The Wrong Assumption

The hut has been silent for so long. What's more mysterious in the house was the light was lit during night time. No activities in the house can be observed but only the kids playing and going to school every day. Neighbours are getting curious what's going on inside. They tried to ask for the kids' parents but they barely answer and just say their parents are resting.

It is a small nipa hut. Situated in the middle of vast land with fruit trees that barricade the area. Roofs are made of woven coconut leaves. The walls are made of woven reeds.

It started a few months ago. The family of that hut was once lively. Though they are poor they are the picture of a happy family. It was known that they had rich relatives but they seem to treat them badly. They even tried to overthrew the family out of their home. They are interested in the land they are living in. But the father of the house stood firm and reached for his bolo and instead he drove the greedy relatives away. From that moment, they always saw the father sitting under the mango tree and seems buried in deep thought. After a few days, they never saw the couple again.

After a few months, the neighbourhood started to notice the presence of the couple. They were both pale and that makes them strange. Rumours circulated the entire place that the couple turned to sorcerers. It is believed that they made rituals to the darkness at night that's why the light in their hut is still on until dawn while they sleep during daytime. The change in their physical appearance likewise added to the evidence.

People are keeping a distance from the family from that day onwards. They are ever watchful and alert at night. They often feel goosebumps when dogs howl in the evening. The children of that family even received negative treatment from their fellow children as they got warnings from their parents not to get close to any member of the family.

But a few days passed since the appearance of the couple, their private place was suddenly visited by strangers. They wore formal suits with neckties, pointing here and there, and walking back and forth stretching a line from one point of location to another.

Not long after, the place again was disturbed by huge trucks loading construction materials. People keep asking where did it come from. The materials were unloaded in their mysterious neighbours' land. Then, the area was barricaded with high temporary galvanized walls. Everyone was curious what's going on inside. They assumed that the family was successfully overthrown outside their property and the greedy ones responsible for this transformation.

In one blink of an eye, a big house was erected.

The whole village was stunned by the extent of it.

When the construction was done, the beauty of the house was evident. A grand feast was held in the wide lawn. All the people in the village was summoned to attend the gathering. The owner was still the once poor family much to their surprise. They don't look pale anymore.

Until the end, it was unknown to the people how the great house came to exist and how the once miserable family became prosperous. But rumours were percolated that the reason behind the absence of the couple for how many days and months were they excavated underground and mined a long-hidden wealth under their hut. It was also the reason why relatives are much interested in the property. Especially the wealth that lies under the earth.