And so it was that one day, as the sun began to set in the west, the prized creature watched as the fox headed for its hole with the vixen, the stallion galloped away with the mare, the ram trudged in his trenches with the ewe, and the goose swam off with the gander. But it was alone. And it lifted its hands to the sky, gazing at the expanse imploringly, as though its silent pleas would rise with the wind towards the place of its Maker’s celestial dwelling.
The Essences observed.
“Might it be lonely?”
“Was it enough for Us to make but one of it?”
“The Created Order had provided for two of each kind that they may replenish their own for generations to come.”
“It seems We had overlooked something.”
“The Created Order is incomplete.”
“Then We must craft another of its kind.”
“A fitting companion.”
“A creature so like in likeness, but of finer form.”
“To help in the oversight.”
“To be a partner.”
“A flesh of its flesh.”
“A bone of its bone.”
Lina Sagaral Reyes was the keynote speaker and special guest panelist to the recently concluded Davao Writers Workshop 2012 held at Lispher Inn last October 15 to 19. The address below was her lecture at the opening of the workshop.
The sea of ashes has pervaded my dreams for the the third time this week. The dream always took place near dawn. I was on a floating platform, standing on a pile of ashes. When I tried to scoop water from the the scarlet sea, a pair of badly burned hands dragged me down. I always woke up with that feeling that I was already consumed by fire. I thought that this was my subconscious telling me to get home quickly, especially now that my Mother had just died.