The Mysterious Woman

CHAPTER 3

France couldn't believe his eyes. In front of him was a goddess. He couldn't tear away his gaze from her. Although he wondered why he didn't feel her presence, he didn't ponder much on it. She was so mesmerizing, especially when she smiled. Her beauty was accentuated by the glow that clung to her skin from the setting sun.

“Hi,” the woman greeted him with a smile, “I am sorry if I disturbed you.”

“Ah, no...no...I'm just a little surprised. I didn't think there was anyone else here besides me. It looks like I'm the one who's bothering you here,” France quickly answered. He didn't want her to think that he was bothering her.

“It's my pastime to watch the sunset here. The view here is beautiful, especially during dusk hours. Seeing the beauty of the sunset brings peace and happiness to my mind and heart,” the woman said, turning her gaze again to the direction of the setting sun.

From where France was sitting, he could see the woman's beautiful profile. He thought that she was maybe younger than him. She was so surreal to look at, from her long hair that reached up to her waist to her white dress and cute feet. Everything in the woman seemed perfect in France’s eyes. He took the chance when the woman was busy staring at the beauty of the sunset, to assess her.

He had a fair share of women surrounding him in school. They were like moths that were drawn to him. They were all sophisticated and classy, but the woman in front of him was different from them. She was very simple with no touch of makeup on her face. Her white dress wasn’t fancy, but she had this charm in her that France was so drawn to. She was truly a dalagang-Pilipina. She was a breath of fresh air in France’s eyes, so pure and naive.

When the woman turned on him, France immediately turned his gaze to the setting sun. He felt the tips of his ears getting red. He suddenly felt awkward and shy when the woman caught him staring at her. He felt like he was a teenager in front of his crush. France wanted to know more about her, but he was shy to ask and start a conversation with her. An awkward silence surrounded them, then a gentle breeze blew, which made France relax his tense muscles and savor the fresh air. Because it was already starting to get dark, the breeze was a little colder when it touched France's skin. He just closed his eyes to savor the feeling of cold fresh air that was lingering on his skin and to hide the shyness that he had towards the woman. He wanted to compose himself.

He was so absorbed in enjoying the breeze, that he suddenly jumped up when he felt a cold hand grab his shoulder.

“Huh?!” France muttered, jumping up from where he was seated, startled. “Lolo Jose! You frightened me! You nearly gave me a heart attack!” he exclaimed when he realized that the owner of the hand was their driver. He put his hand into his chest and he breathed in and out in an attempt to calm his startled heart.

“Señorito France, it's late. What are you doing here? Your parents and I have been looking for you for a while,” Mang Jose exclaimed, the worry was evident in their driver's eyes.

When France regained his composure, his eyes scanned his surroundings. “I didn't realize that it had become dark already,” he thought. It was too dark from where they were at. If it wasn't for the flashlight that Mang Jose was holding, France wouldn't have been able to see anything.

“What time is it, Lo?” he asked the old man.

“It's already eight o'clock at night,” the old man answered.

“Eight o'clock?” his brow creased with confusion. He knew that he had come here just before five-thirty. “Have I been here for almost three hours? But why do I feel like I've been here only for just a few minutes? And then the girl I was talking to earlier. Yes, the beautiful woman. Where is she? I haven't asked her name yet,” he thought.

“Lolo Jose, there was this girl with me earlier. Did you see her?” he asked Mang Jose.

“What woman are you talking about? I didn't see any lady here earlier, Iho. It was just you here, sitting in this fallen tree,” Their driver answered, creasing his brow in confusion. “You're not even moving here, even when I called your name. When I looked at you, your eyes were closed. I think you fell asleep sitting,” Mang Jose added.

“I'm not sleeping here, Lo. I was with a girl here earlier. We even talked. She's beautiful, almost my age, she's wearing a white dress, she's not tall and her hair is long. I thought that she was the daughter of one of the guests. We even watched the sunset together,” France described to the old man the beauty that he had been with earlier. He was so sure that he was with somebody.

