Narrative Writing by Charo B. Antang

NARRATIVE ESSAY

by

Charo B. Antang

A Stranger on Summer

                 It is only six in the morning but the sun is already shining so bright. Yes, I can feel the summer heat now. This is the first day of my vacation from school. My first day after the ten long months of waking early. Now. I can enjoy the bed until six in the morning without the alarm clock waking me or mother shouting just to wake me up.

                 The school is just few kilometers from our home. But the traffic is terrible. Besides, I was enrolled to the first shift that I have to wake up at four and be in school before 6:00. For a fifteen year old teenager, it’s a hell. 

                    Facing the open sliding window, I stretch my arms and yawn. Our orchids just below it are beaming with flowers. I can smell the fried tilapia from our kitchen. I like fried tilapia matched with raw tomatoes for the breakfast, of course with a hot chocolate. I was so busy for school that I missed waking up with a lovely morning like this.

                 Enjoying the fresh air, though it’s no longer cold, I heard mother calling for the breakfast. Yes, since it’s a rest from school, eating breakfast together will be a regulation to follow. I grab my hairbrush, tied my hair and hurry for the dinning. Only to be surprised by a new face sitting beside Kuya Edgar, my brother.

                  Mother understood my query looks. She introduced our visitor. I understand that Rolly, his name is a son of her best friend whose family is now residing at California. According to her, Rolly will be having his vacation here in the Philippines and will be staying with us until Mid of May. That Rolly had just arrived from the airport early this morning.

                   After exchanging “hi” and “hello”, we started the breakfast. I examined him with a quick look in between scoops and I noticed that he has a gorgeous looks. “Bongga.” I told myself. Aside from a white complexion, he has an angelic face match with thick eyebrows and a pair of tantalizing eyes. I can see the handsome actor Luis Manzano in him.

                    After the breakfast, Dad hurried for the office and kuya for his enrolment. He will be having his summer class to reload him from other subjects since he will be having his on the job training (OJT) during the second semester comes next school year. Mom told me she will rush to the market for our lunch. Left at home is me and Rolly. I invited him at the balkonahe and had our “get- to -know each other talks.” Rolly told me it is his first vacation since they left for California when he was only seven. He missed the beautiful beaches in Cavite that he requested to have this vacation on summer rather than on Christmas. He told me his sacrifices of saving every single penny from his school baon so as to have littlie to spend during this summer vacation.

                   While having our dinner on Friday, we planned an outing at one of the Cavite’s best beaches, the Royal Ann’s Beach Resort. We agreed on early morning of Saturday, to enjoy the beach while it’s still cold avoiding the strong heat of the sun. Everybody’s excited but no one could pay the glow of excitement on Rolly’s  face.

                      It’s 5:50 in the morning when we started the walk. Rolly couldn’t wait for the sun to shine; he started exploring the beach, swimming. He only leaves the water when Mom shouted for the breakfast. While eating, Dad and Mom warned us not to go far and avoid the deep part of the beach.

I started enjoying the cold water when I saw Rolly walking with a group of girls. They are laughing and seem to be enjoying each other’s company.  For a reason I cannot explain, I felt bad. Am I jealous to Rolly? No, must not be.

                   I changed my wet shirt and short and spent the time in the kubo helping mom prepare our lunch. I was busy grilling our chicken barbecue when my attention was called by several men rushing to the shore followed by other beach goers. “What’s happening?”  I asked Kuya Edgar who is approaching us.

“A group of beach goers riding a boat had drowned. I think the boat is overloaded.”
“Where is Rolly?” Asked Daddy.

                  Only then we realized that Rolly is not with us. We looked for him in the seashore but we did not find him. We’re all running looking for him in every group of teenagers, but no one could tell us. Until we saw the rescue team carrying a man with body built similar to Rolly. Dad run to them but he’s not Rolly. He’s a different man.

                We are all desperate to find Rolly. We searched everywhere hoping that Rolly is just around with the group of ladies I last saw him with. But he is nowhere to be found, until we saw another group of rescue team rushing to the shore carrying two ladies and a man who, in my eyes is already dead, head and shoulders down with almost no evidence of life.  And I can’t believe, that man wearing the short exactly the same with Rolly’s one. We heard Dad’s shouting, “He is Rolly.” I can’t explain how I run very fast and hold him in my arm. I am caressing his face, hugging, kissing him and crying.

Dad took him from me and rushed to the ambulance. Mom and I were left on the beach. I learned from a group of beach goers that the group of Rolly went on boating with five others which is more than the capacity of the boat. Nobody could tell what exactly happen when they were off the shore. Thanks God a boat of beach rescuers saw them.

                 Everything happens so fast. I am still startled when my cellphone rung. It is Kuya Edgar on the line telling us that doctors saved Rolly. It’s only matter of minutes of delay, that might have caused Rolly’s death.

               It was the last time I went to beach for swimming. That experience gave me one important lesson, suppress your excitement and listen to adults.