Thursday, March 4, 2010

Paper Stars - Chapter Eight

Chapter 8 – The Calm After The Storm



The sun shone the next day. The birds were chirping outside, and the sea is calm once again. It's as if the storm never came. It's as if everything is back to normal.

Nadine woke up that morning to that scene. She thought that the storm would last until this day, but she was wrong. As she walked down the stairs, she could hear Mang Lito's AM transistor radio announcing to the world that the typhoon have left their country, and is headed north. She let out a sigh with relief upon hearing that.

She decided to take a walk outside. She gazed at the calm sea as she strolled along the beach. As she was taking a walk, she remembered her late father. They used to take a walk together the morning after a heavy rain or a storm. He would take her by the beach and then let her gaze at the calm water. Her dad used to tell when she was young that there will always be a calm after the storm. He said that no matter how big her problem is, there will always be a solution to it, and after experiencing heartaches and pain, there will be a time that she will smile again.

She stopped at her favorite spot at the beach. She sat on the sandy ground, and continued to gaze at the horizon. She closed her eyes as she feel the cold breeze brushing against her skin. She let out a smile as she remembered her very first love – her father. It's been a few years since her father died. She could still remember that day. She was 18 back then, and the summer have began. His father insisted on going with a couple of friends to fish at the sea. She already had a bad feeling about it, and told his father not to go, but when she tried to tell him that, he smiled at her, promising her that she will be back soon. That afternoon, his father did come back, but he is already dead. One of his friends fell on the boat and drowned, and he came to save him. In the end, it was him that drowned.

“Dad... are you looking over me?” she thought as she opened her eyes. “You always tell me to face everything with a smile. You always tell me that all bad things have their end soon. Dad... I am facing a lot of problems now... at this moment, I need you to tell me not to worry about a thing. I wish you're here to tell me that everything will be fine...” she thought sadly. She felt a tear fell from her eyes as she remembered her father. She felt the cold breeze flowing through her, as if hugging her. She let out a smile. “Dad, is that you? Dad... I know you didn't want to see my crying... that's why since I was a kid, when I'm about to cry, you would do everything to make me smile. When I had my first heartache, you here there to keep my mind off him. Daddy... don't worry, I'll be strong for Angelo and mom. I will be just as strong and as brave as you are. I know all the problems I have will end, like what you always say, there will always be a calm after the storm. Daddy... please guide me always... I can't do this without your guidance...” she said to herself.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a loud groan. She looked at the far side of the shore, and noticed a man lying unconsciously by the shore. She stood up from her seat, and rushed up to the man. She turned the man over, and then tried to wake him up. “Sir... sir... wake up...” she said as she shook him. Then, the man coughed. She was getting a little panicky as she don't know what to do with this stranger. “Wake up... please...” she said. Seeing that he had a hard time breathing, she performed CPR on him, until he coughed out all the water inside him. “He must have drowned or something...” Nadine thought.

The man slowly opened his eyes. He felt he is being blinded by the sunlight, but the figure before him have blocked the sunlight as she looked down at him. “OK ka lang ba? (Are you OK?)” the girl asked. “Where am I? Is this heaven? Am I dead?” he thought to himself. The figure before him have caught his eyes. She seemed to be glowering into the sun. There is so much gentleness in her that made him think that she is an angel. He felt her small, warm hand touch his face. “An... angel?” he thought. Then, he felt that pang of pain in his head again. He closed his eyes, and she was the last thing he saw before he lost his consciousness once again.

When the man passed out on him, Nadine began to panic. “Sir! Sir!” she shouted as she shook him. She was wishing that the man would wake up. “Oh... please don't die on me... sir... sir...” she said in a frustrated tone. No matter how hard she shook him, he just wouldn't dare to wake up. “OK, I think I killed this guy...” she thought again. She leaned onto his chest to feel his breathing. She sighed with relief upon hearing his heartbeat, as well as feeling him breathe. “OK... I did not kill him... oh please... wake up now. I can't carry you all by myself back to the resort. Please wake up...” she said worriedly. She looked around the beach to see if anyone is around, but unfortunately, that side of the beach is deserted. She turned to the man again, and sighed. “Please... wake up...” she told him. She let out another sigh as she made a decision. If she have to drag the man back to the resort, she would have to.

She stood up, and then took his hand. She lifted him up, and carried her in her shoulder. Then, the two of them went back to the resort.

