So it just happened not so long ago, just last year in the month of December. My grandparents from the paternal side decided to visit Cagayan de Oro and also to attend my cousin’s wedding. So everything started there.
My cousin, Ara, the daughter of my Uncle Ting who is the eldest son of my grandparents, lived in Valencia City and the wedding will also be held in Valencia. So my grandparents will be staying at our house for five days since the wedding will be on the sixth. So that all of us will go together.
My grandparents brought my cousin, Angela. I’m not against them living with us for too long, but the thing is I can’t properly sleep because of my cousin. She wanted to sleep in my room the very first day so I just let her but I never expected that she had this habit of ruining people’s peaceful sleep.
Well, I understand that she’s just a kid. She’s just 11 years old though she didn’t look like 11 and she’s even bigger than me. She turns every damn time, kick me, hug me with her heavy hands, and you can’t easily wake her up even if you’re already at the edge of the bed.
I just let it pass that time since she was still my cousin but then it happened on the second and third night. I was very annoyed because we still have an available bed for her but why does she still need to sleep with me?
The next day I told my mother about it, she said to just let it pass since it was her first visit to our house. Without a choice, I just let it pass again, but I just couldn’t really help it anymore when her elbow hit my head and face countless times.
I think all of my patience was blown by the wind that time. So I get up and didn’t sleep until morning came. And she even ask me why did I wake up too early. Goodness! I reminded myself that she’s my cousin and just a kid so I won’t raise hell and high water early in the morning.
So that day, I decided to sleep at my grandmother’s house, it’s the mother of my mother. Her house was just a few blocks from ours. I think I was just very excited to sleep peacefully that I did really bring almost everything in my bed. From pillows to bed sheets and stuff toys, yes I still sleep with a stuffed toy so what? So going back, I forgot that my grandmother has extra pillows and bedsheets there but it was too late since I already went there, knocking on her door like a refugee.
I went there without the knowledge of everyone in the house, well I told my Mom about it though. I’m afraid that if Angela would know she would follow me and sleep there too. I don’t want to burden my grandma, she’s old and weak already.
So honestly it was my first night sleep over in her house. The last time was when I’m still a kid, when our parents would go to work then they would drop us at my Grandma’s house and fetch before dinner. So I’m kinda excited since it was my first time, have I told you that I love my grandma so much? Yeah, I love her so much. She just really loves spoiling us with our whims.
My grandma’s house is a bit old. Older than me, older than my mother, and even older than grandma. It was built during the last war and just renovated to keep it up until now. I didn’t notice that it was kinda creepy since I used to visit during the day.
I just set aside those thoughts and help grandma in preparing our bed. Since she was old, she couldn't freely go upstairs where the rooms are so we just settled at the huge and empty living room. She was just alone sleeping in that big house since all of my uncles were at work, that’s why she was very glad when I told her I would sleep over for just a night.
It was just 8pm when she decided to sleep, not my usual sleeping hours, but since she’s a bit strict so we sleep. Our position was facing the windows upstairs. When grandma turned off the lights I got a little chills and I don’t know why.
It was very dark and even if the windows were big, there are still no lights that go through from the outside lamp posts. And I don’t know if it was me but everything seems so quiet and it seems so cold. It was so quiet, cold, and dark and it really feels very creepy.
I decided to just ignore that feeling since it was my first time sleeping there. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep but I just couldn’t. And I feel like someone is watching me from the windows upstairs. I think it was around midnight that time when I heard some faint noise upstairs. I don’t know if it was the cats or what but I nearly had a heart attack.
My eyes were shut tightly yet I’m wide awake. I’m sweating cold bullets and I think my heart is about to explode. I am really a scaredy cat. In the family, I was the one who can’t stand watching horror.
Then I was reminded of how old that house is and how many funerals were served there already. I fight the urge to cry and just think of how annoying Angela is.
I thought I could finally have a peaceful sleep.
When morning came, grandma invited me to sleep there again but I refused immediately. I love her but her house was just too scary for me.
