On a fine summer long ago when we were still kids, our late Grandfather (my Gramp's Brother-in-law) often brought us toys. He had a lot of toy supplies since that was his business. Mostly every summer if he got the time or if he got a business nearby, he would drop by our house and he would give every one of us some toys. In that particular summer, he gave each one of us a helicopter toy which you would pull the string at its back, then when you released the string, it would fly.
We had enjoyed playing with that toy that my brother went far away to find some spacious spot so that his helicopter toy wouldn't be trapped in the leaves or branches of the leafy trees that surround our house when he wants it to fly. He was happily playing with his toy in that area wherein he is the only one there. His toy often landed on the grass beside a big rock. At his last attempt at picking it up to make it fly again, he was shocked when he saw a pair of feet in front of him while he was bending to pick up the toy because there was no one there before he bent down.
When he looked up to see who it was, he was taken aback by his feet from shock and fell to the ground. He was trembling, surprised, and frightened from what he saw. At first, he can't find his voice to utter a word or shout for help. Fortunately, a carpenter who was repairing our house carrying bamboo in his shoulders pass by from afar. When my brother noticed him, he got back from his senses and shouted, "A Ghoul! A Ghoul! A Ghoul!" The carpenter heard it and dropped the bamboo which he was carrying, then ran towards my brother who was trembling on the grass.
He asked my brother what happened but all my brother could say was that he saw a ghoul. He kept repeating what he was saying, being hysterical, that the carpenter can't make him calm down anymore. The carpenter just lift him and ran towards the house while carrying my brother in his arms. When they reached the house, my brother was crying terribly and repeatedly saying that he saw a ghoul. My mother approached him and asked him what did the ghoul did to him.
He just said that when he was picking up his toy, then there was that very ugly woman wearing a milky-white old dress standing in front of him barefoot on the grass. He said that the woman did nothing but stare at him intensely as if she was going to devour him just by her glares. My father searched the area where my brother played but he saw no one there. The carpenter who rescued my brother also didn't see anyone when my brother shouted at him. We asked some passersby if ever they saw such a woman but they responded that they saw no one like that.
Ever since that day, my brother didn't want to be alone or be left out every time we walk together. He would often cling to my Mum or any of us while he walk. He often says that someone is watching him. Then one day, when we found my Mum's photo album when she was a kid. We saw a photo of our late Grandmother, which is my Mum's mother. My brother instantly freaked out when he saw it. He was trembling by seeing it and screaming that she was the Ghoul. He said that she was going to get him. My Mum hurriedly hide the photo album, so that my brother could calm down.
The last time that we have recalled those memories was when we are older now. My Mum's conclusion as to why did our late Grandma only show up to my brother, maybe because he was the only naughty and stubborn kid when we were young. Our late Grandma didn't like that Mum to be always agitated so she showed up at my brother to scare him to behave. Truly, my brother did behave since that time. He wasn't that stubborn anymore and he is listening to my Mum's words now.
I'm not writing a fictional short story here guys. This incident really did happen when we were kids. Looking back at it now, we just found it hilarious and unbelievable, but my brother often insisted that it was true. I know you are wondering why he shouted "Ghoul" instead of "Ghost". I'm wondering why, too. We asked him about that but he just said that it was the first thing that came to his mind.
Today is Halloween, yeah, and it made me remember this kind of spooky encounter when we were kids. Since tomorrow will be the start of November, you can expect me to write more spooky things from now on. LOL. 😄
Happy Halloween, beautiful people!
From your broke Farm Girl,
Nakakatrauma yon before sa kuya mo dahil talagang nagbago yung behavior niya.