The Invisible City

The Fuit Vendor

I was able to write a chapter for my book. I have to document everything from my travel on the way to Samar Island. It would be perfect if I put all the necessary details for my book. 

I've decided to rent a room next to the restaurant I've been in earlier. They offer a good deal for a 12-hour stay. It's just 7 AM, and I have some time to go around the port.

I need a place to have my baggage secured, after all. Since I have my laptop, I have to be extra careful about it. That's where all my files are. I can't afford to lose it while I'm in this place.

Leaving everything behind my temporary room, I head out again. I want to interview some locals around first before I finally get to Biringan City. But I have decided that I will not tell them that I will go there tonight.

I saw a lot of newcomers that just arrived from the port. Most of them look like they are from the island. I tried not to walk near them and went on my way to the fruit stand.

I decided to approach a middle-aged woman who seems to juggle between fixing the fruits and carrying her toddler. Her son looks irritated that his mother has to pay her attention to the fruits rather than him. This seems promising. 

I'm witnessing the everyday provincial life where they are not even aware that they can have better if they get into the boat and leave. But maybe they are more comfortable living a simple life around here.

"Good morning!" I greeted her with my best awkward smile. It's not easy to be an extrovert for the job if you are an introvert. 

The woman smiled and greeted me, "Good morning, madam! Fresh fruits?" She offered.

"Yes, I'll get some later. But I want to ask some questions first if you don't mind." 

She nodded and put the toddler in a chair nearby. It looks like the people here are willing to grant some interviews. 

"I'm a writer from Manila. I want to research a place around here. Are you familiar with Biringan City?" I asked, hopefully.

The woman gasps as if right on cue. She covered her mouth with a fearful expression. But I waited for her to recover. 

It's quite annoying that whenever I ask anyone about Biringan City, they have the same expression. As if I said something cursed if I say the name of the place. 

That reminds me of the book series Harry Potter. They just called Lord Voldemort You-Know-Who. Should I also start to say, You-Know-Where? I dismissed that thought when the lady replied.

"You're not here to go to that place, are you?" 

"No, I'm just planning to stay here. I want to talk to the locals about it." I lied and hoped that she would buy it.

She immediately looks relieved. "Thank God! I remember another tourist asking me that question, and he never returned. Nobody wants that to happen to you as well, miss."

"He did not return? Did you remember him?" I asked.

"Yes, I still remember that guy. It only happened less than a year ago. I also minded my business here, and he approached me, asking about Biringan. He said he got an invitation from the town's mayor."

"How did you know that he went there and never returned?" I asked her again. I think that this is getting interesting. Urban legend looks very strong around here.

"He said he would go to Biringan even if I told him that it's not a good idea. Then I think he asked other people, but he didn't listen to their warnings. He still went there, and after a month, there are police from his town looking for him. They asked me, so I told them." She replied.

"Did the police go to Biringan to look for him?"

"They can't go there even if they want to. The city is only open if the fairy invited you." She replied casually.

"Is that fairy named Corazon?" I asked.

She nodded. "It looks like you know a lot about the story already. They usually invite people from different places. Those who didn't know that their place doesn't exist."

"How can it not exist if everybody here knows about the place?" I asked, trying to get more answers from her.

"Well, technically, it doesn't exist. That place is not even on the map. But something magical and mysterious happens at night, especially during the Aswang Festival." She said, looking as if she's getting some goosebumps.

"Is the festival tonight?" I asked.

"Yes, that's why people are coming here. We celebrate this day so the fairy and other entities will spare us. They don't like noisy nights."

"They? Do you mean there are many of them in Biringan?" 

"Oh yes, it's a city after all. According to the stories, it's like Manila but better. They have a castle made of gold and diamond! I wanted to go there when I was younger. Maybe to get some of that gold, they said they would give you if you were allowed to leave." 

It's my time to gasp. A castle made of gold and diamonds? "Now, that's new! I haven't heard of that before." I replied.

She laughed a bit. "That's only a story! They said that's why some of the locals were lured before. They said that the richest man around here went there and outsmarted the fairy, Corazon. He was able to bring a lot of gold and diamond. But they say he's just a crazy old man!"

The people are starting to get thick, and the woman sells some fruits while talking to her. She feels that it's time to go.

"Is he still alive? Do you know where he lives?" I asked.

"Yes, he's still around. He lives near the falls. Maharlika Falls. It's also a tourist attraction. But they said his mansion is inside the falls itself." She said and gave her customer's change.

"What's his name?" I don't want to miss this opportunity.

"They called him Tandang Tiago from around here." She replied.

I tried to remember it, but I don't trust my memory. I typed the name and the name of the falls on my smartphone.

"Thank you for all this information. By the way, what's your name?" I asked.

"Your welcome. I hope you will enjoy the island. My name is Romina." She said.

I pulled a one thousand peso bill and asked for some assorted fruits worth five hundred pesos instead. 

She looks happy, putting so many fruits in a plastic bag. It seems like it's worth one thousand already. But she tried giving me my change.

"No, keep the change. That's for your little guy there." I declined the change and took my bag of fruits.

She's so happy and very grateful. "I hope that you will find what you're looking for. Miss." She said.

"It's Liz. Thank you again. I should get going now. I don't wanna bother you anymore." I said.

"Wait, Miss Liz! Before you go, I want you to have this." She stopped me and took off something from her blouse. 

She pins it to my top, and it looks like a small red bag. It's like half an inch only, but it seems unique. 

"What's this?" I have to ask.

"It's a hex bag. It will protect you from evil spirits. You need it if you go to Maharlika Falls. They said that there are a lot of fairies who live there." She explained.

I feel touched by her concern. "Thank you so much, Romina! I will look you up again before I leave the island." I said and smiled.

She smiled back at me and attended to another fruit buyer. I walked away and looked for a vehicle to take me to Maharlika Falls. 

It will be a great adventure! I don't think that the other writers were even able to think about this story from their publishing. 

The more I learn about the mysterious city, the more interesting it gets. If I can find more background stories about Biringan, it will be more comfortable and realistic to write my next novel. 

I saw some tricycle going around, and maybe that should be good transportation for me to go to Maharlika Falls. I'm trying to look around where I can get one to bring me there. 

Then I saw it. Or more like I saw her. A lovely lady is smiling at me. She looks like she's specifically looking in my direction. How is that possible? I didn't know anyone around here except for Romina, the fruit vendor. 

The beautiful woman is wearing a long white dress that looks more like a toga. The simplicity of the dress made her beauty shine further. She's standing still in a huge crowd who are preparing for the festival. 

"Miss, are you looking for a ride?" I heard a man asking me all of a sudden. The tricycle is now close to my left side. 

As if I just got out of a short trance, I nodded. "Can you bring me to Maharlika Falls?" I asked.

"Sure! Hop in and brace yourself. It's going to be a rough road ahead." He said as I got into the side cart.

Before the tricycle moves, I look in the direction where I saw the extraordinarily beautiful woman. She's no longer there. 

"That was fast!" I said to myself as the tricycle drove away to Maharlika Falls.