Alms,alms,alms.Sparemeapieceofbread.Sparemeyourmercy.Iamachildsoyoung,sothin,andsoragged.
Whyareyoustaringatme?WithmyeyesIcannotseebutIknowthatyouareallstaringatme.Whyareyouwhisperingtooneanother?Why?Doyouknowmymother?Doyouknowmyfather?Didyouknowmefiveyearsago?Yes,fiveyearsofbitternesshavepassed.IcanstillrememberthevasthappinessmotherandIsharedwitheachother.Wewereveryhappyindeed.
Suddenly,fiveloudknockswereheardonthedoorandadeepsilenceensued.DidthecruelNippon’sdiscoverourpeacefulhome?MotherrantoFather’ssidepleading.“Please,Luis,hideinthecellar,thereinthecellarwheretheycannotfindyou,”Ipulledmyfather’sarmbuthedidnotmove.Itseemedasthoughhisfeetweregluedtothefloor.Thedoorwent“bang”andbeforeusfiveuglybeastscamebargingin.“AreyouCaptainLuisSantos?”roaredtheugliestofthemall.“Yes,”saidmyfather.“Youareunderarrest,”saidoneofthebeasts.Theypulledfatherroughlyawayfr0mus.Fatherwasnotgivenachancetobidusgoodbye.
Wefollowedthemmileaftermile.Wewerehungryandthirsty.WesawgroupofJapaneseeating.Oh,howourmouthswateredseeingthedeliciousfruitstheywereeating,Thensuddenly,weheardavoicecall,“Consuelo……Oscar……Consuelo……Oscar……Consuelo.……Oscar……”werantowardsthedirectionofthevoice,butitwastoolate.Wesawfatherhangingonatree……dead.Oh,itwasterrible.Hehadbeenbadlybeatenbeforehedied……andIcriedvengeance,vengeance,vengeance!Everythingwentblack.ThenextthingIknewIwasnursingmypoorinvalidmother.
Oneday,weheardthechurchbellringing“ding-dong,ding-dong!”Itwasasignforustofindashelterinourhide-out,butIcouldnotleavemyinvalidmother,Itriedtoshowherthewaytothehide-out.
Suddenly,bombsstartedfalling;airplaneswereroaringoverhead,canyonswerefiringfr0meverywhere.Boom!Boom!Boom!Boom!Motherwashit.Herlegswereshatteredintopieces.Itookhergentlyinmyarmsandcried,“I’llhavevengeance,vengeance!”“No,Oscar.Vengeance,itisGod’s,”saidmother.
ButIcriedoutvengeance.Iwaslikeapent-upvolcano.“VengeanceisminenottheLord’s”.“No,Oscar.Vengeanceisnotours,it’sGod’s”thesewerethewordsfr0mmymotherbeforeshedied.
MotherwasdeadandIwasblind.Vengeanceisnotours?Toforgiveisdivinebutvengeanceissweeter.
Thatwasfiveyearsago,fiveyears……Alms,alms,alms.Sparemeapieceofbread.Sparemeyourmercy.Iamachildsoyoung,sothin,andsoragged.Vengeanceisnotours,itisGod’s……It’s……God’s……It"s