by John Muir
PARTY
T.A. and Malou had almost become blase about their invisibility under the hobie-cat. They had been passed by so many different groups. T.A. now estimated their numbers in excess of fifty. They all seemed well armed and at least one group had passed carrying what looked to him like a heavy machine gun. It appeared someone else was carrying a tripod with others carrying drums of ammunition.
It seemed an age since the screaming and yelling stopped. Although that seemed a hopeful sign it did not make him feel any safer. Even worse though, he re-thought that all the guests might be dead.
The numbers on the beach started to thin again. As soon as it got down to a small handful he would sneak down into the shallows and along to one of the bancas. That idea suddenly seemed less appealing as he remembered all the Portuguese Man-O-War jelly fish he had seen in the water the past few days. Still they had to get away from here. After sunrise they would be exposed. There was no other choice.
Another small group headed toward them. Again he pressed Malou into the sand to wait for the sand muffled footsteps to pass. As they reached their loudest, this time they stopped.
"Good evening."
The voice was very clearly a well educated Filipino T.A. thought, 'dammit, they've decided to have a conference right next to our hiding place.' They might accidentally spot them under the hobie-cat.
"I said, good evening. Are you being rude not coming to our party?"
T.A. wondered why he was not talking in one of the Filipino languages and thought he might risk sneaking a quick look in the direction of the speaker. As soon as he looked up he could see the speaker crouched no more than two metres in front of him and looking directly at him with an M16 placing an emphasis on his words that his voice did not express.
"I'm pleased you've decided to join the party. No-one will get hurt if no-one is stupid."
T.A felt the wind had been removed from his lungs. Malou looked up and squealed when she saw gunmen surrounding them. Then she started sobbing.
The speaking Filipino said a few sentences quietly to her in a tongue she obviously understood. She stopped her crying immediately.
They slid out the shore side from under the trampoline. As T.A. got up the Filipino helped Malou to her feet.
"What the hell's going on?" T.A. asked.
"It's all right," responded Malou, "just do as they say."
"Listen to your lady," said the well-spoken Filipino. "She'll probably tell you all about it later. Right now I'd like you to join all your friends waiting for you in the restaurant. Everybody is safe and unhurt. Some are just a little frightened that's all."
Led by the speaker and surrounded by five other armed escorts they meekly followed. T.A.'s muscles were tight and he stumbled in the loose sand. As he pitched forward a closely watching guard mistook his movement as an attack, and clubbed him in the back with his barrel.
"Ah shit!" screamed T.A. and fell full length on the sand. Malou leaned over T.A. to try and shield him from further blows.
“Pasensia ka na, wala ko mahibalo nga na dam-ag ka," called out the guard who struck him.
"You bastard," T.A. yelled at him.
"Now, now," called out the well spoken Filipino. "He thought you were lunging at me, then realised you tripped. He was trying to apologise to you in Visayan. If your lady understands, she will confirm it."
"Yes," sobbed Malou.
"Please, my men are all very jumpy. They're nervous and a little scared too, just like you. No sudden moves and we'll all be happy."
Two men stepped forward and helped T.A. to his feet. They continued the remaining distance to the restaurant uneventfully.
As they came in through the front entry past two guards, he noticed all the others were in various stages of dress including many with sheets wrapped around them.
Their entry caused an outbreak of chatter. The lead Filipino grabbed a stool from behind the bar and indicated for T.A. to sit, which he did painfully still feeling the effects of the blow. Then the Filipino indicated for Malou to stand directly behind T.A. which she did without question. As soon as he was seated, he looked around and saw everyone else seemed to be set up in their natural pairings where it was applicable. Men seated with their partners directly behind them. It was obvious which men were at the resort without a partner. The two female English nurses did not have partners either. The few children were either seated on laps or held in the adult's arms.
By the time T.A. finished his quick review of the situation the little group that had escorted them had disappeared out of the restaurant and back into the dark. He wondered how they had been so easily found after being unseen for so long. His back ached severely. As if in response to his movement Malou began to gently stroke the painful area of his back with her fingertips.
He looked around to see if anybody else had escaped the round-up more successfully than they had. He realised Helmut and Heidi were missing and the two Iranian guys that kept pretty much to themselves. They were all resourceful types. There could be others that he could not remember.
A tall masked gunman continually walked around in front of the semi-circle of seated prisoners. Occasionally he would stop in front of a couple, look at the woman at the back, look at the man seated and then burst out laughing. T.A. was sure it was making the others feel as uncomfortable as he was. He thought again about Heidi and Helmut. Maybe they were in the jungle somewhere. Perhaps they had got away by banca but he had not heard any bancas leave from the beach. He just hoped that they had not been on the receiving end of the two shots that were fired. Even so, that would mean at least the Iranians were somewhere roaming free and might get help. Somewhere there were at least two people, maybe four or more still roaming free.
The tall gunman continued his strut, but he began a new tactic. He would stop in front of a couple, put the muzzle in to the stomach of the seated male, then lean across and grab the breast of the partner standing behind. It was an obvious attempt to provoke some sort of a reaction from the seated men. As the hands groped for the breasts, the Filipino women would pull away, and the masked gunman would then step back and laugh. Sometimes, before he withdrew the muzzle from the stomach of the victim, he would yell "Bang!" and laugh.
T.A. noticed Podgy, only two seats away to his left was redder-faced than usual, sweating and looking agitated. When the gunman had moved to the other side of the circle, Podgy suddenly called out.
"Bastard!"
The gunman suddenly swung around to see where the call had come from. Unsure of the exact source, he casually sauntered across the floor in T.A.'s direction. First he looked at Graham, seated to T.A.'s right, realised that Graham was still in a half drunken sleep. Then he looked at T.A. and noticed Malou behind him. He put the barrel into T.A.'s stomach he reached across to fondle Malou. She stepped quickly back and yelled at him.
"Animal!"
He stepped back and laughed. Then pointing the M16 directly at T.A.'s forehead yelled, "Bang!"
Moving on, he stopped in front of Podgy. Seeing Podgy's protruding stomach he thrust the barrel viciously into it. Podgy let out a scream of pain then yelled out again.
"Bastard!"
At this, the Animal pulled the barrel out of Podgy's stomach and began to swing it down toward Podgy's face. Ruth had moved so quickly in front of Podgy that she took the full blow. The barrel hit her across the cheek, mouth and nose, resulting in her falling to the floor. Suddenly all around the room, a forward motion began and Podgy began to rise. The Animal savagely prodded Podgy in the stomach again, knocking him back into his chair. Turning quickly he threatened all those who had risen out of their seats with his M16. Everyone sat quickly, not accepting the unfair challenge issued. As soon as everyone was re-seated, the Animal looked back at Podgy still doubled up in pain and seated on his chair. The Animal almost gently helped Ruth to her feet and directed her back behind the seated Podgy. Then, turning his back he laughed, and re-commenced his provocative strut around the restaurant.
