VOYAGES EXTRAORDINAIRES

          Three weeks ago, I sent a letter asking for the honor of an interview with a famous French novelist and I was really gratified to find his reply waiting inside my mailbox one week after with the simple inscription, "Demain matin 08 heures au Meurice." (Tomorrow morning 8 o’clock at Le Meurice)

          Accordingly at the appointed hour, I presented myself at Le Meurice, one of the most famous restaurants in Paris, France. It has a gorgeous mosaic floor, its ceiling was filled with crystal chandeliers, and the heavy damask curtains at the windows were overlooking the Tuileries Gardens across the street. There I sat, anxiously waiting for the arrival of Jules Verne, a French novelist, poet, and playwright best known for his adventure novels and his profound influence on the literary genre of science fiction.

          After a few moments Mr. Jules Verne entered. He was a man of good build, somewhat below medium height, with kindly blue eyes and a short silvery beard and he dressed in a modest, loose-fitting suit of black. We gave each other a few courteous words of welcome and commenced the conversation. 

          "A pleasant morning to you Mr. Verne. My name is Sophia Sanders and I just want to say that I am very honored to have you here today. " I said.

          "Don't worry about it madame. I am also thankful to you for inviting me here today. But if I may ask, why did you choose me for this interview?" He asked. 

          "Ever since I was a little girl, I always liked going on adventures with my father. We would explore the woods near our house everyday and we would always have fun. But as time goes by, we didn't have any chance to explore anymore because my father was always busy with work and I was always busy with school. One day, my dad gave me a gift in order to make up for all the time that we weren't able to spend together. Inside that gift was a book entitled Five Weeks in a Balloon, your first novel. That book made my life more fun, filled with adventure and it gave me a glimpse on the beauty of the world and how the world works. Ever since that day, I have always read your works and I loved them more than anything else." I explained. 

         I looked at Mr. Verne and I saw him smiling happily and his eyes were filled with excitement.

         "It is really nice to hear those kind words from other people. It makes me feel happy and it relieves me to know that all my hard work paid off." He replied.

         I smiled back at him and I started to ask my first question.

        "When did your career as an author begin?" I asked. 

       “As early as twelve or fourteen I was never without a pen in my hand, and during my school days I was always writing, my tasks being chiefly poetical. During the whole of my life I have always had a great passion for poetical and dramatic work, and in my later youth I published a considerable number of pieces, some of which met with a fair amount of success. My second and principal career did not commence till I was over thirty, and was brought about by a sudden impulse. It struck me one day that perhaps I might utilize with advantage my scientific education to blend together science and romance into a work of an advantageous description that might appeal to the public taste." He replied.

         "Mr. Verne, your works are mostly about adventure and science-fiction, why is that?" I asked.

         "Well as you know, I lived with my family within the town of Nantes. My father is an attorney and he always wanted me to study law just like him. But just like what I told you earlier, I was always fascinated with writing, poetry, and rhetoric. I also had an interest in geography, philosophy, and adventures. Because I wanted to pursue my love for literature and adventure, I decided to quit law school and I decided to write for magazines and the stage." He explained.

          "It must have been hard but I am happy that you decided follow your dreams and the things that you love. Now let's move on to the next. For you Mr Verne, what is Science?" I asked.

          "I do not in any way pose a scientist but for me, Science is made up of mistakes but they are mistakes which it is useful to make, because they lead little by little to the truth." He replied.

           I was really amazed about how he remarkably answered that question. I continued to ask him questions and this time, I asked him about his works.

           "Out of all your works, what are the top 3 novels you like the most and why?" I asked. 

           "I love all my works but if I were to choose 3, I would say Journey to the Center of the Earth, The Mysterious Island, and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. I like Journey to the Center of the Earth because most of its ideas are about the interiors of the Earth and its characters encountered prehistoric animals and natural hazards. I like The Mysterious Island because it is about the adventure of the characters on an uncharted island. I like Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea because it is about the sea. The sea is everything. It covers seven tenths of the terrestrial globe. Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense desert, where man is never lonely, for he feels life stirring on all sides. The sea is only the embodiment of a supernatural and wonderful existence. It is nothing but love and emotion; it is the Living Infinite."

            "A very nice answer. Now for the last question, what is your favorite quote from your books and why?" I asked.

            "My favorite quote would be from my novel, Journey to the Center of the Earth ''While there is life, there is hope. I beg to assert...that as long as a man's heart beats, as long as a man's flesh quivers, I do not allow that a being gifted with thought and will can allow himself to despair.'' This is my favorite quote because I can relate myself to it. I have always faced a lot of struggles throughout my life and without hope, I would never have made it this far." He answered.

              "All of your answers are very good and I agree with you completely. I would like to thank you again Mr. Verne for giving some of your time for this meeting. I hope we get to meet and talk to each other again." I said.

              "I want to thank you too for sharing your experiences with me. Don't worry we can still keep in touch and I am always here if you need me. Goodbye see you again next time" He said.

               It was a great experience to spend some time with one of the best authors of all time. I will never forget everything he taught me today and I will always remember never to give up no matter how hard life gets.           

            

THE 9 CIRCLES OF CNSHS

          There is a 14 year old boy named Cedric living in a simple neighborhood. He is smart, obedient and he is the model student of his school. Everybody loves him and many of his classmates look up to him. But one day, Cedric befriended a group of troublemakers. They influenced him to do things that a high school student shouldn't do. Cedric thought he was doing the right thing so he became fond of it. This made him lose focus on his studies and this caused him a lot of trouble. This worried his parents so they decided to talk to him about it but Cedric didn't want to talk to them.

           One night, Cedric finds himself in a completely different place. It is very dark and Cedric doesn't know what to do. He sees a tall person walking towards him. That person introduces himself as Luke. Cedric immediately asks Luke about how he could get out of that place. Luke says that the only way to get out of there is to go through the school named CNSHS, the place where students are punished for the sins they did at school. Cedric asks where he could find it and Luke tells him that he is know standing in front of CNSHS.

           In front of the gate, Cedric sees a sign that says "Abandon all hope, ye who enters here". He becomes very hesitant but Luke says that it will be alright and that it's the only way for him to get out. The two of them venture forward and Luke tells Cedric that they have to go through the 9 circles of CNSHS and that each circle represents the sins of students. The first circle is the gate or The Latecomers. In here, Cedric sees a long line of students holding pens and notebooks. Luke explains that the students here are those who always arrive late at school. The students are punished by making them right long essays about their reason of being late and promising that they won't do it ever again. After finishing the essay, the students are tasked to take 100 squats and write an essay all over again. It is a never ending cycle.

          They move on to the second circle. The second circle is the gym or The Vandalizers. Cedric sees the place full of blackboards. Luke explains that the students found here are those who deliberately damage school 

property and that the blackboards are used for the punishment of the students. They are forced to write the sentence "I will never vandalize school property ever again" over and over again.