“Oh, Iho, maybe you were just dreaming. I didn't notice any woman with you here earlier. When we were looking for you, I came here immediately. There was no other way that I could miss someone on the trail. There is no other passage that leads to this place except the path that you and I took to come here. If there was a girl with you, I should be able to bump into her when she went down,” Mang Jose explained to him.

“But…” France was about to protest when Mang Jose grabbed his arm.

“C'mon Señorito, and let's go home. Don't argue with me now, this isn't the right place. We need to get home first. Your parents were looking for you. Even your grandparents are worried, and it's already too dark here on the cliff,” the old man stopped him from whatever he was about to say.

“She was too real to become a dream. I can see her beauty. The details of her beauty were too vivid and imprinted on my mind for her to become just my dream,” France said in his thought. He firmly believed that the girl wasn’t a dream. But as Lolo Jose said, it wasn’t the right time and place to argue his point with the old man. France couldn’t help but follow the old man to go back to his grandparents' house. Although he was confused about if he had fallen asleep or not, he just silently followed the old man. “Maybe I fell asleep. Because how come I didn’t notice the time passed by if I was awake?” he asked in his thoughts, still pondering what happened to him on the cliff and still thinking about the girl that she met there.

He just regretted that he didn’t ask her name. He promised himself that he would come back there the next day. He remembered her saying that she loved watching the sunset. So he will venture tomorrow at the same time. He will prove to Mang Jose that the girl is not just a dream. He will find out the girl's name tomorrow, and he hopes 'crossing his fingers' she is still single.

When they reached his grandparents' house, his parents immediately rushed to him.

“France, Iho where you came from? You made us worried. You didn't even say where you would be,” his father, Don Francisco, immediately asked him.

“Sorry Dad, and Mom, there were too many people here earlier, so I looked for a quiet place. I'm sorry I didn’t tell you two and made you worried,” France sincerely apologized.

“It's okay son, but next time try to tell us where you will go. We are worried because you are new to this place, and we are surrounded by forest. You haven't memorized this place yet,” his mother said to him. Hugging him tightly, he could feel that his mother was relieved that he had come home safe.

“Yes Mom, I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I was just on the cliff inside the mountain. I didn't go far. I just watched the sunset, without knowing that I had fallen asleep there. So I didn't realize the time anymore,” he explained to them.

“Luckily, your sister saw you going inside the forest, so Tatay Jose immediately looked for you there. Next time Iho, don’t dare to wander alone. Especially at night, there are wild animals still living in the forest,” Donya Esmeralda reminded him.

“Yes Mom,” France agreed with her mother.

That night, France still couldn't get the woman he met on the mountain out of his mind. Even when he was already in bed, she was still the one he was thinking about. Her beauty captured him, he could vividly remember her face. She was imprinted on his mind. He was still thinking about her until the lids of his eyes gradually became heavy and he was completely overcome by sleepiness.

When France opened his eyes, he was shocked to find himself in that house again. This is the house that he dreamt of when he fell asleep in the car. Just like when he first came to that house, a sense of familiarity with the place had crept into him.

“Why am I here? I remembered that we were at Abuelo and Abuela's house. Is this a dream again?” France asked himself. He pinched himself and felt the pain. “I wasn't dreaming? But how did I end up here?”

Although confused, he went around the house again, and just like in his dream before, there was no one inside. After a while, he heard the chickens clucking outside. He immediately went there and saw the same older woman there picking chicken eggs. Again the older woman stopped what she was doing and patted her soiled hands on her shorts and, with a smile painted on her face, she looked in France's direction. He smiled back at the old woman, thinking that she was seeing him now. But just like in his previous dream, a woman appeared out of nowhere, and he still couldn't see her face.

And then he saw them entering the house together again. He was about to follow when he felt unable to move again. France felt that this was a reenactment of that nightmare. The details and the things that had happened in that dream were happening again at this particular time. The house started shrinking until it was gone from his sight. He was afraid to move, fearing that the same thing as the last time when he had this nightmare would happen again. But there was something that urged him to look at his feet and see again the darkness creeping into his environment and its gradual covering of his body. He felt the same fear that he felt when he had this previous dream. “Am I having this nightmare again?” he thought. Panic was striking his heart again. When he looked at his hands again, they were wet with blood.

