Filipino Scares: a Collection of Short Stories

A Line to Heaven

Marissa walked towards the light switch at the corner of the room, hidden behind curtains of beads. As she flipped the switch to turn the dimmed lights off, one of her costume rings caught on the beads--causing a ruckus when the curtains came down as she pulled on her ring.

With a shake of her head, Marissa turned back to the now exposed switches and hit the switch on her energy-saving fluorecent lights. The lights cast a harsh light on her room, revealing the cramped space that housed her business--and entire life.

"This place sure looks different when it's brighter."

Marissa's hand flies to her chest as she turned to the speaker, caught off-guard. By the open door, a plump older woman stood with a big smile. "Mrs. Recto, you scared me."

"That's funny. Me scaring you when you deal with ghosts all the time," the older woman chuckled. Marissa laughed along with the woman, reminding herself to not forget that in front of Mrs. Recto she is supposed to be the best spirit medium of Quiapo--the great Madame Freya.

"Ah, but don't forget, Mrs. Recto, I call the spirits to me--they don't just suddenly show up." Marissa picked up her fallen curtains and hung them back to cover the switches. The illusion of mystery might already be ruined for one of her regular customers, but it wouldn't do to keep them ruined. "What brings you by so late, Ma'am?"

Marissa could see the woman ripple with excitement.

"I just wanted to thank you, Madame Freya."

"And this couldn't wait until the morning?"

"Well, my husband told me that I have to take a trip in the morning--"

"Your husband? Whose spirit I've been communicating with for the past few months?" Marissa couldn't help but let an eyebrow rise up. "Mrs. Recto--"

"Well, remember how, when I asked you if it would be possible for me to talk to my husband on my own, and you told me to stand by a riverbend under a blue moon?"

Marissa couldn't believe her ears. She knew her clients want to believe that ghosts and spirits are real, but she always thought they knew when to draw the line.

"Look outside! The moon is blue. And I did what you said!" Mrs. Recto was positively giddy with excitement. "I saw my husband!" Then a shadow passed by the old woman's face.

"What did he say?"

"He said you were a hack. But I defended you. I told him that if you were, then how come I could see him? How come I could talk to him?" Mrs. Recto's smile returned. "He could never win an argument with me.

"That's when he told me that I had to visit our daughter as soon as I can. He made it seem like it was an emergency, but I didn't want to go all the way to Davao without thanking you."

"You don't have to thank me--"

"Don't be silly."

Marissa couldn't shake the feeling that there was something she was missing.

"Anyway, that's really all I came here to do. To thank you. And to tell you that I wouldn't be requiring your services anymore. I think... I think I have found my closure now." The older woman started to turn for the door, but stopped midway. She turned to Marissa once more. "Thank you."

"Think nothing of it."

Mrs. Recto flashed a smile Marissa's way before leaving through the door. The medium shivered at the strange exchange before she walked up to the door to lock in. To stop anyone else from entering.

And then she returned to her ritual of closing shop, drawing the curtains on her windows and then turning a small television on to keep her company while she swept the floor and collected the trash some of her clients left behind.

As she was about to take out the garbage bag she's filled, something on the television made her pause. It was a small feature on driving safely, with a focus on the dangers of not driving with headlights. It was then followed by a news item about an accident by the riverside, where a car that had been driving without headlights had hit an elderly woman.

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