The man shoved my hand away from his wrist and pushed me hard, sending me crashing to the floor.
"Puta, huwag ka ngang makialam! Sino ka ba?!" (Bitch, don't meddle! Who even are you?!) he barked, voice loud and slurred.
His rage didn't falter—he grabbed another fistful of Aling Hosana's hair with his other hand, yanking her closer like she was just some object he could toss around.
I stared at him, dumbfounded. Not knowing how to react. My mind was occupied with what I had just seen.
What did that mean? Did he do something to Erica? But he just arrived—not even ten minutes before she went out.
So what was that?
"Pedro, huwag. Maawa ka. Hindi ko naman talaga intensyon na magpakita pa sa asawa mo o sa'yo. Nagkataon lang na kailangan na kailangan ko talaga ng pera para sa gamot ni Doni at tuition ni Erica. Hindi sapat 'yong kinikita ko at binibigay mo. Pedro..." (Pedro, please. Have mercy. I really didn't intend to show myself to your wife or to you. It just happened that I really, really needed money for Doni's medicine and Erica's tuition. What I earn and what you give me, isn't enough. Pedro.) I heard Aling Hosana say.
My forehead creased when she knelt down, her hair still tangled in the man's grip. She pressed her palms together and rubbed them. She was crying—really hard.
"Pedro, pangako, huli na 'yon. Hindi na—" (Pedro, I promise, that was the last time. I won't —)
Aling Hosana's plea wasn't even finished when the man suddenly grabbed her entire jaw.
I saw Hosana flinch and tremble. She was scared. And for some reason, I was too. I was starting to get really scared.
It felt like déjà vu. Like it had happened—itreallyhappened. I vividly pictured my sister in Aling Hosana.
Messy hair. Bloody face. Trembling body.
"Thareth'mirsolundevach." I whispered mindlessly.
The man in front of me—still gripping Hosana's jaw—suddenly let go and clutched his chest.
He looked like he couldn't breathe. And I watched him as he stumbled backwards, fumbling against the rag until he collapsed completely on the floor—his hand still gripping tight at his chest.
Eyes wide.
Lips turning purple.
And everything went silent. I could hear nothing. I just sat there, staring at the scene in front of me. Hosana was tapping the man's face, and it looked like she was shouting.
Then a group of men entered the house. I couldn't hear what they were saying. It was just a deafening silence.
My mind wandered elsewhere. I could still see the chaos in front of me, but my thoughts drifted back to that night—when my sister was tortured right in front of me.
She was crying. Begging. Crawling, trying to get away. She looked at me with so much pain in her eyes. She was pleading for me to save her, reaching out for me to hold her hand—but I didn't do anything. Until they tied her up so tight. And all I could do was watch as the fire slowly consumed her.
My Nerisse. My sweet little sister.
"Why didn't you save me?" A whisper.
I turned my head and saw her. Sitting beside me. Her face was burned, her hair almost gone. And her eyes... her eyes were lifeless.
I trembled. I wanted to speak, but no words came out. I wanted to apologize, but I couldn't open my mouth. I wanted to hug her—but my body wouldn't move.
"...ha... iha." Hosana's gentle tap on my shoulder snapped me back to the present.
I looked at her, then down at the floor where the man had been earlier—but he wasn't there anymore. I turned my gaze back to Hosana's face.
Her cheek was swollen from the slap earlier. A small cut on her lip was still bleeding.
I reached out for her face, touching it gently—tracing my fingers along her swollen cheek and split lip.
Then a tear fell from my eye.
"Ay, hala," (Oh, dear.) Hosana said, suddenly panicking. "Ay, bakit ka umiiyak, anak ko? Hala, pasensya ka na." (Why are you crying, my child? Oh, no, I'm sorry.)
She helped me stand and guided me to sit on the soft couch, then quickly rushed to the kitchen to get a glass of water. But my feet had a mind of their own. I turned away and went upstairs, locking myself inside the room they had shared with me.
I curled into the bed, not even minding if the rays of the sun burned my skin. I felt so numb—so lost. Like I didn't even know what to feel anymore. I just felt so empty.
Guilt crept in. Regret swallowed me whole. Endless whatifs ran through my mind.
What if I spoke that night?
What if my mind didn't go blank?
What if I could've saved her?
What if... what if it was me who died that night instead of her?
The whole day went by with me just lying on the bed. I didn't even sleep. I was wide awake the entire time but didn't feel the passing of time.
I only realized it was already evening when Erica knocked on the door.
"It's time to eat, princess," she said, emphasizing princess in a sarcastic tone.
I heard her footsteps walking away. I didn't have the energy to stand, but I felt the need to—I had to.
Sitting at the table, I couldn't help but stare at Erica a little too long as she munched on her food. The same leafy vegetables and fish we had this morning.