          The third circle is the canteen or The Greedy. Cedric smells something foul and Luke says that Cedric should watch his step and that the smell came from rotten food and human excrement. He also says that this is the punishment of the students who are greedy. They are forced to lie down on the floor of filth and the only thing they're allowed to eat are those on the floor. 

          After passing through the foul smelling environment of the greedy, Cedric and Luke advance to the fourth circle, the field or The Litterers. This circle is full of garbage and nothing not even a small part is clean. The students found here are those who throw their garbage everywhere and not pick up the litters they see. Luke explains that their punishment is to pick up all the garbage around but everytime they pick up the garbage, more will come. This whole process never ends.

          The fifth circle is the Learning Resource Center (LRC) or The Talkative. Luke tells Cedric to cover his ears because this circle is full of noise and it could break his eardrums. Cedric does so but he can still hear the loud noises. Luke explains that this is the punishment for those who are fond of talking and making a lot of noise. The students are tied to a chair and their mouths are covered in duct tape while they listen to the loud, unpleasant sounds. 

          The sixth circle is the classroom or The Slothful. This circle contains students who are too lazy or unwilling to work or use energy. Cedric asks Luke why there are a lot of books and papers on the floor. Luke explains that this is the punishment for the students who are lazy. They are forced to read books, write essays and lab reports and they are given a lot of homework and projects. The deadline for each activity is getting shorter everytime and if they don't submit them in time, they will be given twice as much.

          They continue forward to the next circle. Luke tells Cedric to stay close to him  because he won't be able to see things well in this circle. Cedric does so and observes that the whole place is very dark and he hears a lot of moans and cries. Luke tells Cedric that they are now in the seventh circle, the HE or The Envious. Cedric asks why the whole place is filled with darkness. Luke tells him that the students here aren't allowed to see for they have gained sinful pleasure from seeing others with great achievements and possessions brought low. 

          The eighth circle is the guidance office or The Obstreperous. Cedric continues to hear moans and cries and he sees students with their parents beside them looking disappointed. Luke says that the students here are those who break the rules or those who behave illegally or dishonestly. Cedric also observes that there are a lot of mirrors around. Luke says that these make the students reflect on their sins.

          They continue on with their journey. As they move closer to the last circle, Cedric observes that it is getting quieter and that he can no longer see anything in the dark. He says that everything around him is filled with hopelessness. They suddenly feel really cold and Luke tells Cedric that they have arrived at the ninth circle, the Principal's office or The Cheaters. Luke explains that the sins of the students here are the worst of the worst. They act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain advantage. Because of this, their punishment is expulsion. They will never be able to acquire their diplomas making them unworthy to enter Purgatory or Paradise. They will forever suffer by doing the punishments of the other eight circles. 

          After seeing the nine circles of CNSHS, Cedric realizes the sins that he committed and repents for them. He also feels sorry for the students suffering in CNSHS. Luke comforts him by saying that all the students except the students in the ninth circle will be able to reach the highest heaven, one of pure light, intellect and love if they repent for the sins that they have committed. Cedric feels relieved and thanks Luke for all the help he gave. Cedric asks Luke why he helped him and how he knew about him getting lost. Luke tells Cedric that a certain someone believes that Cedric will be able to help other people reach the high heavens because he is a person full of love, hope, and kindness. Cedric already knew who that certain someone is and thanks Him for the faith, strength, and love that He gave. After that, Luke says farewell and Cedric returns back to his home.

IS TEXTESE A TYPE OF LANGUAGE VANDALISM?

          In our world today, texting has become an essential part of our everyday lives. It is very useful for us because it allows us to communicate faster with others. A high percentage of cell phone owners text every day and most of them are young adults. Since these young adults send almost 100 text messages a day, it is no surprise that their method of texting has found its way into the classroom. There are a great number of studies that talk about the way the informal language in texts hinder kids from understanding how to write and speak properly. While some young adults think that it helps them improve their communication skills, experts say that it ruins the English language.

          Many teachers are disheartened by this kind of technology for they believe that it destroys the students' comprehension in the English language. They claim that using abbreviated words in order to save space and time distorts their ability to use words properly and their ability to express themselves eloquently through writing.They also say that many students turn in papers with poor punctuation, misspellings, and bad grammar. But there are also some teachers that praise texting because it is opening up a new world of writing for students that the classroom was never able to. Simply put, it is developing its own kind of grammar. Some texting acronyms were even added to the Oxford English Dictionary and have been constantly growing for each passing year. It also seems that there are a lot of studies saying that texting increases reading skills and drives speed and brevity of communication.

           Even though I have my own cell phone, I never got addicted to texting. Yes I text very often but it was only because it was necessary or because it was for an emergency. If you ask me about whether texting ruins my knowledge on the English language or not, my answer would be no. Simply because I believe that learning another's language doesn't affect one's ability to use proper English as long as the person knows the grammar rules and therefore knows the difference between colloquial speech and correct English.

WORK EQUALS EXHAUSTION, REST EQUALS BOREDOM

          People always seek rest in a struggle against difficulties and when they have conquered these, rest becomes insufferable because of the boredom it causes. This is really common especially for students. When they are at school and they have a lot of work to do, they want to go home and rest but when they are at home and they have nothing to do, they want to go back to school. It's kind of ironic isn't it? But we all know that it's true and I am sure that many students felt this way this past semester break. To be honest, I also expected my semester break to be something like this but as I remind myself about my experiences from that 1 week vacation, I asked myself if it was worth it or not.

          The day before the start of our semester break, I was both excited and nervous. This is because even though I should be resting, I had to review for my quiz bee about ASEAN. It is on November 28, 2013 so I really had to study. I was really happy when I found out that I was chosen to represent our school but it also made me feel stressed because that topic is not that easy to learn. There is a lot of memorization involved especially with the names and dates. But I didn't want to waste this opportunity so I studied about it for the first four days of my semester break. Those days were very productive for me but at the same time, they were like brutal training! My brain felt like it was about to explode because all the information I memorized got jumbled in my head. It was very exhausting but I felt really happy and relieved when I finished it.

          The next two days of my semester break were full of rest and fun. I mostly spent it at bed and at the computer. What I mostly did was watch movies and anime. I love watching anime because it helps me escape my normal, uneventful life as much as possible. Watching isn't the same as doing, of course, but it really helps. From watching anime I get to know characters and they become like my friends even though I know they aren't real. Anime sends me to a whole different world where possibilities are endless. I also learn a lot of life lessons and feel countless emotions through the course of the series. Right now, this is the best adventure I can get. But all my time wasn't only focused on anime. One of my classmates told me to watch a Korean drama series entitled "To The Beautiful You" because she said that it was very good and it was. It really was. I also watched a few horror movies to get into the Halloween spirit. My mom is a big fan of horror so it was really fun to watch with her.

