TWELVE
“NEXT IN LINE!”
“Okay, you get this, this, this, this, and that. Get out of here!”
“Next in line!”
The soldiers are handing out basic supplies for refugees such as clothes, pillow, blankets, and shoes. Free for all. Better than nothing. One soldier is sitting in front of a little table and writing down the number of refugees and the other is telling people what they are getting.
Anij is in the line just like everyone else. It is indeed a very, very long lineup. It might take a while just to distribute all this stuff to everyone. Maybe days. Anij is looking around the naval base. How awkward it is. This is nothing like the island where he used to live. No sand beach, to start with. No critters around. No trees and bushes to play in. Just nothing he can remotely become accustomed to, especially without parents. But there are thousands of things that he had never seen. The battleships, fighter jets, aircraft carriers, and many other naval facilities make him feel the coldness and the cruelty of war. Maybe too artificial and masculine. Nothing natural about them. And definitely it is not making him happy, unlike normal kids.
As much as he hates to be in this place, he keeps up with the rest just to survive. Then there is a faint sign of a rainbow just over a building. That is about the only thing that he likes here. And that is something that can be seen from his old home. He feels a little better, but not a whole lot.
Once all the islanders landed, a few hours ago, they had to make a long lineup for something about which they had no idea, because of course there is a complete communication breakdown. The islanders are standing in the line suspiciously and with many complaints. No common sense would have helped in this situation. They just don’t get it at all. Clueless. But it is good that they are getting stuff for free. They kind of guess that soldiers are giving them these supplies to shut them up for a while till the soldiers find homes for them. Whether it is far-fetched or not, that is what they want to believe. So they are talking and reluctantly trying to accept the reality of the situation.
“Hey, why are they giving all this stuff to us?”
“How would I know?”
“Mom, when are we going to our new place?”
“I am not sure yet. But let’s wait. Just wait . . .”
“I don’t see any house around here. I think it is all for soldiers.”
“Yeah. I noticed, too. Nothing around here except for soldiers.”
“Maybe we are staying here for a few days till they get us our new places. Right?”
“Didn’t you see the big buildings? Maybe one of them is for us. I can see a long lineup here. So maybe we will take a lot of rooms . . .”
“Well . . . I don’t know about that. But let’s wait.”
The islanders initially thought the soldiers would give them a house or at least a new place, because they never thought about themselves as refugees. Thank God they are not hostages. They think that they are just repositioning themselves for now till the soldiers get new places for them. Many people are just too tired and hungry to even fight about this whole nonsense. But some are sticking up for their beliefs. A few throw the supplies on the ground and yell out to the soldiers with their very expressive language that no soldier understands.
“Hey, soldiers! Where is my new home? I don’t see anything. You think you can get rid of us with this stuff?”
One islander throws his clothes and pillow on the ground. Lots of other islanders are watching. They want to ask the soldiers what is going on, but no one speaks English. Urgency without words communicates nothing. So they are just angry with themselves.
The soldiers just don’t care at all. Certainly they cannot communicate with the islanders. They are just doing their jobs. No need to get too involved. As if nothing were happening, the soldiers keep on giving them supplies.
“Next!”
“You get all these and . . .”
“Next!”
“Yeah, those . . .”
Many islanders are desperate to find anyone who can speak English.
“Does anyone speak English? No? Anyone?”
“Did anyone learn how to speak English? Any kid?”
“Oh, by the way, where is the chief? I know he can speak English. Has anyone seen him?”
“Oh, yeah, I think I saw him when I was leaving the port. I think he was standing on the beach looking out to the ocean. I thought he would be coming with us at the end.”
“So what happened? Did he get on board? On any ship?”
“I don’t know. I was too busy with my family, getting on the ship as fast as possible.”
“You really did not see him after that? At all?”
“No, I don’t think so. I just told you I was too terrified to remember anything from that day. That is it. On top of that, I don’t even want to think about that anyway. Don’t ask me anymore.”
“Shit . . . Has anyone seen the chief?”
Some people look around to find the chief. They don’t see him — all they see are just gloomy, worn-out faces. Many islanders may not even care about the chief anymore or about anything at all, at this point. They have lost interest already. One islander gets angry and says to himself, “What the hell is wrong with these people? I am trying to help them and nobody budges. That is just perfect. Same old shit every time . . . Even at a time like this . . . But I will find the chief, and he will ask these assholes what the hell is going on and when we can go back to our homes.”
