Beat him until he dies!

by Carmelita Cochingco Ballesteros.

July 2, 2010

Chapter 32

The three men did not wait anymore for Limbas’ companions who were said to be still in the rear. The old men gave in to their insistent plea that they be allowed to go to the village of B. But they promised solemnly that they would come back right away and would join the sons of the country who were up in arms. Mocking the darkness of the night, they passed through the forest armed with nothing but the weapons given to them by their old friend. Their hearts beat nervously when they heard shots in the air, but they walked on.

Reaching the village of B at midnight, they headed towards Alberto’s house. His father, still half-asleep after having been rudely awakened, doubted that it was really Alberto who was kissing his hand. But when he fully grasped the truth, unimaginable fear clawed at his heart. Talking in whispers, they barely understood each other. The father could not calm down and take out of his mind the terrifying consequence in case someone else learned of his son’s escape.

This fear was intensified by the fact that together with his son were two bandit leaders who had sown terror in many towns.

“What must I do?” asked the father.
“Nothing, Ama,” said Alberto, “there’s nothing you should worry about. We’re leaving in a short while.”
“And where are you going?”
“If we would die in prison, it would be better to die for our country. We’ll join the revolution.”
“What if you get killed?”
“Death is everywhere for us human beings, Ama. Our death will be more meaningful if we shall die fighting for our country.”
“Don’t talk that way, Alberto. What shall become of me while you’re away fighting?”
“Ama, our country needs whatever little help I can give. Please allow me to go ahead with my earnest desire. Which do your prefer: that I die a prisoner or that I die with honor while fighting for our rights?”
“You are nothing compared to the many who are fighting now.”
“Whatever I can do shall be of help, too, Ama. Besides, what options do I have? This is my second escape from prison. Which would you rather have: that they kill me because of a false accusation or that I take the risk and live in the field of battle?”
“I will hide the three of you. You shouldn’t be afraid that someone else would know.”
“Instead of hiding and living under the danger of being caught, it’s better to stay in the open and meet our fate if it’s our fate to die.”
“You cannot be persuaded to change your mind,” the father finally said, hurt by his son’s disobedience.
“Ama, let us yield to reason. Don’t think ill of me because of my desire to fight for our country. Please give me your blessing.”
“It’s up to you.”
“Don’t talk that way, Ama. I’m not the king of myself; that’s why I’m asking for your blessing.”
“I have asked you not to go, but you are insisting. What more do you want?”
“Your blessing based on the reasons I have explained to you. Please don’t forsake me. I’m your son no matter what happens.”

Alberto’s father did not make any reply. He looked at his son with great compassion and commiseration. It seemed that his son was being besieged from every side with misfortune. Since it was very late into the night and they were both losing sleep, they lay down to rest for a few hours. However, Alberto’s father could not sleep, thinking of nothing but his son’s fate until the morning came. Alberto, who could not leave without first seeing Pilar, took leave of his two comrades that very morning and went to his sweetheart’s house eagerly.

“There! There’s my star!” Alberto said as if in a daze when he saw Pilar. He broke into a half-run to be with her at once.

Pilar was holding a tin pail and was watering newly-transferred plants one by one. She was astonished when she saw Alberto coming towards her. She hesitated for a moment, doubted herself, and became more astonished when he came closer.

“Alberto? Is it a dream that you are here?”
“I am here, Pilar. Yes, I’m here to gaze at your heavenly face.”
“Go up into the house, go up into the house. You might be seen by some people… you’re in grave danger!”
“Why? Do you already know that I have just escaped?”
“No, but that’s my suspicion. That’s why I’m afraid that somebody might see you.”
“That’s true, Pilar, you’re right. Thank you for being careful.”
“Go up into the house! Go up into the house; Inang is there.”
“And you? Aren’t you going up, too?”
“You go ahead. I’ll follow you right away.”
“I’m in a hurry, Pilar.”
“Let’s go then; hurry up, somebody might see you.”

Trembling, Pilar untied the kerchief around her head and gave it to Alberto to cover his face with while they walked to the house. Once inside, Alberto greeted the old woman heartily and asked permission to talk with Pilar for a few moments.

