NOVEMBER 7, 2013
2347 hrs.
TACLOBAN CITY, PHILIPPINES

My eyes twitched open with the loud ruffling sounds from outside coming back and forth. I got up and used my phone as a flashlight and saw the swaying of the leaves from the coconut trees. Then out of the blue, a loud snore from kuya Juan echoed in the room.

Great way for suspense in a windy night...

I got his pillow from the floor and threw it on him and he flinches turning his back on me. I sighed lowly then lied back to my bed. The air is getting clamy. But continuously listening to the wind going and off made me fall asleep.

NOVEMBER 8, 2013
Hours not recorded
TACLOBAN CITY, PHILIPPINES

The next day, I was awoken by a pair of hands. I twitch pulling my covers higher.

"Maaga pa..." I mumbled.

"Gising na, 'Ne! Nagsisimula na 'yung bagyo o." My mom said, successfully pulling my covers away. A cold sensation passed my skin making me shiver a bit and sat up.

"Aalis po ba tayo?"

"Wala pang abiso kung kailangan na lumikad pero maghanda ka na din para hindi tayo kagulo mamaya." She replied fixing my brother's half-done bed.

"Sa'n po si kuya? Tsaka si tatay?" I asked combing my messy hair and tying it in a high ponytail.

"Nasa baba na. Sabi ko manuod ng balita habang naglilinis dun sa sala. Tara na para makakain na ng almusal." I nodded and followed her downstairs.

We saw ABS-CBN reporter Atom Araullo doing reports often in Umagang Kay Ganda near our place. He was showing the wind increasing speed as the typhoon enter the Philippines. I jogged by the glass windows and saw that it was 200% happening.

A knock came and dad went there to answer the call. I just sat on my usual sit in the dining room while watching the TV forecast. Mom started placing the meal when dad returned back with a worried face implanted.

"Sinong kumatok?" Mom asks.

"Si Chairman."

"Ano pong kailangan, 'Tay?" Juan asks sitting beside me but eyes still locked on the screen. This crazy moron.

"Pinalilikas tayo sa loob ng 2 oras gawa daw nung storm surge. Sabi ko ay sasabay tayo sa iba para hindi magkaligawan mamaya. Hangin pa lang naman kasi sa labas."

So, we started eating with the wind knocking a lot and rain started to envelope the place. I turned at the TV and it showed the same crap.

"Naman... Wala na ko signal!" Juan groaned chucking his phone to his pocket. I took a peek at mine and saw the signal bar gone. "Ako din, kuya. Wala na ding signal."

"Makapal naman kasi ang ulap so posibleng lahat ng connection maputol." He replied like a Mr. I-know-it-all.

We finished eating and stayed in the living room to watched the news which was also having technical difficulties.

"'Tay! 'Tay! Pumunta ka dito!" My mother shouted repeatedly.

"Bakit?" Dad stood up from the couch and went to mother who I believe was by the front door.

I heard them grunting so I followed with Juan also curious on what was happening. It's a short walk since you will pass by a small hallway which was connecting. Both mine and Juan's eyes widened with what we saw.

Mother was trying to cover the hole underneath the door with blankets which just gets wetter and dad was checking out the windows which continued rattling giving me shivers. It was like an earthquake occuring.

I went to the other side of the window and saw some of the neighbours running in a rush. "'Tay, lumilikas na sila! 'Di ba sina Mang Teban 'yun?"

"Oo, anak." Dad answered then I turned back and suddenly I saw a big silver thing flew away and almost hit one of the kids. "Delikadong lumabas!" Dad literally said with a concerned look painted deep in his face.

We heard a glass break from the kitchen so we all ran in there and what do you know, the rain had started to fill in the broken path of the window. 

"Juan! Kumuha ka ng timba. Nene, kuha ka ng kumot!" Dad instructed immediately which we followed at once.

Mom hugged the packed bags we had and held tightly on the rosary to her chest then to her forehead.

"Diyos ko! Huwag ninyo kaming pababayaan!" My mother repeated over and over again as we watched the boys cover the broken window.

The lights suddenly went off and the sound from the storm was the only thing we could hear. I heard screams from outside so I jogged towards the front door and when I openned it...

A very stron rush of wind hit my whole entity and I felt like I could be lifted.

"Nasira na daw yung bahay nila Nilo!" I heard one of our neighbous scream running in the gusty area of the rain.

"Nagiba na daw yung bubungan nung gymnasium na lilikasan! Wala daw tayong mapupuntahang ibang lugar!" A lady screamed and I shut the door unable to see anything clearly.

"'Nay! 'Tay! Nasira daw 'yung gymnasium na dapat evacuation natin." I told them in a hurry.

"Ano? Pano na tayo n'yan?" Juan asks worriedly.

"Wag kayong mabahala... Hindi ako papayag na may mangyari sa inyo." Dad declared with his strong notion although a faint volume of scaredness could be infered.

I also wonder what will happen to us now...

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