The branch shook as a strong gust of wind blew. Several leaves fell down, and I frowned because I knew my mother would ask me later to sweep them. I scoffed in irritation when I heard the children in our neighborhood shouting loudly. I shut the book I'm reading because I knew I couldn't concentrate on reading it further.
It's summer, so it's only natural that a lot of children were playing outside. I stood up and walked towards our backyard to check on my brother, only to find that he wasn't there. It's almost lunch, so I somehow panicked because I knew my mother would return soon. I check our wall clock.
'Ok, I need to find him before it strikes 11:00'
I started heading towards my grandma's house, and when I asked her if Vince was there, she answered that he wasn't. Dread and panic started to creep into my system, but I brushed it off, hoping that he's just at my uncle's house. I called my cousin and asked him if Vince was there, but still, not a shadow of Vince was found. I went to our neighborhood to ask if he was there, but unfortunately, he wasn't also there. The worry I felt gradually turned into some kind of anger directed both at my restless brother and at myself.
I continued searching for him, and finally I heard his voice from the distance. I ran towards where his voice was coming from, and relief flooded in me when I saw him in the grassland quite far from our house. I immediately shouted his name, and upon hearing it, he immediately turned around. He smiled sheepishly because he knew he had certainly done something wrong.
When I reached him, I immediately grabbed his collar to drag him to a nearby shady tree. He protested while I grabbed him. After reaching the shady tree, I pinched his ears until he stopped protesting.
"You damn kid! Did I tell you to roam around without permission? The last thing I remembered was that you're not allowed to roam beyond our backyard. What will I tell Mama if you get lost and kidnapped?!", I said angrily while gazing at him ferociously.
Afraid, he just cast his gaze downwards while answering me, "But até *, I couldn't play on my own in our backyard. It's no fun playing alone."
"What? Alone? What about those kids playing near our backyard? Can't you play with them?", I harshly asked while still gazing at him.
He scratched his head in trepidation, and then what came next became quite a shock for me.
"Ateeé * !", he shouted. "They didn't want to play with me because I have no kite! I can't force them, you know!", he said in a sudden angry outburst.
I pinched him, but this time harder.
"You—what?! Did you lose the kite I made you?", I said angrily.
He stared at me with a tearful eye and nodded. I stopped pinching him when I realized he was really telling the truth. He looked down as if he were too ashamed to admit what he had done, and when he looked up, I saw that he was on the verge of crying, but he stopped it by biting his inner cheek.
"Yes," he said weakly.
I know Vince is really a good kid, despite the fact that he's most of the time a hard-headed one.
"Sorry, até *... I really tried to get it back, but it got stuck to one of the branches, and when I tried to get it back, the thread snapped," he continued.
After hearing what he said, I somehow pitied him. I rumpled his hair.
"Ok, ok, fine...", I said gently.
He looked up and smiled sadly at me. I am certain that he is not just lying because I know that he really liked the kite I gave him.
"I really tried to get it back até *, but it got stuck to the highest branch of the apple rose tree. I want to climb it, but grandma scolded me when she saw me. Sorry até *...I wasn't able to get it back," he said while biting his nails.
I clicked my tongue and then swatted off the hands he was biting. Then a sudden idea came up, and without thinking about it thoroughly, I suddenly asked him.
"Ok, where's that damn kite?", I asked.
His face lightened up, and with renewed enthusiasm, he answered me.
"There!", he pointed at the tall apple rose tree. "There it is, até * !", he said while skipping his way towards the foot of the tree.
I gazed up at the vast branches of the tree and tried to search for a kite. I frowned when I saw it wasn't there.
"The kite wasn't he—
"No, ate *, come here so that you'll see where it is," he said while dragging me by the arm.
My jaw almost dropped when I saw where it was. It's almost on the highest branch of the tree, and I think I can't reach it.
"Vince I don't think I can..." I muttered slowly. "I can get—", I stopped because I saw that his face fell as soon as he realized what I was going to say.
I somehow felt a pang of guilt when I saw his face, and the next thing I did was something I really hadn't thought about first.
I took off my slippers and started climbing the tree.
Of 'course, I know how to because I spent my younger years climbing the trees around our house. I was really an adventurous kid way back then, but when I started the fourth grade, I stopped doing it. Maybe it's a puberty thingy because I somehow feel embarrassed when I'm seen climbing a tree.
Anyway, I brush off that idea as I focus more on climbing the tree. I swing branch by branch to reach the top left of the tree. As I ascend, the branches seem frailer than the previous ones I've stepped on. I was about to take another step when a strong gust of wind blew. The whole tree shook, and to prevent myself from falling, I hugged its trunk. When the wind subsided, I continued to climb further until I reached the branch where the kite was stuck.
I exhaled loudly to release the tension I was feeling. I tried to calm myself by assuring myself that what I'm doing is nothing compared to what I've done in the past.
'I wasn't called the pale monkey for nothing', I said to myself while focusing my gaze on the dangling kite.
For a moment, I was tempted to look down, but then I decided against it. I know I'll just get afraid further if I look down, so I started taking small steps towards the branch. I took the first step using my right feet to test the branch, and when I was sure it wouldn't snap, I then took a step with my left foot. After a few more moments, I reached where the kite was. I tried to get it carefully, but I noticed that the thread got really tangled in the branch.
I tried to pull it with force, and of 'course the thread snapped, and so did the branch on which I'm currently stepping. I gasped in shock when I heard the cracking sound, but luckily my reflexes were fast. I grabbed the nearest branch I could hold onto immediately. I threw down the kite towards my brother, and when I felt the branch bend due to my weight, I swung my body towards the trunk, and there I clung desperately for my life.
I suddenly heard laughter, and I gazed down and saw it was my sister, Loi.
"Hey 'góy **, what are you doing?", she shouted in between her deranged laughter.
I didn't respond until I got down to the tree. I grunted when I finally slipped on the slipper I took off before climbing the tree.
"Nothing...", I said, feigning nonchalance, but I guess my irritation became apparent because I saw the kite was somehow torn.
She grinned when she saw my irritated face. She seemed to notice my disappointment, so she said. "Don't worry, 'góy **, we'll fix it."
I rolled my eyes to mask the embarrassment I was feeling. I diverted my gaze to Vince, and there I saw him smiling. He then hugged me.
"Thanks, até *," he said.
I sighed and gazed upwards.
The branch that snapped earlier was indeed at the very high part of the tree.
I wanted to laugh when I recalled what I'd done. I didn't really think first, and I'm glad I didn't.
NOTE:
até *: Filipino ; older sister
'góy **: Filipino ; shorten form of unggoy or monkey
