Feet stuck to the ground, unable to rationally think... He stops there! He stops the whispering and muttering of clinginess to life! And instead... Just stared endlessly at the soft, auburn soil that will probably his grave...

Negative thoughts make the person unable to move! You know that you have to do something and yet you can't do It! Why?! Because of the questions that linger in the air called "WHAT IF"?!

+++++

"What If taking the culinary course instead of engineering is the correct path?"

"What If I get spotted here and now If I move?!"

"What If there's no way out and I'm going to die here?!"

"What If..."

"What If..."

"What If..."

A demonic phrase of negativity that could be an unseen hand holding you back towards your desired outcome, goal, and results!!!

Because of this demonic unseen hand, many people picked the wrong path in life resulting in even more bad things in the future or they become unable to make the decision even now afraid of that "What If"

This is the same unseen hand that is holding back Allaine's heart right now! He's stroking It, back and forth, shaking It, rendering his thoughts useless!

The same rationale and calm mindset he had earlier is now long gone because of this "Unseen Hand" It's gone! Gone! GONE!!! Reduced to ashes! Wiped away by the hands! Erasing them from existence!

Still holding his head and staring at the soil with his dead eyes, he once again mutters the words that cling to life... But this time... he just says It to be able to confirm that he's still capable of talking and his tongue is still intact...

+++++

The ultraviolet rays of the sun finally took a peek at Allaine's devoid of life's face... But instead of greeting the world with a smile and energy, he greets with a dead motivation to even talk, or move...

"Now... that... I think about It... Dad must be home now... He must be worried... To see that... I'm not there... My mom is already... treated too... by now..."

Remembering the events that transpired yesterday, he utters a full sentence with blank spaces... Even remembering those events, the motivation to stand up still hasn't reached him... It continues to be dead... dead inside...

+++++

For the fifth time, the ultraviolet rays peek through his face... His face devoid of any life, and water...

"Thirs...ty..."

Not having any water or any kind of liquid for almost 5 days drove him to the point of not moving at all. As If a turtle lost Its strength in the middle of the road...

At this point, this is not a point of the Unseen Hand anymore. This is a point If he can keep his insanity continue falling to the dump of darkness... Falling... Falling... Falling... Falling... The moment he reaches the ground... It will be... death...

Not having even the strength to move his hands or legs... He just stared at the wilted flower just beside him... staring at It...

"There's no water... underground..."

Arriving at that conclusion by only staring at the flower, he used the last of his strength to move his legs and support It for him to stand up...

While still struggling to even lift his left arm and use his right leg, with an utter slow motion to his movements... he walks towards the bars and grabs leaves from the outside.

While still shaking with his arms, he forced his nimble hands to move! Move! MOVE!!!

After some time of shaking and struggling, failure and success... He finally made what he wants within the foliage.

It's a triangular cup made from Banana Leaves... Apparently, he made It because he essentially needs this for something. But what Is It? What Is It? What Is It that he's going to do that he especially needs a cup?

+++++

Gulping the already dried saliva from his throat made him rethink his actions... He's just staring at the cup made of leaves filled with yellowish liquid... With a bubble still floating at the tension surface of the liquid... He rethinks his actions again...

"Do I really... have to do... this?"

Allaine Monillas is poor, without a doubt... without any question, without any arguments! He doesn't have any treasures or anything worth money and until now, his life is still from trash... BUT!!! He never once in his life drunk urine to satisfy his thirst!!!

"Do I really... have... to do this?"

Once again, still holding the cup in his hands, he uttered the same question... At that moment, the unseen hand came back to his side and stroked his heart... Whispering mildly and coldly to him...

"You don't need to do that... What If someone came and gave you water? Then this resolve to drink this filth will be wasted... What If It's harmful to your body and the moment you ingested that... you'll fall to your knees... lose strength... and suffer something worse than death..."

Without him noticing, the unseen hand already made It through his heart... Questioning him with What Ifs. Holding back his heart once again!

"That... maybe right... Why the hell am I... even doing this?"

His heart becoming as one with the unseen hand... he raises his arm, attempting to throw away the cup when:

"I want... to change... my life..."

His family's image appearing at the back of his mind, he remembers! His father who works hard trash scavenging for them, his mother who wants the best for them, and his siblings who support him for whatever he does!

"That's right... I'll bring them... luxury... I'll change their lives... So they'll never... going to drink this filth!!!"

Raising his voice as If there's still saliva left within his mouth, he shouted those words full of resolve! He once again stared at the cup full of urine and uttered:

"And If the question is... Why am I doing this? SIMPLY BECAUSE I WANT TO LIVE!!!"

END OF CHAPTER 29