Stranger

I heard my grandmother scream. I peeked through the window and saw her running back to our hut.

I quickly removed the pot from the stove. Again, I heard my grandmother's scream so I ran out of the hut.

I saw grandma, walking hurriedly. I could see the worry on her face.

"Why are you screaming, Grandma?" I'm nervous.

"Natalia, I saw a man! He was there near the sea, lying down. He wasn't moving! I think he's dead!" My grandmother is old so she gets tired easily. I saw her panting.

"Man?" I repeated.

"Yes, a man!" Grandma answered. "He was wearing a white t-shirt with blood stains on it. I was afraid to look at his face because he looked dead!"

"Come on, Grandma, let's go see the man you're talking about. Maybe he's still alive and just passed out."

We went to where the man was. It was only five in the morning so I didn't see anyone else there.

I saw the man lying on the sand. I sat on the sand and watched his face carefully.

The man is handsome. His nose is pointed. His lips were pale. He has a mustache, long eyelashes, and thick eyebrows.

I stood up and looked at the man's body. My heart pounded when I saw his muscular chest in his wet t-shirt. His muscular arm was bleeding, and because his clothes were wet, the blood spread on his t-shirt.

My eyes widened when I saw his chest move. That's when I realized the man needed help.

"He's still alive, Grandma! I saw him breathing!"

"Thank God!" Grandma said happily. "Help me, we need to take him to our hut to clean his wounds."

We lifted the unconscious man, it was not easy for us to do that because he was heavy.

"Natalia, boil water with guava leaves because that's what we'll use to clean his wounds. I'll also go to town to buy medicine."

"Do you have money, Grandma?"

"I saved three hundred pesos yesterday from the vegetables we sold at the market," said grandma while changing her clothes.

"Grandma, why didn't you take money from his wallet?" I suggest. I saw the man's wallet. It's thick and looks like it's filled with a lot of money.

Grandma pinched my left ear.

"Ouch! It hurts, Grandma." I covered my ears.

"Natalia, I didn't raise you to do bad things. We can't take money that isn't ours. I'll buy medicine that fits with the money I have." Grandma came out of the hut.

"Be careful, Grandma!"

I told grandma that I will buy the medicine at the pharmacy in town. And she will be left in our hut to watch over the man, but she doesn't want to, she thought that instead of buying medicine, I should buy something else.

"I cooked rice and fish. When he wakes up, give him food," said grandmother before leaving.

*****

I patiently watched the man lying on my bed, it was made of bamboo. I know it will be an hour and a half before grandma can return to our hut because we are far from town. We live in Barrio Naga. Fishing is the livelihood of those who live there.

We go to the market every Sunday because that's the day the jeeps travel. There is a tricycle but the charge is very expensive and because of the pandemic, all goods have become expensive.

I fell asleep on the bamboo chair next to the bed where the man was sleeping. I woke up when I heard his moaning.

"Ugh..." he muttered again.

I got up thinking the man was cold because his body was shaking. I took two pillows and placed them on his side to warm his body. I also doubled the blanket over his body.

His body stopped shaking, the blanket helped to relieve the coldness he felt.

It was one o'clock in the afternoon according to the small clock hanging on the wall of our hut. Grandma hasn't come back yet.

I felt hungry so I left the man for a while. I went to the kitchen to get some food. I will eat there on the bamboo chair just next to the bed where the man is lying.

After eating, I heated the fish dish. I cooked rice again because I knew my grandmother would be hungry and tired when she arrived later at our hut.

"I-I'm thirsty... I want to drink water," the man groaned.

I quickly put down the broom made of coconut leaves when I heard the man's voice.

"Wait a minute, sir," I said, hurrying to get some water from the jar.

"Where am I?" he asked almost in a whisper.

"Drink some water," I handed him a glass full of water.

"May I know where I am?" he asked again after drinking water.

"Sir, you are here in our hut," I answered, staring intently at his handsome face. "Are you hungry?"

"Y-yes… Can I ask for some food?"

"Hold on, I'll get you something to eat."

I took a plate of rice and a bowl full of broth and put two slices of cooked fish on it.

Then I went back to my room. I gave him the plate and spoon. I watched him while eating. I noticed that he was having a hard time feeding himself, so I fed him. He didn't refuse, he was still weak.

"Do you still want to eat?" I asked when he finished the food I brought. "I'll get you some more food."

The man shook his head.

"I'm full. Thanks for the food," he said, after drinking water.

"Your welcome, sir. I'm Natalia," I introduced myself, "and you?"

"Shan Morris." I noticed that he looked around the room we were in. "How did I get here?"

"My grandmother saw you this morning and you were unconscious. We thought you were dead."

"Thank you, Natalia. I owe my second life to you and even to your grandmother. One day, I will repay your kindness."

I don't know him, but I feel that he's sincere in what he said.