Something More

The Real Reason

15th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Third Person's POV:

Police lines has been established around the church as an unidentified man has taken people attending a regular Sunday mass as hostages. Initially, there were 300 people inside the church when the hostage incident began, but within minutes after the police arrives, most of the hostages began to flee the scene safely and currently under stress debriefing from the local government.

Right now, there are only seven people left inside the church taken as hostage, including the famous miracle worker Imee Therese Villaflor and the parish priest Father Jean Carl Ildefonso. As of the moment, there are no terms being demanded by the hostage taker as the drama continues to unfold.

Imee Therese's POV:

I heard the sirens of the police ringing out of the church from the sacristy, then followed by the sounds of hurried footsteps...perhaps the churchgoers have safely left the premises, thank God. As for both of us with Anthony...we're stuck with a stranger who has a gun which can kill us...

And within minutes of taking us as hostage, the stranger begins to lose his anger he had...and he sat down...beside us.

"Hmm? Umm...excuse me, mister stranger but...can you tell me what's wrong?" I suddenly get curious about his sudden change of emotions. "Oh! Yo-you ma-may not tell it if that insults you...just please don't kill us!"

"...sigh...I just wanted to have a new life." Then, after taking a deep breath, the stranger confesses.

"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked her.

"What do I mean? WHAT DO I MEAN?!?! DON'T YOU KNOW THAT I'M A TERORIST?!?!" The stranger shouted at me. "I'm a terrorist! I kill people! I raped people! Don't you know that I attempted to kill you once?! And didn't you know that I raped your friend to death?! But...I don't had any choice."

The stranger then continues his story. "My dad teach me violence. I was born in a broken family...I love my family. My mother is a Christian just like you, my dad's a Muslim. I've always had the choice to where I could worship God...for I believe that wherever we do to worship, I believe that we worship one God...

"But then, one night, everything's changed. I don't understand why Mom and Dad were fighting each other that night...but...on that night, Dad shot Mom point blank...right on his heart. He dragged me out to escape...and led me to this camp full of bandits with black robes and masks. That's when I realized that my dad's a terrorist too."

"From that point, I was forced to do violence: setting random things ablaze, killing important people, bombing crowded place, raping kids and girls. My dad give me a dozen of troops to help me...and to remove any doubt of success. Everytime I'm doing these crazy things, I feel that my whole world is in my hands...I'm thirsty for blood flowing in front of me....for the people to grieve for their loved ones...to bring honor to my father and the group."

"But everytime I go to bed...and wake up the following morning, I realizing that everything that I'm doing is horribly wrong...but I can't stop myself from doing it. I want my father to be proud of me but...I want to end the suffering...for myself and for others..."

From his looks, I really distinct this stranger as indeed a terrorist. But after he unintentionally tell his past...the real reason why he doing all this shameful stuff...I could see inside his heart...as fear and despair. I don't care whether he's a terrorist or not...as long as he needs help...I will do whatever it takes....huh?

"HUHUHU!!!" And as I was about to tell the him a piece of advice, the stranger begins to sob...by the second, it grows louder and louder until...

"BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!" His tears turns to laughter, as he pulls out his gun again and points at us. "You know what, that's it! I had it! I'm gonna start killing you one by one!"

"Wait! Please, spare us all!" Anthony, who is listening for the whole time, pleads for me. "We will do anything for you! We will abide your demands! Just please, don't kill us!"

"Hmm...let me think."

At that moment, pressure fills the atmosphere. Since this hostage drama began, our lives has been in the hands of this stranger. His decision will dictate our fate...whether we will survive for another minute....or die with a bullet on my heart...or in my brain...

"Alright...I suppose." The stranger gives in as he points his gun upwards and looks at Anthony. "I suppose that your friends are here to...Ehem...save both of you. Hey, little boy! Could you please bring them here?! If you try to escape along with them...this lady will get it!"

"Ye-yes! Certainly!"

Anthony rushes out of the sacristy, leaving me with the stranger.

Christian Anthony's POV:

Fearing for Imee's life, I rushed out of the sacristy...and into the front pew in front of the altar, where Joshua, Kyle, Catherine and Evangeline is there, visibly shaken and scared.

"Anthony! Thank goodness, you're safe!" Catherine hugs me gratefully. "Hey, where's Imee?! Don't tell me she's..."

"No, she's still alive. She's with the hostage taker." I quickly replied. "I was forced to call you in the sacristy for the hostage taker to see you...but right now, this is a perfect opportunity to make a plan how to save Imee and neutralize the hostage taker."

"Well, makes sense. You're once part of the police force." Kyle compliments. "So...what should we do?"

"Okay, all of you will simply pretend that you are submissive to the hostage taker when we come to the sacristy with me." I devised a plan. "Then, I will tell the hostage taker that Joshua and Kyle should be at his back so you could listen to his plan more clearly. When there's an opportunity, Joshua should knock his gun off his hands while Kyle and I will throw the hostage taker to submission. Then, Catherine and Evangeline, both of you should rescue Imee out of the sacristy and into safety. Understand?"

"Yes, Anthony." My friends quickly agrees with the terms.

"HEY! I HEAR YOU TALKING OUT THERE!" The hostage taker's voice was heard from the sacristy. "GET IN HERE WITH YOUR FRIENDS OR I WILL KILL YOUR BELOVED LADY IN WHEELCHAIR!!!"

"Alright! Alright!"

And as we go to the sacristy, I simply opened my phone and texted the policemen...especially those who I befriended once more with Imee's help.

"The Hostage taker is in the sacristy. Police should surround the back of the church ASAP."