That very night, I was pretending to fall asleep early.
It was acceptable since. My cellphone was off limits. Since I arrived at Lola Aurora's house, she confiscated it.
Her rules.
Which I complied. It was useless anyways. No network service, no wifi. And you might asked how I managed to survive?
Books. I brought a lot with me. System tropes, isekai once. Just to get by summer without losing my mind.
And surprisingly, I wasn't having withdrawal syndrome from not using my phone.
Lola Aurora had a hand in it. Her orders are nonstop.
Even brought me to her farm and made me take the carabao to the little pond it made itself.
Back to my current situation. I was just waiting for Lola Aurora to sleep. And I'll sneak out from the window.
It wasn't too steel since Lola's house wasn't that big. And I could just climb the tree to get back inside the room I'm using.
When the clock struck 8...
The surroundings was already quiet. People here sleep as early as 7 pm. Always on point. The longest would be 9 during occasions.
When lola went inside her room, I immediately snuck out.
I opened the window and climbed. Good thing Lola's windows are still traditional. No glass panes, just wood.
I stood up at the edge of the window and stepped on the mango tree right beside the house.
It's branch was close to my room's window that I was able to climb onto it. Holding tightly on a branch stretched out.
And successfully got down.
I got my flashlight ready, bag on my back, with water and some emergency snacks.
Just wanted to be prepared.
Then Sharon out of nowhere, floated in front of me.
"Follow me." She said as she was slowly making distance away from me.
"H-hey... Wait up." I whispered.
Goosebumps already all over by body. Since my third eye was now open. I could see everything.
But I refuse to acknowledge them. I remembered Lola Aurora explicitly told me that, if somehow I'm able to see ghosts or other beings, ignoring them is the safest way to do.
They'll get attach to someone who sees them. Especially if they're acknowledged.
So I'm refusing to do that. Which was failing miserably.
"Waaaaaa! Sharoooon! Wait!!!" I was running with my life on the line.
Sharon stopped her movement, mid hovering towards the unused path.
We aren't even that far from my Lola's house and I was already screaming my hearts out.
Why not?
There was a santilmo following me. I bet it the same santilmo that crashed into me.
When I reached Sharon, I hid behind her.
Yes... I am. The irony of it all. The guy who refuses to look at this white lady's face was hiding behind her.
The santilmo stopped, like it's mocking me. Even if it doesn't have a face.
Sharon just shooed it away with her hand.
"Anthony.... you're hiding behind me." She said factually.
I stepped back, but not too much. Still needing that proximity with her.
"I know. I'm scared. Truthfully. Genuinely. Can I go home?" I said, declaring it with much voice than needed.
"I need your help...." Her voice was soft. Like pleading.
"I want to. But I'm scared. My feet won't move. If I go deeper into the forest, I'll be seeing more than just you and a santilmo, but more. And that's for sure."
Then Sharon's face began to blur, her eyes disappeared till it faded. Her nose followed next, the blood was nowhere to be seen.
But her mouth?
It stayed. Closed. Then she suddenly lunged into me, screaming.
Her mouth stretched so wide it was creepy and scary.
I dropped and stumbled back as her face was inches away from mine.
She's radiating dark energy again. Which was gone when her full gruesome face was revealed.
[WARNING: ENTITY IS UNDERGOING VENGEFUL STATE. IF NOT STOPPED, HER SOUL WILL BE ANNIHILATED. AND TASK WILL BE MARKED AS FAILED.]
What the hell does that mean?
Is she furious that I was cowering in fear and wanted to go back?
Crap!
My breath hitched as her mouth got wider and wider. She wasn't attacking me. Just screaming at my face.
[ONCE VENGEFUL STATE HAS BEEN UNLEASHED, HOST WILL BE IN DANGER. SHARON WILL START ATTACKING PHYSICALLY.]
Tang ina. That's the worse thing that could happen. If I'm attacked that means she'll be able to kill me.
I'm totally freaking out now. Panicking. Scared beyond wits.
[A VENGEFUL SPIRIT WILL LOST ITS CHANCE AT FOR ITS SOUL TO BE JUDGED FAIRLY. IT'LL BE SENT STRAIGHT TO ETERNAL FLAME.]
Now that changes things.... A chance to be fairly judged. Whether she's allowed to ascend or she'll descend straight to hell.
I clenched my fist tightly.
I was given a system. A chance to fight my fears. A chance to protect both being, in flesh and not when I'm getting used to how the system operates.
But my cowardice was hindering me from doing it. My fear was leading me on.
And in front if me, was a white lady asking for help. A ghost. Someone who once lived but wasn't able to move forward.
She's trapped, and the only person who could have helped her...was on the ground shaking.
And she's already on the verge of getting her soul sent to eternal flames for annihilation.
"That won't do.....Shar-on.... I'll help. Lead me....to the very reason that's trapping you." I looked at her face, that's now slowly showing back to its gruesome features.
I didn't looked away. I was showing her that I'm determined to help. Despite my body still protesting.
"Let's go." She's back, the dark energy was gone. And started moving ahead.
Floating towards the very root that's stopping her.
Even if I wasn't ready for it.