" Perturbed but she's mindful of me and tried her best to run just to have fun before uncovering the real problem and conditioned me that way. Gratis my wife though, I'm worried of your wound out of that formidable sprint at the tunnel. " He thought then sighed.

Its so timely he recalled what his wife had told him last night with respect to Martin, as it prompted him to take a bath briskly. Instantaneously, he footslogged on the spiral staircase till reaching the wooden house. Certainly, his uniform was still there so he wore them, from hat down to boots.

" Its out of the ordinary when Albrecht isn't here, let me peep outside."

He casted a brief look outside and found his men surrounding to their semi-cemetery. It was completely quiet. Then his heart pounded while seeing Fr. Matias on a requiem ma.s.s, he presumed.

" Martin..." He bowed down his head and became emotional.

The ma.s.s has ended and they all parted ways aside from Baldur, Henry, Amado, Albrecht and Fr. Matias who proceeded to the wooden house; found him teary eyed and knelt by the window.

" Sir!" Henry sadly spoke out of concern.

Fr. Matias motioned closer and tapped his shoulder.

" I was supposed to die not him! Who did it!" George shouted and cringed his fist.

" Guida's youngest brother but we found him dead. So strange, but someone shot him from a different direction. Its not from our team nor from the Gabok guerrillas." Baldur has reported.

" Are those not the j.a.ps?" Fr. Matias commented.

" I think not. The target was to kill the head of this regiment, the j.a.ps wouldn't mind if you're the head or not." Henry interpreted.

" We must be very extra careful. Let's keep watchful for any sudden attack. Henry, we'll release extra ammos per soldier and guerrilla, Amado and Narciso will help you distribute these things tonight." George ordered.

" Yes, Sir." Henry replied then he left.

Then Fr. Matias had whispered Albrecht something.

" Fr. Matias, I'm sorry, but the snake oil was taken out by one of the occupants here yesterday. I have here left a little, but the one I promised for you was consumed already.

" Ah, I'll still take that small amount of snake oil, my arthritis terribly wakes me up at nighttime." The priest smiled.

George looked to Albrecht when the priest left and brought along with him the snake oil.

" Brother, ah! nothing." Then he ran towards the angel fruit trees and sat on the gra.s.ses. " Despite my sadness for losing Martin but seeing you all growing up seems inspiring." He smirked.

When he pa.s.sed by at the daisy plots, he harvested the white ones, around 15 of them then he returned to the wooden house.

" George, are you okay?" Baldur asked.

Baldur seated on bed and helped him express.

" Baldur, I'm - trying to be fine, but actually, actually, I'm not fine."

" Well, the line itself speaks. Go ahead brother."

" I can't tell you, its too...personal." George pressed his head. He paused for a while. " I...I..ah!" Then he bowed his head.

" Hmm...need help?" Baldur tapped his shoulder.

He smiled to Baldur. " Of course you can't help me."

"Why not?" Baldur smiled.

" How?" He curiously asked.

"Opps! its a bad idea. I'd been eavesdropping and heard you both being possessed. Baldur, I did not expect you can think about it, stop it! George! you go back to your house now, quick!" Albrecht put his hands on his waist and summoned the two to evaporate and he sounded like a grandpa. So the two were laughing at him while George went down to the hole and Baldur got out smiling due to Albrecht's mood. A little while Albrecht packed some food for Magee and told Baldur to guard the house. Then he moved down to the hole and when he was almost in the doorway of the granite house, he found George sitting so lonely but just appeared better when he found Albrecht, approaching.

" Albrecht, I stayed here for a while...just thinking."

" Good, keep thinking, then after I can give to her this food, I'll get out immediately. So just stay here for a while."

"When he opened the door, she was very happy seeing the eldest brother."Kuya!"

" Hey, George seems not in his proper mindset these days. I'm afraid he'll not die in this war but through depression. Just wanted to let you know and expect the worst to come. He's very unhappy. Just prepare when tomorrow or next days, we'll gonna run up here and tell you, "Mag, George is dead!" But anyway, hmm, its not your priority. We'll just prepare for his casket properly, we do not also let him join in the ma.s.s grave, okay, its just supposed a one kiss to make him back - alive, but condolence." I have to go now, Baldur is waiting.

Magee was teary eyed and had a priori apprehension when, "he only wore shorts by the sea, haven't eaten in a day and insensitive to cold. My goodness, what will I do?" She thought and was terribly nervous.

A little while, she took the flashlight and still nervous but forcibly decided to get down and pick him up from the wooden house. But when he opened the door, he was still pressing his head at the doorstep.

" George!" C'mon! why you're there." She took his hand and they entered inside their house.

"You wash up. Everything is there. Then get out immediately and we'll talk on something." She sounded so serious.

Minutes later he got out and took a handful of daisy flowers from his bag and smiled at her.

" I love you very much, my wife. Take these flowers as...." George stopped when she kissed him once on his lips then she sat down shameless and showered all her hair covering her face.

" Wha...what have you done. I mean, Mag, look at me. He knelt while waiting for her face to appear but she's not moving.

" I...I.. didn't force....you....I am scared, afraid, and don't know what to do. I was born here but sprung from the west so we need to understand each other, I did. I did...and I'm waiting.

" Huhuhu....Lolo told me in his letter before....when I was in Manila that "handsome guy" was having an affair. I told you I buried that...I ignore that despite the fact that Lolo told me the woman forced you to sign when you're drunk - you're married.

" Oh, terrible...so that's the reason why...now I know." George calmly said. "Come on..its not true. That woman kept bribing me before, Dad knew that. You should have told me this early on so that I can correct between what has been said on papers and heresays. She spread rumors and appears as victim.

" Baldur and Albrecht are reliable, call them tomorrow, interview them, they are your brothers and they won't lie at you."