Chapter 24
Lover's Paradise in the Forest
"Good morning Comrade-in-arms. We have today new friends coming from far away Marble County blown away by the wind of change this part of the country huge number of our forces are concentrated. He's a priest but not any ordinary priest who preaches liberation in the pulpit. He is the priest of the people who has joined them in their struggle against all forms of injustice. Unfortunately, as averred by your good self and everybody else joining this movement for a lasting cause there's no way to break Marcos dictatorship by any individual," Ka Aris cleared.
"Marcos forces are too strong. Think of how he instituted the military institution paving the way for the militarization of different departments of the government leaving not enough breathing space for Juan de la Cruz. The worst, willful killing of lives whose voices could have helped silence the fascist ruler. He and his family have been persecuted. See how ruthless the president is that even a man in sultana is not spared. There are too many of them and I bet you guess where they are now. Either they were dead or have joined us in the movement."
"We regret Fr. Driarco plucking you out from your parish our hierarchy tells us to come to your rescue. We did at the risk of our own lives. We hope by now you realize like "No Man is an Island" that we need one another if we are to free ourselves from this endless web of treachery and fascist rule Mr. Marcos brings. We have nothing to lose except the chains of slavery for many years since Martial Law was handed to us. Who says that Filipinos are cowards now Fr. Driarco joining us in the movement? My dear friends let's welcome him the Committee decided to address him Kasamang Emir in memory of our brother in arms who zealously fought and died for the freedom of this country."
Sustained applause followed until Ka Emir said a few words holding on and not going far declaring his commitment to the group he is yet to confirm his trust and loyalty with action while in the movement.
"If I may die while in the movement so be it," he stressed strengthening the bond of camaraderie ship of the people around.
Their help extended to him at the cost of their lives had they been blown away was something he could not forget.
"This is the kind of commitment we need, a commitment that could destroy Marcos' Martial Law," he emphasized. He begs however that he is yet to keep pace with the blistering step they have undertaken hoping Roger would be absorbed too in the movement. If not ready, his choice should be respected until such time he arrived at an appropriate decision.
Soon each one welcomed Ka Emir extending their left arm one at a time other embracing him tightly. Women too were elated that a man like Ka Emir empathized with their Nationalist struggle. Accepting their handshakes so moved him deeply recalling that true enough there are many Gabriela Silang in the country. What prompted them to join the movement much earlier than he enthralled him convincing him that if women in their early twenties and thirties have consecrated their hearts for the struggle why and how long would it take for men to follow suit? Indeed, so much suffering has been experienced by Juan de la Cruz. When would they come to the rescue when they too are persecuted like him? But not all men have the privilege of being persecuted. Not all men in other words are that brave unlike him that they have to declare willingness to put their lives next line. Ka Eliza, the pretty nurse, was one among those who offered him good cheer and hope he would have his fulfillment in the movement.
"The people right here need better your services than those in many parishes. They died without even hearing confession. A movement like this Ka Emir deserves your services," he was told.
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Life in the movement has taken Fr. Driarco its toll. He soon learned how to handle and fire a gun to save himself protecting the lives of those in the movement, especially the women and children. He too has learned to live in utmost simplicity thriving on root crops and corn, vegetables, and wild animals.
One, two, and three more years past Ka Emir catapulted in rank elevated becoming a Commander manning his brigade instead of Ka Lino who after several skirmishes against the military paid his own life. Since then Ka Aris elevated Ka Emir to take the vacant post the former did not mind. Here's a chance to make it even against the Wolves and the abusive military defending the oppressed at all cost, an action indirectly challenging the Mighty Apo and his men on the ground. Here's the ultimate chance of liberating Sta. Rita and an opportunity of clearing his name. Suddenly he recalled how important the needle was in his possession.
"Can't help but protect this. It's all I owe joining the movement," he exclaimed.
"Lost it and you extinguish the fire of your struggle," he sighed knowing how important that thing is.
He did a great job securing what had been consigned to his last parish assignment razed to the ground probably transforming that prized possession into ashes dearly protected.
"Did Mayor Torres' men ever know it? That they ransacked the convent burning it to the ground indicated that they mean business burying any evidence that might expose their movement harassing and even killing people perceived belonging their loyalty to the people."
And the disturbing question hanging. "|Who could have masterminded the murder of Mayor Torres?"
