Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
REGION IV-A CALABARZON
CITY SCHOOLS DIVISION OF CABUYAO
GULOD NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Purok 3, Brgy. Gulod, City of Cabuyao, Laguna

Pre-reading
A. Choose the letter of the correct answer. a. Cry out in pain
b. Gag or vomit
1. The author describes Micah as feeling c. Tremble with fear
"numbly" when settling down on the rocky d. Faint with shock
ledge. What does "numbly" mean?
a. Eagerly 4. Micah's rational brain cuts off the cycle of
b. Nervously his thoughts abruptly. What does "abruptly"
c. Without feeling or sensation mean?
d. Angrily a. Gradually
b. Unexpectedly and suddenly
2. Micah experiences "delirious" thoughts due c. Continuously
to the intense heat. What does "delirious" d. Carefully
mean?
a. Calm and composed 5. Micah's desperate journey towards the
b. Confused and disoriented storm involves a "perilous" climb. What does
c. Alert and focused "perilous" mean?
d. Content and satisfied a. Safe and secure
b. Risky and dangerous
3. Micah wretches into the sand upon c. Comfortable
discovering Mr. Barden's lifeless body. What d. Easy and effortless
does "wretch" mean?

B. Picture Analysis. Look at the pictures below and write a short scenario

C. Read Aloud. By rows, read the tongue twister below.

While we were walking, we were watching window washers wash Washington's windows with
warm washing water.

Address: Purok 3, Brgy. Gulod, City of Cabuyao, Laguna

Codes: 07001090409; 04 34 04 007
Contact No.: (+63) 927 984 6204
Email Address: yolly.valiente001@deped.gov.ph
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
REGION IV-A CALABARZON
CITY SCHOOLS DIVISION OF CABUYAO
GULOD NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Purok 3, Brgy. Gulod, City of Cabuyao, Laguna

During Reading

King of Flames and Queen of Tides

By: Nathaniel Stiles
The sun beat down on Micah’s head, driving him to seek shelter. A rocky ledge looked to be the best
place of survival for him, so he loped over and settled down numbly. Heat radiated from the ground
in visible waves, and Micah knew instinctively that the temperature would not fall anytime soon.
Water. He needed water.
How had this happened so fast? Just days ago, he had been sitting comfortably in his house, eating
chips and drinking Gatorade. And then the Firestorm. Water, he needed water.
The Firestorm had been a massive tempest of heat and rock, crushing everything in its path. Micah
had been out camping by himself at the time and had been able to hide in relative safety from the
storm. Water. He needed water.
Deep inside his conscience, he knew that he was growing delirious. The heat was getting to his
head. Literally and figuratively. Sweat beaded on his brow, running down in streams, before
evaporating with a hiss of steam. What he wouldn’t do for a glass of water!
Micah stared out at the desert landscape, trying to find the remains of his house amongst the sand
that had once been concrete for roads and asphalt for driveways. The ledge he rested under was a
leaning wall, the only thing left of whatever building had been here.
Micah vaguely remembered times of happiness and family, of joyous laughter and pretty girls. Now
what was left for him? Heat. That was all that was left. A stream. He just wanted a stream.
The sun crawled up the horizon, leaving burning footprints on the land. Trees that had long
survived withered under its steps. The sun was king. It wrecked the land once more, with no clouds
to halt its fury. Micah huddled as far against the wall as he possibly could, sheltering himself from
its rage.
Fear pulsed through his veins. Yet another source of heat. If the sun caught him, he was doomed.
Nothing else was more frightening than that fate. Again his rational brain knew that he was
delirious. Yet, his irrational brain didn’t care.
Would he melt? Burn up? Disintegrate? His thoughts whirled on overdrive, cycling through distinct
phases. Fear. Acceptance. Water. Heat.
Finally, his rational brain forced its way in and cut off the cycle abruptly. Micah stood, realizing
that the sun had paced its way to sunset and was not a danger anymore. He sighed in relief.
Another day of survival. Of waiting for water. His throat burned with a raw thirst.
Decided, he walked around to check for survivors. The ground shifted under his steps, and he
stumbled, falling to the gravelly sand. His legs stung when they hit. Shakily, he stood again, and
peered apprehensively at his legs. Small cuts peppered his thighs where they had slid on the sand.
Blood slowly trailed from a few of them, dripping onto the ground and becoming crimson blotches in
the sand.

Address: Purok 3, Brgy. Gulod, City of Cabuyao, Laguna

Codes: 07001090409; 04 34 04 007
Contact No.: (+63) 927 984 6204
Email Address: yolly.valiente001@deped.gov.ph
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
REGION IV-A CALABARZON
CITY SCHOOLS DIVISION OF CABUYAO
GULOD NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Purok 3, Brgy. Gulod, City of Cabuyao, Laguna

