WARMTH OF ICE
written 3/28/97
The Arctic. A cold, inhospitable place of icy frost. In the distant horizon, a helicopter
is skimming across the snowy wastes.
"Are we there yet?" The captain asked.
"Not yet, sir. The base is still half an hour away." The pilot answered.
"Curse the ambush. We're running out of fuel. We won't be able to make it in time..."
"Sir? Can I make a suggestion?"
"What?"
"How about dropping some excess weight? There's a lot of supplies here that we won't be
needing."
"Good idea." The captain grabbed the prisoner bound beside him. "We need the stuff, but
I've got some dead weight right here."
She spat on his face. "Damn you..."
He slapped her across the face. Twice. "Socialist scum, you're lucky I'm merciful to you.
Better to die here in the cold than in the hands of my superiors and their brutal interrogators."
"I swear," she managed to speak despite numerous wounds and bruises, "you'll be sorry for
this. I swear..."
He slapped her again. "Shut up, bitch."
Opening the hatch, he shoved her out to the freezing snow. Falling, she cried out in pain.
"Ahhhhh....."
Darkness closed in.
In the distance, the events that just occurred is being witnessed by two persons standing
amongst the snow.
The elder of the two was the first to speak, in a low, raspy voice. "Come, let us examine
what the vehicle has cast off."
The reached the place where the prisoner fell. The younger one was the first to notice that
the object was a woman.
"Hey, she's still alive, M'lor."
"Do not try to save her. Leave her here."
"But... we've got to help her. She'll die here."
"Why do you want to save her life then?"
"I... I don't know, just..."
"I understand. Very well. But you help her yourself."
"Yes."
She felt lighter, as if she was lifted up in the air. It felt good, floating in space, the
darkness all around her, and the silence.
From far away, a light is shining. She reached for it. When she came closer, heard
crackling sounds, like wood burning.
She realized that she is awake, and opened her eyes.
She found herself in a small cave. The light came from a fire in the middle. The light
played odd, haunting shadows with the stalactites on the ceiling. Someone in furs was sitting
right next to the fire. She tried to sit up. "Where..."
"Don't try to move yet. You're still weak," the man said. "Don't worry. You'll be all
right. Just rest for awhile."
"Wha... what happened?"
"You fell off a helicopter and was left behind..."
"I didn't fall off the helicopter. They pushed me..."
"Who were they?" He asked, genuinely interested.
"Huh? Don't you know who they are?"
"No, I don't." He turned towards her, and she was able to gaze at her rescuer's face. His
skin was unnaturally smooth and flawless. His features were sharp, almost elfin. She felt
herself starting to lose consciousness.
"What is your name?" the young man asked.
"I'm... Andrea. Who... Who are you?" she tried to talk some more, but the lights were
getting too dim. She could barely keep herself awake, and finally gave in to sleep.
"Wake up, Andrea." Someone was calling her name.
Andrea slowly opened her eyes. She saw his face looking down at her. She managed to smile
back in return. "Oh, hello."
"Come and eat. You must be hungry."
"Hungry? Why," she said, slowly sitting up, "I'm practically starving. I didn't realize
that I was so tired that I slept too long."
"You were asleep for five days." He spoke, handing her a piece of meat.
"Oh? That long? Really, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable with me around here..."
"Oh, don't worry about that. It was my pleasure and privilege to save you from certain
death."
"Thank you." She hungrily ate the food given to her. "This is good. What is it?"
"It's fish that I caught by myself earlier. Like it?"
"Yes. What was your name again?"
"I'm afraid you can't quite pronounce it. It's an... unusual name."
"What can I call you then?"
"Hmm... Paul will do for now."
"You sound... older than you look."
"I am."
"Well..." she started to say, but stopped when she looked down, realizing that she wasn't
wearing her uniform. Instead, a fur coat covered her whole body. "Paul, where are my clothes?"
"Uh," Paul scratched his head. "I have to remove them and clean it up. You were... a real
mess when I found you." Andrea could see that Paul was blushing when he spoke.
"I... I have to go now," Paul excused himself, and went out of the cave.
It has been two weeks since then, and she is slowly recovering. Paul has done a good job
in patching her up, for even the numerous bruises she had were all but gone, and even the scars
were barely visible. Whatever he used on her was really effective.
Sometimes, she would try to venture out of the cave, but she couldn't go farther more than
a few meters. Snow was thick everywhere around her. Even at the times when she would silently
follow Paul from a distance, he would inexplicably vanish when she reached the entrance.
Whenever she woke up, Paul would already be there, sometimes cooking their next meal,
sometimes with some books for her to read. He had a good number of them: some by Smith, Cook,
Adams, even one by a Constantino. She wondered where he got these.
One night, Andrea finally asked him.
"Paul?"
"Yes?"
"Where did you get these books?"
"I got them... from a friend. Why do you ask?"
"Well... I've been studying these books for a while now."
"You're a student?"
"Yes. They're really good."
"I know. I've read all of them, too."
"Where does your friend live?"
"He's... been around. He has traveled widely around the world, and has regaled me with
extensive accounts of his journeys. He would have taken me, too, if..."
"If?"
"So, where do you come from?" Paul suddenly asked, changing the subject.
"Me? I'm from the Philippines..."
"Really? How then did you get here so far from your country?"
"Haven't you heard of the war?"
"What war?"
"You've been away from civilization for too long, Paul. You see, there's been an alien
invasion. The Baalites, aliens from another world, came to Earth and tried to conquer it."
"Oh, did they?" Paul asked. "I never knew... So, what happened then?"
"So we fought back." Andrea finished.
"You didn't answer my question."
