The Plight of A Few

On his way down to the trail going to a dark alley of supplies within the tunnel, he picked up some of it to purposely share to his men.

"So here's the shortcut going to the cabinet without passing by at the cave of smiling pirate Buccaneer." He thought.

When he reached the wooden house, Baldur was having a roll call to the existing soldiers and guerillas under the lost command. So timely that he appeared and everyone paid attention. He announced the tactic for the next attack and installed a bigger stone on the ground that stands as the dummy killing zone where the security on posts were represented by triad stones with the same sizes that symbolize the trio teams.

"You know already that this is ambush though they'll gonna attack the highest peak where the big stones slid comes from the waterfalls' source. Once they all infiltrate the area the tripwire would trigger their physical movement on the area, the downside security team would restrict the terrain for closure so they could not return and the Japs would go uphill and flank in the killing zone - in the abyss of station one. Below awaits three from a stand by team on machine guns, shielded for safety and finally catches the enemies to fall in." George comprehensively described.

" But Sir, they are almost 70. That strategy might trap us instead of them." Bruno reasoned out.

" That's possibly the case if their focus is only the team in station one. But we will install five per team in southeast, southwest including us five above the peak, three security teams to man on the far right and left below. Six security teams will only fire once all the remaining Japs could go up for the trap while the three will be inside the abyss. The mountain above the waterfalls is a good site to detonate grenades toward the barracks, but no, we'll release the big rocks and stones first before the grenades. Likewise, the most dramatic strategy we shall employ here is the tying of a drifted wood to cause commotion on their way and go up till they'll be trapped. Since its night time they wouldn't know that we're just pulling the long rope tied to a drifted wood as it slowly crawls that makes them interested of following it like their human enemy." George explained.

Then Baldur already divided the team and Sibaya asked. "Sir, I was assigned in southeast, how's the trick there."

"You throw grenades in the center (south), while your team will run southeast. That's the case of those who were installed in southwest too, they'll detonate bombs to the south then run go west. The Japs will go straight south, following the blasts. Those who ran in heart shape will end up passing by a small wooden bridge connected to the river, by the border of Gabok. All those two teams from southeast and southwest shall meet in that bridge. After passing, destroy that wooden bridge so that the Japs could not return to the barracks. In continuance, the two groups shall separate again. In quorum, team 2 and team 3 to both southeast and southwest point shall detonate the remaining grenades hitting the barracks. Afterwards, the two teams shall go up and cover station one's metal ceiling; catefully pile up stones and cover crops. Once they can perform that, these ten will continue to escape going back to Malapague, inside Kabang and could finally stop running." George explained.

"Sir, why do we need to destruct some Japs toward south, we can fight instead of retract and run. Its clear that our role was only to make a commotion, isn't it?" Martin confusingly asked?

"Exactly! Were you present with those who went to Gabok weeks ago? There's one group of guerilla that goes for match trading (guns) with the Indonesian traders every weekend on the southern port and bringing the Japs there will feel have a good catch for them. Of course, station one team could not catch the entire 70 Japs but dividing them will be a bounty attack for our brethren on the other side. As for station one team, our goal is to swipe those who were there, target the artillery, cripple the vehicles and to start for a basic avalanche type of attack. We need to save our weapons on that day, grenades and machine guns will only be used and no to getting closer to them. Moreover, be careful with their deadly bayonets.

" I'll communicate with the Gabok's guerilla head after this meeting. Since they're on the other side and the Gabok bridge has the Jap's post now, so I'll go send the information through the option they've told us last time. I'll do it the soonest." Baldur intervened.

" That's a good idea, Baldur." George said as he took Baldur's journal and announced the names of members for southeast and southwest team.

" So, Sibaya, Bruno, Amado, Anthony and Crisanto for southeast while Narciso, Henry, Jacob, Kanor and Michael for southwest. Starting today, the ten of you shall take the religious physical fitness training to prepare your stamina for the upcoming field roles. Consider this place as the military oval, so there, any question?" George ended as he disembark the supplies from the two sacks he brought for them.

"What is that, Sir!" Henry smiled and started to fall in line then the rest followed. Some sugary food, tobacco and canned goods.

They enjoyably returned to their bunkhouses chanting.

" Brother, this is so touching. They smiled and chanted over some pieces of supplies from the tunnel. Hope to preserve them all to stay alive before the liberation, we've lost so many great souls already during Guida and Edmund's wedding celebration. That Edmund, had been our most trusted comrade that turned out worst, the war had changed him so much." George sighed and Baldur tapped his shoulder.

While Baldur went inside the wooden house, he watered, and enhanced the drainage system of his angel fruit trees.

" Hey all. Keep growing as fast ad you can. I wanted to see ya all flowering then eventually bear some fruits." He then gathered dried coconut husks and small branches and created a smoke underneath. " I'm begging." He smiled while watching the angel fruit trees.

It was enough then he took some white daisy flowers for Magee and hurriedly entered the room then gone. He was running again inside the tunnel and reached the granite house on time.

" Wow! he must be sweating, I guess." Albrecht sarcastically commented while looking at George's sweats all over.

" You must be getting back there now, Baldur is waiting." George smirked.

" Yeah, I'm kicking to get out in here too so I can cook the breadfruit and bring sayote leaves here again. My sister's experiencing morning sickness and I guess she's pregnant." Albrecht kidded but Magee pushed him to get out while holding her bondage.

" Its just a joke." George smiled.

" Its not a good joke, its humiliation." She resisted.

" ...and why?" He looked at her while his wrinkles met on his forehead.

" It isn't true." She reasoned out sheepishly.

"What if that time comes." He insisted.

" But that time is not yet now." She stood up and slowly went to the kitchen.

" It hurts my feelings and ego, and for being the husband, we're married..." He sighed and pressed his head.

With her lungs suffocated over that heavy issue, she silently leaned her head on the cold round table made of granite, teary eyed.

Minutes later, he took a bath and slept the whole day.