--

“Mom... help... please...” Marina looked at the door, and was surprise to see her daughter carrying an unconscious stranger. “Oh, my! What happened?” she asked. She walked up to him, and helped Nadine carry the man. The settled him at the couch. “I saw this man lying lifeless at the beach.”
“Is he dead?”
“The last time I checked he is breathing.”
“Who is he?”
“Beats me... before I could even question him, he passed out on me.”

Marina looked at the man, and noticed that he was shivering. She put the back of her palm on his forehead, and realized that he had a fever. “This is bad, I think he have a fever now.” Marina said. Nadine gave her mom a confused look. “So... what should we do to this guy, mom?” she asked. “I think we should send this guy to the hospital. I'll go get your brother to drive us there.” her mom said.

--

Nadine was left alone in the hospital room with the stranger. Her mom have gone outside to talk with the doctor, while her brother went somewhere to buy some food. Since that moment she saw this stranger, he have not awaken yet. She leaned over him, and looked at him closely. Surely, he's not from the area. She doubts if the man is even a Filipino. She could swear that the man might came from a rich family – she could tell by the way he dressed and by his skin. Who in their right mind would wear a formal suit, like the one he is wearing right now. “I wonder who you really are...” she thought. She watched him as he shifted his position. “You must be really tired after what happened to you. And I wonder what really happened to you...” she thought.

As he tilted his side, he felt himself slowly waking up from the darkness he was falling into. He slowly opened his eyes, and found himself in an unfamiliar place. “Where... where am I?” he thought. He turned his head to the other side and noticed a girl looking at him. She was not just any girl, she was the petite figure he saw when he woke up that morning. “Wo... wo zai na li? Ni shi shei? (Where am I? Who are you?)” he asked. Nadine found herself dumbfounded as he speaks. “So, he is Chinese...” she thought. “I... I'm sorry, I can't understand... do you understand English?” she asked him. “Wo... wo ming bai... I understand English... I... I guess...” he said weakly. Nadine sighed with relief upon hearing him talk in a language she knew. “OK... first, what is your name?” she asked him. The man paused, and looked at her with a hint of unsureness. “Wo... wo shi shei? (Who am I?” he said in an unsure tone as he pointed at himself. “Your name?” Nadine asked again. He wrinkled his forehead as he think what his name is. “Wo... bu zhi dao... I... I don't know...” he said. Then, he looked up at him. “Who... who am I?” he asked him.

Nadine began to panic again. The man seems like he couldn't remember a thing. “OK, relax... maybe he just forgot his name... no big deal...” she thought. She let out a sigh, and smiled at him. “Maybe you're still tired after what happened to you...” she told him. The man could only give him a confused look. “What... what happened to me?” he asked her. Nadine shrugged her shoulder. “I don't know. I just found you at the beach this morning... I thought you're dead or something...” she said. He felt his head. He tried hard to think of anything that happened to him, but the more that he tried, the more that his mind goes blank. He felt a little light-headed, and he felt getting dizzy because of trying to think. “What is this? Why can't I remember anything? Why can't I remember even my own name?” he thought.

He looked at her helplessly. He wished that this gentle girl beside her could help him decipher what happened to him, and who he really is. “Do you remember anything?” she asked again. “Dui bu qi... I'm sorry, I can't remember a thing...” he said. He could feel his eyes getting wet from tears. At that moment, he wanted to break down. It is a sad fate that he have lost his memories, for it means that part of him had died. Nadine could see him as he was about to cry. She reached up to him, and wiped the tear from his eyes. “It's OK, don't try to think for now. When you had enough rest, you will remember everything.” she said. She smiled at him, and that smile is enough for him to calm him down. She began to tuck him in, then she brushed her hair. “It will be all right. I assure you that.” she said to him. He bit his lips, and then closed his eyes. As he drifted into his slumber, he wishes that he could remember something as soon as he wakes up.

--

Kaoshiung, Taiwan.

Xue and Ah Ren sat on the couch, with Chen Yi and Pei Pei. They are waiting for the news regarding Jiang Wei, but it's almost noon, and they have not heard anything from the coastguards. Ah Ren looked at Xue, and noticed that she was in a daze. He could understand that she is worried about Jiang Wei, and scared that something might have happened to him. He wanted so much to hug her to ease away the worries in her heart, but a part of him is telling him not to do it. He himself is worried too about his best friend.