          From October 31 to November 1, we went to my grandmother's house in Rosario, Cavite. We always go there every year during All Saints' Day. I was able to meet my cousins and other relatives (I haven't seen them for a while so I was really happy). The night of October 31, we watched Thor 2: The Dark World in SM Rosario. It was one the movies that I wanted to watch so badly because I am also Marvel fan. It was really good and the plot twists were very unpredictable. On November 1, we went to the cemetery with our relatives and lit a lot of colorful candles. Later in the afternoon, we went to my aunt's house in Tagaytay and we spent the night there. Before going to sleep, I played Dama with my parents. I was able to win a few games at first but after a while it was an utter defeat. They are really good (as in professionally good).

          The next day, the rest of our relatives followed us and we all ate at a Bulaluhan restaurant. The food there was really delicious (but I guess eating with my family was a great factor). We went back home after that and I was able to take a really long nap. When I woke up, I immediately finished all my projects and homeworks. I spent the last day of my semester break downloading songs and watching movies with my brother. To be honest, I just learned how to download songs that day and I was really happy for that accomplishment. My brother and I mostly watched horror movies.

           Overall, I have to say that my semester break was worth it. I was able to spend a lot of time with my family, I was able to do something productive with my schoolwork and I was also able to rest and do the things I love. This was actually one of the most memorable semester breaks I ever  had and I will be forever thankful about my experiences.

LOVE STRUCK?

          Not many people know when love really starts. Some probably have been in love but don't even know it. More than a friend but not quite lovers... A delicate relationship like this changes gradually once it is noticed, and keeps on blossoming, just like the changing seasons. Have I ever been in love? Maybe yes, maybe no but what I do believe is that being in love is a beautiful feeling that involves not only my hypothalamus but also my superior vena cava.

          Love is something that we cherish and is forever part of our lives. It can make or break what we think of a fairy tale where the prince charming always rescues the damsel in distress. But how does it really feel to be in love? Well, it is a feeling of an adrenaline rush gushing into your face, a 360 degree turn to your routine boring life, a feeling of being beautiful inside out and being the center of attention of the most important person in your life. It is an inspiration, not a distraction. Now, defining love has a wide variety of colors, different views and a lot of personal opinions based on various experiences. For me, love is defined as a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible - it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment and offer more joy than any material possession could.

          They say loving yourself is way more important than anybody else but why would you love a boy? What is so important and so valuable? Well, maybe because God created a man for a woman, yin for yang and XX chromosomes for XY chromosomes. They are always in pairs and they are obvious combinations that even stars in the galaxy will not contest. I do believe in fate and if I find that right person, he will be the light that will bring me happiness after wandering in the darkness for so long. But of course, before being so drastic on things, that boy must first possess the qualities that I truly admire. He must be he must be matured enough to handle things in the right manner, understanding, loving ,god-fearing ,and will accept me for being me, not because of fame, peer pressures and not even by mere curiosity.

           No single thing is perfect by itself. That's why we are born to love others to make up for what we lack. Love is so powerful - it can turn frowns into smiles. It can help overcome the difficult obstacles that we are faced with in life and it can even turn all ugliness in the world into the most beautiful portrait we could ever have the pleasure to behold.

BEYOND REALITY

          On a cold winter night, Juliet is talking to herself on the balcony of their house. She is confused about her feelings towards Romeo, her best friend. She is asking herself if what she feels is true love or not. Romeo, unseen by Juliet, is hiding behind the bushes of the garden and overhears everything she is saying. Romeo is actually in love with Juliet ever since they met and he didn't have the confidence to express his feelings. But after hearing Juliet's true feelings, he finally decided to ask her hand in marriage. Romeo shows himself to Juliet and asked her to marry him. After hearing this shocking revelation, Juliet's eyes were filled with tears of joy. Juliet says yes and Romeo was overjoyed. Romeo put the diamond ring given   by his mother to him. This ring was preserved and given from his ancestors and now to him by his mother, saying that it should be passed to whoever he will marry. Their wedding was planned to take place in Italy. They planned the wedding before they board their ship to Rome. On their way to the Verona Royal florist, they came across the soothsayer. They were astonished by the shocking news that the soothsayer said. They were warned to beware of the Ides of March. The couple was so afraid for they planned the wedding to take place on the 17th of March and they will board their ship on the 14th of March. They thought of their plan all over again. The Montagues and Capulets suggested to postpone the wedding but the couple believed that the warning of the soothsayer is only brought about by superstitious beliefs. On the 14th of March, the couple boarded their ship to Rome.

          On board the ship are Romeo and Juliet’s guests. They are all well known personalities from various allied kingdoms. From the kingdom of Denmark, Hamlet, from the Kingdom of Rome, Julius Caesar, Cassius, and Brutus, from the Kingdom of Scotland, Macbeth, from the Kingdom of Syracuse, Antipholus and Dromio, from the Kingdom of Ephesus, Antipholus and Dromio, from the Kingdom of Athens, Lysander, Demetrius, Helena, and Hermia, and from the Kingdom of Messina, Beatrice and Benedick. At midnight, everybody was having the time of their life when Beatrice and Benedick suddenly notice that the Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse and the Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus are actually twins. The mischievous Benedick told Beatrice that they should play a prank on them. Beatrice agreed and commenced their plan. Beatrice flirted with Antipholus of Syracuse and told him to ask Dromio of Syracuse to fetch her a glass of water. Benedick told Antipholus of Ephesus that he will give him a treasure chest full of gold if he gives him a piece of cake. Antipholus of Ephesus easily believes this and told Dromio of Ephesus to get him a piece of cake. When both Dromio got what their master wanted, Benedick and Beatrice switched the places of the two Antipholus. Dromio of Ephesus gave the cake to Antipholus of Syracuse and Dromio of Syracuse gave the glass of water to Antipholus of Ephesus. Both Antipholus got mad because they thought that their servants were mocking them. The 2 pairs of twins chased each other all over the ship. Dromio of Syracuse accidentally trips on the floor and accidentally pushes Antipholus of Ephesus towards the captain of the ship. As the captain falls, he accidentally stirred the ship towards an iceberg and caused the ship to sink. Everybody fell overboard except for the Capulets, Beatrice, Benedick, Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse, Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus because they were able to get on the lifeboats along with the crew of the ship.

          After the dreadful shipwreck on March 15 (based on the soothsayer’s Ides of March), all the guests of Romeo and Juliet were drifted upon a mystical island which was then believed to have superstitious beings. Auspiciously, they were able to prosper in the barren island a few days right after the shipwreck. There they came across with Oberon and Titania, the mysterious king and queen of the fairies, together with Helena, their gorgeous princess and Puck, their relentless aide. Puck has this potential to mess up a relationship between two lovers simply by squirting a mystical juice to the eye of either the guy or lady once they were asleep, so that when they woke up, they won’t be together again as if they were not acquainted with each other. Prior to the abhorrence of Capulet and Lady Capulet to Romeo, Capulet ordered Puck to squirt the mystical juice to the eye of Romeo so that he could not be acquainted with Juliet to any further extent. Lucky for them, Puck was able to do so. Meanwhile, Helena was in love with Demetrius, a guy whose love interest is Hermia. Helena has no other choice but to order Puck to squirt his mystical juice to Demetrius so that he will be falling in love with her. At the same time, Egeus, a mighty blacksmith of the island, was also disgusted with Lysander, whom his daughter Hermia loves so much. So Puck was then ordered to do the same like what the Capulets and Helena ordered him before, and he was successful in doing such.