France woke up with a jolt, gasping for air. Confused, he looked around him. He breathed a sigh of relief when he recognized the room he was occupying in his grandparents' house. France sighed, it was that nightmare again, just like the nightmare he had when he first came here. It was still so vivid and he wondered why he had the same nightmare.

He saw the alarm clock beside his bed indicating that it was only seven in the morning. But France knew that he couldn’t go back to sleep once again. Especially not after having that nightmare.

He heard someone at the door. Before he could ask who it was, the door of his room opened. His Abuela entered with a smile on her face. She walked slowly towards France with the help of her cane. “Good morning Apo, you're already awake,” his Abuela greeted him. “I didn't knock because I thought you were still asleep.”

“It's okay Abuela,” France immediately got out of his bed to help and support the old woman, then he led her to the chair inside the room. He then sat on the edge of the bed facing his grandmother.

“Your Abuelo and I were worried about you yesterday. Where did you go?” Lola Mameng asked him when he finally sat down.

“I'm sorry, Abuela, if I made you worried too. I was just there on the mountain at the back of the house, watching the sun set. I didn't realize that I fell asleep there,” he explained to her.

“Iho, you haven't memorized this place yet, especially the mountains, don't you dare go far,” his Abuela gently reminded him, concern evident on her face.

“Yes Abuela, I will remember that. I am so sorry,” France apologized to Lola Mameng once again.

“By the way, the reason I came here was to put something on the side of your bed. I didn't think that you were already awake, I was about to surprise you,” his Abuela said. Then she took out a small box from her pocket, then handed it to him. France received the box with a question in his eyes. His Abuela just patted his hands and motioned for him to open them, which he followed. He saw inside a silver chain with a cross pendant.

“Abuela, this is beautiful. Thank you very much,” he said to Lola Mameng while looking at the necklace with a smile.

“I wanted to give it to you for a long time. It was with me before your Abuelo got sick. I don't have the chance to give it to you, especially since we rarely visit you and Francesca in Manila. Now that you are here, I can finally give it to you, Apo,” Lola Mameng said.

“Thank you very much, Abuela. I liked it,” he gratefully smiled and hugged the old woman.

“It's nothing, Apo. It's my pleasure that you liked it,” Lola Mameng said to him with a smile painted on her face too. “I've already made it blessed with the holy water, so you'll be protected when you wear it,” she added.

“Eh Abuela…” France hesitantly called Lola Mameng. He wondered if he would ask the old woman about his dream.

“Yes, Apo?” Lola Mameng asked.

“Ah… It's okay Abuela, I forgot what I was going to ask,” he said, scratching his head shyly at the old woman. He suddenly changed his mind. He wasn't sure if he wanted to tell her about his dream.

Lola Mameng looked at him, assessing the thought that was going on in his mind. France secretly sighs in relief when Abuela just shrugs her shoulders and lets him off.

“Get dressed, Apo, and we'll have breakfast. Join me at the table. Your parents and your sister were still asleep. It was sad to eat alone. Join me and tell me about what happened to you during these past years. Let's eat outside in the garden where your Abuelo is,” the old woman patted him on his hands, then she started to stand up. France stood up and immediately helped Lola Mameng and then escorted her out of the room. When they were already standing outside of his room, Lola Mameng shooed him away, “go now and get dressed, Iho. I can manage from here. I will wait for you at the breakfast table,” his Abuela said.

France nodded and obeyed what the old woman said. But before that, he called a maid to help support his Abuela, making sure that she was assisted her way into the garden. France immediately prepared himself and got ready to have a meal with the elders. He couldn't go back to sleep anyway, so he decided to spend time with them. As he was changing, he saw the necklace Abuela gave him. He pondered if he would wear it. In the end, he just put it back in the box and kept it in the bedside drawer.