"What an intriguing plot is there hatched on this case. Must be a genius pulling off this conspiracy. Hitler was even saved from an explosive by chance planted by Valkery. Pope Pius XXIII was unfortunate. He was found dead by a Sister in his chair still his reading glass perched solidly on his nose," his thoughts wandering intrigued on the story behind the needle that ended abruptly his father's life.
As an armed combatant, he too shared the travails and hardships of climbing rugged terrain, bad weather, sleeping on top of trees like bats, and engaging the military in many wars of the flee employing the rudest guerilla tactics. And like all, if not many of those in the movement he too was felled down by bullets, legs, arms, and the severest of all, his chest, just below his heart. It would have been a fatal shot but God must have another plan for him.
"God must have covenanted with me carrying on the struggle. So be it," he affirmed surviving from the vestiges of war.
It is on such many occasions recuperating when strong affectionate attachment to Ka Eliza grew and developed. She must attend to the wounded but somehow Ka Emir felt that there was personal touch Ka Eliza exuded every time she cleaned the scars and injuries from the various encounter.
"Someone special is praying for your fast recovery here. That every time you're in operation she's saying the rosary and praying for your safety so you could be back home safe and alive," he thought with this girl in mind.
"You would know it later when the right time comes," she would whisper gently to Ka Emir's ear. In his mind, he knows only a woman in love could say those words.
"She must be that woman. Who else?" he told.
There had been many gentlemen who have shown affection to her - flowers, poetry, and special attention – but none of them have so far smitten her heart than this new visitor. Not until Ka Emir came along. He's an embodiment of her ideals - tall, strong, reserved, and above all intelligent -. Since then her days were rosy and complete. The only hitch is that Ka Emir was an ordained priest and that he could not possibly compromise his vocation.
"But isn't it that 'all in love is fair,'" her heart revealed defending that all indeed in love is magic. Flirting soon started.
"How?", she doesn't have the answer.
"I guess when destiny favors you, love would just find its way," she smiled happily at the fleeting feeling.
"Love never loves until you give it away and returns to you," she recalled an inspiring dictum.
Whatever happened to her that Ka Emir preoccupied her mind all day and night long while delivering her daily activities. Sometimes, she ran out of her mind finding herself in solitude staring at the horizon humming a tune or two, and, in the evening, keeping herself refreshed by the cold breeze of wind of the forest.
"If this is not that special feeling called love, what is this?" she must be asking.
That bold feeling unfortunately has that temerity holding her affection back waiting for the right time perhaps to release it.
Many more weeks and months passed, the stronger her feeling towards Ka Emir making her nuts driving her all crazier as days and nights passed.
"Love conquers all, why not for those who mean it."
"Yap, but love can wait," she tamed herself recalling the classic exposition of what the Way of Love is by St. Paul in Chapter 13 of First Corinthians:
"Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its way; it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrong but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
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The occasion was just like any ordinary group gathering only that the guest shared his experience and expectation from his involvement in joining Ka Aris group from now on.
"Just like the rest of the clergy who were once caught in the 'No Exit!' phenomenon many have been with us. Fr. Driarco's experience of harassment was too much as he bargained for. No need to list them here. Here he is the living testimony of that bondage and wanted to lift that bondage freely back as a compliment through our collective strength. True he is a priest of God in the tradition of Melchizedek. But most importantly, a true priest of the people has experienced the struggle against all forms of injustices until we intervened rescuing him for our cause," Ka Aris cleared.
"Unfortunately, averred by your presence and everybody else in this movement, there's no way breaking the backbone of the devil that is dictatorship unless addressed by collective strength."
"Marcos' forces are too strong. Think about how he institutionalized the military institution paving the way for the militarization of different departments of Bureaucracy leaving not enough breathing space for Juan de la Cruz to live. Worst wanton killing of innocent lives whose only sin is their tenacity of standing by their right," his mind reviewing earlier sharing by Ka Ares.
"He and his family suffered persecution. See how ruthless the Powers-that-be that even a man in a cassock is not spared. There are too many of them and I bet you guess where they are now. Either they were already dead or have joined us in the movement."
Their help extended that would have almost lost their lives had they been blown away something he could not forget.
