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October 18, 1944

I have not written for several days as I have been ill in bed with influenza and severe asthma. Coné remained with me at night. After each injection I was able to sleep. Thank God I am better today. This is no time to be sick when one needs to get up and seek shelter from the raids.

During the last four days there were air raid alarms. On the 14th and 15th the planes seemed to be scattered, and we only saw four or five. Yesterday, an eye witness told Coné that she saw over 100. They flew along the coast of Molo and over the open sea. One man said they looked to be about 400. We could hear the drone and knew there were many, but could not see them. I looked out the window and saw two flying from the north towards the sea. We knew then that they were not meant for us, but for the other islands.

This morning the siren blew at 8:30 a.m. Susie and I did not go downstairs, as we did no hear any planes. The weather is very stormy – a typhoon is brewing – and how can a person run to the shelter and fox holes in this weather? We have heard of some people who have stood up to the shoulders in water in fox holes.

During the first air raid, the Japanese took no chances and removed all their patients from the hospital and placed them in fox holes and shelters. I am wondering if they did this today in the downpour. On October 13, I moved upstairs next to Susie. I have a nice room partitioned off by her aparador. Doña Rose Jesena and all the folks who were staying downstairs were very nice to me. In fact, they are all very fine people, but the room seemed to be damp as the walls are concrete and also the floors. I really blame the place for my severe cold. In my new room, the sunshine filters through the window bars (most windows in the tropics have iron bars to keep out burglars, although these windows are high and it would take one of our fire department ladders to reach them.)

As I sit writing at the table, three little birds are eating the rice kernels that I placed on the window sill. They come every day and even eat from the table.