I found myself breathing hard as I slowly open my eyes. I felt a small trickle of sweat fall from my forehead. I started clenching my fists to see if I can still move.
My hands moved and so did the rest of my body. As I fully became conscious, I saw myself lying on the ground surrounded by dry fallen leaves.
The sun was already setting down making the trees around me glow eerily. I slowly pulled myself up, steadying myself so that I won't collapse.
I looked around me. I was alone. That's when I remembered. I was on a camping trip with my classmates in college.
I felt myself start panicking. There were twenty-five of us including our professor. We took this trip to unwind and bond with our classmates as Christmas is coming 10 days from now. This was supposed to be a seven-day retreat. However, everything has become completely messed up.
I started walking forward, not knowing where to go. All I want to do is to get out of this place fast. I want to go home. I felt myself trying to hold back my tears as I remember what happened.
Travelling for four hours from Cagayan de Oro, we arrived yesterday at around 2:00 in the afternoon. This place is located in the outskirts of Baylan near the edge of what the local people called the "forbidden forest of Baylan". It used to be a resthouse owned by one of our classmate's family named Lily.
Lily said she was born in Baylan but when she was just a year old her parents moved to Cagayan de Oro where she grew up just like the rest of us. This was the first time she would step foot in this place ever since she was a baby. I remember her being excited to be there and meet her grandparents who stayed behind to take care of the place.
As we arrived, we were greeted by Lily's grandmother. I saw them hug each other. As they parted, Lily introduced our professor to her. She then introduced us afterwards.
Lily's grandmother was good-natured. She had this sweet and gracious smile plastered on her face. She may have looked old but she certainly didn't act like it as she tried to help us settle down in our rooms.
The house was big. It was already what one would call a mansion. It had the same style as the old houses during the Spanish era in the Philippines. Its wooden walls have been well-maintained. As you walk through what seemed like a grand hall, its walls are filled with portraits of different men and women wearing old clothing. I figured they were probably the past owners of this house and Lily's ancestors.
As we have been told earlier, there were 6 bedrooms on the second floor and two bedrooms downstairs. I stayed in a room at the far end corner on the second floor together with four other classmates of mine. Our room was facing the forest which was a few meters away from the mansion.
We were unpacking and settling down when we were called by one of our classmate to head downstairs and have some refreshments and snacks. As we all head out the room, I noticed something outside the window. There seemed to be a black dog standing guard at the forest's edge. As I stare more, it looked like it had bright red eyes.
I wanted to look further but then one of my classmate, her name was Rhea, came back and asked me to hurry up. When I looked back outside, the dog was gone.
A few hours passed by like it was nothing. We were all engrossed with chatting with each other at the mansion's patio when we finally noticed the sun had gone down. Lily's grandmother told us to go inside the house and have dinner. Tomorrow we will depart toward a cabin built by Lily's grandfather deep in the woods. Her grandmother told us that we need to follow the small path lined with red leaves in order to get there.
We helped in the dinner preparation. It consisted of simple but delicious foods like 'kare-kare', 'kinilaw', grilled pork and fish and 'sinigang na bangus'. There were also fresh fruits laid on the table. It was like a feast.
After dinner, some of our classmates stayed and helped Lily's grandmother in cleaning up the table and kitchen. The rest of us gathered around the living room and made plans on what to do tomorrow at the cabin. We were told that near the cabin was a small stream where we can bathe in and relax.
By 10:00 in the evening we started heading toward our rooms to sleep. The travel must have taken a toll on me since I felt myself drift off easily.
I couldn't exactly remember the details of my dream but it felt like it was a good one. Suddenly, I was woken up by a loud and piercing scream. I bolted up immediately from my bed. It was dark. I checked my phone. It was still 2:30am. My heart was still racing as I scanned the room for any signs of unusual things. I noticed that my roommates were still asleep. No one seemed to have heard the sharp cry that woke me up. Sitting down at the edge of my bed I listened for anything that my ears might catch. There was only silence. Once I felt myself calmed down, I slipped under the covers and went back to sleep.
I woke up at 5:00am as I heard my roommates getting ready. They woke up early, excitement etched on their faces. I, on the other hand, still felt tired for not sleeping as much as I wanted to. Whenever I remember the scream that woke me up, I feel chills crawling under my skin.
As soon as we're done dressing up, we went to the kitchen and gathered around for breakfast. I was still feeling uncomfortable with what seemed to be my nightmare that even my friend Sylvie noticed. She asked me what's wrong. As I was about to tell her, we heard our professor tell us to get our things so that we could finally walk to the cabin. My classmates stood up, took their things and headed out. I told Sylvie I'd tell her later.
Lily's grandmother guided us through the small path. It was lined up by plants with bright red leaves. Our professor told us her parents called it Sagilala. Then, I heard our professor ask Lily's grandmother where her husband is.
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"We haven't seen him since yesterday," she added.
I noticed Lily's grandmother's face become somber. But then, as soon as it came, it vanished and was replaced by another sweet smile.
"He'll be back soon." She didn't explain anything further.
It was a 15 minute hike on a steep terrain. I felt my muscles become sore. When we arrived at the cabin though, it was all worth it.
The cabin was small but it was enough for us. It had four big rooms, a small living area and a kitchen area where we could fit ourselves in. The veranda was surprisingly big. The area was well-kept.
True to the old lady's words there was a small stream 10 meters away at the cabin's east side. It was surrounded by thick bushes, huge trees and beautiful wild flowers. The gentle sound of water can be heard and it's soothing to the ears.
However, we had something different planned in our minds. The sun was already high up when we decided to set up our tents. Before we took this trip, we decided to bring tents to fully immerse ourselves in the camping experience.
