House of Him

Two things I Love

There are 2 things I love in my life, my grandma and singing.

I have to claim that my voice is cold and somehow matches guitar perfectly. It is my biggest asset. It help on living and studying.

My grandma, she's sweet, loving, supportive and carefree but despite that, she's a little shady sometimes. She raised me in her husband's house, my grandpa's. But he died earlier, just few years after I was born.

Unfortunately my grandma died at the age of 87. I was 10 years old the morning she was found dead. I can't understand it that time, I remember her stronger the last night I saw her.

But investigations and autopsy said she died because of age. At the first years, I can still feel grief in my young heart. It is what they call 'deep grief.'

I always remember her singing a beautiful song as she pluck her guitar. She sang;

"
Oh daddy, daddy, come and see
Daddy, hurry do
Why, there's someone
In a pretty dress
She's all grown up like you
Won't you tell me why

Come away melinda
Come in and close the door
That someone is your mummy
You had before the war

Daddy, daddy, tell me if you can
Why can't things be
The way they were
Before the war began.
"

I love this song, it reminds me of her. Even though years pass like Waters in the ranging river.

I'm 23 years old now and I still living in the same house where my grandma died. I survived life and study college from playing her guitar and singing on the streets, and doing gigs. I grew as a performer. I graduated two years ago and now I'm working.

Yes! I'm a little empowered, but it's because of my grandma.

One night, after a long exhausting day, I decided to ride a taxi.

Before I get inside the house, I first check the mail on the door steps. Surprisingly, there's a letter. I get inside and excitedly open the envelope. It was a hereditary letter stated that I was given a land and house in Pampangga from my grandmother. This shocks me, I didn't know she has her own house.

But it's too far from here, Batangas.

I spent days working with papers to claim the title of the land, but thankfully I have the patience. I did claim the property.

I planned to visit the house for a 5-days long, so I file a 3 days leave plus 2 days on weekends.

I went there but the house is remote. Only a motor ride can take me there.

So I rent a ride.

The driver ask me where is my destination and I don't know what to say. I ask if there was an abandoned house on that area.

The driver said there is, but the house was believed to be haunted.

Also he looked like hesitated to take me there. I insist, and that afternoon we began the ride, and get there almost dawn. I also ask the rider if he can come fetch me after 5 days. Thankfully, he agreed.

The house is big, one-storey, old house, but seems it's in a good condition to live on. I open the door with the key I claimed.

"Whooom" a sound of wind blows from the door that cause a lot of dust to fly all over. The sound echos. Problem is, I only packed food that I think can only last 3 or 4 days and there's nowhere near to buy.

Before the night becomes deep, I prepare a lamp, and a bed to sleep. Gladly, there's a mattress on one room I could use. I spend the night sleeping feeling the coldness of the air.