Count Me In

By Raffiboii

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They call us “firecrackers”, maybe because we are always too loud when we talk. We were best of friends since elementary and we decided to enroll in the same secondary school after we graduated from elementary. 

I am Ren and together with my friends Jean, Grey and Xy, we enjoyed our lives as teenagers and experienced the things that are supposed to be felt by any other teens. I can really say that in my friends’ company, I found a home and love that I was not able to feel since my parents got separated.

The day came that we have to take the entrance examination at the school where we applied to study. It was the most silent school I had ever visited. People were so silent and they seem to just keep their mouth fully shut. After the results were obtained, we found out that we are all qualified and when we started studying in there, we are always the center of distraction every time we make some noise. And that made us basically different from our other schoolmates. 

The freshmen life was quite tough maybe because we are all in our adjustment stage. But our eyes were caught by a beauty of our new classmate, Jasmine. She was I think the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in my entire life but sad to say, many boys in school admire her as well including my best friends. One day, we made a deal.

Since the four of us is madly in love with Jasmine, we promised to observe silence in just a week and the one who wins will have the support of the three to court her. The first, second and third days were tough and it seems that our mouth really missed to talk…but still, we continued to keep silent.

Until one day, our teacher asked us if we could have a make-up class at 7:30 for Nuclear Physics in the evening and everyone agreed. We are about to begin with the discussion when a brownout occurred. Everyone in the room was at their adrenaline rush except for the four of us. “Ma’am are you all okay in there?” asked the janitor. But before our teacher answered, Jean impatiently shouted, “Hey, can you bring some lights in here?”. “We are not supposed to talk.” exclaimed Xy. “You two are stupid! Why did you talk?” Grey asked.

 Later that time, they found out that they broke the deal and it was only me who is still silent. I smiled and they looked at me… the feeling was strange. And I asked, “What are you looking at? I’m the only one who has not talked.” Then I realized that it was just the fourth day and the deal will end at the fifth.

No Shortcuts

This story was written by Miss Faith Medina and was used by Raffy Berina in the Storytelling Contest in the RSCUAA meet, 2nd place.

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Once in a land far, far away, there lived three young and talented friends who wanted to become the best leaders of their land.  They are Nadeil, Venus and Raffy.  They have the best of everything but they get bored doing the usual stuff, training and all.

 

So one day, they meet in their usual hangout under the coconuts in a grove, and plan for their long travel.  Then, when all things are set, they presented their plan to their parents.  To their dismay, however, their parents disapproved their plan.  

That night Raffy cannot not sleep.  He thinks of possible ways of how they can escape.  The next day, he calls his friends and they are all excited of the new plan.  However, they just have one problem.  They needed a good disguise to get out of the island. So they are left with one last option- to seek the help of a sorcerer.  The idea seems odd, but after some considerations, they finally agreed and sealed the plan. At the end of the week, they are all set to go.  They left their homes by midnight and met at the riverside near the forest where the sorcerer lives.  They can hear strange sounds as they walk through the thick woods.

“I feel some mosquitoes biting me!”, Venus complained.  “My feet are so tired”, Nadeil whined.  “This is just the beginning so don’t act like babies.  Just think about how challenging this is going to be for us, ”  Raffy reminded his two friends.

Hoooh, Hoooo Hoooo (sounds of an owl). “What’s that”, Nadeil asked looking tense and nervous. “It may be a bird”, Venus replied. Then a strong whistling sound echoes.  The tiger wakes from his sleep . .Grrrh, Grrh,Grrh , Grrhh. The wild ram jumps out “maahh, maahh maahhh” and the boar becomes irritated “weekkk. weekkk, weekkk.” by the noise the three were making.

The three friends were so afraid and clung to each other in desperation.  Suddenly, all the sounds stopped except for what seemed to be the pacing steps of – the sorcerer.  “What are you doing here?”  the sorcerer asked.  “Ah, Uhm, Ahh, we’re here to ask for your help,” Raffy finally regained the courage to speak. “What kind of help huh?” the sorcerer inquired.  Raffy explained their plan and the sorcerer became silent for a moment.  Then, he smiled and . . . “I am willing to help you but in two conditions: you will train my son to become an excellent archer and you will become animals until you finish the task.”“We agree,” the friends said in unison. “Very well then so take your sleep now and early tomorrow, your work will begin,” the sorcerer ordered.

The next day. . . Nadeil woke up surprised to see Venus starting to look different.  “Raffy, look! Venus, what big ears you have!, Nadeil exclaimed.  “Oh, Nadeil, that may be better, look at you, what big mouth you have! Hahahah. Raffy laughed.  Then, the ladies became silent and when they can no longer control it (giggles) Ohh Raffy, what big eyes you have!(continue giggling).  Not long after, Venus turned into a rabbit, Nadeil became a snake and Raffy changed to an owl.

(Sound of the snake) “Venus, what shall we do to train the sorcerer’s son?” Nadeil asked.  Venus just looked at her and tried to mimic the sound but could not (sounds of a rabbit). “ I can’t understand you,” Venus tried to explain.  (Sound of an owl) “Hello girls, what are you talking about?”  Raffy inquired.  Then they started to cry.  They realized they were tricked by the sorcerer. When the sorcerer heard the cries, he laughed at them.  “Hahahaha.... that is what you get if you try to escape.  You cannot always use the short cut,”  he stressed. And you know that.

Meanwhile, their parents set up and paid a rescue team trained for all sorts of battles and after three days, found the sorcerer’s place.  The soldiers performed a ritual, engaged in several duels, and finally defeated the sorcerer who gave up and released his prisoners.  The three friends were reunited with their parents.  

 “Thank you so much Dad, Mom.  From now on, we promise to obey you and be committed with our training.  We realize that we cannot be excellent leaders if we are impatient and disobedient persons.”

(as narrator, to the audience) So see, the way to being excellent is paved with long and arduous struggles.  There is no short cut..if we want to be the best leaders, we have to learn how to follower first.  Commitment and hard work are the best way towards the path to excellence. ..and that’s how my story ends.