Micah winced and hurriedly pressed his palms against his leg to try to stop the flow. Pain flared up
his leg, causing him to wrench his hand from his leg and cry out. His hands had sand on them!
Almost sitting down, he changed his mind. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he walked
determinedly onward.
The sun sunk below the horizon, and darkness swam in, covering him and soothing his many
burns. He smiled, enjoying the soothing sensation, knowing that the sun would strut in and ruin
his world again. The night could only last so long. He picked up the pace, practically running across
the sand.
He slipped and slid but managed to stay on his feet, propelling himself with the help of the meager
traction lent from the sand. Soon, he reached the ruins of his neighborhood and stood,
dumbfounded at the amount of destruction.
Only the edges of the neighborhood had been hit! The rest was intact. Micah smiled, feeling warmth
creep into his heart. Not a bad warmth, this time, but a comforting warmth. He strode happily in,
looking for old Barden, his elderly neighbor. The badger of a fellow wasn’t in sight. Oh, well, he
tended to stay inside anyway. Nothing to worry about.
He kept walking, searching for anyone. Dread started to replace his happiness, and the earlier
warmth retreated. Where was everyone? His foot fell on something soft. He looked down, and gasped
as he saw what lay beneath his feet. Mr. Barden!
The man’s face was blackened and lifeless, his figure gaunt. Burns covered his body, causing the
horrible pallor of his skin. Bile rose in Micah’s throat and he wretched into the sand, pain spasming
in his stomach. His throat burned. His irrational brain took hold again. Heat. Water.
Nothing mattered more than those two things. He stumbled away from the corpse, numb. He was in
shock. Lack of water. His legs gave way and he struck the ground, cheek grinding into the sand.
Pain flared through his body, then dulled, overcome by his shock.
Death. That’s what this was. He was dying. Tears wouldn’t come. He stared up at the moon from
the corner of his vision. The moon was queen. Bringer of the tides.
Desperately in need of water, he prayed, closing his eyes. Please, my dear queen. Give me the gift of
water. Rain. Please let me live! I bow before your will of waves on the brink of death! Please… His
thoughts were growing sluggish. He opened his eyes, staring upward. Hoping. Praying.
Clouds began to gather across the horizon, forcing their way across the sky, dropping water in
sprinkling showers. The sun began to rise, stepping onto the world, preparing to stomp the life out
of Micah. Sluggish panic oozed through his veins. Not enough water. He didn’t have enough water
to power himself.
Micah rolled over, knowing he was shredding his clothes, but didn’t care. Water. Water needed him.
He needed water. “WATER!” He screamed defiantly at the sun, his voice cracking, brittle. He
stumbled to his feet, powering himself with raw adrenaline. Lurching, he headed toward the
tempest of rain. The queen’s will.

Address: Purok 3, Brgy. Gulod, City of Cabuyao, Laguna

Codes: 07001090409; 04 34 04 007
Contact No.: (+63) 927 984 6204
Email Address: yolly.valiente001@deped.gov.ph
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
REGION IV-A CALABARZON
CITY SCHOOLS DIVISION OF CABUYAO
GULOD NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Purok 3, Brgy. Gulod, City of Cabuyao, Laguna

He neared it as the sun rose. He began to feel its scorching rays scoring his back. He was almost
there! Lust and desperation forced him into a jog, then a sprint. His mind screamed WATER.
Panicked, his rational brain told him that he didn’t have enough strength left.
He didn’t care. Recklessly, he barreled onward as the sun burned his back.
Suddenly, he slid. Hitting the ground, pain flared through his body. Frantically, he tried to climb to
his feet once more, but his muscles screamed at him, unwilling. Panic clawed him, tightening his
throat into a taught cord. There had to be some way to reach the storm. He would just have to
crawl.
He began to scoot himself as fast as he could toward the rain, his back searing from many, many
burns. Smoke drifted above him. His scalp burned. His hair was on fire!
The air began to become scorching. He knew, in the back of his mind, that he wasn’t going to make
it. That he was going to burn up like poor old Barden. Screaming in desperation and pain, he
pushed himself to his feet and stumbled toward the rain, his muscles barely working. Multiple
times, he fell, then forced himself to his back to his feet.
Micah was almost there! He could taste freedom and water already. Light drops of rain, born on the
wind, began to gently caress his face and body. The sun crashed into his back, and he screamed in
agony beneath its crushing footstep. He slipped and twisted his ankle, falling onto a flat rock.
The landing drove the breath and strength from his body, leaving his upper body dangling over the
rock, facing the storm. The rock was a ledge overlooking a gentle slope that led down into the main
valley. He stared down the slope as the sun mercilessly crushed him into the rock.
It is king, after all, he thought, acceptance of his fate slowly trickling to his rational brain. It did not
approve. Keep fighting, it said. Don’t give in. He wished to follow its commands but had no strength
left.
His body began to burn, spasming in pain. Heat. Water. That was all that mattered. Darkness crept
into his vision as he was crushed under the sun’s fury.
The queen thundered in and clashed with the king. Everything went black.
https://blog.reedsy.com/short-story/fm9rvk/

Post reading

A. Students will be divided into 5 groups. They will be reenacting a scene from the story King of
Flames and Queen of Tide by Nathaniel Stiles.

Address: Purok 3, Brgy. Gulod, City of Cabuyao, Laguna

Codes: 07001090409; 04 34 04 007
Contact No.: (+63) 927 984 6204
Email Address: yolly.valiente001@deped.gov.ph