Chapter 5: Doni's Family

In the next few days, Doni'si family arrive, he is very happy upon seeing his mom. Now that there is war he had been able to spend some time with his father.At least for him the only advantage of this war is his father became a responsible family man to him, to his mom, to his sisters for bringing them into safety and trying to build the bridge between him and his brother Danny in order for them to be safe..

" Hello, Doni how are you?", his youngest sister's greeting.

"I'm fine Virgi, how's your travel?", he asked.

" It's so tiring in coming here, I felt as if I had some broken ribs and nerves because of the bumpy roads" Virgi complaint.

" You're complaining for about an hour already",Lilian told her younger sister.

" You should be thankful we arrived here safely, if you only knew how dangerous it is out there!", Mari said.

" I do not understand why do they have to engage in this war", Virgi commented looking at Marga.

" Don't ask me I don't have any idea why", Marga said.

" Girls, stop arguing, please behave, there are many people here listening at your arguments", Maria silence her daughters.

The girls were quiet for a few seconds, then the family of Mario comes out and welcomed them.

" Hi , what's her name?", Virgi refers to the dog being the youngest and the most friendly amongst the sisters.They were not allowed to have pet at home because of her mom's health condition, but she wanted to have one.

" Her name is Melisa", Myra answered smiling.

" She's so cute!", Virgi said while touching melisa's fur.

"Yah, she's cute ", Lilian agreed

"Thanks, I'm glad you like her", Mary said proudly.

"You 're welcome, I always wanted to have one but were not allowed because of my mom's health condition, we don't want her to have some kind of allergy because of their fur", Virgi answered.

" How old are you?", Myra asked Virgi

" I'm twelve years old", Virgi answered.

" What? you're only twelve years old? you're taller than I am!", Myra said.

" I am Lilian, I'm fifteen years old", Lilian said as she introduced herself.

" I am Mari, I'm seventeen years old", Mari said.

" I'm Marga,nineteen years old", Marga told them.

" Wow, you're all very tall like Doni", Mary said.

" They were all very beautiful too, your chinese blood is very visible in all of you tall, faired skin and beautiful chinese eyes.." Anselma said.

" Thank you!", the only answer Maria gave she is very happy everytime her childrens goodlooks are appreciated.

After a few introduction, the two family became acquainted Myra and Lilian became inseparable, maybe because they 're almost of the same age, Lilian is one year younger than Myra.

" Thanks papa, for bringing this letter, it's a great help for us to know when will be the next attack of the japanese soldiers", the first time Doni had thank his father for his effort in helping them to be safe.

" It's okay son, Danny wants me to visit him every wednesday because the japanese soldiers held a meeting every tuesday, anyway if the japanese are planning to attack a certain place they make it sure they are prepared and well equipped.", Doro explained.

After a few days Doro go back home, leaving his wife and daughters behind. As days go by, because of the presence of their family, Doni and Mario became more conscious of their surroundings Each day and night they assigned guards that will secure within the parameter of the area.

They check the whole area at night, to be sure nobody unauthorized will sneak in the mountain.

While Menandro,s plants were already useful because by now they already have vegetables to be harvested in the future. , Mr. Sanchez visit and bring sack of rice and meats, he had no comment when he was told about the presence of Mario and Doni's family.

." Mr. Sanchez, thank you for letting us stay here", Menandro said when they have the opportunity to talk.

" It's okay,, I understand how difficult it is to stay out in the open.Now they are more cruel, even little child were not spared from death.

They were already a devil on the lose", Mr.Sanchez said.

" I heard that also from Doro when he last visited", Menandro said.

" I am also thankful for your cooperation, we should be grateful that Doni had a brother on the other side, we are informed of their activities so we can be prepared", According to Mr.Sanchez.

" Yes, I thought so, that's why the troupe in Binalbagan and Isabela were safely informed so when the japanese soldiers arrive they are well prepared", Menandro said.

" So we should thank Doni's brother for that", Mr. Sanchez said.

In the following days that follow, their family are already enjoying their stay in the mountain, eventhough there were times they experience the lose of some personal needs, especially Mario's family who are used to a much more better life.

" Ma, there's no more soap and toothpaste",

Mary complain,..

" Mary, you know our situation right now,

you need to learn to use plants just like this calamansi, you can use it in the absence of soap, or moringa, you take out the juicy part to be used as soap and for toothpaste ,munch this guava leaves to clean your teeth, for shampoo use this alovera juicy part as shampoo", Anselma taught her daughter..

" Ma, is that what the people before use?",Myra asked her mother.

" Yes, that's right,try to imagine how the people before cope with their personal grooming", Anselma confirmed.

" We are back to basic,that is fun!", Myra is enjoying while Mary resented the changes.