"This is the kind of commitment we need, a commitment that could destroy Marcos' iron fist that is Martial Law, "he went on listening back to Ka Ares emphasizing the validity of the Nationalist struggle. He begged, however, the question that he is yet to keep pace with the blistering step taken hoping the rest of the undecided honorable guys should join the movement. If not, given enough time until arriving at the natural decision.
Soon each one welcomes Ka Emir extending their left arm one at a time other embracing him tightly. Women too have shown happiness and are quite elated that a man like Ka Emir came albeit not solicited emphasizing the urgency of their struggle.
Accepting their handshakes so moved him deeply and recalled that true enough many other Gabriela Silang are sacrificing their lives for the love of the country.
What prompted these people to join the movement much earlier than he enthralled him was convinced that the Nationalist's struggle knows no gender. Why and how women in their early twenties and thirties have consecrated their lives for this difficult struggle further validating urgency realizing now why even a Clergy is also drawn by peoples' struggle.
When would others experience an awakening coming to the rescue? When they too are persecuted like him or blown away into bits and pieces? But not all men have the privilege of being persecuted. Not all men in other words are that brave. That like him should sacrifice and declare willingness to put their lives next line for the love of the country.
Ka Eliza, the pretty nurse, was one among those who offered him good cheer and hope would find fulfillment in the movement.
"The people right here need better your services than those in many parishes," she opined.
"They are dying without even hearing confession. A movement like this Ka Emir deserves your service," was her parting shot wondering how in the world a beautiful with an urban upbringing educated in a prestigious university in Manila finds her life here in the forest.
"Must have been prepared by destiny crossing their path here," the thought playing his mind elated as shown by the smile on his face. Not sure if smitten by her charm and love her simple yet stunning beauty captured his heart.
. . . . . . . . . . .
Life in the movement has taken Fr. Driarco its toll. He soon learned how to handle and fire a gun as protection to save his own life and those of others in the movement, especially the women and children. He too has learned to live in utmost simplicity thriving on root crops and corn, vegetables, and wild animals' meat.
Three more years past Ka Emir catapulted becoming the top commander manning his platoon instead of Ka Aris and Mario who after several skirmishes against the military paid their own lives. Since then Ka Emir learned the hard way to defend the people, organizing rallies, yes lobbying people's revolutionary taxes for survival, raiding police stations accumulating firearms under the thrill of excitement.
And here's his chance of a lifetime, facing eyeball to eyeball against Powers-that-be, their nemesis down. Here's his chance too of making it even against the Wolves and their abusive liquidation squad defending the oppressed, an action indirectly challenging the Mighty Apo and his men for a showdown in the future. Finally, here's the ultimate chance of clearing his name liberating Sta. Rita from the mess out of politics.
"Yes, indeed all of these issues are staring before him. But the problem is – who are these faceless men and how could I ever know them?" the thought keeps flashing back.
Suddenly he recalled whatever happened to the needles he secured in a vial as material evidence for posterity. "Who owns them? The three savings items were identical explaining a similar pattern of killing. How many more there are and to whose possession did they rest secure today? Who is behind all these killings – from his father, Nong Tonio, Danny, Jojo, Abel, and yes, the Mayor and still counting – were the questions giving him nosebleeds? Too many tough questions but hardly answered given the mystery surrounding the killing.
As an armed combatant, he too shared the travails and hardships of climbing rugged terrain, bad weather armed with sardines, few kilos of rice, dried fish, and noodles, dangling on his side, and sleeping on makeshift hammock-like bats in the forest. On several occasions, engaged the military in many sporadic wars of the flee employing the rudest guerilla tactics. And like all, if not many of those in the movement, he too was felled down by bullets in some skirmishes. Legs, arms, and the severest of them all, his chest just below his heart. It would have been his last had he not survived that fatal shot. That's how Ka Eliza attended to him addressing his medical needs with extra tender loving care.
"Must be God-sent to take care of me carrying this struggle with no end in sight," he thought thinking of all those hard-earned successes defending tooth and nail against possible setbacks. The bottom line of it all is that girl who helped to attend to his medical needs for fast recovery. Ka Eliza, no less.
It is on such many occasions recuperating that strong affection with Ka Eliza gradually grew and developed. It's her duty attending the wounded but somehow Ka Emir felt that personal touch Ka Eliza employed exuding Tender Loving Care had been slowly smiting his heart away each time every time she visited him
"Someone special is praying rosary for your safety and fast recovery every time you're taken in for medical services here," he heard his guardian angel whispering to him.
