A Leap Of Fate

Chapter XXXI

Chapter 31

Sitting at the living room and holding my embroidery, I stared at the men running back and forth from outside. Some faces were already familiar and some were still strangers to me.

For two months since Leonel came back with Señor Manuel Mercado and his men, this mansion became the meeting place for the leaders of the revolution and some who were notorious enemies of the Crown took this place as their refuge. The men studied maps, made strategies, and planned attacks, mostly surprise attacks made at nighttime. The Generals and officers alike brainstormed and luckily, the best brains were here with us. Sometimes, famous revolutionaries also came to the Hacienda, such as General Baldomero Aguinaldo, the country’s first president’s brother, the “boy general” Gregorio del Pilar who was just around nineteen or twenty years old that time. I quickly recognized him from the crowd, though he was still skinny and boyish than how he was in the famous photos of him where he always stood with dignity and pride. But the person I was really delighted and thrilled to see was the Supremo of the Katipunan, Andrés Bonifacio. He looked quite similar to those familiar illustrations of him in the history books, but still, he looked so much different. Only one photo of him will survive and it’s a faded one.

He was wearing a white camisa de chino and a pair of red trousers. He had high and prominent cheekbones, long and moderately thick lips that looked so tight and hard, big almond shaped Spanish  eyes that were quite deeply sunken with heavy lids and a dark skin. Despite the fierce determination in his face, he somehow looked kind. I felt the urge to approach him and hear his voice and touch his hand, to know that he was indeed real, the mythical figure of the revolution. But I stayed with the old gossiping women.

There was his wife too, Gregoria De Jesus. She was far from plain, Though wearing plain clothes, her beauty stood out. Her face was small and finely chiseled and her cheeks were rounded with a mole under the left cheek. She was a dramatic beauty with her long eyes with heavy lids and thin lips. She was a thin woman but her stomach was big. I heard that she was pregnant now.

The soldiers and revolutionaries were pleased to see Andres Bonifacio. He gave a short speech of encouragement. Short but passionate and full of heart. I’ve never seen anyone so full of determination than him. After the speech, the men cheered and they sang the song he commissioned Señor Julio Nakpil to write. I felt lucky to hear the song. Some historians believe that it was Filipinas’ first national anthem, but sadly, It would be lost and forgotten.

“Perhaps, a few of you have already heard it, and some still have not. While most of us were occupied in celebrating the year’s end, a life of a very important man was lost. Our Dr. José Rizal was executed on the 30th 0f December last year, 1896 at Bagumbayan.  He was killed because of his efforts to lend a hand in keeping the revolution alive, in trying to free our country from Spain. That is his very dream and until the very end, he was fighting for it. We will not let that dream die, because it is the dream of everyone of us. His fate only gives us more strength and courage to continue and never stop until we get our freedom, and his great legacy will help us all.”  Andres Bonifacio said with courage evident in his face.

“Me and our brave men will continue the fight. We will march to Cavite first to make the force stronger and we will show the Spaniards that they do not own this land anymore. Pray for us the Sons of the People.”

His supporters applauded and said their farewell messages.

“Señor Jose Rizal had nothing to do with him and the Katipunan.” Don Leonardo muttered.

I gave him a questioning look.

“They had him as their honorary president and I really doubt he even knew about it. He was arrested for being involved with the Katipunan when the truth is he was against the revolution.”