Transient Dream

Chapter 3. Garlic and Some other stories.

It can't be. Karen is shouting inside her mind. That boy is the black cat.

"Hello there." said the young man

He was quite handsome. A mestizo. His nose is pointed like those male lead in mexican melodrama. His hair falls covering most of his forehead. His lips were incredibly impeccable. not too thick not too thin., and it's very red. His eyes were red as well. He is wearing a green v-neck.

"Hey Dude, Is that a Sharingan contact lens? Astig!" Gibo said in excitement.

"Eh eh. Sorry. Please forgive my cousin he's quite an ignoramus. Uy! You're so full of anime Gibo! I'll tell mom not to let you watch Naruto during weekends!" Thea said looking very embarrass.

"Tsk. That's ok. This is just a red contact lens. I can't find a Sharingan contact lens dude. I think its only available in Japan." said the young man.

Darn it. Teyang and Gibo are talking to the cat boy. This is all Karen is thinking of right now. She notice the white kitten hissing at the young man. The boy notice it and raise his eyebrows. The kitten jumps off Karen and head straight at the young man. The young man dodge it's attack.

"Hey can you get rid of that kitten? it's annoying." the young man suggests.

"The kitten's quite violent to you but it pretty gentle to me and the others" Karen said looking straight into the boy's red eyes. She was pretty convince that the boy was no ordinary.

"Well, eh? Karen let's go inside na! byiiieee!" Thea said while pushing Karen inside. Gilbert followed them inside.

"By the way, it's Inigo. See you guys around. Especially you Karen." and then the boy walks away.

.........

Karen. Thea and Gilbert went inside and discuss their findings about the garlic insecticide. Surprisingly the hard work they've been doing is paying off. After a one week trial Thea was able to prove that the garlic can serve as an insect repellent . The only problem is to get rid of it's strong smell.

"Karen do you think if we add some fragrant oil it can negate the garlic's nasty smell?" Thea asked.

"Hm. I don't know. Anyway were done even if we don't rid it of it's bad smell, aren't we?" Karen replied. She doesn't seem to be focusing on their topic. She's thinking of too much stuff like were is her brother, the cat boy and who gave her the white kitten who is now sleeping on her lap.

"Hey Karen can I open your television? it's almost time for UAAP." Gibo asked as he grabs the remote control.

"Ok but please be quiet. You might wake up my father." Karen said looking at her father who is still sleeping on the sofa,

Karen realized that her mother is not in the house anymore. Probably she takes her turn looking for Christopher outside as her father was already exhausted.

"Hello Kars? I said why did you let Gibo watch TV?" Teyang said looking quite frustrated as she eyes her cousin.

"He's gonna bug me anyway so let's just finish this narrative."

"I see you are worried about Chris. Maybe he got abducted by Aswangs! We should also develop weapon using garlic so we can fend off those monsters!" Teyang said it with conviction which makes Karen laugh.

"Seriously? Teyang you believe in those Aswang myths?"

"Its not just a myth. Did you know that long ago people were being abducted by Aswangs and were eaten as meals. People were helpless against them. But a priestess asked the Diwata of Vegetations to give them protection. A seed was given to them. The Diwata or Goddess said they should wait for 7 days for the plant to grow. After seven days the plant grew the Garlic. Soon Aswangs can no longer enter parts of the town surrounded by garlics. Soon people learn how to use the garlic essence by applying it to weapon and soon enough they were able to drive away the Aswangs that were pestering them." Teyang was talking as if she was there when the story happened.

"Eh? Where on earth did you get that story?" Karen asked looking bewildered.

"Ah that one is from my grandma who said it was from her grandma and all the other grandma's before her. hahah."

Karen smiled. She was jealous whenever Thea would describe her relatives because she hardly had one. All the family she know is her Mom, Dad and Chris...

"Karen, I brought this box from outside. It has your name on it." Karen's mom entered the house.

"Oh mom sorry I forgot to bring it inside. This kitten with me is inside that box too."

"Really? Cause this box is full of different stuff. Go check it. The kitten might need these."

Thea and Karen look at each other. They know that the box was empty before. As they take a peak inside the first thing they see is a book. Thea opens it in a random page. She gasped.

Karen being curious take a closer look at the page Thea was looking at. It has a picture of a garlic and the same story that her friend told her a while ago.