It was then that I could now clearly hear footsteps

 Page 10.

It was then that I could now clearly hear footsteps moving toward us but they were direct and who ever made then wasn’t trying to hide their approach as Smokey and Mr. Robert also drew their weapons. I stood next to Mr. Roberts and bared my teeth as a thin man with black hair wearing a backpack and a pair of binoculars around his neck cleared the tall yellowish grass and rolled a severed head of a Japanese soldier toward us. “He’s been following you since you left the cave”, he said, “they found your boat and your buried dead on the beach and they sent him to kill you”. By now Brian had joined us as the strange man sat down and lit a cigarette while offering one to Mr. Roberts who refused. The man introduced himself as Miguel a native of the island and said he was a freedom fighter and hated the Japanese as much as we did. He stood up and held out his hand in friendship and I felt he was a truthful man as I watched him toss the severed head now covered with black flies into the tall yellowish grass. “Please excuse my calling card”, he said, “ I’ve seemed to have lost my wallet”. 

Miguel told us he was just one of many Filipino’s on the island who were defending themselves from the Japanese who have been occupying the island over the last several months. He reported the Japanese want control of the all the Philippines and have killed and captured many of his people. “I saw your ship destroyed and sink while I watched from up there but I didn‘t think anyone one made it especially a dog”, he said pointing to the same mountain top we were heading to. Mr. Roberts patted my head and replied”, his name is Maxwell and we wouldn’t have made it if it hadn’t been for him my friend”. Miguel bowed his head toward me in respect and said the Japanese soldier he killed had tracked us to their supply cave and had been waiting outside to cut us all down that morning but he found him first. Miguel agreed to take us to the top of the mountain where we might be able to use the field radio and Brian was sure he could operate it from that vantage point. “We must move quickly“, said Miguel, “ it won’t be long before they send more men now that one of their own and a radio and supplies are missing.

Miguel was very agile for his size and even I had difficultly keeping up with him and at times I lost him completely . Mr. Roberts trailed just a few paces behind me with Smokey and Brian hauling our makeshift stretcher in last place but it wasn’t long before we all stood at the top of the mountain and we were exhausted except for Miguel. A slight cool breeze blew across us as we viewed the island from the eye’s of a eagle and I watched as sea birds sailed across a cloudless sky in the hundreds seemingly without a care and my mind began again to think of home and my family so far away. The beauty of the island was enchanting making it difficult to separate the beauty it held from the terror of war but nobody spoke as we all seem to appreciate a few brief moments of a rare tranquil peace. Miguel suggested me set up camp as we moved into a thick cover of brush that outlined the mountain top and I sat next to Brian who began to monkey with the radio by turning this knob and winding that lever as red and green lights started to blink and he kept constantly repeating hello, hello, hello.