The Balete Tree

The funeral had been a blur of blanched bouquets of flowers, ginger tea and stale-smelling relatives. I'm pretty sure Grandma Geneva would have hated to be here. It was too much of a celebration; and oh, how she hated parties. She would avoid them if she could or be cantankerous if forced to participate. Good thing she passed on before finding out the 'party' was for her departure from earth. 1

After taking my fill of overwhelmingly dry small talks about college, boyfriends, excuses why I have none and Grandma's hidden treasures (all she actually left me was the house and a few stubborn trunks with locks too rusty to be opened again), I was ready to peacefully retire to my old bed and lie there until noon the next day. 2

I was finally drifting off the sleep when I heard my door creak open. I imagined a long lost aunt's child wandering around with the bold curiosity only a child can muster. My long and winded 'privacy speech' was all ready but the words died on my lips when I saw that it wasn't a child peeking through my doorway. I didn't even think it was human. 3

Grandma and her stories were true. She was vague about some details, sketchy even, but at this very instant, everything she told me to keep me from going out after dark were all true. I had to check myself to make sure I was still breathing.4

The figure, too small to be fully grown yet too long-limbed to be a child, slithered in not even bothering to close the door. If it was aware that I was feigning sleep it didn't show it. I just fervently prayed my outstanding performance would convince the creature that it had made a mistake an move on. How dreadfully wrong I was.5

'Come now my lady, you do not fool me,' it croaked with an unnatural, slimy, inhuman whisper. 6

I opened my eyes slowly but after seeing that its face was only a breath away I immediately closed them as fast as one could shut an intruder by a door. Somehow, the image of the sickly colored, wart-covered, obsidian-black eyed, slitted nose, face was etched in, forever to haunt me in my sleep. 7

It let out a raspy, cough-like chuckle. It rattled my bones and caused my shivers to be more pronounced. Great, now I have the special sound effects that could go with my nightmares. 8

'Why do you fear me so?' it asked. The hollow voice reverberated in my head for a minute before my brain registered the question. 9

It was then that I had relearned the ability to talk. 'Wha-what do you w-want?' I said through chattered teeth. The nightmare should be over by now. I usually never go past the distorted face then my eyes would always flutter awake. For the first time in my life I would have given anything just to hear the blaring noise of my alarm clock. And for the second time that evening, I was dead wrong. 10

'It is impolite to answer a question with another, my lady' it said, tongue overlapping every syllable. It was as if the muscle was begging to have a taste of me.11

And my ex-boyfriend said I was too prude. Ha! for him. I would have laughed out loud if it were a different situation but unfortunately I didn't think this was the appropriate time to do so. 12

'But then again, We really don't have time for such pleasantries,' it continued on, 'Come now, the night is short. They are waiting.' The tongue was now freely lolling down. A three fingered hand reached down for mine which was permanently clamped on my blanket. Or so I thought. It lifted my hand without pressure, held onto it and pulled me up. I could feel every callous and unfamiliar bumps and valleys you wouldn't normally find in a normal hand. 13

'I... I don't understand,' I stammered, trying to grasp the situation. For some reason, my brain just stopped cooperating with the rest of my body and it was just scattered everywhere. It was like trying to focus a camera lens but it was still coming out as blurry and I should feel the drum of frustration coming on but instead a warm feeling blossomed from my chest. It enveloped throughout my whole body until it reached my toes so I removed my blanket and planted my feet on the floor. 14

'You will, my liege. You will,' the creature gave a cryptic smile and I could do nothing else but nod in mock understanding. 15

I stood from the bed and started to walk for the door hand in hand with the being not even reaching my waist. With an undiscovered familiarity in the dark, I was led towards the back entrance and made our way out of the house and into the backyard where there grew a *Balete tree taken care of by countless generations and seemed to be as old as time. 16

The comforting warmth grew even more; it was now spreading through my arms and an area around my back I had never felt before. Without really thinking, I whipped my head back and found the most glorious, breathtaking pair of wings protruding from my back. It was the color of opalescent white and none of the images of insect-like fairy wings could even compare to it. They were feathery and silky smooth quite unlike the beetle's hard shelled ones. They had no definite shape, very different from what I had seen in books and Halloween costumes but they moved like they had taken a life of their own. White fire. 17

I felt my breath catch as I whirled around and a sliver of smoke from the wings touched the side of my face. It was incredible cool despite the warmth I previously felt from them. 18

For some reason, shock most possibly, fear was nowhere to be found. In fact, I felt a surge of mirth bubbling from within. I never thought it would feel this good to laugh. So I did. I held Tutubi's hand (for some reason its name, even its life and history, came to me in a blast of light) without recoiling and twirled with him. It never occurred to me that I left the ground until I tried jumping but I couldn't because I was actually doing it, except I was staying up! 19

After one more barrel of squeals, I lowered myself down and was delighted to see the Balete tree filled with life once more. I started my march towards it, nodding to the old man on the termite mound, acknowledging the little dwarfs barely seen on top of mushrooms, sighing at the beauty of the lost maidens of the woods, graciously applauding the music of the trees, closing a hand on my heart to the half-lings and the unborn, looking up at the humongous tobacco-inhaling giant, and finally kissing the bark of the spirit of the tree. 20

'I have come back, my children,' a voice not unlike mine rang out. It was the same alto tone I always used yet different. It was now spoken by a soul that had been hidden and kept away for generations. A soul that was fed with stories of fairies and trolls to be kept alive. A restless soul that was only waiting for the binding charm made by the late Geneva to break to come out and be with her people once more. A soul that was finally free. 21

A wave of hushed tears and smiles cycled throughout the tree. The children of the earth began to sing a song unheard for centuries yet still remembered by heart. The chant began slow, like a heartbeat, then exhilarated to a bouncing frenzy that left everyone breathless. The Balete tree was definitely alive once more.22

Back in the house a distant cousin from the city, hoping for an unexpected inheritance, was complaining about the mosquitoes and the draft coming from the back door. She also let out remarks about how creepy the sounds coming from the tree were. The help just replied with a casual, 'A storm's coming,' and closed the door without another thought. 23

The next day, they found the cousin trapped under one of the protruding roots of the Balete tree, suffocated and covered with mosquito bites. 24

The earth is alive once more my dear, so you better think twice about stepping on that anthill. 25

Fin.26

~o000o~ 27