“I can't take this anymore. We have to call those coastguards' headquarters to get some news.” Chen Yi said. He stood up from his seat, but before he could walk away, Pei Pei stopped him. “Chen Yi...” she whispered. He looked down at her, and he could see the fear in his eyes. “Pei Pei...” he whispered. Her eyes were pleading him not to leave her alone with Xue and Ah Ren. She could not take the piercing looks from Xue. She knows it's her fault. If only she didn't go with Chen Yi's plan, they would have not lost Jiang Wei. She wished she wasn't selfish as before. It was her selfishness that caused Jiang Wei's death.

“What happened? Tell us again what happened...” Ah Ren said lowly. “Jiang Wei... got drunk...” Pei Pei stuttered. “He got drunk. He was walking all over the yacht. He stood on the railing, and lost his balance. Then, he fell. We waited for him to appear to the surface, but he didn't appear anymore.” Chen Yi said. “Is... is it possible that... that someone could have saved him?” Xue said. She looked up at Ah Ren with hope in her eyes. “I hope so, Xue.... I hope so...” Ah Ren said.

Then, the phone rang. Chen Yi took the call, it was from the coastguards. “Hello... yes... I understand... thank you...” they heard him say. Xue stood up from her seat and walked up to Chen Yi. “Who was that? Chen Yi?” she asked. “It's the coastguards. They said that they have to postpone the search for Jiang Wei because of the storm...” Chen Yi told her. Xue gave him a surprised look. “No...” she said as she shook her head. “They have to find Jiang Wei. It's their job to find Jiang Wei!” she shouted at him. Ah Ren walked up to her, and tried to appease her. “Xue, you have to understand... they can't let their own lives be at risk in finding Jiang Wei...” he explained. Xue turned to him, and glared at him. “No! They have to find Jiang Wei! They have to find him! At least they have to give us a sign that Jiang Wei is alive!” she shouted angrily at him. “They will resume the search-and-rescure operations as soon at the storm is over.” Chen Yi told her. “And by that time, they could no longer find Jiang Wei! They have to find him now!” she said hysterically at the two.

Chen Yi could only sigh as he shook his head. “Xue...” Ah Ren called. “You don't care about him, don't you? If they can't do their job, and find Jiang Wei, then I'll be the one who'll look for him instead!” she said. She made her move to get out of the house, but Ah Ren stopped him. “Stop, Xue. Stop.” he pleaded. Xue paused as he stopped her. “We already lost Jiang Wei. If you'll look for him all by yourself, you'll get us worried, all right? It's enough that we have gone crazy thinking where the hell Yu Jiang Wei is. There is a storm coming, and it's not a good time to look for him.” Ah Ren said. Xue could feel the tears starting to fall from her eyes again, but she was trying her best to stop it from falling as she glared at him. “You just don't understand, do you, Wang Xu Ren?! You don't understand! Yu Jiang Wei is my life. If he dies, a big part of me will die. Ah Ren... it's only now that I've had this happiness I'm feeling right now. Why should God take it away from me now by taking away Jiang Wei? I just need a sign, Ah Ren... a sign that he is alive... that he is out there, doing his best to survive because of me... because of us. I just want to find out that he is alive... I can't just wait here for some news from some goddamn people who can't do their jobs. I have to find him, Ah Ren. I need to find him.” she said. As he looked at Xue this broken, he could feel his own heart breaking because of her. He wished he could do something to take all of the pain she is feeling right now because of Jiang Wei's loss. He wished he could do something to ease her mind. But then, he felt hurt at what she said, because she is making him feel like he doesn't care if Jiang Wei is alive or not. More than anything else in this world, he knew how it's like to lose someone you love.

“You don't understand. More than you, Xue... I do care about where Jiang Wei is. He is more than a friend to me. He is the brother I never had. So, don't lash it out on me and assume that I didn't care about him just because I'm stopping you to go. Because if I had the power, God, I will go and find him.” he told her in a hurt tone. With that, Ah Ren turned his back on her, and kept his silence. “Stop this. Even if the two of you fought, it will not bring back ge here. We need to hold on to each other until he comes back.” Chen Yi told the two. “If I have to push those damn coastguards to find ge, then I'll do it.” he added. He took the phone again, and dialed a number. “Hello? Yes, this is Yu Chen Yi. We can't wait until the storm is over for you guys to find my brother...”

--

“According to the tests, we made on him, it seems that a hard object hit his head. This is the reason why there is a wound on his head, and why he is having those headaches. There are no blood clots or internal injuries, whatsoever, and the headache he is having should go away soon.” The doctor told Nadine and her mom. Nadine gave the doctor a confused look. “But, it was evident a while ago that he couldn't remember a thing...” she said. “As I've said, it seems that a hard object hit his head. This is the possible reason why he have an amnesia right now.” the doctor said. “Amnesia? Could it be permanent?” she asked again. “It could be permanent, it could be not.” he answered.

