Bloodstains on the Ground

A morose dawn in the groovy place where only more than 30 soldiers and guerillas left. Among the survivors include Henry, Amado, Baldur, George and Fr. Matias who, then, were still awake piling up the corpses. With such dreadful incident, Baldur was busy writing on the journal all names of the murdered civilians, soldiers, guerillas, inclusive of the murderer. In a moment, Edmund and Guida got out from their 'bahay kubo' and were shocked from what they saw. Guida just blankly knelt and sobbed. She noticed that most occupants from the northern part of Malapague were 99% slaughtered while the southern point where comprised of the soldiers and guerillas clustered were luckily saved. Noted survivors were those who slept early after the formal celebration - including the newlywed who spent on their honeymoon. Those who were drunk and slept under the tamarind tree have tragically died.

The house was gawkily bare, except Albrecht who prepared for breakfast as he used to wake up early. Around 6'oclock, George and company who worked all night in the literal graveyard just slept and those who just woke up stayed scrubbing and washing the bloodstains on the grounds out of their limited buckets. Similarly, the digging for the mass grave continued.

The place began to look like the way it was found. A sad episode of their war story stuck with it and many lives were wasted. Still - it was due to that war.

The remaining few had to start all over again. The smiles of the civilians they have just rescued faded, their dreams of facing the bigger sunrise together was not anymore realized but all's forgotten, beginning that sad brand new day with more than 100 deaths was such a history.

The sun shone up high and its midday when George was saddened again when he woke up. He felt incapable of his leadership when Magee walked by his side and gently sat down beside him and he spoke first.

"If only I listened to you, on not to overdrink. We maybe can rescue the civilians before they're butchered." He cried in front of Magee who was just very silent sitting so blankly next to him.

" George, its not your fault. Their time has come, this all about time. As I observed, even if all of the soldiers were not drunk, still the number of deaths would be the same. The murderer just did the crime so calmly and even bowed his head before he killed them one by one. That's how I see it. At first glance, I was not even sure if he really had killed those people, he even knocked the doors respectfully. George, this is in connection to what you have told me, its about trust issue. This is a war. Manong Balaslao maybe had suffered from a war shock that turned him that way and ruined his mental state. The loss of family, children per se is never a joke. By which he was also triggered by the joyful noise while he was in pain. Yes, those who have died never thought that they'll not be murdered inside in this safe grounds. I guess, it is something that we need to instill to people next time. Limit the trust at warzone. This place is paradise but all who joined us here have seen killings and tortures so they're already in trouble begore they get in. Many have survived and partly moved on like Guida and Edmund, but beyond what we see are scary ones. Things like that George.

He bowed his head and smiled.

"Thanks for saving us. For pulling the three of us put me into shame. You should have yelled over our weaknesses." George shamelessly admitted.

" The world is round and I don't own a day as mine. Next day, I don't know how many will lay their lives for me too. Besides, we are a family. " She smiled.

Momentarily, Albrecht was running, informing George that everyone outside is ready for the send off so they all went out, excluding Magee.

In front of the mass grave, there's a humdrum silence coupled with tears. A mass for the departed souls was officiated by Fr. Matias and he barely made his voice louder due to stress and stomach pains but still he made it through the end. Apparently, they burned some of the coconut husks and all of them had to step over it before they can go back to their places.

Narciso approached George and boosted his leader's courage to man the remaining few.

" Sir, I still have the confidence to continue with our fight. I'll stay faithful under your command." He smiled and tapped his droopy shoulders.

" Narciso, thank you, I honestly need it." George smiled to him.

When Narciso left, noticeably, Fr. Matias moved sluggishly toward George and spoke.

" George, I wanted to feedback you about my observation..Hmm...some of those who died didn't have any scars of wounds, they simply have vommitted blood that looks like they were stabbed."

George vibrantly looked at him with inquisitive eyes.

"Fr. Matias, do you mean...please come with me inside the house. Then he called the siblings.

"She's Magee, my fiancee." Then George got back and smiled to the priest betore he continued.

"My bestfriends, Baldur and Albrecht - her brothers."

" Glad to meet you all here again. I usually see the brothers outside but first time to personally meet Magee." Then he smirked and wave his hand.

" I set this emergency meeting for some verification. Here, Fr. Matias have something to share.

" Last night, I joined the banquet for just a minute or two then left. But prior to leaving the table, I tasted a little sauce from the spoon but next to that, I hurriedly returned to my 'kubo',opened a coconut then chew it and sipped its milk. Its what my mother told me whenever there are poisoning. So when I was trying to rescue myself from eating and chewing the coconut meat, I bumped to the comfort room and really had a distorted tummy. Its just a taste of sauce and as I remember, I even spit it. But I still thank to it because if not, it could have been that I was the second door Balasbao would have knocked.

All of the sudden, Baldur opened the journal and found out that there were 47 people who died without stabs but vomitted blood and mostly stayed at the banquet. Around 55 were identified being wounded by bolo due to 'amok'. Of course there were 12 among those who vomitted and likewise wounded."

" Fr. Matias, I think it would be all and thank you for sharing your observation with us." George ended then the priest had his exit.

"