Catherina - Day 19

4:46:

Heavy breath from agitated animals, or people. Corporal and his comrades awaited their fate. Patiently they stood in columns and lines, holding guns, pitchforks, and sticks. Someone brought a dog – it was the old bachelor living upstairs with his young hound. "Quiet, Bernard. Good boy." Whispered the old bachelor. The hound was obedient, motionless, its ears tilting a queer angle.

Silence with the pounding hearts. Darkness with a weak break of light. Wind with smokes and ash. People stood in shades and waited.

4:48:

Bernard turned his head. The tension heightened. Everyone's eyes followed him. Corporal's feet felt a slight sweat, but none in his gun-holding hand, which could not allow a slip.

Without warning, Bernard barked, marking the encounter before a bullet penetrated his foreleg.

5:21:

A gory battle ended with the arrival of a unit of the local troop. Corporal, with an oozing wound on his right hand, insisted on going back to the fire. He encountered the Colonel there, who was ordering the soldiers to assist the firemen.

"Colonel, I need your help." Corporal borrowed the Colonel – Colonel was the only spare man who could find, giving that all other people were busy at the site.

Rain started.

5:24:

The pouring rain sided with the township, helping its people to at least save some remains of their past life.

Nonetheless, not a trace of happiness could be seen from Corporal's face; indeed, his frown deepened as the rain grew greater. Colonel wasn't speaking either, equally silent as Corporal was, he followed Corporal closely, almost too close that the tip of their coats touching.

Corporal led Colonel to a scupper, where rainwater was flowing down.

5:25:

Corporal finished explaining to Colonel the matter: a kid (had some problem with his brain) got scared by the fire had hidden down there. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the scupper had been long abandoned, and thus it was stuffed by dirt and garbage, making it safe for the kid to step on but dangerous when water flew in. The scupper was too narrow for Corporal to climb in, meaning that he could not bring the kid out forcefully. However, the kid was exceptionally stubborn, and that any attempt of coaxing would fail.

5:50:

The water level under the scupper had reached the kid's shoulder. The fire had been put out; people were busy dealing with the after mess. No one concerned about a little mentally-impaired beggar, who was at the same time a troublesome orphan that lived by the taxpayers' mercy – Corporal did, and perhaps he was the only one. What about Colonel? Corporal had hardly any time to make such considerations.

With a piece of chocolate from Colonel's pocket, the kid had made small moves forward, closer to the scupper, the barred cover of which had been lifted off.

6:03:

The rain had not ceased, and the underground water level had reached the kid's lower lip.

"Please, please. Buddy, please come out." Corporal knelt on the ground, his unwounded left hand stretching towards the boy, the carefully-ironed sleeve now soaked in water. Tentatively the boy held one of his fingers, and two, and then his wrist.

Colonel could see that Corporal's back had stiffened, muscle set to provide force to pull the boy out. Yet it was the boy that pulled. Though mentally impaired, the boy had shocking physical strength. Unexpectedly, Corporal fell towards the boy, the top portion of his left arm rubbing against the rough stony ceiling of that underground space.

Almost screaming with pain, Corporal clutched the boy's arm and attempted to pull him out. Perhaps the boy hadn't anticipated counter, with one wrist in Corporal's bleeding left hand and the other in Colonel's (who had also reached down for help right after he saw the painful twist of Corporal's face), he was dragged out.

6:10:

Corporal was sent to the doctor to have both hands taken care of. After a tiresome night, he finally fell asleep at the doctor's.

Colonel:

Colonel had also not slept that night: attacking revolutionists (the same unit that had caused Corporal's retirement from military three months ago), rushing back to town (where Corporal stayed), ordering one of his units to the east side (where Corporal fought), and assisting Corporal.

He needed to discuss that application with Corporal, but not before he had shown his gesture of tender care.

A basket of fruit set beside Corporal's bed - Colonel whispered his confession, waiting for an answer.

photo credit: https://static01.nyt.com/images/2020/01/03/opinion/03flanagan1/merlin_164266401_a35a2d0a-0a32-4613-b2fd-4b152d464f11-superJumbo.jpg