PHILIPPINES
Sister Islands
Stage 2
Story by Gillian M. Encarnacion
Edit by the CLA Editing Team
Illustrated by Farren Febiola
Prologue
Sister Islands is a tale of three sisters, Minda, Luz, and Saya. Their story starts with a disaster that causes them to become separated. Throughout the story, they journey to different islands, hoping to be reunited again. Each chapter is narrated by one of the three sisters in a dream-like retelling from heaven.
Chapter 1:
The day before my life changed forever
Luz
On this island, I lived with my mom and dad and two sisters, Ate-Minda and Saya. Living on the island were also our neighbors: Nanay-Penang, her sons, and Tatay-Berlot, who lived alone in a house by the sea.
Our island had a volcano and a beautiful lake. My parents had a huge rice field, where Ate-Minda helped out. Saya, my younger sister, was small and naughty, so I took care of her.
This was the day before our lives changed forever.
Chapter 2:
This ain’t no “feast”
Minda
I remember the day our lives changed so vividly. After work that day, Saya asked if we could play. Luz had the idea of playing hide-and-seek. I volunteered to be the seeker.
"1,2,3…10! Here I come!”
As I began to look for them, the ground began to shake. I was worried about my sisters. I ran, screaming my sisters’ names, "Luz! Saya! Where are you? Please come out!”
I smelled something burning. I could hardly breathe. The air became blacker and blacker. Small black particles fell slowly from the sky. Initially, I had thought someone was barbecuing but soon realized this was no barbecue.
I got out of the forest and found Saya by the beach. I ran to her, and she said, “What is happening? Where is Ate-Luz!” Saya was in a panic.
“Calm down, Saya. Our parents will find us. They’ll have Luz with them when they do. Everything will be alright!” I assured her.
Some of the villagers started shouting that the volcano was active. Tatay-Berlot told us to come on board his boat and leave the island with him. I carried Saya into Tatay-Berlot’s boat. Then I ran back to the island to look for my parents and Luz. “Ate, no! Please don’t leave me!” Saya screamed, crying. But I went back to the island.
I was in the forest. Then everything went black. And that was the last I remember being on the island.
Chapter 3:
My heart was in pieces
Saya
What Ate-Minda didn’t know was that everything went black because I threw a coconut shell at the back of her head. I couldn’t lose all my family. So, I dragged Ate-Minda into the boat.
“So that was you…” Minda said angrily.
We then sailed for what felt like years. I told Ate-Minda that she had been unconscious, and I had no choice but to bring her with me. We settled down and began to start our new lives. Ate-Minda had a hard time adjusting to her new life. My heart was in pieces with sadness. But after many harvests, our hearts got better.
It was almost sunset. Ate-Minda and I talked about life.
I said, “I think I can settle down here. The people are nice and cheerful. The beaches and the sunsets are beautiful. But, most importantly, I have you. What more could I possibly ask for? It’s you and me, Ate-Minda,”
“I know, but…” Ate-Minda replied. Then there was silence. “I made a promise to myself that I’d go back for Luz.”
I had seen this coming, of course. “Go. Just go. I mean it, Ate. I’ll be fine,” I said. But the truth was, my heart was filled with sadness.
Chapter 4:
All eyes were on me
Minda
I couldn’t believe she said that. I couldn’t believe she actually let me go just like that.
The next day came, and I set out for our previous home. The winds started to get stronger, and the waves became higher. A big thunderbolt came, striking the tip of my boat, and knocking me into the water.
The sound of the ocean.
A distant voice.
“Am I in...in….Heaven?”
I thought to myself.
“Sa panan-aw mo, diin siya gikan?”
(Where do you think she came from?)
“Buhi ba na?”
(Is she alive?)
I heard the people surrounding me conversing amongst themselves, in a language I did not understand. As I opened my eyes, I saw a man looking at me.
“Who are you? Where am I?” I asked.
“You’re in the South,” the man answered. He seemed to be the one in charge around here. “How did you get here?” he asked.
“I’m not dead?” I said, and the man let out a slight smile.
