1 00:00:01,919 --> 00:00:07,120 The following are extracts from the diary of my great great granduncle, who served 2 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:13,199 in the United States Marine Corps during the Philippine American War. Doing research on 3 00:00:13,279 --> 00:00:18,160 him, his records say he was dishonorably discharged from the Marine Corps due to 4 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:25,160 drunkenness. Reading through these entries, I think I understand why he turned to 5 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:31,320 the bottle during his last year in service. I can still remember the baby's 6 00:00:31,359 --> 00:00:36,000 cries. I can still remember the sight of the mother going around the village 7 00:00:36,399 --> 00:00:42,520 carrying a injured child, begging for help. The baby was a garner. 8 00:00:43,679 --> 00:00:48,920 We all knew that. With one arm ripped off by bullet and blood spilling 9 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:53,759 everywhere, it was a miracle that the baby still had enough energy to cry. 10 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:59,320 The baby was strong. I got to hand that to him, but 11 00:00:59,479 --> 00:01:03,840 no stress was enough to save him. The bullet that struck him was a 12 00:01:03,879 --> 00:01:08,760 stray one fired from an insurrector from the jungle during the first attack they made 13 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:15,920 since our arrival the day prior. It occurred early today at dawn, while 14 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:21,599 most of us and the villagers were still asleep, Firing wildly at the village. 15 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:26,560 The insurgents follies managed to miss our pickets, as well as US marines 16 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:30,920 sleeping in the flimsy huts that passed off as our barracks. We were lucky, 17 00:01:33,079 --> 00:01:38,040 but the kid was not. Moments after his mother searched the village for 18 00:01:38,079 --> 00:01:44,079 help, the baby's crying stopped. I feel sorry for the poor kid and 19 00:01:44,159 --> 00:01:49,319 mother, but there was nothing that could be done. They were simply unlucky. 20 00:01:52,599 --> 00:01:56,400 My funeral is to be held tomorrow, and the captain wanted some of 21 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:00,439 us marines to help in the ceremony. We hope to show the villagers that 22 00:02:00,519 --> 00:02:05,760 we were on their side and win their respect by assisting in their traditions. 23 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,080 However, the village suggested that it would be best for us to stay away 24 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:15,719 from the funeral. He told the captain that the mother and some of her 25 00:02:15,719 --> 00:02:21,800 relatives were angry at us, blaming us for a child's death. She thinks 26 00:02:22,159 --> 00:02:24,960 that if we weren't here in the village, then the insurrectors would never have 27 00:02:25,039 --> 00:02:30,759 attacked and fired that bullet that killed a child. The village leader feared that 28 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:35,800 our presence in the funeral would have caused some sort of fight between us and 29 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:43,439 the family. Hearing this frustrated the captain, but he relented although not before 30 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:47,319 muttering how ungrateful the locals were for the protection we were giving them against the 31 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:54,479 wondering the drowners. So far, it seems that us stay here and started 32 00:02:54,520 --> 00:03:01,080 out badly. I was out at the big line last night when I heard 33 00:03:01,159 --> 00:03:06,639 movement in front of me, just behind some bushes. There was someone there. 34 00:03:07,039 --> 00:03:12,919 Immediately, I pointed the rifle towards the direction of the noise and fired. 35 00:03:14,319 --> 00:03:16,800 No one was supposed to be outside the village at this time, so 36 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:23,159 it meant any native out of that time was most likely an insurrecto. Almost 37 00:03:23,159 --> 00:03:29,120 immediately my shot alerted the other pickets and the marines back of the village. 