Isagani's Clan

When the patrollers passed by, the lieutenant's team eventually continued their journey. However, Narciso fell out of the slippery tree trunk and accidentally dropped an army kitchen ware that Albrecht designated him to carry inside his bag.

" Ting! " Everyone paused like the sound disturbed the world around that made George quickly picked up the kitchen ware; carried the injured Narciso and instructed his men to cover them up while trailing the misty place. He eventually ran while carrying Narciso, who, again was injured and painfully bear it. Indeed, they tailed George's team and gunfires started to flicker like niters in the foggy air. Within the frightening and chilling moment George halted and announced that it's a dead end.

" There's no way out but this cliff." George said though worn-out and clammy for carrying Narciso.

Everyone nodded except for Isagani who made a bird sound. Fleetingly, someone's chirping and twittering sound responded but it's not nearby so they have to walk carefully, heading east. Few meters away, there's a white piece of cloth on the edge of the cliff and everyone was stunned when Isagani first instructed Narciso to move down. Though hesitant while looking below on that approximately 15 feet high cliff but there'' no other way to survive so he just close his eyes and sliding down the cliff with George's aid. Seconds after, George was summoned by fear when Narciso was gone. Bruno followed while closing his eyes and when almost all of then slid down, Isagani's turn as last to get down was the most risky since the soldiers tailing them have already seen him so he immediately ran to the foggy jungle. The soldiers were in an inquisitorial state while standing on the place where they spotted Isagani and tried to look down the cliff but see no one. Still not contented of their finding, three soldiers followed Isagani while the 7 soldiers rested and squatted by the cliff without knowing that Isagani was just above them. A little while, Isagani's worry increased while seeing the soldiers below and could probably notice the way inside his relatives' place by the cliff so he prayerfully closed his eyes and started to produce some twittering sound again. Yet no one responded. He then observed that one of the soldiers stood up and peeped down twice.

" Oh God! hope they received my message loud and clear below, please Lord, hear me." Then his sweats sprouted like drizzles when he wiped them sparingly but one of the soldiers below looked up for seeing a droplet on his arm. Good that the three soldiers who were looking for Isagani got out running and summoned them to get out while being chased by something they failed to recognize. The soldiers ran and when Isagani looked down if what life form chased them while others started to fire.

" ...a...wild dog, no, dogs...one...two...three...wow...they're really scary chasers, thank God! Thanks Malti inhabitants (automatic translation from his mother tongue). Isagani then slowly glided down. He was really an expert climber, after all where his feet clasped to the tree trunk like clamps and enjoyed the heights. Later then, he slid down and creepily stooped going down ny the cliff and landed on a hole and entered inside in an old cave. The entrance of the cave was too small compared to its inner space. George moved closer and hugged him.

"Thank you Isagani, if not without you, it could have been the real dead end."

Isagani kept talking and Amado translated it for the lieutenant. Then they chitchat when Isagani's relatives drew nearer them. Isagani spoke to Amado and introduced his uncle and cousins. Interestingly, the lieutenant was just thankful upon knowing that Isagani' relatives can speak english so they conversed casually. On the other hand, George have learned that the cave by the cliff was built prior to the war by a Filipino carpenter who was trained by the Spanish construction supplies owner. The carpenter built it during the Spanish-American war and became his hiding place after knowing that his family were murdered. After the war, he made himself a hermit and died of an unknown cause. The story gave everyone some goosebumps while Isagani tried to roam around the cave. He had been there in the past and knew just a little of the structure. He returned to his uncle who was fluent in english with his humor and spontaneity impressed the lieutenant.

" So, Sir...does it mean, this hole in front is the only way out? or is there any other way that is less frightening, I've been in the army for quite some time but sliding my body by the cliff to touch my feet on that hole to get in was truly incredible! Holy ghost...below is a 15-feet cliff that made my gut turns up side down, haha!" The lieutenant pressed his head while the rest nodded.

" Yes, at the start, we're all anxious everytime we get inside and mostly the women in the family were really scared. However, they're all used to it now and even feel safe whenever they're already inside. This is a great hiding place. But...this is not just the solo passage, there, facing south, there's a staircase going down and had a tunnel going north - under the river. You'll get out swimming towards north at a speed of about three minutes. Its also dependent to the current of water." The old man divulged.

" Sir..." George said but had to stop since the old man intervened.

" Bonifacio...that's my name." The old man said and smiled.

" Sir Bonifacio, so...how...how is it when there's a storm and flood, does the water rises too?" George asked.

" Absolutely! but it only reaches on the middle part of the staircase."

" Good thing! so how many are you staying around?" The lieutenant asked.

" It's unbelievable but we're all 50! haha! "

" What?" George was stunned and waited for the old man's revelations.

" Yes, we're 50 here. When we bumped into this place before we're al 62 and we slept like earthworms. Twelve of us died of captivity when the war started, some were drowned below the labyrinth."

" Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Sir. By the way, how about the use of chirping and tweeting?"

" Ah, haha! Isagani's father was good at it first. Prior to the war, he taught his kids those skills and its the strating point. His kids taught our kids and it spread too fast in the family. We never knew its significance not until one day, my kids where chirping above that they were chased so we, adults rescued and pulled them down. Outright, we realized that its not just for fun but saves life especially that we're facing this war. Its not easy to study those sounds because we have to listen well on the pitch, timbre and the entire tone one has to produce. The message is per sentence. Yes, it is coupled with good memory too; where we attach important messages in tweeting. We even were amazed because real birds do catch our conversations. We just laugh at it and yes, we consider it as a gift to our clan."