The man keeps on murmuring. What the islanders don’t realize yet is that this place will be their home for a long time.
After the soldiers provide everyone with basic supplies, a different soldier stops by and makes an announcement for the islanders to go inside the refugee compound. It is a huge fenced-off area.
“All of you! Go inside this compound. You see this? This will be your home for a while. We don’t know when this will be over. So just stick with us. Okay? Any questions?”
The islanders are just looking at the soldier with suspicious and confused looks. Of course they will not ask him anything.
“Okay. No questions. Get inside and wait for dinner.”
The soldier finishes his announcement and leaves the place. He tells one soldier to keep an eye on them.
“Sergeant, make sure you keep an eye on them. I don’t want no protests or any stupid kook going crazy. Understood?”
“Yes, sir!”
The sergeant appoints a few other soldiers to make the islanders go into the compound. “Tommy, Ed, Lopez, Chris . . . and Billie, come here.”
“Yes, sir!” they all answer together with such passion.
“I want you guys to lead those islanders into the refugee compound. And make sure you all keep a close eye on them. No trouble at all. Understood?”
“Yes, sir!”
The soldiers quickly form up and try to lead the islanders to the compound. The islanders are all standing in front of the compound waiting to find out what will happen next. The soldiers try to explain all this to the islanders. Nobody can understand their words.
“Hey, you will go inside. Okay? That will be your home for a while. Okay? Just go in.”
“You heard him. Now move fast. Move!”
“Yes. Yes. Just keep going inside.”
The islanders are pushed into the compound. They are as submissive as a herd of sheep. No energy or will to fight back. They all go inside the compound and take a bed for themselves. The soldiers do their jobs, making them go inside one by one, with as little trouble as possible. Yet the islanders don’t know why they have to be in this place.
The refugee compound is nothing more than a number of big pavilions, with fencing enclosing the whole thing. With maximum optimism, it has a similar feature to their old houses: open concept and not a lot of furniture. This compound should be on a TV show: “How not to build your home.” The ceilings of the pavilions touch their heads. There are many poles that support the ceilings. There are no walls. It is certainly built for minimum privacy. It is basically a quite big open space with beds on the floor. No kitchen, no storage, and nothing else. Just beds. Oops — one final feature: a few areas for toilets. Quite a consideration! Even a prison would be better than this.
With no choice, Anij takes a bed. Certainly he has never slept on a bed. It is obviously a new experience for everyone. Maybe it wouldn’t be too bad. Anij sits on his bed and sets his stuff beside him. He is looking for anything that might resemble his old home or anything familiar that he used to see on his island. As he had already checked it all out while he was waiting in the line, there is really nothing to like about this place.
He is too scared to think about his parents now. His eyes roll very slowly as he tries to adapt to this situation. There must be a thousand things going in and out of his mind. Unrecognizable and untamed emotions flow in and out; his body is just not registering anything right yet. Other islanders are also going through the same thing.
He tries to find another kid in the compound to comfort himself that he is not the only kid here. He finds a few. Suddenly, he feels a little livelier than before and slowly approaches them.
“Hey, why are we here?”
“I don’t know. Mom doesn’t tell me anything.”
“My mom told me that the island is not good anymore. So we are moving to a better place.”
“That is it? Anything else?”
“Have you seen my parents?”
“I don’t know what they look like.”
“You don’t know me?”
“No.”
“Can you ask your mom if she saw my parents?”
A girl asks her mom, “Mom, have you seen his parents?”
“Oh, no. I have not. What happened? You don’t know where they are?”
“No . . .”
“When did you last see them?”
“I saw them at the port when we were leaving from the island. Then we got separated and I never saw them after . . .”
“Oh, poor boy. They must be on another ship, right? There are more ships coming here soon, I think. You see? There? Just wait. They must be there and waiting for you.” She points out some ships that are approaching the port.
“Really?”
“I am sure. Let’s wait. Okay?” She is trying to cheer up Anij. Even before she finishes her sentence, he gets excited and goes back to his bed. He is observing the other ships coming into the port. There are a few more ships around the port as well. It seems like they are about to unload something soon. He keeps on watching the ships.
