There's No Place Like Home

TEASER

DIWATA

"Look, I'm not playing around."

Silence.

"Kung sino ka man, magpakita ka sabi," sigaw ko habang hawak-hawak ang balakang ko.

One minute I was fixing the lightbulb in my parent's old bedroom when I heard small shuffles... like... baby steps.

Of course, like any other normal human being, ang magiging reakyson mo is either fight or flight. Ang problema, I did both ko kaya nahulog ako dahil gusto kong tumakbo pero parang tanga naman ako kung ganon dahil I don't believe in the supernatural. Even though Siquijor is known as the land of mysteries, there is no mystery for a skeptic like me.

"Ouch..." ngiwi ko dahil medyo masakit talaga yung pagkahulog ko sa upuan na natuntungan ko.

And then... there's those sounds again. Like squeaking. Small squeaking-like sounds.... pero parang... papalabas. May pesticide issue nga ba sa bahay na to? I thought it's abandoned but not that dirty kasi alam ko nililinis naman to annually eh.

So what the hell is this house's problem?!

I checked my watch. 5 PM in the afternoon. Weird. The time is not even associated with anything scary. Okay fine! Wala to, for sure! Woooh! Inhale, exhale.

Diwata, umayos ka!

Tumikhim ako ng matagal bago lumabas ng kwarto nila mama at papa, at nagsimulang bumaba. Pumunta ako agad sa kusina to if luto na yung chicken adobo na niluluto ko.

After adding some garnish, I left the pan and decided to prepare the plate I'm gonna be using.

Then... I head the noise again, and this time... It was close, like real close. Like chicken adobo close. Ang kaso, pagkatingin ko, wala namang kahit ano o sino!

Except... wait a minute.

Why is there an egg in the pan? Eh hindi ko naman nilalagyan ng egg yung chicken adobo ko... tsaka tong boiled egg na to kanina ko lang ginawa para sana kainin ko mamayang gabi?

Huh?

"Don't tell me may supernatural pest problem dito? Baka daga yun? Real life Ratatouille ba to?" bulong ko sa sarili ko.

Hala, haha! Sandali! Nabubuang ka na Diwata! Gising! Sino namang niloko mo? Fantasies are bullshit! And besides, ikaw lang naman nandito? Makakalimutin ka na talaga!

"Essential ang egg sa chicken adobo lalo maraming bay leaves yung recipe mo, e sinilip kita sa taas kanina, medyo busy, kaya tinulungan na kita."

"Ganon ba? Thank you." ngiting sabi ko kay...

Hold up.

Wait... wait... wait!

I froze on the spot but my eyes went straight to the source of the voice, only to see a tiny human, around 6 inch tall, staring at me while half-hiding himself in the back of the pan.

"Hi."

I rubbed my eyes, just to double-check what I'm seeing, and when the tiny man is still half-hiding there with a growing smile on his face, I screamed.

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First update tomorrow :)