38 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:34,719 From behind me, I get air officers and n CEOs waking sleeping marines and 39 00:03:34,879 --> 00:03:39,759 ordering them to the respective outposts. Soon enough, I heard the sergeants calling 40 00:03:39,759 --> 00:03:44,639 out to us on the picket line, ordering us to get back and rejoin 41 00:03:44,719 --> 00:03:50,800 our respective sections. I wasted no time at running back towards the village to 42 00:03:50,879 --> 00:03:55,719 take up my position at my assigned outpost. However, as I made my 43 00:03:55,759 --> 00:04:02,199 way back, I noticed a lack of fire coming from the jungle. This 44 00:04:02,479 --> 00:04:09,360 quickly told me that no attack was coming. For a moment I feared I 45 00:04:09,439 --> 00:04:15,199 may have caused the false alarm, but I knew what I heard there had 46 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:20,120 been movement right in front of me. This insistent, however, did little 47 00:04:20,199 --> 00:04:25,279 to stop the annoyed remarks from the others, who complained that I woke them 48 00:04:25,319 --> 00:04:30,759 up for nothing. We spent the rest of the night restlessly waiting for an 49 00:04:30,759 --> 00:04:38,480 attack that never came. Despite the lack of an asserting attack, I was 50 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:44,720 ultimately proven right that I did indeed hear movement. The first patrol of the 51 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:48,480 day inspected the area. I said, I fired my shot towards and found 52 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:54,959 that there was a body there. However, I'm not proud that my bullet 53 00:04:55,000 --> 00:05:01,399 found its mark because the one I struck down was a woman. To be 54 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:06,160 specific, it was the woman who lost the baby during the insurgent attack. 55 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:14,079 We were all confused on why she was outside the village that night. To 56 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,800 make things even more confusing, it was later found out that she had dug 57 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:25,040 out her child's grave, leaving it empty. The officers speculated that the woman 58 00:05:25,199 --> 00:05:29,560 was planning to join her husband, who was an insurrector, and that she 59 00:05:29,639 --> 00:05:32,600 brought a dead child with her so that they could bury him in the mountains. 60 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:39,360 I'm not fully convinced by this. One of my friends, who was 61 00:05:39,399 --> 00:05:43,000 on the patrol that saw her body, told me that she fell in a 62 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,040 way that looked like she was going back to the village, not away from 63 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:51,399 it. He also said that her clothes and feet were muddy, as if 64 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:57,600 she had just come back from the mountains. This, combined with the fact 65 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:00,720 that they couldn't find the corpse of a child with her when she fell, 66 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:04,920 tells me that she went to the mountains with the body and came back without 67 00:06:04,959 --> 00:06:11,120 it. I don't know what this all means, but it makes me feel 68 00:06:11,199 --> 00:06:17,240 uneasy thinking about it. Garrison, life in this village has been peaceful these 69 00:06:17,319 --> 00:06:21,639 last couple of days, compared to the last fishing village we were assigned to 70 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:27,839 protect, where we were attacked almost nightly. I stay out here has been 71 00:06:27,879 --> 00:06:33,399 calm, with no insurgent attacks occurring after the first encounter we had with them. 72 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:38,639 Most of the boys are happy about this, but I personally find it 73 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:44,079 strange. These islands are filled with the angry natives. We want nothing more 74 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:47,839 than for us to leave, so to find a little corner of these islands 75 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:55,519 that just so happens to have passive insurrectors just feels wrong. I'm not the 76 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:59,920 only one to think that this is strange, as the Captain has been wrestler 77 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:03,600 these past couple of days, wondering why the Insurrectos had been so quiet. 78 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:10,000 At first, he thought that the enemy was taking their time, choosing to 79 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:14,279 observe us from a distance so that they could gather this strength and make a 80 00:07:14,319 --> 00:07:19,000 plan before springing their attack. He says that an army garrison on another island 81 00:07:19,199 --> 00:07:24,399 had stayed in a village that they thought was peaceful, but once their guard 82 00:07:24,519 --> 00:07:29,480 was down, the Insurrectos and the villagers rose up and massacred each one of 83 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:33,879 them. Who doesn't want us marines to meet the same fate, so he 84 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:40,839 increased security at our little outpost, doubling patrols around the village and making sure 85 00:07:41,079 --> 00:07:46,839 that there were always two marines guarding our barracks at night. However, our 86 00:07:46,879 --> 00:07:51,160 patrols of the surrounding jungle confused us more as they seemed to show