TRIBUTE: The Forgotten Land___complete

TRIBUTE: The Forgotten Land

Writen by: Yuzuki Patiu

Copyright © 2008 Author Name

All Rights Reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or in any means – by electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise – without prior written permission.

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Writer's Note

One time pinagawan kame ng feature article about Yolanda ng Journalism teacher ko, eto ang result 'nun. Natouch raw si teacher weh! Though aaminin ko sensitive ako sobra kaya umiiyak ako 'nun habang sinusulat ko sa yellow pad yung draft nyan, mas mahaba yun kase detailed yun, iniklian ko kase tamad akong magtype ng marame, parang summary nga lang 'yan eh. Nga pala, PLAGIARISM IS A CRIME! Intindihin mo 'to. Bow!

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The Forgotten Land

We are being forgotten. This land is being forgotten.

I’m sitting in a corner watching everyone’s actions. Tears fell down upon my eyes. Everything changed. I have no one. My best friend, Martha, is alive, but she seems dead with the look in her eyes. She’s empty, just like me. I’m watching everyone. Some want to live, some want to die.

The rain started falling again. I was scared. I have no will to die nor to live. I looked above, the sky was dark and evil. I closed my eyes as thoughts crowded my mind.

It was a very nice day. Everything was calm. I was playing jackstones with Martha that morning. My mom called us for breakfast and we went down. We ate in silence. By then, we heard a knock on the door, it was Martha’s brother. She quickly finished her meal and soon went home.

Afternoon came, I was forced to buy vinegar at Aling Leinda’s store. An idea crossed my mind. I went to Martha’s place and we played there ‘till 7 o’clock PM. I hurriedly went to Aling Leinda’s and bought vinegar. I was scolded when I arrived at our house.

Morning came fast. I was awakened by the loud sound of the wind. I saw my mother crying. She was hopeless. The water inside our house grew taller. We went upstairs. We stayed there for hours. We watched as our land was being washed away by the running water. Everything was being destroyed little by little.

Some came for us. He threw a long rope for us to hold. We jumped to the running water, when we were about to be pulled, something hit my mom’s leg to cause her to bleed so much that the water turned red. She smiled at me and said, “let go and live.” She pulled her hand off my firm grab, then she vanished, just like that. They pulled me up, as I watch my mom being swallowed by the running water. I can’t do anything, I can do nothing

I was brought into an area here in Tacloban. Those who survived were brought here too. I saw Martha, she’s alive but her eyes are dead. She’s empty. She saw me too, but, she didn’t care. I felt someone’s hand on my shoulder. It was Aling Leinda’s. She looked at me, pitying me, and said,”Your father is gone, she saved a pregnant woman before he died.” I looked down. I felt betrayed.

I sat in the corner. The rain started falling again. I was scared. I’m afraid to die, I’m afraid to live. I looked up, the sky was dark and evil. Everything became blurred as I cried in silence. But nobody noticed me as I hold my chest tightly to ease the pain.

I felt forgotten. We were forgotten. This land was forgotten. On the thought of that, I felt empty.