Chapter 3
Eve missed the time, it passed so quickly. She didn't noticed it. It was getting dark when they came out of the mall. They were halfway through their travel going home when she suddenly remembered about Rex parents that humored as Aswang.
According to Philippine folklore and as what she also read on google Aswang is an evil, shapeshifting creature that shares the grostesque characteristics of werewolves, vampires and ghouls. It has no consistent image. They are a human that can able to change and form as an animal to hide themselves or hide their identity. Oldfolks says that human can be tell whether someone as aswang by looking into their eyes. If someone standing in their front has a shadow reflection upside down in their eyes, then they are not truly full genuine human. Also looking at them upside down, by sticking head in between legs. If their shadow image also appears in different than when standing upright, they are an Aswang. Rex mother and father were humored aswang. All have testimony stories but there was also no enough evidence.
"How if he was the same to his parents' Eve whispered to herself.
She pretended to be not nervous. Calmly she sat on the front seat even though her chest was throbbing fast with fear. Doesn't want to scare herself so she tried to divert her imagination to other things that can stop her heart trembling. It was dark outside.
"What made you so silent there? Anything we could talk about?" the guy asking while looking to the road ahead.
Rex asked her why And also wanted to have at least something to talk about but she just silently stared out the window. She turned to the guy who was also driving seriously. Having a chance to stare at it even more.
'This man is really handsome. But how true was all about their family humors' she whispered.
She also noticed the strange look of Rex's face angle. That the guy is not just handsome but maybe more than enough to be called as handsome. His male face like he have a foreign blood. Although there is no clear proof about them being aswang. But that's the gossip to them that doesn't fade. It last long a decades. That was just the moment she stared at Rex's face after a long time they've known each others as neighbor. Their distance were just centimeters apart. Rex turned and smiled at him and caught her staring.
"I don't have any dirt on my cheeks, do I?"
Eve immediately averted her eyes. To the road she look straight. She got annoyed because she was embarrassed being caught up staring. Actually for her the guy's sex appeal is too strong. And it even made her got on crush like teenager feelings. If it weren't because of of Rex's parents humored as aswang, she might liked and have given him a chance to flirt to her. Suddenly the guy stopped driving.
"Why, Rex? Is their anything wrong with the engine?"
She asked one question after another. Rex stopped driving and she was even more nervous. They were quite far from civilization. They rarely have an oncoming vehicle.
"Nothing," was his simple answer.
"Oh, why did we stop?" Eve asked again.
"Do you believe my parents are aswang?" Rex asked directly.
"W-why did you ask it to me?" she stammered in response.
Eve could not answer directly as she suddenly groaned at those moments. She answered another question after the guy was asking. She couldn't think of an answer
"If I say it's not true. Will you believe it? Or if I will I tell the truth and say yes it is true. What will be your reaction?"
"I don't know. I don't know." Eve shook her head.
I don't know and don't know all she just said. Didn't want to speak any because she did not know the right thing to say. She might make a mistake in quoting.
"Eve I've always loved you. I feel like you're avoiding me. That's why I'm trying to avoid to have this feelings. But it's getting deeper as the year goes by. Can you give me a chance to show you my clean intention. I won't say to be your boyfriend right away. I hope you don't avoid me and but let me court you instead."
Since she wanted to leave the place, she just nodded at what Rex said. The guy was sad because he felt like Eve was just being forced. It face the steering wheel and continue driving. They kept running until they were about to reach their place. They suddenly stoppes after Rex's sudden step on the brake. She almost sank into the dashboard.
That not intentionally done but it was because a big black dog suddenly crossed over. Eve was terrified because she could actually see the dog's appearance.
"Oh Rex! Why is there a dog here? There are no houses here. Whose dog is that?" she asked tremblingly.
"It's just like a stray dog. A dog that still roams at night."
Rex was silent after answering Eve can't say a another word while still holding her other hand to her chest. They were about to enter the corner where they lived and Rex directed the car in front of their house.
"Thank you," she said
She got off her hand that Rex was still holding as she getting out of the. Eve admitted it was not the same as before. She was no longer so annoyed with Rex. Not like as before that she could even just glance at its face. Her blood rise up to her head. Rex had opened the car door for her and led her to the door of their house.
Her grandfather opened the door.
"Good evening grandpa," Eve greeted.
"Good evening grandpa."
Rex greeted too as if he was also grandson calling grandpa to Eve's grandfather.
"Good evening to both of you."
"I just picked up Eve and invited her to the mall. I'm sorry if we came up a little late," Rex apologize.
"Its okay thank you."
Eve's grandfather thanked Rex for bringing home his grand daughter safe. Then the guy said goodbye to them after unloading and carried all Eve's belongings to their house. Her grandfather was still looking at her putting down the flowers and the human size teddy bear on the sofa.
"It was good Rex picked you up there. Last there was a pregnant woman found dead in the other village. The baby was no longer in her womb. And it is said that the aswang did it to her." Lolo Bino told to her.
"Who is that pregnant woman?" We have known pregnant women in the other village."
"The one who was selling delicacies in our market."
"Oh my! I knew her."
Eve was shocked by what she heard. She was afraid and went up to his room. The news she heard was shocking. She couldn't help but ask the name whoever it was. Eve was even more terrified because she known that pregnant woman. One of her student older sister.
"All right, grandpa, I'll go up to my room."
Eve went upstairs to her bedroom. She didn't want to know the other sequel about the pregnant woman who was fiund dead..It was horrified to be heard. Fortunately, her windows were closed when she was in hee room. But just a moment later she heard a scratching sound to her window . She opened it and got surprise to a big black cat
Suddenly it jumped down from the side of the window.
"Huh grandpa." Eve screamed calling her grandfather.
And ran downstairs trembling with fear. She almost fell down the stairs because she missed stepping on another step.
"I don't want to sleep there grandpa alone," sobbing Eve said.
"All right, you can sleep on the sofa, it's totally big,"his grandfather Bino said.
So Eve brought pillows and blanket. On the sofa she will sleep.
Eve was in a good position and she was ready to go to sleep when suddenly her phone rang. She smiled looking at the name registered. Rex is calling as what she can sees on his phone screen. She didn't take it long waiting to be answered.
"Hello," she greeted.
"Have I been disturbed you," Rex asked softly.
"Ah! Here I am ready to sleep."
And Eve added to the story her shock at the cat jumping. But she felt that Rex was not interested. So she didn't prolong the storytelling. Not long after their conversation. Rex said goodbye.
"Bye," Eve hung up the phone.
The girl was left thinking about the black cat she had seen. She had a hunch that, that was not an ordinary animal.
'Her mother can pretend to be a big black cat' she had it on her mind.
She was suspecting Rex mother.
mother. But it had no evidence that the cat was a female aswang so he just tried to forget. She closed her eyes and forced hersellf to get a good sleep rather than be preceded by fear again.
"Ahh! Let me go." She got too exhausted by her full force to escape. But she just couldn't do it. The woman's eyes were glaring and red, she was very angry with him.
"You just won't like my son either. I'd better suck all your blood."
Her force gone little by little. And felt like she was running out if breath. But she still go on fighting for her life.
"Eve...Eve... wake up. I guess you
are dreaming bad."
"Thank you for waking me up. I'm okay you can go back to sleep grandpa. It is still too early to get up." she said.
Eve stand up quickly. She was too tired of her bad dream. She rubbed her face and walked to the kitchen to get water. Her grandfather left wondering why.