The Sorrows Of Perdita

It was a peaceful night on November 5th, 1941. Perdita Hernandez was busy closing the windows when she suddenly spotted a black figure outside. At first, Perdita was hesitant, but then panicked when she realized that it was Eduardo, her suitor for a long time.

Perdita had known him for a long time now, and she too had the same feelings for him. They both loved and still loved each other secretly because Perdita was still too young to be in a romantic relationship with him. But Eduardo was persistent; he was willing to wait for her until the time was finally right for them to be in each other's arms.

While outside, Eduardo, holding a gas lamp, blew Perdita a sweet kiss before waving a hand and walking away. He just wanted to see her even from afar. It had been a long and hard day for him, working in the rice field to sustain himself and his mother. Yes, Eduardo was not as rich as Perdita's family, but unlike many others, Eduardo had principles and dreams. Perdita loved him because of his kindness towards others and his extreme generosity to those in need.

Perdita was confident that her family would accept Eduardo because of his characteristics, and she couldn't wait to be with him again, especially on her upcoming birthday.

December 9, 1941, was her birthday. She knew that she should be happy, but she couldn't. It was because the Japanese had come to take over the Philippines the day before, and people had been wounded, and others had unfortunately died. It was a traitorous attack; all of a sudden, peace was shattered into fear, hope had turned to ashes, and the singing of beautiful melodies had become a scream of horror.

On January 3, 1942, a military government was installed by the Japanese. While many Filipino people were suffering, many had mounted an offensive guerrilla attack against the Japanese. They chose to live and hide in the mountains to protect their association. But the Japanese soldiers fought them with cruel hands, killing the innocent and taking women by force.

In great fear, Perdita's family could do nothing but bend down their knees and follow the laws laid by the Japanese without a choice.

They secretly built an underground quarter in their house where they could hide whenever the Japanese soldiers were nearby, killing and taking women.

One night, while everyone was deep in their sleep, a smell of smoke and the light of fire illuminated and woke everyone. There was a sudden scream coming from a house near the rice fields. Perdita peeked outside to see where the screams were coming from. Her eyes widened, and her heart began to pound erratically the moment she saw Eduardo's house near the rice fields on fire. Tears flowed unnoticed in her eyes while running outside to be with Eduardo. Her mother and sister, Constanciandra, tried to stop her, but she was persistent in being with her love.

There were six Japanese soldiers and a man wearing a dirty Camiso de chino with a basket on his head. A sudden loud bang from a gun stopped her in her tracks. Her body was unable to move as she watched Eduardo's old and sick mother shot dead in the head by one of the soldiers. Her mother and sister tried to pull her away, but it was too late; one of the Japanese soldiers had already noticed them, and three of them were now walking fast to catch them.

It was too late, even if she badly wanted to run and save herself from the devils that were coming for her. Each of the soldiers caught all three of them. She cried, her mother and sister screamed, Eduardo shouted to the soldiers to let them go, but he received a hard blow from two of the soldiers near him. One soldier pulled her mother, while the other pulled her sister away. One of the soldiers guarding Eduardo approached her, while the other went to her sister, laughing and eyeing them with lust.

She was pulled to lay in the wet grass; one soldier pulled her hair while on top of her, while the other held her arms. She could hear her sister and mother's screams while she was drowning in her own cries and pleas. A gunshot was heard where Eduardo was, and she screamed loudly with bitter agony.

The soldier on top of her started to pull her skirt up her legs. Another loud gunshot was heard, but it was so loud this time that she almost went deaf. Blood splattered all around her; the soldier on top of her lay dead on the ground. Another gunshot, and the Japanese soldier holding her arms did not have much time to prepare for the attack, and he too lay dead in the wet grass. Eduardo pulled her up into his arms and hugged her tightly. He repeatedly said how much he loved her in the past and would always do so in the future if they ever had one.

A gunshot ended and started it all. Eduardo bled to death in her arms while she cried and wept painfully. She lost track of everything; her mother wept for the death of her father for trying to save her, one Japanese soldier lay cold on the ground, while her sister was nowhere to be found along with the other three Japanese soldiers; the Makapili was also gone now, leaving her mourning for the loss of everything. Perdita spent the night crying in their ruined village; her mother tried to heal her with words and support, even if she too was as vulnerable and fragile as she was.

But then, nothing could ever convince her of another hope and another day of peace and beauty without the man she loved, the only man she had and would always love in every lifetime she would have. She spent her days and nights nursing her wounded heart alone in the spot where Eduardo met his untimely death. She would cry, weep, and sob tirelessly until nothing was left but her last breath.

Perdita died in that same spot where Eduardo died. Even if the war finally ceased and their village had finally returned to normal, many townsfolk claimed that even now they could still hear the cries of Perdita for her lost love. Many people and even priests prayed for the peace of her soul. But until now, there was still no one who could ever sever the sorrows of Perdita.

Listen to Ballade Pour Adeline by Richard Clayderman.

Source:Digital Museum
The Comfort Women Issue and the Asian Women's Fund
"Women made to be Comfort Women - Philippines" https://www.awf.or.jp/e1/philippine-00.html