that there 87 00:07:51,199 --> 00:07:58,079 had been no recent insurgent activity near the village. Normally, footprints of Insurrectos 88 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:03,360 scouts would be found at the village outs girds, but here there were none, 89 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:09,839 so they either means the insurrectors here were better at covering their tracks, 90 00:08:09,079 --> 00:08:13,399 or that they're just not trying at all. If it was the latter, 91 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:20,000 then why it didn't seem like them to leave one of her garrisons untouched or 92 00:08:20,079 --> 00:08:26,680 unobserved. Lieutenant Miller, one of the glory hunting officers of the company, 93 00:08:26,839 --> 00:08:31,759 believes the lack of insurgent activity reveals that the enemy is weak in this area. 94 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:37,759 He thinks that the insurrectors in charge of these parts are either few in 95 00:08:37,879 --> 00:08:41,399 number, few and weapon, sick with dysentery, or all of the three. 96 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:48,480 Because of this, he believes that it's the perfect time to strike before 97 00:08:48,519 --> 00:08:54,159 these insurgents could resolve their issues. Rumor is that he suggested to the Captain 98 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:58,960 that a strong expedition should be sent out to hunt for the insurgent camp and 99 00:08:58,039 --> 00:09:03,600 eliminate them. I can't say I approve of this idea, but that's just 100 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:09,679 because there's a high chance that the Captain will task Lieutenant Miller with such an 101 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:15,639 operation with me being part of his platoon. Than that means I would end 102 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:22,039 up marching through the hot and muddy jungle deep within insurrecto country, praying that 103 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:26,799 none of those feral natives was hiding behind the thickets with a rifle pointed at 104 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:31,759 me. Patrolling the nearby jungle outskirts of the village was already bad enough, 105 00:09:33,519 --> 00:09:39,039 but heading straight to enemy territory definitely brings higher risk. I'd rather be stuck 106 00:09:39,039 --> 00:09:45,440 here doing menial tasks such as watching the villagers plant rice or inspecting their fishing 107 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:58,200 boats for contraband then go out there actively hunting for them. A platoons started 108 00:09:58,279 --> 00:10:03,720 the march early in the day, just before the sun rose. Lieutenant Miller, 109 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:09,159 flanked by our trusted native scout and a local villager we coerced to guide 110 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:13,279 us through the jungle paths led the way, who was said to be the 111 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:16,799 brother of one of the insurrectors here, marched in front of the Lieutenant to 112 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:20,840 make sure that the enemy would be hesitant at firing a volley at our officer. 113 00:10:22,639 --> 00:10:26,399 Our goal was to reach the stream located a few miles away from the 114 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:33,720 village. A native scout had extracted information from one of the villagers that such 115 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:37,000 a stream existed and may be used by the insurrectos as their water source. 116 00:10:37,039 --> 00:10:43,120 Out there in the jungle. Lieutenant Miller hoped to search the area around the 117 00:10:43,159 --> 00:10:48,679 stream and locate the insurgent camp. As expected, the march was difficult, 118 00:10:50,279 --> 00:10:56,200 with narrow, slippery paths all along the way. Things only got worse once 119 00:10:56,200 --> 00:11:01,519 the sun rose up as it added uncomfortable heat to our already laborious tasks. 120 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:07,639 A few hours into our march, every single marine had their uniforms soaking in 121 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:13,039 sweat. The only good thing about the march was that we weren't harassed by 122 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:18,879 the insurrectos. We talk a couple of quick breaks along the way, but 123 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:26,759 eventually, at around midday, we reached the stream. Making sure that the 124 00:11:26,879 --> 00:11:31,960 area was clear. We took another quick break to regain our energy and refill 125 00:11:31,039 --> 00:11:39,159 our canteens before beginning the search for the insurgent camp. Splitting up into three 126 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:46,039 sections, I ended up being the one led by the Lieutenant himself. Deciding 127 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:50,000 to go upstream, he led us along rocky terrain flanked by thick jungle. 