What I did was press my canteen cup down my undershirt, then collect the muddy water little by little, after which I poured it into my canteen. Getting my bottle of iodine, I let down three drops of the medicine into my canteen, then shook it for a long time.
The muddy water got disinfected, then I just poured a drop on my burning tongue and a drop on my dry throat, to conserve the precious iodine-smelling liquid!
This muddy, foul-smelling water saved me and Joselito from thirst during the Death March.
Those who failed to disinfect the muddy water later on developed loose bowel movements and along the way died of weakness and dehydration.
Now I realize that there was a “small, still voice” that told me to pick up the bottle of iodine in the abandoned hospital and to hide in my trousers’ seam the 50-peso bill – but not my ring. Praise the Lord!
Along the way, when our water was exhausted, we passed by a freely flowing water from a pipe, with several men crowding around it to fill up their canteens or have a drink. At the risk of being shot, I got out of the marching formation to fill up my canteen, by pushing my way in to the pipe. I made it! My canteen was full! As I got out to join the formation, I was met with a heavy blow on my head and almost fell down. A big Japanese cook was swinging a big iron frying pan right and left. I ran as fast as I could back to the road and joined the men in formation marching as our Jap guard started firing at those who left the road to fetch water, as we were all dying of thirst! It was another BLOODY DAY. But I got my canteen filled up, anyway.
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