Birthday: Tsunami, my birthday and hers

The wave comes over and over to the shore, splash the salty water onto my feed, I stand and look to the horizon, it still 2.5 hours to sunset. I did not come here for enjoying the sunset, but to bring my family for little relaxing and swimming on the beach.

A conversation echoing my head again….

Dek Fa: Bang, you have already known that tomorrow is my 19th birthday, right?.
Me: Yes I knew it, so what would you like to do tomorrow princess?
Dek Fa: I would like you bring me to Mata Ie, and I want to come into the cave that you told me, I never see the cave how does it look like.
Me: Cave is only dark chamber with stalactite and stalagmite and it has cold rock wall, but I will bring you there for sure my princess, no worry about that. We all will go there tomorrow morning, prepare yourselves at nine alright. I need to come back to work, it is time to open my burger shop.
Dek Fa: Thank you bang. I love you so so so much abang
Me: I love you more my princes
Dek Fa: Don’t forget to bring the lucky girl with you, I would like to know her before she become part of our family. Okay????
Me: I will see, if she has time for tomorrow. Kay??

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Dec 25th, 2004.

16.00

I prepared all veggies and bread to sell burger, I didn’t feel really good, the air was very humid, and I was sweating, my cloth was getting wet, 15 minutes later I was in the position in front of the most famous coffee shop in Banda Aceh Solong Coffee Shop, selling burger, and chocolate toasted bread, my costumers started to order and nothing wrong with that beautiful evening in Banda Aceh. I look at the evening sky, there were hundreds of flock of birds flew over the sky. I had no clue why they migrate so early this year in such large amount. I paid no more attention to the birds.

21.00

Thousands of birds flew over the night sky, as if it was never ended, flying under the red moon light. I questioned myself what happen?, or what would have happened?. They flew from the North West to (the sea) to the South East (higher ground). They crossed over Ulee kareng, so I could hear their song or maybe their tasbih, or even they were giving us a warning, but no one paid any attention, neither do I. “Hi, look why are so many bird flying over the sky to night?” I told my friend, and he only answered with little glance to the sky, “Maybe they are boring and need some new place for Saturday night hang out!".

22.00

It was too late to come to my girl friend house in Lambaro Skep, I will visit her tomorrow on the way to my sister’s place Ulee Lheu. One by one my friends and costumers walked home, I started to close my hamburger stan, and ready to come back to Lampineung where my welding workshop was. I stay there that night because I needed to check something with my friend’s car engine, and we had a planning to repair some old part of the engine tomorrow after midday. I would have time after lunch, because I will accompany my little sister and 2 of younger brother (dek Fa and two younger brothers are my cousins) to Mata Ie in the morning. I look at the night sky again a lot more birds flying over under moon light. Must be something went wrong somewhere on the island close to mainland of Aceh. I would know it in few days, I said to myself. I went to my workshop that night at 22.30, it was so quiet night because Aceh still in a bloody conflict between ASNLF (Aceh Sumatera National Liberation Front) and Indonesian Government. I went pass trough military patrol group without a world, they move in defensive formation and ready for any unexpected ambush. I gave a glance to them and slowly passed them, I was lucky that they did not stop me and asked questions.

Dec 26th 2004

24.00

I could not close my eyes, I walk out my room and check the things that was not necessary to check, finally I decided to wash my socks and a pair of clothes, I will need it on Monday, I cleaned my shoes too. I didn’t know what time it was, I saw my sister Dek Fa walking so graceful with thousands of people, I knew some of them, their faces are so bright and happy, I wave my hand and ask where they are going to go. But they did not answer a word, but just smile at me and keep walking. Suddenly I saw Dek Fa is stepping closer to me and stops right in front of me and said “Today is the happiest day in my life, I want to go to the most beautiful place, please lets me go. Tell mom and Dad I love them, I will wait for you there abang”. I can say any word. I heard Azan from a mushalla close to my workshop, I woke up and confused. I had a strange dream about my sister. I took my sarong and walked to Mushalla for praying Subuh. 15 minute later I came back I thought about my dream. I sit in my friend’s car and felt sleep again.

7.30 am

I felt the car was shaking, and I woke up in hurry. I was not panic, but I saw Bang Kope and his family was already in the front yard and shouting at me to get out from the car. I came out from the car and sit on the ground, the earth still shaking and 2 minutes later it completely stopped. I took my motor bike and went for a cup of coffee to Ulee Kareng. Along the way I saw some houses had minor damage and one was really damage to ground. Many people outside the house, some of them were crying and some others were praying to Allah. The condition was in chaos, I thought it was not a major thing. I planned to go to Ulee Lhee directly to check my home, but I thought I could go later after a cup of coffee.

