Daniel's Eyes [On Hold]

Chapter One

Aswang
(as-wang)

The most-feared creature in Filipino folklore. The tale of the aswang varies from region to region in the country, with the creature taking on different characteristics; however, it is always described as a shapeshifter that subsists on blood and flesh, specifically human. 

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The market was a delightful surprise, Micah thought.

She hadn't expected it to be this extensive, for a place this remote. And it wasn't even cramped-- there was plenty of space to walk in between the stalls, letting shafts of sunshine fall on people's heads. The stalls were grouped according to what they sold-- here were the vegetable vendors, the fruit vendors, the grain vendors, the school supplies and dry goods, each in their own little section. The carenderias and bakeries were off to one side-- she resolved to go and find out what smelled so good, before she left. And there was the ukay-ukay or flea market, under tarpaulin tents in an open grassy area.

A familiar pungent, salty odor grew stronger, and she turned a corner and saw that there was a dried fish section, the likes of which she had not seen in Manila. She took some photos, asked a friendly vendor what the mounds of brownish-pink paste were -- it was guinamos or shrimp paste-- and also learned that the terminal she was looking for was on the other side of the market.

The woman asked her a question in a language she couldn't understand; seeing the incomprehension on her face, the woman switched to an accented, oddly phrased Tagalog that she was able to decipher.

"You don't look like you're from here, Miss-- where are you from?"

"Manila," Micah answered.

"Manila? So far away-- what are you doing in a remote place like this? Do you have relatives here?"

"My mother grew up here," said Micah, and somehow ended up telling the woman about how her mother had died some time ago, and they'd learned only recently that she'd left Micah some land and a house, and how her dad had sent her here to look at her property and decide what to do with it.

"So your mother was from Entierro," said the woman. "That's the place you were asking about." She gave Micah a strange look. "You'd best be careful in that barrio, Miss. It hasn't got a good reputation."

Micah stared at her.

"Just you be careful, Miss. Don't go wandering off alone, and be sure to be indoors by nightfall and keep your windows and doors locked."

Micah stared even more.

"I see you don't believe me," said the woman. "But it doesn't hurt to be careful, young lady-- especially where aswang are concerned."

That startled her into a laugh. The woman glared, and Micah had to apologize and buy some dried fish, and the woman gave her a small discount. She then asked for carinderia recommendations, for it was nearly noon, and soon she was sitting at a rickety table covered with a plastic tablecloth with brightly colored fruits printed all over it, spooning up some broth from the La Paz batchoy which the dried fish vendor had assured her was authentic.

While eating, she opened up her netbook and posted some photos to Twitter for her friends back home. The signal was weak and kept cutting off, but she finally managed to get them uploaded. When she looked up, the few other people in the place were staring at her. They all looked away again.

She smiled to herself, finished her bowl of batchoy, packed up her netbook, and set off to find the terminal, although she was continually distracted by new and unfamiliar sights.