Chapter 1 Rid

Chapter 1

"Ohhh! Gosh! What an amazing moves! They are just falling like UFO' she whispered to herself.

She could no longer move from her position due to nervousness. She was washing her face outside the gate of Andrea mansion seven o'clock in the morning. There was a faucet near to Mother Mary's garden.  She plans to go to Mama Mary's Grotto and clean up its surroundings. There she saw a helicopter flying around. The height of the helicopter's flight was almost above the tallest coconut tree. Suddenly there were scout rangers jumping from up above. They just circled moving down in the air and stood up on the ground like they're standing holding in the positions of their high powered gun. Jasmine's eyes watered at what she saw.

"Soldiers have that kind of great command' Jasmine said to herself.

Their speed and skill in falling to the ground were astonishing.They were able to immediately establish their legs and at the same time point their long high powered gun at the front. Their eyes are alert to observe all around. They are the soldiers who were accustomed to the mountains. The actions were almost simultaneous. And at the same time the stepping sound of their combat shoes too. Jasmaine was also stunned for a few minutes. But she suddenly remembered that the battalion of soldiers were going there to a house not far, down the hill from their mansion. There was her  youngest sister whom she ordered to buy a sanitary napkin. They had just run out of necessary supplies. She had to follow there to pick up her youngest sister lest it will be traumatized by the fear of just the appearance of the soldiers. 

"Wait sir," said Jasmine. 

A soldier turned to her. She was very worried about her youngest sister who was in the house. Even though she was very nervous she needed to be brave.

My youngest sister is there. Can I just take her or can I call her first so she can come out when she hears my voice."

The Captain officer nodded, in fact she just encouraged herself, the fear she felt at that time. She had to get her sister away from that house before the soldiers could attack. 

"Men hold your fire," the captain commanded his battalion soldier.

"Shen, gang come out. I'm out here waiting for you," she shouted out loud.

Jasmaine's voice trembled as she called out to the youngest sister. Her ten -year -old youngest sister came out without any fear. As a child she did not yet know why there had to be soldiers around. Their Captain's face also caught Jasmine's eye. It seemed familiar to him. 

"Jake," she hesitated saying the Captain's name.

It was already smiling at her. There seems to be a return to a memory. The pounding of her heart disappeared. 

"Jasmine, is that you," Captain Jake replied. 

She still hasn't answered what Jake is saying. Her sister Shen enter into their conversation.

"Manang why there are soldiers here?" the younger sister Shen asked.

Manang is the name of the older sister in their place . That if in pure tagalog it is Ate. It's funny in fact because manang in Tagalog is for the elderly or the housemaid.

"Is she's your sister?" asked the very handsome Captain Jake Montalbe.

She remembered being a classmate of hers in elementary school. 

"Yes, my youngest sister," Jasmine answered quickly. 

The positions of his battalion were already on the prowl. Captain Jake turned his gaze back to her after turning his gaze around then to her.

“Did you noticed any strange people the other day here in your area,” the captain  asked.

"Nothing." Jasmine answered it quickly because there was nothing really strange in their place the past few days. 

"Except for the past few days there were also a few low -flying helicopters circling around at the foot of the hill where there were phosphate miners," he told Captain Jake. 

"There on that mountain."Shen also answered with a soft tongue.

It is not far from the house they surround. She quickly covered the youngest sisters mouth. Although she always says that it is forbidden for a child to respond to the conversation of adults, Shen is a talkative child.

There is a mountain in the distance that her youngest sister is pointing out.

"Why do you think there's a low flying circling around that foot of the hill?" Captain Jake asked again.

"The story is that Mang Castor was scared of the flying  helicopter  passing above and he even entered the cave while he was carrying a load of plows. They have already created many caves there at the back of the hill because of phosphate mining on that area. Maybe soldiers in that helicopter saw him the reason  it went back and fourth around. Waited for him to come out. That was followed by the next day. And now you and your battalions were here," Jasmine explained.

"Where is Mang Castor from?"

Captain Jake is still investigating.

And getting more informations from her.

"That's where he lives in that house surrounded by your men soldiers."

"Oh I see. Do you know more about. Or is he permanent resident here, I mean in that house.

"Yes he is. Mang Castor is just as poor as an ordinary person who mines phosphate to make money. They expose it to the sun and the landowner pays them for each sack. Mang Castor is also our caretaker who takes care of our horses in the stable at the back of the hill near the mine area."

Jasmine, on the other hand, explained the truth about Mang Castor well. Their stable was already between their land and the land of the phosphate miners owner. Because Mang Castor was kind and trustworthy to them, her tita Andrea entrusted him with the care of the horses. 

Jake's battalion comrades just kept looking around. And observing the area of their target.

But Captain told them to back off. As already heard of Jasmine's explaination.

The owner of the phosphate mined land referred to by Jasmine is different. They know the people who mine phosphate in the lower part of their hill. The people who live there are close to her and her stepmother's. Jasmine also often played there once upon a time of her younger days. And she hope Jake could also remember those days because they were playmates. She could also recall she was young then she slipped from their sliding hill to the bottom of the phosphate miners she was riding in a toy a whole dried coconut leaf palm "Padidit" as it is called.

"Are they many?" he asked to a little Shen.

"No, not many but just one."Shen answered again.

Smiling Captain Jake confirmed maybe the information they received was wrong. Maybe that one hiding on the other mountain are they  finding for.

"Why did you get to the other top of that mountain?" 

"Because I followed the little sparrow fly going there. I just wanted to catch it and play with it."

"All right next time, don't go there." Jake remind Shen

Shen is used to their life on the hill even though they are rich they can roam freely at the bottom of the hill even at the foot of the mountain. 

That was the day they've meet again since they were in elementary school. Jake and Jasmaine used to compete fiercely for the first honor award every year at the elementary school in Brgy. Kawayan. Jake is also so smart that Jasmine has a hard time competing with him for the first honor place award. Even so, they are friends when they treat each other. Jake has been brave since they were young. So it’s no wonder it turned out to be a soldier.

Jake said goodbye to them. Jasmine and Shen walk away to go home too.