The Forgotten Pearl |Philippines APH|

Chapter 4: Remembering the War

I ducked my head just in time as an iron bullet whizzed past the top of my skull, lightly grazing my scalp. I growled lowly and shot my final bullet, glaring daggers at the man who I trusted for over three hundred years. He smirked evilly, instructing his men to attack my whole army.

Three centuries of tricks. Three centuries of deceit. Three centuries of lies.

I was out picking some tomatoes with Romano and Veneziano, or Italy, when some soldiers of Spain passed by, talking about my country. It was a good thing I decided to eavesdrop on there conversation. What they said made my blood boil.

Spain was using me. Killing off my people and making them his own.

It made sense why I'd go to sleep one night then wake up the next day with a bleeding arm or shoulder.

I took the first ship home the next day, sneaking on board carefully. The annoying part was that I was required to bend and duck more because I was a little shorter than Spain. Meaning, I grew taller.

My focus returned to the present. The surrounding battle field was soon full of blood and corpses of my fallen soldiers and those of the enemy, the nearby bay painted with a fresh, crimson substance. The sky turned an angry gray, storm clouds appearing over the horizon.

This isn't going to end well for me. He's a Super Power and I'm just a small Colony.

My pistol was out of bullets and my sword lay forgotten in the nearby forest, too risky to retrieve. Should I let my country down and surrender? Or should I retreat and fight for another day, wasting more lives the longer it took me to gain freedom. Ugh. The sudden silence is unbearable.

We've been at war for a few months, still no apparent winner. I'm surprised that I've held my own against Spain for this long. All I need is a little help. Even just a little, and I'd finally have a chance.

I wonder if England would return. I need him to. He passed by my country and saw Spain. They returned together and England spoke with me, telling me stories and such. He's a good friend and trading partner. Though, I haven't seen him since, due to him being an enemy of Spain.

No. He can't help me. He's busy with another war.

"Just surrender, Philippines." Spain's steely voice cut through the silence like a knife. "You can't win this." His normally gleeful eyes turned stony and cold. The aura of happiness around him was gone, replaced by the aura of a war-hungry beast.

I narrowed my eyes at the nation. "I'm never going to give up. Not until I fade or win."

So many lives have been lost. All of the soldiers here have died. Most of my people are wounded. Maybe I should surrender. It's better that way. . .

No. I'm a Filipino! We never give up until the end!

I grabbed the nearest gun I could find and loaded it, aiming straight for Spain's chest. He glanced at the gun as if it was a toy and chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. "You think that you could hurt me with that gun? I'm a Super Power. My country is strong, therefore I am as well."

My eyes narrowed even more, to the point of they were practically slits. I only have one bullet. This should count. With the thought in mind, I pressed the trigger.

Just as the bullet soared through the air. Spain didn't brother dodging it, letting his chest get shot and gush with red blood. I didn't miss my target.

A whoop of joy rang throughout the battlefield, catching me off guard. I shot Spain in the chest. And someone cheered. I'm glad that someone was happy for once, but still, who in their right mind would cheer in the middle of a freakin war?!