I heard a man’s voice asking me how I was. I look above me and I couldn’t believe my eyes! Am I dead? Is he an angel or from the dark side? lol! Or I am just hallucinating? But it was for real! There he was on the roof. “Pre ok ka lang? Taga-saan ka?” he yelled. I replied “pre tulungan mo ako hindi ko na kaya, taga-dito rin ako sa village, baka pwedeng jan muna ako sa bubong?!” I also live here and Im in distress, please help me!” Initially he didn’t move right away from his position. I know he’s kinda hesitant because he might fall if he gets much closer on the edge of the roof.
Im just around 3 feet away from clear survival and I wouldn’t let this chance slips away. That’s why with all my remaining strength, I struggled to climb the slippery wall so that he can reach my hand much closer and eventually pull me up out of misery.
At last I made it! From the roof, I can view the entire flooded neighborhood and it looks like the opposite of Myrtle beach golf courses! We then introduce ourselves to each other and exchange stories. I was amazed to know that he’s not from that house either and we’ve got the same fate that night, he just went up there an hour ago. (God’s way again). I told him how glad I am to see him and thanked him for saving me…
To be continued…
I was totally in despair of my situation when all of a sudden my whole body slammed into what I feel was a sturdy guava tree! I immediately cling my hands and feet into its branch in a fat burner position and somehow place my head above the water, just enough to catch my breath. “Hayyy! Thank you God for this tree!”
I remember grasping my last breath that night when I was carried by the raging flood that were around 6 – 7 feet deep. That moment I thought it was a sturdy guava tree. Only to be surprised a few days after the flood subsides, that it was only an ornamental plant. God really has his ways.
“Grabe lahat na yata ng nginig sa katawan naramdaman ko!” My body was shaking tremendously due to coldness and fear of drowning. And yet, you wouldn’t believe the stubbornness in me as I’m still planning to continue my quest after what happened. I still want to go further more upon seeing steel bars that I can hold from the gates of a townhouse. But this time my hearing dominates my thinking as I can clearly hear the forceful gushing of the water. “Malabo na ito kung itutuloy ko pa! Baka sa susunod hindi na ako swertehin” I might not be lucky the next time.
While still clinging. I notice the gate besides me. (as you can see at the photo above) I tried to knock profusely and shouted for help. “Tao po! Tao po! Tulungan nyo po ako!!!” The thing is that even if I spend the whole night knocking no one will come out because the flood is now around 7 feet and I think it wasn’t a house but a warehouse.
My knuckles were about to get numb knocking, when suddenly I heard a voice…
To be continued…
I wasn’t expecting the current to be that strong, I miscalculate my move. Its not a typical walk in tubs situation and there’s nothing I can do but to go with the flow for the meantime while my hands and eyes are busy searching for a quick solution on my horrifying ordeal.
Luckily I was able to grab the iron gate of a house for a temporary refuge. But with the traits of the current, there will be no options for me but to move along with it.
I was two houses away from the street corner. Maybe, just maybe, there’ll be something much better for me when I reach it. Im hopelessly hoping for a miracle this time.
And so without further ado, I hugged, crawled, and embraced anything on my path just to reach that corner. I even remember hanging on a fence full of broken glass and hugging a thorny bougainvilla tree just to survive.
Finally I’ve reached that corner. From what i saw, it has nothing better to offer but that same old dark and floody ambiance. No people, no elevated place or objects. Just the flood and all that darkness.
Then my worst case scenario happens. It happen so fast. i didn’t anticipate the water would be much deeper there! I was engulfed by the flood and was actually drowning that instance. Swirling underwater for God knows how long while losing valuable air on my lungs. I guess this would be how my life would end…
To be continued…
