DROUGHT

CHAPTER 4: THE CROCODILE

I woke up because of the noises outside my window. The kids weren't playing, but I saw my uncle, my brothers and the rest of the family sharing water with everybody. The neighbors are well-behaved, carrying their containers and pails with cover, waiting for their turn to have water. I don't understand. I thought my uncle had already kept the water for our supply because we didn't know when the drought would end. Even it just started. Despite the warning yesterday, my uncle still chose to share his water with everybody. I combed my hair and went outside to check them. I see smiles and happiness from the people waiting to get water. I didn't bother to watch them. I didn't want to disturb what they were doing. My family is like a lighthouse giving light in the darkest moment of this life, such as this. The drying without explanation is happening because the experts cannot discover why and what is the thing up there that makes the whole world dry from water.

"Maayo na aga" The woman twice my mother's age greeted us with a smile and put her container down, and my uncle put the hose inside the tiny hole to fill it up with water. She waited for her container to be filled with water, and once it was done, she immediately covered it for the water not go up.

"Salamat", The woman said after my uncle filled her container.

"Diyos an mabalos sa imo", She added, which means God will pay my uncle for the sharing he did and let his grandson carry the container for her and leave.

"How about the warning?" I asked while watching him fill the container again for the older man, who was smiling at him.

"Let's think about that later, " he answered, while Jasper and Ice were helping him by giving him the water because the line was long, and the people kept coming to get free water.

I looked at the people and saw everybody was excited to get their share. I looked at their faces, and they were full of hope because of what my uncle was doing, and we called it "Bayanihan", which means doing something heroic because Bayani means hero, and he is a hero for giving something without something in return. He is giving water for free even though he knows we also need water. He is such a great man.

"I thought you would close the water for us?" The old woman asked him, and he sighed and answered, "We are neighbours. I can't see my neighborhood dying" The old woman smiled at him and thanked him.

"You are such a good boy. Rosina never failed in raising you," The old woman said, and she knows my grandmother. Our community is small, and people here know each other.

"I will give what I can give," He said, and the woman smiled at him again and carried her container.

"We don't have a pail. How can we get water?" The man asked, with his wife carrying his child. The wife looks sick, the baby is so thin, and the husband looks dirty; his feet are covered with soil.

"I am just a farmer. How can I afford water?" He asked in despair.

"Don't worry, the water I am giving is free", My uncle said that gave hope to him.

"Here. Take one of my containers," The man said and gave his container to the farmer.

"Thank you so much," The farmer said with tears. He went to the back of the line to wait for his turn while everybody was excited to get their share of water.

I am proud of my uncle because he still managed to share our water supply even though his police friend already gave him a heads-up about the drought and the government's plan to hoard water to control its use and prolong the supply. After all, this drying will continue. Still, he wants to share what he has with everybody. What a brave move!

"Where is his police friend?" The voice inside my head asked while looking around, trying to find my uncle's friend.

"His name is Miller, honey", The other one answered.