child. Every moment, she spends on either working or thinking about her. She sells several body parts for her child without a moment's hesitation. Fantine is such a strong character and Hathaway did so well on her. Her voice as well as her emotions were very well Fantine and I loved her to bits.

Hugh Jackman portrayed Jean Valjean magnificently. From Prisoner 24601 to the grand mayor, Hugh Jackman did a tremendous job. Jean Valjean is the man who sings of new beginnings and yearns for second chances and Hugh Jackman did a great job depicting these. Although I didn't quite like his sometimes nasal vibratos, he did a job well done on the acting.

Javert was one of my favorite characters and Russel Crowe did quite a fine job with him. Javert is the determined kind of guy and he lets nothing go in his way. At first, he is merciless and apathetic, but changes in the end and gives his life up.Russel Crowe projected Javert's emotions so well and his voice is deep and full.

I absolutely adored little Cosette. From the moment I saw her petite body and disheveled hair, I knew that I would love her until the very end. Isabelle Allen was very much apropos for Cosette, though I may be quite biased since I've always loved children. Nonetheless, she portrayed little Cosette--abandoned and mistreated--very well. Her voice is also so full and unlike most child voices and her face is so pure and naive that it adds character to the so little Cosette.

Oh gosh! I loved loved loved Thenardier and Mrs. Thenardier. From their thief-like antics and most convincing acting and singing, I say Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen did a magnificent job. As the comedy relief in the movie, I say that they are as funny as it gets during a sad period. I guess I've always loved Carter ever since I saw her as Bellatrix, but I didn't know she could sing and, beside Cohen, they did a great job.

I didn't quite like Amanda Seyfried's voice, but her acting and her emotions made up for it. As an elegant lady in a dangerous life, Cosette should take no risks but ended up taking the biggest one of all--falling in love. Seyfried's acting was quite well as the girl who would want nothing more to love and be loved, but her falsetto isn't that impressive. Still, she sent the message across and that's what really matters.

Eponine is such a sad character, being the girl who wasn't meant to be with the guy. She's the girl who stays in the shadows while the one he loves falls in love with another. Samantha Barks was perfect for her role. From the start, it was quite obvious that she isn't the one for him, but she still hopes and hope leads her to her death. Barks' tears were so pure and sad that it almost brings tears to my eyes.

Gavroche is such a tragic child, so young, yet exposed to such terrible things. Daniel Huttlestone portrayed young Gavroche very well.

Marius, at first, is like a giddy teenage girl in love, but as the story progresses, I've begun to love his character and relate to the sadness he feels. Although I absolutely detest love at first sight, I forgave it for his character. After all, he had never experienced love before. Eddie Reymayne was wonderful as Marius with his sophisticated look and his rebellious nature.

The Unknown

You lie in bed. Lights closed. Windows shut. Doors unopened. And yet you experience a cool breeze pass near you. You do not know what caused it. You are afraid.

 You stand at the end of a street. Streetlights flickering. Noises not present. Floor completely still. And yet you sense something moving. You do not know what it is. You are afraid.

You sit on the electric chair. Eyes blindfolded. Sounds made. Movement sensed. You do not know how you will feel. You are afraid.

Second Point of View

You walk into the building, avoiding the glances of others. You understand completely what they want and you don’t want to get caught up in their problems. You’ve mingled with them once, and you were completely disappointed in them.

Money. Power. Money.

These go on in your head and you understand that having one, earns the other.

You walk within the crowd. You don’t want to leave, even though you know that these kind of people can destroy you within a snap of their manicured little fingers. You know that they can, but you also know that they won’t, for they are cowards and wouldn’t attack on someone, until they have completely gotten them under their control.

You continue walking, noticing how many people were in the building. You decide to blend in and eavesdrop on some strangers’ conversations, because you know that there is always a good story when large masses of people get together.

You press your weight on the wall and laugh inwardly at the fact that a group of high-class civilians happen to have no intention of concealing their conversation. You notice that they not speaking in full sentences.

One of them is named Histrey and you take joy that there is someone in the world that is cursed with such a name as that. Another one is named Fram and he appears to be the father of the one they were talking about. You take note that Fram doesn’t seem to care for his son very well.

You take your leave just as the father says “Not anymore” and proceed to find another theater to amuse you. You walk slowly, for you know that you may pick up something realistically ludicrous that it may be enough to sell.

You hear a rumor about a witch in the neighboring town and you laugh at them inwardly. You ask yourself how simply shallow people can be when they are trying to snag lots of attention.  You know that this rumor might have been just a hypothesis a few minutes ago, about a young girl with black hair, black eyes and a queer mysterious attitude.

You smile and you know that you will be richer once again.

You walk out of the building, not bothering to look back, knowing that you have gotten what you want and won’t be coming back for a long, long time.

Good Bye.

--

First Point of View

Spontaneous

Sometimes, I suddenly wake up in the morning, grab the yellow pad beside my bed and start writing about the dream I just had. Usually, I would go back to sleep and when I wake up, I will find the once-brilliant idea so ridiculous.

First Point of View

I walk into the building, not bothering to look at the other guests. I know that they will have their fake smiles and their well-practiced, phony expressions on their faces. I haven’t been living under a cave for the last sixteen years of my life and I know quite well the extent people stretch to get what they want.

Money. Power. Money.

I don’t get why people strive to get both at the same time, for you get the other automatically when you get one. When you have money, you get power. When you have power, you get money.

Still, I walk within the crowd. I have no intention of leaving, despite knowing the fact that any of these frauds could destroy my well-maintained reputation in one petty little second. Yes they could, but they wouldn’t.

And so, I continue walking, engulfed by the masses of people inside the building. Blending in, I decide to eavesdrop, for it is always good to know something only a select number of people know.

I lean against the wall, listening as a group of apparently high class dukes and duchesses mutter discreetly to each other. Unbeknownst to them, I could hear them loud and clear.

“Unacceptable!” One of them says, articulating each syllable with obvious bitterness.

“Histrey!” Another scolds him, “He’s still a relative.” Apparently ‘Histrey’ is a name.

A man speaks up, “The disown him, I say! Nothing’s worse than an ungrateful—“

“Fram, he’s your son!” I can sense the obvious disgust on Histrey’s voice as he cut Fram off.

“Not anymore, he’s not!”

I get tired of the heated conversation and walk again. I decide to walk very slowly, in case I hear an interesting exchange of words amidst the whispers and murmurs around the room. I didn’t find anything I was interested in, but I overheard some rumors about a witch in the village. Obviously, it isn’t real and was just made up by some middle-class civilian, yearning for some attention from the higher classes, but she was quite a good storyteller.

I smile. This would make for a very good article.

I walk out of the building, not bothering to look back. I know that I have succeeded in accomplishing my mission and I feel pretty contented. I have been living among these people for almost two decades and it still amazes me how they are very legitimate rumor-starters.
--
First Point of View.

This is part of an exercise wherein I am supposed to write a single piece in numerous points of view. 

Second Point of View