“Kapre? Home?” Repeated the woman called Ellaine, right after she uttered the word, Ellaine started to shudder, and her face went pale. She started to remember how the Kapre tortured her while the spirit was in her body.
“Ellaine?” One of her friends called her name after noticing the change in her expression.
“Do not worry. She is just recalling what happened to her.” Lola Yma assured the man.
“His home is the group of Molave trees in the forest with the central tree growing straight up and towers over the other molave trees in its group. It is the only group of Molave that is arranged in such a manner in the forest.” Facing the woman, Lola Yma relayed the information to her in a flat voice.
“I-I did not know that it was his home! I swear! There was no sign or warning!” Ellaine defended herself.
“Just because there was no sign, it does not mean that no one is living there! Haaays… This is why the youths today are so troublesome.” Reprimanded Lola Yma, clearly annoyed by the woman’s reaction.
“I have come to an agreement with the spirit. In exchange for pardoning your actions in his home, he demanded that a sacrifice be made to him, and the item you took from him be returned.” Explained Lola Yma.
“Sacrifice? Item?” Ellaine was confused.
“Yes. Two days later, we will hold a sacrificial ritual at his home. A white rooster will suffice, and you will have to buy it yourself, but to completely appease his anger, you need to return the item you took from him.” Clarified Lola Yma.
“What item are you talking about ma’am?” Ellaine was still confused. She does not seem to know what the old woman was talking about.
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“Ellaine, I think the old woman is talking about that booklet you found yesterday when we entered the park.” One of her friends reminded the woman about the item she found.
“That was his item? But that item was nowhere near the cluster of trees you mentioned! That item rightfully belongs to me!” The woman protested. She seems indignant for having to return an item she found in the park.
“Ahem!” Chairman Buboy decided to step in. “Actually, that booklet, if we are being legal here, is considered a property of the park as a “Lost and Found” item. It could have been someone else’s property that was left behind when they were touring the park like you.”
Hearing chairman Buboy’s words, Ellaine fell silent. Indeed, since the booklet was found inside the park, it is considered as a lost and found item that needs to be surrendered to the authorities for it to be returned to their owners. Of course, this is only true if the person who found it informed the proper authority about the item, but if the person who found it did not say anything, then the item would belong to anyone who found it. If only the possession of her body did not happen, no one here would know about the booklet.
“Fine. I will also return the booklet.” In the end, even though she was reluctant, she had no choice but to return it.
“Good. Two days later, let us meet at the park. Do not forget to bring a white rooster and the item. Do not even think about substituting that item with another. Even though I do not know what it looks like, the spirit does. And if it becomes more enraged because of what you do, then do not blame if something bad happens to you.” After saying her instructions, Lola Yma then turned around and started to walk out of the house with Mawi following behind her.
“Lola Yma, earlier I–” After walking out of chairman Buboy’s yard Mawi tried to talk to Lola Yma about what happened but was interrupted by her.
“Let us talk once we get back to the house. I also have a lot of things to tell you.” Saying her piece, Lola Yma then hailed a tricycle and asked the driver to send the two of them home.
It took Lola Yma and Mawi ten minutes to return, twice the amount of time it took for them to run from Lola Yma’s house to chairman Buboy’s residence. It was around lunch time when they reached their destination. Thankfully, the young man whom Lola Yma asked to watch over Sable had already cooked rice when they arrived.