THE RIVER IN THE SKY

one

Under a moonlight drenched scenery where the leaves of the acacia trees seemed to be plated with pure silver, no one could see a shadow lurking in the bushes. No one except someone like Diego, an outdoor man, a hunter and until recently, a guerilla fighter right after the Philippines was invaded by Japan. His fellow patriots
convinced him to join the underground movement because of his sharpshooting skills.

His markmanship was extraordinary. When he was younger and the country was still enjoying the peaceful, pre-war days, he would scour the hilly forests at the edge of his hometown. His hobby was hunting wild boars and other wildlife for meat. He can shoot a game from a good distance, then he would bring home the meat so
his family and their neighbours could have a little feast. He also cultivated an eggplant farm, his main source of livelihood.That time was the period of a serene pastoral life in that far flung barrio in Pangasinan..

Then World War II broke out and his country was brought to its knees by the invaders.. Curfew was imposed by the new masters. Everybody was forced to bow their heads when passing by a sentry otherwise, he/she would be slapped on the spot.Not long after, Diego left his small home, his wife, her parents and a 5 year-old daughter to join a small guerillia unit. The unit hid in some caves on the hills not far from the barrio. His wife would sometimes bring some provisions for them and also news of what was currently happening in the municipality.

As long as no pro Jap elements knew that such a place existed, the guerrilas were safe.

His duty that night was to be a look out over a trail that would lead to the caves.That afternoon the guerillas heard that some Japanese informers have learned about these hiding places.A detail of a few Japanese soldiers might patrol the area where the trail begins.

Thus that night, the full moon came out at 6:00 pm casting an eeire radiance over the parched rice fields, the skyline of the town proper and the foothills where Diego used to do his hunting. He stationed himself behind a rock about 15 feet away from the mouth of the trail. At around 10:00 pm, he noticed the shadow lurking
about, seemingly ready to penetrate the entrance...

No guerilla would enter the trail at this time of night..Diego's instructions were .."shoot first, question later.."

He carefully aimed his shotgun towards the creeping shadow. He waited for a minute or two while his heart pounded and sweat came out of his forehead inspite of the cold December air. When the shadow continued to advance forward, his fingers pressed instinctively the trigger. The volley rang and his target fell on its face.

Did he kill him?..

Diego waited first if some others would be arriving. When there was nobody, Diego moved forward to examine the body.

As he knelt to check the man's pulse, he smelled something accompanied by faint hissing sound."Oh God, " Diego said. "Grenade!"

The last thing he heard was an explosion. He felt his chest ripped like a cloth while a flashing light blinded his eyes. Then there was silence.

two

Suddenly, sight came back to his eyes. He was standing in front of two mangled bodies and he realized that one of them belonged to him. Two spirit like beings were also hovering near the corpses.

"Is that you, Alpha?.." Diego said. "yes, Beta.." was Alpha's answer.

Diego or Beta felt like a new man with new knowledge, new senses, new everything."It is strange why we can only recognize our spiritual identities after our mortal bodies cease to exist." said Alpha.

A third creature whose luminiscence was different from theirs, began to speak with a very commanding voice..

.."I am your Guardian who will accompany you to a spot which will bring both of you to your final destinations..Hold on to me and fear nothing while you are with me"

Alpha and Beta found themselves floating on the air with the Guardian. They were gliding over the hills and then they headed for the massive ranges of the Caraballo mountains. Beta and Alpha were incapable of doing anything except to listen to his commanding voice..

"You still have two options," the guardian continued as they glided through the mountain scenery. "you can still remain here on earth but you will remain an invisible spirit to people, including your relatives. Youwill be visible only to your fellow spirits., You will retain your old earthly identity and the same knowledge of
your recent past life..." Beta immediately recalled his wife and his 5 year old daughter. .."Your love ones can not see or hear you or feel your touch. Sometimes they might smell a scent that will remind them of you, but that's all..You will see them triumph or fail with their own free will as they continue to spend their earthly time, as you have done during the course of your own life..

"Your second option is to be reborn with a different mortal identity. Whatever knowledge of your past life which you have when you died will be erased once you will start life anew as a baby.And you will be.going through the same procedure of
birth, childhood, adulthood, old age and finally, death..."

Alpha asked.."If I chose to follow you to our final destiny?"

The guardian said..""You will travel with me and many others to a beautiful place you never dreamed existed.You will see Paradise.You will see your loved ones who left the world before you.You will be imparted with the Supreme knowledge which you never gained as a mortal. And you will finally see our Creator"

Beta looked at Alpha. One was waiting for the other to speak...Meanwhile, each of them was astounded. Both remained silent until their motion stopped..

Their journey stopped at a very high peak of the Cordilleras. They saw a very wide river which flows UPWARDS towards the heavens.

The guardian said.."Alpha, Beta now is the moment to decide.. Either step on the river's water or go back. where you came from. It is your last act of free will. Nothing will be held against you if you opt to stay behind.

"Alpha who wanted to see Paradise, looked at Beta with imploring eyes..

Beta finally said.." I am staying behind. My earthly ties to my wife and my daughter are not ready to be severed ..I still love them and I want to see what will happen to them..."

"Good bye, Beta..." said the Guardian and Alpha. Beta saw them step into the river and they started to rise towards heaven..

Meanwhile, Beta turned back and he saw many other spirits going back where they came from. Several times along the way, he heard the moaning of a mother about to give birth inside a house. Then he saw one of the spirits enter that house.

But he kept on moving as swiftly and silently as the night wind. He felt no fatigue, hunger or anxiety. He became a spirit full of nothing but unending love. He felt a different kind of love from the one he felt while he was still the mortal Diego.All of a sudden, he himself in front of his old home.

"I am home again.." he whispered.."Oh to see once more my wife and daughter.."
Then he looked upwards and saw the trail of a comet racing upwards to the heavens. It looked like a river going upwards to the heavens..

He smiled and whispered:
" Someday I will join you Alpha, together with my wife and daughter..."

the end...