MARIELA ROSA

Chapter 9

Ya llegó, pues, aquel fatal instante,
triste destino de mi suerte impía;
llegó ya, en fin,aquel momento y día,
en que me voy a separar de ti.

Adiós, Leonor, adiós, que me despido,
mi corazón amante te lo dejo;
adios, Leonor, que ya de aquí me alejo,
¡oh, ausencia triste! ¡ay, qué dolor!

(And so it has arrived: the fatal instant,
the dismal injunction of my cruel fate;
and so it has come at last the moment, the date
when I must separate myself from you.

Goodbye, Leonor, goodbye! I take my leave,
leaving behind with you my lover's heart!
Goodbye, Leonor: from here I now depart.
O melancholy absence! Ah, what pain!)

Rizal left a very beautiful song for his beloved Leonor. Although the end of their love story is sad, I know they are both happy now, and their memories and unforgettable stories remain in our hearts.

I took a deep breath and closed the book, then looked at the beauty of the vast countryside. It was refreshing and breezy, a quiet and peaceful world where I felt lighter. It's early morning now, and I'm starting to shiver from the chilly breeze and the mist.

It has been two months since we returned to Mount Bucari. Father has continued training and preparing the Jaro soldiers, and even more guerrillas have joined us to live here. The Philippines is now under Japanese control, and they also control the government officials. Although it's not easy for us to be under their control, we believe that all of this will come to an end, and we will achieve the freedom we have long desired.

August 24, 1942

I walked back to camp and found everyone already having breakfast. Father was happily eating at the long table, so I smiled and walked toward them. Other soldiers were laughing and talking while having breakfast in each hut.

"Come here, child, and have your breakfast," Mother quickly invited me, so I sat beside her. Our breakfast today consisted of sweet potatoes, boiled eggs, and bread, while Father was having coffee. I sat next to Maya, Florence, and Elsie, followed by Maria. In front of us were Teniente Carterio, Señor Roman, and Señor Bonzon. General Roco stayed back at Habog-Habog Salvacion because he needed to be with his family first, but he'll be back here in the mountains soon.

Joining us for breakfast today were Teniente Carterio's companions we've been waiting for a long time: Señor Manulo Espado, Señor Inocio Lagtiño, and Señora Quezca Llanes. They are high-ranking officials overseeing Iloilo. They came with us to the mountains to see, experience, and understand our situation here.

Florence asked where I had gone. 'Just around, taking a walk,' I replied between bites of my hot sweet potato. I reminisced about the diverse meals we used to enjoy in Iloilo, compared to our current diet mostly consisting of vegetables, sweet potatoes, eggs, and meat.

'For a walk? But there's no breeze here, is there?' Maria teased, with Elsie joining in with a chuckle. Their playful banter hadn't changed; they teased me just as they always did. However, I'm accustomed to it, so their teasing doesn't bother me.

"Hija, I didn't notice you were already here," said Señor Manulo with a smile.

"Good morning, Señor Manulo, Señor Inocio, and Señora Quezca," I greeted them immediately.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call us Señor and Señora? That's no longer used nowadays," replied Mr. Inocio, which made Maria and Elsie suddenly laugh and be promptly disobeyed by Maya.

"Oh my... my children are quite poetic; that's why you immediately think they're from Iloilo," Father remarked.

He said that because during the Spanish colonization, the Ilonggos didn't resist the Spaniards since they were business partners back then. So until now, our Spanish heritage and poetry are still alive within us.