" Yes, that is correct, we have to be patient and resourceful inorder to survived this situation",, Menandro, who is listening in the other side of the nipa hut commented.

" Yes papa", Myra answered. Anyway this place is very beautiful but I admit it is not easy to live here without this basic needs, even salt or match for cooking is hard to get", Mary complain.

" You're right ha, ha, ha,!", Anselma said .

" At least we learned many things,we never know before that these plants are useful, I am just using it before whenever I am playing with my cooking tools, I take out this leaves to be my vegetable in my cooking play", Myra said.

" Ha,ha, that's funny", an insolent laugh from Mary. Among the two girls Mary is the stubborn one, while Myra is kind and friendly

.Because of what they learned from their mother, Doni's sisters and mother also try the

use of plants for their personal grooming and laundry they love the effect of plants like moringa to their skin and hair, it makes their skin more beautiful they love the rosy cheeks effect on their skin and their hair soft and shiny. Grocery stores were closed down so there will be nowhere that they can buy groceries aside from the fact that they have no money to buy.

Unlike before after harvest time and the rice were sold they will have money to spend and saved. But one day while Virgi is picking plants to be used for their grooming, with Melisa beside her, all of a sudden Melisa became agitated she keep on barking at the bush nearby after smelling it.

" Stop it Melisa, you're so noisy", Virgi tried to calmed the dog. Just in time without looking down because her attention is with the barking dog.She nearly stepped on a big snake , when she saw it she cry in terror, calling her mother's name..

" What's wrong?",ask Doni, many of the soldiers run in her direction.

" There's a big snake it goes in that direction", Virgi said, pointing in the direction of the bushes. Mario take a peep in the bushes, he had seen a big snake.

"that's a phyton", Sam one of the soldiers said.

" It is the first time I had seen such a big snake" ,Virgi said.

"It's because we have chickens here", Sam told them.

" Go back, to the house ",' Doni ordered her younger sister.

" So scary it nearly bite me,.it opens its mouth while staring at me",Virgi said.

Virgi run back to the house, she is so scared of the snake she had just seen.

" You know Virgi, she had the tendency to exaggerate", Doni explained about his sister to his men when they stare at him.

" ha,ha ha, that's cute for a child like her",

Orlan said laughing.

They chase and catch the python it is a good viand for their dinner.They sliced and cooked the python, it can feed all of them with its size.

" Natoi, why did you cook that snake? that will give you badluck", Maria warn his son whom just smiling at her irritation.

" Mom, they were just saying, beside we are facing a world war two, what's important right now is that we may able to eat meat aside from the fishes that we catch from the river, we need meat and this is one source of meat", Doni reasoned out, he don't want to argue with his mother but he don't want that the chicken that provide them eggs will be eaten by this python either.

" The other day you catch and eaten a komodo lizard then the past few days a rat," oh my, what happened to my son?", Maria is so disgusted she couldn't beleive her son has such taste for an exotic food.

" Mom, you're so funny, look at how annoyed you look while staring at the python ha!ha!ha!", Doni laughing at her mother's expression.

" My son, those animals has life of their own when did you learn to eat them?", his mom asked.

" Since this war started, when were here already in the mountain they become our source of foods and they taste good like that of native chicken", Doni answered though smiling he is serious.

" For sure when this war is over, you will be able to eat more snakes", Maria said.

" Why is it I seldom hear you cough now mom,", Doni told his mother.

" I think it must be because of the fresh air,"

it might have a good effect on your body", that is Anselma's opinion.

" I hope the good climate up here will do you good", Donii said.

" Maybe because we always took a bath in the river , the water must be good for me", Maria said.

" Yes, that's what I heard from my old folks before that sea water can heal an illness, maybe that is also applicable for river water", Menardo's opinion.

" If that is so,,thanks to nature if it cure my illness", Maria gratefully said.

" The fact that what we eat are all fresh might be a great help too", Doni said.

" Thanks for letting us stay here son it's a big blessing for me, aside from the fact that I have a chance to take care of you ", Maria said.

" I am more grateful ma, for having a chance to protect you and my sisters", Doni answered. When his mother and sisters hadn't arrived yet he is always worried about their condition especially when he heard that something happened to some families he know that they are gunned down or killed by the use of bayonet. Now that they are here at least he can secure their safety, What a tragic death for those people who had been a good neighbor, friend and citizen.He couldn't stop himself from asking .

"'when will this war be over? and is he still alive when it ended? whew! only God knows of the possible outcome of all of this, but for now our task is to protect our family and all of the people living near this area", Doni thought.

" I wish too this will end soon, I hate to see my family suffer the inconveniences it cause to their young lives", He heard Menandro said to his mother..