A brown ocean of water, the rain pouring mercilessly along with the strong wind knocking down any thing that comes his way. The faint sound of children crying and women panicking echoes from afar.
Fear crept up her spine as she watched in horror the terrible scene, tears started to build up as she imagined what might happen after a few days, hours or even minutes. Hope slowly faded and was replaced with terror of tomorrow.
Her eyes hastily opened from a deep sleep, catching her breath as sweat dripped from her forehead and heart beat ing faster than its usual rhythm as her whole body quivered with fear.
She just had a terrible nightmare, a dream that hunted her ever since "Yolanda", the super typhoon that hit her hometown, Tacloban, two years ago.
You may say that two years is long enough to forget but her surroundings say otherwise. How can she forget if everything she sees bears the memory of the past?
She looked around their make-shift home. Bamboo being the pillars and "tolda" as its roof are the only things that protect them from the heat of the sun and from the rain. She looked at their small table only to realize that they won't be having breakfast. Their family still suffers from severe poverty even after two years.
Moments after, rain started to pour, as soon as it fell, her siblings started sobbing and saying random things. She came closer and asked what was wrong. "Mabaha na naman," her five-year old brother siad as tears fell continuously into his already wet cheeks. She stared at his innocent eyes which obviously bear fear and weariness. Even children still carry the burden of yesterday. Trauma is as strong as it is before.
Then she lamented at the distress ing and obvious scenario set before her eyes.
The whole province might have recovered but many are still left behind. The government may help them for a moment, but as soon as the issue is forgotten, their helping hands and concerned promises are buried to oblivion.
The issue may be ancient but for her the pain still hunts them and always brings back the memories of their dark past.
Yolanda may have already been down to history, forgotten by time but the footprints it left still remain in her heart.
My cousin, stuck in the memories of Yolanda.