Ken and Albert reached the truck after walking for a few minutes.
"A 2012 toyota tacoma, not a bad choice kid." Albert said after seeing Ken's truck.
"Yeah, I've always been fascinated about heavy duty trucks, so when given a choice I pick this tacoma as my vehicle." He said.
Albert said while examining the vehicle. "This tacoma's appeal comes from its various special models and packages. The TRD Off-Road Package is perhaps the most popular, with a combination of appearance and performance items. Included are progressive-rate front springs, Bilstein shocks, BFGoodrich Rugged Trail tires, 16-inch alloy wheels and TRD badging. and I see you've also bought the off-road model. How much you paid for these kid?"
"I got this for around 600,000 PHP, It's already used so I got it for a bargain."
Albert opened the hood. "So kid how long do you plan on staying here?"
"I'm not sure, I'm planning to build a farm here."
"You do know how to run a farm right?" he said.
Ken rolled his eyes. "Off course, I have a degree in farming."
"Good, I hope you can take on the job though, its intense labor considering your slim build."
He gave the Oldman a fierce look. "Why? you think I can't handle farming because of my build?"
"Relax I'm just worried for you, anyways you overworked your engine, let's get your truck towed and run some diagnostic in town." Albert closed the hood.
"How long would it get to fix my truck?"
Albert paused. "I can't say yet cause I still need to do a diagnostic, but it should take about a day or two depending on the damage."
"All right let's call the tow truck."
Night
After eating dinner with the old couple Ken thanked the couple and walked to the door.
"Wait kid, did you brought a flashlight?" Albert asked.
"Oh, I didn't brought one, can I borrow one?"
"Sure just make sure to give it back," Hesitating for a bit, he said, "take the bolo as well."
"Why would I need a bolo?" he asked.
"Just bring it, don't ask too many questions."
Ken took the bolo and flashlight. "Alright, thanks for the dinner."
Watching him leave Albert suddenly put on a solemn look while looking at his back.
The road to his hut was dark and quiet, the deeper he walked in the forest the more darker and quieter it got, the only source of light was his flashlight. Suddenly, spots of light started to appear around him, frogs croak, insect started to buzz, birds flapped their wings and took off, dogs bark and the whole forest came to life.
Shocked, Ken recoiled and took a defensive position with the bolo in his hand. He surveyed his surronding for creatures that may jump out of the bushes.
"D*nm it, what's happening!" ken shouted, "I'm an expert in Eskrima! You can't scare me!"
Mystified in what he saw, he inspected what the spot of lights are. Looking closely he faintly discern creatures with transparent wing. He directed the light from the flashlight to take a better look and what he saw caused him to break out in cold sweat. In his panic he dashed to the direction of his hut and shouted as loud as he could.
"Help! Help! Help!"
He run as fast as he could and didn't dare to look back. Leaving behind the strange spots of light he heaved a sigh of relief but just as he was about to stop he was suddenly hit at the back causing him to tumble, he looked behind him and saw what look liked a little fairy hovering in mid air, except it has razor sharp teeth, blood red eyes, transparent wings and purple skin. It was chewing what looked like flesh with blood dripping from it's mouth, he realize what was in its mouth when he felt an unbearable pain at his left shoulder. Trembling he looked at his left shoulder, a large chunk of flesh have been carved out and blood was gushing out.
"Ahhhhhh! help! help me!"
Without giving him a chance to stop the bleeding and compose himself, the creature lunge at him with its sharp claw ready to carve out another wound on him. Trembling he jumped out of the creatures trajectory, barely dodging its attack and snapped himself out of his fear, "f*ck! don't be scared d*mn it!", he raised the bolo in attacking stance and waited for the creature to attack again.
"Come! I'm not afraid of you!" he growled while gripping his bolo tightly.
The creature paused and looked at him with its blood red eyes, the creature then flashed him a sinister smile showing its sharp teeth. Instead of pressing for another attack it circled around him like a predator stalking its prey, like a cat toying with a mouse waiting for him to show weakness. The creature knew the most dangerous prey were those on the throes of death.
Ken started to panic seeing the creature stopped attacking, he knew his situation was precarious, he was starting to show symptoms of blood loss feeling dizzy and tired. 'I can't let this situation persist.' He started thinking of solution to break out of his predicament.
He gritted his teeth and shouted. "It's all or nothing!"
The creature brace itself for the possible counter attack of its prey, giving Ken a momentary window of opportunity to dash in the woods. The creature was stunned by the unexpected move of its prey but instead of being enrage it let out a howl of excitement and sauntered after its prey with a bloodthirsty grin on its lips.
It started tracking its prey through the blood left behind and the trampled leaves, from time to time it would lick the blood ken left behind and cry out in excitement. After following its prey, it arrive on a dense grassland with towering trees all around the place, because of the tall grass it couldn't continue following the tracks of its prey. Upon realizing it lost track of its prey it let out a cry of frustration, it hesitated whether to pursue of give up but ultimately its bloodthrist triumph over its rationale.
The creature flew in and started searching carefully for possible tracks to find its prey. After flying for a few minute it found blood on a tree bark and it hurried to check it if its the blood of the human, it lick the blood and let out a loud cry of excitement. Suddenly something jumped out from the bush and slash at its wings. Startled it hurriedly dodge but it was too late the blade successfuly cut its right wing causing it to plunge on the ground.
Ken then followed up with a downward slash to its head but instead he cut off its left arm. The creature plopped to the ground, it immediately stood up, hold its bleeding arm and run off to the tall grass to hide. Upon seeing the creatures action he dashed after it and thrust his bolo to its abdomen. Ken could not let it reach the grass, with its small size and agility he would definitely die.
Upon seeing the human was determined to kill it, viciousness flash in its eyes, instead of running it turned back and let the blade puncture its chest, jamming the blade in its ribs and almost slicing it in half, in exchange it clawed at the humans face, taking a chunk of flesh from his cheek with blood gushing out of the wound, it was so large it exposed his teeth.
Ken endured the pain and smash the blade severing the creature in half, splattering its bood all over the place.
He plopped in the ground, arms and feet sprawled out but he didn't let go of Albert's bolo.
"What the hell are those thing?" he wondered while looking at the creature.
"Are those the fabled 'Aswang'*?" Ken suddenly realized that things like this might be all over the place, "and if those spots of light is the same as these thing, then I'm really in danger staying here."
Ken quickly looked around and wipe the sweat off his forehead seeing there's no 'spots of light' around the vicinity.
"I need to bandage my wounds first before I died of blood loss, that little b*stard really disfigured me." He stood and and decided to hide first before bandaging his wounds but after walking for a few meters he suddenly falldown.
"Ah, crap it looks like I already lose too much blood. Guess this is it. I haven't even built my farm yet." He said with a bitter smile.
Before he lost consiousness he saw a lady in white dress, hovering around and staring at him.