Chapter 2 (First Tale Of Terror) The Boarder

• "Apologies for bothering you," she said again.
• "It's fine. What's important is that nothing bad happened to you," replied Mang Roger.
• The couple left, and Josie closed the door to her room. She checked the time—almost six in the morning. She decided not to go back to sleep, opting instead to tidy her bed and head out to shower. She brought a large T-shirt to wear after bathing, determined not to leave the bathroom wrapped in just a towel now that the couple was awake.
• Her workplace was very close to the boarding house, so she only needed a short tricycle ride to get there. On her way home, she often walked instead of paying for a ride. As work kept her busy, she eventually forgot about her strange dream. That afternoon, she walked home and passed by a school for the first time. Students were leaving as well, and her eyes caught sight of a girl in a uniform identical to the one in her dream.
• The uniform stood out. The top was a white long-sleeve shirt, and the skirt was pink with a printed school logo. She recognized the same logo from the girl's uniform in her dream. A shiver ran down her spine, and she quickly walked home.
• Josie knew that Aling Margie sold goods at the market, while Mang Roger worked as a tricycle driver when not helping his wife. Upon entering the house, she found Mang Roger drinking coffee in the kitchen, which was right next to her room.
• "Have a snack, Josie," he offered.
• She smiled and accepted the offer, noticing the assortment of bread and a pitcher of juice that seemed prepared for her.
• "Thank you," she said, sitting beside him and placing her bag on the table.
• "How's work?" he asked.
• "It's okay," she replied briefly. Her job as a clerk often left her overwhelmed with paperwork.
• "Did your child study at that nearby school?" she asked, thinking perhaps the dream was connected to the couple’s child.
• "What school?" he asked, smiling.
• "The one with the pink skirts and the school logo," she described, not knowing the name of the school.
• His smile faded, and his expression turned serious.
• "Why do you ask?" His voice suddenly seemed intimidating.
• "Ah, I just thought maybe, since it’s nearby, your child studied there," she answered softly, sensing his unease.
• His demeanor lightened, and he smiled again. "Oh, no. She studied college in Manila," he explained.
• Josie nodded and fell silent. She quickly finished her snack and went to her room.
• At 8 PM, Aling Margie called her for dinner. Josie had spent most of her time in her room, scrolling through her phone. She wasn't fond of watching TV, so she rarely went to the living room.
• As she stepped out to the dining area, she noticed the couple already seated.
• "Why are you wearing shorts in the house? Are you trying to flaunt your body?" Aling Margie asked sharply, glaring at her outfit.
• "H-huh?" Josie looked down at herself.
• She was wearing a T-shirt and knee-length shorts—not revealing at all. She couldn’t understand what had upset the woman.
• "Come on now. The girl's outfit isn’t inappropriate," Mang Roger defended her.
• Aling Margie didn’t respond, and Josie hesitated to approach the table. She didn’t own any pajamas or pants for lounging, only shorts that were modest and appropriate.
• "Come, Josie, eat. Don’t mind my wife; she’s probably just on her period," Mang Roger joked.
• Feeling awkward, Josie joined them and sat down. She glanced at Aling Margie, who avoided eye contact. They ate in silence.
• That night, Josie had trouble sleeping, her mind occupied with Aling Margie’s unexpected hostility. She tried to shake it off by focusing on her phone. The room was dark except for the light from her screen, and the house was quiet.
• Suddenly, she felt her body lift slightly from the bed, as though something had pushed her from underneath. Her heart raced, and she hurried to the light switch. She inspected the bed but saw nothing unusual.
• Who pushed her?
• She stood by the door, staring at the bed. She was too frightened to approach it. Moments later, the bed began to move—up and down, as if something inside was struggling to escape. Her eyes widened in terror as she watched the mattress pulsate. She couldn’t move, her body paralyzed with fear. She wanted to scream, but no sound came out.
• The movement grew more frantic until it suddenly stopped. At that exact moment, the lights went out, plunging her into darkness. Her heart pounded louder than ever. She had left her phone on the bed earlier in her panic. Miraculously, it hadn’t fallen off during the commotion.
• She didn’t know if it was a power outage or if only her room had lost electricity. Still frozen in place, Josie waited for any sound or movement. When she heard nothing, she cautiously approached the bed to retrieve her phone.
• Just as she reached for it, something blocked her way and grabbed her hands tightly. Even in the darkness, she could sense someone—or something—standing in front of her, gripping her hands firmly.
• What happened next, she could no longer remember.