Old tale tells that if you catch a fallen eyelash, you can make a wish and it will come true. I’ve been hearing that since I was a kid but I never tried even once. Maybe because I don’t believe in that folk at all. It’s just a self-made story that the oldies tell in the youth anyway.
“Maria, wash the dishes now!” my mother shouted from the backyard. It’s getting dark already and she’s gathering the clothes that are hanging on the old cord wires that are tied in both of the coconut trees.
“It’s Linda’s turn!” I shouted back. I was busy watching some variety shows on our black and white television. Any moment from now, some of our neighbors will be here to watch some movies too.
I didn’t hear an answer from Inang but she walked in with a pile of clothes in her arms.
“Just do it. Your sister is sick” she said and sat on our bamboo chair with the clothes on her lap and started folding it.
I stomp my feet and raise from where I seated. I glared at my sister who is on the other corner and happily watching the show. I hate her so much. Everytime she is acting sick, all of the workloads will be passed on to me. If I had food, I need to share it with her. If there are things that she cannot do, I need to do it for her. I hate her so much. I felt less love by my parents when she was born.
I headed to the backyard where the well was located. I wanted to cry in so much anger when I saw how the plates were carelessly piled up. I already wash the dishes earlier. I was the one who cooked dinner. I was the one who cleaned the house earlier. Why do I need to wash the dishes now? I feel like I was not far from a slave because of that sister of mine!
I started washing the dishes. Showing how mad I was. I was doing it carelessly but I was still being cautious a little to make sure that I won’t break anything or else I would feel my mother’s beating.
When I was about to finish, I saw my father walking in from our bamboo fences with a leather strip in his shoulder. I looked at his back when I didn’t see Lakas, our carabao.
“Amang!” I run to him and bless. “Where is Lakas?”
He just smiled and messed my already messy hair. “I bring you Suman. Go share it with your sister”
I accepted the Suman covered in a brown paper bag and excitedly went inside the house. There are only two Suman so I gave the other one to Linda while I kept the other one on the side of the TV and went back to the backyard to finish washing the dishes.
I went back to the house again as I saw some of our neighbors making their way to our house now. It is already time for our favorite TV show.
I got my Suman and started eating it while sitting comfortably at my favorite spot. Linda was about to finish eating now and was looking at me. I rolled my eyes at her and just ate. Our neighbor’s kid, Baldo, who is just a year older than Linda went in and greeted us. He sat at the corner near the TV, it’s his usual spot.
As the show started, our neighbors slowly flocked at our door and windows. The kids were inside while the adults were just outside standing and some were sitting on the provided bamboo chairs. I was slowly enjoying my Suman when Linda went to my side and asked for it. I ignored her and just focused my attention on what we are watching.
Linda started crying and Inang warned me immediately. I whined too and stomped my feet.
“She already ate hers! Why do I need to give her? This is mine!” I shouted, attracting our neighbor’s attention now. Some laugh at us. I don’t really care but Inang looked at me with an unpleasant expression.
In the end, I gave the Suman to Linda and pinch her sides. She cried and Inang who saw it, immediately hit me with her slipper. I didn’t cry but I was holding back my tears. I really hate my sister so much and I hope that she would just be gone. I never wanted to have a sister anyway.
The show ended with me in a bad mood. Some of our neighbors left and went home already while some were still here drinking Tuba with Amang.
Tatang Tino, a known quack doctor in our baryo, gathered us kids for his stories again. He was now sitting in Inang's place while we made a circle and gathered in front of him. He always tells us about folk tales or stories that aren’t true. I sometimes doubt that some of the stories were only made by him. And now I wonder what it would be this time.
"So this time, it is about the Tale of the Fallen Eyelashes" he started. I don’t really believe in everything he’s telling us but I still listen because I like how he tells the story. He’s bald and with a long beard, and whenever he starts telling a story it seems like it was really true that’s why people believe so much lies from him.
"Did you know that we can make a wish if we catch a fallen eyelash? If a fairy of the eyelashes would hear it, she can make your wishes come true…"
The other kids seem to be so shocked and amazed while holding their eyelashes. I just sat there in the corner listening to his self-made stories while watching how the other kids were easily fooled. How possible can you make a wish with eyelashes? And was there even a fairy for the eyelashes?
Before, I believed that there was a tooth fairy. Tatang Tino said that if you put your tooth under your pillow they will exchange it for money. When morning came, the tooth was still there so I guess it was just a self-made story. After that, I never believed in his every story.
When morning came, Amang left early to farm while Inang went to the town to buy some food and Linda’s medicines. I finished cleaning the house as well as the backyard and Linda was still not awake. I went to the room and woke her up but instead of getting up she just kicked me. What a lazy child!
As I know, she was just faking it being sick so she can live like a princess and all the work is on me. I really hate her for that. I pinch her sides and she starts crying aloud. Inang wasn’t there so no one could give in to her whims. I ignored her and just water the plants and the vegetables in the garden.
