Non Human

V

Serene POV

The next day my mother told us to fix ourselves because we are going somewhere to buy our stuff we need in the house and in the school.

"Mom, where are we going?” Shawn asked feeling so energized wearing his gingham plaid polo that was given on his last birthday. He paired it with his color khaki cargo pants and black and white rubber shoes. It suits him well.

Shawn has a striking resemblance to our father. From his head to his toes. If I were to describe Shawn in one word, it would be His eyes are almond-shaped, he has a pointed nose, heart-shaped lips, and fair skin. He is attractive and, like our brother Simon, will undoubtedly attract a large number of female admirers as he grows older.

“We are going to Divi. Things there are very cheap but before that we are going to pass by on quiapo church to pray.” My mother said having a flat emotion.

She is simply wearing a white shirt partnered with a black palazzo pants. She is wearing a brown sandals and her hair was pony tailed. She looks so simple yet beautiful.

“Wow! A train? We are going to ride a train?” Shawn asked.

“Yes my dear. This is the most convenient and cheapest transportation we can get to reach our destination.” My mother said and handed us a card she bought earlier.

I know it may sound we are so naïve but even me was amazed and excited. This is my first time riding a train. I only see this on the television. In our province the only thing we ride on are tricycle, motorcycle, bike and jeep. But I have never ride a bike. We do not have that at home. I ony see that on our staff when they go to work. I only ride tricycle and motor to go to supermarket or on our school. A jeep when we go to somewhere else that is far.

I looked at the people then look at my card while in the midst of the line whee people beep their card on the thing ahead of me.

How do they do it? I flip my card. Like this?

“Just tap you card like this.” My mother told us and show us how it works.

We nodded and look amazed again. Of course!

I was startled by the masses of people waiting for the train. I did not expect this. I mean are all these people are going to ride a train at once?

“The two of you, hold each other and do not get far away from us. Get ready yourself. ” My mother said to me and my sister Sienna while she hold a grip on our younger brother’s hand.

She warned us that there are a lot of people who’ll going to ride a train so better to take a hold grip on each other arms.

Sienna holds me on my wrist. We saw the train coming on our way while beeping. The train is long. Its body was painted by some actress and actors marketing cosmetics products.

The train stopped in front of us and after a few seconds its door opened. People are pushing each other and I just go to the flow. We never had a chance to seat because of the number of people. The train is already full but the people outside keep on coming in.

Is this how it really works? I think I’m going to be suffocated by the number of people. There is no more space. Sienna and I were stuck on the middle of the train. A gentleman gave my mother a seat. That is good. I do not like to see my mother having a difficulty standing at the train. Being pushed by the people and feeling uncomfortable with their position.

“Are you okay?” I looked at Sienna and she was looking outside watching the glimpse of a sky on the window.

“Yeah, Are you okay?” I asked back.

“Uhuh,” she answered.

I stroll my eyes on the train. There’s a voice of a girl coming from the speaker of the train. A guide. Inside of the train was painted by white. Its seats are pained by violet. There is a map on the upper part of the door. A warning sign in every corner of the train. After travelling of about twenty minutes we reach the recto station.

I tapped the card on the access gate. I felt nervous when it shows a red warning sign. It supposed to be green.

“You put it on the mouth of the access gate." My mother told me.

Ah! Okay I got it.

In front of the train station is a big orange building.

“This is Quiapo,” mom said.

I looked around. There are a lot of people too. A vendors selling on the sidewalk. People are calling us to buy their items.

It is crowded.

After reaching the church our mother told us to pray quietly.

I looked around there are a lot of people praying. Some are kneeling, some are crying while holding their rosary and someone is walking on the center of the church towards using their knee.

On the the outside vendors of sampaguita, rosary, candle and saint made of woods are outside waiting for people. They do not get tired advertising their merchandise.

I looked straight and make sign of the cross. I bow down and thank God for everything and ask him for guidance.

After a short praying we went outside to go to divisoria. Our mother warned us that the people there are triple on what we see on the train earlier. A lot of children were lost on the divisoria. That what she told us.

