Afterword (Part II)

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[Edited and revised]

"Ma!" My voice thundered over the cold surface of the road cloaked with darkness and forlorn.

"Son? Nella?" I heard my father calling us with his weary voice.

After the incident. After the sudden appearance of the rain of bullets in our car, I just woke up feeling the indescribable pain all over my body.

I gasped some air and tried to crawl on the ground after I saw my mother meters away from me. She's there, unconscious and lying in the cold road with blood over her body.

"Pa si mama!" Sigaw ko saka nagmadaling gumapang patungo kay mama. Tiniis ko ang sakit na nararamdaman ko, at halos magimbal ako nang makitang tadtad ng bala ang katawan ni mama.

Ilang minuto ang lumipas ay nakita ko si papa na duguan din at gumagapang patungo sa lokasyon namin.

Hindi pa man n'ya kami tuluyang narating, ay dinamayan n'ya na ang pighati na nararamdaman ko sa sandaling dumako ang tingin n'ya kay mama na sinundan ng pagtulo ng luha n'ya.

And just by that incident; which we later found as an ambush that was because of my father's job as a high-ranked official in military, my mom was gone.

The bullets took her and my life became miserable and hopeless. And I ended up spending  my days and devoting my whole life on my job as a soldier.

I want to forget the pain. And I just want to bang my head to erase the memories of my mother's death.

How can I accept the such inhumane death of the woman who I only love? How can I have my life back if I lost my light?

She's my comforter. My hero, my light and my counselor. She's my everything. And in just a snap, life made its drab twist. Death took my mother in an unacceptable way.

"General Andervano," my superior called me after I entered his office.

I gave him a salute and lend my full attention in listening to his command.

May mga teroristang kasalukuyang ginagawang kuta ang isang bayan sa Cebu. At ito ang trabaho namin ngayon. We need to eliminate those terrorists in that place and get back that village.

"Aye sir!" I answered with full of determination.

Umaga pa lang ay inutusan ko na ang mga tao ko na harangan ang daan papasok sa bayan.

May isa pang partido ang balak sanang pumasok upang mangampanya sa loob ngunit agad namin silang hinarang at pinauwi. Inilikas na rin namin ang mga residente at inayos ang mga kagamitan namin.

We brought two tanks to shield us.

Nang nagsimula ang gyera ay wala akong ibang nararamdaman kung hindi galit. Those terrorists murdered my mother!

Ngunit sa kasagsagan ng gyera ay hindi ko inaasahang ang galit na nararamdaman ko ay matatakpan nang paghanga. Matapos may isang babaeng nanghimasok sa aming laban.

She was running towards the battle field with a twin gun on her hand.

"Ang kukulit n'yo talagang mga media!" I shouted at her.

Pero taliwas sa inaasahan ko ang natanggap kong sagot mula sa kan'ya. She sarcastically answered me with her head held high.

I saw the determination, the fury, and the passion in her eyes during that time. And her identity surprised me.

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