After a minute or so when Linda stops crying. Maybe she realized that Inang wasn’t there. I’ve done all the work so I started taking a bath in the well. All of our water comes from this well. It is clean and has a sweet-like taste, and it is very cold.
I changed into my favorite pink bestida and was about to go out and play with my friends when I saw what Linda did to my crayons. She tears all of the labels of each crayon and draws weird shapes on our wooden wall. I hurriedly went to her and grabbed the crayons then pulled her hair. She started crying and scratched my arms with her nails.
I began to cry when my arms bled and started to hurt. That was the scene that Inang caught. She shouted and separated us. Linda started explaining while crying and so do I but Inang only hit me with a slipper. I was scolded that I should give way since I was the big sister.
It was really unfair. Everytime Linda and I had a fight, Inang never listened to me and accused me instead of being the reason for the fight. And I hate Linda even more when that happens. She was always right and I was always wrong. She is the good daughter and I was the bad one. I should give way because I was the big sister. It was really unfair! Very very unfair on my part.
I run to the rice field while crying and ignore Inang’s threats and callings. I sat on the big rock near the Talisay tree. I was rubbing my eyes to stop myself from crying but when I saw the wounds that Linda made in my arms I started crying again. Inang didn’t even check if I was hurt. She only cares for Linda.
Minutes passed when I was no longer crying. Just some sobs but my tears were already dried. Sonya, my bestfriend, tried to surprise me but I wasn’t in the mood. When she saw my face she started asking why I was crying. I told her everything and I couldn’t hold back my tears again. She was just there, listening and patting my back.
We let another minute pass before I could totally stop crying. She also got some Malunggay leaves to treat my wounds. Sonya is my opposite. Her skin is very dark and her hair is very curly. She’s also talkative and she has thick lips but she is my bestfriend. We are at the same age and we go to the same elementary school so we get along well.
"Look!" she leaned her face to me. I closed my eyes when she got something near from my eyes.
"What is it?"
She smiled widely and showed me my fallen eyelashes.
"Make a wish and blow it"
I never believed in such a thing. But then at that time I had only one wish and that is for Linda to be gone in my life. I didn’t believe in Tatang Tino’s stories but I tried to make a wish in my fallen eyelashes for the first time.
Days passed and Linda became more lazy and sickly. We always fought and Inang always beat and scolded me. I hate Linda more and more that in every fallen lashes that I catch, I would wish for her to be gone. I didn’t believe in it since my wish hadn't come true yet, I didn’t raise my expectations, but I was hoping that if the fairy of the eyelashes was really true then maybe he will hear my wishes soon.
Weeks passed when Linda was sent to the town's doctor because of having a high fever but she died before even reaching the town. They said that she has a dengue, a disease caused by mosquitos.
Inang and Amang arrange her burial in our backyard. I cried watching her being buried to the ground. I hate her but I never wanted her dead. Then I remember my wishes. Has it come true? Was this the answer of my wishes? Can I take it back now?
Four big rocks were placed on her grave. Everyday I plant my favorite flower around her rocks but it would die the other day. I was doing it everyday. After watering the plants and vegetables, I would plant a flower or anything around her stones but all would die. There’s not even a single grass growing near her grave.
Months passed and I started to miss Linda’s presence. The house seems so quiet without her now. I can watch my favorite TV show with interruption. I can have all the foods and the toys by myself. I don’t need to share the bed and the blanket. Everything was on me, even the household. And it started to get boring and lonely.
I still have the guilt that the reason why Linda died was because of me. It’s because I wish for her to be gone. I didn’t mean for her to die but I still wish for her to be gone. I realized my mistakes. If I could turn back the time, I would never wish anything.
It was Linda’s birthday and we made a little celebration for her. Months after she died. She didn’t even get to catch her 8th birthday. That night, I caught a fallen eyelash. For the past months since my sister died, I’ve been waiting for a fallen eyelash to make a wish but I can’t just catch any. This time, I caught one.
I immediately closed my eyes and wished from the deepest of my heart to bring my sister back before I blew that eyelashes away. I hope that the fairy will hear and grant my wish.
Inang woke me up early the next morning. They went to the town to fetch my grandparents. I cleaned the house and boiled some hot water. Apo and Ima, my grandparents, love to drink melted tablea. I remove some cobwebs and dust before going out to clean the backyard. When I finished sweeping all the dried leaves I started watering the plants. As usual, I was about to plant some flowers near Linda’s grave when I noticed a Gumamela plant in the center of Linda’s grave. It was surrounded by the four big rocks but the red and large petals of the flower still bloomed beautifully.
I was dropped on my knees as I started to cry. It was my most hated flower yet it grew beautifully on Linda’s grave. The fairy did grant my wish. She brings my sister back. In a different form. I hated her when she was still alive. And now, the fairy brings her back through the flower that I hated too. Regardless, I will take care of her now.
