Exactly four Saturdays ago, the world as we know it, changed.
It was a rainy Saturday morning. I was going through my usual Saturday morning routine. There was nothing unusual about the rain, or so I thought.
I guess this was about the same experience for most people in the metropolis. Everyone was going through their usual stuff, minding their own business as the rain poured down, maybe, even unnoticed.
I had my day planned as usual. I had plans for the following Sunday. But of course, plans are made to be changed. And change they did. It was an unexpected surprise.
When I looked out our bay window, I can no longer see our street but just water. Nothing to worry really as this was not the first time this has happened. From previous experience, the water subsided rather easily. And our house was elevated. Water never creeped in our garage. So, by those accounts, this was just ordinary.
An hour or so, water was creeping in our garage. Nah, this couldn't be happening. But just the same, I was confident it will never reach our flooring. But creep it did, no, the water was not creeping this time, it was rushing, gushing, rising fast.
I began to panic but I had to keep my senses intact. My sister and I tried to save things from our ground floor to the four-step elevation leading to our bedrooms. We managed to do this in record time, acting as fast we could, hoping that the water will stop rising. But stop it never did.
We were scrambling around, trying to save as many as we could, trying to raise important items in higher ground. I began to panic yet again, my mind was blank, my thoughts ran a race like it never did before. I was losing hope, no, I was feeling despair. No, I was afraid.
For the first time, I feared for our lives. Too much, yes, just too much fear trailed through my veins. I was no longer in control. This couldn't be happening. This is not possible. Yet it was happening right infront of me. I needed to do something. There was no denying we had to act - fast.
My sister suggested that we inflate our airbed. Inflating it was no easy thing to do manually. I was sweating profusely as I desperately inflated it but it was not enough. I gave up. I decided we had to move out fast.
I waded through chest-deep water to see if our neighbors have evacuated. The rain was pouring incessantly and the current was strong. I saw a few people. I saw babies being carried somewhere, their parents hoping to reach higher ground. We had nowhere to go. Wait, maybe we can seek shelter from one of our neighbors...but there was no one to talk to.
As I went back to our house going against the current, thoughts flooded my mind...thoughts of my dreams, my aspirations, of the things I still want to do. I couldn't die this way, no, not yet. I reached our gate with my legs draining out of strength. Water was waist-deep inside the house. My sister was still scrambling around trying to save her things, which I found out later were her law books...Manang was inflating the airbed, tears rolling her eyes...I knew her thoughts as well, I understood her fear...
We were far away from our families. Dying away was not an option. We have not said our goodbyes, no , not yet. It may be quite an exaggeration but the fear of death was real deep into the marrow. I was hoping we need not evacuate. But there was no other option, we had to...My sister and manang prepared for our evacuation. Our dog was too afraid to come with us, too afraid to swim the water, maybe sensing the fear that ran through our veins...
Yet again, I braved the current to look for refuge...and then, I saw one of our neighbors who had a second floor. I asked if we could go there, no, I sort of pleaded if we can stay there...I was hoping but came rejection...a stone-hard NO...for the seconds that followed, my thoughts were blank...and then, hope. She had a change of heart. I don't know what happened in those few seconds that I turned back and started to wade back our house that might have changed her decision but I was very grateful. It was grace. It was salvation...
The current was stronger now. The few meters back to our house took forever. I had to keep my feet on the ground, I had to reach our house and fetch my sister and manang together with a few things we brought with us.
Finally, after minutes of a hard-fought battle, we were wading together towards salvation. Water was neck-deep already for my 5'6" height. My sister and manang had to float... A few more minutes and we will be safe...for now...
We were far away from our families. Dying away was not an option. We have not said our goodbyes, no , not yet. It may be quite an exaggeration but the fear of death was real deep into the marrow. I was hoping we need not evacuate. But there was no other option, we had to...My sister and manang prepared for our evacuation. Our dog was too afraid to come with us, too afraid to swim the water, maybe sensing the fear that ran through our veins...
Yet again, I braved the current to look for refuge...and then, I saw one of our neighbors who had a second floor. I asked if we could go there, no, I sort of pleaded if we can stay there...I was hoping but came rejection...a stone-hard NO...for the seconds that followed, my thoughts were blank...and then, hope. She had a change of heart. I don't know what happened in those few seconds that I turned back and started to wade back our house that might have changed her decision but I was very grateful. It was grace. It was salvation...
The current was stronger now. The few meters back to our house took forever. I had to keep my feet on the ground, I had to reach our house and fetch my sister and manang together with a few things we brought with us.
Finally, after minutes of a hard-fought battle, we were wading together towards salvation. Water was neck-deep already for my 5'6" height. My sister and manang had to float... A few more minutes and we will be safe...for now...