8.00 am

I took a sip of coffee while I chatted with some friends of mine about the earthquake, no one discuss a major impact of it. Suddenly, my cup is bumping on the table and people ran out from the coffee shop, I paid my coffee immediately and went out when I heard the screaming of a crowd from a distance “Air Naik!!!!, Air Naik!!! (Wave is coming!!!!, wave is coming)”, but I did not get what did it mean. I took motor bike and went back to my workshop, when I arrive there I saw the dark water floating really fast toward me, Bang Kope and his family had already been in the car and started to flee away. He worried, and said a word to me “I will go to the nearest mosque, you should go and meet us there”, I said “I will catch you up there!”. I remembered to take my shoes and socks for Monday Collage day. When I turned my back, the water is already wash my feed. I moved as fast as I could, but I saw a woman stunned on the road and screaming for help, I took her hand and get her on my bike. I drove it as fast as I could, a hundred of miters she jumped out from the bike and ran away, I flipped on the water, and I woke up. Debris, cupboard, pillow and many other things are floating in the water, the black smelly water was at my waist. “Where it comes from?” I asked myself. At the first glance I did not believe my eyes; I saw a baby without clothes on. I thought it was a doll, but it was not. I grab him, I tried to move from the water. The current helped me a bit, 10 minutes later I reach the dry land and screaming for help, because I brought a baby boy with me. I checked his pulse, he had not been with me long ago. I put him a side of road, no one there. I came back for my motor bike and it needed 20 minutes to bring my bike to the “sleeping” baby. Lucky I could start my bike on and bring the baby to the mosque. People approached and ask; who is the baby?, where I found him, and many more question. The old man came closer and said; put him down, It is big disaster. I have no more comments, I need to find the way to check my sister in Ulee Lhee. I was so worried about what I had seen, I took my bike and heading to Ulee Lhee (normaly it takes 30 minutes). Last point I could reach in the crowd was Beurawe, I saw the whole things. It was a massive destruction, no way to go further by motor bike. I put it there and started to walk through the bridge and my plan is the Grand Mosque of Banda Aceh, but finally I could only reach Peuniti, end of point, I was shocked, frustrated, I saw crops, debris, and ruins there is no chance for me to get there or to my girl friend house. Only I little hope that my sister would have a chance to escape with the other people.

9.30 am

I Went back to place where I left my bike, I was lucky to find it back and ride it. My next destination was Darussalam to check my sister at Lampoh U. But, again Lam gugop was flooding and inaccessible. I turned back to Ulee Kareng with frustrated mind, and drove on the other road through Blang Bintang, finally I got to Lampoh U at 11 am, I saw my older sister is cleaning the house as if nothing had happened. I asked her to get prepared to leave soon as possible. She asked me back; Why??. “Don’t you know half of Banda Aceh had been swept by massive waves, I guessed 1000 death”. No, not possible, she said to me. I had been from Peuniti to check our sister Dek Fa in Ulee Lhee, but I could not get there, I worried about her. Suddenly she stopped cleaning the floor, I saw tears. I could not tell her more, but I said; Get ready we need to move now. Take only the important things and some food if you have it. She told the rest of the house to get ready and it took 30 minutes for us to be ready. It was 15 in a group, we walked toward to Blang Bintang. I drove the bike slowly to accompany them, they started to cry since they realized what had happened.

13.30

My group and I had arrived in Tanjung Seulamat Mosque. I asked my sister to stay there and wait till I came back there. I decided to check to Lamnyong, I put my bike at my sister housein Lampoh U and walked to Lamnyong, I started to find the survivor under the ruins, but none of them alive. I found 25 bodies till 5 O’clock. I was so tired and exhausted, I sit there waiting for more helps, but no, only a few and helped me to move the bodies to the main road. People also looking for their family and asking if I saw the one they mention with specific features, when I said “no”, they would portray more detail of their family.

17.30

A screaming under debris, I saw a naked man, He asked for help. I missed hem on my first check. I helped him to get out from the ruin. He managed to seat and the first question was; where is my weapon, I should get it back, I am a police officer (it is normal in Aceh, every police office brings M16, SS1 Pindad or AK 45/47). I said to him while I try to find something to cover his body; “You need medical attention right now, you can not find your gun anywhere you seek”, I helped him to get to the road and left him with other people for help, I came back to the place I found him. It was almost dark when I heard someone screaming and I saw a red flag waft from a coconut tree about 150 miters from my position. I wanted to help, but the water to the coconut tree was still high. I took a chance when I found a 30 liters jerrycan as buoy. I realized that that one might be able to swim but might be not, so I need to prepare myself if I want to help. I tied up with a piece of rope I found there to my shoulder and started to swim to get to coconut tree. It was not easy to get there because of the current was strong enough to flow me away. I asked the man (I could see him clearer) to come down and I would be able to help. He came down from the tree and hold so tight, (it was a nightmare to help the panic man). I gave him jerrycan to save myself, he grab it and I asked to swim to the closest dry land, and he did, I was about to swim back to the road when I saw a girl floating slowly passing my position, she holds a big piece of Styrofoam, she still alive, I shouted at her, her response was only a little glance.

18.30

I took off my shirt, and try to get closer to the girl, try to communicate with her. Only little voice I could hear; My mom….I grab the same Styrofoam and swim crossing the current. I took 45 degree as my 2 years experience as rafting guide to reach the road. I brought her alive to the land, I found a bad cover to cover her naked body and carried her to Darussalam Mosque since the dark was falling down. There were a few groups of volunteer working to help people, I saw one of my junior was working, I asked her to help the lady I brought, I handed over her to my junior and I went back to take my bike at my sister’s rent room and then came back to see my older sister.

21.30

I question that I would never have any answer for; How is Dek Fa? My sister asked me that question. I keep quiet, she asked the same question repeatedly, I could not hold my tear any longer. Only one word I said to my older sister; Dek Fa is very well right now. My dream was flowing on my mind when I said that word. I could not sleep well from that night and years later. Every July 16th I will remember her, because she is the one who will remain me about my birthday and always has a surprise for me and in return she would ask me for something. She pronounced lost in Tsunami on her 19 years old. But she will be always in our heart.

Monday, July 16th 2018.

Today, I pray for her, I believe that she has been in the heaven with others. Monday was the day I breathed for the first time on the planet earth 40 years ago. I was not aware about my birthday until someone remained me on the whatsapp chat. I received that chat when I was on the beach with my little family to enjoy swimming on the beach. May Allah bless you as always my little princes!

This post is supposed to be posted on Monday, July 16th for my birthday.

This story is base on actual event. It was what I had been through on Dec 26th 2004.