           From then on, perplexity between three couples had started. Romeo was now in love with Hermia; Demetrius was stunned by the lovely Helena; and Lysander has a deep adoration to Juliet. Thus, Helena was successful with her plan. Upon having Demetrius in her life, Helena pretended to have been pregnant to him (but actually, this is not true). To his delight, Demetrius ordered his servants to get everything ready for their daughter.

          Almost a year had gone by; still Helena seemed not to be pregnant. Upon knowing the truth that Helena was not actually pregnant, Demetrius drove away Helena from his mighty realm, leaving her outside stumbled upon the shimmering hallway. Demetrius, having disgusted with what he knew, started to look for his first love interest which is Hermia. He searched every part of the barren island; day and night he screeched Hermia’s name, but after a month of incessant search, he could not find Hermia any longer. And according to what he had heard from the adjacent realm, Hermia was currently the queen of Verona in Italy with his husband Romeo. This put himself into suicide.

          On the other hand, while the prosperity continues to stretch throughout the island, they decided to have a leader to be elected in order to maintain the peace and order of the newly-occupied island. Out of several aspirants, Julius Caesar has been chosen to rule the island. He overpowered several aspirants, including Brutus and Cassius. Resentful and envious with what has transpired, Brutus and Cassius reunited to topple the leadership of Julius Caesar. They began spreading rumor about Julius Caesar: a rumor that would put his leadership and even his life to an end.

          Hamlet who was elected as one of the senators to complete the panel of senators has his father, Alonso executed by a group of armed men after a senate hearing in Naples (since his dad was once a senator, too). The suspects are still anonymous up to date; this gave Brutus and Cassius the idea to point Julius Caesar as the prime suspect.

         Without knowing by Caesar, Brutus and Cassius are already spreading rumors throughout the citizenry of the island about the “execution” of Alonso, which is all a hoax. All was easily convinced since Caesar was once known to be a powerful yet ruthless executioner leader of Mantua. He immediately put convicts into death without prior hearings and court proceedings.

         Upon hearing the rumors, Hamlet had this sudden outburst of anger to Julius Caesar. But since he was a senator and a dignified statesman, he cannot carry out his plan of Caesar’s assassination so as not to besmirch his reputation. Without any hesitation on his part, he ordered Macbeth, his fellow camp-de-aide to execute Caesar in a Senate hearing.

         Few days after, Prospero, a faithful and loyal follower of Alonso who got stranded in the island after Alonso's assassination, heard the surreptitious plan of Caesar’s assassination. On the day of assassination, Prospero tried to avert the plan, saying that he’ll be stating the golden truth about Alonso's death. Hamlet, trying not to besmirch his reputation, decided to bring the plan of assassination an end, since according to him, all was just a rumor and there is no valid evidence to verify that Caesar assassinated his father before. Prospero was relieved and he told Hamlet the truth behind his father's death. According to Prospero, Alonso died when they were on their way home from the Senate hearing in Naples. They were riding their ship when suddenly pirates came aboard and tried to steal their ship. Alonso protected all his men and drove all the pirates away but Alonso didn't notice that one of the pirates stayed behind and stabbed him on the chest. Prospero killed this pirate and Alonso died in his arms. After a few hours, a raging storm came and the ship sunk. Prospero got stranded in the island and was the only survivor from the tragedy that occurred.

         Meanwhile, in the mighty realm of Demetrius, Helena was stacked and still wondering what happened to Demetrius. She then ordered her servants to search for Demetrius. After few days of searching, they found Demetrius’ body and saw a knife which he used to stab himself. Upon knowing the news her servants reported to her, Helena ran in the hallway. She then stopped at the fountain and tears kept falling in her eyes. Day and nights had passed yet she is still crying and not eating. Her servants are worried for her condition. By this, her servants decided to send a letter to Romeo, Lysander, Hermia and Juliet. The letter is about the condition of Helena that her servants thought that will surely help to improve her condition. The two pairs of lovers; Lysander and Juliet, Romeo and Hermia came. They were shocked for they saw Helena crying then laughing. In short, she’s out of her mind and now she’s crazy. Her servants tell the whole story of what had happened to Helena. They said that Helena is blaming herself because if she didn’t pretend to be pregnant then Demetrius will not be disappointed and will not find Hermia in the barren island, resulting for him to stab himself after knowing the dreadful news. Hermia was shocked why Demetrius wanted to find her. She ran to Helena’s bedroom.

        In Helena’s bedroom, Hermia heard her singing a song. The song is about her act of ordering Puck to pour mystical juice to Demetrius’ eyes. Hermia, upon hearing the Helena singing, called Romeo, Lysander and Juliet. They began to wonder who is Puck and what the meaning of the mystical juice is. They’re mind are full of questions, so for them to satisfy their curiosity and to find all the happenings behind this, they went back to the barren island. There, they searched and searched. Until one night, they were so tired and hungry and wanted to have rest. Then, they heard someone coming. They saw Julius and Prospero. They immediately asked them for help. They asked if they knew Puck. Prospero said that Puck is just beside them. The two pairs of lovers were shocked. They don’t know that Puck is just playing around them. As they started to chase Puck, Juliet tripped at Romeo’s foot. A diamond ring fell from Juliet’s pocket in her dress. There, she suddenly remembered his love for Romeo. She remembered that Romeo is the one who gave that ring. After she remembered and will now tell it to Romeo, Prospero suddenly casted a spell and the lovers fell asleep. Prospero then ordered Puck to bring back the true feelings of the lovers. Puck poured the mystical juice to their eyelids. Upon waking up, everything is back to normal again. Romeo is madly inloved to Juliet again, same as Lysander to Hermia. They immediately went to Helena and found her asleep. The lovers heard a sound saying” wake up, wake up”.

        The lovers closed their eyes and opened it again. They found themselves in the ship safe and secured. They were shocked for Demetrius is alive and he falls in love with Helena. Then, they discovered that it was just a dream; a bad dream yet to be remembered. That day, they reached the shore of one of Italy’s beaches. A triple wedding occurred with the other boards of the ship as their guests. Then, they lived happily ever after.

TEACHERS ARE UNDERCOVER SUPERHEROES

          Becoming a hero doesn't always mean that you have to save lives and have superpowers. A hero doesn't always have to wear colorful outfits and carry high-tech gadgets. Heroes are found among us and they can be simple as we are. Everyday, we see them teaching young minds. Every hour, we hear them giving advices on how to live and love life. Every minute, they teach us what is right and what is wrong and every second, they serve as inspirations for us to have a better future. They are the people I consider my heroes and they are my teachers.

