Chapter 5: The Offer
494 Words
After what felt like hours, Amara led Carlo to a central plaza where a large fountain bubbled with water that shimmered like liquid gold.
“We’ve been watching you,” she said, her voice warm yet unsettling. “Your creativity and curiosity are rare. You are the kind of soul we welcome here.”
Carlo’s unease deepened. “What do you mean, ‘welcome’? Are you asking me to stay?”
Amara nodded. “Yes. Here, you will have everything you’ve ever desired—knowledge, beauty, wealth, and peace. But to stay, you must leave your old life behind. There is no return.”
Her words hung in the air, tempting yet ominous. Carlo thought of his family, his friends, his work. Could he truly abandon everything for a life in this otherworldly city?
“What happens if I refuse?” he asked.
Amara’s smile faltered. “Few refuse our offer. Those who do often regret it.”
Her golden eyes darkened, and the glow of the city seemed to dim. The figures around him, once serene and welcoming, now felt watchful, almost predatory.
arlo’s instincts screamed at him to leave, but his feet felt rooted to the spot. He forced himself to take a deep breath, focusing on the faces of the people he loved.
“I can’t stay,” he said finally, his voice steady despite his fear.
Amara studied him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then she stepped back, her form shimmering like a mirage. “Very well. But remember, Carlo, you saw Biringan because it allowed you to. Should you speak of us, be mindful of how you tell the story.”
As she spoke, the city began to fade. The golden light dissolved into the darkness, and the serene hum of Biringan was replaced by the distant chirping of crickets.
Carlo found himself back in the forest, standing on the same dirt path where he had entered. His motorcycle was exactly where he had left it, as if no time had passed at all.
For weeks, Carlo kept the experience to himself, unsure if anyone would believe him. Yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d narrowly escaped something both wondrous and dangerous.
He poured over local legends, piecing together stories of others who had encountered Biringan. Their accounts mirrored his own—visions of golden cities, offers of wealth and immortality, and the lingering fear of what might have happened if they had stayed.
Years later, while visiting Samar again, he overheard a group of fishermen talking about the golden glow in the woods near Catarman. One of them claimed his cousin had disappeared after following it.
Carlo stayed silent, but the memories rushed back: the glowing city, Amara’s piercing gaze, and the choice that had haunted him ever since.
To this day, he avoids that stretch of road at twilight. And sometimes, in his dreams, he sees the golden towers of Biringan, calling him back.
- Writer