Nadine looked worriedly at the man sleeping peacefully on the hospital bed. She felt sorry for him, for he have lost his memories. “I wish he could remember everything soon... so that he could go back to his family soon...” she said. “I suggest that you take him in for a while. As soon as he is well, let him do some activities that may trigger him to remember his past. That's all I can suggest for now. And yes, give the guy a new name.” the doctor said. He excused himself from the two ladies, and then left the room. Nadine took a seat beside him, and watched him as he sleep. “Don't worry, Nadine... I'm sure this guy will remember everything. You don't have to worry about him.” her mom said. “I really hope so, mom. I'm sure, by now, his family is looking for him...” she said. “I'm sure they do.” Marina said to her daughter.

Just then, Nadine saw him open his eyes. Her face lightened up as he woke up. Maybe, by now, he have remembered something from his past. “Hey...” she said. The man just smiled at him. “How are you feeling?” she asked. “Hao... I feel good. But...” His face became sad once again. He wrinkled his brow, trying to remember a thing, but he still couldn't remember anything. “Don't try to think of anything first. Just rest.” she said. He looked at her with a hint of helplessness. He doesn't want to be a burden to her. He knew that from where he came from, someone is looking for him. Someone must be worried about him. He wanted to go back to his home, but he couldn't even remember where his home is. “Wo... wo...” he tried to say. Nadine gave him a confused look. “Ni... ni jiao shen me ming zi? (What is your name?)” he asked. “What?” she asked. The confused look on her face made him laugh. “What is your name?” he asked. Nadine let out a smile at him. “I'm Nadine. This is my mom, Marina.” she said, pointing at her mother. “I wish I could tell you what my name is... but... I still can't remember a thing...” he said.

Nadine looked at her mom, and her mom walked up to him and smiled at him. “How about this... what if we give you a temporary name? That is until you can remember everything...” she said. Upon hearing that, his face lightened up. “Hao!” he said, nodding his head. The two women looked at each other with confusion, and then began to laugh. The man realized what he just did – the two could not understand his language. He felt his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Pasensya ka na, di kasi namin maintindihan yung sinasabi mo (I'm sorry, we can't understand what you were saying...)” Nadine said. With that, the man gave her a confused look. “I guess we're even now. You can't understand a thing I'm saying.” she said.

Just then, Angelo came inside the room. “Snacks, anyone?” he said as he got in. He put a bag filled of food on the side table. The man looked at him confusedly. Angelo turned to him, and smiled. “Hello! I'm Angelo. What's your name?” he asked. The man just shook his head. Nadine nudged his brother. “He have an amnesia. He can't remember a thing...” she said. Angelo just nodded his head in understanding. “So, he doesn't know his name?” he asked. Nadine nodded her head. Angelo let out a sigh and just shook his head. He took out his food from the bag, but then he realized that the man was already holding it. “Wait! That's my siopao!” he shouted at him. “Angelo, let him have it. He must be really hungry.” their mom said. “But mom, that's the last siopao at the cafeteria!” he argued. Since the man could not understand what they were saying, he just looked at them with confusion as he began to eat the food in his hand. “Siopao thief. That's what I'm going to call you.” he told him. “Sio... pao?” he asked. “Yeah, siopao thief.” he said angrily at him. Nadine could only laugh at the way his brother reacted as he stole his food. “Sio... pao?” the man asked again. This time, Angelo glared at him. “Repeat that, and I swear I'll hit you with a pillow.” Angelo threatened him.

The man laughed. He continued to eat the food, and Nadine noticed that he is enjoying it. “Sio... pao?” he said again. “Seems like our new friend likes siopao, huh?” she commented. “Then better call him Pao Pao Siopao.” Angelo said angrily. Nadine and her mom just laughed at him. Then, she paused, and began to think. “Pao Pao... Pao Pao...” she said while her deep thoughts. Then, she looked at the man as he enjoyed his food. “I think I know what to name you.” she told him. The man paused, and looked at her. “Paolo. From now on, I'll call you Paolo.” she said. “Pao... Pao?” he asked again. “Ate, I think he prefers to be called Pao Pao Siopao instead of Paolo.” Angelo commented. Nadine just laughed at him again. “Paolo. From now on, I will call you Paolo. Is that OK with you?” she asked the man. The man smiled at her again, and nodded his head. “I like the name. Wo... wo shi Paolo...” he said.

Labels: original story, Paper Stars