"I was getting to that... Anyway, the world leaders found it - the war, I mean - to be a
perfect excuse to set up a council to rule over us, united, so they say, under one banner. So
they created the Government, merging all their armed forces, and with their combined military
might, beat back the invaders."
"Hmm... A likely story."
"There's more," Adrea added. "...So after defeating the Baalites, the leaders realized
that their dominion over us must be unchallenged. So they then quickly suppressed any
opposition and threat to their rule, which included student demonstrators. I joined my fellow
Socialist allies in a worldwide rally, but we were arrested by the Enforcers, their military
police."
"So... what are the Socialists, then?"
Andrea then began to relate to Paul about the history of her organization. About how the
Socialists came about, for the purposes of awareness of the current issues, in the name of
freedom and democracy. How the government administration, with the help of propaganda,
convinced the masses that the group is subversive and rebellious, fit to be punished. All the
while, she noticed that Paul was listening to everything she said.
"That was really... educational." Paul commented when she finished.
"How about you, Paul? Why did you live here all alone?"
"There really isn't much to say. I came from... another land, one much like your own, but
not so... polluted. Tiring from my hectic life, I came here... to meditate and reflect on life
in serenity, away from all the hassles of society."
"Oh. It must have been lonely for you."
"Yes, it is. Sometimes, I miss... But," Paul stopped. "I have to go now, Andrea. See
you." Then Paul stood up and left.
Andrea pondered on Paul's words. She realized that he was too young to be a hermit...
Every time Andrea would ask about Paul's country or his friend, Paul would change the
subject, telling her about the stars, the beauty of the Arctic, how beautiful she is...
More than a month has passed, and Andrea began to feel homesick. She missed her country,
and life in the city. She told Paul, who would smile enigmatically and say, "I'll see what I
can do." Then he would remark about how the light cast beautiful shadows of her on the walls of
the cave...
She realized that she was becoming attracted to Paul. He is strong, handsome, young and
wise. He was always interested with whatever she has to say. He always asks intelligent and
thought-provoking questions. He never tried to challenge her beliefs nor did he ever do or say
anything to hurt her. He never even physically touched her, ever since she asked him about her
clothes. He was also very compassionate, nice, and kind...
"P'ol."
"M'lor... What is it?"
"It is time."
"Now?"
"Yes."
"I... I have to... say goodbye first."
"Yes... I understand."
One day, while they were eating...
"Andrea, I have something to say..."
"What is it, Paul?"
"I will depart soon. My friend has returned, and he wishes to take me with him. I have to
go. I'll introduce you to him later, when I leave."
"Then... you will be leaving..."
"Yes... But don't worry. I'll find a way to get you back to your... country. I promise..."
Later in the evening...
"Paul?"
"Go to sleep now, Andrea. We have to rise early for tomorrow."
"I can't... I've been thinking..."
"Yes?"
"Paul... I've never thanked you... for saving me."
"You don't need to..."
"Paul, please do me one last request before we part..." with that, Andrea stood up and went
over to where Paul sat, all the while slowly undoing the straps of her fur coat. "Just once,
please? We may never see each other again..." Slowly, the coat slid down from her body.
"Andrea, what are you doing? The cold will freeze you..."
"Please, do this for me... I know you wanted to... do this too..." she then lay down next
to Paul. "I won't... freeze of the cold, if you would..."
"No, Andrea. It's not right for me to do it."
"But Paul... No one will have to know..."
"Andrea... for reasons I can't tell you now, I will not take advantage of you."
"But why! Why do we have to conform to society and it's stupid rules! I love you, and I
know you love me too..."
"I do, Andrea, but... yes, you are right. I like you... but this is not the time or
place..."
Next day...
"Paul, where is it?"
"Wait for a while, the ship will come to pick us up."
"Ship?" Andrea was surprised. Paul never mentioned anything about a ship before.
"There it is!" Paul spoke, pointing to the sky. Andrea looked up and saw a gigantic flying
saucer flying towards them. She looked at Paul and saw him shedding his fur clothing.
"Paul..."
"Andrea... I'm sorry. I never told you... I am a Baalite. An alien... Your 'enemy'." His
coat fell down to the snowy ground, revealing a scintillating suit of a material not of Earth.
"Paul..." As she watched, bright beams of light shoot forth from the alien spacecraft,
engulfing them both.
"Goodbye, Andrea..."
"M'lor... I have a request..."
"P'ol?"
"I have come to a decision... to go back."
Why, P'ol? I don't understand..."
"I can't say, really... It's just that I have to..."
"Are you... certain of this?"
"Yes."
"Do you know what this means."
"I am willing to face the consequences."
"Very well..."
It's been a year since she returned to the city. She went back to her studies, and earned
her scholarship. She is currently studying for her master's degree. She rejoined the
organization, and devoted her free time with the group, but not as actively as she used to be.
They never asked why.
She never forgot what has happened, and she never revealed it to anyone.
"Andrea! Wait up!" Juan, a fellow member of the Socialists, came up behind her.
"Oh... Juan! What is it?"
"We were looking all over for you. Where have you been? There's a meeting going on."
"Oh! I almost forgot. I'll be there."
"My friends," Ka Ricardo, the chairman of the Socialists, addressed the group, "I would
like to introduce you to a new member of our assembly. He is a new transferee to this most
prestigious school, and is currently studying Law. He pledges to uphold our objectives, and
wishes to serve the organization to the best of his ability."
Andrea was surprised as the new member stepped forward and introduced himself. "Greetings,
everyone. I an Paulo Balito, a junior transferee from abroad. I hope that I will be of service
to you all."
"Paul?" Andrea started to say.
"Hello, Andrea." Paul answered, winking at her.
-end-
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