Migdal: "There is no such thing as a strong state and strong society."

Is life truly worth living for?

One normal Tuesday during recitation, the students were praying that the situation would not get out of hand. That day, they had thought is was another opportunity for that terror professor to have another chance to scold these pupils. That day when one clearly thought that they could never be too prepared for anything that may happen.

True enough... they weren't.

Reciations came, yet no matter how hard the students tried to grasp the exact answer, they could not. A rule of three was followed. Three trials; three students may recite. Recite incorrectly, a surpise quiz based on the technical topic being discussed.

one... two.... then....

...a citation from the footnote had saved that one student and the class form further agony and scorn from that devil. It had been close-- no, too close.

A discussion followed and more recitations. 'Migdal states that "Life is but a life full of conflicts."' the doctor of philosophy said. Near the end of the lesson, he adds: "so... Is life truly worth living for?"

"Is it really?"-- yes... no... maybe... perhaps... --JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWER--

One stood up and said: "Basing on what Migdal stated that life is but a life of conflicts. I would say that it is." A definite arch on the professor's eyebrow "go on" he says.

"Well, sir, you did say that in the real world, far from our imaginings, outside the walls of our schools, our trappings in our houses, when we step out to fend for ourselves, we will make the necessary decicions that would be critical in changing our lives. The ouside world is harsh and it will continuously be so. We must be prepared." The student paused for a moment to reconstruct the idea.

"Without regrets, we move forward, thinking that the choices we've made are right and correct not necessarily for others but for ourselves. At the end of the day, we do everything for ourselves-- we work, we learn, we study, we laugh, we cry, we fight for what we believe since it is the essential thing that would satisfy us and only us." another pause. Everyone looks intently on this pupil.

"In conclusion, sir, I believe that life is worth living. I have no regrets." An eerie silence followed then the sound of clapping. Was that worth appluading for? It was only an opinion...

Like a gun flowing out of a barrel, power is achieved through strong words and beliefs.

So... Is life worth living for?

Take a bright guess....

When you get almost everything you want...

It definitely is.

Unsolved Enigma: "I may have done it."

In that night, who could have possibly murdered Sabine?

"No signs of forced entry or a struggle or any plausible murder weapons or anything taken here." An inversigator said the following day to his companion, scanning the crime scene with his sharp eyes pointing at particular places surrounding the crime spot. "Sir, we have no leads. Everything looks perfectly normal. We've covered the whole area and there were no traces. Swabs and other samples were taken to the lab."

The investigator sighs and looks around for the last moment before setting foot back to the head quarters. "I'll inform detective Khael."

"No need. I'm here. I came as soon as I heard." Khael stepped in and takes a look around casually. "Where is she?" he whispers to the investigator still taking in what he could see. "Sir, she was taken for autopsy. A man named Gabriel found her this morning."

After taking in what he saw, he whispers "I see, I'll have a word with him. Thank you." then sets foot to the front door. He casually gazes up the house as he was out; its was plain and quite ordinary.

"Detective?"

"Hmm?" Khael looks up from the initial report before investigation.

"Did you know her?"

"Know who?"

"The victim. The girl that is named Sabine." his secretary said pointing at the picture on the topmost left corner paper clipped to the document.

"Yes. But we are no longer what we used to be."

He walks to his car, feeling the chill on his back as he remembered the conversation with his secretary earlier that day. "No longer what we used to be.... What was I to her?" At that moment, he notices a letter on his windshield in an elegant red envelope. Reluctantly, Khael gets out of the car and takes the small envelope, feeling it. He opens it and in an instant, an ominous feeling crept over him. "Do you believe in fate, detective?" it said.

"Do you believe in fate, detective?"

~note, this is part 2 of the story~

Unsolved Enigma

No one truly knows how things came to be, that night...

There was a definite chill in the air. Ignoring, she continues with her work. She cannot afford to be delayed since the deadlines are near. She pauses, lifting her eyes from the laptop and shifting to her phone. A single unopened message in her inbox. "Khael" its said. Sighing, she delves back into typing. Without a warning, a rupture. She turns and hears a stabbing sound that would change everything. Her phone rings loudly where "Gabriel calling" was flashed on the screen. A pair of gray eyes, cold and unfeeling loomed into view before her. With a staggering gasp of breath she whispers "I'm sorry" before her fate had been sealed.

Even in death her beauty was absolute. One might have thought she was only sleeping on her chair with her cheek rested gently on the back of her palm beside the laptop if not for the horrid "drip drip" sound and the black pool below her.

In that night, who could have possibly murdered Sabine?