JC kept running along Broadway Street towards the north. He aimed for Trinity Catholic Cemetery for that was the only direction on his mind. He stopped ten times but only to take a rest on one of the benches.  Upon reaching the vicinity he was relieved to see the chapel was open. At the gate, there was an old woman who sold flowers and candles. He scanned the frontage towards the end of the wall that turned left. All was clear. Still panting he slipped inside after looking back to check if his pursuer was following. It was comforting to see that the light was subdued and no soul was in sight. It meant that the services had long been terminated.  Before slipping in, he asked for a bunch of roses and one candle, and then gave the woman a bill which he removed from his wallet. After making his purchase, he proceeded directly to Mary's gravestone. Again, he heard the tapping of his footsteps, which he was familiar with. He needed this familiarity to fe

Back at the camp, General Ver received the news on Rudy Rude’s bungled mission lackadaisically. Not even a little sign of remorse had softened the impassive expression on his face. Rudy Rude was only an expendable pawn of little value. He could spare a thousand of his kind. Being the General, it was his privilege to play with his pawns, sacrificing them to gain an advantage over his opponents.      Dull and gloomy his office reeked of tobacco. He even cared less to dispose of the butts in the ashtray. This made him cough continually. His physique had also suffered badly and his countenance had shrunk. After the fiasco at the airport, he had learned to smoke profusely. This made him look older than he used to be a month before.      He had been anxiously waiting for the Colonel to report back to him. While in this restless state, he straightened his bush jacket and kept his head high. When the subordinate came, the General clear

Norwalk, Connecticut.  Christmas was in full blast in 1984. Prairies and rooftops blanched with recently fallen knee-deep snow. Despite the cold, children played snowballs while two squirrels frolicked joyfully on a sagging oak tree branch. Yuletide carols resounded all over the land. Inside their home, the Martin family exchanged gifts. JC got a tie from his father and a watch from Joan, his stepmother. His father received a Cuban pipe from him and two shirts from Joan. She, on the other hand, received more: a ring from his father and a golden locket from JC aside from books and chocolates. His sister Jacky had the most gifts. Then they had dinner with grilled turkey. After having dinner and the champagne Joan and Jacky took all the dishes to the kitchen, leaving both of the men at the dining table.      Father and son walked toward the window, warmed up against the cold with the fireplace blazing nearby. The previous night they wer

     Celia and Rosemarie went down to the city, on horseback with the sick child. They exited through the secret passage, traveled over hills and mountains, and crossed rivers.  They stopped and rested at several points, to see how Jeanie was doing. Her temperature remained high and her shivering never stopped. It pained Rosemarie to see her daughter in this situation.      Finally, they reached the highway. They waited for the bus which took them to the city, then transferred to another bus to the hospital. It was an arduous trip with a sick child, oftentimes going slow to check and give her fluids.      The horse went back to the Cordilleras with the caretaker.      Not very long, they reached their destination. The hospital loomed as a magnificent structure. They entered with hesitation. At the admission section, they talked and haggled with registration. Relentlessly, the

     The events in Tessa's country did not escape JC at all. Most especially the hearing of the case against the military to see who was guilty. He had been following every bit of it from the feedback sent to him by Tommy's people, never even missing a single day.     The higher court overruled the investigating body's decision and acquitted all the accused. Observers said that the pressure from the palace made the court decide in favor of acquittal.  Everybody knew they were responsible. General Ver was jubilant, as well as all of the other accused. On TV his haughty countenance returned. This made people angry in protests.  Even the introduction of the tape proved nothing to find them guilty.     Doomed, people were flabbergasted. Anger was boiling all over the country. “How can they get away with murder?” they asked. The decision added fire to the already rising anger of the people.