A House With Heartthrobs (English Version)

I watched the trees that were around us as I waited for the four men to finish eating. T. H was lying on one of the wooden chairs there. My eyes closed as the fresh air blew on me. I feel like I’m in the province but it’s just that I’m not with Lolita and Lucky.

I suddenly missed the woods in province with my cousin. We used to go to the mountains for a picnic. I feel better now because I just received a call from my cousin. Although our conversation was interrupted because of the weakness of the signal, I understood some details.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Someone sent money to Lucky because he got a hospital payment. Not only that, because Lolita’s money to buy medicine was too much.

“Hey? What are you thinking?” Jez like a mushroom appeared next to me.

I breathed easily as I inhaled the air full of oxygen.

“I really thank you, Jez!” I hugged him but he immediately pushed me jokingly.

“Why? You’re random!” he said while patting the chicken’s thigh.

“I lost my chicken!” Marcus shouted from the other table. Jez, on the other hand, wished he could not be seen eating it so he turned away from that position.

“Latrelle, please come out” Marcus said authoritatively. They are like children fighting.

I giggle at Latrelle’s reaction. His face was so innocent while eating.

“You know I’m a heavy-eater but I’m not really the one who stole your chicken” Latrelle refused then stood up to wash her hands with her water.

Marcus irritably ate the rest of his chicken neck. Wyn next to it gave him a tapa.

Marcus didn’t say a word because the mixture was bad. That was his favorite part of the chicken.

“I have a watermelon in the bag” Jez said dead-maliciously enough for them to hear.

“Please be mine!” Marcus said happily.

“Why did you picked-up the chicken?” I asked.

“Shh. I didn’t have enough food, so I tried to steal his chicken. You know that my salary is not enough for this month”, he washed his hands then I handed him a tissue.

I watched him comb his hair. When the cleaning of my male companions was over, we started walking again. They had a lot to tell about a man we met in his middle 40’s.

He narrated that it was forbidden to throw it on this mountain because apart from maintaining its cleanliness, it was because of Maria Makiling.

“Personally, I don’t really believe in folktales, Manong (A Tagalog word use to refer in older man)” said Marcus who was busy eating the mango he bought at one of the shops there.

“Because my Dad and I are hikers. When I was a child, I believed in that but when I grew up I didn’t” he continued.

“You know there’s nothing wrong with believing or not” said the old man who just shrugged his shoulders.

“Eh, who is Maria Makiling? Is that Chix?” Latrelle is really stupid or he just doesn’t know anything about the girl.

Manong drank some water before continuing the story. It is obvious to Manong to believe in such things. In fact, he seems to have grown up with old beliefs.

There is a band tied to its forehead. His long sleeves had three buttons and a necklace that looked like the teeth of a beast. His shorts, on the other hand, were torn and faded and he was wearing only slippers woven with thumb tacks.

“She’s a beautiful girl. She’s a fairy guardian here. In fact, hikers used to go missing on this mountain. Rarely do they come back. If they can come back, they won’t be sensible, or no one can understand them.”

His story looks convincing so that’s how Jez, T. H, and Latrelle nodded. I couldn’t believe that even God-like Wyn would believe this either. But only one person reacted differently. Marcus frowned as he sniffed his red lips. After a few half hours have gone we decided to rest again.

“We’re just going somewhere” Latrelle said. Maybe they’ll go to the Eagle area. It seems to be close to here. I just noticed that I was asleep and Latrelle’s voice woke me up.

“Marcus! Marcus is missing!”

One by one we panicked. Jez called the forest rangers guarding the mountain. While Latrelle and T. H asked our fellow hikers if they had seen Marcus. Wyn and I asked the shopkeepers if they had seen Marcus using our friend’s picture.

At three o’clock in the afternoon there we had hoped a hiker had also seen Marcus. But we couldn’t talk to Marcus. He seemed out of place.

“Marcus?” cried Latrelle. Only now have I seen him fall.

Marcus whispered something to himself, but we couldn’t understand. Our tears flowed so much that even T. H. who I thought had no heart was just like that.

“I’ll take care of him, Sir” said the forest ranger who helped me find Marcus.

“Thank you. I’ll take care of my friend” Latrelle said.

As we went down the mountain to go home, he was supporting Marcus. We silently watched them both. I stopped for a moment when I felt knee pain. Earlier I was tired of looking for Marcus. I sat for a moment then I will just follow them. They walk slowly so I can’t be left behind.

I just took a few seconds off to stop in front of me. I know whose shoes those are for. I smiled with joy, but I didn’t show my reaction. I acted normal as I looked up at him.

He sat down next to me. “Come on. Piggy back ride” he seemed like an angel in heaven because of the coldness and tenderness of his voice.

“Uh. It’s embarrassing, Wyn” please narrow down a bit so as not to be obviously flirty.

“I know you’re tired so don’t be shy”

I blushed as I sat behind him. I raised my voice as I felt his hand adjust to my knees.

“Hold on tight” he reminds me.

Even if he doesn’t say I will do it. My cheeks turned red and hot. I feel like I need to check my BP after that.

“No! Wyn!” Jez shouted with mixed concern.

My friend turned behind him when Wyn answered. “There it is!”

Jez’s jaw almost dropped when he saw me in that position. He blinked a few times as if he couldn’t believe it. T. H. next to him frowned. It was as if he was killing me with his looks. I don’t know why I feel ashamed. I just nodded and blocked my face with my own hair.

“No, are you okay?”

“Huh? Uhm … Sure!” I tried to laugh.