          Education is one of the greatest gifts that mankind can ever receive and teachers serve as its strong foundations. Without them, we are nothing. They provide us the knowledge we need to have a successful life. They serve as the stars in the night that guide our way so that we won't get lost. They are our second parents whom we can always run to in times of sadness and doubt. They help us become strong like rocks and they teach us to stand up everytime we fall. Even though they are always busy and they have a lot of problems in their minds, they always have their ears and hearts open for us. Teachers are like potters who once molded clay. They worked on it everyday with perfection and care and even though their hands became dirty and ragged, they continued to bare with it in order to perfect the sculpture. This shows that teachers molded students to become better people using their kind and gentle hands. This also serves as an inspiration for us do our best and never give up no matter how hard the situation is.

          Sometimes we think that teachers are scary but if we look deeply into their hearts, we will see how kind and caring they really are. We will be able to appreciate all the efforts and sacrifices they gave. They are here not only to teach us but also to care and love us. Without them we know nothing. No one in this world would know how to read, to write, and to understand one another. Without them we will never be able to stretch our wings and reach our dreams. Because without them, our way to success is dark and empty.

"FAIR IS FOUL, AND FOUL IS FAIR"

     "Fair is foul, and foul is fair" is the most famous and perhaps the most significant line in Shakespeare's Macbeth. This is one of the last lines spoken by the three witches in Act I Scene I, when they are foreshadowing the events that will come in the play. This line is a paradox or an idea that contradicts itself and many interpretations were made to explain what it means. 

       For me, this line pertains to one of the themes of the play which is the difference between appearance and reality. To put it simply, the difference between how something seems and how something really is. It is a major concern that fits well with the medium of the play and it shows that there is no significance of good and bad for their roles can be reversed. 

       I also had a personal experience related to this line. It happened 3 years ago. I was just a freshman at Cavite National Science High School and I didn't know anybody there except my classmates during elementary. I didn't want to interact with my new classmates because I felt really shy and it seemed like they all know each other. I also had a lot of first impressions. I thought that they were all serious and competitive and I also thought that some of them were unfriendly. But as I spend more time to get to know them, I realized that they are all nice people. They are really funny and friendly and they are the type of people who you can call real friends. Yes they can be serious and competitive sometimes but they are always there to help me whenever I need them. Just like what people say, first impressions aren't always true.

       Fair and foul can be different in various perspectives. Like something bad for someone could be something good for the other. A lost for one would give victory to others. "Fair is foul, and foul is fair". It is a world where things aren't what they seem to be. A world where you're never sure which is appearance and which is reality.

THE BATTLE BETWEEN LOVERS

          Great stories like William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" begin with a fundamental list of ingredients: the introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement. All of these ingredients make up the plot or the events of the story but the most important ingredient in the recipe is the climax. The climax is the point of highest tension or drama and this is where the action starts in which the solution is given.

          "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is one of Shakespeare's strangest and most delightful creations, and it demonstrates both the extent of his learning and the expansiveness of his imagination. I believe that the climax of this play comes in Act III, Scene 2, where the four lovers, Lysander, Demetrius, Helena and Hermia, are at the height of their confusion. Both Demetrius and Lysander end up pursuing Helena instead of Hermia because of the love potion and this made Helena believe that the three of them are mocking her. Demetrius and Lysander decided to fight for Helena's love and Hermia becomes so jealous that she tries to challenge Helena to a physical fight as well. As they all run off to fight, Puck and Oberon are left to prevent them from hurting each other by tricking them into the right areas to lead them apart and sort the problem out.

          The supposed to be physical fight became an emotional fight between the girls. Harsh words were thrown around and ugly memories from the past were brought up such as Helena thinking that Hermia was a spiteful woman when they were younger. These are the reasons that made this part of the story thrilling and exciting. It made me want to continue reading because it is intriguing to know the true feelings of the girls when you know that they aren't under any kind of spell.

          There are other interpretations of the climax of this play because there are other sub plots and characters involved. My opinions are based on the plot of the four lovers but I believe that no matter what interpretation there may be, this masterpiece will continue to inspire other people and it is truly one of the best.

IT TAKES A STRONG PERSON TO SAY SORRY AND AN EVEN STRONGER PERSON TO FORGIVE

          People always say that we have so many ways to describe forgiveness but only a few strategies for actually achieving it. They say that the best strategy to forgive is to forget. Yes, we've heard this a million times already but is this really how we feel? When you get hurt by someone, could you actually just forget and forgive him for what he has done? Forgiving seems impossible right? It's like giving them the permission to hurt us all over again but forgiveness is not something we do for others, it's something we do for ourselves. The grudge stops here.

          Like everybody else, I also had experiences that caused me a lot of pain. The most painful experience happened when I was still in elementary school. I had a classmate that I had known since kindergarten and she was the closest friend I ever had. She was the person that I called my best friend. I always felt happy and safe when I'm with her and I always say to myself that having this one special friend makes me the luckiest girl in the world. But this friendship slowly faded away as time went by. I noticed that she was becoming distant and ignorant towards me and one day, our friendship ended. I found out that she was saying things behind my back and that made me feel betrayed. It was like all those years we spent together were nothing but worthless acts. I tried to understand her but it was just too much. We got mad at each other and eventually, we stopped talking to each other.

          I eventually came to understand that in harboring the anger, I got myself trapped inside the prison cell of bitterness and despair, serving time for someone else's crime. I was giving the reins of control over to the person who had caused me pain. Forgiving was not about accepting her deeds, it was about moving on with my life. It's saying, "You don't get to trap me in the past. I am worthy of a future." I took all my courage with me to forgive her and by doing so, I had finally set myself free.

          This experience showed me a new path towards a better life. I had met people whom I can call my true friends and I know that they will always be there for me and I will always be there for them. It also made me realize that none of us are bad people. We run across each other and we learn about ourselves. We make mistakes and we do great things. We hurt others, we hurt ourselves, we make others happy, and we please ourselves. We can and should forgive ourselves and each other for that.

SMART BUT NOT SPORTY OR SPORTY BUT NOT SMART?

       In the world of students, there are two kinds of people. There are athletes and there are academically excellent students. Athletic students are those who excel in sports and those who are physically fit but not all of them have high academic standings. On the other hand, academically excellent students are those who do extremely well in academics and scholar performances but most of them are terrible in handling physical activities. To put simply, athletes use their bodies while smart people use their brains. Even though they have so many differences, they also have something alike. Both athletic and academically excellent students must have discipline, perseverance, and hardwork in order to achieve their goals.  Talent alone doesn't produce athletes and intelligent people like Kobe Bryant and Albert Einstein. Both of them overcame a lot of obstacles and both of them learned from the mistakes they made throughout their journeys.

