A Salvage Story: Mistaken Identity

The year was 1990, the time when the great earthquake had made also a great destruction in the city of Baguio and its neighboring towns. Many houses, buildings, establishments, and roads were destroyed.

During those times, carpenters were in high demand to clear away those fallen debris and construct a new house in its place. They were hired for house repairs and other things they can do.

This had made us try our luck in the city because we knew basic carpentry. Me and my three peers decided to travel to the city. We were hired continually by one person to the other after we were done with the first one. We don't even have time to rest even during Sundays. And because not everyone can pay laborers, we help others who were like us, poor. Some houses were destroyed and was even devoured by fire caused by short-circuit wires. That's why we help them with open arms.

Our routine had been like that for almost three years already. The only thing that had changed was we got to rest on Sunday. We received our weekly salary after work on Saturdays and rushed to the jeepney station to catch the last trip going our village. On Sunday afternoon we again rushed back to the city before the last trip of the jeepney would leave our village.

The month of August came when it was a rainy season. One day, when we were supposed to head to the jeepney station, it rained cats and dogs that we had to stay at our boarding house. We bought a bottle of alcohol, ginebra sanmiguel that was to warm us up. It was to pass the time while we still can't sleep, telling stories about our work and anything under the sun. Eventually one bottle was down. Then another. Third, we felt a little tipsy. But then we opened a fourth bottle thinking we won't be in a hassle because it's Sunday the following day, no work.

It was 9 in the evening and everyone was not satisfied yet when the fourth bottle was down. But no one wanted to go buy bottles of red horse beer as a washing that should be the last before we retire for the night. So we decided to all go, so that everyone would pay for his own bottle. However the mini grocery was some distant away. The rain only stop occasionally. So when it rained, we go to a nearby house to shelter us a li'l bit. Then we run in a hurry before it rained again.

The last time we went at a nearby house for a shade from the rain, it took a bit longer. But then it stopped and we ran to the mini grocery. But then, all of a sudden...

"Weee..weee..weee... wang... wang... wang..." The sound of a van that came out from nowhere blaring its horn toward us and it stopped right in front of us. The door of the van opened and it revealed four men who came from it. They were all armed with armalite and a handgun was resting on their hips, too.

They aimed their guns at us and let manacled us facedown on the rain drenched road with our hands at our head. They bound our hands with handcuffs then dragged us forcefully to the van.

I tried to raise my head to look at the people who had picked us up but they will slap my face. My friend who insisted to look at them was thwacked with the gun butt by one of them. His face hit the van floor once more then they stepped on his head in a way he couldn't lift his head anymore.

We asked what have we done that we were treated like criminals with no rights. We pleaded that they not harm us anymore because we have done nothing wrong, we were only out to buy beer.

"Shut the f**k up. So you were the akyat-bahay gang who were roaming and stealing from house to the other. We have been on the lookout for you. And now it wasn't your luckiest day because you were caught." One of them snapped.

I, then realized we were took mistakenly as thieves. Because we stayed long on the establishment we were sheltering in. They assumed we were able to open up the shop and they assumed we were running away when the rain stopped a little with whatever we have possessed.

I was trying to explain to them, but all I got was a smack from one of the armed men with his elbow. My lips bled.Not once did he hit me, not twice but countless times until my two front teeth were pulled out. It was hell of a pain. Then they applied duct tape in my mouth as to quite me down. It was not only me but all of us.

I can hear my friends were being tortured at the back of the van. One can tell that the armed men were using heavy objects on them. The sound of it was very unpleasant as it landed on the bodies of my friends.

The van, nonetheless was still running. To a place we don't know, a destination we're not certain of. We had been on the road for already three hours, or more perhaps. The sounds of torturing was then substituted with cries of pain and suffering. One was like catching his breath. While the other they had been stepping on was not even moving.

They were trying to squeeze squeeze some information out of me by asking who was our mastermind. But how could I answer when my mouth was taped. And I would be giving them same answer because it was the truth. We are mere carpenters who have an honest job and not what they think of us.

Everytime they asked a question which I can answer with a shake of my head they would either slap or give me a blow with their fist.

"Shameless creatures. You don't have a place in this world." They barked at us.

The van came to a stop. I felt a little relief with the thought of them letting us go. But, I was all wrong. So wrong. They put each of us in a sack and tied the open end so that we can't move and be able to escape. I can clearly see how two of the men carried the sack and forcefully threw it off the cliff. Then followed it with shots from their armalite. You're dead for sure when unfortunately hit by the bullets. The terrain was surely a deadly spot that even if not hit by bullets, one can't survive when he lands at the rocky edges.

I was trying to identify those people but since we were in a dark part that I can't clearly see their faces. All I can see was what they did.

Then it's my turn. They did what they did to my friends. I've thought they're going to throw me off the cliff like a garbage in a bag but no. They kicked and stepped upon me to their hearts content. I can feel the metal thing they were using to beat and hit me with. They did it until I lost consciousness for a short time. Then I can feel them swinging the sack I was in, I was a bit awaken.

One. Two. Three! Off I went in the air. The sound of armalites followed.

I was anticipating for a bullet to hit my head so that this nightmare I was in would end instantly. But nothing came.

I can feel the tie of the sack was cut loose, a bullet had hit it perhaps. The other end of the sack was caught in a branch of a tree before I was able to hit the ground. That's why I was like a garbage that had came out of the sack. Luckily, it was my feet first to the ground and not my head. I fell standing on my feet. Then the shackles on my hands came loose.

"Oh Lord. If this was what they call second life then please lead and guide me to the right way. Give me strength and courage so that I may be able to go home," I cried.

It was dark. I don't have the slightest idea where I was, where those people had thrown us. Even where my friends were, I dont know. All I was thinking is to save myself. I have to go home.

Adrenaline rushed through me that I ran as fast as I could. Those people might've seen I was not dead yet and was able to get off the sack that they might come after me, still.

Run as possible as my legs could. But the pain in my legs and upper extremities were too much to bear that I couldn't run the way I was thinking.

I hit a tree trunk. I stumbled and fell. Got up then ran again. I was filled with so much fear that all I could do is to run wherever direction my feet will take me. Until I was too drained of energy, I was already unable to move feet.

Did I really survived the massacre? Let's see in the following chapter.

07-03-21

z_graeden