True to his words, Mr. Domeng returned to the school just as the sun was still deciding whether to come into view or not. This time, he is armed with three chainsaws and an Ifugao soldier who is said to be a chainsaw expert. A bodyguard? Or a tree terminator?

Mr. Domeng wanted to be the first at the site before everyone comes but to his dismay and disbelief, the old man was already there - still in yesterday’s attire. Did the man go home? Is he real?

Before long more people arrived and diligently proceeded to their assigned tasks. A group pruned the Narra trees and others picked up the fallen branches and cleared the pavements. A soft and steady rain started to fall but Mr. Domeng and his men were unstoppable. Trained to survive the harshest tempests, they were always in places where they were needed most, and so proceeded with their tasks mindless of the rain. “Give Domeng something to work on and so he will not go wrong!” Mayor Kimi once said.

Everyone worked on their tasks yet all eyes were focused on the big Tamarind tree being handled by the terminator as he determinedly wielded the roaring chainsaw, making the precise cuts to fell the tree. The century-old tree was too tough to conquer, however. The chainsaw blades became dull and dented after every attempt to cut into the dense trunk. The soldier doggedly sharpened the blades repeatedly but the tree remained firm in its foothold. The people soon tired of watching him tediously sharpen the blades after each cut. They soon all returned to their assigned task of pruning and clearing; the teachers and students shifted back their attention to their lessons. All except for the old man who patiently gazed at the tree, silently praying and communicating with his eyes, his gaze almost willing it to fall. And so it was that it was only the old man, when no one was looking, witnessed the tree when it suddenly fell to the ground with a great thud that startled everyone.

They all scrambled to the fallen tree vying to have a glimpse or share of the gold rumored to be hidden within the hollows of its thick trunk. They stared in disbelief when they saw only dirt and rot in the hollow at the center of the tree. No gold just clumps detritus. The old man muttered resignedly, “Evil minds caused the spirits not to give the treasure; they changed it with dirt instead.”

Still, the people were not convinced. They say that the treasure still lies underneath the remains of the tree, clutched by its roots.

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