Chapter 1- Encounter

Chapter 1

June 6, 1897. It was a damp Saturday afternoon when we finally landed in a place called Milagros, it was a small town west of the island called Masbate, a place only God knows where. My boots were wet while I walked along the black muddy beach, I was thirsty but all I can think about was the creeping sweat under my uniform.

"Single file line! Sargent Carbajal behind me! When we enter the forest, I want you to keep your eyes open, stay alert."

Lieutenant Maximo, was a man we could trust from what I know he was transferred to this forsaken part of the empire to at least bolster the ranks of the officers, I heard most have been beheaded by Aguinaldo's men in mainland Luzon. But I wouldn't know, this is my first assignment anyway. I'm just glad I'm not there. The short guy who followed him around was Sargeant Antonio Carbajal, he stood like a statue, chest up trying to make himself look taller, he always looked angry like a small bull waiting to charge the matador. Just put horns on his black head and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

We were supposed to reinforce a small garrison in Milagros though we haven't heard from their unit since last Friday,  they were supposed to send a  rider to the town capital of Masbate to get resupplied, but no one came. "No recent insurgent activity" we were told during the briefing and the town folk were friendly towards us Spaniards. That was great.. because if the Indios in that town did decide to turn on us, there's nothing much 14 men can do to help that small garrison.

We had to board a boat and go around the island to carry all their supplies along with ours, those lazy bums. I was hunched like an old man and my shoulders felt like it was being pulled backward. Ammunition, canon powder, bread, oil, cans of meat all stacked in our backs.  

"Pssst... hey man, hey Guillermo! Guiye!" the guy behind me calling my name, It was Alfonso who said, "Got any smoke brother?". "Yeah... sure." I replied

 I frisked my left breast pocket for a cigarette then turned to give it to Alfonso. When I thought I saw a man dressed as a priest. I tried to get a better look but it was gone. "Alfonso, did you see that?" "See what?" he replied,  "I thought I saw something." Alfonso put the cigarette in his mouth and stared at me with his blue eyes and smirked,  suggesting I'm an idiot for seeing stuff that wasn't there. The blonde prick. He looked more Scandanavian than Iberian but when he opens his mouth, you can tell this hombre is from Madrid.

"Shut up! Why aren't you in proper formation Guillermo!?" Sargent Carbajal gave me a look, this guy is probably just 2 years older than me, and he's barking orders like a general. What have I gotten myself into? Halfway across the world, thick mud on my boots, heavy load on my back..trying to prove to myself that I can do more than just tend sheep. Damn. Maybe father was right "Only a fool would seek war" I was a fool. I wondered what my little brother was doing in Galicia.

Not far, I could see a small gap in the unending line of trees,  I thought that's where we were headed. I squinted my eyes and tried to look as far as I could but all I saw were trees and more black mud and those damn tiny crabs that I stumped on every few steps.  "No recent insurgent activity in the area.." That's.. comforting... but not the wet air that was mixing with my sweat.

After trudging along the muddy beach for 10 or so minutes, we arrive at the opening. The pathway was about four meters wide and the trees were like giants, arms stretched out covering the ground from the light of the sun. The thickness of the canopy made it look like an overgrown empty well.

 "Halt"  Lieutenant Maximo ordered. "Boys, from here we're going to walk 2 kilometers and we should be in the town of Milagros. Stay sharp!  Tell me or Sargeant Carbajal if you see anything suspicious. ANYTHING. Understood? Alfonso..... put out your cigarette and put it in your pocket. Let's go.." Alfonso looked at me, taunting, as if he was he was saying "Are you going tell them about what you saw or what?". I didn't. It could have been just my imagination.

As we entered the path, I noticed the air getting thicker, like odorless smoke that filled my lungs. Every step I took, made the air slightly more condensed and much harder to inhale, and it wasn't hot anymore it was..... chilling like I had a slight fever.

20 or  30 minutes so into the forest, the place has gotten darker. Too dark actually, as if nighttime has come early. Lieutenant Maximo raised his right fist and ordered us to take a knee.  Alfonso, behind uttered in a low voice "We lost brother?". I didn't answer. The guy in front of me, Juancho, scratched his thick beard and pointed at his palm asking me for the time, I reached for my pocket watch mother gave me. I put up a three sign.. and a ten, then I saw something again, on our left flank, an image behind the tree about 15 meters away.

Suddenly the air was like ice rubbing on my skin... then a drum started pounding on my chest. It was staring at us... at me... it was as dark as the abyss, I couldn't make out what it was.. just a deep shadow of a figure rearing its shoulder and head behind the tree.  I pointed my rifle at it. What was it...? My imagination... no... it was staring back, it had no eyes or I think it had no face... but it was leering at me I could feel it. Juancho looked in the direction where I was pointing my weapon toward and raised his rifle as well, Alfonso pointed his weapon too  "Shit! What is it? What do you see brother!?!?  as he quavered. Sargeant Carbajal looked in our direction from the front and crouched towards us. "Fucking Indios!" Juancho said.  But it wasn't an Indio, it wasn't a rebel.. it was something much more sinister. 

 Then there was a loud whispper, "Hhhaaa... moooo....nn... iiiini...". This time all of us heard it. Over and over...."Hhhaaaa... mooonnn.. iniii...." the whispers they were far but near at the same time... "Haaa...moooo iiinnii" different voices. Sargeant Carbajal stopped and looked around as if searching for answers. "It's the devil!" Someone up front shouted in a heightened panic. The men murmured, petrified by the whispering shouting voices.  Lieutenant Maximo shouted "FIRE! ON THE LEFT FLANK!! OPEN FIRE!!!" His voice mustered what little courage we had at that moment. All 14 of us fired. "BANG, BANG, BANG" the sounds of our rifles thundering at the same time were deafening. "Fuck you, you fucking devils!" one guy shouted.  I cranked the bolt of my Mauser and pulled the trigger, crank pull, crank pull, crank pull. I unloaded my weapon faster than lightning!

 Then it stopped. It was silent. It's as if I have woken up from a terrible nightmare, the air was thinner more breathable. When I looked around I can tell the others were just as jolted as me. 

What in God's name just happened? A river of questions flooded my mind after the horror, "What? How....?"  Light, I could see small rays of sunlight, piercing through the leaves. I looked forward.. and I saw there was a bright light as if heaven opened its gates. Great relief consumed my being, as I stared at the blinding light, and not far.... I could see the town of Milagros.  I thought it was over, I thought wrong, it has only begun. The horrors that would transpire in the next few hours would test our faith, our humanity and dictate the destinies of our souls.

To be continued....