Touch of Time

Chapter 20: Captive

"Today's Sunday.  Everyone wear your appropriate clothes for we'll go to church." said Mrs. Dulce.

"Okey mama", replied the two little girls.

Ersha helped Margarita and Amarga change clothes then she changed also afterwards.  After 15 minutes, everyone is ready.  All females in the house are looking beautiful and modest due to the veil covered on their heads. It is a must for them when attending a mass. In year 1896, dress codes in accordance with its social status are very apparent  but still, it is the wearer who carries his/her looks.  

Mrs. Dulce and Manko are walking together while Andel is with his two sisters.  Ersha moved to join the kids but was prevented by Andro when he caught a grip of her hand and pulled her to come along with him.  By looking at them, Andro and Ersha were like a newly wed couple added in the family.  As they reached the main road, they rode a calesa right away and traveled for about 15 minutes.  When they arrived at the church, several church goers were already inside so the Bandres's chose to sit behind.

In a few moments, a Spanish friar comes in along with the two sextons who then walk the aisle to start the introductory rites.  Everyone stands up and sing the processional song in unison.  After then, everyone is instructed to get seated and listen for the next part of the mass.

Ersha is in great awe of the grandness of church building in its exact time period.  While everyone is concentrating on the mass, she on the other hand is enjoying on gazing at the ceiling, to the walls and then down to the floor.  As she keeps on staring, she came to a halt when a guy is looking at her in a very curious way.  She felt uncomfortable with the way he looks at her so she tried to make a quick glimpse at him to see if he's still looking.  But when she turned her head to look, a sudden thought came to her and realized that it is the warden in the prison cell who is looking at her and then to Andro.  Ersha got nervous and then tugged Andro's sleeves.

"Andro, the warden is here and he's staring at us."  Ersha mumbly said.

"Yes, I saw that awhile ago"  answered Andro.

"Will we be fine? " ask Ersha.

"Let's try to sneak out, I'll just inform my father first about the situation", suggested Andro to Ersha.

Andro whispered something to Manko in inconspicuous manner and the response was a nod.  Ersha and Andro waited for the next singing of the song where everyone is standing, then they sneaked out at the right wing side of the church and exited.

The two of them got out of the church successfully without being noticed by the warden but as they moved farther, four guards came out to meet them.  Ersha panicked as they tied the hands of Andro and hers next.  Immediately, a calesa came and they were ordered to ride along with the four guards.  The calesa then started to move and as Ersha looked back into the church, she saw the warden with his irritating grin is waving at them.

Ersha and Andro were brought to the prison where he was interrogated before.  There were only eight cells inside.  Four of it is already filled with prisoners and the cell which is located at the farthest is where they were placed.  The guards pushed them inside as if they were the worst criminals of all and then say, "Huh, you think the two of you can outsmart us.  I can still clearly remember your faces".  Then locked the door and moved away.

Ersha sat silently on the floor.  Her feelings are in turmoil as well as her mind.  She wants to calm herself down but cannot.  Andro saw Ersha getting agitated so he sat beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder to give comfort.  

"I know you don't like what is happening now but I promise you, we will not be neglected by my group." said Andro in consoling tone.

Ersha doesn't like to reply, instead she curled her knees towards her body and leaned on it to hide herself from crying about the situation.  Andro felt Ersha's sobbing so he just rubbed her back for he doesn't know any other way how to comfort her.  

It's already two hours that passed, Andro and Ersha had fallen asleep in a crouching position with heads bent towards their knees.  Then, someone arrived and the jail guard opened the lock.

"Well, well, what we have here.  Mr. and Mrs. Nieves?  Is that really your identity?" pestered the warden.  But he got no reply from the two of them.  Then, he still keeps on asking further questions and other annoying remarks yet no response was made.

The warden then held Ersha's hair to irk Andro and without thinking twice, he stopped the warden and said, she has nothing to do about the things he's involved in.

"So this is the only way I can make you talk huh!  If you don't want her to get hurt then better cooperate."  reprimanded the warden.  Tonight, the other government officials and I will be discussing your case and I'll make sure you won't get out of this.  I'll make it sure that both of  you will be executed."  The warden then went out of the prison.