After setting up our tents and placing our things inside, me, Sylvie and 5 girls and 6 boys from our group headed toward the stream. Our professor, Lily, her grandmother and the rest of our friends and classmates stayed behind to set up the table outside the cabin and prepare and cook lunch. The water was cold and refreshing. It was relaxing indeed.
We had lunch together with the rest of the group at noon and then continued bathing until the afternoon. It was around 3:30pm when I checked my watch and figured out I'd get out of the water to get some snacks for me and my friends. Sylvie came with me as well to drink cold juice.
As we got near the front of the cabin, I tripped over something lying on the ground. I helped myself up but then I heard Sylvie scream beside me. I looked at Sylvie to ask her what's wrong. What I saw was pure horror in her eyes. I followed her line of sight and saw the most horrible thing I had ever seen in my entire life.
Sprawled out on top of the table we once had eaten our lunch at, was our professor. She was in a bloody mess and her left arm was missing. I felt Sylvie shaking beside me. She then vomited everything she ate earlier.
As I looked around, I saw five more of our classmates lying on the ground piled up like they were sacks of rice. They either had missing limbs or heads.
Then, I felt my head swirl. It felt like I wanted to hurl what I ate earlier just like what Sylvie did a moment ago. I now know where the missing heads and limbs were. They were all hanging on the veranda displayed like Christmas decorations.
A hand suddenly grabbed my left arm. Both Sylvie and I screamed but then I heard a familiar voice speak out.
"Get the hell out of here. Call the others and get the hell out of here."
It was Lily. Her cheek was swollen. It looked like she had a broken leg as well.
"L-Lily? W-what happened h-here?," was all I managed to spit out.
She was about to answer when the door of the cabin opened. Walking slowly and carrying a bloody machete was Lily's grandmother. She had a crazy look on her face.
"Lily... why don't you go back inside and invite your friends. Let them meet your grandfather as well," she said in a maniacal tone.
"Run!"
We did what Lily said. We ran back to the stream, toward where we left our friends and classmates. We shouted for help as we came closer.
However, what lies ahead was far more gruesome. We were deeply rooted with fear. The stream's edge turned crimson. The bodies of our friends laid on the ground. Some were even floating in the water. We soon noticed huge black dogs with bright red eyes come out from the trees nearby. Their mouths were dripping with blood snarling at us. We were scared to death.
Holding our hands, Lily told us to run downstream. She told us to find our way back to the small path filled with Sagilala and call for help. We tried taking her with us but she said she can't walk anymore. She was gonna use herself as bait so we can run.
Knowing she was right, I pulled Sylvie with me as we head toward another path. Sylvie was crying hard and so was I. We couldn't afford to stop and grieve and so we continued running until our legs gave out.
We found ourselves looking up a rugged terrain. Sylvie climbed up first and I followed. But as soon as I stepped my foot on high ground, I felt Sylvie pushing me back. I fell back down and hit my head. I then heard Sylvie's screams as I felt my eyes closing.
That was how I came to be here. Trying to calm myself, I continued walking to what felt like forever. It was already dark and I seemed to have lost all hope. I was gonna stop to take a rest when I finally noticed those familiar bright red leaves. My eyes widened as my heart was again filled with hope. I followed the path and felt happy to have realized that it was the same steep terrain that we walked on earlier.
I was about to get out of the forest when I saw something coming toward me. I ducked down immediately. I looked back and saw a machete stuck at a tree behind me.
"There you are, little one," came a voice from behind the trees. It was Lily's grandmother. Gone was the sweet and cheerful woman. All that's in front of me was a shell of a crazy old lady.
"Why are you doing this?" For a moment, my fear vanished and it was replaced by hatred toward this old woman. How can she do such a thing? How can she hurt others especially her own grandchild?
The old woman laughed."Why? Why not? By doing this, we can all stay together. My husband... Lily... Lily's friends... We can all be together...... forever." She laughed even more.
I didn't have time for this. I stood up, took the machete that was thrown earlier, ran forward and drove it into the old woman's stomach.
Blood poured out from her mouth as I screamed pushing the machete further. I was so angry. It felt like all the helplessness and fear I felt earlier fueled my anger, giving me strength.
Her body dropped to the forest floor. I felt relieved. As I was walking toward the forest edge a voice called out to me. I looked back at the trees and saw Sylvie with blood on her head.
"Sylvie," I called out to her. I moved toward her passing over the Sagilala.
That was when I felt myself fall on the ground. I screamed as I felt myself being dragged away by an unseen force.
Loud howls can be heard from a distance.
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December 25, 2021/ 10:45am
Police cars can be seen parked near an old ancestral house at the edge of Baylan's forest. There were also news reporters around covering what they dubbed as the biggest mystery in this city as of to date.
A call was made to the local police station early that morning by a young man and his father who reported what seemed to be the first terrifying massacre that has ever happened in Baylan. The young man and his father were tenants of a farm located a distance away that was owned by the old couple who lived in the huge mansion. It has been more than a week since they spoke with the old couple and so they came to check up on them. The couple were good people and they usually contact their tenants to ask how they and the farm are doing at least once a week.
Bodies were being recovered from the scene. People crying can also be seen and heard near the area. They seemed to be family members of those who have died. Grief and pain blanketed the entire place.
A few distance away, behind the trees, two tall figures can be seen lurking in the shadows. They were observing the movements of the people.
"This is bad news, Denali. We need to report this to the higher ups," said the man who was wearing a snake design ear cuff.
The man called Denali only nodded his head.
Looking toward the horizon, the other man continued. "We need to be ready. Darkness is rising. This is only the beginning."