“You’re still alive, but you look exhausted. Why don’t you get some rest, and we’ll talk about things tomorrow.” The man led me to a small house. I was so tired that I fell into a deep sleep
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The next day came, and I woke up to the sound of roosters. I looked outside and noticed the villagers were gathering together. As I got there, all eyes were on me. The man started speaking in a language I couldn’t quite understand, the old language of Mindanao.
“Kagahapon, usa ka katingad-an nga babaye ang na padpad sa among baybayon. Dili kami sigurado kung giunsa niya pag abot dinhi ug kung kinsa siya. Apan, hunahuna namo nga wala siyay sala ug mianhi siya dinhi nga malinawon. Atoa siyang dawaton ug ipa bati sa iyaha na dawat nato siya”
(Yesterday, a strange woman washed up on our shores. We’re not quite sure how she got here and who she is. But we think she is innocent and came here in peace.
Let’s all give her a warm welcome and make her feel at home.)
Then all of them turned their attention back to me.
After the gathering, the man approached me and said,
“Hi, I’m Felipe.”
“I’m…uh...Alon,” I lied.
“Come! I’ll show you around.”
Chapter 5:
Maybe we could help each other
Minda
Felipe showed me around the island. It was a very beautiful island. All that night, I could not sleep. How was I supposed to get off the island?
As soon as the sun came up, I left the island by boat. The waters seemed to be calm, but suddenly… thunder started to roar. The wind began getting stronger. My boat, yet again, capsized in the sea. But then a tree branch floated by. I grabbed it, and it pulled me toward the shore. On the other end was Felipe.
“I told you it was dangerous,” Felipe said.
“I had to see it for myself.”
“Come, I made some dinner.”
As we got to his house, there were shrimp, tuna, and crabs - all of my favorites, laid out on a huge banana leaf.
“Please, sit,” Felipe said.
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“Thank you.”
“Thought you’d want some.”
Felipe said as he handed me an entire crab.
“You know… you remind me of someone.”
“Really, who?”
“Some girl who saved my life back when I was living in the North.”
“In the… North? Oh! No wonder you can speak my language. How did you end up here?”
“Actually, I was looking for some people important to that girl.”
“Ahh…”
“I was never able to find them…”
“Maybe we could help each other.” I smiled
“Felipe…Feli…ah-Felipe! How could I not have noticed sooner?
There was a kid who got stuck under a tree, and I saved him,”
Luz said.
“And that kid wa- was…” I stuttered.
“Yes, Felipe!” Luz exclaimed.
“Wait...so if he made it out alive...then you….” Saya stuttered, trying to put the pieces together.
“Then I did too,” said Luz.
Chapter 6:
A kid was stuck under a tree branch
Luz
“Y-you m-m-made it…?”
Saya said in utter disbelief.
Then Ate-Minda said,
“I went back for you! I…I…I went back to look for you! I cou-couldn’t find you! If only Saya hadn’t hit me on my head…”
“It’s not your fault, Ate”
I said.
Hearing this, Ate-Minda gave a gentle smile.
"You see, that day I saw you guys waiting by the beach. I was about to go to you until I heard a kid scream for help."
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A kid, just about Saya’s age, was stuck under a tree and couldn’t get out. I stayed to help him.
By the time I got him out of there and ran to the beach, I couldn’t see Tatay-Berlot’s boat anymore. We found an old boat. We used that to leave the island.
"But where were you all this time? Why didn’t you follow us?”
Minda asked.
We remained at sea for days and weeks, or maybe even months. But the wind miraculously started to carry our boat in the direction back to our island. We started to rebuild our village and begin new lives.
“I wanted to find you guys so bad, but I couldn’t leave the others behind.”
“Don’t be sorry. Of course, we understand!” Minda replied in tears.
One day, Felipe disappeared, and I found a note on the table:
He left to find you guys and bring you back.
"What about n-nanay and tatay…?"
said Minda looking at me.
I shook my head, and said, “We lost them that day. I couldn’t save them.”
Then Saya smiled and said, “It’s okay! We can visit them later tonight, it’s fine!”
Epilogue
The number of people on the islands grew. Minda, Luz, and Saya would come down from Heaven to keep the peace and secretly guide the people.
Rumors of miracles started to spread among the villages. People in the South believed it to be Minda, calming the waves. People in the North believed it to be Luz still watching over them. And people in the middle believed it to be Saya trying to make them happy.
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THE END