The Mound (Part One)

Part of my family's year-end ritual is conducting intensive 'roof-to-floor' spring-cleaning. While my wife was busy with old stacks of boxes filled with used clothes, I took to weeding our overgrown garden. As I was scouting around for unwanted growths among the bougainvilleas, I was surprised to see a mound. About half-a-foot high and two in girth and size, it was an eyesore. My hands impulsively took a hard grip of my rake and was ready to strike, when I was reminded of that one summer in Batangas. That was reason enough for me to say, "Hold it."

Memory told me that experiences with mounds of this sort is never favorable. I was in high school and was in no condition to believe tales of old--- that mounds were to be treated with utmost consideration and respect. Despite warnings of more careful friends or nannies originating from far-flung provinces, I chose not to take heed of them.  Having grown up in the city, I assumed that it belonged to the 'urban myth' category, so I was  resolved to proving it wrong. 

My friends and I were an active lot. We found excuses to go out and explore. Batangas was not an exception. The place, Anilao--- if my memory serves me right, was then very scenic--- considering that it had already suffered tourist exploitation.

The beach we chose was a diving spot, hoping to get our first successful open-sea underwater adventure.  We deposited our things in our respective rooms and went about our ways exploring the place. Most of us went straight to the beach. We had no idea where the others went. We only discovered where, when they came back all looking smug for having found a nice secluded spot which was not part of the resort guide map. It was our way of proving who was the most thorough--- finding secret places.

The place they've been to was only 1 kilometer off the trail. It was understandable why we had missed it in the first place: the path was covered in thickets. Off the main trail, our 'find' was not easy to follow, given that it seemed to have never been walked on for a long time. At the end of the trail was a dead end. Rising for about 50-60 meters high was a rock formation. The vertical ascent sloped to about 105 degrees--- suitable for free-climbing.

Reaching the top of the formation, we were greeted by a wonderful sight--- a waterfall, pure and untouched, trickled lazily down a lake. The whole place covered about 500 sq. m. and  overlooked the entire beach front. We realized that we could have been the only dayos (outsiders) who may have ever made it there. How could a place so surreal be a secret?

Something that resembled our secret place

After having spent half-a-day bathing in the clear bluish waters of our secret garden, we decided to come back the next day. 

The way back down was far more difficult than imagined. The welcoming slope of the rock formation had turned out to be very slippery from our point of origin. The rocks which served as handles while going up seemed to have become slippery footholds as we groped our way down. 

As we touched the base of the rock formation, everybody was completely exhausted. Trying to gain lost energy, others settled for a cooler refuge under a Narra tree. I, on the other hand, went further on to look for a softer spot. 

Then, I had found it! 

On the far end of the 'secret trail' was a gully, at the center of which stood a mound rising from the ground for a good 4 feet tall! A natural prankster, I called out to everyone, "Oi, mini bundok (tiny mountain)!" I strode up the funny-looking hill in mockery of my friends' stupid fear of giant mounds.

I did not expect my friends to take my prank seriously, but I was surprised by their reactions! All of them motioned for me to get down. Nothing ever really happened to me, but the urgent looks on their faces gave me the creeps. So I did their bidding and went down. 

The gesture dented my ego, so before leaving, I gave the mound a good kick. 

For a structure as massive as it was, it to give way all too easily. My single kick caused the entire top to topple down. 

To be continued...