4 year old Marietta tossed the marble. Got it, she thought as the marble rolled into the hole. Marietta relished in the victory. Gentle wind engulfed her with the heat of the sun. A standard day in the small village south of Manila. The pastor’s kids from next door always put up a good fight. Although the pastor’s kids were kind, she wished she was playing with her family. 

The Japanese had invaded the Philippines a year ago. Her older brothers, Gonzalo and Joe, had sent morse code to the US; now they were back home. Her father was a spy for the US to communicate messages from the Philippines. Marietta didn’t know where he was.

Suddenly, the shrieking sirens came on. Marietta put her hands over her ears. Why must they be so loud? She looked up at the sky, searching for any planes overhead. 

Her brother, Gonzalo, ran outside, holding a blanket. He frantically searched for her in the sea of children. His eyes locked with hers and he rushed towards her.

“Marietta, we are going to play hide and seek.” Gonzalo wrapped the blanket around her. Once the blanket was secure, Gonzalo rushed into the field where the banana trees were.

He picked her up and nestled her in between the bunches of a nearby tree. 

“Be safe, and be silent.” Gonzalo left and ran to the nearby shelter. Marietta was cold, but felt safe hidden in the banana tree.

The sirens continued to blare on and on. Marietta tried to tune them out. She focused on her prayers her mother had taught her, pleading for the sirens to stop. 

My Lola remembers the airstrikes as frightening but they serve as a reminder of the love and protection her family gave to her.