《Relentless Typhoon Gloria》
Just days before Ashan was set to register for college, northeastern Taiwan was struck by the fierce Typhoon Gloria.
On September 11th, 1963, Typhoon Gloria swept mercilessly through the greater Taipei area with strong winds and heavy rain. Residents in the village were busy at home, using various containers to catch the rain leaking from their asbestos roofs, which couldn't withstand the onslaught of the storm. Many homes suffered severe roof damage, and rainwater poured down like waterfalls. Unable to withstand the onslaught, residents had no choice but to seek shelter in their neighbors' homes.
By evening, the rain subsided slightly. As the village head, Ashan's father immediately went out to inspect for major damage and injured villagers. Halfway through, they encountered rising waters—the result of a high tide at the river mouth, causing seawater to flood into the village.
Hurrying back home, Ashan's family hastily elevated their belongings. They stacked items on tables, chairs, and beds. As the water rose further, they stacked chairs on tables and beds, piling things higher. With the power out, Ashan and his parents stood helplessly in the dark on their bed, praying for the water to recede.
Unfortunately, instead of receding, the water continued to rise. Seeing it nearing chest level, they had no choice but to abandon their home. Ashan and his parents waded through deep water, guided by faint moonlight, to their neighbor Uncle Liu's house across the way.
Uncle Liu had illegally built a two-story wooden shack, the tallest structure in the village. He kindly helped Ashan's mother up to the second floor. Ashan looked back at his home—the water was almost reaching the lower edges of the transom windows.
The cramped shack was crowded with neighbors seeking refuge. Everyone looked at each other anxiously, unable to find comforting words. As midnight passed, the water kept rising. With each inch, their hearts sank further.
In the midst of the strong winds, cries for help could be heard. Ashan recognized the desperate cries in Taiwanese. Judging by the direction, they seemed to come from a farmhouse near the river outside the village. In an instant, the faces and figures of the elderly farmer and his family appeared in Ashan's mind. He felt an urge to rescue them, but deep down, he knew it was impossible.
Intermittent cries for help continued, striking the villagers' hearts repeatedly. Women couldn't help but shed tears, and men debated anxiously whether they should attempt a rescue. After a while, the cries grew fainter and finally ceased, replaced only by the sounds of wind and rain. Everyone's hearts sank even lower. That poor family must have been swept away by the flood. Despite his experiences, Ashan's father, having seen countless deaths, couldn't accept this cruel reality, tears streaming down his face.
《無情的葛樂禮颱風》
當阿三要前往大學註冊的前幾天，台灣東北部遭受到強烈颱風的襲擊。
民國五十二年 (1963年) 九月十一日，葛樂禮颱風挾著強風帶著大雨，無情地橫掃著大台北地區。村子裏的居民都忙著在家裏，用各種器皿接著屋頂上漏下的雨水。這石棉瓦覆頂的眷舍，實在是擋不住這狂風暴雨。許多眷戶屋頂嚴重損壞，雨水像瀑布一樣，從屋頂沖了下來。招架不住的住戶，都只得到鄰居家中去避雨。
到了傍晚雨勢小了一點，阿三爸身為村長，立即出門去村子裏巡視一圈，看看有沒有重大損害及村民受傷。沒想到才走了一半，水漸漸地淹了上來，原來是海岸河口正逢漲潮，造成海水從河口，一路倒灌到村子裏來了。
阿三爸趕緊回家來，大家急忙把東西架高，於是桌子上、椅子上、床上都堆了東西。過了些時間，水又漲高了。大家又把椅子堆在桌子及床上，然後再往上堆東西。這時電也停了，阿三及爸媽摸黑站在床上，真是束手無策。只能祈禱老天爺開恩，讓海水退去。
不幸的是，水不但不退，反而愈漲愈高。眼看就要高過一個人了，這時不得不棄屋而逃。阿三及爸挾著阿三媽，涉著深水，借著微弱的夜光，半走半泅地向對門劉姓鄰居家前去。
劉叔家蓋了個違章小木屋有兩層樓，這是村子裏少有最高的建築物。劉叔熱心地把阿三媽扶上了二樓。阿三回頭再看看家時，水已淹近氣窗的下沿了。
小違章裏擠滿了避難的鄰居們，大家驚慌的互望著，誰也說不出一句可以安慰他人的話。時間已經過了半夜，水還在繼續的上漲。水每漲一寸，人們的心就下沉一寸。
這時強風中傳來聲聲淒厲的求救聲。阿三聽到了這用台灣話喊的救命聲。從方向來判斷，應該是來自村外靠近河邊田野間的農家。一時之間，那老農夫及家人的面孔和身影，就浮現在阿三的腦海中。他似乎看到了他們爬在屋頂、攀在樹上直呼著：「救命啊！救命啊！」心裏有股衝動想去救他們，但那終究是不可能的事。
斷斷續續的救命聲，一次又一次打擊在這些村民的心上。女人們忍不住流下淚來，男人們也焦急地爭論該不該去救這家人。過了一會，喊救命的聲音漸漸地少了，漸漸地微弱了，然後只剩下風雨聲，大家的心都沉到了底。這家可憐的農人，一定是被洪水沖走了。阿三爸雖然身經百戰，看過無數的死人，也無法接受這個殘酷的事實，老淚也順著面頰流了下來。
