“Buendia Station.
Arriving Buendia Station. Always watch your belongings as you leave the train.
Thank you “.
It
was a clear sunny morning. The whole train were bustling with busy passengers
eager to get to their own destinations. Rolando was suddenly awakened by the
voice of the woman announcer or rather navigator, or whatever they call that.
He must had taken a nap. No wonder for he didn’t slept this whole night. He’s
still very nervous for whatever may come.
This
is his first time to ride a train. But instead of enjoying it, he gets more
anxious as it goes farther and farther away. It is like his destination was
hell and there will never be a way back. He looks for his ticket and found it
in his pocket. It’ll be the next station now, where he will get off the train,
and as negotiated, the place where he will left the suitcase. A big black
suitcase. He grips it harder, wiped his cold sweat in the forehead with his
hands, and took a deep breath. He knew he must think and decide fast.
Rolando
is a tall and well-built man, made by once been a soldier and his life today as
a farmer, in a town in the province of Quezon. He has brown, sun-bathed skin
and a clean shaven head. He now wears a blue polo-shirt which is now soaked
front and back with sweat despite of the cold temperature inside the train, a
black pants and a black leather shoes. He is holding a big black suitcase,
which cause people entering the train to stumble upon it, for Rolando is now at
the right side of the door.
“Excuse
me”, a woman in an office attire glares suspiciously at him. He doesn’t look
suspicious he thinks. What may attract people’s attention is the case. He
positioned it in his right side, away from the door. It’s very heavy and he’s
growing curiosity asks what might be inside it. The rebels just said to leave
it at the designated station, then run, and never try to open it. Or else,
something bad will happen to his daughter.
He
has a lovely daughter named Celsa. Rolando raised her alone for his lovely wife
died while delivering her. Rolando’s sorrowful days of his wife passing away
was replaced by this happy, energetic and lovely kid. He then retired being a
soldier to support his child and proceeded to become a full time farmer back in
his hometown. He loved her very much for she is like her mother, in appearance and
in personality. Sometimes Celsa wears her mother’s clothes and Rolando will
tell her that her mother is always telling him jokes, which she in turn
imitates. Rolando will just laugh and laugh and laugh, and remembers. Soon
after he made the child sleep, he will go out of their home, and cry, in the
middle of the night, below the lonely stars.
All
people in their town is fond of Celsa. They call her “Sisiw” which became her
nickname, for the reason that she is very fond of chickens and its chicks. She
is frequently seen around chasing chickens and chicks especially her father’s.
Roland remembered that in her Fifth birthday, he gives her a chick of her own.
She named it “Puppy”, which he laughed at. Then the whole town refers them as
duo, “Sisiw and Puppy”. She even convinced him to join a pet show during a
fiesta in a nearby town. Unfortunately, she and Puppy just won only the third
place resulting her not feeding the chick for a day, which he secretly did for
it to live.
“I’m
Sorry”, a man bumps him accidentally in his shoulder and positioned himself
nearer the entrance. That means the station is getting nearer. His grip on the
suitcase is getting harder and harder and more painful. He still hasn’t decided
yet. Rolando closed his eyes and utter some prayers in his mind. In his whole
life he didn’t believe in God, unlike his parents and his wife. His faith has
gotten worse since his wife died. At that time, it feels like he wants to go to
heaven, open its gates, and punch God hard in the face. Yet now, he doesn’t
have any other hope, to live, to survive, to save his daughter and to do the
right thing, but to his Maker, to the God that he hated for the rest of his
life.
Then
the train stopped. He feared the worst. He feared that some police or authority
detected what may be inside the suitcase. The technology here in the big city
is growing far more advanced than that in the rural. Maybe they have something
like that. I am innocent, Rolando shouted to himself, preparing that he may
also shout this to the public, anytime sooner or later. I have done nothing
wrong, they made me do it, for my daughter, I am innocent. His grip to the
suitcase is becoming tighter and more painful. His heart pounding, away from
his sweaty chest.
“We’re
sorry passengers for the delay but we had to stop this train for another train
has not yet leaved the next station. Sorry for the inconvenience”. A bust of
anger from the other passengers, a sigh of relief to Rolando. He has no problem
with time. He is afraid of the result, the consequences, to the “what if”.
He watches another train going to other
route pass by. If only Sisiw is with him, he know she would enjoy riding a
train. She always dream to go to the big city, live here in a new house, play
in an amusement park like what she always see on television. Rolando miss her.
She is the only treasure that he has in life, his only reason to live, only
reason to survive, only reason to do this damn thing.
Rolando
remembers that she is seven years old by now. It is almost a month after her
birthday, a month after all hell broke loose.
