The sound of crickets echoed through the majestic garden of the campus. Amidst the bustling city, the jubilee garden felt like a breather from the stress of being an average person. The fountain sitting in the middle felt like therapy for the boggled soul. And followed by the chirping crickets? At this point, Yani could just float.

But he couldn’t.

Not when he’s beside a rigid man.

“And make sure that the PESTLE analysis is consistent. You always input too much about politics.” Like an induced murder, Kris crushed the sublime sounds.

“Come on, can’t you just enjoy the moment?” Yani took a deep breath—closing his eyes.

Kris looked around the area. “What moment?”

“The peace, Kris. The peace~”

“I’m afraid I can’t feel at peace when you’re not yet done with your part.”

Yani groaned. “Fine, fine!” He checked on his laptop again.

Suddenly, Kris’s phone rang. “Take 5.” He answered the call while walking three steps away.

Yes! More time for tranquility!

Kris cleared his throat. “Cielo? What’s up?”

Yani observed the latter. Another mission?

Kris kept on answering, “The cemetery? For what?”

With that single word, Yani stood up. “A cemetery?” His face was shining. Hence, Kris turned a little bit to his side, and placed his hand over Yani’s face—not interested in entertaining his excitement.

“A white lady? I wanna see a white lady!”

Kris ignored him again.

“Got it. I’ll be in Manila North Cemetery after class. Maybe around 6PM.” Then, he  dropped the call. Kris looked at Yani’s giddy face that he had blocked with his palms.

“I’m coming!”

“No.”

“Why not?!”

“We don’t need you. Your seventh sense won’t be necessary for this one.”

“Come on! You only want me for my powers?”

“Yes.”

Angrily, Yani licked Kris’s hand. This made the latter cringe and almost gag in disgust. “What the hell?! That’s gross!” Kris rushed to his bag and began smothering his hand with alcohol. 

“As I was saying… Let me come! I rarely see ghosts! I wanna see one.”

“This is not a field trip. It’s really dangerous. That place is covered with peculiar energy.”

“I know, but I’ll be fine! After all, my training already helped me use my usog skill.”

“Still no. You’re not that familiar with it yet.”

“Please please please please please- I’m not gonna stop until you say yes. Please ple-”

Kris covered Yani’s mouth in annoyance. “Fine! But follow everything I say.”

“YAY!”

“How were you even training the past few days?”

Flashback, Training Days

Yani, Pauline, and Cielo have been revolving around a balete tree for an estimated time of one hour. They all held a small gong, and let it sing after each revolution.

“Anito, help our message reach Bathala!” Cielo rang her gong.

“Help us reach Bathala!” Both Pauline and Yani echoed—following the ritual.

“May this season of drought be replenished!” Cielo chanted again.

“Let it be replenished!” The other two followed.

It shouldn’t really be a labor intensive job. After all, the ritual only consists of walking, chanting, and hitting the gong. But, Yani could feel his spiritual energy rush down a funnel. He was weak. Definitely weak. The two girls were not even feeling a droplet of sweat form, yet Yani was already on the verge of passing out. But, he couldn’t really just leave. After all, that’s the very reason why the two girls brought him in.

To lose his noble spiritual energy.

When they finally finished, Yani’s legs were shaking. “G-Girls, please hold me up.” He looked like a sickly man forced to run a marathon.

Cielo chuckled, “Come on, that wasn’t even near the length of our rituals.” She walked towards Yani. 

When Yani extended his hand to hold Cielo, a dark gust of cloud burst from his body—throwing the two girls to another tree.

“AH!” Cielo held her arm. “That hurts!”

“Ouch.” Pauline said plainly, and held her aching arm with an expressionless face.

Yani panicked, but was unable to run towards them. “Are you guys ok?!”

“F-Fine! Was that usog?” Cielo asked.

Isagani, who was watching them from the shade, began puking. “N-No.” He held his stomach, and wiped his mouth. “He just released his dark energy on you guys. I think the actual usog came after me.” He puked again.

Yani leaned against a tree, out of gas. “I’m sorry, guys! I still don’t know how to control it.”

Present Day

In the cemetery, Yani arrived with another gothic outfit. He had a cloak on, high boots, chained accessories, and even a mix of red and black for his eyeshadow. He simply couldn’t leave out on an opportunity to immerse himself in his subculture whilst inside the most gothic place he could ever be.

“I can’t believe you had us layover in your house just for this.” Kris sighed, unimpressed.

“But it’s cool. If your skirts and beads make you stronger, this!” He presented his fit. “This makes me stronger.”

“A totally different situation, by the way.”

Isagani jumped in. “It’s definitely weird, but I like it!”

Rafael slapped his cousin’s nape. “It’s not weird. Don’t be mean. It’s just crazy!”

Cielo slapped both of their napes. “It’s not weird or crazy. You two are being offensive. It’s just scary!”

Pauline pointed at herself. “Do I have to comment too? I really don’t mind it.”

Yani was watching the domino effect, and thought, But I like how I look, hmph!

Kris rolled his eyes while shaking his head. “Morons. I’m the only one allowed to judge him.”

“Like that makes me feel better.” Yani held his chin high, and looked away with a pout.

The rest of the group chuckled. Rafael spoke up. “We’re just kidding.” He stepped closer to Yani, and ruffled his hair. “You look cool. I’m glad that you feel comfortable to wear what you want with us.”

This almost made Yani blush, and he hugged Rafael’s biceps. “Kuya, I think I love you.” 

This made Rafael cackle. “Please no. I don’t want to die.” He sensed an upcoming force head in their direction.

Kris rushed to pull Yani away—his expression blank and unreadable. “No more games. We’re on a mission.”

Tsk. Party-pooper.

