Sand dunes (1)

The highway Lieutenant Mickey's group just left used to be one of the busiest highways in all of Davao City, often called "agianang dili maagian". The direct translation of the phrase would be 'a path unpathable', yet the meaning of this particular string of words can be applied to almost every busy road. The highway was called "agianang dili maagian" because of the heavy traffic that slows everyone down to a crawl, sometimes leaving passengers no choice but to walk.

But roads aren't the only place where the phrase can be applied on.

The houses of Malagamot Road can be found further down the long cemented street, and the population of the past used to ride tricycles to reach the highway since it was too far to walk on. But distance isn't the only factor by which the population of the past used to determine whether they should walk or not, there was also one other thing.

Dust.

Davao City isn't a desert city, yet the amount of dust flying on the streets can contest to that of one. If it had just been a windy day, then everything was fine. But if it was a hot windy day, then dust will probably fly into your eyes.

There are many places like this in the city, especially in the areas where there are little to no trees. Grey blocks of buildings block the wind and the cars and jeepneys of the streets smoke the air. It is a nightmare for asthmatic people.

Well, it was.

Now, besides the smokes of war, the only dust that remained are the dusts in the survivors' eyes which make them cry sometimes at night.

Grieved by loss and mourning, Rose sometimes space out in the middle of the day. She usually sat in the same patch of grass, looking out into the same part of the perimeter, and doing the same thing almost everyday... nothing.

There were quite a lot of people like Rose. People who have lost their loved ones due to the war, people who have lost their purpose and meaning due to the devastation, and people have lost their ground and their footing.

These were people who have not yet moved on from death, and everybody in the military base understands.

They have all, in one way or another, lost something or someone, and each one of them has their own time in moving on.

Some were faster than the others, and some were slow.

Rose just couldn't forget it.

The light blue, light grey clouds that has the sea reflecting to its body of mist and air, the serene blue sea that the boat she was riding on was traveling on top of, and the distant Samal Island. where her family currently resides.

It was by the end of the war, and the number of people in the airport army base was becoming too much to bear, and the soldiers transferred some people to the naval base on Samal Island.

Families weren't supposed to be separated, but Rose's family did.

They were supposed to celebrate her birthday that day, and was delayed because of the sudden transfer. Her mother even told her that the celebration can come later when she arrives and said happy birthday when they left.

And they did leave... forever.

*kaboom*

From far away, just as the boat was docking, missiles came from afar. The white eagles coming down majestically yet dreadfully from the grey clouds of the air. They peirced right through and exploded the entirety of the island.

The signal tower, the docks, the army base, and some nearby ships. Everything, all of them, exploded.

Right in front of Rose's eyes... along with many others.

That day, the image of her mother waving good bye was etched into her heart, carved out by a serated knife, wounding the heart and caused bleeding.

"Happy Birthday, Rem."

The sounds of her mother's voice calling her house nickname resounded in Rose's ears and tears always swell up whenever she remembers it.

Her birthday was her family's death day.

Inspite of all the time she spent gazing at the distant seas, the flames of war didn't end. No matter how much she shouts, the wails of the living will never reach the dead. Even if she wait for their arrival, they will never come back.

Every death is a tragedy, no matter if you knew who died or not.

In the dark green multicab truck, Rose was once again spacing out as she stared outside the windows of the vehicle they were riding. She could see the soft dances of the grass and the fluttering of the leaves of the occasional trees as the yellow green tint of each blade colored the surrounding area.

They had already left the scorched grounds, and Rose could already see the houses in the distance.

And then she heard a voice.

"Close the windows, the dust might go in."

Rose turned to the direction where the voice came from and found that it was Mark, the one who spaced out a little earlier.

It seemed like he knew the place well, so Rose heeded the warning and closed the windows.

Anthony who sat on the other side of the truck also quickly closed the windows.

The strong wind that entered the truck earlier immediately died down as soon as they closed all the windows of the truck.

It was just a moment ago, yet for some reason, Rose can feel her hands already sweating. Soon, her chest also started to feel hot. The uniform and armor they were wearing wasn't this hot before, yet for some reason, as soon as they closed the windows, she started sweating.

It must have been the heat, so Rose started to take off her gloves and wanted to open her uniform for a bit. However, Anthony stopped her.

He grabbed her hand that was about to take the glove from her other hand off and didn't let go.

"What's up?"

Rose asked, clearly confused.

'Wasn't he hot, too'

She could clearly see the growing beads of sweat in Anthony's face, yet he didn't take off any of his clothes, not even just opening them.

Anthony looked at Rose in the eye and slowly shook his head side to side.

In other countries, shaking the head side to side means "no". But in the Philippines, it also means one other thing.

'Don't.'

Don't take off anything. No matter how hot it gets, don't take off your clothes.

"It's getting hot in here, huh."

It was a voice from the front seat.

Rose and Anthony immediately looked together to the front and found Lieutenant Mickey and Mark trying to fan themselves with their gloves that they had taken off.

Rose didn't know what was up, but she could see the immediate alertness in Anthony's face. He seemed really afraid.

And this was the first time they heard Anthony speak.

"Sir, please don't take off your gloves."

Deep and full of authority, it seemed like Anthony was a team leader at a company because of the way he delivered his words, but he wasn't. He was also just a student when the war happened.

'What's wrong?'

Rose thought.

"Why? Do you know anything about this place?"

It was Lieutenant Mickey. After hearing what his junior said, he immediately looked up at the rear facing car seat mirror.

He saw Anthony's face, and he saw his eyes that were looking all around and was slightly shaking. He saw the alertness and the slight amount of fear eminating from his eyes.

As one of the most talented and most skilled gunman in the army base, Mickey was bound to have a good eyesight. He also had a good brain, he wouldn't dismiss what a junior would say at any circumstance as it might save their lives, just like how Rando saved their captain's life back then.

Although confused, Lieutenant Mickey continued to drive carefully, and started to become more alert to his surroundings.

Rose also wondered why. Indeed, why couldn't they take off their gloves?

"I, I don't know, sir. I just feel like we shouldn't."

It was Anthony, and it was clear that he was lying.

Rose could sense it, and so can Lieutenant Mickey and Mark at the front seat.

'He's hiding something.'

All of them thought. It was clear that Anthony was lying, but now's not the time.

From the distance, Lieutenant Mark could see several hands waving.

It might have been just a mirage due to the heat, but Mark also saw it.

"A-are those hands?"

Hands, seven of them, all pointing at Lieutenant Mickey's group.

Suddenly, from the dust covered road, something rose...

... and it isn't the shield hero.