Cloud forming a hand

Prinah stood up and reached the water jug hangs on a branch of a tree. After drinking, she extended her arms and offered some water to the bird, but the bird ignores her and continues biting the sweet potato.

"Thank You, God I'm full," Prinah raises up her arms while looking up at the blue sky.

After putting down her arms, she glances into the old house.

"Where are you, Father?" Prinah imagines now her father moves inside and outside the house, how he roamed around it, clearing the surroundings, drawing water from the well, cooking alone and how happy he was with the bird. She then glanced sideways to the bird while biting its food. She then turns her head to the house and thinks.

"I will make you a paradise," Prinah takes a deep breath and exhales because she knows how worky the tasks were.

She then moves forward toward the house. A few seconds, she turns her head back to the bird and extended her left hand sideward, then the bird noticed her motion quickly flap its wings and flies toward her. While the bird landed on her, she smiles.

"Will you help me cleaned the house?" she raised her eyebrows and smiled at the bird, "We will clean it and make it beautiful," she then walks toward the storage room and get the bolo. Prinah then began clearing the surroundings of the house. While Prinah cleared the weeds, the bird flies around the house and watch her. A lot of sweat coming out from her body cause wetting her cloth for the weeds are so thick climbing the window, wall, and roof of the house. She takes a break when she feels tired. She sat beside the house and leaned her back on the wall. For a while, Prinah cooling her body with the gentle breeze of the forest. After taking a recess and she gained her strength, she then goes back to work. More than an hour of working, Prinah finished clearing the weeds that envelop the surroundings. She puts back the 'bolo' in the storage room, then draws water from the well and drink. After that, she got inside the room and changed her cloth. A few moments later, she walks outside the house and seat under the big 'narra' tree. She smiles while looking at the building that frees at last from the weeds that cover its views. In a little distance from the tree, Prinah realized the beautiful design of the house. She was amazed by how her father built such a beautiful building amid the forest. Lots of questions, coming out of her mind thinking about how her father accomplishes the building.

"I'm just confused about how you planned and built this house?" Prinah thought. Suddenly she remembers something, "Ah! The book."

She went down to the underground music room, and get the book from the drawer and bring it outside the house. She sat down under the tree, then she put the book on her lap and turn some pages of the book. She was hoping to find out some records during the construction of the house. After turning the pages, she found out the records of the whole budget of the building. The materials, builders, salaries, and date of the construction is well-indicated. She remembers that 'lolo' Rio told her about the house was inherited by her father from his grandparents.

"Maybe his grandparents entrusted him the money," Prinah holds her chin while guessing, "My father was still young when his grandparents give him the budget, but how come his grandparents entrusted him this budget and not his parents?" Prinah determined that her father is trustworthy in terms of budgeting money.

There were budgets allotted to each person who works every day. She noticed that certain days indicate rest days.

"Why did my father does not work these days?" Prinah consulted herself, "Where is he going on these vacant days?" Prinah further asks herself.

After turning some pages of the book, she finds something that her father always states bills and a group of children. She suspects that her father spends a lot of money in the hospital and a group of children.

"I need to go to those places; I know they knew him." Prinah thought while looking at the house in a little distance, "I hope 'lolo' Rio is here.

Prinah planned everything she had to do while sitting on the ground with the book in her lap. She knows how risky the tasks she has to do. She was thinking of where to stay in the city while searching for her father. Many questions are coming out in her mind.

"What if this happened..? What if like these…? What if it will not work…?" Prinah raised her eyes to the sky while covering her mouth, "Oh God! Please help me! I cannot do this. Please guide me on what to do. I want to meet my father. You know that I do not know how to pray but this one thing I ask from you, please lead me to where my father was. I have been in this house for many days, but my father is not coming." tear flowing from her eyes as she bows her head while looking at the book.

The gentle breeze of the forest waves her hair as if wiping her face. The fallen leaves carried by the wind passing in her front. The leaves of the grasses create sounds as the wind blows. She raised her head to the sky and saw a cloud forming a hand. Prinah found hope and peace when she saw the cloud that formed a hand. She laughed and stood up on her feet. For her, it was a sign that she is never alone. She believes that the cloud that formed a hand represents her father's guidance. When she turns her back, she saw the bird was not there anymore. She then picks the book and carries it back into the underground. After climbing the stairs, she immediately lies down on her bed because she was tired.