They headed for the farthest area of the cemetery. The public part where the management continuously fails to reach. While walking through the muddy ground, Yani spotted some people living inside the ruins of tombs. Other parts even had makeshift homes on top of the dead. No electricity, no running water, and no proper shelter. It was no place for the living to dwell in. But because of their rights being stripped off by the structure, they had no other choice but to stay in this purgatory.

While walking, Yani tried to catch a glimpse of the others’ faces. He found nothing. They seemed so used to this scene. But for him, he never expected a cemetery to be far scarier than he imagined.

“It was them.” Kris whispered.

“Hm?”

“They were the ones who reported seeing a white lady.”

Yani looked at the struggling people again. He even spotted a kid eating directly from a black plastic bag. Rubbish. “Of course…”

“The dead in this area are not at peace. Not because these people are bothering them, but because they used to be the very ones living on top of their own graves.”

“It’s like the better afterlife they thought about only led to disappointment.”

“Hence, vengeful ghosts.”

They arrived at the area a kid with a third eye reported. It seemed as though no one lived there for obvious reasons. It was empty, and the tombs seemed to be cracked open. It’s likely that tomb raiders stole bones or teeth from the bodies, and sold it to who knows who. Due to the lack of electricity, the darkness ruled the area. Kris used his bamboo to make a torch powered by spiritual energy.

“Spread out. Check for any signs. I’ll head to the east wing with Pau.” Cielo uttered.

Yani followed behind Kris. “Why are there different versions of the afterlife?”

Kris slowed down his walk. “There are things that even I can’t explain.”

“Which version do you believe to be true, then?”

“Back where I’m from, in Canlaon, there aren't many stories about it other than becoming spirits. But I guess I could go with the Panay belief where we’ll end up in Saad—the realm of the dead.”

“I see…”

“How about you?”

“...Heaven?”

Kris halted his footsteps. “Woah, you actually believe that?”

“Well, kinda. My mom and dad do. But it doesn’t really matter much for me.” Yani smiled. “After all, I’m still alive. Alive to enjoy the remainder of my life! And wherever I end up, I’ll have no regrets about it.”

This made Kris smile, and Yani’s own got even wider.

But of course, their moment got broken by a shuffling noise behind a tomb. Kris immediately pointed his bamboo stick in the direction. “Who’s there?”

They both forwarded to the area. 

A hissing sound entered the sphere.

Yani prepared his dark energy.

Then, when Yani pushed the pile of leaves away from the tomb, they spotted a creature.

“EEK!” It stepped a few feet back. 

It was around four feet tall. It had a bat-like appearance, long snake-like tongue, and inches long nails. In between his clenched teeth laid a bloody hand from a corpse.

“EW, EW!” Yani felt the ick upon seeing it.

Unexpectedly, the creature spoke with its mouth full. “Ew? Youf fhink I’m gishgusting?” It seemed a bit offended.

Yani immediately shook his head. “No! You have a fucking dead arm in your-”

The creature took the hand out of its mouth, and hid it behind his back. Yani sighed, “Phew, thanks.”

“No problem, dude.” It said casually.

Wait… Did I just interact with a monster?

Kris didn’t even need to speak. He immediately readied his bamboo stick. “Conducting bugaw.”

The creature hurriedly jumped to a tree. “Hey! Why are you suddenly attacking? I didn’t do anything to you. HISS!” 

Yani held Kris’s hand. “Wait, it’s right. It doesn’t seem like a bad creature.”

“That’s a Balbal, Yani. It eats corpses, and disrespects burial rites.”

“I know, but look at it!”

Kris looked at the small creature. It awfully reminded him of a bratty nuno. “Yean, no. That made me even less convinced.”

The balbal just sneaked a few pieces of flesh in its mouth—chewing as the two argued. 

Yani clicked his tongue. “We can even use it for information.”

“I’m a girl, by the way.” The balbal uttered.

“Use her for information.”

Kris bit his lower lip. “Alright, fine.” He leaned forward to ask the balbal. “You saw a white lady around?”

The balbal nodded. “Yeah. She likes to hang around the east wing gate and get angry at random rich-looking cars. As long as you look rich, she’d torture you.”

Yani and Kris eyed one another. The girls are there.

Simultaneously, the girls can confirm that the vengeful ghost is found there.

Pauline threw out five of her wooden pieces. “Come to life!” It all turned into pseudo figures of Isagani and Rafael—lunging toward the white lady. However, the figures simply slipped through her body.

The ghost wore a long white dress, and her deep black hair met the cold ground.  She was nearly transparent, yet covered in stains of a variety. Her face that hid behind straight strands is wounded—reflecting her raging eyes. “You don’t deserve a good life!”

A strong vibration pulled the girls on their knees. They were paralyzed.

Pauline shouted, “Don’t quit now, try again!”

The wooden figures threw their weapons at the ghost, but the vibration simply shattered the five of them. “Shit.”

With heavy hands, Cielo took a bottle of wine. “Bless me with an anting-anting.” It turned into an amulet in the shape of the sun. And when she wore it, she no longer felt the intense pull—able to stand up. Then, she picked up a sturdy stick from the ground.

“Conducting bugaw.” She slammed the stick on the ground. As hard as she can, though not as strong as Kris.

BANG!

The white lady covered her ears.

BANG!

She screamed loudly, kneeling on the ground.

But before the third slam, she phased through the air, and turned only a few inches away from Cielo’s face. Cielo could see her scars, her eerie eyes, and feel her cold breath. She’s been a catalonan for years, but this was frightening. 

She trembled.

She couldn’t breathe.

Pauline took this as a chance to retaliate. She picked up the stick Cielo dropped. “Conducting bugaw.”

And just when she was about to begin, the white lady crawled under her. Just like Cielo, she couldn’t move.