The Last Time Around

Hey! This is the second story I would like to share. I'm thankful that my first one got shared and passed the criteria of this site. I'm just so glad that I was able to share my experiences to someone at last. Anyway, here goes the story.

My very first encounter with the unknown/supernatural took place way beyond the time when my first story was set. I was still in Manila when strange things started to occur that even I did not comprehend at first. I'll give you a history of why and how I was able to see and sense the supernatural. My aunties have always told me that when I was little, about a year old, I used to look outside our house and practically laugh at something. Something they couldn't see. They were baffled that I'll look across our main entrance and stand there every 6 o'clock in the evening and start to cackle. It was cute for them, thinking that an angel was probably playing with me, but the weird thing is, according to my aunts, I always looked at the same tree every time I laugh. (Anyway, our first house in Manila was surrounded with trees, so even though we were in a busy town, it becomes eerily quiet at night.)

That gave them chills and decided to bring me to an albularyo (quack/witch doctor). I could still remember my aunts say that the albularyo told them that a little dwarf was playing with me, amusing me every 6 o'clock. But though it was a very "friendly" gesture, the albularyo told my mom and aunts that most often than not, the reason why dwarfs play with little children is because they want to kidnap them and make them stay in their kingdom (yes, the Philippines have these beliefs about supernatural beings other than ghosts or fairies that are called Engkanto). Since then, they have always made it their goal to let me wear charms that will send bad spirits/entities away.

Even in my early childhood, I was already plagued with spiritual encounters and I'm not sure about this but I have visions or dreams that come true and some premonitions that scare me to death. I know premonitions are not supposed to be shared here, but I think it is really tied to my ghostly experience when I was in kindergarten. You may ask how the hell I remember these things happening but, not to brag, I was gifted with really good memory so I recall almost all things that happens or whatever is said to me. Besides, ghostly encounters are always unforgettable.

I remember I was in kinder 1, and my classmates and I were on a field trip. We were about to go to lunch after playing at a public park in the metro (to be specific at Roxas avenue) when I suddenly had a "feeling" (yes, at that time I considered what I actually saw flash before my eyes a feeling) that one of my classmates fell down from a cylindrical cement used in constructing sewage systems (sorry I do not know what they are called). There were several cylindrical tubes at the park and I thought it was just something that I imagined but then I heard a mom shout so loud that all the people in the park literally stopped what they were doing.

I then rushed to the scene and saw that my classmate did fall down two cylindrical tubes that were put on top of each other (the one at the bottom already wore off so the one at the top was safely held in place). It was really horrific. There so much blood on the ground and a lot of moms were crying and shouting for help at the same time. I remember not understanding what was happening but I do know that my friend is definitely hurt.

It was really heartbreaking to see his mom cry, especially that he was an only child and his parents cannot have a child anymore due to a condition concerning my hurt friend's mom's reproductive system. If he was to die, it would really be a tragedy for his parents. He was rushed to the nearest hospital and after that we were not informed of his condition. A few months later, our teacher told us that my friend (the one who fell) is in a coma and was asking us to include him in our prayers. A few moments later, I was forced to look into our comfort room (our classroom was equipped with a comfort room since we were still very small children and anytime we could use the toilet). I suddenly saw my hurt friend standing there washing his hands.

I remember going to him and greeting him. Asking how he is and if he feels fine. Of course that time I have no idea how he was suddenly there just after our teacher asked us to pray for him. I can clearly recall that he said "I am alright. But my mommy is not, she cannot accept that I am gone. I will miss all of you." I was startled at what he said because in my mind he is here, so how come he is gone? Maybe my teacher noticed me since she asked me who I was talking to and I told her that it was my hurt friend. Her eyes went wild and scolded me, said that that's impossible since my classmate was still in the hospital. I said that I really talked to him and even pointed my finger at him near the sink and my teacher was just saying that there was no one there.

I remember just going back to my seat and shrugged the matter off. A day after, my teacher told us that my friend died the day before (yes, the day I saw him at the lavatory) and that he was not able to survive due to a large amount of blood lost during his accident and after he was treated, suffered from internal bleeding. My classmates and I were just sitting there because we do not understand what happened or what the significance of the news is. Our teacher told us that our friend was already an angel and that he will see God and Jesus soon.

I know now for certain that my friend still came back to at least say goodbye but that time I was not aware of the supernatural and I did not comprehend what happened. I have always thought that it was my fault that he died, that if I hadn't seen a classmate of mine fall from my vision, he could still be alive today.