Prepare for Eternity

By Norbert Mercado

A patriot. A woman. A revolution. The third novel of the "Morning Glory" series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Norbert Mercado
• Release date: May 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310296864

Norbert Mercado

"In this age of revolution, the contemporary writer should utilize the pen for the preservation of peace," Norbert Mercado, a Filipino author, stressed. The books he has written and published, including his anthologies, unapologetically assert the indispensability of peace in a nation’s progress. The author has written more novels than any Asian writer had in just a brief period of time. In fact, he has surpassed the number of novels written by world-renowned novelists like Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn (winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, 1970) and American authors Ernest Hemingway (winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, 1954). Solzhenitsyn has four novels to his credit, while Hemingway has eight. His style of writing is simple and succinct, but poignant and colorful like Hemingway’s THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA, and Solzhenitsyn’s ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF IVAN DESONOVICH. "The simpler the novel, the better," he said. In line with Japanese Yasunari Kabawata’s writings about the Japanese way of life, most of Norbert’s novels focus mostly on the current situation in his country. Kabawata is the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968. His books present hope to the Filipino, especially to the "economic exiles" in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan whom he has spent most of his time with, in their daily struggles. But most of all, his novels lucidly show the futility of war and violence in the resolution of political-economic-class conflicts in the Philippines. "War should not be used as an instrument in resolving political conflicts. Writers who abet wars and revolutions must think of the widows and the fatherless, the chaos, destruction, and suffering of the people whom they claim to be concerned about," he said. What if, like Solzhenitsyn, Hemingway, and Kabawata, he eventually wins the Nobel Prize? What will he do with the US$1,000,000 award? "I will use the prize for establishing a Peace Foundation that will assist in the formulation of policies which will resolve the current shooting conflicts in the country and help alleviate the continuing poverty of our countrymen." He will take charge of the foundation and personally campaign for a peaceful settlement of the conflicts in the Philippines. "The insurgency and the secessionist rebellion have foreign support. A Nobel title will give me the personality to approach the leaders involved in the conflicts," he explained. Born on March 25, 1955, he is the youngest among the children of Mr. and Mrs. Aurelio Mercado, Sr. of San Manuel, Tarlac. He graduated from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, with two degrees, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Communication. Voted Outstanding Campus Journalist in 1974, he was a columnist and associate editor of the Philippine Collegian, the campus publication of the University of the Philippines. He has also written articles for various newspapers and magazines in the Philippines, as well as abroad. He also won the 1981 National Essay Writing Contest sponsored by SIDESTREETS Magazine. Norbert is a graduate of the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP), the topmost armed forces school in the country, where he was conferred a Master’s degree in National Security Administration (MNSA) and the rank of Lt. Colonel in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). He graduated from the NDCP at the age of 32, the youngest in Class 21 which had already produced several generals in the Armed Forces, and the youngest graduate in the history of the National Defense College of the Philippines. He was elected one of the fifteen directors of Class 21. He was conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity (Applied Servanthood), Honoris Causa, for his almost 30 years work in Christian literature. His batch mates include Senator Robert Barbers, Undersecretary of Trade and Industry and Bulletin Columnist Nelly Villafuerte, Actor and Producer Fred Galang, Rev. Peter Vasaya, and the His Royal Highness Sultan of Sulu and Sabah Ishmael Kiram. A sports lover, he was a rifle marksman in his UP ROTC days, and a winner of the 1988 and 1989 5,000 meter-run sponsored by the National Defense College Alumni Association. His sports include swimming, basketball, volleyball, boxing, karate, cycling, and marathon among others. A traveler, he has attended various international conferences and trainings in Asia and Europe. His travels have widened his insight not only of places, but also of people he has constantly observed and empathized with. He is the youngest graduate of the Singapore Haggai Institute for Third World Leaders in 1980 at the age of 24. "Let us work for peace in our country, in any way we can," Norbert stressed. Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers." Ria M. Mercado

Book preview

PREPARE FOR ETERNITY

by

NORBERT L. MERCADO

Also by Norbert L. Mercado

NOVELS

72 Hours in Moscow

Cambodia's Children of Sorrow

The Children of Mars

Even the Grass Bleeds

I Don't Need A Throne

The Last Romanov

The Korean War

In The Shadow Of The Roman Empire

Farewell Darkness!

The Roman Governor of Judaea

Morning Glory

Love Is Beautiful

For more information on Norbert L. Mercado, visit

http://norbertomercado.blogspot.com

PREPARE FOR ETERNITY

Norbert L. Mercado

Copyright © 2014

Norbert L. Mercado has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work.

This book is a work of fiction, and except in case of historical fact, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

This book is sold, subject to the condition that is shall not, by way of trade or otherwise be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form or binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

ISBN: 978-1-310-29686-4

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

VERSION: 2014-05-05-1500

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Last Chapter

Background

A Historical Novelist For Peace

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. . . CHAPTER . . .

1

The officer of the Spanish guards who were posted at the port of Manila gave the order that any Filipino seen in the vicinity who had no identification card should immediately be arrested and interrogated.

He revealed to them that Dr. Jose Rizal, the most wanted man in his list is aboard the steamer España which had just docked that early morning. It was past 6:00 A.M.

Rizal, his family and his students were still in the steamer. There was already an order from the Spanish Governor General Ramon Blanco to secure Rizal’s safety because of an intelligence report that there were Filipinos who were planning to snatch him.

Jose Rizal, the medical doctor who authored the novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, was already known in the intelligence circle of the Spanish Army as the Honorary President and inspiration of the secret society called KATIPUNAN. The deep penetration agents of the Spanish Army gave a TOP SECRET report that Rizal’s pictures are hung on the wall of the rooms where the KATIPUNAN conducted membership recruitments and teach-ins against the Spanish government in the country.

Aboard the steamer, Josephine was crying because the Spanish guards would not allow Rizal to get off the ship with them.

You can go, Josephine. Narcisa will take care of you. I already talked to her that while I’m away, you are going to stay in their house, and she agreed with me. She is willing to take you so don’t worry. You won’t be alone here in Manila. The pupils will also stay in Narcisa’s house until they are able to go to school. I will be sending my monthly salary to you so that you have financial support. Just calm yourself and pray for me while I’m away. We will see each other again my love, Rizal assured her.

After a while, he talked again with his sister Narcisa, reminding her to take good care of Josephine while he is away.

You’re her only family here, Ate Narcisa. Please take care of my wife, he appealed to her.

Don’t worry, I will. You take care of yourself. Write to me as soon as you can, Narcisa reminded him.

Rizal also talked to his niece Angelica, to his nephews, and his students. He reminded them to study well, to obey their elders, and to be kind to one another. He told them to always help one another to the extent that they could.

You are a family, Rizal reminded them.

Outside the steamer, the Filipino janitors were waiting for the steamer to be totally vacated by passengers. Then, they would go into the steamer España and clean it.

One of the janitors was Emilio Jacinto, one of the officers of the KATIPUNAN. He was one of the most trusted men of Andres Bonifacio, the supreme head, called Supremo, of the armed secret society which Bonifacio himself founded. The objective of the secret society was the complete overthrow of the Spanish regime in the Philippines.

Jacinto and his fellow janitors had been wondering why Rizal had not yet gotten off the ship when many passengers had already disembarked.

Then, he saw two women, one of whom was a Caucasian, followed by a girl, and several boys. But Rizal was not with them. When the last passengers had left the ship, the supervisor of the janitors signaled them to enter the steamer España for the clean