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Afternoon sunlight filters into the modest living-room where Pipay sits cross-legged on the floor, eyes wide, tapping a glowing old tablet. Brownie stands by her knee, tail wagging, while Nanay watches from the kitchen doorway holding a soup ladle.
There was once a young girl in Santa Cruz named Pipay, who loved many things. She loved eating Nanay’s sinagang, wearing colorful clothes with Brownie, and doing karaoke. What Pipay really loved was Tito’s hand-me-down tablet that glowed like fireflies. It never ran out of videos, dancing cats, house burning, chocolate cakes, and explosions from the air. But this was no ordinary tablet, the magic tablet would soon take something from Pipay. Nanay shouted, “Pipay, let’s eat! Sinigang!”. But, Pipay was too focused on her videos to not notice why the food did not taste like anything! This made Pipay confused. Nanay would always cook it perfectly. Only her tablet glowed even brighter. One morning, Brownie went missing. Pipay heard everyone outside crying his name, but her eyes stayed on the screen. When Brownie came home, his fur was brighter than anything Pipay was wearing. Her clothes had faded and her skin had gone pale. Only the tablet was glowing with colors. When Tatay got sick, he needed Pipay. She heard him but a singing video had just started! She tried shouting, "Wait po!" but no words came out. Only the tablet was singing! By the end of the week, her family wondered why Pipay wasn’t as playful as before. They went upstairs and gasped. Pipay was grey all over! Only her glowing tablet had color. She couldn’t even feel Tatay’s hands holding her. Pipay was scared and ran outside her room. She sat down and cried while Nanay gave her a warm bowl of food. At last, Pipay ate dinner slowly, feeling Brownie’s warmth at her feet, and listening to her family’s voices. With every bite and laugh she heard, Pipay slowly began to feel better. She knew what she had to do. After dinner, she went upstairs and placed the tablet in the drawer. "Only after school." Pipay stated. "One hour," Nanay added. "Then dinner together. Ok?" "Okay," Pipay smiled. She closed the drawer. The tablet glowed one last time that lit the room. And just like that, Pipay's colors came back.
In the lit dining room at dusk, Pipay stares at the glowing tablet beside her plate while Nanay sets a steaming bowl of sinigang before her. Her yellow dress already pales toward gray as Brownie nudges her motionless hand.
Pipay watched video after video. Dancing cats! Exploding volcanoes! Chocolate cake towers! She watched all morning and all afternoon. At dinner, Nanay brought sinigang. Pipay took a spoonful, but it tasted like nothing. "Do you like it?" asked Nanay. Pipay tried to answer, but her voice came out as a whisper. At karaoke time, no sound came out at all. Brownie nudged her hand, but Pipay kept watching. She didn't notice her yellow dress fading to gray.
Morning light peeks through Pipay's bedroom window as her now-gray reflection fills the mirror; Tatay kneels behind, gently holding her colorless hands. On the bedside table, the tablet beams an eerie bright glow, casting sharp cyan highlights across their faces.
The next morning, Pipay looked in the mirror. Her skin was gray. Her hair was gray. Even her favorite rainbow dress had turned completely gray. She tried to pet Brownie, but couldn't feel his soft fur. Tatay held her hands. "Pipay, can you hear me?" he called. But Pipay felt nothing. She was becoming gray inside too. The tablet glowed brighter and brighter. Nanay and Tatay looked at each other with worried eyes. "We need to bring our Pipay back," whispered Nanay.
Under warm kitchen light, Pipay—her rainbow dress restored—throws her arms around Nanay and Tatay beside the wooden table. A steaming bowl of sinigang and a darkened tablet sit nearby, while vibrant color returns to her cheeks.
Nanay brought a warm bowl of sinigang right to Pipay's nose. The smell was faint, but it was there. "Remember this, anak?" Nanay said softly. Tatay sang Pipay's favorite karaoke song. Brownie climbed into her lap and licked her gray cheek. Slowly, Pipay blinked. She put down the tablet. She sipped the soup and tasted sour tamarind! Color bloomed back into her cheeks. Her dress turned rainbow again. "Nanay! Tatay!" she cried, her voice strong and clear. She hugged them tight, feeling everything again. The tablet's glow faded away. Pipay was back.