        If I were given the chance to start over and choose between being good in sports or being an academically excellent student, I would choose being academically excellent. This is because for me, having good grades will give me a higher chance of having a brighter future. There will be a lot more opportunities where I can show what I can do with what I know compared to athletic students. Not many athletes are able to continue their career and some of them aren't even able to share what they can do. Another reason is because I can also use this knowledge in learning and planning out strategies in various kinds of sports. I may not have the physical power but I will have the mind power to counter my weaknesses.

        Smart but not sporty or sporty but not smart. Whichever one you are isn't really important. What's important is for you to be proud of what you can do. What you have is something that God has given you and he gave it to you for a reason. All you have to do is to use your talent and knowledge for the right thing and for the betterment of the world. Always remember that nobody is perfect. Nobody knows everything and nobody can do everything. Just be yourself and always believe in what you can do.

A PRAYER FOR STORM VICTIMS

Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth,

You who have been our voice in stunned silence since birth,
You who have served as our hope in times of our fears,
You who have tend the grief in our eyes filled with tears.

We recognize our faults, we're conscious of our sins,
Be merciful, O God for all that we have been.
Forgive us for ignoring the things that you made,
We hope and pray that you will always be our aid.

Lord God, thank you for all that you have blessed us with,
Thank you for your love and sacrifices forthwith,
Thank you for helping us go through difficult times
And thank you for guiding all of us all the time.

We hope and pray for the safety of your children
Who have endured the storm and experienced the pain.
Please help them to ease their burdens and their sorrows
And give them the hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Please grant them fortitude and help when they need it
And Lord please strengthen their faith in times that seem fit.
Guide us for trials that come every now and then.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

GANITO KA RIN BA MAG-ENGLISH?

ENTERTAINMENT

Ganito Ka Rin Ba Mag-English?

(To whoever gets to understand this letter, CONGRATULATIONS!)

The following is a letter found at a certain bar in Manila and has been preserved in its original unedited form. Enjoy reading and you may try direct translation in Tagalog, Pls. read with feelings……

October 1996,

To Marije

I am not surprise or wonder why Dennis leave you why? What reason can you think about but you’re very fat body. I thought before that Dennis only use me to his toy but sooner and later I’m realize that he really can’t not beared or stomached to be with you anymore because at first, Dennis say he could not stand you’re habit of making pakialam all his walks (lakad) and always calling to their house what he got home or this or that.

And then he say he get ashame to me either in school or in his family and then asking you to exercise you’re very very, very fat body. But you hate it. Thought you’re the most preetiest girls he knows about. What do you think you are “ BeautifulGirl” of Jose Mari Chan?

Even you are beautiful face (to your think) you do not have the right to called me whatsoever or else difference name one time or the other for the real purposed to insults my personality because I’m never call you names either in the front of Dennis or in the backs of Dennis, but if you start already to calling me different name, I don’t have any other choice but to call you other different name to. Like you are a PIG, FAT, OBESSED, OVERWIGHT, AND UGLY SHAPE girl. Shame to you’re body that is to a BUDING.

You can’t not blame Dennis for exchanging you to me because I am the more sexier that you when you look to us in the mirror. I’m repeat again that you are like Lozada when she is a girl.

Love,

The sexiest Girl of D.M.

P.S.

You say that I’m the bad breathe but who is Dennis want to kissed. Me or you? And the final is me. There you go

         I had a hard time in understanding this letter because it is full of grammatical errors. I had to read it 4 times before I could understand the message that the writer wants to convey. What I understand is that Marije is Dennis' previous lover and the writer is the new one. The writer wants to tell Marije that the reason why Dennis left her was because of her fat body and the writer also compared herself to Marije to prove her point.

This is my revised form of the letter:

ENTERTAINMENT

Ganito Ka Rin Ba Mag-English?

(To whoever gets to understand this letter, CONGRATULATIONS!)

The following is a letter found at a certain bar in Manila and has been preserved in its original unedited form. Enjoy reading and you may try direct translation in Tagalog, Pls. read with feelings……

October 1996,

To Marije

I am not wondering about why Dennis left you. Why? What reason can you think of except your fat body? Before, I thought that Dennis was only using me as his toy but later on, I realized that he can’t bear to be with you anymore. This is because Dennis couldn’t stand your habit of meddling with his social life and your habit of calling his house to ask what time he will come home.

Dennis said that he is ashamed of you in both his school and his family. He also asked you to exercise your fat body but you didn’t want to. Do you think that you’re the prettiest girl he knows? Who do you think you are, the “Beautiful Girl” of Jose Mari Chan?

Even if you think that you have the most beautiful face, you don’t have the right to call me in a different name for the purpose of insulting me because I never called you in a different name in front of Dennis or behind Dennis’ back. But if you start calling me in a different name, I don’t have any other choice but to call you names such as PIG, FAT, OBESE, OVERWEIGHT, and A GIRL WITH AN UGLY SHAPE. Shame on your body that looks like a building.

You can’t blame Dennis for replacing you with me because I am sexier than you when you look at us in a mirror. Again, you are like Lozada when she is a girl.

Love,

The sexiest Girl of D.M.

P.S.

You say that I have bad breathe but who does Dennis want to kiss, you or me? The answer is me. There you go. 

IT'S MORE FUN IN BLOGGING!

               As we all know, a blog is defined as a discussion site that is published on the World Wide Web and contains discrete entries or posts that are displayed in chronological order. People use these blog to express their thoughts and their feelings. To be honest, I didn't know how to use a blog before and I didn't even know what a blog is. I never tried to make one because I didn't like the thought of posting my insights on the internet but I never would've thought that this will all change after coming to Cavite National Science High School.

              Ever since I came to Cavite National Science High School, we were always required to write various topics in our informal theme notebooks such as school celebrations, field trips and many more. We can write them in a form of an essay, a poem, or even a drawing. But when I became a third year student, I was really shocked because we didn't have an informal theme notebook. This was when I found out that third years use blogs as their informal themes. I was really nervous about it at first but after reading a few blogs of previous third year students, I thought that blogging can actually be fun and interesting.

              When I started making my blog, my impression about blogging totally changed. It was actually fun and it helped me improve my computer skills. I was able to express my feelings and insights in an interesting way and it provided me with an opportunity to demonstrate critical thinking skills and to employ language and writing principles that demonstrate comprehension. 

               For me, I prefer blogs more than informal theme notebooks because unlike informal theme notebooks, I can add designs and pictures in my blog. It also helps me express myself more and it is suitable for children of my age. Another reason is because more people will be able to read my compositions and they will be able to engage with me by commenting on my blog posts. By sharing my insights on a topic, I can inspire others to make a change in their life or look at a problem from another perspective.

TRANSITION POINT OF MY LIFE

Everyone has gone through different experiences in their lives. These experiences could be the incidents that happened in someone else’s life or in our own. Some people learned lessons from them and some people changed their lives. Like them, I also went through an experience that served as a transition point of my life and has shaped me to who I am today.

Ever since I was a child, I have always been dependent on my parents. I wasn't able to do hardly anything on my own because I didn't have any trust and confidence in my abilities. I was also afraid to fail and commit mistakes but these all changed when I took the entrance exam in Cavite National Science High School.

