I got to that desperate place where nobody could help me but God. Cheryl James

Veronica Angeles is an OFW nurse and a writer who has just separated from her husband. She was Layoff from her job in King Faisal general hospital Saudi Arabia. Veronica wants to run away from her problems. She moves back to her native province of Bicol Philippines to have a fresh start. She tries to work on a novel based on her experiences in the Emergency room.

Upon arrival in the province she learned that her mother lost their farm to the land lord. She also obtains insights, finding a regular job in the rural area is very difficult. Money became very tight.

In the middle of the year 2008, she meets a rich haciendero by the name of Subas Herero. In one of the cultural festivals in the town of polangui albay. Mr. Herero is obsessed with the study of “survival after death”. He offers Veronica a job. For one night only. A chance to earn 1 million pesos If she can spend an over night in spooky old abandon tenement that has brutal murders history. The haciendero is willing to provide her a loaded 38 caliber smith & wesson revolver pistol for self defense and a Hampton lantern. Due to Veronica’s current financial situation. She decided to take her chances and accept the indecent proposal.

On the foggy dawn of June 5, 2008 at the peak of the great recession. Veronica arrived riding in a hearse vehicle. In front of the old building main gate. The caretakers as agreed to meet with her, then lock veronica inside the tenement for 24 hours. Veronica was caught by surprised; the size of the building is massive, hundreds of rooms. In the first hour of her lodge inside the tenement, strange things start happening around her; little things at first, but as they become more frequent, Veronica becomes aware that the tenement resents her presence.

Veronica murmurs I’ve seen a lot of dead people in my adult life. Additional episode will not make any difference. She got fed up with the entities talking in Sumerian tongue. Veronica shouts! What is living if you don’t feel alive?

She found a small room with concrete ceilings, lock her self up with a dead bolt. Fortified the door. Then she immediately executes her little plan. She brings out A mid size pill box. Inside 5 pieces of Ativan 2 mg and 5 pieces Valium 10 mg. Both will make her sleep well for 24 hours a hypnotic’s effect will take place. Her plan is to kill her 5 senses temporarily to avoid dealing with the poltergeist. She chooses the Ativan. She winds up her Uri Gagarin Poljot wristwatch. Check the time exactly 3:10 am dawn. Veronica said Necessity is the mother of “taking chances.” then she Swallow 5 pieces of 2 mg of Ativan then drink the small plastic bottle of yakult. From there on the pills work like a magic it dissolved all the fears and agony. Veronica smiling sleeps like a baby.

27 hours later she wakes up. Sun ray penetrating the small opening in the ventilation fan. She opens the dead bolt. Barefoot she proceeds to the main door entrance excited to claim her price its lock! She look in the window Veronica saw the two caretakers locking the main gate. The feeling is like rewinding an old Vhs tape player. She check her wristwatch the hands direction are moving counter clockwise. It stops exactly 3:10 am. Then resume again, in a blink of an eye the place turn pitch-black, she light up the Hampton lantern, and then she brings out the 38 special. The ceiling is taking it shape. While the floor turns slippery wet.

Veronica said, if there’s no way out of here I will make one.

Hand Drawn by Nonoy Manga

Story by Nonoy Manga

Cheers

Nonoy Manga