It has been a few hours that he has been watching numerous ships coming in and out. It is getting dark already. But Anij has not been able to locate his parents yet. He gets up and goes closer to the fence. Even after watching the ships unloading people, luck has turned its face away from him so far. Whenever there is a new ship coming in, he runs to the fence. But he can only go so far — just looking at them from afar. All he hears and sees is lots of soldiers and islanders having trouble understanding one another.
“Get in line!”
“Stop pushing me! I am going!”
“Keep yourself in order!”
“Just because we don’t understand you, it doesn’t mean that you can treat us like that!”
“Move!”
“What am I supposed to do?”
“Get in line, okay?”
“Why bother . . .”
Even though he is sure his parents are not in the crowd, Anij meticulously scans them, one by one, again and again. Tears are gently trickling down his cheeks. His eyes are screaming in agony and silence. No one is coming. The black ocean teaches him the hard lesson that there is no one around him anymore. Soon enough, he is breaking down rapidly and shaking the fence like a death-sentenced prisoner. Solitude wants to become his friend immediately. Eventually, he sits down in front of the fence, limply looking at the ocean. Tides of uptightness consume him in no time. He is dirty, sweaty, and certainly cold. Colder than ever before.
The islanders are watching him struggling with his life at such a young age. Some of them know him and his parents. But there is not much they can do for him. To top things off, in every situation, there is always an evil person who just can’t help himself. The evil man gets up suddenly and screams out, “Anyone! Just stop that kid! I am already in deep shit! I can’t sleep at all! Do something!”
A few people reply to him with much anger.
“What the hell is your problem? He lost his parents. What do you expect?”
The evil man speaks. “Well . . . Whatever . . . I am going back to sleep.”
He turns over and keeps on rambling on about something. A woman from the people who were defending Anij says, “Anij. Stop crying. Your parents must be coming late. Why don’t we wait till tomorrow? I am sure they will be here tomorrow. Okay?”
Anij doesn’t react at all. With so much emotion and silent crying, he is panting deeply. Then she suggests that Anij should go to his bed. “Come on, Anij. Let’s go under the roof. It is getting cold.”
She picks up Anij and takes him to his bed. Anij cannot stop his tears. She goes back to her bed and talks to her husband. “I know his parents. They must have gotten separated at the port. The poor child.”
Her husband answers, “Well, have you seen them?”
“No.”
“Are you going to look for them tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I think I should.”
“Just don’t get into trouble with the soldiers. Okay?”
“Okay. I don’t know what is going to happen to us.”
“I don’t want to know, now.”
After a brief moment of silence, another woman speaks.
“Just when are we getting dinner? I am so hungry.”
“Oh, I forgot about that.”
“Well, we don’t know what they were saying to us. So it is not certain they will give us anything tonight.”
“I hope they give us some food.”
“I got no energy to fight back, now.”
Sorrowful faces on everyone. Their lives are hanging by a thread. But they are totally alienated from a language they can’t understand at all. Fear always creates chattering here and there. A few women start to chat about what their lives might be like.
“Oh, I heard that these soldiers eat nice food, lots of meat and lots of other good stuff. And every day, the meal is different, because they are soldiers. Their government feeds them well to fight well. I wonder what kind of food we will get. I am kind of excited.”
“Oh, really? I never heard much about these soldiers. But I did not know it would be that good. Maybe this is the time to find out. I guess there is one good thing about this — I don’t like to cook every day.”
“Let’s not assume too much or we might be disappointed. We already had enough with these guys. So better not dream about it.”
“Well . . . I didn’t assume anything. I just like that someone will actually cook for me. That is all. Nothing more.”
“Anyway . . . I am really hungry. Maybe I can eat one of the soldiers.”
“What? Hahaha.”
That puts smiles on their faces.
It is not only Anij’s problem, either. There are many others who can’t find their families. This really sucks. They cannot escape from this situation. Not even a hair strand of happiness here. They have been feeling awkward and weary ever since they got here. They keep worrying about their remaining family members: where they could be, what could happen to them . . . and the list goes on. Feelings of uncertainty overrule their optimism that someday they might just find at least one of them.