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surrounding sea beaches. They sold these to businessmen at Pagadian, Butuan and other nearby places.

  All the girls were curious to learn how I happened to be at Philippines. I described in detail my account of the incident and Felita translated it to her friends. They listened to my story with rapt attention. Felita, however, looked thoughtful and creases were shown on her forehead. She said in a serious tone, ‘Now you are to keep in hiding here for some days. Your entry is illegal and the police may arrest you if detected.’

  I tried to pick up courage, ‘If I tell them I had lost my way, won’t they hand me over to our embassy?’

  ‘Very unlikely; they would arrest you and may even torture you suspecting you to be a spy. So let me first consult my parents and then we would decide what to do next.’

  I started crying thinking of my parents and friends.

  Felita consoled me putting her soft hands on my forehead and browsing through my hair that sent tremors through me.

  ‘Don’t worry babe, I’ll certainly try everything to save you.’

  The other girls too looked sympathetic to me. The touch of her hands had already made me carefree and I agreed to remain patient till some way out was devised.

  The meal was ready and I devoured the curry of mixed sea weed and a rice preparation.

  Felita gave me all suggestions for night stay here and said ‘This island is safe, but don’t go far off and keep signs on your way so that you may return here before nightfall.’

  The girls left and I went up to the sea shore to see them off. The cottage was not far off and I took the direction toward the west as indicated by the position of the sun. There was a small lagoon surrounded by tall trees. I sat close to water and looked toward the distant sea. Looking at the top of the trees I was marveled to discover a large number of beautiful blue birds, the size of crows. All of a sudden some of the birds came down and perching on the lowly branches of the trees and started observing me with curiosity. The largest one came down and sat close to my feet.

  I got so much excited at the spectacle that I started whistling a popular Hindi song which had spectacular effect on the birds which started dancing around me and the large one got seated on my shoulder and moved from one shoulder to another. I forgot everything and went on whistling the song and then as the birds started flying away, I realized that the sun was deep red and diving down into the sea at the far western horizon. I returned to the cottage. I felt carefree. I was no longer abandoned in this desolate island.

  I quickly prepared the food as advised by the girls and after my meal came out of the cottage. The crescent moon was visible in the west and the clear sky was full of stars. A gentle breeze embraced me and I had an eerie sensation. The faces of Felita and the other girls came to the surface of my mind and I fantasized them as nymphs from paradise.

  The effect of the breeze made me dizzy and I fell asleep very soon and had amorous dreams involving Felita.

  Part-V

  The motorboat of Mr. Castillo was almost like a tiny houseboat with two cabins inside for taking rest or sleeping while staying in waters at night, a small toilet cum bathroom, and a kitchen. On the open deck above, four chairs were around a table all of which were fixed and immovable. I preferred to sit in a chair on the deck and a sweet breeze greeted me. The Pagadian Bay was encircled by hilly islands adorned with clusters of cocoanut and other trees.

  Small tiny houses were visible through the crevices of the trees in the nearer islands and as we moved toward the Sulu Sea, the islands started exhibiting denser dwellings and lesser trees.

  Mr. Castillo was a Tagalog speaking Filipino from Cagayan De Oro. He at first joined as a laborer in a small factory at Zamboanga Del Sur. His wife was from Pagadian and after marriage he left the lowly paid job and started business at his father-in-law’s insistence. The tea-stall was his wife’s inheritance and this boat was his own. Tourists and local people hired the boat in all seasons and this provided him satisfactory earnings all through the year.

  It was almost dark when we entered the Sulu Sea. The breeze was now chilly and I got downstairs to chat with Castillo. He informed me that the islands around were beautiful with forests and birds and other animals only a few years ago, but most of them have now been deforested and crowded with factories and dwellings of laborers.

  In the darkness it was hardly possible for me to locate the Birds’ House Island but hoped that it was still embellished with forests and lively by the sons of the blue birds. No body would build factories or dwellings in that hilly island. I’ll have to come at day time to trace out the island and of course the blue birds. Now my missions were two – Felita and the birds.

