147 I'll Wai

The men who patrolled closer to the cliff under the order to disperse in the area, heard Jia's cry for help. They could not see them from afar due to the thick foliage of the creek's

vegetation and to the messy tangles of the Dakit Tree vines hovering above the waters.

Yet, thanks to these vines. These were the tools that made the kids survive. If it were not for these wild, lush strands which offered as their life support to cling on, they would have been tossed miserably into the raging water flow.

Two men, tied with a rope, leapt into the waters to save each of them. The moment they were placed on a safe place, someone covered each of them with warm jackets until their chills subsided. Then, a group of medics came in and checked them. They found out that Koko sustained a bad and deep laceration in his back while Jia got only bruises and abrasions. It bled profusely and weakened him down.

After applying some antiseptics and packing the wound up, they hurriedly carried them on their backs since placing them in a stretcher would delay their transport due to the rough terrains. The wind was getting stronger and the rain got heavier. Until they had to stop and find a shelter while the typhoon made its landfall.

As Typhoon Ruping entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility, it packed a maximum winds of 185 kph to 285 kph as it made its landfall and brought about miserable and countless damages. It was also considered the worst typhoon to hit the country since  1984.

In Cebu City, 88 ships sunk, the most ships ever sunk at the Cebu City harbor during a tropical cyclone. Power and phone lines were downed and the city lost access to drinking water for two days. Many buildings and houses were damaged leaving many families homeless. It had also claimed many lives and destroyed tons of crops and livestocks.

While Jia and Koko were taken care at the hospitals, one of the reported casualties of the typhoon was Koko's father. He was found lying dead beside an uprooted tree but a trusted source confessed that he was mauled by one of the money lenders he had owed with.

Koko cried when he learned about it but not out of pity but of anger. He was angry that he died of a disgraceful death and had never done anything good even in his last breath. Her mother left them and he would be left alone in raising up his siblings.

After his diagnostics and laboratory procedures, it was found out that he lost so much blood. His laceration was too big that it needed skin grafting. The problem was he had nobody to sponsor his hospitalization.

Jia's heart ached for him. What could an eight - year-old child like her do to help him?

Fortunately, his father had the same blood type as him so he was able to donate a blood for transfusion.

Two days after the day of their admission, some foreigners visited them and donated some supplements and medicine. A certain woman in her late forties who was one of them, sat down down beside her and began asking questions.

"Darling, what happened to you? " She looked into her eyes pitifully.

Jia's eyes beamed with hope. This was the chance she was wating for.

She looked back at the kind- looking woman beside her. Her hair was partly gold and partly bronze. Her tender, blue eyes captivated her heart with a sense of fulfillment.

"I and my bestfriend were swept out by the water current in a creek."

Her blue eyes widened. "Really, dear? How did it happen?"

Jia narrated their whole story to her. She even included Koko's situation at home and how he fended for his brothers who were only two and four years old. She told her about his performance in school and how he dreamed to be successful one day.

The woman's eyes got misty. Her heart was crushed to hear about his story, his struggles and his sense of responsibility even at such a tender age.

"Darling, show me your bestfriend. I am Dr. Sphere who works for a certain children's foundation as a missionary."

"He's at the far corner. Dr. Sphere, please help him have his skin repair as well. " Her wide eye looked at hers pitifully.

She, then, went over Koko's bedside. "Boy, how are you? "

Koko's eyes were already swelling. He had been crying hard lately. A sense of loneliness crept up into his heart. He was now left alone to look after his brothers...except Anna. How long would she stick by him?

"My brothers must be crying now."

His tears fell silently once more. He was thinking again about how would he be able to support the three of them.

Dr. Sphere just sat down beside him without any word. Then, after a long while, he stood up to see the doctor.

"Doc, do everything necessary for these two kids.. "

Few more days passed and they were already discharged. Without their own house anymore, Koko and his brothers stayed at Jia's house.

After few days, somebody came over to see Koko and his siblings. It was Dr. Sphere. With her, were social workers, with big ID's hanging on their fronts. Guiding them to their place, were another two barangay health workers who were their neighbors.

"Koko, I and my husband would like to be your parents if you will accept us. We are both missionaries. He is a pastor and I am a doctor. Perhaps, the reason why we were not gifted with our own children was, perhaps, so that we could take you as our own. I will let you go to school and live your dreams. And so your brothers. "

Koko's eyes lit up but in the next second, he sobbed. Where was their mother? Why did she leave them? Why did they have to become someone else's children?

Jia cried as well but she was happy for them. Their lives would now be better. They would no longer live in a shack and Koko would no longer have to worry for their means of living. She may miss him so badly but whatever was best for them, was her own happiness as well.

"Madamme, can we leave in the morning? I still want to spend our last night with Anna. "

Jia was suddenly afraid that Dr. Sphere would suddenly change her mind.

"Go with them, Koko. Before you fly to the USA, I will visit you in the

city. " Jia insisted, wondering how she would do it.

"Yes, dear. Before our departure, we will come back here and visit them again. We will still be staying longer in the city for your papers."

"And by the way, from now on, call me mom. "

"And also call me dad. " A man's voice was heard from the door.

It was Pastor Sphere who came to fetch them. He brought with him new sets of clothes and shoes for Koko and his brothers. He also had bags of goods for Jia's family.

After changing, it was time to go.

Koko looked so handsome in his new set of expensive clothes. He looked at Anna and his eyes , immediately, turned red. He was already crying before he bid her goodbye.

Jia's parents, with teary eyes, hugged the three kids as well before they stepped out of the door. They were overwhelmed with sheer joy for them. They had been witnesses of their hunger and difficulties. They had been the provider and the cartaker of these kids when their own mother could not. They had been the rescuer of their mother everytime the children cried for help when their father became violent.

And now, they had became the witnesses again that after that night, the course of their lives would change...

Jia ran inside and crouched at the corner of their house. She couldn't dare to watch them leave. She couldn't imagine how she would go to the creek alone to take a bath in the morning. She couldn't imagine being alone in gathering firewoods and goat fodders. She couldn't imagine going back and forth to school without him. She couldn't imagining eating out her lunch without his company.

In everything she did and everywhere she went, there was always him...But starting that now, she would be alone. Life would now be so scary and lonely.. She cried... and her crying turned into a deep wailing.

However, Koko ran back to hug her.

He hugged him until she calmed down.

"Anna, someday, I will come back here.I'll fetch you and let's get married. "

She looked up at him and gave an innocent smile.

"Koko, I'll wait for you. "