Oh well, wala rin naman akong problema sa lugar na ito. The place is quiet and beautiful. Lalong lalo na kung umaga dahil sa mga maliliit na mga ibon na lumilipad at pumapasok sa malaking bintana ng kwarto ko. You can see the beautiful sky during sun rise and the setting sun at dawn. This place looks like a picture that's been cut out from a fairy tale book.

Everything is perfect. Ang nag-iisang problema ko ay kung paano makakalabas sa lugar na ito. As what I have told you naninirahan na ako sa lugar na ito sa simula pa lang. Then, for another reason, this tall tower didn't have any doors going outside. Literal na nasa may pinakaitaas ako ng tore nananatili. The tower doesn't have any floors down kaya araw araw sa iisang lugar lang umiikot ang mundo ko.

I tried going down once. Pero sino nga ba ang hindi matatakot na talunin ang dalawang daang metrong tore at wala pang kasiguraduhan kung mabubuhay ka pagkatapos? Oh well, I guess staying here is a lot more secure. Besides, I have this pantry na hindi nauubusan ng pagkain. Kahit gaano pa ang kainin ko at naubus ang laman, the next day mapupuno na naman ito. I sometimes wonder how this thing happens so there's this time when I stayed awake to look for someone – kung mayroon man – who puts all the foods inside. So far, ang alam ko ay unlimited ang supply ko ng pagkain at tubig.

But something is still lacking. Naglakad ako papunta sa malaking bintana. This is the only access I have from the outside world. Beyond this large window is a terrace large enough for me to put some little creeping flowers and a nest for birds. Dito ako madalas nananatili kapag wala akong magawa. I will sit on the windowsill and wait for somebody to come.

Well, I am hoping that somebody will save me from this perfect place.

Like usual, maganda pa rin ang pasikat pa lang na araw. Ang ibon na mahimbing na natutulog sa kanyang pugad ay nagising ng marinig ang ibang ibon na kumakanta. The clouds from the night time are now starting to fade away getting the sleep of day. The transition of the dark coloured sky is turning yellowish white to dark yellow. Every day, I am able to witness this spectacular view. I could only wish for no more.

I guess it's already time for me to start my day.

Pumunta ako sa higaan at nilinis ang kama. Fortunately, this huge room has this fluffy king sized bed with six sets of puffy pillows. I don't have problems sleeping. Maliban sa malaking kama, marami pang mga bagay ang nasa loob ng torre na ito. One of those is the old grandfather's pendulum clock and the human size porcelain mirror. There's also this two mahogany cabinets filled with necessary clothing and fabrics. Hindi rin magpapatalo ang banyo na mayroong bathtub enough for three persons to fit. To sum it up, this place looks like a luxury hotel planted in the middle of isolation.

Pinagpag ko ang kumot ng kama ng may mapansin akong nahulog sa sahig. I saw a book below the covers and picked it up. Dahil nga sa mag-isa lang ako sa lugar na ito wala akong ibang magawa kundi ang magbasa ng magbasa at ng magbasa. This book is one of my favourite.

I sat on the bed and opened the hardbound book. The cover is hard thin plywood covered with black silk with a simple three golden polygonal petal rose is plated. I don't know what the title of this book is but somehow I call it 'ROSE'. Well, the story is just all about a princess lost in somewhere and is waiting for his prince to come. Of course, maraming prinsipe ang sinubukang iligtas siya. Nobody could have guessed that it is not a prince but a mere peasant saved her.

"Well, fairy tales are not for princes and princesses but for those people wishing to be one," I murmured.

I read the first chapter again. Like in every book sinisimulan ang lahat sa introduction. Sinsabi rito na ang magandang prinsesa ay naninirahan sa isang tagong torre na napapalibutan ng matataas na mga bato at puno. Somehow, the situation is the same from mine. I guess that's the reason why I like this book so much.

Then, the princess is always waiting for somebody to save her. But there's none. How could she be saved if the place she's been staying is far from reality? The princess is living in a tower created from lines of a broken crayon and written in a crumpled paper. The princes will never notice her. Nobody will try to look for her in that piece of page she's always been staying...

I heard the grandfather's clock singing eight in the morning. Napatalon ako mula sa kama. Isinara ko na ang libro at agad pumunta sa may mesa. I wanted to cook something for this morning but I guess toasted bread and some cold milk is enough. I sat on the table eating my breakfast as I flip the book open again.

I read two more chapters before I decided to stop to do some chores. Madalas itong mangyari sa akin araw araw kaya nasanay na ako sa ganitong gawain. I left the book on the table and went to the sink. It only took me a minute to wash all the dishes and returned to fix the table. Pagkatapos kong linisin ang lahat kinuha ko na naman ang libro at dinala ito sa bookshelf.

Isa sa mga pinakagusto kong gamit rito ay ang malaking bookshelf na punong puno ng libro. Sa sobrang puno may mga libro na sa sahig nalang nilalagay. I guess this is the reason why I always put the book under my pillow. Naghanap ako ng pwedeng kalagyan ng libro ng may nakita akong isang bakanteng lugar. I pushed the book on it just to realize that it's impossible to do.

"Huh? Bakit ayaw pumasok?"

I tried to fit it again. But this time something happened. Habang itinutulak ko papasok ang libro may naramdaman akong bagay na natamaan sa kabila. Dumbfounded, kinuha ko ang mga libro sa tabi nito. I noticed something weird from the back. Kinuha ko pa ang mga natira mula sa shelf at inilagay ko sa sahig. Punong puno na ng alikabok ang mga itaas nito at ang iba ay napakabibigat pa para buhatin. After fifteen minutes, I'm done.

"What the-"

Right just in front of my eyes is the old book shelf. Behind the bookshelf is somewhat a different coloured wall made up of wood. Dahil nga sa sobrang laki ng shelf hindi agad mapapansin ang pader na ito. I tried to push the shelf away from the wall. Dahan dahan itong gumalaw papunta sa kabilang direksyon habang nagiging malinaw ang pader.

It's not a wall. It's a wooden door. And it seems that the thing that I hit earlier is the door knob.

Hindi ko alam ang gagawin. All this time I am looking for ways to get out from this tower and here it is just right behind of the book shelf! Sa sobrang gulat at pagkainis sinipa ko ang pinto. At dahil sa luma na ito at medyo marupok na, walang ano ano ay natanggal ang buong pinto sa pader! A cool gust of wind went inside the room. Amoy na amoy ko ang lupa at berdeng damo.

"Then does it mean that..."

Sumilip ako. I can see steps of stairs going down the dark passage. I slowly took one step at a time while touching the wall. Napansin kong medyo basa ang hangin rito. I don't know why but my adrenaline started to flow. Somehow, my footsteps are getting faster. At the end of the dark alley comes a bright light-