I come from a small town hidden at the foot of the mountain, it is very small that all my neighbour knows each other, our place is something that hasn't been touched by modernization yet. However, we were all contented until one day, one piece of news spread quickly, chilling our spine.
One man died. Mang Tonio died.
He was found lying on the floor without any traces of blood or evidence that somebody had entered his house, nor it was a suicide. No information can help determine who did it and how it happened.
Except for one thing.
He died looking scared. With his still-opened eyes, hands that had lost their nails, and the visible scratch marks on the door, it was obvious that something was not normal. It was never solved, or more likely no one dared to. After a few days, our town returned to being peaceful... they just turned that day into one of their bad memories and forgot about it.
While I was walking home from the supermarket so I could cook my dinner, I walked past some neighbours talking about that day, and as a part of the neighbourhood and a curious cat, of course, I stopped and eavesdropped.
They were talking about the possibility that the "Aswang" did it to Mang Tonio, they said that the only thing that can do killing without evidence is that it was done by an "Aswang". Some neighbours think about it and slowly agree, to be honest, it does make sense.
But why?
Did Mang Tonio do something that angered the Aswang? Or did he see something that shouldn't be seen?
After a while, when they changed the topic to Aling Mernie's daughter caught flirting and walking holding with Mang Carding's Son, I stopped eavesdropping and continued my walk, Typical Karens... I said it in my mind.
The next day I woke up with the same neighbour talking about something again, they really travel to places just to share their insights and suspicions about someone huh, but one topic caught my attention.
They say that someone was coming to the town, she is a shaman, she can see ghosts, and talk to them, they also said that she's the real deal.
They said that this shaman is well known in many places, and has a powerful charm that can drive away bad spirits and unwanted creatures. I wonder why she went to our place, is it because of what happened to Mang Tonio? Does that mean it was really done by an Aswang? I feel shivers down my spine whenever I think about it.
I decided to go to the store to buy some food since I'm too lazy to cook.
When I was walking (the store is only walking distance away) to the store I noticed that there was an old-looking lady busy cleaning Mang Tonio's house. Is that the shaman they are talking about?
She was busy sweeping the leaves that fell from the mango tree Mang Tonio planted, and then suddenly she stopped and looked at me.
"Fuck" I whispered, it was creepy.
Imagine an old lady wearing an old dress sweeping then suddenly stopped and looked at you, not moving or anything just standing and looking at you, she was that. I just fasten my walk to go to the store.
after I finished buying. I decided to take another route because I don't want to see that shaman again, it's giving me goosebumps.
When I got home I just ate what I bought and decided to just ignore what just happened earlier, then return to my daily routine.
the next day, the neighbourhood announced that there would be a mini celebration for the new resident, the shaman, they're going to throw a mini potluck so that they could know the shaman better.
The celebration will happen tomorrow so everyone is preparing for it. I think I'm going to bring some beef stew or chicken wings.
THE CELEBRATION
Today is the Celebration, it was a simple gathering to welcome the shaman, her name is Aling Nena, based on what I heard, she was a shaman for about 60 years, and she is currently 72 years old. She inherited it from her mother, and she told us that being a shaman is not a choice but an obligation or responsibility.
I kinda feel sad about it, I just think what if she doesn't really want to be one and she is just forced to be one and she got robbed of her childhood life.
She was talking to the neighbours when suddenly her eyes met mine, from smiling her face turned into a serious one. Her eyes flashed a hint of fear.
Eh? Is she scared? By who?
Is there someone behind me? or Something?
Then after a while, she turned her head and looked for someone. She kept looking until she found Mang Elmer, and screamed.
She screamed as if she woke up from a bad nightmare, and all of the people looked at her with confusion. They didn't know what was happening, they were just enjoying the celebration when she screamed.
"You are a coward!"
"You are selfish, you animal!"
"Why are you doing this?"
she shouted at Mang Elmer. She was angry at him. I don't know why. something is for sure, something is off.
after that scenario, people started talking about it, they don't know why she did that, and no one knows. But it is obvious that people are thinking the same thought.
'Was he the one?'
'Is he the killer?'
'Is he the aswang?'
I was thinking the same but at the same time I'm trying to contradict it, Mang Elmer and Mang Tonio are best friends, they have been brothers since young, so what could possibly be the reason if ever Mang Elmer really is the killer?
I looked at Mang Elmer, he's not saying anything nor defending himself, he was just standing there looking back at the shaman.
I saw hints of emotion in his eyes... guilt, sadness, sorrow, helplessness.
the celebration ended in silence with a heavy tension. Tomorrow's talk will be very interesting.
I was wrong.
No one talked about it, it's like their mouths are shut off. They didn't want to talk about it, they were scared that something might happen to them if they talked about it.
The peaceful atmosphere of the town turned into an eerie one. The once happy neighbourhood with Karen's talking about other people's business turned into a quiet neighbourhood with windows and doors closed houses.
and Mang Elmer? No one knows where he went. After the scene, he walked out of the celebration and that was the last time they saw him.
The town turned quiet for a few days, then something happened.
Coming from the supermarket, Aling Edna, one of our neighbours visited Aling Nena's house. She wanted to ask what really happened and why she screamed at Mang Elmer. She kept on knocking at the door but no one was answering, she noticed that the door was unlocked so she decided to just barge in and just apologize if ever Aling Nena got mad.
The room was very dark and the only light source Aling Nena had was the light from the hole in the ceiling, she walked to the kitchen and no one was there, she walked to the living room and still Aling Nena wasn't there. She walked to her room. She saw Aling Nena.
Aling Nena was kneeling while facing the wall in the corner. Aling Edna walked to her to have a better look which she regretted.
Aling Nena was dead. She died kneeling with her eyes gone. Her fingernails are gone from scratching the wall and she was missing her tongue.
Aling Edna screamed and rushed outside the house to ask for help, she vomited due to the sight of Aling Nena.
People from the neighbourhood heard her scream and rushed outside to go to Aling Nena's House. Some were crying, but most were afraid. Afraid to accept that how Aling Nena died is similar to how Mang Tonio died.
Me too, I rushed outside when I heard Aling Edna's scream.
I rushed while wearing a face mask.
I was hiding my smile.
If only Aling Nena ignored my actions then maybe she could still be alive.
I was bored at that time, I killed people from the other town so for a change I tried killing in our town. Then Mang Elmer saw me, how I was enjoying the murder of Mang Tonio, how Mang Tonio tried to scream but no voice could be heard. I warned Mang Elmer to be quiet or else he and his pregnant wife will be next.
Then that shaman came, trying to expose me so I exposed her eyes. Literally. Lol.