...Her lips in pale tint of rose buds. Her eyes with heaven's mist. Her dress in red glamorous silk . She's beautiful.!
It was summer then and as a treat to myself, instead of having my vacation in other places I prefer to have my vacation in my hometown. I have a lot of memories there...bad memories... good memories. It is a place somewhere in Quezon where it is almost a 10 hour travel from Manila. I've started fixing my things and make myself ready for the travel. It was my first time of visit after a very long time since i've decided to live in Manila for my job. I'm so excited to finally see Tiya Bebang most especially Ara. I've took a lot of beautiful sceneries i've seen in the way.It was a very tiring yet exciting travel indeed. The 10 hour ride is not yet complete for i still need to ride a tricyle to finally be there. The bus had stopped in the terminal wherein only few tricycles were lined up. And just because of this situation, tricycle drivers tend to ride fifteen passengers in their small tricycle which has the capacity to load and accomodate five passengers only. Unfortunately I became the fifteenth passenger in the last tricycle i had inquired. Even though i want to complain, there's nothing i can do but to go on if i really want to be in my house immediately or else i'll wait again for another 3 hours until another tricycle will be empty again but will also accommodate the same number of passengers."Can you take me to this address?" i asked the tricycle driver. "Yes but that is so far from here and...."he said. " Ah...How much?" i said with a high tone. I'm hungry and all i want is to finally be in our house and eat. " 100 pesos " he replied. " Okay then.. Come on!" i commanded. And just because i'm the last passenger i have nothing to do but to take the very uncomfortable position ... to be in the top load. While i'm on my way, i saw a mango tree..."oh that mango tree!" i murmured. "Is there anything wrong?" asked someone from behind me . "Ah! Nothing!" I replied. The experience was extreme. It seems like we were riding a roller coaster that time. Everyone is screaming because of the rocky and narrow roads we've experienced while were were on the travel. " I never felt like this before." I said to myself. "I never knew that this would be exciting" I uttered again. I forgot my famine and all i have in mind are laughters because of the exaggerated faces i've seen from my co-passengers."After a very exhausting travel, I'm glad I'm finally here" I said while standing in front of Tiya Bebang's old house. Tiya Bebang is the sister of my lolo in my father's side who had decided to be unmarried and be single for her whole life. She's just the one living in the province where she'd inherited that old house from her ancestors. I've grown here the moment my parents had decided to be separated. My father is now living with his new famiy together with their two children somewhere in California while my mother is also living with her husband and their daughter who's at my age also. My mother's husband has been good to me and treated me as his own son. Although my mother is still living in the same place i'm living, I preferred to stay in Tiya Bebang's custody and lived with her from elementary until highschool. Just because there is no college in the province, Tiya thought that it will be neccesary if she will send me in Manila. There i'd took up my degree and had been employed for 5 years. (Tok! Tok! Tok!) I knocked. "Is there anyone there who could open the door?Plsssss.!!" I begged. "Tiya Bebs are you in there? I'm here already. Open the door or else i wont give your pasalubong... your favorite yema cake. " I said. I knocked a number of times and i almost break the bones of my hands but no one cares to open the door. I lose hope and sit for awhile as i heard my stomach also screams for food. Suddenly someone, an old man who just passed by noticed me and asked me " How are you?". "Ahmmmm! I'm fine! Do you know me? Do i know you? I asked him. Are you looking for the owner of that house?" the stranger asked. "Ah..Yes! " I said thinking that this stranger could help me. "Do you know where she is? I asked. "Yes! She's in Mamang Intoy's meat stand. Perhaps, she's going to buy meat for lunch." he said. "Ah! Thanks! I guess i'll just wait for her here!"i said. After our conversation, the old man continued his way home but still gives me a strange look. A few minutes later, finally Tiya Bebang arrived with plastics of groceries in her two arms. I ran and helped her . "Let me help you Tiya" I said. "Oh! It's you!" she said with a big surprise on her face. "When did you arrive?" Who's with you?" "Have you eaten already?" she asked continously. "Tiya, Let us first go inside before i'll answer those question,I'm so hungry!." I said. "Ugh! Yes of course, Im so sorry. Come on let's get inside! " she said. After taking our lunch, we've decided to start the conversation. The night came so fast and after the very savoring dinner which Tiya Bebang had prepared, we both had decided to sleep and just continue our chit chats tommorow. " I miss this room!" i murmured while i was looking around my old room. When i'm about to sleep i've suddenly noticed something under my pillow. It was an old picture of me and my bestfriend Ara. I suddenly wondered on where is she now after we've graduated in highschool. I'd noticed myself reminiscing those old days when we were still