TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE: Caught by the Enhanced Community Quarantine at Midnight | #StayHome #WithMe

 March 17, 2020—a date that remains etched in my memory, a night when life as I knew it took a dramatic turn. It started like any other day at work, filled with the usual hustle and chatter. But as the clock ticked closer to evening, an emergency meeting was announced. The room fell silent as we were informed of a Luzon-wide Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) taking effect at 12:01 AM. The news hit like a thunderbolt: an executive order had been issued, and we had only an hour to make it home before the lockdown began. Panic swept through the office as everyone scrambled to leave. The streets outside were already shifting into an eerie stillness. Public transportation had vanished, and the thought of being caught outside during curfew was terrifying.

I remember running down the dimly lit street, my heart pounding as I searched for any means to get home. The usually busy roads were now ghostly quiet, save for a few people clutching their belongings and rushing like me. Every second felt like a race against time. The reality of the pandemic’s grip began to sink in as fear gripped my chest. Would I make it home? Would I be stranded? Finally, I managed to get a ride, and as I entered my front door just minutes before midnight, I felt a fleeting sense of relief—but it was quickly replaced by an overwhelming wave of uncertainty.

The next morning was like stepping into a dystopian movie. I opened my window to EDSA Avenue, one of the busiest thoroughfares in the Philippines, and was met with complete emptiness. No cars. No people. Just silence. The only signs of life were the occasional military patrol and the distant wail of an ambulance. The sight was haunting, a stark reminder of how quickly the world could change. It gnawed at my mental state, leaving me anxious and unsettled. I lost my appetite and found myself staring blankly at the emptiness outside, unable to shake the feeling that the world had come to a standstill.

Those early days of the pandemic were a blur of fear and despair. The sudden halt of normalcy, the uncertainty of what lay ahead, and the isolation of being confined to my home weighed heavily on me. I felt trapped, not just physically but emotionally. Each day was a battle to find hope and meaning amid the chaos. Looking back now, that night and the days that followed taught me the fragility of life and the strength we must summon to face the unexpected. This story is my tribute to everyone who endured those dark moments and found a way to keep moving forward.

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