Do ghosts and spirits really exist? That is what I thought over and over again. Now that I just saw a bone-chilling shadowy figure roaming around the avocado tree, signaling me to come over, I really thought this seriously. However, as I prayed in my mind, asking God and Jesus for help, I had just found myself on my bed, sweating because of fear. I was wondering if this was a brooding dream, or a vision. I kept on conjecturing if this was a vision that will happen soon in the future, or it will not. This frightened me. This is what happened…
It was nearly sunset, my sister bugging me all day, my brother playing his finger-tapping music, my dad gone for long agonizing hours, and my mom bothering me about “Laundry Day” even when I have a pile of homework to do. She plans “Laundry Day” with me, talking at a level between medium loud and very loud.
Mom summoned, “Hey Charmaine! Come here!”
I inquired, “Yes, Nanay?”
Mom explained, “What day should we wash this pyramid of clothes because I know that you are swamped up with work. I need help washing, especially when it is night.”
I replied, “I am available to wash tomorrow.”
Mom confirmed, “Okay, tomorrow.” She starts categorizing and organizing the clothes based on the color and type of fabric.
A day has passed, now Saturday, my dad finally home, on the couch, very exhausted from work, and finally slept. My mom called me out for the laundry. The clothes were packed into Glad bags for me to carry to the washing machine.
As I passed by my family’s garden, I felt the icy touch of the cold wind blowing all over my body. The face of the distend moon was so round and shiny where bats frolicked to worship its nocturnal beauty. In a flash, I smelled a scent of a rosemary flower and it amplified a tremble inside my heart. My hair behind my neck felt like it curled up and somebody was touching it. I tried to control my composure, but when I started heading towards the laundry shack that was situated near the lushly avocado tree, I saw a shadow. Gradually, the shadow transformed into a pale-faced lady wearing a white gothic dress with black eyeliner.
I realized that she was not from our apartment compound, so I dropped the laundry clothes and hurried back inside the house to inform my mom. My mom did not believe me. She told me to see the doctor later on. She went out and loaded the next batch of sweaty and smelly laundry, while I was still shaking in fear.
Inside the house, there was a big window with a curtain and blinds on it. My conscience kept whispering to me eerily, “Charmaine, peek into that window.” Hesitantly, I moved in at a snail pace and slowly moved the curtain, then next the dusty window blinds. I peeked in slowly when suddenly the face of the pale, long-haired woman appeared again. I was puzzled and petrified. It seemed like my heart stopped for a moment and my spine chilled like ice. I attempted to scream, but there was no sound coming out of my mouth. My jaw and muscles locked and felt paralyzed. The gothic woman elevated in the air and motioned me to come over. She smiled wickedly while pointing at me. She went towards me, and I knew there was a sinister that would happen.
Out from nowhere, I remember that my dad taught me to pray whenever I felt scared. He told and taught me to speak directly to the Divine Power, so it will give me strength. I sure made a quick one and called all my saints and angels. As soon as the ghost was about to touch me, I stared at her as I felt a sudden heat on my body. It was like I had power and courage to fight and stand up again. The ghost screamed and it slowly faded as a vortex took her up in the sky. The twister knocked down the avocado tree.
I suddenly heard my mom calling my name, “Charmaine! Charmaine! Wake up! I told you to help me in the laundry not watching this scary movie! You’re grounded for watching TV, and what’s that gothic dress doing there?”
I was perplexed then I realized I fell asleep watching this scary movie before helping my mom. The gothic dress that my mom was talking about was the dress I borrowed from a friend for the school presentation. This dress and the scary movie combined, surely made a horrifying dream. I will never watch scary movies again, never at this young age.