PHILIPPINE AMERICAN WAR
HISTORICAL FICTION, A'IGHT?
•••
The young Commander stood in silence, seemingly lacking emotion as she watched the execution of Manuel Bernal unfold before her eyes.
When the haunting sound of a bullet reached her ears, she quickly walked out, following after the general that left before her.
But the question the man said made her think.
Was she a lapdog or was she the aggressive sea she was nicknamed?
"Komandante, parang may iba kang iniisip. Maari ko ba malaman kung ano ang iyong minumuni-muni?" Spoke the general. ("Commander, it seems you are thinking of something else. May I know what you are deeply thinking about?")
"Paumanhin, heneral. Wala naman pong kahalagahan ang aking iniisip." She explained. ("My apologies, general. My thoughts have no value.")
What a lie. Her thoughts were like her treasures, safe in her mind vault.
"Maari ba ako nalang ang magsabi naman kung ano ang aking iniisip, Binibining Jacinto?" The general spoke, as they neared the town. ("Then may I be the one to say what I am thinking, Miss Jacinto?")
"Aleja nalang, po, ginoo, at pwede rin naman." She spoke, as they continued walking through the town. ("Just Aleja, mister, and of course.")
"Goyo nalang, Aleja." He nodded. ("Just Goyo, Aleja.")
"Iniisip ko lang, ukol sa sinabi ni Manuel, totoo ba ang sinabi ni niya? Tayo ba'y mga sunud-sunurang na aso na sumusunod sa kung sino man ang idolo at hindi pinuno?" He sighed, as they approach the ocean. ("I was wondering, about what Manuel said, was what he said true? Are we blind dogs who follow whomever is their idol and not a leader?")
Forest green met chocolate brown as they made eye contact.
"...Ugali ng mga Pilipino ang sumunod nang bulag. Kagaya ko, noong ako'y sampung taong gulang akala ko mabait ang Kastilang nakilala ko. Oo, may nakikilala akong mababait na Kastila gaya ni Telesforo at iba pa, ngunit iba yung nakilala ko. Dinakip niya ako at kung wala ang aking kapatid ay mababawian ako ng buhay." She reminisced the traumatizing moments that could've changed her life. ("...It is an attitude of Filipinos to follow blindly. Like me, when I was ten years old I thought the Spaniard I met was kind. Yes, I've met kind Spaniards like Telesforo and others, but this one was different. He kidnapped me and had my sibling not been there my life would have been taken.")
She pulled down the collar of her Rayadillo, and it revealed a scar that was visible yet fading.
He examined the scar, but she had covered it up shortly.
"...Hm. Bakit kaya ang tawag sa iyo'y Dagat? Mayroon bang rason tungkol dito?" He asked, changing the subject, for which Alejandra was thankful for. ("...Hm. Why are you called Dagat/Sea? Is there a reason about that?")
"Sana naman ay hindi ka matulog habang ako'y nagkwekwento." She joked. "Nagsimula ang pagtawag noong ako'y bata. Pero hindi lang Dagat ang tawag sa akin, dahil ang tawag sa akin ay Batang Dagat, at pa minsan minsan ay tinatawag parin ako na Batang Dagat. Hindi naman sila mali kaya't hindi nagbago." She shrugs.
•••
"Hindi ba ang Aguila ay lumilipad sa taas ng Dagat?"
"Pero parang baliktad ngayo'y wala ka na, aking kapatid."
•••
YOU ARE READING
Susi • Bayanverse Stories
Fanfiction(The Bayanverse is what I call the line of original characters I have that represent the different parts of the Philippines.) This is a collection of different stories I have written, based on history or maybe just plain fiction.