  I once again went upstairs to the deck as the boat made the return journey. I sat on the chair ignoring the strong breeze and my mind started indulging in fantasies. I must find out Felita, she must be living in shanties or small houses close to the Pagadian city. Next morning Castillo would accompany me to the house of a lady named Felita at Zamboanga Del Sur. If were her, how would she react to discover his long lost lover. I got lost in the blissful world of fantasies.

  The Next morning the Felita of Zamboanga Del Sur, disappointed me. The fat lady was very hospitable but as I could realize from the first sight that she was someone else but I did not disclose to her the purpose of the visit and Castillo was discreet enough to keep mum. Later on he consoled me that there were many women of the expected age group named Felita in this locality and I agreed to his proposal of trying in the afternoon another Felita at a shanty not far from my hotel.

  Part-VI

  My sleep broke early in the morning. I completed the morning chores and prepared tea in an earthen pot. Then I strolled toward the lagoon with the hope to see the birds again but found none. I saw the boats of the girls in the distant see and returned to the cottage and waited for them.

  The girls had brought biscuits, cakes, butter and bread for breakfast. Felita decided to stay with me while the other girls would be out for weed and herb collection. We strolled leisurely together and closeness of her body, and uncanny feminine smell made me enchanted and I felt as though I were in heaven. We strolled toward the inside of the island. Soon we crossed a small hillock and lo, it was a beautiful small valley the shape of a perfect cauldron with a diameter around fifty feet and surrounded by interwoven small hillocks like one we had crossed. The inside was flat and adorned with velvety green grass and small flowery shrubs. I was marveled at the sight that suddenly unraveled itself before my bewildered eyes.

  Following Felita I sat down beside her on the soft thick grass and she leaned sideways to rest her head on my lap with her bright eyes fixed on mine. I was almost mesmerized and got a bit nervous and remained speechless at the spectacle.

  She then looked serious and said in a serious tone, ‘It could be dangerous for you to be detected at this moment. The Police of Marcos are dangerous and they don’t understand English. If you are caught you would be put to prison and tortured and would never be released unless your government takes initiative to get you released. But who would inform your government?’

  I got panicked and was almost at the point of crying. Felita ran her fingers through my hair and said smiling, ‘Don’t worry darling, there’s a way out’

  ‘How?’ I asked.

  She now looked mysterious and a naughty smile played on her lips, ‘The only solution is that we marry. I have talked with my parents and they have agreed. I am a single mother with a one year old son. A boyfriend had cheated me. Now my parents would be happy to see me married. If we could marry without being detected then the police can do nothing to you. You may also then return to your country and I shall accompany you as your wife if your parents accept me.’

  I was elated at the proposal as I was already enamored with her. She continued, ‘We would get registered at the marriage office. My uncle would bring the forms today. He knows the registrar and everything would be kept in strict secret. In a week we would get married and be free.’ She then
blubbered out in deep passion, ‘I love you.’ Before I could say anything I felt her lips pressed hard against mine. It was so heavenly for me, so exciting.

  I did not disclose to her anything about the birds.

  After lunch Felita left with the other girls telling me that she would not come the next day as she would go with her relative to the marriage registrar. It was a different kind of day, an uncanny feeling, a novel experience.

  After the girls had left I took some rest and then proceeded toward the lagoon and the birds started screeching with joy seeing me from distance. The large bird came fluttering and perched on my shoulder. I was also very much ecstatic and started whistling another rhythmic song with much enthusiasm and the birds started dancing vigorously. After the other birds had left the larger bird remained on my shoulder and accompanied me up to a long distance toward the cottage.

  The night was an ecstatic one and reminiscences of passionate moments with Felita got mixed up with the dancing birds and I had colorful dreams.

  The next day Felita did not come and the other girls came as usual and I badly missed her. In the afternoon the birds became friendlier with me and now many birds got perched on my body and most of them accompanied me to the cottage.

  The day after Felita came smiling,