The old woman wanted to ask Alberto a few questions, but Pilar explained in a soft, low voice:
“He escaped, Inang, that’s why I’m worried. Don’t delay him so he’ll be able to hide right away. He said he just wants to talk with me.”
And she immediately waved a hand to ask Alberto to approach her.
“What was it,” said Pilar, “that went into your head and made you escape again? You know it will aggravate your punishment.”
“They won’t be able to punish me anymore. I came here to say goodbye to you.”
“And where are you going?”
“To the battlefield. I’m joining the revolution.”
“Mother of mine! And what made you think of that?”
“It is imperative, Pilar. Let me do as I wish if you love me. How can I endure prison any longer when I see the atrocities inflicted on the prisoners day and night? You wouldn’t believe it, Pilar!
“It’s only in prison that I have seen such torture… even when the flesh is almost being jerked out of the bodies of men, they don’t stop beating them and there was a prisoner who had died because of that kind of punishment.
“I can’t go on living there. It makes me feel like running amuck. Give me your blessing, Pilar, so I might be saved from the worst that might befall me.”
“What will happen to me if you’ll join the fighting? Can’t you understand how much agony it would be for me worrying that you might get killed every minute?”
“God shall take care of me, Pilar. Whatever will be, will be. All human beings die. Don’t ask me to stay; don’t make me refuse you. I must go.”
“Who else is going with you?”
“Halimaw and Limbas, our friends. We escaped together yesterday.”
“Limbas! And where is he?”
“In my father’s house. We slept there last night.”
“His daughters are here. Would you like to ask him to come here so he might see his children?”
“No; no, Pilar. It will only make him feel cowardly; some other day. It’s the two of us who should talk and that’s enough. I’m in a hurry.”
“So what do you want?”
“Your blessing. I need it as a shield in the battlefield.”
“So you’re refusing my plea that you stay.”
“I am not refusing you. It is I who’s begging you. I have to leave now whether you
give me your blessing or not.”
And he stood up as he spoke.
“Wait, Alberto.” Plaintively, Pilar asked him to stay a little longer, then tears raced down her cheeks.
“My heart breaks at this parting, Pilar, but I have to endure it so that I might be saved from a greater danger. Be strong, Pilar. I’m afraid my pursuers are on their way! Goodbye!”

He left at once, but kept looking back at Pilar even after he had already walked a good distance from her house. He seemed to be telling her for the last time that he would never forget her. Alberto left, rushing back to his two comrades, but he found his father crying. He kissed his father’s hand lovingly, then they said goodbye with tears in their eyes.

The three friends walked on, taking a different path till they reached the place where their new friend, the old man, was waiting for them. When he saw them, he praised them lavishly for fulfilling their promise. The old man immediately decided to assemble everyone in preparation for the journey to distant fields where they would join those who were fighting near the mountains. Although Alberto was thoroughly inexperienced in fighting, he was made second in command of the soldiers.

This was resented by Halimaw and Limbas because they thought that they had more experience than anyone else regarding the use of daggers. Nevertheless, they suppressed their resentment in view of the noble aim to serve the country. Pilar who was left grieving over Alberto’s departure was restless the whole day, especially when the bitter news reached her that Alberto’s father had been arrested from his house on the accusation that he was an accomplice of the rebels. It was based on the report that the three escapees had slept in his house.

“Who has informed the authorities?” Pilar asked herself. “The spies work very fast. They destroy people who belong to the same race as theirs. Who’ll be arrested next? Us? Because Alberto had been here? What if a spy had seen him?”

Pilar was anxious all day because of this and she was terrified by the persistent rumor that everyone who were suspected of the slightest conspiracy, gave shelter to, or even talked with somebody who was suspicious- looking would be immediately arrested from their homes and punished with unspeakable torture.

And what would they do to Alberto’s father? A Tagalog sergeant of the guardia civil was the first one to receive him at the station. Because of this, the old man hoped that the Tagalog sergeant would be kind to him since they were of the same color, but what happened was the opposite. As soon as the sergeant saw the unfortunate man who had been tied up, he kicked him furiously, causing him to fall over.
“Beat him until he dies!” he bellowed roughly. “Men like him do not have a right to live!”

When the old man tried to get up, the sergeant kicked him again and this made him fall unconscious. When he revived, he suffered more punishment and he wished that he had died.

The sergeant ordered two soldiers to alternate beating the soles of the old man’s feet until fresh blood oozed from them. When the soldiers got tired of this, they hung him upside down to force him to reveal where Alberto was.

When the old man could no longer endure the torture, it was then that he died. How bitter was the death of Alberto’s father!