Gunfires Over Desperation

While on their way, passing through the tunnel, every group of civilians with the soldier or guerrilla buddies were tensed and prayerful.

Quizzically, Amado kept calling Manong to every old man he saw around but no one responded.

" Shh, Amado, just do that when we reach to our home." The captain whispered to him.

It was enough for Amado to stop searching for an old man he called "Manong." Though, observably, he was still turning his head to the civilians moving progressively towards the endpart of the tunnel. When they almost reach the exit door, the Captain, with the help of Amado slowly opened it.The door was filled with soil and pebbles and the round timber with the crinkling door frame almost collapse when Amado was holding it while the civilians walked out from the passage. Their group moved out successfully, heading to hide at the big rock that finally covered them from the angst of the Japs. They first reached inside Malapague and the civilians were looking up to the granite mountain in amazement that walled the place. A little while, the guards on post headed by Fr. Matias lighted torches (solo) made of braided coconut leaves.

The priest immediately offered a silent prayer as he led some of the old and young civilians to sit down for a while under the tamarind tree. When almost all of the children were tired and had slept immediately upon reaching the place, he then offered his house and the neighboring empty bahay kubos adjacent to them.

Meanwhile, at the entrance another group of civilians arrived then followed by another till the last expected buddied by Sibaya and Narciso. Then the gate was closed, followed by the loud gunfires of desperation from a distance. Those were the gunfires in the air released by the Japs at the border after knowing they failed to catch the ghost armies. Baldur turned his head to his step dad and spoke.

" Haha! Dad! you're right! they fired out of anger! they missed us! haha!"

" Wow! the Captain was right, haha! Can't imagine how they clenched their fists and thought of turning back the time to fry us before we can rescue the civilians, haha! This is indeed a great night to celebrate! it was such an amazing game!" Amado murmured while stunned with the tactic.

" That's Dad Edward, he's got the brilliance in everything. Who would have known that no one will really touch us along the way going to San Agustin when they suspected that we probably sprouted from the north just as they've lost us now." Albrecht said.

"Yeah. Hey! where's Dad?" Baldur queried.

" There's a man who secretly tapped his shoulder while we were chatting, he signaled then the captain followed him." Amado pointed his finger inside the bedroom.

" Ah, maybe they'll talk about something." Baldur said then followed the Captain and the old man inside.

" Where are they?" Baldur whispered to himself while searching but he thought of the cabinet passage going down so he tried to follow.

" He then heard some voices chatting while nearing; slowly he hid at the back of the granite corners while following them - tiptoing. But unexpectedly...

" Come out Baldur, there are slimy magots in the corners of this tunnel." The Captain calmly blurted.

"Ahhhhhh!" Baldur shouted while running towards Edward.

" Haha!" The old man's voice laughed and teased Baldur.

Then they all laughed and hurriedly motioned towards the smiling skull cave. When they reached there Baldur was shocked while looking at the strange man and right away Baldur hugged him.

" Sr. Sibal! Where have you been. I missed you." Baldur wad teary eyed.

" Baldur...I was abducted by two strange Japanese men in uniform the night when Magee was in the woods to fetch water when it happened. But to my surprise, they sent me to San Agustin and caged me in one of the caves. It was truly strange." Sibal recounted.

" You have suffered a lot Sibal, you should have sent someone to look for us. You know where to find us, right? but why you were too silent?" Edward complained.

" I was already upset to the world upon knowing Lolita was gone, and the two boys - I don't know, the kids...it irks my heart. My feeling was just a little alleviated when you've kidded me Edward that Magee and George have already met? Is it really true?" Sibal verified.

" Yes. In fact, they're already married last March. But funny how, they just have their honeymoon starting last week." Baldur then smilingly said.

" Haha! Good!" Sr. Sibal laughed while Edward and Baldur looked at him and got puzzled.

" Why both of you were astounded of what I've said. Is there anything wrong?" Sibal smiled.

" Hmm...it's unusual. I stand corrected buy if we boil down the number of marriages, together, theirs was a bit weird. It's ritualistic."

"No, it isn't. It's test of character and perseverance. George must have thanked that it's war, if not - it would have been too long to wait for him as fiancee." Sibal interestingly rebutted.

" You taught her that way?"Edward queried.

" No, it's her wish. To make the best time with her man first like a best friend - I repeat, best friend, before becoming a husband." Sibal explained.

" But George had suffered too much , poor boy." Baldur sympathized to his head.

" He isn't poor, he's the richest. They are meant for one another and they just met by accident despite their fathers' long term plan. Hahay Edward, Magee and George now's together, I'm very happy." Sibal bowed his head while smiling.

" Yeah, Magee maybe looks like a lady these days." The Captain's woes.

" You haven't"t seen her yet?" Sibal clarified.

" The last time I saw her was January, 1942. By the time I left for the mission, she was with her brothers.

" She's...like a soldier. She kept on escaping and have killed some enemies. Take note , she burned their barracks! and she's alone when she did it!" Baldur recalled.

" Wow!" Sibal smirked.

" I felt scared imagining my daughter had gone immensely through it." The Captain recoiled.

" Haha...it's just prim and proper that my adopted daughter appears that way since she'll be raising lovely and strong children from my combatant son.

" What a conversation is this, haha!" Baldur commented.

While the folks were chatting, Baldur opened the door fronting the sea. Then he pulled some blankets from the piled up sacks and wrapped them to his Dad and Sr. Sibal.

" I'll sleep here Edward, I missed this view and the horizon for a long time. In San Agustin, I lived like a beggar and seemed inside a cage all day within months and seldom see the sun." Sibal recounted then Baldur had slept while listening at him talking.

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