A Dreadful Nightmare ~ Typhoon Yolanda~

by PrincessThirteen00

All rights reserved © 2013

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NOVEMBER 7, 2013 
0800 hrs. 
TACLOBAN CITY, PHILIPPINES

It was another cloudy day here in Tacloban and I was awakened by my mother gathering the chickens to their lots and some other noises could be heard.

"Anong meron, 'Nay?" I ask her yawning and ruffling my hair into a ponytail.

"'Di ba babagyo daw dito ng malakas bukas? E mahirap na ang hindi handa di ba? Maghilamos ka na, Nene." My 47-year-old mother told me.

She was wearing her blue stitched bistida. "Hindi ka mukhang tao sa hitsura mo, anak. Sayang 'yang pinambayad mo sa rebond!" She sarcastically said.

"Pabayaan n'yo na! Bata pa ang 17 'Nay! Pero aminin... Maganda pa rin!" I answered to her joke walking away.

Yes, this was suppose to be a typical morning for a family originally from Manila here in Tacloban City. My family has been living here for 2 years now and we've cope up pretty well. We moved here as my father's wish to start anew far from the smokes of Manila.

I searched for my father and the hammering sounds screeched the neighborhood.

"Sigurado bang ayos na d'yan?" I heard him ask.

"Opo, 'Tay!" That was my brother's voice for sure.

I ran to the backyard and saw my dad and older brother securing ths roof into the coconut trees surrounding the area with the ropes. Classes were suspended early so we could help prepare for the typhoon in case the worst happens.

"'Tay!" I waved at my 52-year-old father and he faced me and smiled waving as well. "Matagal pa kayo d'yan ni kuya?"

"Oo, anak. Malakas daw yung bagyo sabi sa barangay hall."

But we've been through a lot of storms and typhoon already so what's there to be scared of now? We do own a two-storey concrete house but my dad still worries if the roof gets damaged

"Pag inayos mo 'yung gamit mo idamay mo na yung sakin ha!" My 22-year-old brother asked.

"Galing mo talagang mang-utos, kuya Juan!"

"Tulungan mo na muna ang nanay mong magluto para makakain na tayo dahil mahaba pa ang araw." I nodded and ran inside the house where my mom had turned the TV on and was listening to DZMM again as usual. Sorry but I'm not the great news listener you can count on.

I hate Philippine news in a lot of ways,m— too much reporters focus on one topic. Most news are not good like murders, stealing, child pornography which I hate to even think about but I feel the need to tell whoever reads my story.

"Madami daw Storm Surge and dadaan. Ano ba 'yun?"

"'Nay naman... Sembreak pa gusto n'yo na ko magresearch? Baka pinaganda lang nila yung name nung bagyo, 'di ba?"

"Sabagay. Sentro daw kasi nung Bagyong Yolanda itong Tacloban. Sana nama'y walang mangyari." She did the sign on the cross twice.

You know this thing that you should trust your mother's intuition?

Well... Let's say I'm in a different page.

I believe that nothing wrong will happen like the past events but the worse to happen would be forced evacuation.

I ask dad about it before... Why he wanted to live in a place quite affected by typhoons but his answers remained the same. He'd rather experience all these natual disasters with us, his family, in a peaceful place where people would do bayanihan than in a tight and over-crowded place.

We finished breakfast and the male duo (dad and my brother) continued and also helped out some of our neighbours whose houses are barong-barong or those basically not concrete. They will be fast affected even by a signal no. 2 typhoon.

I also finished packing some of our basic necessities. Clothes, medicine for headache, stomachache, fever and such, some flashlights, ropes, canned goods, can opener, battery, and towels. I also grabbed all our mobile phones and made sure everything was full battery.

1600 hrs.
TACLOBAN CITY, PHILIPPINES

The sky seem to start darkening and some of our neighbours told us that the typhoon is signal no. 4 here in Tacloban which added fear in everyone's hearts and minds.

We watched TV Patrol and there were some newscasters in our area getting the footage until the weather subsides.

"Good night, 'Nay! Good night, 'Tay!" I kissed them both good night then headed to mine and kuya Juan's room.

"Ano ba 'yan!" I saw my brother twitched and rolled under his covers.

"Huy, anong problema mo?!" I sat on his bed and slapped what I believe is his back. He got up and scratched his already messy hair.

"Ang hina ng signal. 'Di ako maka-teks kay mahal..." I rolled my eyes and moved to sit on my bed.

"Ga'no na ba kayo katagal n'yang mahal mo, ha? 'Di ba kahihiwalay mo lang kay Rosario?"

"Ano ka ba naman, Nene... Past is past, 'di ba nga? So, we must look for new love." He acted like he was the best actor.

"Ewan ko sa 'yo, kuya. Matulog na nga tayo.. Baka bigla tayong palikasin bukas pag tunay yung forecast tungkol sa lakas ng pagharok mo!" I joked at him covering myself with the blanket. Juan got up and turned off the light before what I believe, he snuggled to his bed.

I closed my eyes not thinking of anything at all and slowly...

I went completely blank and fell asleep.

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