Filipino Scares: a Collection of Short Stories

One of Them

Five years ago, a woman was found inside the garden at a well-known park. Dead by multiple stab wounds. She was survived by a husband, a well-known philantropist who had been working with the city council to clean up the park.

He was doing it for her.

With her death, the philantropist moved his interests elsewhere. People thought it was because the garden held too many painful memories for the man. What they didn't know was that he never really invested in the clean-up drive for the park. It was his wife who wanted to do it. It was his wife who had an unspoken affiliation with the place.

It didn't take long for the deviants to reclaim the park.

Although the lights sparkled by the bay, across the street, the park had nothing but darkness spreading from the hidden nooks that tourists and partygoers are warned about. Nooks that become sanctuaries for the desperate.

Leila adjusted the strap of her duffel bag, as she gazed at the sliver of darkness that beckoned to her. Behind her, she could hear two pairs of footsteps hastening. She concentrated on not turning around. On not giving her fear away.

And then Leila saw her. A woman with a kind face. Leila raised a hand, calling towards the stranger, to warn her about the danger chasing her. But the woman just continued to walk.

Fearing for herself as much as for the woman, Leila followed the newcomer; telling herself that it would be better to get caught with someone else than alone.

But when she turned to where the woman was supposed to be, Leila found herself in front of a garden gate instead. A garden gate lit with a streetlight that was the only reminder that a philantropist once had an idea to clean up the park. A garden gate that was now being locked by park security.

Leila didn't notice her heart racing until it started to slow down. The security guard had seen her and is making his way to her. Leila could hear footstops behind her fading away. Leila sighed. Relieved.

"Miss, are you all right?" The guard brought out a radio transmitter from behind him, ready to call for back-up if needed be.

"I... I lost my way." As Leila's breath became even, a question crossed her mind. Leila turned to her unwitting savior. "But I saw a woman come this way... Did you, perhaps, see her?"

"No other woman here but you, Miss," the guard replied. "Well, and that statue over there."

Leila turned to where the guard was pointing. And froze. "Who is she?"

"She was someone who cared about this park very much." The guard turned to Leila. "Do you want me to escort you to where you need to go, Miss?"

Leila nodded, grateful to the guard. But she could stop turning towards the iron statue of the woman. And the kind face that shone even through the corroded metal.

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