Bianca.
That mysterious girl who appeared before me one midnight after I just turned eight.
Just a while ago, a lot of spirits were beckoning for me to come with them.
Some are good. Most of them are evil.
They were inviting me to come with them.
"Antoine, you belong with us."
"Humanity has nothing to offer, come with us."
They had their last minute effort to convince me. At the age of seven, I have to decide if I would stay human or stay with them to live as a fae, an earthbound spirit. Since most of them could not have a human form and reproduce, taking a hybrid like me would be the best option to have their own.
They tried to persuade me with eternity and a lot of beautiful things that would seemingly make me happy.
They are all lies.
As I peered from a small opening in the window, I saw so much hatred and sadness in their eyes.
Immortality could be a curse if I would have to live it with these kind of creatures.
I have decided to stay mortal and die with people who cares for me.
"Don't listen to them, Son. They aren't going to make you happy." my father warned as he sealed the windows so that no spirit will dare enter our house. He took out a gun and loaded it with salt bullets.
He protected me the whole night. I saw his courage and effort to keep the spirits from getting me.
He earned my respect.
When the clock struck twelve, both of us were relieved. I turned eight. I would stay in my human form for a lifetime. The spirits roaming outside our house disappeared instantly.
He embraced me and greeted, "Happy birthday, my child."
I felt so happy. That was the first time he did that to me. He was a bit strict and cold towards me.
I understand. Having a son like me was never easy.
I embraced him back. Even though I tried so hard to keep my tears from falling, they just flowed freely.
"What a crybaby. Now, you stained my shirt!" he pretended to scold me while wiping away the crimson tears from my cheeks. "You are creepy."
"I'm sorry. I am just so happy."
While I was preparing to sleep, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I tried to ignore it but it became more painful when I lay down on my bed. My heart was beating in odd rhythms, making me think that I might be having a heart attack.
"It hurts so much. Am I dying on my birthday?" I thought.
I stood up and opted to go to my father's room.
As I opened the door, I was surprised to see a ghostly looking girl standing in front of me. I took a small vial of holy water out of my pocket and sprinkled it on her. The water just passed through. She opened her eyes and looked around.
"Oh, hi!" she said. It seemed like she just woke up from her sleep.
She looked at me with wonder.
"A-Are you a spirit t-too?" she stammered.
"No." I answered.
"You seem like one to me. Hopefully you're a good one."
"I'm human." I claimed even though I am not so sure.
"OK! You all say that." She rolled her eyes." You folks have been haunting me for years."
I observed her as she entered my room without permission. I assumed that she could not be a ghost.
Ghosts cannot talk as clearly as the living could.
She went to my bed, pulled the blanket all over her and was about to sleep.
Then, she quickly stood up and looked at her surroundings. She shrieked and jumped out of the bed.
"T-That is not my bed. Where are my teddy bears? W-Where am I?"
"In my...room?" I replied.
"W-What house?"
"Uh...in my father's house?"
Even with the faint light, I saw her annoyance. She put her hands on her head and messed up her hair. White flakes fell on her shoulders and on the floor.
Dandruff.
Poor girl.
She might have been too stressed out.
"What exact place? Like #888 Cherry Blossom Subdivision, Cavite, Philippines."
"I see. Hacienda Sta. Maria, San Isidro, Philippines."
As I grew up surrounded mostly by men, I barely had any idea on how to talk well with girls. I was about to get my informal course on Female Behavior 101 because of her.
Lesson Number One: Girls want exact details. Just give it to them.
I took the lamp to see her clearly. She was a girl about my age. Her skin was pale and her eyes had terrible dark circles like she had not slept for days. She was so skinny and her hair was a mess.
"Have I turned into a poltergeist? A-Am I dead?" she asked with fear in her eyes.
"No."
"Then, what am I?"
I scanned mentally the books I have read all about mysteries and supernatural things.
"I think you went through astral projection*."
(A willful out of body experience that assumes the existence of a soul or a consciousness called an "astral body" that may separate from the physical body and may travel outside from it throughout the universe)
"D-Do you think my soul can travel anywhere?"
"Maybe."
"That is so cool!" she squealed excitedly, not knowing the consequence that comes with her power.
"What's your name? I'm Bianca."
"I'm Antoine."
"A-what? Ant...Ā-twan? That's a weird sounding name. Are you from F-France?"
"Yes, but I grew up here."
She held out her hand to me.
"N-Nice meeting you, Ant...e...Antoine! Are we friends now?"
I tried to hold her but my hand just passed through hers.
"What was that? Ah! I'm just a soul visiting here. M-Maybe you can visit me too in my house. We can play all day!"
She gave me the sweetest smile. My heart skipped a beat.
Girls are so magical.
"Can I just call you "Anthony"? Your name is a bit hard to pronounce. Besides, you remind me of a cute little star."
I wondered what she meant by a "cute little star".
I had no idea.
I just agreed.