128 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:58,080 With every step I fear that the insurrectors would ambush us. We kept quiet 129 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:03,000 as we made our way, trying to listen to our surroundings while looking for 130 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:09,039 any sign of the enemy. I don't remember how long it took, but 131 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:18,000 we eventually found something. It was not what any of us were expecting. 132 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:28,279 Laying by the stream was a Native, unmoving and lifeless. From what I 133 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:33,759 initially saw, I noticed that his clothes were stained in blood. Cautiously we 134 00:12:33,799 --> 00:12:41,080 approached, wondering if this was an ambush. However, after a few minutes 135 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:46,279 of silence, Lieutenant Miller decided to move up towards the laying native. We 136 00:12:46,399 --> 00:12:52,879 followed close behind him. Once the Lieutenant stood by the body, a sergeant 137 00:12:52,919 --> 00:12:58,799 divided us, with one group led by the sergeant, spreading out to form 138 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:03,080 a picket around the air, while the other groups stayed by the lieutenant. 139 00:13:03,759 --> 00:13:09,360 The fallen native was an insurrector. There was no doubt about that. With 140 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:15,679 him being deep in the jungle and with a revolver nearby him, we knew 141 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:20,519 that he was our enemy. But the way he died is what attracted our 142 00:13:20,519 --> 00:13:28,399 curiosity. Being there next to the Lieutenant Miller, I saw the natives clothes 143 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:33,240 and skin had tear and scratch marks, while his stomach was gutted open, 144 00:13:33,159 --> 00:13:39,320 entrails chewed on and spread all over. To me, it seemed like some 145 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:43,519 wild animal with sharp claws and teeth attacked him and began opening his stomach and 146 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:48,679 eating his internal organs. It was a gruesome sight, and I had to 147 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:54,519 do my best to keep my composure. As I stood there, we all 148 00:13:54,559 --> 00:14:00,679 thought that the insurrector was attacked by a jungle animal. What animal it was, 149 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:07,000 we weren't sure, but I feared we could be its next victim. 150 00:14:07,039 --> 00:14:11,360 For a moment, I gave a short prayer, hoping that whatever animal that 151 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:18,080 attacked him was no longer hungry. We stayed there for a while, debating 152 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:24,200 amongst ourselves what type of animal could have done that to the insurrector. When 153 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:28,799 the sergeant who informed the picket line called out to the lieutenant so one of 154 00:14:28,799 --> 00:14:33,559 my men found the enemy camp. He called out, it's just behind the 155 00:14:33,559 --> 00:14:39,720 bushes over here. With that, everyone quickly drought our rifles and double time 156 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:46,720 towards the sergeant. Positioning ourselves behind a thick wall of bushes, we peered 157 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:52,200 through the leaves and saw a clearing. On that clearing was a small camp 158 00:14:52,759 --> 00:14:58,919 with huts, some scattered crates and sacks, and to our surprise, deceased 159 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:05,679 insurrectos. Cautiously moving forward and out of the bushes, we entered the enemy 160 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:13,000 camp and searched the place. There was no one there, only us and 161 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:18,360 the dead. Counting the bodies, we saw at least thirty all dead. 162 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:24,960 Inspecting their corpses, we noted that they suffered the same fate as the insurrecto 163 00:15:26,039 --> 00:15:31,600 by the stream. Like him, their clothing and skin had tear marks and 164 00:15:31,639 --> 00:15:39,360 scratches, while their stomachs ripped open and guts chewed on. This scared us 165 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:45,759 all, and I even saw the normally unfazed Lieutenant Miller give worried glances toward 166 00:15:45,799 --> 00:15:52,679 the number of dead and gutted insurrectos on the jungle floor. Nothing there made 167 00:15:52,759 --> 00:15:56,320 sense, and we began to question if it was possible for an animal, 168 00:15:56,799 --> 00:16:02,320 or even a group of animals, that