GOYONG

Chapter 13

The air reeked of death. Various bodies covered the ground. The victorious American soldiers looted each corpse for valuable things.

One looter got a hold of a youthful good-looking boy, which based from his uniform, had been a general. He stripped the corpse off its uniform and took his rings and his journal. The looter flipped it open, and the last words of the owner's entry were "I feel that this is the most glorious moment of my life. I am doing everything for my beloved country. There is no greater sacrifice."

The looter rummaged around the coat pockets of the dead general and came upon a ruffled handkerchief and a golden locket. The looter immediately pocketed his newly acquired goods and left the exposed general in the dirt. He would later find the locket missing in his possession.

-------

The goddess Mayari glided along the mountain, the golden locket snug on her chest, until she came upon the nude corpse of Goyong. She took a look at his befouled body and took pity on him.

-------

When one would look at the full moon, a singular star close to it can be seen. This star is one of the brightest compared to the vast blanket of stars. 

Mayari gave a place to Goyong in the night sky.

-------

The locket provided protection against what Goyong believed were his enemies. But a well-paid Filipino, Januarian Galut, a Christian Igorot had shown the Americans the way of the mountains.

Somehow, a fellow Filipino made his death possible.

What Goyong never realized was that the Spaniards weren't the real enemies. 

The Americans also weren't the real enemies. 

It was Filipinos against Filipinos.

A similar locket had been possessed by Mayari's favorites: Bonifacio, Luna, and now, Goyong. They all suffered the same unfair fate. 

The destruction of the Filipinos would be inflicted by themselves. The goddess hoped that Goyong and the others who had possessed the locket had realized this.

The tragedy of Goyong reflected the tragedy of the nation.