Chapter 23 - Action on Christmas Eve

COCK-A-DOODLE-DO!

I rose up once more yet this time around was coming from a nice sleep, already being able to get used to the wooden bed which gave me a lot of problems and headaches during the nights from the previous days, but somehow today, I wasn't that highly motivated like usual.

"Mmm. I guess I'll have a lot of free time to waste today. I can't go play bet games since Romeo and Kenneth are going to be with their family the whole day. On the other hand, the restaurant would only open for half the day, and that means I would only get to work for 3 hours over there. Come on, isn't there anything good out there?"

Feeling hopeless, I sighed. As I stepped out of my room after doing a few stretches, I noticed something weird about the board house that has gone oddly quiet inside. Most of the time I can hear noises from the other rooms, but there wasn't even a tiny bit of it as I tried listening closely.

"Huh? Did the boarders have already gone home early? If that is the case, I guess I'm the only one left now."

Despite the fact, I continued my way outside to find myself some breakfast. As I exited the gate, I noticed Nang Inday outside at her yard, and somehow she noticed back my presence as well.

"Hey kid, how's it going?" asked Nang Inday, her delinquent-like vibe was still giving me the chills.

"Ahhh… the usual thing, things are just fine."

"Oh, okay."

Whoa, what the hell was that? The conversation ended with just a few words, but who am I to talk anyways. On the other hand, I started to make my move in order for my day to be productive.

"Nang Inday, you got some small jobs to offer there? I'm basically free for most of the day."

After asking, the lady has stayed still for several seconds as she was staring toughly at me with a fierce look, like always.

"Get inside, come with me."

O-okay? But then I followed her without hesitation. As she approached a room and opened the door, an unbelievable, awful sight was displayed in front of me.

"You do laundry right?"

I saw the mountain pile of clothes that were put inside the numerous baskets.

"What in the world--- so many."

"You've got a problem with that? Should I take that as backing out?"

"No! I'll do it."

"Then, the stage is yours. And don't worry, you'll get the right pay for this."

With that being said, I took my breakfast first before spending the rest of the morning doing the lady's laundry and have endured it even though my eyes were hurting inside by just looking at the mountain of clothes, and after about 4 hours of the laundry, I managed to finish all of it around nearly 11.

"Here you go, nice work!"

The lady gave me my pay while I was sitting on the ground, laying exhausted on a wall as I was taking my time in catching my breath.

"That---was---awful."

After a short rest, I went back to my room and have taken a shower, and then rested for the rest of the minutes until it was nearly time for my work to start.

--*--

It is 3:00 pm and it is now time for the restaurant to close.

"Okay everyone, that's it for today. Go home and enjoy your Christmas!"

"Yes sir! Thank you very much!"

"Wait a minute Hanzaki! Come here."

As I was about to leave together with the other employees, I was suddenly called for by the manager.

"Hmmm? What is it?" I said as I approached him, and the manager was taking out something from below inside the work place. Staring of what he has gotten out, it was a paper bag with some things inside it.

"Here take these, its food from the kitchen. Merry Christmas."

Now THAT is what I'm talking about!

I was happy with the present that I was given, and now I wouldn't need to spend even a little of my money for my dinner later.

"Thank you sir, and likewise, Merry Christmas!"

I then went ahead home and have stayed at my board room to kill time, waiting until it would strike around 10pm at night.

Preparing myself from a short nap, eventually it was around early 10. From inside my room, I went out to start checking the area around in my place, touring and finding some nice events while trying to enjoy, if possible, the busy place with the crowded people around; adults together with their children and there were groups of teenager spotted all over. The place was enveloped with loud Christmas songs and some of the buildings that I passed by were decorated with Christmas lights.

Furthermore, there were houses having their Christmas trees, and the park that I have just step foot onto, known as Gaston Park, has its own very large Christmas tree as well that was placed in the middle of a fountain, filled with lights and decorations especially the large glowing star that was put on top of it.

Meanwhile, I continued roaming around the area while waiting for the time to reach at midnight for the celebration and for the fireworks show to begin. In contrast to the fireworks, when I was walking my way through a long bridge called "Carmen Bridge" earlier in heading to this park where I currently am, I noticed that "Duaw Park, a park near to Gaston Park and is located near as well the bridge, was also being flooded by the mass since the setting of the fireworks would likely be held over at the opposite side.