"Who could this be true if not her Florence Nightingale of his life? And who else could do that if not only a woman in love," intriguing thought played in his mind.
She must have finally met her soul mate meeting someone special inadvertently in the young priest's presence. He did not only make the movement cohesive and competitive but more so disciplined. There have been many gentlemen who have shown affection to her with constant gifts to boot - flowers, poetry, and special attention – but none of them have so far captured her heart stronger than the young priest. Not until Ka Emir came around. He's an embodiment of her ideals - tall, strong, reserved, and above all intelligent. What more she could ask for?
Since then her days were never the same again each day shining providing her renewed sense of zest and vigor in serving her comrades in the camp. The only hitch is that Ka Emir is an ordained priest and that he could not possibly compromise his vocation let alone, forced the issue.
"But isn't it all is fair in love? Just who knows all those kindnesses shown by him to her since he committed himself joining the movement," her heart seemingly challenging her.
"Love never loves until you give it away and he returns to you," she said recalling an inspiring dictum. Whatever happens to her that Ka Emir preoccupied her mind while delivering her daily activities. Must be in love as she is running out of her mind finding herself in solitude by the spring keeping refreshed by the cold breeze of wind listening to the sweet chirping of birds in the forest, staring at the horizon on top of the mountain while humming a tune or two counting the meteors as they occasionally drop through the starry night in the horizon.
Many more weeks and months passed by, and the stronger her feeling toward Ka Emir developed making her crazy all the more. Must be an indication of how her passion works she just couldn't help herself but give it all. Gone were the days when she ransacked her family's Pharmacy taking all medicines, she needs to be used in extending medical services to her comrades injured in the different encounters. What about the first time she joined the operation her comrades all amazons killed and she was captured but by a twist of events freed by her captor.
"Crazy. Must have still a mission. This might be participating in the nationalist struggle for democracy. Sometimes luck is also on your side," she insisted though with reservation.
This time it's far more complicated as it involves her emotion that morphed into a special attraction towards Fr. Driarco. First affection turning to passion, now love graduating into irresistible passion what with her heart now desires. The excitement this obsession creates is uncontrollably engrossing and here's the chance to give up on temptation.
"Love conquers all, why not for those who meant it." It was at this height of madness when she finally decided to let go of her feelings. Sneaking out one night from her quarter, she perfunctorily tiptoed her way in towards Ka Emir's hut.
Alerted by the slightest movement, Ka Emir reached his pistol underneath the pillow and put his index finger on the trigger until a familiar figure slowly pushed the door. It's Ka Eliza gingerly tip-toeing her steps slowly in her seductive night suit Ka Emir choked seeing his unexpected friendly guest in the middle of the night. But the words uttered next defy it all.
"Come on in," he said dropping his pistol into its leather holster.
No words described the passion overwhelming two people in love both caught in a total warm embrace, their moist lips gladly meeting. And as if their hearts had long been entwined the first time, they celebrated love in its sweetness and fullness.
Outside the moonlight flickered endlessly getting brighter illuminating dark clouds before covering its light on the Nipa hut two people in love feasted on the beauty that is life maximizing the pleasure from excitement catching up on the lost chance that otherwise would have been spent together while in the movement.
Everybody's favorite philosophers from Aristotle to Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, John Locke Plato, Friedrich Nietzsche to John Rawls must have joined too in jubilation celebrating the power of the unexplained phenomenon only people like Ka Elisa and Emir hold the key to unlocking its secret reliving and validating the wisdom and relevance of their Valentine's pick-up lines – all talking the magic that is a love whose grandeur and beauty indeed makes the whole world go round. This evening's case, in the forest!
"Roses are red my love, violets are blue. God is dead, now let's screw,'" Ka Liza might have quoted Nietzsche's verbatim rarin' to go challenging finally where her sexual fantasy would lead her to. All inhibition and strict sexual orientation shrinking swallowed away and gone. That strong force within like a demon-possessed unleashing full force of her womanhood finally released the silence of the night, cold breeze of the forest, and humming of bees as mute witnesses.
To which the young priest gradually feeling uncontrollably the heat might have also quoted Immanuel Kant: "Two things owe me the most (tonight) – the starry sky above and you below me!"
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