Until Darkness Falls

Part One: "You are evil"

Outer Jungles of Leyte Province
October 2, 1944

Coconut trees, banana trees and ferns shadow the dried terrain all about the landscape. Knelt down, washing a blouse in a bucket just outside a ragged straw hut, the scent of the ocean breeze from the nearby San Isidro Bay - mixed with a vague hint of gunpowder - makes it's way into Eeya's nostrils. Her squinting eyes cautiously survey the surrounding hillsides.

Having had first-person perspective during grousome naval battles at the San Isidro Bay very recently, Eeya now lives her daily life both on edge, and in fear. Up to this point, she's managed to escape several potentially fatal situations, unnoticed. Having noticed nothing out of ordinary, she sighs in relief and goes back to washing.

As she continues washing, she feels the blazing sun scortching her lower back. Her head and upper body both are protected from the sun by a salakot - the traditional, straw hat of the Filipino people. The Philippine sun is an enemy in it's own right.

On an average day in this province of Leyte, the sun relentlessly blazes with a heat index of over one hundred degrees fahrenheit. Eeya finishes up her washing and picks up the basin, which contains a bundle of partially submerged and damp clothing. As she turns toward the straw hut;

"HUH!"

She gasps in shock as her eyes meet another man walking up behind her.

"Papa, you scared me!" She scolds him, in her local dialect.

"Sorry my darling-" her father responds with a chuckle, "Your sisters have prepared lunch. Let's eat!"

"One minute, Papa," she replies, "I must hang the clothes first and I shall come."

Eeya continues her walk to the clothing line and begins taking out the articles of clothing one by one - hurriedly wrenching out the water and hanging them up to dry.

A few minutes later, Eeya - along with her eldery father and what remains of her younger brothers and sisters - are sitting outside, silently eating their rice and pork together with their bare hands. Although only thiry-two years old, Eeya's sunkissed skin reveals a life of struggle and hardship through the newly forming wrinkles on her face. Her dimples and smile lines become more visible as she chews her food.

Having finished her food, she stands up and starts towards the water well. She pulls out the pale and scoops up water with both hands and begins scrubbing the excess pork grease from her around her mouth. As she begins drying her wet face with her dirty blouse, she hears shouts echoeing in the distance. This is not anyone from her family. She's well aware of this as she realizes it's not in her people's dialect. It's the Japanese!

The relaxed look upon her face quickly turns into a look of terror. She knows all too well what will happen if the Japanese soldiers catch her and her family. Without a sound, she begins sprinting towards the hut. Bursting through the fragile door of the hut, she loudly whispers in her native language to everyone around, "The Japanese are near!" Eeya's elderly father, along with her brothers and sisters - begin scrambling about aimlessly. They have no idea where to hide but if they stay inside, surely they will be found.

A few moments later, Eeya and one of her younger sisters are prone beneath the large leaves of a nearby cluster of banana trees. Both of them are sweating and panting heavily. Eeya has no idea where her other brothers and sisters are hiding; nor her father. She thinks to herself, "Papa is weak and elderly. I do not think he will be able to run away if the situation deems it necessary." Just as the thought enters her mind - CRACK! A lone bullet hits a coconut tree only about three meters away. Immediately after the single gunshot, Eeya hears a sudden hail of gunfire erupt just around the edge of the hillside, just off to her left.