My Husband for Visa

---Phoebe Fay Opinia--- "Friend Condolence.” My best friend Lorelei Solange Bautista or Lori said. She is my best friend since I don’t remember. We grew up together here in a small barangay in Tondo. Like me she also grow here in this poor place where peace and love are not in the vocabulary. Most people don’t finish their studies here. Even though education in the Philippines are free in different public schools, here in our place you are lucky enough if you finish elementary. We don’t have permanent and stable job. At a very young age we need to be flexible in thinking different strategies in life in order to survive, even if it is wrong in the eyes of other. Shouting, fighting and rambles are everywhere. That is the reason why right now I don’t have any parents to lean on. “Thank you Lori” I said while still looking at my parent’s casket. Because the ramble that happened three days ago my parents leave me with nothing but a huge responsibility to take care of my four younger siblings. I don’t want to complain about taking their place as the head of the family and taking caring my siblings, but right now, I really don’t know what to do. What an eighteen year old girl like me, who didn’t finish school and don’t have stable job can support her siblings which all in a young age. “What’s you plan now?” Lori asked. I just shrugged my shoulder and release a heavy air inside my chest. “I don’t know friend. Honestly my mind stop functioning right now.” I said while I looked at my youngest sibling Estella who is one year old. She is lying on her old crib together with her twin brother Aster. “Ate, I’m hungry.” My four years old sister Aquila said while touching her stomach. “Sorry ate she keeps on complaining that she is hungry, she also cried a while ago because of that” my ten years old brother Atlas said when he reach my place. I just get a 50 pesos bill from my pocket. This money that I have right now came from the donation of my neighbour. I don’t know how long it will last but for the meantime the important thing is my siblings has something to eat. “Here Atlas, buy a half kilo of rice and an egg. Cook it so you and Aqui can eat. Buy also a small sachet of milk for Estella and Aster” I commanded my brother then they left. While looking at my siblings, there’s only one thing that came up in my mind. I can’t stay here forever. I need to take a risk and work abroad for my sibling’s future. If I don’t make any action right now all of us will die soon.