"What?" she asked, clearly irritated, raising an eyebrow.
I shook my head and quietly started eating.
"Psh. Weirdo," she muttered—just loud enough for me to hear.
I didn't mind it.
Because she's right. I really am a weirdo.
Here... and even in my world.
When we finished eating, Erica was the one who cleared the table and washed the dishes. She was clearly against it, but when she saw the state her mother was in, she just grumbled and did the chores anyway.
I smiled a little.
She may always seem irritated, but she clearly cares—for her mother.
"Pasensya ka na, ha," (Sorry about earlier.) Hosana said gently, holding my hand. I turned to look at her. Her eyes held a quiet, apologetic look.
"Ehm... husband... kanina... ay, hindi pala asawa. Ano... uhm... Pedro, the guy. Mistress, me. Her wife—"
I didn't let her finish. Just hearing the words mistress and wife was enough for me to understand the chaos from earlier.
I smiled at her, gently cupped her cheek, and nodded—telling her I understood.
She smiled back and gave my hand a light squeeze.
"Huwag ka nang mag-explain, Ma. Hindi ka naman niya naiintindihan. Pang-alien ata lengwahe niyan, eh," (Don't even bother explaining, ma. She doesn't understand you anyway. I think she speak alien language.) Erica said, wiping her hands on her clothes.
"Tumango naman siya. Sa tingin ko naman ay nakakaintindi siya ng English kahit papaano," (She nodded. I think she understood English somehow.) Hosana replied to her daughter, then carried her son Doni into her arms and started playing with him.
Later on, Erica also joined them and played with her little brother.
I smiled—a sad and happy smile—as I watched the scene in front of me. A quiet envy rose in my chest, and I wondered if we ever experienced something like this when we were kids.
Or did we just keep running, hiding from the monsters trying to use us?
Did we ever feel something this warm when we were young?
Did we even feel the warmth of our mother?
Well... I don't really know.
I don't know.
When Erica saw me watching them, she raised an eyebrow and gave me a look. I shook my head. Oh, I know that look—she's judging me again. Probably thinking I'm a weirdo.
I just tapped Hosana's shoulder and gestured that I was going outside.
"Sige, pero bumalik ka agad mamaya, ah. Delikado sa labas kapag gabi," she said.
Again, I didn't understand it, so I turned to Erica.
She rolled her eyes before translating, "She's telling you to come back immediately. It's dangerous outside."
When I finally understood, I looked at Hosana and nodded. She smiled, and I stepped out of the house.
The evening breeze slipped through the thin fabric of my clothes, and with it, a familiar fear crept into my chest—but I ignored it.
They don't know where I was.
They won't find me here.
I convinced myself of that and kept walking, hugging myself for a bit of warmth.
When I saw an empty playground not far away, I immediately stepped in. I quietly sat down on a wooden swing. It looked sturdy enough—I think it could carry my weight.
I began to swing slowly, back and forth, letting my eyes drift up into the starless sky. Only the moon shone above, casting just enough light to touch the edges of the darkness.
To ease my mind, I started humming. It was a song my twin and I used to hum whenever we felt scared—or lonely.
We never really knew where the song came from, or how we even learned it. It just came to us one day, like a small warmth blooming in our chest. Like an embrace that filled the void in our hearts. Since then, it became our favorite—a safe voice. A shelter.
But now that my sister is gone, the song that used to fill the emptiness inside me… just isn't enough anymore.
Instead, it brings back memories.
Of when my sister was alive.
Warm.
And here.
As I hummed the last part of the song, I decided it was time to go back. But just as I was standing, a flicker of light in the distance caught my attention.
I squinted, trying to see it more clearly. I even stepped a little closer, not thinking about the danger I might be walking into.
At first, it was just a faint, dense light—low and barely there. But then it brightened. And someone—a person dressed in black—stepped out.
They were standing in a darker part of the area, where the moonlight couldn't reach, so I couldn't see their face. I couldn't even tell if it was really a person... or something else.
But when the moonlight finally touched a bit of them—just enough—I saw it.
A golden glow.
I stepped back.
No... I know that glow.
It's a vampire.
A vampire from my world.
My heartbeat rose sharply. How could this be? How can a vampire be here—in this world?
Why?
"Weirdo!" I heard Erica's voice call out. I turned and saw her standing with her hands on her hips, looking pissed—again. "Sinabing bumalik ka kaagad, eh. C'mon already!" (I told you to come back immediately.)
She didn't wait for me. She just started walking away.
I ran toward her direction, feet moving on their own. And just before I caught up, I took one last glance back at where the light had been.
But it was gone.
Nothing but darkness now.
I shook my head. Maybe my mind was just playing tricks on me.