Graphics by Tariq Nasir
“At around 11:48 that night, after the pageant 5 hours earlier, it was now back to reality for a trio of the night’s contestants who walked their way down to the Siquijor wharf. They decided to catch the 7:30 AM boat across the bay to Dumaguete City instead of paying for a room overnight to rest at the city center. The long steel chairs inside the ferry building are enough. Gone are the tight evening gowns, sequins, feathers, rhinestones and thick makeup, they are now in male drag.
“Yot, is that wharf still far? Walking down that hill and prancing around in six-inch heels earlier got me spent!” Nicasio Calma aka Belya Flawless griped. He was behind two people, hints of makeup still on their faces. Tall, bald, with blotchy brown skin, and in his early 50s, he kept inhaling deeply while he slowed his walk.
“Did you want us to push you in a wheelbarrow, old woman?” Xander De Arao aka Suzanne Process turned back at him and quipped. The taller one with shoulder length hair replied, rolled his bulging eyes. She walked faster then slowed down. She did this repeatedly, as if it was a game, teasing the two behind to catch up with her.
“Sus ha, as if you are no older than me, banjo eyes!” retorted Nicasio, “Look, there’s a large rock at the side of the road we can sit for a bit. I didn’t realize how far that wharf is,”
The three perched themselves on the rock, resting their garment bags and luggage full of costumes and makeup on the ground. Behind them was a grove of tall trees fronting an old cemetery. It was still at that moment, the crescent moon illuminated above with a few birds twittering around except a large one who kept its eyes at them.
“That pageant was unpleasantly fixed. How did a short, pygmy-looking, dumpy girl win over us!” complained Mario Angelo aka Fiona Gayberry.
“Well, she answered the final question confidently while you two sounded like broken records repeating world peace and empowerment, that’s why!” Belya, who sat at the far end of the rock, replied.
“Ooh Granny, you were no different,” quipped Fiona, “why did you keep throwing those dirty underwear at the judges during the swimsuit competition?”
Suzanne, who sat in the middle of the two bantering at each other, casually sighed at the usual insults between two of her friends. Their voices echoed all over the place.
She heard something faint, like a branch of a tree creaking behind them. “Shhhh, you guys!”
The two didn’t stop bickering. The tree branches creaked louder. She turned around to see where it came from and roared, “Bitches, did you two hear that?”
Belya and Fiona stopped talking then looked at her, “What?”
Silence.
“Honestly Suzanne, don’t do this here right now, just let us know if you want to stop talking and,” Fiona said.
The sound of creaking branches came from above them. Leaves fell down behind the tree.
“Did you hear that?” Suzanne stepped back and looked up.
“Waak! Waak! Waaak!” The sound of wings flapping came down and swooped down at the three people below.
“Aayyyyyyy, Aswannnggg!!” Fiona sprinted towards the town where they came from.
“Dios ko Looorddd, Manananggal!” Belya ran listlessly the other way, towards the wharf.
Xander couldn’t move, his bulging eyes locked up at the creature’s fiery eyes, his mouth agape and he couldn’t scream.
“WAAK! WAAK!”
The creature with the disheveled hair, long talon-like nails, large batlike wings, blood oozing out of its mouth, and half-torso swiftly flew down towards Xander. Its sharp fangs glistened under the crescent moon.
“BLAG!”
All Rights Reserved © joegasparauthor 2026
