The Garden of Eternal Peace

Once, there was a boy much like any other boys. And once there was a girl much like any other girls. Good friends they are, and as young kids the only thing they knew was to play and study. And on times they are not playing nor studying, they usually go to a place called the Garden of Eternal Peace, a wide stretch of land built by the town mayor for the town’s residents to have time for recreation and relaxation. The Boy and the Girl would go there, climb the trees, run with the butterflies, roll on the grass and talk about how fun school was, how boring math class was, and more oftenly, the things at home.

“My Papa left home last night,” the Boy would say, “And said he’ll never come back.” Then the boy would cry.

“Don’t worry.” the Girl would say, helping the Boy calm down, “Come on. Let’s pray.” Then they both knelt on the grass to talk to our good lord about the trials they have, forgiveness for stealing Big Sister’s last chocolate chip cookie at the fridge, and such things any innocent child would pray about.

After that, they would watch the sunset together, before hurrying to their homes for supper.

A few years has passed, and the Boy and the Girl becomes a Lady and a Gentleman. And still, they are good friends. They no longer play, they just study and hang out. And on times they are not hanging out, they still go to the Garden of Eternal Peace. To them, it’s a special place where they could relax after such horrible classes and nightmare homeworks. A place where they could say what they want about terror teachers, dumb-ignorant classmates, social issues, and more oftenly, the things at home.

“My Mom said I should stop seeing boys at high school.” the Lady would say.

“Why? I mean, we’re not doing anything wrong.” the Gentleman replied.

“I think she’s right. We should stop hanging out like this. I mean, it looks as if it means something.” the Lady said.

“It means nothing to me.” the Gentleman replied.

And that was the last time they ever talked, or saw each other.

True to form, maturity has arrived. The once innocent kids are now mature young adults.

There are times, though, when the Gentleman would still go to the Garden of Eternal Peace, alone, climbing the top of the tallest tree, watching the sunset. Thinking and at the same time forgetting the past.

There are times, though, when the Lady would still go to the Garden of Eternal Peace, alone, sitting beneath the greatest shade of the tallest tree, watching the sunset. Thinking and at the same time forgetting the past.

A few years later, the Lady and the Gentleman graduated from high school. They have accomplished that 4-season reality show. They may have graduated from high school, but none of them graduated from forgetting the past.

College is a new challenge, turning the Lady and the Gentleman into a Man and a Woman. Though in denial, they do miss each other.

The Woman, locked up in the binds of her cruel mother’s order, cannot do anything but study and suffocate. Live up to the expectations of her other friends and relatives, build up dreams that she knew she would and could accomplish.

The Man, still unhappy with the way his and the Woman’s friendship to end up suddenly, could not do anything except to study and be sedated by liquor.He would just study and hope, hope that someday all the sadness he is feeling would disappear.

And one day, on a lonely day like no ther, they saw each other: at the Garden of Eternal Peace.

There was a long silence as they stared at each other. None ever dared to break it. Not even the fairies of heaven, who, with there fluttering wings, radiant beauty and angelic voices, should be furious why they isolated and never cared that friendship is still important.

The Woman tried to turn and run away, but she longed for the Man. She missed his smile, and the stories they shared.

The Man tried to turn and walk away, but she longed for the Woman. He missed the smell of her hair, and the stories they shared.

It took a million years before the silence exchanged into one simple noise: a whisper.

“Hi.”

And the noise exchanged into a million smiles.

And so they played again. They watched the sunset before hurrying home for supper and homeworks.

Everyday, they see each other at the Garden of Eternal Peace. It is not by chance anymore. They now see each other whenever they want to. They are happy now with what they’ve done. They’ve escaped the binds that halted them from seeing each other. The evil cage that has trapped their wings in an endless forever. The binds that halted their friendship.

That is, if it really is still friendship.

They kiss, they hug, they cuddle.

They hold hands while waiting for the sunset. And kiss each other goodbye before hurrying home for supper, homeworks and love letters.

This was the seed they never knew could grow. The seed called love. The seed they never knew how to grow. But they never wanted for it to end. For it has brought them joy.

The once mature young adults are now individuals who thinks they know everything.

Then one time, they learned how to make the seed grow. It was night, and they did the most intimate contact between a man and a woman. They thought it would make their love stronger. So, they lit the flames of pleasure, and true to form, they got burned. They exchanged smiles after it, a token of satisfaction.

The next day, the skies are crying. The Woman was sitting alone at her home listening to the pitter patter of the rain. There was something inside her that she’s anxious of. Something mad. A kind of hand strangling her insides. And it wants to come out. She then rushed towards the sink, and let it all flow. The seed has grown. And now it has brought them it’s fruit. A fruit of sin. A sin against everything. She felt, as the filth came out, her dreams slowlt shattering down like the World Trade Center on 9/11, the dreams the people around her expected. The dreams the she built.

All the dreams are now being drifted away by the wind, like dead leaves in the Garden of Eternal Peace.

She has destroyed it all.

She reached for the phone, and called the Man responsible who, too, is responsible for this fruit.

They met at the Garden of Eternal Peace the next day, for the woman to give a revelation:

“I’m pregnant.” she said.

Then the woman cried beneath the greatest shelter of the tallest tree.

All the Man could do was hope.

The once mature young adults are now the weak and ignorant individuals they never knew they were.

Individuals who never knew what lies ahead.