" I liked her way of rea.s.suring us. Much as when she easily forgives." He thought and smiled while transferring some of the things to the newly found cave. On his night sight-seeing, George opened the rocky door facing to the sea. He gasped while looking at the flickering lights from the horizon too closed to the skies.

" It could have been pleasant if there's no war in between, it could have been lovely for families to keep one another in every household and children are sharing the best time with their parents and comfortably grow."

Then he sighed and closed the rocky door while still hearing the upsurge of seawaters.

Meanwhile, there were some echoeing footsteps slowly motioned toward him.

" George, you may get some rest for a while and hours from now we'll be heading back towards station one. Likewise, Baldur's done in ferrying all the stocks and even deeply snors right now while he's as tired as a bee." Albrecht smiled.

" How about her."

" Sleeping, but she told me earlier to wake her up once you give us a signal for departure. She'd completely packed her things too."

" Good." Geoge silently blurted.

The two both locked the rock-strewn door and walked side by side going back to the house and entertained by a deafening silence while trudging the foggy waterside when Albrecht spoke.

" Hmm...regarding her, you have to hang on, she's really insistent in so many aspect and sp.a.w.ning surprises. I understand if you would possibly give up, don't you fret." He desperately looked at George.

" Hahaha! What? No. She's, she's someone who belongs to my future. Nothing's goin' to change, not even this war can cause it. Don't doubt. I'm crossin' over guns and bullets and take her with me. I love her - very much."

" Ow!" I'm getting sleepy George, you're going somewhere down the lane again, huhum!" Such an outbreak of yawning.

" Hmm...you're provoking me then you tease me, go then and sleep." George jokily said.

George preferred to occupy the receiving area's seat until 1300 hrs. By the time when he was still sleeping, Magee has prepared and packed up carefully some native food (duma) like boiled kamote, ca.s.sava and karlang. A little while, George woke up and saw her tying some dried banana leaves filled with duma and finally had set everything for travel. While on the other hand, Albrecht and Baldur were already ready so George stepped out of the kitchen and got hold of the door as he yanked it open. Magee was the last to get out; turned her head and looked up facing the dark balcony that pressed a hard thought of memories within and behind, her siblings, parents and Lolo Sibal have joyfully lived in that house with random encounters.

" Goodbye old memories and shelter our countrymen with your might, be good to us all and live long!" She fluttered her hands, a little teary eyed as she scrubbed her cheeks lightly with her tiny fingers.

George moved nearer and gently put his fedora on her head and arranged her tangled hair.

" It says, " Yes." Then he smiled at her.

Everyone had a deeper breathe, gone too silent and Albrecht got emotional too.

A few minutes later, George cracked the quietness.

" Hmm...Baldur, a little while you may fetch them from station three. Take care, brother." He carefully tapped Baldur's shoulder and the three of them left him beside the house while holding his rifle.

Their paces started going down the slope and up again until they got out from the secret entrance which Baldur would close the ( internal doorway) and retain the (external door accessible to the four of them) in case of transient stay.

Even if they already moved a bit farther but Magee still turned her head and spare to look at the silhouette of the mountain, stunningly and uniquely engraved by nature like there was never any village inside it. Its too high and steep with a little opening on its central part. No one was interested to climb it since its all rocky and tilted unlike the valleys and mountains on its sides. If you see it from afar it is but piled up of rocks and generally a geological creek.

When they were almost on that part where Magee pushed the j.a.panese soldier, they have heard various footsteps along the windy morning. Instantaneously, George slowly pulled back Magee.

" Shhh...j.a.panese patrollers, quiet." George whispered as they hide and covered their bags with leaves. They hanged on the branches and tree roots by the edge of the cliff. Above them was just a two-meter-wide path, with 'kugons' ( hairy-type gra.s.s which can even be used as roof by the locals) laying on the ground's surface.

" Don't look below us." George warned them

There were approximately 20 soldiers a.s.siduously pa.s.sed by and were carrying guns. On the otger hand, George and the siblings were like bats hanging as they tried to support their feet with the protruding roots of trees they felt could save them. Not until Albrecht's hand slipped a little due to his weight as his left hand gave up too and his body dived in the eerie shortly. Good that his right hand was holding a bigger root so he was able to get back. But all of his veins seemed to burst for controlling his balance and had sweats multiplied. In a way, Magee was just steady but disobediently looked below the gnas.h.i.+ng, flowing river and breathe in and out.

" What are you doin'?" Albrecht angrily looked at Magee.

" Shh...they might come back. Be still." George referred to both of them as he extended his hand to get her small bag hanged on her waist that added up more weight and risks in hanging. But Magee removed his hand right away.

" Why? its a bit heavy, I'll carry it for you." He whispered.

" These are the latest journals of Lolo Sibal, they're a bit lighter, just worry not." She smirked.

After few minutes they crawled going up and since Albrecht had the most desperate position and experience so George a.s.sisted him to go up.

" Good heavens! hah! what a day where it began with hangin' on a cliff, I've lost all my sweats. But I thank G.o.d, I'm still alive - for Madelleine." He winked an eye to George.

" Argh! let's get movin' its almost dawn, c'mon Magee, here's your bag. Albrecht, get yours so let's proceed!"

When they were almost at station one, they again hide Magee on a safer ground and she saw George and Albrecht helping the soldiers get out of station one. After almost fifteen minutes, everyone flee and Albrecht was on a stand by while George a.s.sisted Magee to get in as they covered the books and journals very well while pa.s.sing through the waterfalls.