"Anak ng diyos. Iyon ang tawag sa mga anak ng PMA-er o official na galing sa PMA," paliwanag ni Salic.
Nag-umpisa ang usapan nang biglang mag brown out sa school. Dalawang oras na mula ngayon kaya sobrang init, lumabas ako at doon ko siya nakitang nakaupo sa may bench, kung saan kami nakaupo ngayon. May hawak siyang pamaypay at nang makita ako ay pinaypayan niya ako. Nabigla ako sa ginawa niya, nahiya tuloy ako.
"Tungkol nga pala noong nakaraang linggo..." umpisa ko, "Sorry sa nangyari."
"Psh. Let's just forget about it," aniya't inayos niya ang polo niya at binigyan ang sarili ng hangin sa loob. Ang init kasi talaga.
"Hmm... my brother died because of hazing," umpisa ko. Nabigla naman siya roon. Naalala ko kasi tinatanong niya bakit ako galit na galit noong araw na narinig ko silang nag-uusap ng mga kaibigan niya.
"What?! How the hell? I mean why? When?"
"Yeah, that's why it's really provoking in my part. Uhm, year 2010 when he died," I answered. I tried to be calm as I can to answer him without breaking down.
"Sundalo papa mo?" he asked.
I nodded, "Actually, pati ang lolo ko. They are both PMA graduates."
"I see. Sa PMA, anak ng diyos ang kuya mo," he said in a weak voice. Grabe 'yong tibok ng puso ko nang marinig ang salitang iyon.
"Anong anak ng diyos?" I asked trying not to stutter.
That's where our conversation started. Marami akong natutunang basic knowledge about PMA, such as rules and regulations noong bata pa ako, pero kamakailan ko lang naunawaan ang mga ito nang todo.
Sa PMA, may apat rin na class tulad sa pangkaraniwang college set up, pero ang ranking doon ay mula sa 4th class pataas sa 1st class. Kung ang regular 1st year college ay tinawag na freshman, doon naman ay 4th class o ang plebe.
"Students or the officers in training are called Cadets," he explained.
Mabilis kaming nagkaunawaan sa topic na tungkol sa PMA, pero mayroon ding ilang bagay siyang nasabi na ngayon ko lang nalaman. Some rules inside barracks like bawal mahiga sa bunk ng iba, bawal ang PDA if you have visitors na girlfriend or boyfriend, at bawal maupo kung saan-saan.
"Starting from the fourth grade, students at the PMA are referred to as plebes. By the time they reach their third year, they're called as yearlings," he explained, as if reciting a well-worn tradition. "Second-year cadets earn the title of cows, and those in their final year, the first class are known as the immaculate or the bulls," he added with a proud smile.
"So...What happened to your kuya?" baling niya naman sa akin.
I've been trying to hide my pain behind a smile, because I've never opened up about this topic before, not even with my friends. But I guess, kapag magsabi o magkwento ako sa kaniya, maiintindihan niya naman ako.
"Cadet 4th Class Euan Vasquez, iyon ang naalala kong tawag kay kuya noong nasa loob pa siya ng academy. I really don't have idea anong nangyayari noon kasi I was only in 3rd grade at the time. Then, nalaman ko wala na si kuya," pagku-kwento ko nang dire-diretso without stuttering or tears falling.
BINABASA MO ANG
Cross and Bullet
Novela JuvenilVasquez Series #3 After the tragic death of her brother inside the academy, Eurie Vasquez's world turned upside down. Consumed by grief and anger, she found herself harboring a deep-seated resentment towards the PMA-ers, blaming the institution for...
