Dead Reckoning - A Gregorio del Pilar x Reader story

XXXIX - Chrysalism

n. the amniotic tranquility of being indoors during a thunderstorm, listening to waves of rain pattering against the roof like an argument upstairs, whose muffled words are unintelligible but whose crackling release of built-up tension you understand perfectly.

* * *

We've been travelling for almost three weeks already. According to the soldiers, we're about to reach the town of Concepcion in the next few days, as if I mind knowing since I don't even know my geography much.

The past weeks hadn't been easy, to be honest. We've met with General Manuel Tinio's brigade in Pozorrubio; however, we immediately left upon hearing that Americans had already entered the town. Whatever plan to join forces with General Tinio was unsuccessful, and the miles between the vanguard and the rearguard widens as they carried the countermeasure to slow down the American forces following on our tails and the sight of the rearguard from our position was no longer at sight. Addition to that, the trek starts to be steeper and there are days where we go on without any food or water.

The march is surely one that is new to all of us. Perhaps, even if I've been hiking in the real world, it will still be this hard, given the conditions. The fear that whenever we are to stop to rest, the Americans are closing the distance to reach us, and for the past few days, without food, we've been eating sugar cane instead. Whenever we are to arrive in a town, it is either we are to be welcomed or they run away from us; most of the time, it had been the latter.

Rain or shine, we continue the journey. Exhaustion starts to take a toll on us, and no one seems to be exempted from it.

One time, during our trek, Doña Hilaria, President Aguinaldo's wife, collapsed due to it. The President's voice, calling for help and the soldier's alerting the others that Doña Hilaria collapsed, seems to shake my own exhaustion a little bit. I am just a few meters away from where President Aguinaldo is kneeling to the ground with his wife on his arms; Felicidad just next to the two, as both Doctor Villa and Doctor Barcelona check her.

"Tubig sabi!" the President shouts, now much furious and in haste.

In front of me, the others had been clamoring in search of water. While behind me, someone shouts, "Pinatay niyo si Luna!"

"Hoy! Traydor ka rin. Tangina mo!" remarks another and as other voices follow, a fight ensues.

I don't need to look behind me to profess that they are really fighting one another. Due to my unresponsiveness, Goyo who immediately draws closer to the fight, pulls me behind him as he points his revolver at the soldiers fighting, angrily shouting, "Magsitigil kayo! Tayo!"

I take a quick look by his shoulders to find the soldiers slowly pulling themselves from one another, breaking the fight before it could end up with them pointing their rifles at one another.

Much ahead from where the President is, a soldier who've been guarding our guide reports in distress, "Si buntot tumakas!"

"Habulin niyo!" I hear Enteng orders, keeping in command.

"Wala bang nakikinig sa akin? Tubig sabi!" the President repeats his demand.

Goyo, still in front of me, orders for one of his own soldiers, "Kumuha kayo ng tubig sa likod." He turns around as he places his revolver back to its holster and takes my hand, pulling me with him to where the President is.

I am sure that it is not to do something with the situation, but for him to be assured that I am there. After what just happened, soldiers starting a fight, the last place he wants me to be is in a middle of a crossfight.