The old man stared at the sea and breathed in the salty air.
It wasn’t always like this. Once upon a time his bones didn’t ache. But once upon a time was a long time ago and he leaned on his cane as he waited for the sunset.
His meditations were interrupted by a loud shout.
“Lolo! What happened here?!”
The old man ignored the boy approaching him. All he wanted was to be alone in this moment.
“Lolo, I know there was a hill here, and now it is gone. How is that possible?!”
The boy looked imploringly at the old man and he was met with a grimace.
“I have no time to answer your silly questions! Leave me be!”
The boy would not relent.
“Please Lolo! I loved playing on the hill with my friends. It is where we would always meet. Surely it must be somewhere?”
The old man pointed his cane at the boy and said, “How can you be so sure it was a hill?”
The boy replied “But what else could it be?”
The old man found a stone to sit on and looked at the boy. He pointed his cane towards the sea and said, “It is over there.”
“Where is it lolo? I don’t see anything!”
“That is because it is under the waves.”
“How is that possible? Hills can’t do that!” The boy’s brows ruffled in confusion.
“I just said it wasn’t a hill.” The old man sighed. Young people these days just don’t listen. Youth is surely wasted on the young.
“I don’t understand lolo.”
“That’s because you don’t pay attention. What do you remember about the hill?”
“It had grass growing all over it. It was gray and rocky.”
“Did you ever see its face?”
“Lolo! Hills don’t have faces.”
“I keep telling you it wasn’t a hill! Now do you want answers or will you leave me alone?”
“I didn’t see any face when I was playing.”
“You don’t pay attention to where you are, and it’s a sad sight to see in one so young. I remember when I was your age, taking everything for granted. Believe me boy, days like these never last.”
“You still haven’t answered my question. Where did the hill go?”
“I really envy you. You have your whole life ahead of you, and the worst part is you’ll never realize what you have until it’s all gone.”
“Lolo, please. I just want to know.”
“If I tell you will you leave me alone?”
“Yes lolo, whatever you want.”
“It got tired of being there so it left.”
“What?”
“Now leave me alone.”
“But hills can’t just walk away!”
“This one can and it did. Now you said you would leave if I told you. So leave.”
“But—“
“LEAVE!!”
As the boy ran away from the old man, a smile crept across his wizened face. He threw his cane on the ground and walked towards the ocean.
As he let the water surround his body he moved his joints in a way they hadn’t been moved in years. Tears mixed in with the saltwater as he swam through the sea.
Maybe the hill was right about something after all.
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Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Inspired by the Daruanak legends from Bicol.
Daruanak Illustration by Edrian Paolo T. Baydo
Color by Alexa Garde
Website: Lexa.us