A
month ago, it is afternoon, he is walking down the street going back to his
home from the market to sell his crops, and to buy a gift for her daughter for
it was her birthday tomorrow, a Barbie doll, a thing she really wants that
makes her save money in her piggy bank. Rolando will tell her tomorrow that she
doesn’t need to save money anymore. He put it in his bag, then suddenly, he
heard gunshots, rapid gunshots, and people screaming and shouting from the
direction of the plaza. He run, for he knows Sisiw, at this time may be at the
plaza playing with the other children. On the street, people were running and
shouting, eager to get back to their house. On his way to the plaza, to look
for Sisiw, he grabs a man’s shirt running towards him. It was his friend and
fellow farmer. He asks what happened and what where those gunshots.
“They killed Tatay Into, even the two officials, Junior, the tall guy, The other one I forgot his name. You know Tatay Into, he's a tough one”, the farmer said,
severely catching his breath.
“Tatay Into? Who killed him? Why?” asked Rolando. Tatay Into was their barangay captain. He was a
man respected in their town for his honor and charity. That’s why he was called
Tatay by everyone.
“The rebels, they are at the town, begged to Tatay Into to give them money. The old man's only money is for the government. He won't give that money whatever they would do to him. I heard his head is beyond repair, too many bullets. Several men, all armed. They didn't profit inside the barangay hall so they might beg money from us. Go home now.”
“Sisiw, have you seen her?”
“Yes, I saw her with Nanang rushing to go home, they went down the back alley. Hurry. I gotta be going.”
When he got home, Sisiw
was already there, crying. He embraces her and asks if she’s alright and what
was happened. She said that she heard gunshots, some men together with them in
the plaza accompany her and her friends to their houses.
Rolando has done
closing the door and proceeding to their window when he saw men, armed men
walking down the street. Fear consumes him inside out when he realize that they
going in the direction of their house. Hurriedly, he get his bolo knife and
told Sisiw silently to hide to her room. When suddenly, gunfire, bullets
simultaneously struck their wall. Rolando, lie down, saw Sisiw done the same,
crying. The door suddenly opened, a tall man appeared, wearing a dirty
camouflaged jacket and pants, and slippers at his feet, which too was covered
in mud. He smiles, revealing a surprisingly healthy teeth. He has long hair,
which is tailed at the back. In his air of confidence, he must be their leader,
Rolando suspects. “Stand up”, a silent, yet provoking voice came out of the
mysterious man. Knowing better, Rolando stood up. He was just an inch shorter
than the man, yet he felt really small in the presence of these armed, hardy
men. “Rolando, am I right?”
“Who are you? What do you need? Why did you shoot us? Do you even know there's a child here?”asked Rolando, finding
the willpower to the fact that still this his land.
“Why? Didn't we have to knock? Your old captain didn't gave us any money, so we ask for your cooperation then, since we heard you're the richest in this poor town. I hope your much wiser than your captain. You know much better than decline us.” said the rebel leader, pressing the mouth of his rifle to the chin of
Rolando.
Rolando was shocked!
Who’s the feeble-minded that told them that he is the richest man in this town?
He may had the largest land, he also received some money from the government
when he retired from the army, but he spend most of it in his wife’s funeral
and buying lands, built a stone house and animals for their living, but it
doesn’t mean that he is the richest. In fact no one here is rich enough to have
that money that can spare to this worthless dogs. He looked around and didn’t
saw Sisiw. She must have been inside her room.
“Who told you that? You were just tricked. I have no money, nor anyone here in this town. I have the largest land here, they mean that way. Just grab anything you want in this house, even my livestocks, or even this small hut, just leave me and my daughter now.” Roland said to the rebel, with a smile on his face.
The leader spit out,
punch Rolando hard in his face, in the nose. Rolando felt it. It was very
strong that his knees buckled and fall to the ground. The blood that came out
from his nose trickled to the ground. He then ordered his men to drag him
outside. Rolando is a brave man and a trained soldier, and he knows what the
rebels would do to him. Yet, he knows better than to fight back, alone with his
bolo knife, facing less than ten armed people. He obliged and two hardy men
dragged him outside, to the middle of the street. Rolando is then kneeling,
surrounded by the armed rebels.
The street is very
quiet. No cars or people can be seen passing by. The windows and doors of every
house were closed. Where are they? His fellows, his friends? There were only
ten men here against a hundred of villages, yet why can’t they do something to
help? To help Tatay Into, to help him, and help his daughter, Sisiw. Where is
the government and their soldiers? Are they doing something to eradicate this thugs?
Or just like the old days, satisfied with their comfortable situation? He
regret the time that when he was still a soldier he didn’t kill them all.
