Circa 1955 - It was June 20 when in the mid afternoon, the moon appeared totally covering the sun. The roosters crowed,the hens gathered her chicks , the dogs howled and the stray cats meowed as if scared of the impending horrific night. Some parts of Barrio Pitogo turned their lights on, while the rest of the community lighted their "gaseras" and candles.There was no electricity yet in this resettlement area called Pinagkaisahan, a few hundred acres given by President Ramon Magsaysay to the poor landless people of Manila and suburbs. It lies between the massive walls of Fort Bonifacio (formerly known as Fort McKinley) and the busy Highway 54,( now called Edsa.). There was commotion among the settlers who were just preparing for their lunch, others tending to their chores, washing clothes with their hands by the artesian well,provided by the government. " its night time already and I just got out of bed??" one guy excitedly commented; One woman was caught inside the public toilet..."Hey its too dark here give me candles,I am not done yet.."
Mercy, Cora and Bonnie walked home from school -they are neighbors and good friends enjoying the same hobby of running -being school athletes.
"Its not going to last long, this solar eclipse will be over in less than 10 minutes..." Bonnie stated with certainty. " I know because I listened to the radio as they announced the coming of this phenomena" she added;
"let us stop walking and just observe the going ons above us...the moon now totally covering the sunlight, but in a few minutes, its going to move away and the sunlight will again appear...its called solar eclipse" Cora butted in, I listened to my science teacher and remember everything she said.
"what about you Mercy? you have any knowledge about this mystery ?" Cora turned to her quiet friend,who was just looking up and kind of wondering.
"all of them are planets in the solar system....including the earth...other than that, its too deep to comprehend their activities up there...only God knows how things are gonna be..." Mercy replied in a stuttered voice;
In a little while, the sunlight appeared, as the moon was eaten by the clouds. Its daylight and the hot summer wind came blowing its humid air .
"Let's go run....run fastest you can ,the last to come will not have a drink of " tuba" in Aling Iska's store..." Bonnie challenged her friends to run instead of walk.
Mercy was a lousy runner, her legs although long is not made for running ,it has no muscles...it's demure and shapely.She came last as expected. Aling Iska owns the Corner Carinderia store that also serve sweet Tuba drink, it's a fermented coconut liquor, good for the body if taken in small dose. If you over drink, it can also intoxicate and get you drunk.
Aling Iska often helped the girls in their training as wannabe athletes, she was a one time track and field athlete champion from the south. She married early and got widowed without children,relocated to Manila and found no means of income but be a vendor in Divisoria. She had a hard life, was into relationships that failed until she's already old and weary.Her meager savings she invested in this little corner store, cooking meals and selling" Tuba."
Aling Iska loved the girls, she'd buy some 2nd hand clothes for them, and shoes in exchange for their trust and friendship. Her backyard was huge and she thought of buying a gilt have it impregnated by a boar and then it can bring in some piglets...then the one gilt can become a sow and keep farrowing more piglets.
"Can you get my idea? You girls and I will make this our business, we sell piglets....I will invest on just one gilt, then you girls haunt for their food, left- overs from different houses and restaurants, and we can split the profit..that will help your future studies. I will take good care of our swine...cleaning their sty so it won't get smelly." Aling Iska explained with glittering eyes burning with excitement.
YOU ARE READING
RUN...MERCY ...RUN!!!!
Mystery / ThrillerStory of a Filipino-American Baby who never saw her father and was raised by a poor mother whose job as a club waitress left her with almost no time to tend to her daughter's needs. Mercy ,13 . goes to school ,joins a running club with the hope...