together until i can't help the heavy fall of my eyelids. (Tiktilaok!) I was awaken by that sound from the our neighborhood. " The breakfast is ready!" shouts Tiya Bebang. "Yes! I'm coming!" i shouted while i am fixing my bed. Then suddenly there is something i'd recognized from the outside of the room's windowpane. A shadow of a human and had suddenly vanished. "What the hell was that?" i asked with trembling voice. "Who's that?" i asked myself again. "It couldn't be a human" i said. I walk closer and closer and closer to investigate but one thing i saw is a huge balete tree. "But...where is the girl i saw?" i asked myself in a curious tone. "...And how come a girl can easily go up there and go down quickly knowing that the tree is so high?" i murmured. I started to be curious and scared then suddenly... "The breakfast is waiting!", Tiya Bebang shouted again. "Yes Tiya! I'll be there in a minute!" i shouted. "Well, perhaps it's just a mere product of my wild imagination", i said. (Blag!Blag!blag!) I really can't hide myself whenever i go down from upstairs because of my manner of walking" i murmured as i go down the stairs. "Oh Yes! hahahha" Tiya Bebang agreed as she laughs hard. "What's our breakfast Tiya?" I asked. "Your favorite dried pusit" she replied. While we were eating i can't help but to still think of the weird thing i've experienced with the windowpane. "Is there something bothering you?" Tiya asked curiously. "It's just because of your manner of walking whenever you go downstairs?" she asked and then laughed again. "No Tiya, I really don't want to ask this because i know this will make you laugh even more if you will heard this story." i started. "What's that?" she asked. Then i started telling about the shadow, the window pane, the girl and the balete tree but i'd got nothing from Tiya but an annoying laugh. "Just don't mind it okay!" she said. "Okay tiya!" i replied with disappointment. I thought that Tiya will help me in facing whatever that weird thing i'd encountered but obviously she didn't. After taking our breakfast although the viand Tiya had prepared is really my favorite, my focus was trapped on the thing i saw in my room that's why i didn't enjoy the food i ate. "Tiya i will just go outside to breath some fresh air and take some pictures." i said. "Okay! just make sure to be home by 12 noon for our lunch. I will prepare your favorite caldereta." she replied. It was past 10 in the morning when i decided to walk around and take some pictures of the mesmerizing beauty of the province . It will be a good outlet for me to somehow leave the pressures of my work. While i'm walking i remember to visit Ara. I went to her house and i was surprised by what i saw. All i can see is an abandoned house standing in front of me. "Where is Ara?" i asked myself. I asked her neighborhood but all i've got is nothing but a pokerface. "Why can't they tell me on where is Ara?" i said. I lose hope and then i've realized on why should i ask Tiya Bebang about this... and so i went home."Tiya! Tiya! Tiya!" i shouted. "Oh why my dear is there something wrong? " she asked. "Do you know where is Ara?" i replied. "ahmmm....." "ahmmmm." ahmmmm". that's all i can hear from her . "Why tiya? " i asked."She's gone!" she said with a heavy heart. "Whaaaaaaaat?" i shouted. "How? Who did this to her? When?" i asked her continously. "Last April, She was found under the mango tree, bloody and lifeless..the policemen said that she was raped first before she had been killed." she expalined. "But who did this to her?" i asked. "I don't know."she said. "All i know is they've found a note that says "Iloveyou and no one could ever love you the way i do. I won't let anyone have you my PARALUMAN (echoed). I will .........". I can't bare to hear any word that Tiya Bebang will utter. I was shocked. A mixed emotion of fear, nervousness, paranoia... i don't know. I ran away and had suddenly found myself under a tree. THE MANGO TREE. I was so shocked! I'm shouting! I'm crying! It seems that i am beginning to be someone i used to be before. "Do you remember now?" that strange voice again which i already heard but i can't recognized. " You can't escape!" he said again. I turned around and look for the voice i've heard. I can't see anyone or anything..All i can see is darkness. Darkness all around. "Who are you?" I shouted. "What do you want from me?" I shouted again. "I'm not afraid of you!" I shouted once more. I shouted and shouted and shouted until I felt tired.I can't hear myself anymore. As i bowed my head, i've noticed someone standing right in front of me. I slowly looked up and was so surprised by what i've seen. It was the old man who i've encountered yesterday and had told me on where Tiya Bebang was. "What are you doing here?" i asked. "Haven't you remember everything you've done?" he asked. "What are you saying?" i asked curiously. But instead of answering my question, the old man just gave me a piece of paper and then had vanished from the dark. "Wait! Where are you going? Who are you? What's this?" I shouted. I was left alone again. I became so curious with the piece of paper he had given me and it made me decide to read it. In the letter, it says "Iloveyou and no one could ever love you the way i do. I won't let anyone have you. I will miss you my PARALUMAN ". By the time i had read the note, all the memories had flashed back. From the very first time i've met Paraluman.