By the way, the said bridge "Carmen Bridge" connects and leads a path directly to Gaston Park way through over a huge river called "Cagayan de Oro River" that largely separates and splits the diverged lands.

Meanwhile sooner, the hour strikes at 11:39 pm, and the time has almost come for the awaited event and day. People were getting excited as they continued chatting with their friends, family members, or maybe to some newly met strangers.

Looking around at the mass of people and enjoying listening to the songs while waiting, I heard something unusual in the area.

"Mommmaaaaaaaa!"

A cry from a nearby distance, and I turned towards to the direction where it was likely coming from. Searching for what it was, I saw a girl crying at a corner that seemed to be lost. Responsively, I quickly went to approach her.

"Hi there, what's your name? You seem to be lost." I confronted her with a smile, and the little girl was looking surprised yet somehow cautious when I suddenly talked to her.

"Momma, where momma?" The girl cried with a cute yet saddened face with fat cheeks, begging for her mother.

"You can call me Big brother Zaki! I'll help you find your mother okay? So you don't need to cry, we will find her sooner or later." Crouching down, I gave the little girl continuous pats on her head in order to help her calm down. I guess she is just around 2 to 3 years old. Oh my, how poor of her to get lost here.

"Really- Big- Bwather- Saki?"

Oh Lord, cuteness overload.

"Let's go- find momma- please. You can call me- Sawah, bwather Saki." she said with a shaking voice from sobbing.

"Sawaah? Oh, Sarah. Okay Sarah! Let's go find her now. Come on, hold my hand so we won't get separated to each other." Directly the little girl held my right hand when I reached mine to her.

Without ado, we went around the place in trying to find this lost girl's parents.

Expectedly after a few minutes, it already took quite some time in finding her mother, but still we haven't had a trace of them.

Continuing to search, the event and Christmas celebration was about to start at the moment, causing the large speakers that were present in the area to be turned on.

"Get ready for Christmas Countdown!"

The announcement has livened up the mood and the people screamed, shouted, and yelled with excitement. Other people were jumping around out of joy, but because of that, it made harder for the two of us to find her mother in the middle of this troublesome crowd.

Eventually, the countdown begins and the people together started shouting.

"10, 9…."

Still, I and together with the girl who was holding my hand were continuing in searching despite the current situation.

"8,7,6..."

"Momma where are you!?" the little girl shouted, hoping that her mother would notice her call.

"5,4,3..."

"Sarah baby! Where are you!?"

At some point, someone likely shouted the little girl's name, but it was too faint to hear it here at our side.

"Momma!?" As we both heard and noticed, Sarah was shaking my hand to catch my attention and I turned to see her pointing at the direction where she has likely heared her mother, and her mother too who is probably over at the side has continued her shouting to call out for Sarah.

"Bwather Zaki! Dhere!" Sarah was pulling my shirt, likely saying that we should go over to the direction that she pointed out.

"Okay Sarah, let's go!"

"2...…1!"

*HONK HOOOOOOOOONK!*

*SWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!*

*BOOOOOOOOOOOM!*

The countdown ended. The horns once again enveloped the entire area. Fireworks were fired up to the sky and spread, and luckily we spotted Sarah's mother with just a few seconds from swiftly maneuvering all over the crowded place.

"MOMMA! I'm here momma!" Sarah called out to her mother once again.

Instantly, her mother noticed her from a distance, and Sarah quickly lets go of her hand that was holding onto mine and the both of them have gone rushly running towards each other with a bit of tears flowing out of their eyes.

As they finally got in touch, the mother and daughter were tightly hugging in relief to each other. I then sighed gladly at the beautiful scene, truly delighted that the little girl has now shown her smile.

With that aside, I looked up to the sky, watching the show that was filled with colours.

"Mmm, I guess this isn't a bad Christmas for me after all."

"Thank you~"

A little startled, I faced back to see Sarah's grateful mother closed upfront and whose worried face has been replaced with a happy yet still tearing expression. Succeedingly, the three of us have gone looking straight up above the sky, together watching and enjoying the current scenario filled with excitement, happiness, and joy--- or so it seems like it.