WHEN THE GROUND TREMBLED AGAIN

When the ground first shook, fifteen-year-old Blaire thought it would stop after a few seconds, but this time the tremors became stronger and the house rumbled harder.

- By Zaida Marie A. Tambis

He screamed when the walls cracked and the floor felt alive beneath their feet. His seven younger siblings screamed louder and tried to run to the door. Remembering to “duck, cover and hold”, he pulled them under the sturdy dining table. He could hear his heart pounding like the quake itself. He told them to cover their ears as he hugged them really tight, all the while wondering where their parents could be and if they were safe.

When the earthquake stopped, Blaire craned his neck from under the table and breathed a sigh of relief to see that the ceiling above them was still intact. Their small home was still standing. He let go of his siblings one by one.