Asdahlia: Child of the Sea

By Nancy B. Stanton

This is a story about Charlie, a young American teacher who went to the Philippines in the beginning of the 1900s, armed with his love of teaching, inspired by his own thirst for adventure, and emboldened by Americas victory over its wars against Spain.

What he found was far greater than he had wished for. His adventure leads him to a quick rise in his career, but he must persevere against overwhelming odds. His soaring career brought him face to face with the horrors of death in the hands of suicide warriors.

Destiny shoves him into an encounter with Asdahlia who saves him and brings him to her world full of magic, which adds a dimension to Charlies adventure that is too taboo that he fears it might cost him his career. Charlies sense of duty to serve his countrys interest in this part of the world stands in the way between them.

Asdahlia has to make a quick decision. If she takes the chance and follow Charlie, then she might live her ultimate dream: a life away from Skeleton Island.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 26, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543427004

Nancy B. Stanton

Nancy B. Stanton is an avid fan of history, both written and oral accounts dating back to the pre-Spanish era Philippines. She was born in the Philippines during post-American occupation and was raised among the native Bagobo tribe. She was involved with the Southern Philippines Cultural Communities based in Toril, Davao City. She also actively engaged in other civic activities to empower women. She speaks the native dialects Bagobo, Dabawnon, and Visayan and takes great pride in the legacy of her grandfather, the first American superintendent of schools in Davao, Philippines, 1909, and a short stint as justice of peace of Jolo, Sulu, in 1912. Nancy, together with her family migrated to the United States in 1995. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001. While trying to beat the disease and the depression brought about by the treatment, she decided to embark on fiction writing. She chose fiction due to the limitless range of ideas and imagination one could put in a story form. Nancy is now cancer-free and lovingly dedicates this book to her children, who saw her ordeal during the treatment. They dealt with this traumatic experience bravely and in silence amid fear of losing their mother.

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Copyright © 2017 by Nancy B. Stanton.

ISBN:                Softcover                978-1-5434-2701-1

                          eBook                      978-1-5434-2700-4

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book is a work of fiction based on true historical events. Names of persons, characters, places and incidents are creations of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual or other fictional events, persons, living or dead, are mere coincidence and unintentional.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 05/26/2017

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgment

Dedication

Introduction

Chapter 1: Late 1800S

Chapter 2: Asdahlia

Chapter 3: The Carnage

Chapter 4: Early 1900S

Chapter 5: Davao To Jolo

Chapter 6: The New Post

Chapter 7: The Whirlwind

Chapter 8: Night Of The Amoks

Chapter 9: The Rescue

Chapter 10: The Return Of Charlie

Chapter 11: Ending The Amok Phenomena

Chapter 12: The Uprising

Chapter 13: Search And Rescue

Chapter 14: The Escape

Chapter 15: The Wind And The Sea

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I would like to thank and acknowledge the collaborative efforts of my illustrators Lyndl Kempis and Khang Hoang Vinh Nguyen for sharing their talents in art to this book, the beautiful cover illustration.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to the Americans who came to the island of Mindanao and Sulu in the early 1900s to partake in the nation-building efforts of the United States government in the newly acquired Philippine Islands, during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. These men braved the remote and mostly undeveloped places, the unfamiliar culture, and the loneliness of living away from home. They took the risk of contacting tropical diseases and worse; death in the hands of suicide warriors called amok.

Few of these men remained and chose to serve their country for the rest of their lives. They were buried in the American Cemetery in Davao City, in the southern Philippines. They were soldiers and teachers - they were called The Thomasites.

To Lola and Lolo, you are the heart of this novel. I wouldn’t be able to do it without you as my inspiration.

INTRODUCTION

The southern ports of Jolo and Zamboanga had been engaged in International trading since the early 13th century. Trading ships travelled through ports of Southeast Asia then known as Sumatra and Malaya, trading with the countries of China, India and as far away as Persia and Egypt. Sea pirates flourished alongside the growth of international commerce throughout six centuries.

The US Battleship Kentucky arrived in Sulu in 1901 to patrol the southern seas and hunt for pirates. Military reinforcement troops continued to arrive to occupy the islands.

As the war intensified between the American forces and the native resistant group, the military governor in the island launched an aggressive campaign to stop the marauding bands of pirates from kidnapping people from the other islands, eliminate slave trade, and impose taxes. These activities angered the population and had given rise to suicide killers known as amok.

The event that happened in Mt. Dajo where hundreds of local Muslims including women and children were slaughtered in a genocide committed by the Americans occupied the headlines both in the Philippines and in the United States for several weeks. The American military declared it as a decisive victory but when it was found out that women and children were among those mercilessly killed it became a huge scandal.

The current Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte made mention of this event during the early days of his presidency noting that America has never apologized for this military atrocity. Philippines remained the longest ally of the United States in the Far East spanning more than a century.