When France came out of the garden, he immediately saw his grandparents. His grandfather was sitting in a wheelchair while his grandmother fed him his food. He smiled at how sweet they were, even though the years had passed he could still see their love for each other. Next to them were his grandfather's nurse and his male caregiver, who were also sitting at another table. He approached them. His grandfather's face suddenly brightened up when he saw him.

“Good morning, Abuelo,” he said to the old man and kissed him on the head before finally sitting down next to them. The old man answered him with a gentle pat on the arm and a nod, happiness was painted on Abuelo's face, showing the joy of sharing breakfast with him.

The maid immediately placed a plate in front of France.

“Eat, Emerson Iho,” said his Abuela and she immediately filled his plate with food. France thanked the old woman and started eating.

“Oh you are already starting breakfast without us,” Donya Esmeralda says from the door. She and Don Francisco were coming towards the table where France and his grandparents were eating.

“Good morning Mom and Dad,” Don Francisco greeted the two elders while kissing their heads.

“Good morning to you two,” Lola Mameng responded to Don Francisco, while Lolo Tonyo just nodded his head at his son-in-law and daughter.

“Good morning Son, you are awake early,” Don Francisco turned to France. While Donya Esmeralda was greeting her parents, just like her husband, she also kissed the heads of the two elders, then turned to her son and kissed him too.

“Good morning Dad and Mom,” France greeted them as well. He stopped eating and stood up to kiss both of them. “I think I am adjusting to the weather here. That's why I woke up early,” he replied to his father's statement.

Don Francisco just nodded to his son and sat down next to them, after pulling his wife's chair to sit down. The maid was prompt and immediately put plates and spoons in front of the couple. Then Don Francisco gave his wife some food before he got something to eat.

The conversation started when they were all eating. Donya Esmeralda was asking about her father's condition, and Lola Mameng was talking to the two people who were taking care of her husband.

Don Francisco was eating in silence as France spoke. “Ahm, Dad…” he called his father's attention.

“Hmmm...yes Emerson?” he answered after swallowing the food in his mouth.

“Is it unusual to have the same dream with the same situation on consecutive days?” he asked his father.

“As far as I know, it is not. There is a natural phenomenon called recurring dreams. It usually happens to a person who experiences stress, anxiety, trauma, lack of emotional healing, and sometimes unresolved conflicts. All of those can trigger recurring dreams. Why did you ask that question, son?” Don Francisco asked his son curiously. He put down his fork and knife and then drank his coffee while eyeing his son.

All his attention was on France who was still sitting there even though he had finished eating. France hesitates to tell his father about his dream. He fidgeted with the remaining food on his plate, until he decided to tell his father about his nightmare. He narrated it in full detail, the same event that happened in his dream in a different timeline. When he finished talking, they heard a loud gasp coming from France's Abuela. France didn't realize that all the attention of his elders was on him and listening.

“Emerson Apo, when did you experience those dreams?” his Abuela asked him, her voice tinged with fear.

“When we just got here, Abuela. Yesterday in the car, and this morning,” France replied to Lola Mameng.

“Esmeralda, Francisco, you must call an albularyo to exterminate the wild soul that was playing on my grandson. He can't know the full details of the old house that used to stand here. He wasn’t born yet when we took it down,” Lola Mameng said to the couple.

“Mom, maybe that's just a coincidence. Emerson's dream doesn't mean anything. Maybe he's just stressed because he's moving to a new place. You know that your grandson isn't used to provincial life. His nightmare will pass,” Don Francisco said.

“Francisco, maybe you don't believe in such things because you grew up in the city. But I grew up here in this land, so I believed in such beliefs. France could be played by a wild soul. If you don't want to believe me, it's up to you. I don't want my grandson to be harmed so I will call the albularyo myself,” Lola Mameng firmly said to her son-in-law.

“Mom, don't worry. I'll take Emerson there myself later,” Donya Esmeralda assured her mother. Then she looked meaningfully at her husband. Silently telling him just to follow her mother's wishes. Don Francisco zipped his lips and followed his wife, while he winked secretly at France, which made the young man smile secretly.