The Water WarriorVersión en línea Narrative Text por Alvia Aisyah 1 Nesa and her family had just moved to the village of Palindi Tanabara in East Sumba. It was a beautiful place, but during the dry season, water was very hard to find.One day, Nesa came home to find her mother lying sick in bed. She rushed to the kitchen, hoping to boil some water. But there was barely any water left.“Oh no,” Nesa whispered. “How will we eat and drink?”Usually, her mother was the one who collected fresh water for the family. 2 “I’m going to fetch water, Mother,” said Nesa bravely.She paused. They were new to the village, and she didn’t even know where the water source was. But she knew she had to try.Just then, she heard a voice outside.“Mama, I’m going to get water!” called Ambu, her neighbor.Nesa ran out. “Ambu, can I go with you to collect water?”Ambu looked at her. “Can you handle the long walk up the hills?”“Yes, I can. I really can!” said Nesa, determined. 3 Nesa grabbed a jerrycan, but the cap was missing.“Are you sure you want to go?” her mother asked. “Do you even know the way?”“I’m going with Ambu,” Nesa answered with a small smile.Soon, Nesa and the other children were walking together, full of hope that they would find clean water today.The path was rocky and rough. They walked up and down hills under the hot sun.“It’s so hot…” Nesa muttered. “Water… where are you?” 4 She started to feel very tired. The walk was much harder than she had expected.“Ouch! My sandal!” she cried as it slipped off.“Wait for me!” she shouted, trying to catch up. She never thought they’d have to walk so far.“Ambu, is it still far?” she asked.“We’re almost there,” Ambu replied.“How much longer?”“There hasn’t been rain for a while. Just a little further, okay? Hang in there,” said Ambu kindly. 5 Nesa slowed down again. Before she knew it, the others were far ahead. She pushed herself to move faster.Soon, she heard everyone shout with joy. “Hurray! There’s water!”But when Nesa looked, she saw a steep path full of sharp rocks.“We still have to go down there?” she whispered. She carefully climbed down, but almost slipped.Finally, they reached the water. It was clean and cool. Nesa dipped her hands in it. It felt amazing after all the heat and walking. 6 “Let’s fill our jerrycans!” Ambu called.Nesa filled hers. “This should be enough until tomorrow,” she said. But when she tried to lift it…“Ugh, it’s so heavy!”Time to go home. They had to climb the steep path again.“Why is it so hard to get water?” Nesa asked herself.Suddenly, she tripped over a rock. Her jerrycan fell. Water spilled everywhere.“Ow!” she cried, holding her knee. 7 There wasn’t much water left in her jerrycan.“How will this help Mother?” she whispered, almost in tears.“Do you want some of my water?” Ambu offered gently.“You have so many people in your house,” Nesa said. “You need it too.”She looked around at her friends. They were all carrying water, even after such a hard walk.“If they can do it… I can too,” she said quietly. “Sister, I’ll go down again and get more water.” 8 “I have to try again. I have to help Mother. I can do it!” Nesa told herself.She was slower than the others now, but that didn’t matter. She knew the path. She could do it on her own.Before the sun set, Nesa arrived home.“Mother! Look! I brought water!” she said proudly.Her mother smiled.“I’m so happy I was able to get water today,” Nesa said. “I’m a water warrior, Mother.”
