Faith and Courage

Occupants from station two promptly left heading to station three. On their way, George was looking for

Fr. Matias.

" I'm here! What is it son?" Baldur and George were astounded.

The lieutenant walked side by side with him and double checked.

" Fr. Matias, was there any moment where you left to officiate a mass in the neighbouring places? Or

was invited by a few by our military friends?"

"Hmm, no one did. I never knew anyone too, and why did you ask it?"

" Just curious because officer Orlando told me that you were there in their hideout. Not pretty sure

about their intention but it seems to me that there's a hidden agenda, knowing that they lied. Whatever

it would be, it's threatening to everyone. So I must tell you to be very careful."

" Oh that must be so frightening. God forgive them for lying. In fact, I was always inside the cave and

never attempted to get out, ever since. But this noon time, I was even trying to advise to Cerenia on not to

get out after finding a letter wrapped in a stone thrown to our door. But she insisted, she said that it's

coming from you and wants to see anyone, but finds a volunteer to meet you across the cave, so she

volunteered to get out and craved for food you might have brought. She crazily went out and so curious about

your visit to us and was really expecting for some food supplies. She didn't hesitate and eventually got out. Bruno

was very mad and followed her. Then it's it, we're just praying inside that nothing will happen to them.

No one even dare to peep outside but we prayed instead. Minutes after, we heard the blast, the ladies inside

were even crying, huh! Thank God we haven't lost anyone. Thank God." The priest narrated.

"So that's the story behind that paper she put inside Bruno's pocket. That paper was wrapped on a

stone that she thought from me. Father, it wasn't me who wrote anything to your teammates today, it's

from our allies, don't now why they're doing it. There must be a reason, but as to what extent, I still am

confused. However, what's clear is we can't trust them anymore and everyone must consider them as

strangers too." The lieutenant said.

" Bro, what's next, do we need to proceed to their hideout after here?"

" Let's suspend it for the time being. Today, we'll just check all the people under our care and ensure

everyone's safe and must be debriefed to further threat. They must be looking for us or maybe wants

someone from us. I think it's not me, I guess not, because if I were who they wanted to catch, we've been with them and powerless. Hmm, what is it they want from us." The lieutenant murmured.

" We're here in station three!" Amado uttered.

" Thanks Amado, how are you bro?" Baldur asked.

Me and Bastian and the rest were just fine though water is terrible but Bruno and I usually went out at

night to fetch water from springs. But the food, there's a lot of fruit intake rather than the usual rice,

you know plain fruits leads to hyperacidity. But it's better than we have nothing to eat. We've almost

lost our food supplies and it's our primary problem. Huh! We've been so thrift but still we ran out of

stock after all. How's the captain and my brother-in-law Sr. Sibal?" Amado asked.

" Good to hear that you're all just fine aside from the incident today and the problem with food. Hmm,

the captain's recovering and Sr. Sibal took good care of the captain, you know, best friends." Baldur

smiled.

Amado was pacified and signalled that they're approaching Henry's place.

Inside station three, Henry was the happiest seeing the lieutenant and Baldur.

" Sir, I'm happy to see you both, my comrades." Henry tapped his lieutenant's shoulder and was teary

eyed.

The lieutenant embraced him and felt Henry's tensions for leading the station three people. Baldur was

emotional seeing Henry wept and stayed on the corner, watching the faces of his comrades, so tired and

undernourished. They were the most delicate group around since the granite mountain has been

occupied by the enemies and even walked through the place they were hiding. In a minute, George

allowed Henry to sit down and that time, Baldur took something from his knapsack. Some mushroom

and breadnuts. The breadnut seeds were collected by Baldur under the tree where he took his lunch

while George was busy spying.

Without wasting any second and after noticing his lifeless comrades around; and while Henry was

reporting their life events inside station three, Baldur then encroached the place as if he stays there. It's

already twilight so he started the fire. The smoke meets above with the fogs of the night so he boiled all

the breadnut seeds and made a mushroom soup with just a tie of a lemon grass. After he cooked everything, everyone rushed to sip

the hot soup and have eaten the delicious breadnut seeds.

"Brother, I never knew you brought some breadnut seeds, where did you get them?" George smilingly

asked him while everyone was enjoying the food that Baldur has prepared.

"Haha! It's when you were busy and I quickly picked up those seeds beside us. There were still a lot of it

right there when we left. The place was heaven, there's enough food but it's just risky. It's an open area.

But anyway, I'm grateful I still gathered those seeds for station two and station three people, just can't

contain my feelings, seeing them enjoy sharing with the bowl of food. Praise God." Baldur was teary eyed.

"Bro, it's okay, calm down, they're beginning to see you weep too. They might worry and self-pity,

c'mon, we'll gonna make this day historical, let's join and put on the table our boiled cassava, let's

go." George smiled.

It was enough when Baldur stood up and added their boiled cassava on the table that as if it's a fried

chicken that everyone salivated while taking a bite of it."

" Wow! This is great!" Elmar said.

" You have so many rice in your town, after the war, I wanted to go there and will get some of those

sacks you have stocked." Dionesio jokily said.

"Yes of course, after the war, we'll have a festivity and eat every food we can gather out there. Plenty of

chicken, goat, pigs etc. We tilled the land for food and Makasido is actually the producer of rice within

the province. Hmm, for now, let's enjoy these boiled cassava, boiled breadnut seeds and mushroom

soup, we're so blessed today, isn't it right Fr. Matias?" Elmar said.

" Indeed! Thanks to Baldur and George for this feast. Hey, hey, let's fill our stomach but will keep a little

for tomorrow. Hmm, shall we say, each of us will have two breadnut seeds in the morning and God will

lead us to find some food for lunch. Water here is good, they have enough." The priest said.

" Can we go back and find some seeds too. I can volunteer to pick some breadnut seeds tonight in the

same spot where Baldur found them." Bastian said.

" Oh yes, when we will go back to station one tonight, two to three from your team can go pick some of

it under the tree, I'm sure there's still a lot of it left." Baldur smiled.

A meeting was held after dinner and George has decided that all of them will not fight during the

agreed date of attack.

" I want everyone to stay inside this place even if you will hear blasts or even the war comes to worse. How can we gather to Elmar's place for a feast if we'll be all dead. Thus, everyone has to stay quiet,

pray and focus on the good side. Never get out to fight if it's not necessary. Remember, you will fight only to

protect yourselves and our duty being your protectors mean to pave away the threats of freedom. We

are almost to end this war, so our lives are precious. We still have to find our relatives and friends so

keep the faith. No matter what, stay close with one another. The only thing you need to solve is to look

for your food, but we will also find ways to help here. We will do our best." The lieutenant smilingly

uttered. He called Henry in private and asked if why he transferred from station two and chose station

three instead.

"It's Bruno, he likes one of the women out there." Henry revealed.

Bruno drew closer to them and spoke.

"Sir, it's true, I volunteered to station two for a reason too. I apologized. But I never used my

presence as their leader in everything I do, I swear. It's just that, yes, there's a woman I started seeing

close at heart. Forgive me." Bruno had sincerely uttered.

The lieutenant bowed his head and tapped Bruno's shoulder.

"She's a civilian but if you are sincere with your decision, you may pursue it. Just always remember your

role, duty, mission and your responsibilities, God bless you Bruno."

Station three has the drinking water source inside its place and a small tunnel for an emergency exit.

Accordingly, the place was excavated during 1800's and was truly spacious. Their only problem there

was food.