do such a thing. Clearly these 169 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:07,840 men were armed, and clearly they had tried fighting off whatever attacked them as 170 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:14,320 empty cases led to the ground, Yet despite their efforts, they were still 171 00:16:14,519 --> 00:16:21,480 massacred. Not feeling secure with a few men he had their, Lieutenant Miller 172 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:26,039 ordered one marine to contact the other two sections and have them regroup with us. 173 00:16:26,159 --> 00:16:30,399 Meanwhile, the rest of US marines remained at the camp and took up 174 00:16:30,399 --> 00:16:36,480 defensive positions in case a different group of insurrectors came by to retake the camp. 175 00:16:37,039 --> 00:16:41,039 As I stood watch at one section of the camp, I could hear 176 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:47,799 Lieutenant Miller and the sergeant talk behind me. Do you really think animals did 177 00:16:47,879 --> 00:16:52,600 this? The lieutenant asked, Well, sir, it's the only possible answer. 178 00:16:53,399 --> 00:16:57,399 I heard the sergeant respond, It reminds me of a bear attack back 179 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:00,840 home. Now, I'm not saying it was a bear that did this. 180 00:17:02,759 --> 00:17:06,720 Hell, I'm not sure if they have bears here on this god Forsacond Island, 181 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:11,559 but it's what it reminds me of. Whatever the lieutenant was going to 182 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:18,880 say in response was suddenly drowned out by the chilling cry of a baby. 183 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:26,119 Turning my attention towards the cry, I quickly realized that it was coming from 184 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:32,799 the peace of jungle ahead of me. Acting on instinct, I quickly raised 185 00:17:32,839 --> 00:17:38,079 my rifle towards the direction, but withheld my fire. Soon the lieutenant and 186 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:44,319 sergeant moved closer towards me, until the two were thanking me As they gazed 187 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:51,240 towards the jungle. For a moment, we all remained silent as we listened 188 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:56,519 to the cry of the baby. It sounded nearby, probably only a few 189 00:17:56,599 --> 00:18:03,119 yards away. However, due to the thickness of the jungle, it was 190 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:08,960 impossible to see whether the source was Many questions plagued my mind at that moment. 191 00:18:11,079 --> 00:18:14,880 Why was there a baby deep within the jungle? Was it alone? 192 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:19,880 Was this a trap being set up by the insurgents. I'm sure the lieutenant 193 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:25,799 was wondering the same thing as he took his time thinking how he should respond 194 00:18:25,839 --> 00:18:30,920 to the situation. I'm not exactly sure what went on inside his head, 195 00:18:32,759 --> 00:18:37,559 but him being a glory seeking character, he probably thought that it would look 196 00:18:37,559 --> 00:18:41,359 good for him to investigate the source of the cry, and if the baby 197 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:47,519 was found, save it. The image of US Marines saving a native baby 198 00:18:47,599 --> 00:18:52,079 from the clutches of the insurrectors would work well for our relations with the villagers, 199 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:56,079 and the lieutenant probably thought that the captain would praise him for such a 200 00:18:56,119 --> 00:19:02,839 success. I believe that was what the lieutenant was thinking when he ordered us 201 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:07,319 to follow him, leaving behind only three Marines to remain at the clearing to 202 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:14,680 secure it and await the others. The lieutenant led the way, pushing his 203 00:19:14,759 --> 00:19:18,640 way through the jungle. I followed close behind him, with the rest of 204 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:25,200 the boys behind me and the sergeant at the rear of our column. There 205 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:29,160 seemed to be no path towards the source of the crying, so the lieutenant 206 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:33,759 was forced to improvise and cut through the foliage with a native bolo knife he 207 00:19:33,839 --> 00:19:40,119 always brought with him. Eventually, the sound of crying grew louder and louder, 208 00:19:40,759 --> 00:19:44,880 further encouraging the lieutenant as he worked harder to get through the jungle, 209 00:19:45,319 --> 00:19:49,559 staying close behind him, scanning ahead to make sure that the ground ahead of 210 00:19:49,599 --> 00:19:56,559 the lieutenant was safe. I couldn't help but notice something