CHAPTER 1

Late 1800s

Blasting sound of cannons and rifles echo in the air as grim reminders that war is still raging in the Bigger Island. The sun is rising in the east awakening all the creatures of this tropical forest. The wilds are getting uneasy with the intrusion of their turf. A family of small deer sprints into the thicket and the birds fly into safety. A man goes up the hill, turning to look behind him every now and then, careful not to leave a trail. He flips the end of his turban to the side to look back frequently making sure nobody is following him. His name is Ubbu and he plans to move his family to the safety of this island before he goes on a long trip.

He finally arrives at the foot of the huge tree, picks up the reeds that have piled up and starts finishing the hut that he has been building secretly for many days by himself. He weaves the reeds into the slats, pulls on a twisted vine to tie the reeds in place, and keeps on adding reeds until all sides of the wall are covered. After several hours, he looks around his creation to make certain everything is camouflaged and well concealed. He adds more leaves and vines over the roof and all around the cottage, then steps back and views it for final check before leaving.

He first observes from behind the bush, happy that there are no boats at sea and the shore looks deserted. He goes to the spot where he tied his boat, loosens and gets on it. Ubbu hurries to return to his family feeling more relaxed now that he can finally sail as planned. The nearest neighbor is about two miles away but he is determined not to arouse curiosity so he waits for nightfall. With the help of his wife, Thalia, and daughter, Asdahlia, Ubbu bundles the few belongings they would need and as soon as the darkness provides enough cover, they load them on a small boat. Seeing that everything is in place he walks around to assist his wife on to the boat as well. Thalia, smoothes her malong wrap on her sides then pulls her daughter up to sit next to her. Ubbu spreads the jute firmly to cover their belongings to make sure the sea water doesn’t get to them. He gives a push to the boat and with a quick hop Ubbu takes his place at the head of the craft and begins rowing into the dark expanse heading south.

Flickering lights of homes scattered along the seashore appear like stars in the distance and are now becoming dimmer behind them as the boat thrusts forward with increased speed. After several minutes they are completely engulfed by darkness.

The little girl clutches at her wrap-around to fend off the cold as they travel with the wind behind them. She moves closer to her mother for warmth, staring ahead with half-closed eyes. After several hours of navigating in darkness, Ubbu brings the boat to its slowest speed.

Hidden behind the thick fog and the pointy rocks sticking out of the sea, lies Skeleton Island. Located at the southern tip of the bigger Howling Island, its mythical existence has struck fear in the people of the other islands for many generations.

According to legend, it was believed to be inhabited by woodland nymphs, gnomes and spirits that no man ever dared tread upon. Tales were told throughout past generations, about sailors ensnared into its shores by melodious voices of nymphs, who sang these men into their doom, and their ships were never found again.

It did not take them very long to arrive in the shores of this dreaded place under the cover of darkness. Brown kelps washed over by the waves scalloped the beach, outlining the dried pieces of wood and human skeletal remains scattered beside a shipwreck half-buried in the sand. They are bleached by years of sun, wind and salt. It is aptly called Skeleton Island, where pirate ships in the days past were brought and abandoned untouched and there to decay.

Asdahlia, beset by an eerie feeling that something out there is watching their arrival, clutches her mother’s arms. Their eyes move from side to side as the sounds of nocturnal creatures seem to draw nearer yet they must try to keep their attention on the mossy path. Both of them carrying bundles upon their head, hurry to keep up with Ubbu who is leading them up the craggy mount and deeper into the forest under the dim light of a small torch. The hasty climb brings them to a small clearing. Ubbu moves ahead where a camouflaged structure is waiting, and with his muscular brown hands, he parts the hanging vines revealing a cottage. He pushes the door to open inwards and lighted the lamps that he took out from the bundle.

The lamp illuminated the shack and with gaping mouth and widened eyes the two are awed by the unexpected sight of a well-built cottage as they continue to follow Ubbu inside. Asdahlia immediately drops her bundle on the floor and proceeds to inspect the small rooms with amazement while the couple puts out their belongings to get situated. Thalia sees the hearth and places the pot of salt by the corner, pushing the bag of sugar in its place, and the sack of rice next to it. Seeing that they have everything they may need, Ubbu smiles with satisfaction as he tightens his belt around his robe, bends to hug his wife and his daughter and in barely audible voice, says goodbye to each of them. They watch him as he turns to leave, vanishing into the darkness. With closed eyes Thalia exhales all the pent up emotions of the day-long activity.

A large ship is anchored at the mouth of a cave hidden behind the protrusion of rocks. Its blackened mast almost touches the dirt roof concealed by a mesh of hanging vegetation. The thick ocean mist hides her from the Battleship Kentucky that roams the southern seas. The sails, which are purposely the color of the sea, have been rolled down and there is no sign of life visible anywhere on deck to catch the curiosity of any passing boat. Below the deck, however is a bustle of activity.

Blending with the darkness that surrounds him, Ubbu arrives unnoticed by his men. His turban tilts to one side as he looks up at the moon above before he slips in through the captain’s door proceeding to inspect the cargo on board.

Spices from Maluku and precious metals such as gold, silver, tin and copper from Penang fill the cargo room. His eyes draw to a squint and his slow smile exposes two rows of rusty gold teeth veneers. He looks on with satisfaction as his men tighten the chains that secure the boxes and bales in place. Their thick arms damp with sweat, stretch and pull