Chapter
Five
Krisssandra started awake from a deep
sleep, shivering and sweating. She looked around the house, dimly lit by the
small “gasera”, a table lamp. Her nightmare brought tears to her eyes, and she
heard Crisanta call her.
“What is wrong?” she asked her.”You called
out in your sleep.”
Her breath came in short grasps so at
first she could not reply; for she was still filled with the terror of the
dream, and a whimper rose from her throat. Crisanta waited no longer, but went
inside, without her invitation, to find her sitting wide-eyed on her bed of
blanket, looking around at the floor as though something were after her. Crisanta
went to her side, grasping her arms. She choked out another cry.
“Keep off me!” she murmured. Crisanta
looked around the house.
“Keep off me!” She shook her lightly. “Wake
up, Krissandra. You only dream.”
She looked at her with frightened eyes
that began to focus on their true target, and she finally realized she had
indeed been dreaming. But there was something about it that remained ominous to
her.
“Ipis!”(cockroach) she whispered. “There
were…’ipis’…all over around me! Crawling over me!”
She frowned. “It’s just an ipis… so what!”
“I… don’t know,” she answered, searching
her eyes. “But I… I feel it has something to do with fate…a bad omen. I
remember my father told me before. Take care of yourself and your husband.
Yhecho… I am afraid something terrible happened to him.
She
squeezed her arms. “If you feel this is so, then I will call the elders
together and we will hold a prayer, we will offer prayers to all the spirits to
watch over you and Yhecho since he is on training. Don’t be afraid… believe in
HIM. We will send it to him, and we will be strong!”
Give me courage, Crisanta!” Divine Arrow is
watching over us. She prayed silently. “Fill me with your great strength, and
remember thaty in my vision I was protected by the great Arrow! Help me now, my
Father, in Heaven, in my moment of great need!”
“You can overcome this, Krissandra, You
must, for I am always here for you.”
“Crisanta!” she whispered, tears filling
her eyes.she must be calm and not panic.
For hours she lay there, praying and
feeling warmth and power flooding through her.
Yhecho is in danger.”Give me a hand
Saldivar!”We need to leave this place as soon as possible.All around him he
could see nothing but the deeper pit. He could not be certain just how long
they stayed in that foxhole. But he could sensed that he move too quickly, he
would be detect by armed men few miles away from their area. Without changing
his position and thereby risking his life for the combat they are in. Brave
elite force (SAF,Special Action Force) not afraid to fight for the people …for
the country.He could not know what was behind them.But he would not lay there
and die and rot in that stinking hole with rifles as his graveside partners! He
had to get out! Even if it was so impossible he crawled, he would have time to
reach the edge before the enemy noticed them.At least that way he could die
above ground and aimed his weapon to the enemy’s position. Upon hearing unusual
sounds of explosion he took a deep breath and reached out for a ledge on the
wall of the pit.He got a firm hold with his left hand. “Nothing lives long,
nothing stays here,” he chanted again. Where are my comrades, my buddy?”Shunning
all fear of the war, scrambling towards freedom into the wonderful, warm
sunshine! How he wanted to cry out with his joy! He was above the ground! He
was free and alive, and cries of joy and laughter pushed at his throat for
release. He takes a moment to compose him and determine whether anyone was
still around before deciding what his next move would be. He heard similar whispers his comrades, his buddies no one drop dead for this battle. “They were
alive, Thank you, God!”
“Yhannie , look!” Crisanta called out.”
“It is a sign! It is a good sign. Long live Yhecho! It is good a good sign.”
The lighted candle, this is a good
sign! She looked up the Divine
Arrow.”Our prayers have helped Yhecho. Thank you, God!” she whispered, her
heart feeling lighter. She prayed that the lighted candle in the altar was a
good sign. And she weep, she heard Crisanta telling her, “This is a good sign.””I
weep with joy.” She said.
Yhecho reach the campsite to see that they
had broken camp and left. He noticed for a moment at the hated canyons. – To be
continued by emsncalicdan mahaliahscent. Dear readers…complete copy of this book will soon
read at National Library, Philippines.
