Sunday it was, the end of October. The graduation of bravo batch is approaching. Important guests were invited. The head of the alumni association for one will be giving his welcoming speech.
On an open view, a sniper was waiting to strike. It was Luke. He carefully planned this event. He wanted to disband the alumni association by killing the president, the head, Dr. George Guardian. The association is responsible for capturing Luke.
The parade started. All were delighted. Seeing the 47 graduates of Bravo batch, all were overwhelmed. The 1523 cadets were enthusiastic for they will be recognizing their passionate leaders as graduates. This also marks the end of military science 11 and 21. Some will also be graduating their military science training.
The welcoming speech was about to start. The guest speaker was introduced. “Our guest speaker is from our own. He graduated as Corps Commander class Maragtas of 1970 also Bravo batch. He took up Architecture graduating as Magna Cum Laude. He gave honors to the university and to the association. The association always won the national competition in his leadership. From map reading to first aid to marksmanship, the thomasians were number one. Currently, he holds position in the Supernatural and Paranormal Society of the Philippines (SPSP) as president. He is also an honorary member of the Linguistic Society of the Philippines (LSP). He is also an honorary member of Archeological Society of the Philippines (ASP). He has contributed much to the peace and order of this world and to the “other” worlds. Without further ado, here is our president, Dr. George Guardian.
Dr. Guardian came to the podium. He breathe heavily and started his speech…
“Ang Kabataan ang Pag-asa ng Bayan” by Jose Rizal in My Different Points of View
Was it equal to William Shakespeare’s opening line of a soliloquy, “To be, or not to be, that is the question.”? Having for sought that they, the two authors have no connection, I came to think of it that these two connects. Where will youth be when he is a grown man, to be, or not to be that is the question. This sense should be taken positively. Knowing the ins and out of this world where will youth be five, ten, twenty and years from now. Our hope, the youth still has to face the question, to be, or not to be. With these advocacies, we still least wonder, what has happened to our youth. After eight years, I have looked back into my life. Was Jose Rizal my hero? Was his words enough? Was he a good model of virtues? Come to think of it, his life was enough. His legacy was golden and his spirit still lives. But what is left of me? I guess nothingness. I cannot live by his standards. I have to pick up my shattered self and put it back together. I am not a youth anymore and I have done nothing. Covered with shame, covered with lust, covered with flame, what has really happened to the youth? The numbers don’t lie. Younger individuals were addicted to drugs, bought by prostitution, taught theft, struggled to death, abused and had been abusive. Will our future depend on the youth? Will they fight for freedom if they have to? During my youth, I had faced a lot of stuff, similar and less similar to yours. We were an average family and I had faced average problems all throughout. I hope, I had done enough for the challenges of life. I manage to stay out of trouble as far as I remember and for me that is enough to be called “Pag-asa ng Bayan”. Back then, life was simpler I think. I just have to study. As far as I remember, prostitution was just a secret, murders were only a few, theft was just a story of Robinhood but cheating is still rampant, I admit, I am one of those cheaters, kidding aside and beggars, I seldom remember them. About my future, who cares? At least I knew there was someone who cared, someone I questioned and someone who never questioned me. He was Gat Andres Bonifacio or perhaps more. I am trying to struggle with my present as much as I want to breakthrough. The youth will still be the “Pag-asa ng Bayan” years on. I hope God permits. As I happen to saw a youth before finishing this, whatever he wants to be or wants not to be, I cannot thank Dr. José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda more than enough…
In the middle of speech, Luke pulled the trigger. Three shots were fired. It was a direct hit, three shots to the body. All were scared. The president is only the target. Luke turned into a security guard and he carefully makes his way out.
The president was bleeding. Could he make it to the hospital which is just a kilometer away? The president blacked out. “Mr. president please wake up!”, “We need you!”, “Open your eyes!”, the doctor said. He said that while performing first aid. Covering the wounds, applying direct pressure…Then, Dr. George was rushed to the hospital.
Fortunately, the emergency room has a spare room. It was led by the best emergency doctor in town, Dr. Michael Santiago. He has the highest success rate in the Philippines and probably the whole world. Survival rate is 10 percent higher when he is operating.
“The chance for this operation to succeed is 1ower than 1 percent.”, “Let us make this operation count.”, the doctor said. Airway, breathing, circulation, disability and exposure were checked. The doctor and his team did everything. After 3 hours of operation, the body of Dr. Guardian suffered a lot. In short, was not able to make it. It did not respond well.
“We will be placing him in a regeneration chamber. This is a top secret project of the hospital and university.”, the attending doctor said. A green liquid was injected to Dr. Guardian.
The president, Dr. Guardian was pronounced dead…