I was startled by the old woman who suddenly pulled me.

His looked is kinda scary. Her hair is all gray. She is old and has wrinkles on her skin. There is a patch on her left eye. She is in medium complexion. She was about 4’8 feet. She is wearing an off white shirt and a long floral skirts. She has a scarf covered on her shoulder. Her hand is warm and rough.

Her round black eyes was staring at me with his upward thin eyebrows. It scares me because she looks grumpy.

“What?” I asked while still startled and get back my hands.

“Be careful young lady. Someone likes you and he is not ordinary,” she said. Her voice is makes me cringe.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

I’m confused. Someone who likes me?

“Aren’t you wondering? Guys are approaching you because they like but they are not courting you. They are easily giving up and staying away from you,” she said while still straightly looking at me.

How did she know?

“It is because of your suitor. He is the one who is blocking every guy liking you. Now he will never let anyone court you because he thinks you are his property,” she said.

It gave me goose bumps.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about," I said.

She smiled weakly.

“Just remember one thing young lady. Do not step even an inch inside his kingdom for he will not let you come back to your world anymore once he had a chance on having a grip to you," she said. Her smile faded.

“Serene!” I turned around and look at my mother that is now calling me. “Why are you there? Come on!”

I looked back at the old woman. She is not there anymore. I looked around and she was nowhere to be found even a trace of her hair. Maybe she was eaten by the crowd.

I just took a deep breathe

“Coming!” I said and followed them.

“Are you out of your mind? What if mom did not notice you? What will you do? You don’t even know how to get home!” My sister Sienna scolded me.

“I’m sorry. The old woman pulled me,” I apologized and looked back again hoping to see the old woman earlier.

“Old woman? Who’s old woman?” Sienna asked.

“The woman in front of me earlier. She is saying something strange to me,” I explained.

“We don’t see any old woman earlier Serene. Why don’t you asked mom," she said and looks at our mom.

Mom looks confused.

“Your sister is right. There is no old woman when I called you,” she said.

“I saw old woman talking to Serene," Shawn said.

“See. I told you. That old woman suddenly pulled me. Is that normal? People are pulling you even you don’t know them?” I asked.

“Of course. It is disrespectful. But honestly I did not saw the old woma," mom answered.

It puzzled me. Mom and Sienna did not saw the old woman? But me and Shawn saw it.

Impossible! That old woman talks to me. She can even touch me.

“Woah. Maybe it was a witch who widespread a curse. If she touch you, you should have tap her back," Sienna said with a scared looked at her eyes.

I just looked at her.

“Why? Don’t you believe me? Don’t you know what Quiapo is? There’s a lot of witches and evil people here. They curse you without having any reason," she said.

Because of what I head I’m gradually getting scared.

“Stop scaring your sister Sienna. Never mind what happened let’s go to our next destination so we can get home early.” My mom said and started to walk.

After buying what we need we went home. We went home late. We did not expect the traffic jam on the divisoria going back to Quaipo. We travel for almost three hours. Could you believe that? It was only supposed to be a twenty minutes or less travel.

It makes me tired. My body felt so tired. After eating a dinner I went straightly to our room to get rest.

I opened my eyes. The lights are turn off. The door is half open. I can see the curtain on the window dancing with the wind. The moon outside giving a light that is enough to see the dim surrounding. The wind is so cold. Does Sienna left the window open?

I quickly realized that I can’t move. I was like a paralyzed person. I tried hard to move my hand but I can’t. What is happening? I am conscious. I can see the surrounding. I know I’m not dreaming. I shouted but no voices are coming out. I just feel exhausted. I want to move. Sienna help me!

MOM!!!

I can only shout on my mind. What is happening?

DAD!!!!

I looked at the curtain. There is a black thing like smoke there. Its shape is irregular but I can clearly see the very dark color of this thing. Moving so fast back and forth.

What is that? It is like a smoke but it is not. The color is too strong like a color of a solid matter.

Oh no. Somebody help me!