Soon enough, I learned it was a black cat's name in a famous cartoon "Cute Little Stars" that she loved to watch every Saturday afternoon. I saw a bit of resemblance with the cat. We had the same eye color. Maybe, we could pass as cousins.
"Can you give me a tour while I'm here? Y-Your house looks just majestic!"
"Alright."
I led her out and followed her through the hallway. To my surprise, I saw her shine so brightly, like a lamp in the dark.
"Bianca, you are glowing." I called her attention.
"H-Huh?" she responded while playing with the clock's hour hand. She moved it at three in the morning.
Then, she just disappeared.
I prayed and wished for her to return to me soon.
At breakfast, my father asked me whatever gift I would like to have.
Anything, he promised.
He was a very wealthy man and I knew he could get me any material gift I could wish for. I don't need those.
I longed for friends. I asked him if I could celebrate it with children like me. That afternoon, he brought the delos Santos brothers in the house.
I did not know if I should be happy or not.
This Mariano pestered me with a lot of tactless questions and stories. It seemed like he had no one to talk to in their house. His brothers seemed distant and uncaring towards him.
He was just happy to...talk.
His manners look so different from his older brothers. But still, he is the friendliest of them all.
"So, Antoine, huh?" he asked while sitting on my bed. He just barged in my room like it was his.
"Yes."
"Your name sounds like Antoinette, that queen from France who got beheaded." I just stared at him, wondering why he told me that gory stuff on my birthday. He continued, "Is there a girl here?" he asked me.
"None?" I said unsurely as I was still hoping for Bianca to appear.
"Impossible. I know there is a girl here!' he insisted. He stood up and lifted the bed covers. One by one, he opened the cabinets.
"She is here. I just know. I can feel her." he kept on mumbling. He went back to me with a silly grin on his face. "Admit it!"
"Admit what?"
He pointed at my face.
"You are a girl!"
"What? I'm a boy."
Mariano is weird. I still do not know why he came up with the idea of mistaking me as a girl. Maybe because he was a future playboy in the making.
"Let's keep it a secret, shall we?" he said while reaching out his hand for me to shake. "Deal, Antoinette?"
I gritted my teeth in annoyance. It is indeed a common practice during that time to make girls pretend us boys especially if there were no sons in the family. A male, during my time, is a must for a family of hunters.
"I have no secret. Why don't we just eat some cake outside?" I diverted our conversation even if I badly wanted to throw him out of the window.
"Alright." he sadly obliged. He kept on looking behind as we walked towards the door.
Somehow, even with the unpleasant first meeting with him, I felt so grateful.
Even if Mariano annoyed me a lot, he is like a good brother to me.
In one day, I gained two friends. That was a difficult feat for me. Those were the best birthday gifts I ever had.
I was relieved that Bianca came back to me. Her visits were mostly at midnight. I would know her presence as I would have this sharp pain on my chest. It was quite painful but was worth it.
I knew that I would just have to find the right door and I'll see her again. Most of the time I'll find her curled up on my closet. Sometimes, in the kitchen cabinet.
But one thing disturbed me most.
She forgot about me all the time.
So I made a notebook, listed the things that we've done and talked about. She would just have to sign it before she disappears at sunrise. She was always glad to comply like it was a game.
The next midnight, I would have to remind her about me again and show the notebook. She would instantly believe me because her signature had a unique cat drawing with a ribbon on its head.
One early morning, she wanted to see the sunrise in our area. She ran towards the garden. She looked so happy.
"Quick! Show me! Where's the best view?"
"Wait up." I said softly as I did not want to wake up my father and bother his servants.
Only I can see her.
She had this overflowing energy that no one would expect to come from her frail-looking body.
She started climbing the Narra Tree. I gestured for her to stop but she just giggled and sat on the lowest branch.
She shouted cheerfully. "Anthony is my best friend. Forever!"
She was shining as brightly as the sun and her aura was so joyful.
With a wide and sweet smile, she held her hand out to me.
"Anthony...come to me."
At sunrise, I was accidentally summoned by her. A white light surrounded me, inviting me to come and serve her.
That was a bad sign.
Aside from her ability for astral projection, she also had the power to summon any supernatural being with just a name.
She is very powerful.
But she is in real danger of being haunted for the rest of her life.
Several demons and faes sensed her presence. They rushed towards her like hungry wolves, ready to pounce on their prey. Her summon for me created a barrier, keeping them out for good.
I have decided.
I will say "yes" to her invitation. If I don't, a lot of evil spirits will come and fight for the "steal".
As she had no control yet of her power, they will surely use manipulation to get what they want from her. They will treat her like property whose use could be exhausted to their advantage.
I will not allow anyone of them to hurt her.
She had suffered enough.
"I will, Bianca." I said. "I promise to come to you everytime you call me."
At a young age, I just took the responsibility to look after her.
I will be her protector even if someone will always challenge me for the "steal".
I do not care.
I had no regrets.