I never thought that it would be a critical turning point of my life. I was a first year student that time and I was so excited about meeting new teachers and friends.  But after a brief moment of happiness, I was immediately put to the test. We were given a lot of homeworks, projects, and the subjects we encountered were hard. It was a culture shock for me because in elementary school, we were treated like children but here, we were treated like adults. It was really difficult for me to adjust and it almost made me cry but I didn't give up. I took all of these experiences positively and I told myself that I would do my best to accomplish all the given tasks.

This way of thinking made me determined to improve in my studies. Little by little, I became independent and I was able to make decisions for myself.  I gained trust and confidence in my abilities and I also learned how to manage my time in various situations. I realized that I shouldn't be afraid of committing mistakes because success is only achieved when one learns from his or her mistakes.

As a human being, we face various types of situations in life and learn different lessons from them and grow. All of these situations are experiences for us and it is our job to take as much benefit from every experience as we can. Every occasion, no matter how insignificant it may appear, provides us with an opportunity to discover something new and change ourselves for the better.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE.....

          “To be, or not to be" is an opening phrase in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and is probably the most famous line from all literary pieces. This line was spoken by Hamlet on his entry to Act 3 Scene 1, where he questions the meaning of life and whether or not it is meaningful to stay alive when life contains so many obstacles and hardships.

           Just like Hamlet, I also asked myself about life and death. Is it meaningless or is it worthwhile? What if I choose death because I am dissatisfied of my life and the problems it brings? Is death really an undiscovered country from which no traveller returns? All these questions came into my mind when I was 7 years old. I was a grade 1 student at that time and I was always admitted to the hospital because of tonsillitis, an inflammation of the tonsils that is caused by viral or bacterial infection. Initially,we didn't pay much attention to it because we thought it was just simple infection that can be treated by antibiotics. But as time went by, it became worse from once or twice a year, which is the normal episode of having that illness, to once or twice every quarter.

           I experienced having a lot of sore throat, difficulty of swallowing, fever, and chills. It was a very difficult situation for me because every now and then , I was admitted to the hospital, disrupting my normal life at school. Our pediatrician warned us that having this frequent swelling of the tonsils may lead complications to my heart and makes me a candidate for tonsillectomy, a procedure that surgically removes the tonsils. It was a long discussion between my parents because there is no assurance that my life will not be in danger if I undergo the operation. But since the illness got worse and my parents didn't want me to have a heart complication, they decided to gamble.

           I was under a lot of pain and I had a lot of problems in coping up with my schoolwork. This is the time that I asked myself: "What did I do to deserve this? Is life really this harsh? What should I do to go through with this?". My mind was filled with fear and doubts and I even thought that I should just die that time to end all my suffering but my parents told me to be brave and persevere. They told me that I can win this fight and that they will be there to support me. Their words gave me the courage to move forward and fight.

          On the day of the operation, I was really nervous. I didn't know what I should do. My mother stayed with me inside the operating room until I fell asleep. When I woke up, I wasn't able to speak and my parents told me that not being able to speak is normal. They also told me that the operation was a success. I felt so relieved and happy that my suffering has ended.

          After this experience, I realized that life is full of moments of joy, pleasure, success and comfort punctuated by misery, defeat, failures and problems. We shouldn't waste our lives just because there are many obstacles in front of us. Instead, we should face them with courage because these adversities make us strong.Thus, enjoy life but also be prepared to bear the pricks of pain because it is not just a beautiful bed of roses; thorns are also a part of it.    

IN SUCH A SHORT TIME

In such a short time I learned a lot
From all the lessons my teacher had brought
I also had a lot of fun
From all the activities that we had done

Verbals function differently

As a Gerund, it ends in I-N-G

Preceded by to, Infinitive

As Participle, used as adjective

Oh Idiomatic Expressions,

Their meanings are full of confusion!

I need to leave no stone unturned

To understand all the idioms I learned

Sweet Romeo and Juliet

Hid their love from Capulet

Their story finished so unwell,
They killed themselves and sadness fell.

LITTLE PIECES OF KNOWLEDGE

       
             Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can be explained in various ways. In my case, I gathered different images related to ICT and made them into a collage. The figure I created is two people shaking their hands while coming out of the laptops. I made this figure because I believe that ICT helps us the greatest in the fields of communication and education through the use of technology. Even though two people are thousand miles apart, they can still talk to each other by using the internet and also because of the internet, students like me will be able to gain new knowledge and improve my skills in computer technology.

           The role of ICT in the education sector plays an important role in the process of empowering technology into  educational activities. It also helps us finish our work faster, promotes equal opportunities to obtain education and information, promotes the use of technology, and helps us communicate with others easily.   

           Because of ICT, I believe that our young generation will get more and more information and knowledge by browsing in the internet and they will greatly improve in the fields of communication and technology.

ROMEO AND JULIET WITH A TWIST

Romeo and Juliet Act 5 Scene 3

(Modified Version)

A churchyard; in it, a monument belonging to the Capulet’s

Enter Paris and his Page with flowers

PARIS

Give me your torch boy. Stay back. Put the torch out, so I can’t be seen. Go stand guard under the trees outside. Make sure to whistle when someone comes through the graveyard. Give me those flowers so I could give it to my dear Juliet. Do as I tell you. Go.

(The Page puts out the torch and gives Paris the flowers.)

PAGE

I’m sorry sir but I am still a child. I am still afraid of standing alone in the dark. But I will swallow all that fear tonight.

PARIS

Such beautiful flowers, I bring my deceased bride. My mournful tears fall for you. And the night covers me as I weep. (Page whistles) Someone arrived at this graveyard, at such a late hour. Who is this person? I must hide.
(Enter Romeo and Balthasar with a pickax and a crowbar)

ROMEO

Hand me the pickax and the crowbar. Balthasar, hold om to this letter will you? See to it that you deliver this letter tomorrow morning. Give me the torch. If you hear or see anything, just stay where you are and don’t interrupt me. I’m going to give my wife this ring she can forever wear. This is a precious ring for an important business. Don’t you dare come in and if you do, I swear to God, I’ll kill you, understood?

BALTHASAR

I understand sir. I won’t give you any trouble.

ROMEO

Thank you for everything you have done to help me. Live life well my friend, goodbye.

BALTHASAR (aside)

I’ll stay here and wait. For I worry of his well-being and state of mind.

(Romeo opens the tomb)

PARIS

Is that the banished Montague? Who murdered my beloved Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt? Did he come here to inflict such a shame? I must stop him from disrespecting these resting bodies. I shall have my vengeance for the departed. You must die!

ROMEO

Yes I must die, that is the reason I came here. Please leave me alone. I don’t want you to add anymore anger to my fury. I don’t want anymore casualties. Flee and stay away from someone like me.

PARIS

I won’t listen to the likes of you! I plan to arrest you for the hateful crime you commited.
(They fight)

PAGE

Oh no, people are fighting! I must alert the watchmen.

