Ch. 1: Spirits

TW: Domestic abuse, sexual harassment, suicidal

Xu Qiren tend to ponder on death so often that one might think she is suicidal.

Which is true.

Xu Qiren looked at the scenery outside the window.

Some droplets fell from the leaves of the tall trees and small plants. Birds, crickets and even frogs kept making noises as the rain stopped pouring.

'Xu Qiren! Let's play!'

'Play! Play!'

Voices from unknown sources kept shouting. They sound like lively children.

"I can't... I am grounded right now. Sorry." Xu Qiren murmured.

'Nooo! That bad guy still have you grounded?' one of the voices cried sadly.

'Bad guy! Bad guy!!' the other voices echoed and a bunch of 'wuwu' can be heard.

These are the mysterious spirits living in Mount Banahaw.

The one of the most mysterious mountain in the Philippines.

They can be mischievous and can make some people get lost for almost a year and make them think it's just a week since they get lost. They can also give people some curses that might cause death if they disliked someone enough.

Sadly, they cannot put any curses on the bad guy that holds their dear friend captive. Because he got protection.

Amulets* in the form of bracelets and necklace. Which frustrated them a lot since it has been so long since someone got a hold of such powerful amulets that renders them useless.

'Xu Qiren, you should become one of us...'

'That is right! We can give you lots of good things and not be stingy like the bad guy!'

'Right! Right!!'

"I can't... I need to make the bad guy pay the price." Xu Qiren sighed sadly. She is thankful for these lively spirits to entertain her in the coldest and darkest days of her life, making her sane till now.

Or act like one.

'Mother should really help you...'

'But mother refused...'

'Poor Xu Qiren...'

Xu Qiren smiled, "That is because the mother knows this is a problem I must resolve myself. It is not because of the mother refused to get herself involved..."

She knows how kind these spirits are to her, so the mother they call must have that kind of reason.

Xu Qiren suddenly felt goosebumps and felt tiny hugs from the spirits, maybe there are even dwarfs.

She cannot see them, but she can feel them and communicate with them.

Probably because she has that innate ability and was further nurtured by the powers of the Mount Banahaw.

Tap.

Creek.

A sound of footsteps stepping of the noisy bamboo flooring echoed.

Xu Qiren quickly felt the tiny hugs disappear and the surrounding suddenly quieten.

Xu Qiren shivered and frowned.

'He's here,' Xu Qiren thought.

The bad guy is here.

Xu Qiren haven't spent much time enjoying the beauty of the Philippines' China Town when she got kidnapped by some insane man.

The man was actually kind at first meeting, but after kidnapping her, she quickly realized how naïve she was.

The man is a p3do and a sadist.

Acting like a perverted father most of the time. 

A single mistake from Xu Qiren can result to various torture.

This kind of getting chained up from neck, wrists and ankles is actually much better than the crazy torture in the past.

But, it is because of this that made things much scary. Enough to make Xu Qiren blood go cold and head numb.