as the crying echoed 211 00:19:56,640 --> 00:20:07,359 in my ears. The cry sounded familiar. I know that the cries of 212 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:15,559 babies often sound the same, but this one sounded so familiar. It reminded 213 00:20:15,599 --> 00:20:19,359 me of the cry of the baby that was struck by an Insurrecto's bullet, 214 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:26,759 the one who died earlier this week. The thought of that brought a chill 215 00:20:26,839 --> 00:20:33,559 through my bones. As the sound of crying drew closer, the lieutenant eventually 216 00:20:33,559 --> 00:20:38,400 reached the piece of flat ground, Shoving aside some large leaves. He soon 217 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:45,039 gave out a victorious shout as he pointed ahead of him. Looking past him, 218 00:20:45,079 --> 00:20:51,240 I soon saw a baby on the ground, laying on dirt, crying 219 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:56,720 as it lay there. However, as I got a good glimpse of the 220 00:20:56,839 --> 00:21:03,920 child, I felt my body stiffen in fear. The baby was missing most 221 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:07,839 of its arm. It looked as if the rest of its arm was torn 222 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:15,559 off, was shot off. A mixture of panic and fear filled me during 223 00:21:15,559 --> 00:21:21,079 that moment. As ridiculous as it seemed, I thought that it was the 224 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:26,640 baby that had been killed at the village, But it was impossible the baby 225 00:21:26,799 --> 00:21:32,079 was gone, So who was this right in front of us? Who was 226 00:21:32,079 --> 00:21:38,799 this baby that looked exactly like it? After scanning the area to make sure 227 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:44,640 it was safe, the lieutenant slowly kneeled and prepared to pick up the baby 228 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:51,400 standing just behind him. I clutched my rifle firmly my hands as I felt 229 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:56,279 a sense of unease. Watching the lieutenant turned towards me. I saw the 230 00:21:56,359 --> 00:22:03,480 baby cradled in his hands as your us back to the clearing. However, 231 00:22:03,240 --> 00:22:07,920 as he was about to step forward and lead the way once more, the 232 00:22:08,039 --> 00:22:15,079 baby began to peel its skin right before my eyes. The skin of the 233 00:22:15,079 --> 00:22:21,440 baby began to peel off like a snake. Eyes wide in fear, I 234 00:22:21,559 --> 00:22:26,680 fixated on it as the skin separated to reveal a second layer underneath, one 235 00:22:27,039 --> 00:22:34,000 covered in wrinkles. At that moment, the lieutenant noticed my reaction and looked 236 00:22:34,039 --> 00:22:38,960 down at the baby to be surprised at what he saw. In reaction, 237 00:22:40,279 --> 00:22:45,359 he nearly dropped it, but the baby moved quickly as its one complete arm 238 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:49,880 suddenly grabbed him by the neck. The grasp must have been strong, because 239 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:55,359 I could hear the lieutenant begin to choke, losing hair. He fell on 240 00:22:55,400 --> 00:23:00,720 the ground as he desperately tried to pull the baby off of him. Shaking 241 00:23:00,759 --> 00:23:04,160 off my initial shock, I moved toward the lieutenant, and, after dropping 242 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:08,079 my rifle, tried to pull on the baby, who was grasping tightly on 243 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:14,640 his neck. However, my hands only managed to hold on to its peeling 244 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:19,480 skin. When I pulled, I ended up pulling his outer skin, completely, 245 00:23:19,519 --> 00:23:29,559 removing it and revealing fully what was under It was no baby. It 246 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:36,599 was a monster hiding behind an innocent toddler's skin. Was a creature that I 247 00:23:36,599 --> 00:23:41,319 could only describe as a wrinkly beast with dry skin, pointy ears, bloodshot 248 00:23:41,319 --> 00:23:48,599 eyes, and disproportionate legs. It was ugly and small, Yet although Its 249 00:23:48,599 --> 00:23:53,359 size was that of a baby. Its hands had long claws, while its 250 00:23:53,400 --> 00:24:00,359 mouth had teeth as sharp as a bayonet. It looked deadly, and it 251 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:07,359 quickly proved that when it tore into the lieutenant's neck with its teeth going wild. 252 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:11,519 He used his teeth and claws. The rabbaged the lieutenant as he was 253 00:24:11,599 --> 00:24:18,200 helpless to fight it off. Soon enough, he stopped struggling with this creature 254 00:24:18,319 --> 00:24:23,519 continued to tear through his body, moving his attention away from its neck and 255 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:27,480 switching its focus to his