n. the moment you realize that you're currently happy—consciously trying to savor the feeling—which prompts your intellect to identify it, pick it apart and put it in context, where it will slowly dissolve until it's little more than an after taste.
* * *
As it appears, the reason that Goyo needs this many to welcome him is because of the package he has with him. After all, as some sort of his souvenir to everyone, he has about five hundred amber rifles. He had Isidro distribute it to the group, and he is going on rattling his idea on how to assemble and to attack. And he'd been wishing to make it back to Bulacan tonight, hoping that tomorrow morning, we can all proceed with his plan.
Let me tell you, Manila to Bulacan isn't just like some walk from one bridge to another. Manila to Bulacan is one province from another. Despite the presence of calesas and horses and carts, others will need to walk just to reach the province. Perhaps, the only reason that I manage to make it to one of the horses is because Isidro ordered me to keep Goyo company since he'll be needing to make sure that the rifles are received by those clearly reliable of such and in need. And he already grabbed Totoy to help him with the task.
So... yeah, that's how I ended up needing to ride with Goyo. Because, I don't know how to ride on my own. Yet. I hope so that I'll learn it soon.
"Pendejo, dalian mo naman. Pendejo na nga, ang bagal pa," Goyo scolds back as he manages to have a horse from one of his men. Someone else had been holding the reins as of the moment as he weaves his fingers through the horse's hair.
"Ito na nga oh! Sino ba mag-aakala na kailangan kong sumakay sa iisang kabayo na kasama ka," I tell him, drawing closer.
"Baka gustuhin mo maglakad," he suggests, causing me to shake my head in an instant and he laughs at my initial reaction. "O, 'lika na dito. Tulungan na kita." He points at the stirrup. "Umapak ka diyan." He nods as I did what he had ordered. He is not holding me, but his hands are awaiting if I'll be needing support. "O, itaas mo naman sarili mo. Naku po!" When he notices that I've been struggling a little with getting myself up with the high horse, he finally places his hands onto my waist, easily carrying me up to position me sideways on the horse. "Nakalimutan mo na ba na saya ang suot mo at hindi pantalon? May mas lalala pa ba kaysa sa iyo, Pendejo?" He sighs heavily.
I pout, rolling my eyes as I look away. "Ewan ko sa iyo. Pwede naman kasi magpaka-gentleman."
He shakes his head. "Paa." He gently taps my leg with his foot, and I remove my hook foot onto the stirrup. He easily mounts the horse behind me before softly rubbing the horse's neck as if to calm the animal down. He turns to the one holding the reins, who in turn, hands it to him. He tips his head to the man and gives his thanks, before finally ushering the horse to start with its march, following the others who've started with their journey onward to Bulacan.
I lose track of time, but between me and Goyo, it had been silence. It had grown awkward after departing Manila, but it slowly turn into calmness and sincerity as we continue on. Even during the entire travel to the province with small breaks, where in we'll be needing to unmount the horse to rest for a bit, it will be purely silence between the two of us; and once we're back on track, we return to the agreed silence.
However, a few minutes after our third stop, he finally breaks the silence. He says, "Kumusta ang pagbalik mo sa inyo?"
I suddenly remember that he is aware that the moment that he leaves for Hong Kong, I'll be heading back home. Though I never tell him where I come from, he doesn't seem to care at all. Perhaps, he knows. That I am not from this world. After all, the first time that I've left this game, it is because of the mango that he had given me. And he is there at the spot when I've eaten it; in short, he knows that even on that first time of my exit on this game, he understands that I am really not from some place here in the Philippines, or even in this world. That I am from another world completely different from his and the rest of them.
"Hmm? Kinuha na rin ba ng paglalakbay nito ang dila mo, Pendejo?" he asks, chuckling lightly.
"H-Hindi, ano!" I answer, keeping my head focus onto the road ahead. "Napaisip lang ako saglit sa tanong mo."
"Bakit naman? Ayaw mo ba sa inyo?"
"Hindi sa ganoon. Naging... maayos naman."
"Naman."
"Oo!" I turn to him, surprised to find out that our faces are just a few inches away from each other. I immediately look away, lowering my eyes as if that will hide the flush that suddenly erupts on my cheeks. I wonder where this warmth is coming from; perhaps the prospect that if he had been leaning much closer to me, we could've...
"Kung maayos naman sa inyo," he replies with an indication of the word 'naman', "bakit ka pa tumungong Kabite? Nasabi sa akin ni Isidro na nandoon ka raw noong labanan sa Aliaga. Tapos sumama ka sa kanila patungong Maynila. At ngayon... bakit ka pa sumama sa amin pabalik ng Bulacan? Kung maayos naman ang buhay mo sa inyo?"
Dahil hindi ko pa natatapos ang misyon ko. Dahil madami pa akong hindi napapatunayan sa laro na ito. Dahil nakakatakot din ang totoong buhay ko. Dahil ito lang ang lugar kung saan ako maaring magtago upang makatakas sa katotohanan. Dahil gusto rin kita makita...