A rebel bondage his
wrist and feet, then blindfolded him. He hated the fact that he could do
nothing. “Such a fool. Lot? Land? Livestocks? What would we do with that? Sell?
Beside the effort of selling it, the money won't be enough. Your land is very small stupid. We need a lot of money for our campaigns”. That same silent, yet provoking voice said.
“I don't have anything to give, please. If you don't want anything from my land, then leave us and find work.
You rebel against the government because they're doing something wrong, now what do you think you were doing? Aren't you pricks? You're not following the la- “, a kick in his stomach stopped Rolando.
Then
a sound came, a sound Rolando had been familiar with, the sound of a gun
reloading.
“That's what your foolish captain told me before I make his old head explode. You both will have the same destiny I think. We are wasting time brothers. Finish this stupid guy! “.
“Stop!”
It’s
Sisiw. Rolando’s world is now falling apart. Great fear, much greater when he
heard that his wife passed by. His only treasure. His daughter, will watch him
die, or worse will be in the grip of death.
He
continues to hear her voice, sobbing and pleading. There was also a sound of
coins as he hear her run towards them. “Please don't kill my father. We have no money to give, we are poor. Have mercy, this piggy bank, take it. This contained a lot of money. Take this, not Papa . .”
The
piggybank, yes the piggybank that Sisiw saves money with for her Barbie doll.
It was enough for him to cry behind the blindfold. “Sisiw, my daughter! Why are you here? Didn't I told you to stay at your room? Go away!
Please don't hurt my daughter. Do anything you want with me and just leave my daughter, I beg! “
There
is a silence that seems hours, then, a trigger was pulled...
… A
bullet shoots
…
To the ground beside Rolando
Laughter, many voices
laughing, yet Rolando seems to hear only one sound, her daughter still crying.
A man spoke, the same silent, yet provoking voice. “Girl, stop crying now. We won't hurt your father. Stop crying.”
He felt a close breath
beside his right ear. “Be thankful with your cute daughter and we won't kill you, but it doesn't mean we'll overlook what you did. Listen, we have a task for you. Very easy and no sweat.
If you didn't do this within our expectation we will kill you and your lovely daughter, much painful for her.”
Something hit him at
his nose again, but this time he didn’t make it. It is very painful at first, then the very few
light he can see behind the blindfold disappeared.
The
time he woke up, he didn’t know where he is. It was very dark. He called his
daughter’s name but there was no response. He started crying. Fear and hunger
consumes him. Fear for what might happen to her daughter, hunger for his
daughter’s touch.
A
door opened revealing a blinding light. He can see two silhouettes of men, in
which the shorter one is walking towards him. He is carrying a big black
suitcase. He told Rolando the details, where to ride, and where to leave the
suitcase, and also where to push the button. He tries to ask questions about
his daughter but there was no response from the man, except telling him that he
must do the job well or else he won’t see her ever again. He also didn’t give
details about what’s inside the suitcase
“Ayala Station. Arriving Ayala Station. Always watch your
belongings as you leave the train. Thank you “.
This is it. He suspects that this suitcase is a bomb,
because he had to push a button. Yet he doesn’t know how it doesn’t detected by
railway’s security. He looked around the people inside the train. He saw a
family. He saw different types of people. He knows them not, but he knows they
have different kinds of story. He closed his eyes and taken a deep breath and
grips the suitcase much harder. Yes, he has decided finally. I’m sorry my
daughter. I’m sorry Sisiw. Don’t worry you won’t die, Papa will be here. The
door of the train opened, Rolando walks out of the train, bringing the black
suitcase with him.
He leaves the station, tears falling down his cheeks. He
don’t care what others would say to him. He just walks straight, didn’t where
he was going. A girl licking a lollipop stares at him. He smiled back. And
pray,
BOOM!
The train who has just leave the station exploded! People
were running around, crying and shouting. Some were screaming. He saw a burning
human jumped out of the rail dropping with a loud thud to the land below.
Startled, he check his bag pack. The button was there.
The suitcase was still with him. Normal. How can it be? Must there be someone
sent together with him by the rebels, also bringing a bomb. The train is full
when he leaves, so he is very sure that many people will die from the
explosion. He look for a place to hide, and when he does, he laid down the
suitcase and tried to open it. It wasn’t locked surprisingly. He feared the
suitcase may exploded when he open it. But fortunately it wasn’t.
However, what revealed inside the suitcase makes him
wanting it to explode rather. It momentarily shocked him. It wasn’t a bomb. The
smell stinks, it was wrapped in a transparent jacket, so he can see it inside.
Blood.
Something hit him in the back of his head. He stumbled
head first to the ground. And before he faints, he saw a man standing in front
of him, holding a button.