stomach, which had tore open. With the ease 256 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:33,279 backing away quickly, I soon realized that the rest of the boys had their 257 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:38,720 rifles trained on the creature, but none of them fired. Even the sergeant 258 00:24:38,799 --> 00:24:45,640 just stood there, unable to give orders. I'm not sure if it was 259 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:48,920 because of the shock of what they saw or the fear of hitting the lieutenant 260 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:55,319 earlier as he struggled, but whichever it was, none of them fired, 261 00:24:55,920 --> 00:25:00,079 and now the lieutenant was dead body being consumed by a creature of nightmares. 262 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:07,960 As the sound of the creature snarling and tearing through flesh echoed in the jungle 263 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:17,160 for a moment, it remained like that. Then the sound of babies crying 264 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:22,200 erupted from above us. Looking up at the trees over our heads, I 265 00:25:22,279 --> 00:25:29,200 saw a dozen of those terrible creatures hanging on the branches, staring at us 266 00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:36,680 with hungry, bloodshot eyes. What occurred next happened so fast, and I 267 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:41,759 remember myself screaming as creatures jumped on us and fell on top of many of 268 00:25:41,759 --> 00:25:45,599 the boys. I don't know how I got lucky, but I managed to 269 00:25:45,599 --> 00:25:52,160 avoid one from dropping directly on top of me. Instead, he fell hard 270 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:56,119 on the ground. Before I could recover, I gave it a hard kick, 271 00:25:56,559 --> 00:26:03,480 sending it flying towards a nearby tree. Looking around, I saw men 272 00:26:03,599 --> 00:26:07,319 fighting for their lives, struggling to fend off the creatures they were clawing and 273 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:14,000 gnawing on them. Remembering what happened to the lieutenant, and realizing that there 274 00:26:14,039 --> 00:26:18,480 was no way together creature off once it was on you, I decided not 275 00:26:18,559 --> 00:26:22,960 to stay any longer. Dashing away, I did my best to follow the 276 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:27,359 path we made. As I moved as fast as I could back towards the 277 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:33,599 clearing. Behind me, I could hear the tortured screams of men as they 278 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:41,839 mixed with the hellish growls of these demonic creatures. I don't remember how long 279 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:45,759 I ran and tumbled through the jungle, but eventually I reached the clearing. 280 00:26:48,279 --> 00:26:52,279 To my relief, the rest of the platoon was now there. Familiar faces 281 00:26:52,319 --> 00:26:56,119 greeted me and asked me where the lieutenant and the rest of my section was, 282 00:26:57,480 --> 00:27:03,960 but I couldn't reply. Instead, exhaustion overtook me and I collapsed. 283 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:11,279 Next thing I remember, I was back in the village, inside one of 284 00:27:11,319 --> 00:27:18,480 the huts we used as a field hospital. I was safe now. I 285 00:27:18,599 --> 00:27:22,240 later learned that out of all of the men in my section, I was 286 00:27:22,279 --> 00:27:27,640 the only one that survived. The captain asked me what had happened, and 287 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:32,720 I told him what I remembered, but he gave me a strange look, 288 00:27:33,559 --> 00:27:38,440 and I knew that he didn't believe me. I can't blame him. I 289 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:42,359 wouldn't have believed my story either if I didn't see it with my own eyes. 290 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:48,519 I had a few friends left here. Most thing, I've lost my 291 00:27:48,599 --> 00:27:55,039 mind due to the encounter. Talk among the company says that many think that 292 00:27:55,160 --> 00:28:00,519 the lieutenant and the rest of my section were ambushed by insurrectos and badly budgeted 293 00:28:00,559 --> 00:28:06,279 by them in an attempt to send us a horrific message. From what I 294 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:11,480 hear, they'll soon be shipping me out of here. Johnny, one of 295 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:15,559 my few friends I have left in the company, says the captain has written 296 00:28:15,559 --> 00:28:19,519 me off as unfit for combat. They'll probably end up sending me to the 297 00:28:19,559 --> 00:28:27,160 garrison at Cavite, where it's much quieter. As much as I hate leaving 298 00:28:27,200 --> 00:28:34,519 my unit behind, I'm happy to get away from this place and the horrors 299 00:28:34,799 --> 00:28:37,039 contained within its jungles.