Enchant Luna

Chapter 3

The night seemed endless as Luna, Tessa, and Gabe finally slowed to a stop, catching their breath. The creature—the thing they could barely believe was real—had vanished into the black sky, leaving them trembling in the narrow alley. The oppressive silence weighed on them, heavier than the night itself.

"Tell me I'm dreaming," Gabe was the first to break the silence, his voice shaky.

"You're not," Luna replied, her words barely steady. "We all saw it... it's a... manananggal." She wasn't just telling them—she was trying to convince herself too.

Tessa, pale and shaking, clutched her arms tightly. "That can't be real. It's just some old story, right?"

Luna's heart raced, her breaths shallow and fast. She didn't want to believe it either, but they couldn't deny what they'd just seen. The manananggal, that horrifying creature from bedtime warnings, wasn't just a myth. They had watched it with their own eyes—splitting in half, its leathery wings spreading as it flew into the night.

Gabe ran a hand through his hair, his panic rising. "This is insane! My lola only told me those stories to keep me from sneaking out. This can't actually be happening."

"It is, Gabe," Luna said, her voice trembling but sure. "Whatever that thing is... it's real. And it's out there."

Tessa's voice cracked as she spoke. "Luna... do you think it's the same thing that took... that missing man, Elmer?"

The question sent a chill down Luna's spine. Elmer Pascua, the meat vendor who had vanished a week ago. His wife said he went out after dinner to check on their stall at the market and never returned. Everyone had assumed he'd been kidnapped, but now...

Luna's stomach churned as the pieces fell into place. "It has to be. That thing... I think it killed Elmer."

Tessa gasped, her eyes wide. "But why? Why him?"

Luna shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. "I don't know, but something weird's been happening lately. You've noticed it too, right?"

Gabe shot her a sharp look. "Weird? Other than this thing flying around? No."

"Can we just go home? Please," Tessa's voice wavered, a mix of fear and frustration. "I can't handle this. It's too creepy."

Without another word, the friends quickly made their way back, the tension still hanging heavy between them.

The next day, news of Aling Bebang's death spread like wildfire through Santa Cruz. Her body had been discovered just after sunrise, lying in the rice fields at the edge of town. The community was in shock, the gruesome details of her death casting a shadow of fear over everyone.

Luna sat in the kitchen with her family, the drone of the TV filling the room as a reporter's voice delivered the grim news.

"Bernadeth Salmorin, a long-time resident of Santa Cruz, was found dead this morning in the palayan. Authorities are investigating the circumstances, following the recent disappearance of Elmer Pascua a week ago. The body was discovered in a disturbing state, though officials have not yet released specific details. Residents are being urged to stay indoors after dark."

Natalia, standing by the counter, dropped her spoon. Her face drained of color. "Aling Bebang? She's... dead?"

The family had known Aling Bebang for years; Luna's mother, Selena, had been a regular customer at her fruit stand in the market.

Luna's stomach churned as she listened to the news. They were being vague about the details, but Luna already knew. Deep down, she could feel it—the same thing that had taken Elmer had come for Aling Bebang.