"Mayora, the van is ready. 3 hours before your flight," my secretary Zalysha reminded me once again. I just nodded and averted my eyes at our family picture resting on my table.
In it, I am wearing my military uniform with my badges that shows my position as a Lieutenant, with a wide smile plastered on my face. My mother is hugging my waist while my father is wrapping his arms around my shoulder. And my two younger sibings are standing infront of us. The proud look on my family’s faces were evident.
All of a sudden, it was like someone blew a magic dust on my face that made my mind reminisce in anguish the tragic phenomenon that happened a year ago.
"We won..." I uttered in disbelief.
Iginala ko ang mga mata ko sa paligid. Papasikat na ang araw kaya malinaw ko nang nakikita kung ano ang meron sa paligid ko. Dead bodies, wounded soldiers screaming in pain were scattered in the every corner of the forest.
The aftermath of the war is heartbreaking. I expected this... I expected this kind of situation after the war. But why can't my system take it now? I have fought different battles but this one…this is one of a kind.
"Where's Lieutenant de Lara?" Rinig kong paghahanap sa 'kin ng boses ng Heneral, kaya buong tapang akong tumayo at nilagpasan ang mga patay na katawan ng mga rebelde at ng iilang kapwa ko sundalo.
"Lieutenant de Lara sir!" I saluted at him. General Manalo smiled at me and saluted back.
"Well done Lieutenant,"
——————
Hindi mapigil ang ngiti ko habang binabaybay ang daan pauwi sa Cebu. Mula pa man sa military truck hanggang sa eroplano ay naroon na ang kasabikan kong muling makita ang pamilya ko.
Ang akala ko ay matatapos na ang buhay ko sa gyera'ng iyon. But my family's image augmented my urge to survive. Just by that, I will always survive for my family…
Ngunit ang mga ngiti ko ay agad napawi nang marating ko ang bahay namin sa probinsya ng Cebu. Ang mumunting bahay namin ay nababalutan ng kulay dilaw na tape. The police's tape when there's a crime.
But why the fvck are they surrounding our house with it? Kinakabahan man ay muli kong pinilit ngumiti, mabilis kong inilapag ang malaking bag ko sa kalsada saka nagmamadaling tumakbo patungo sa loob ng bahay.
"'Nay? 'tay? Nandito na po ako. Nanalo po kami! 'Nay? 'tay? Augustine, Calliope nandito na si ate may pasulubong ako sa inyo. 'Nay? Nasaan na kayo?" Panay ang pagtawag ko habang binabaybay ang bawat sulok nang maliit naming bahay.
Ngunit ni isa sa kanila ay wala akong nakita. Confusion got me when I saw how ruined our house was. Para itong dinaanan ng bagyo.
"Hindi…” Umiiling ako
habang ramdam ang takot at kaba sa puso ko matapos makakita ng bakas ng mga dugo.
"'Nay? Asan na kayo? Hindi po magandang biro ito," muli kong sigaw habang pilit na binabalewala ang konklusyon na nabuo sa isip ko.
"E-eury?" Mang Erwin's voice full of hesitation called me. Ibinaling ko ang paningin ko sa pintuan ng bahay namin, at doon ay nasumpungan ko si mang Erwin na nanlulumo'ng nakatingin sa'kin.
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Pearl Of The East | ✓
Action"Country first before anything. My gun is my man." Hezekiah Eurydice de Lara was once a Lieutenant in the field of military, who fortunately became the Philippines' second female President, and as the mother of her first love. She's known as a fearl...
