Arise

Chapter 5: Casualties

Due to the falling debris on the main road, I need to find other way so I can go to the university without any injuries.

If only I have a car, then I can travel it in just 10 to 15 minutes but now that I’m just walking, it’s been half an hour and I’m still halfway from the school. It’s already 4PM but I still can feel the heat draining my energy, if only I don’t have any water with me then I’m sure that I already collapsed.

When I turn again to another street I finally see our school now, I took a deep breath as a sign of relief, I can also see a lot of people in the main gate and also inside the university. Did they use this as evacuation area? With that thought, I hurry again to reach the university, my family may be there.

When I reach the school, I hurriedly look for a familiar face that can help me to look for my family.

Then, I saw Tin, our beadle. She’s sitting in front of a*****e just across the main gate.

“Hey, Tin.” She looks on my way, and that’s when I notice that she’s crying.

I hurriedly went to her to ask her what’s wrong.

When I finally reach her place, her sobs became louder.  She hurriedly run to me, then hug me tight, she’s still crying on my shoulders and she can’t control her sobs.

I let her calm first before I ask her “Hey, what’s wrong?”

She shakes her head while saying “They are all dead! They are dead!”

“What? Who? Oh my gosh! What are you talking about? Who’s dead?”

“My family! I was there! I saw it!” She started crying again while telling me this. I pat her back trying to calm her.

After some time, I decided to stay for her for a while, and I will look for my family when she’s already fine to tag along with me. I was thinking about that when she talks again.

 “It was 2PM when I got thirsty, I wanted to ignore it but I can’t sleep again so I decided to go down to our kitchen to get some water when I heard the gush of the wind. It’s so unusual to have a strong wind at that time, it’s so humid and I can feel the heat on my skin that’s why I was shock when I felt a strong wind from the window.” Her tears start to fall on her eyes again while explaining to me what happened.

“Tin, it’s ok, if you’re still not ready to tell me. You don’t need to force yourself. I understand.”

“No! No, it’s not ok! You don’t understand! It’s my fault why they are dead! Because I’m a coward, I’m selfish! It’s my fault!” She told me in between sobs.

I hug her again wishing it would calm her. “Sshh Tin, listen, I’m here ok? I’m here.”

“It’s my fault Miguel! I panic when I saw a huge tornado that’s why I hurriedly went on our basement, it’s too late for me to go on the ground floor again to warn them.” She told me while sobbing; I can saw her regret and sadness to her eyes. “When I open the door again to try and wake up my family, it was too late for me because I saw how the walls and ceiling collapsed on their room. The last thing I remember is when the door of our basement fell on me.” She’s covering her face now, trying to call her sob.

“Tin, I may not know your family personally but I’m sure they don’t want you blaming yourself for what happened.” I hug her once again, and this time she returns it.

When she stops crying and already calm herself, she advised me to go inside the university. Apparently, the local government made it as an headquarter for a while, the deceased are located in the gym and there’s also an information desk to look for your missing family.

When I’m ready to go, I look at her again and ask her, “Do you want to come with me?”

“No need, Migs. They are just requiring five hundred people inside to confirm the identity of the deceased people inside, and they will just give you an hour inside, then after that they will help you for the burial of your loved ones. You should now fall in line so you can go inside and find information about your family.” She smiles to me after that, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes. What happened to her is so heartbreaking, I pat her shoulder again to let her know that she still has me.

“Thank you, Tin. I’ll see you around ok? And please, be safe.” And with that I go ahead on the main gate to ask if I can go inside the university.

“Good evening, you need to fall in line first” the guard said while pointing on my left side. “Here’s your number, once there’s someone who will go out, one of you will go inside. Please wait for your turn, and thank you for staying calm, sir.” He told me.

I’m curious why he’s thanking me for staying calm, so out of curiosity I ask him. “What do you mean?”

“A while ago, a lot of people here were trying to go inside without waiting for their turn. We get it that they are shocked and desperate but we need to follow the safety measure. There are a lot of broken glasses inside, a lot of the trees, posts, and buildings also collapsed that’s why we limit the people who can go inside for the safety of everyone. So, thank you sir for your understanding.”

“Thank you also for your service.” I nod to him then went on my line.

When it’s finally my turn, I go straight to the information desk that is located on the main building. I am positive that my family is not dead and somehow we might looking for each other.

“Hello ma’am, good evening. I’m looking for my family.” I asked the receptionist.

“Good evening, Sir! May I know their name please?”

“My parents name is Carmen and Efren Dela Cruz, they are with my grandparents and my sister. Do you have any information about them?” I asked again. While the receptionist is checking their list, I slowly became anxious and I’m starting to overthink. What if I would be like Tin? Oh gosh! No, please! I should stop thinking about it.

It’s been 5 minutes but the receptionist is still checking their list, each minute pass feels like an hour.

“Miss, still no updates?” I’m impatiently asked.

“I’m sorry, sir. We’re still checking on it. It’s just that there are a lot of people that has the same surname as yours. Would you like to sit down first? We’re just going to call you once we got information about your family.”

After a while, they call me on my seat

“Sir, unfortunately we don’t have any information about your family. They are not listed on missing and they are not also listed on the death report. Do you want to go to the gym to check the casualties?”

 When I heard that, the confidence and the belief that they are still alive slowly eating me up.

I slowly turn around to go to the gym, when I arrived I observe the place. There are places to claim the body or bodies of your loved ones, the identified bodies are located on my left side, and on my right side, there are still a lot of unclaimed bodies. With a heavy heart I slowly walk on my right side.

I’m already on the last body and I still didn’t see my family. I can feel my legs getting weak, so I decided to sit on the bleacher; I didn’t even notice that my tears are already falling on my eyes. I don’t even know what I’m crying, is it because of relief? Or is it because until now, I don’t know what happened to my family.

I actually don’t know where I’m going next or what to do next, so I let myself to cry all my frustration again before finding my family again.