I shake my head. "Hindi naman ibig-sabihin na maayos sa amin ay tunay na maayos siya para sa akin."
"Ano? Maayos sa inyo pero para sa iyo hindi maayos?" He laughs a little. "Pendejo nga talaga. Ang gulo rin talaga ng utak mo, 'no?"
"Baka para sa akin, ayos na. Pero may kulang pa rin. Kaya, bumalik ako dito," I answer. "May... May kailangan din ako malaman."
He didn't answer at that.
"Ikaw? Kumusta ang ibang bansa? Kumusta ang Hong Kong?" I ask him, turning his earlier question back to him.
"Hmm... bakit ka naging interesado kaagad sa kung paano ang buhay ko sa Hong Kong nitong nakaraan na anim na buwan? O, mga kulang-kulang na limang buwan dahil yung ibang linggo ay nasa barko kami. Nasa gitna ng dagat, ng kawalan, sa pagitan ng Hong Kong at Pilipinas." He snorts. "Ibang-iba sa Pilipinas. Medyo... payapa? Maunlad sa sarili nilang pamamaraan? Baka dahil nasa pamamalakad sila ng mga Briton. Mas... Mas bihasa sila sa teknolohiya na maari rin sana nating matutunan mula sa kanila."
I look back at him, now much careful to take note of the minimum distance that we can keep away from ourselves. I notice something from the way he speaks now, as if there had been some sort of accent that wasn't there before. I frown and stare. "May nagbago sa iyo?"
He slyly lowers his gaze at me. "Ha?"
"Ayun!" I point at him, chuckling.
"Ano?"
I can't help chuckling as I point at me the next. "Sa ngipin mo. Kaya may kakaiba sa tunog ng boses mo kapag nagsasalita ka. Parang ingat na ingat? Parang di pa ganoon kasanay? Gawang Hong Kong, ano?"
Goyo looks at me, surprised that I've noticed that, and later on, he smirks with absolute interest. "Pati yung sa ngipin ko, napansin mo. Talaga bang ganoon lang ba kalalim ang pangungulila mo sa akin?"
"Hmph!" I immediately turn away from him. "Asa ka."
He chuckles, and we continue on our voyage to Bulacan in silence after that.
# # #
We arrive just around midnight at the outskirt of Bulacan. Everyone are exhausted and had been lacking sleep. However, Goyo doesn't seem to be tired at the slightest. Surprisingly, for someone who had been for a few days or even a good week in a boat crossing the sea from Hong Kong to the Philippines, he has a lot of energy in him for this time of the day. He assured everyone that we just need to position ourselves into strategic positions, fired simultaneously to instigate terror to the Spaniards in the town of Bulakan itself, and we can all do the shifting of the guards to keep a strong hold.
"Naibigay na ba ang mga baril sa ating mga tauhan?" Goyo asks Isidro.
Isidro nods. The exhaustion on his body is visible but he tries to shake it. "Oo. Naibigay na namin sa kanila. Hinihintay na lamang nila kung saan kailangan pumwesto at ano ang magiging palatandaan ng sabay-sabay na pagputok."
Goyo's smile widens, confident that he is going to win this one easily. He then discusses with Isidro regarding the plan. I hear him having ordered him if it will be possible to gather the rest of the members of his musketeers who are, no doubt, in Bulakan. Their presence will be helpful in leading groups of men. He can trust such people much more than anyone else in random. As Totoy volunteered to gather the others, he discussed the positioning with Isidro.
I, however, remain quiet; listening, since I am unsure if I completely understand the locations he had been pertaining to. All I know is that, during any battle as this, I'll be needing to stick with Goyo. Wherever he is, I'll be there.
It takes half an hour for Totoy to return with the rest of the musketeers who've been from Bulakan themselves. They come running upon seeing Goyo, especially Julian, who has tears of happiness in his eyes upon seeing his younger brother. They're all eager to inquire and ask each other how they are, but Goyo remains dignified and tells them, "Mas may malaki pa tayong kailangan pag-usapan. Makakapaghintay ang ibang bagay, pero ang Inang Bayan, matagal na naghihintay na tayo ay kumilos."
They agree, and Goyo, along with Isidro, discuss the plan to them, and allowed them to take an equal partition of men for each group. And just like that, we find ourselves taking every strategic point to surround the town of Bulakan. Each man ready with the firearm earlier distributed, awaiting for signal.
As I remin next to Goyo all throughout this, I hear him muttering in the dark, holding his hand up as some sort of a signal for everyone to be ready, "Inang Bayan, konting tiis na lang."
And then he closed his fist. And the first fire of the rifle erupts, and then another; awakening the already sleeping people from their deep slumbers.
This is the start of the siege for the liberation of Bulacan. And in turn, of the Philippines.
* * *
A/N: Currently in La Union, will be returning now back to Subic! Follow me on twitter @23meraki for more updates. ;)
#GoyoDeadReckoning || #GoyoAngBatangHeneralStories || #ProjectAguilaStories