(Exit. Paris falls)

PARIS

I am dying sir. Open the tomb and lay me next to my dear Juliet.
(Paris dies)

ROMEO

I’ll grant your wish dear sir, but who are you? Could you be Paris, Mercutio’s relative? I think I remember my servant telling me that Paris was engaged to Juliet. I am sorry for this Paris. I’ll bury you. Oh Juliet, how she makes this place beautiful and bright even though she is no longer alive!
(Lays Paris in the tomb)
My love, my Juliet; Death has taken her living breath away and her lips, still crimson red with such pale cheeks. His cousin Tybalt lies here with her. Please forgive me for your sudden fall. Ah my dear Juliet, how I wish I was there to save you. But don’t you worry my love for I will be joining you soon. This vile of poison I hold in my hand, one sip and I will join you in the afterlife. May this end my life quickly….
(Enter Balthasar with a letter in hand and a torch)

BALTHASAR

Romeo! Romeo! I just remembered something of great importance. In the middle of our journey from Mantua to here, a Friar named Friar John asked me if I know someone named Romeo. I said yes and he asked me to give you this letter. He says it is a message from Friar Laurence regarding Juliet’s death. Please forgive me for breaking our promise but he told me to give you this immediately.

ROMEO

I’ll forgive you for interrupting me. This letter you speak of, is it about my dear Juliet?

BALTHASAR
Yes it is.
ROMEO

Give it to me. This letter explains that Juliet isn’t dead! She has taken something that makes her look dead and it says here she’ll wake up anytime soon! Oh, Balthasar, this is the best news I have ever received! Thank you so much! If you would have come any later, I might already be dead.

BALTHASAR

Dead? Don’t tell me you intended to kill yourself?

ROMEO

That doesn’t matter anymore. My love is going to wake up soon. I’ll be waiting for her.

(Friar Laurence enters.)

FRIAR LAURENCE

Dear Lord, is that you Romeo? Thank heavens! So you got the letter after all!

ROMEO

Friar Laurence?  I just got this letter know from Balthasar. I was so close to drinking this poison.

BALTHASAR

Please forgive me, Lord, for just remembering such an important matter just now. It was the right decision to stay.

FRIAR LAURENCE

This is a fortunate turn of things. Dear Lord! Is that dead body Paris? Did you kill him Romeo?

ROMEO

Unfortunately, yes, Friar. I  wasn’t thinking straight that time.

FRIAR

Balthasar, would you please leave us for a while?

BALTHASAR

Yes, Friar.

FRIAR

Let’s talk about that later. Juliet is starting to wake up.

(Juliet wakes up)

JULIET

Friar? Friar Laurence? Is that Romeo? Romeo is that really you?

ROMEO

Yes! Yes, Juliet it’s me! I was so close to killing myself to be with you, but I had just gotten a letter explaining everything just now! I have never been so happy to be alive all my life!

JULIET

I have never been so happy in my life as well! Just seeing you here makes me feel relieved! I thought I wouldn’t see you when I wake up and you’ll leave me alone.

ROMEO

No, I’ll never do that to you. I promise.

(They kiss)
(Balthasar enters)

BALTHASAR

Romeo, the watchmen are coming!

ROMEO

You must leave but give me the letter that I gave you earlier.

BALTHASAR

Yes, but why do you want it back?

ROMEO

That was my suicide letter, but I’m still alive so you don’t need to give it to my family. You leave first.

BALTHASAR

Yes sir

(Balthasar leaves, the Page and watchmen enter)

PAGE 

This was where I heard the noise.

WATCHMAN 1

There they are!

WATCHMAN 2

Stay where you are!

(Capulet, Lady Capulet and Prince Escalus enters)

PRINCE 

Why was I called so early in the morning?

CAPULET

Did something happen? Why were we suddenly called?

LADY CAPULET

Juliet, my daughter, is that you? You’re alive? How?

(Montague enters)

MONTAGUE

What in the world is going on here? Why was I summoned? I just lost my wife because of the banishment of our son and now this?

(Montague sees Romeo)
Romeo is that you? Why are you here?

PRINCE

Why are you here young Montague? And why is Paris dead?

CAPULET 

Juliet, my daughter, don’t get close to that murderer!

MONTAGUE

How dare you call my son a murderer in front of me! If you Capulets have minded your own business, Mercutio wouldn’t have died and none of this would have happened!

ROMEO

Father please stop! Stop all this fighting!

JULIET

You too father we have something to tell you. Please stop fighting. 

(Capulet and Montague draw their swords and starts fighting)

PRINCE

Stop it both of you! Didn’t I tell you that death is the penalty if you fight?

(Capulet loses grip of his sword and Montague takes the chance. Romeo gets in the middle)

JULIET 

Romeo! No!

(Romeo gets stabbed by Montague)

CAPULET

Why did you save me?

MONTAGUE

Why son? Why did you interfere?

ROMEO

Please stop the fighting father.

(Romeo falls and dies)

JULIET (cries)

Romeo no! You promised that you wouldn’t leave me alone! Don’t die Romeo! Romeo!

MONTAGUE

No! My son! Please don’t die!

FRIAR LAURENCE

There’s nothing more we can do. He’s already dead.

(Juliet and Montague cries)
(Juliet hugs Romeo and sees the vile of poison. Juliet reaches for it and opened it)

JULIET

Oh Romeo! Without you my life would be nothing! Why did you leave me behind? I’ll be following you in the afterlife!

LADY CAPULET

No Juliet! Don’t drink that!

(Juliet drinks the poison and dies)

LADY CAPULET (cries)

No! Juliet!

CAPULET

Juliet! My daughter!

PRINCE

Friar Laurence, why would those two do something like that? I believe you know the answer.

FRIAR LAURENCE

Rome and Juliet are married. I married them the same day Tybalt died and Romeo has been sentenced to exile. Juliet desperately sought for my advice. I came up with a plan. I gave her a sleeping potion that will make her look dead. I then wrote a letter to Romeo explaining to come here when Juliet wakes up. Balthasar was the one who received the letter and told Romeo about before killing himself. Then I came here to see if everything worked out. Romeo arrived but Paris was slain.

PRINCE

I see, what about you boy? What were you doing with Paris here?

PAGE

Paris came to bring Juliet some flowers. I waited outside then I heard them fight. I left to get some help.

PRINCE

Dear families, Capulet and Montague, have you learned the high price of your animosity between each other? Both of your children ignored the fact that they were enemies and became lovers. I believe you both should do the same. Please do it for your children.

CAPULET

Yes I agree. This fight has gone too far. Too many people have died. Montague, let’s do a truce to never fight again.

MONTAGUE

I agree as well, this fight has made me tired. Let us truce to never fight.

CHORUS

And so the fight between the Capulets and the Montagues ended in the price of Romeo and Juliet’s lives. Romeo and Juliet passed away but now they are living a peaceful and beautiful life that is full of love in the afterlife.

THE END