Roxana De La Cruz

12. More Guests

Ernesto stood in the mansion's doorway with arms crossed as a vexed expression crawled on his handsome features almost immediately after the maids opened the door to welcome the uninvited guests. 

"Brother! You have no idea how long I have wanted to see you again!" A middle-aged and tall Filipino man wearing a light blue dressing shirt and black trousers exclaimed joyfully as he ran up to Ernesto and tried hugging him but failed as Ernesto fiercely shoved him out of the way. 

The maids ignored the commotion and brought the luggage inside as if used to it. 

"We're both adults with children now, so why do you keep hitting me like this whenever we see each other!?" 

"Stop bothering me with your stupid antics and coming uninvited and without warning, Rizalino!" Ernesto growled. 

"Uninvited in my own home? Tsk, that's not how you should treat me, little brother," 

"Now, now, you brothers should start to get along. What happens if Cleo and our children begin to dislike each other after watching years of abuse between the both of you?" A voice commented behind them as they both turned to a taller-than-average Filipino woman with short hair styled neatly on her shoulders, light bronze skin, and wearing a white blouse and black cigarette trousers. 

"Lolita, it's been a while," Ernesto's expression immediately fell soft at the familiar woman. 

The lady sighed, "Forgive me, Ernesto, for not telling you in advance of our stay in the family home. In truth, the plan itself was rushed and decided overnight after finding out that everyone was finally free at the same time for a family vacation." 

"Well, if you explain it like that, then it can't be helped, but it would have been better if only you and your children had come," 

Ernesto peeked behind Lolita into the doorway and scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, "Speaking of your children, where are they?" 

The woman sighed and shook her head, "Anywhere but here." Ernesto then noticed a small but still visually irritated look in her eyes, "They are probably off finding Rafael, who was the first to disappear." 

Ernesto began to laugh but stopped as soon as he realised the unimaginable fate he could not stop. 

Oh no. 

"Why do you suddenly look like you want to take a shit?" His brother questioned him as Ernesto fell quiet. 

"Your sons...I hope they're not anywhere near the beach."

~

"What the hell...? Are you Chinese or something? Are you a foreigner? Can you speak Filipino or English?" 

Anna was too stunned to speak as she looked at the situation she found herself in. 

"Ah...then perhaps you can't understand me. Ni Hao!" The small boy in front of her asked. 

He was smaller than Anna, with the usual Filipino bronze skin, dark brown eyes and a skinny build, and his face was bemused. 

"Hmm...maybe not Chinese," 

"I-I'm Filipino, you know! Sino ka ba (who are you)!? And stop being so rude!" Anna was still shocked by the sudden appearance of the three boys in front of her who came from the jungle, yelling at one another until they noticed her. 

"No way! You don't look Filipino, though!" The boy beside him said as he observed Anna from head to toe. He had similar features to the older boy, who spoke to Anna first, though his voice sounded gentler when he said.