Where the Woods Call

Midnight Festival

The next morning, I woke up back in my grandparents' home. Was it a dream? I moved to get up from my bed and I felt a pang of pain. My feet were dirty and they had tiny cuts. Pieces of leaves and soil are scattered on the floor. I wash my feet in the bathroom and the pain reminded me that what happened last night was real.

I head out to the living room. It was warm and had the sweet, inviting smell of freshly baked pandesal and cocoa.

"Your dad is out fishing with his old man. So it's just us. How was your sleep?" My grandma asked.

"I think I have been sleepwalking," I said. It's the only logical explanation I can come up with.

"Last night?"

I then proceeded to tell her what my supposed dream was.

"I think what you saw were forest guardians." Her expression lit up.

"The red-skinned woman is a Tahamaling and the pale-faced man is a Mahomanay." She continued.

"It's funny because I never knew about those kinds of things," I replied.

"Which makes it less likely for you to dream about them. How curious."

"You really believe that stuff?" I asked. My tone, skeptical but a part of me felt assured that someone believed me.

"Of course I do. My mother has the same ..abilities."

"Do you have it too, grandma?"

"I don't. I can feel them. Anyone can. To see them, only a few people have that ability. Some are born with it and some come to see them after having one foot down in the other world. In your case, it could be-" She trailed off looking surprised at herself for divulging too much information.

I realized my dad was standing behind us.

He wore a disappointed expression. I had excused myself but overheard them talking again as soon as he thought I was gone.

"It's not gonna make her better." He said to my grandma.

Later that night, I decided to put one pill down the drain. I lie on my bed and stare at the ceiling. The woods were creaking and the lights danced as the trees swayed outside. Again I hear the scuttling and this time I had a clear view of the source. Two tiny humanoids were walking on the bookshelf. They wore dry leaves like a cape and their faces that of an insect's. They made buzzing, clicking noises - conversations incomprehensible to the human ear. Immediately they took notice of me looking and ran straight out my window. I took it as a sign to go into the forest again.

Soon enough, I see the lights reflecting off the branches that seem to reach out to me. Only this time, instead of the familiar warm light, it's a ghostly blue, and instead of the gentle melody of the flute, I hear festive percussion. I situated myself in a corner where I won't draw attention. It smelled of food and indeed there was a banquet. Fruits and fish were lined up on a huge banana leaf and some meat was being roasted over a fire. At first glance, you could mistake it for a normal celebration until you set your eyes on the light emanating from floating balls of fire and its attendees which were creatures of varying appearances that gathered on trees, boulders, and mounds. Mesmerized by this peculiar view, I was taken aback by a loud bellow of laughter. It was a guttural, inhuman sound coming from a man with one eye, his teeth jutting out of his lips like a pair of tusks. My legs betrayed me and just as I was about to lose my balance two hands grabbed my arms.

"You shouldn't be here." Just as I turned to face him, he put a wooden mask adorned with feathers and gems over my face.

"It's dangerous and the feast you see over there? It's enough to turn any man insane." He added with an urgent tone.

"I felt like I had to see you again. To confirm if you're real."

"Would you like it back? The rest of your memories." He asked and I gave a slow nod. We left the banquet and sat by the stream.