Rodrigo was dreaming. He was in his subconscious, in his safe haven. He was dreaming about his friends: Jazmin, Renee, and Guelio. He was dreaming about the brick ovens of Germany. He was dreaming about the Botanist Garden in Wien. He was dreaming about narra tree just across the Pasig. Then it was about him and Guelio trying to swim in the river but it was too cold. He laughed as he shivered and dried himself, climbing up the banks of the river.

"Oi, Guelio did you hide the towels? I'm dying of cold here!"

"I don't know. Ask Jazmin! I'm in the water, can't you see that."

"But I know you're a sly rascal, Elyong! Just give it up already!"

He said laughing as he finally found the towel hanging on the tree. He neared the edge of the bank and threw the towel in the water to Guelio, defeating a towel's purpose. He was happy, he was ecstatic. He was dreaming about every good thing in his life. The beauty of the fields, mixed with the shades of red and orange painting the sky. But as soon as he stared at it clearly, it soon became dark red, and then pitch black.

Then, his sweet dream turned into a nightmare.

He could feel himself being dragged, and soon he was transported to his classroom in Berlin, still cold and naked. He was alone in class and Professor was in front of him, smiling at him smugly, papers in hand. He was tall, but in this hellscape, it felt like it towered over him. His sharp nose felt like a knife being pointed at his throat. His monocle a glorified mirror, reflecting his disdain to him. He knew he started to hyperventilate, but he kept himself in one piece

He started speaking in rapid German, before thumbing through the stack of papers, to one that was familiar to him. Rodrigo's final thesis for his bachelor's degree. "A Dissertation on the Laws of Energy and-" The professor cut himself off abruptly and soon with pure anger and malevolence he tore the papers in half, crumpled them and threw them on the Bunsen burner.

Then, out of nowhere, the professor spoke in fluent Tagalog. "Do you even call this research paper academic writing, Mr. Sanreal?"

Rodrigo could not even reply in his dream and he started to choke. All his happiness was gone, now it was replaced by a gnawing in his stomach and the urge to throw up. He fiddled with his hands, as he felt as if his anxiety was crawling over every inch and crevice of his body. He didn't want to hear anymore, but the barrage continued

"You aren't worthy of studying here in this institution, or any at place at all."

His professor hit him in the face hard and Rodrigo could feel pain aching excruciatingly.

"Besides, what could I expect from a lowly family from a backwater colony."

He could feel the anger rising from his veins. His breath and heartbeat was growing faster. He almost felt like he was losing his senses.

"YOU ARE NOTHING!"

At that, Rodrigo charged on the professor, throwing fisticuffs, trying to bruise every part of his body. He could 't control his anger thrown because of his race, his family, his country and himself. He didn't even look at him, he just swung his arms in every direction, hitting here, there and everwhere else. He was beginning to pass out and he could feel himself being swallowed up by darkness. He could accept death like this, in a dream, with no pain other than the mind. What was the worth of it all anyway? As he pondered his mortality though, he heard a gunshot, and soon he opened his eyes.

~~~

Guelio woke up to the sound of labored breathing. By the time he could understand his surroundings, he realized that it wasn't his, nor any of the girl's breathing.

It was Rodrigo's breathing. He suddenly interjected, and threw expletives out loud. He frantically rose up.

Guelio knows that when Rodrigo breathes like this only when he is having a bad dream. And that is never good. He started shaking his best friend, but to no avail. With his head blurry, he started lightly smacking him in the face, but all to no avail. He ran downstairs to get a bucket of water, waking Jazmin in the process

"Guelio? What is happening? You've interrupted my sleeping!"

"Drigo, doesn't want to awake."

"I don't think that's the best way to wake him up"

"I don't think I have any other choice now!"

In a matter of ten seconds he climbed down and up the stairs carrying a steel bucket full of water. He splashed it to Rodrigo and it seemed like he was starting to stop breathing. Guelio himself couldn't breathe. The last time this happened, Rodrigo had to be rushed to a physician. Guelio wouldn't stop weeping, and he fainted twice. He doesn't want that to happen again, so he's trying his best to wake him up.

But he only ends up doing more harm than good.

He could only do one more thing. He took his revolver, aimed out the window and fired three rounds, fully waking everyone in the house, and potentially everybody in the town. Thankfully, that included a shaken but awakened Rodrigo

Guelio went towards Rodrigo, who had tears on his eyes. He embraced him, placating him with his warmth and shaking him little by little, making sure he comes to his senses as soon as possible.

He calmed him from his heavy breathing, urging him to inhale and exhale slower. When he recuperated enough, Guelio whispered to him: "Hermano? Drigo ko? Estas bien?"

He whispered back weakly: "S-sí, hermano. Estoy bien ahora."

Guelio, for the first time, smirked a little. "For a moment I thought I'd lose you there"

Rodrigo holding on to his arms dissuaded him. "I won't get lost, Elyong, I promise as long as you're here. I'm safe."

Rodrigo, having been through this harrowing experience, stayed in Guelio's arms until his breathing went back to normal. He lay Rodrigo back onto the pillow and told him to rest for a while.

Guelio said that he would cook breakfast and asked if Jazmin would come along with them. She said that she'd stay with Rodrigo to see if everything would turn out alright.

As Guelio was descending the stairs, he saw the rising sun in the east. A new day has dawned upon them, as they escape the incubus of the dark night that has passed. It was as if it was a sign of things to come.