Caroline Hung
Caroline Hung is a Filipino-Taiwanese writer of speculative fiction and poetry. She was born and raised in the Philippines. Her list of publications can be found at carolinehungauthor.com
where is Ligaya? – DAY 1
You start with the dog. He’s been dead for a week, poor ol’ boy, but you dig him out of the backyard garden and cut open his chest.
It’s not easy. Sifting through rot, teeth and bones, the worms crawling all over.
Keep searching…
But who would think to hide inside a corpse?
You ask the dog. Where is she? The girl, Ligaya, where has she gone?
The dog answers. There, right there, do you see her, between those trees?
You turn and look—
Just a bird
(Fly away, fly away)
You lost her again.
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Note: Ligáya. From Tagalog n. happiness; joy. /liˈɡaja/, [lɪˈɣa.jɐ] , (she’s waiting. Find her.)