Where Do Wind Go? Part 2 Of 4 Poem by Rey Benipayo

That afternoon before I went home I pass by the library to return the book.
When I entered the library I saw the man in my dream on the window.
Just sitting on the table, he's face is full of sadness while writing a letter.
I watched him. I saw a student girl coming to him
I almost did not know the woman because it was foggy in my eyes,
We wear the same uniform a business course like me, she's thin, tall and long haired
The man seemed surprised to see her and immediately hid the what he is writing on a book page
She sits before the man and pretends to be happy with the man in front of the girl.

After a while I felt as though someone is behind me. I'm felt surprised.
I turned around. It is Mam Maita, the beautiful, old librarian.

"Mr. Chan.", she calls me. "The library is closing, what can I do with you? "

"I'll give back the book I borrowed, Mam. Sorry if it late."

"Hmmm... finally, you know how to get back.", She joke then comes with a smile on the lips.

When I look back to the table, it's gone. I'm searched it but nobody is there.

"Mam..." "What, Mr. Chan? " "Aaamm.. can I ask? "

"All right, " I said. "Do you know Renan? ", I shyly asked Mam Maita.

"Renan Tularba? He is the only Renan I know." "Yes.", I agree.

He went to his table and took a picture. A picture of three people.
Two women smiling with a man in the middle none other than Renan Tularba,
The man who always visited my dream. Fear then suddenly came to me.

"That is, Renan he is long been missing, along with her victims during Typhoon Reming.
Until now his body was not yet found. He is a good student.
It has been five years ago, he's probably dead. "

Upon hearing it, got goosebumps. I felt too frightened.

That night had a nightmare on Renan again
This time I was in his body, I wanted to go away
No matter what I do I can't escape.
I become his puppet that I follow whatever he is doing.

***

November 30,2006, all schools from elementary to college in Albay are close.
Due to Typhoon Reming signal number 3 according to the news in PAGASA
Just yesterday, when I saw the sky it was the color of the blood, I was frightened.
Frightened! That there seems to be a tragedy or a massive disaster
My body want to get out of this place right now, the boarding house
But where am I going, I am from Masbate and I have no family here.
The storm is not so strong and our boarding house is safe.
I am trying to convince myself that nothing will happen and everything it will be okay
This is the first time I feel like this all over my life, that I'm too much nervous.

8: 00 am, I look at my watch there is a little drop of rain.
My roommates decided to drink, Borgie, Roy and Leon.
Drink because of these moments was boring that there was nothing to do.
One by one contribute to buy a liquor and something to eat, we went out.
In these moments, I feel like it's the last time of our lives.
I don't want to tell them this strange feelings, it's hard to say something.
We are very happy at these moments especially when we are drinking.

While we are in the middle of drinking, Belinda call and check for me.

"... just don't drink too much, remember that there is a storm.", she reminds.

"Ok... okay.... Bye... bye... bye...", I let her smile at once.

I'm drunk by these moments, my mind tells me to sleep.

It was ten o'clock in the morning when it began to intensified and the rain water was rising.
Everything becomes so past, I never notice all that happened  for I am drunk.
I did not notice my friends, we were in the terrace of the house.
The water rose to the 2nd floor, up to our room on the 3rd floor.
The earthquake happened and then the river swallow our boarding house.
Then the last moment I was out there, drift by a strong water.
I tried to escape, save myself but it's too late and I can not.
It happened, I'm heading to the wall of the bridge, I closed my eyes... my head blast!
With a waters' great strength, half of my head is gone.I lost my life.
I was unnoticeable. They burried me together with other dead bodies through mass grave.

***

I shouted out loud. I awoke up. It's just a dream. Everything feels real.
I touch my head and face. It's fine and nothing harmed happened.
But my entire body was almost dripping with sweat. I'm very sweaty.
Before I went to school I went through the place of my dream.
It is now deserted and there is no house standing only grass and water.
And broken houses and water rivers are just here.
The river is now wide... The Yawa River is now silent as if nothing happened.

I light a candle and prayed. "May all the souls be rest in peace in this place.
Lord, please do help these souls. "I prayed sincerely.

Soon I was feeling a cold air passing through.
I saw Borgie, Leon and Roy. Floating in the middle of the river, smiling.
I did not even see Renan. It seems like they're saying goodbye to me and they waving a me.
They wear white clothes and they are bare foot
They gradually disappeared in the air, after they disappeared the wind blow
Now it seems I lost the greatest fright that I am feeling these past few days.

To be continued...