Egg, Cucumber, and Worms

[WARNING!! I don't suggest reading this chapter as you eat.]

"Uhh, heck no. Never. Besides, you're acting weird." Fidel said almost in a reflex. "But please start with the treatment now, Uncle Basyang. I beg you."

"Well, that's too bad. But please think about it." Uncle Basyang was disappointed but he tried not to show it in his voice. "Come with me then."

And just like earlier, Fidel was led to a house made from wood, bamboo, and stones. Still creeped out about the ginormous candles by the doorstep.

Then…

"Oh, no. No. Diego! Did you just eat your poop?! Spit it out!" Uncle Basyang cried out as soon as they entered. Then he picked the toddler off the floor and began checking his mouth.

"Uwaaaaaah!" The kid began to cry.

"Hush. Hush. Let's go find your mother. Hmm?" Uncle Basyang tried to shush him but it only made the kid cry even more. "Helena! Helena!" He tried to call for his wife but there was no answer.

"I apologize, lad. This thing won't stop till he sees his mother. I'll be back. Sit wherever you want, just not on the table." He said before he entered the door on the left side.

Fidel was getting a deja vu on this somehow. 'Wow. I can't fathom how he could relax on the hammock outside while neglecting his son. Truly unbelievable.' Fidel thought.

He started to hear some muffled voices coming from the room Uncle Basyang entered.

"Helena! Take care of this thing first. Why won't he stop crying?"

"Basyang? Can't you see how late it is already? You're ruining my sleep cycle."

"Helena. It's barely twelve at noon."

"And I wake up at three, Basyang. You humans are the worst."

And Fidel clearly heard it. 'She's speaking as if she isn't a human herself. But still, truly an irresponsible parent. Sleeping at noon and all while the baby could be in danger unattended outside.'

Then after maybe a few minutes or so, Diego finally stopped crying. Then Uncle Basyang got out of the room.

"Okay, lad. Where are the eggs? You didn't touch 'em, did you?"

"Like you told me, Uncle Basyang. But I'll get better after this, right?" Fidel asked. He was getting skeptical again. He couldn't help it.

Although there was that unearthly thing that happened earlier with the wind and blood-curdling sounds and all, it's not as if he could just tell his mind to have a full-blown faith on this and do exactly just that. His weenie's future depends on this. And besides, he was still trying to wrap his head around all these.

"That depends on your faith, lad."

'And there it goes. That faith whatsoever again. Well, guess they aren't called faith healers for no reason.'

"If you say so, Uncle Basyang. What should I do?" He said even though his chest was about to burst for some reason.

"You do nothing, lad."

Then Uncle Basyang took the egg from Fidel. Grabbed a basin and a cucumber from the sink about three meters away from where they were.

Fidel was getting confused as he watched Uncle Basyang do his thing. First, he cleared one side of the table to put the eggs, basin, and cucumber. Then he lit all the candles in the house using a match which was by no means a small amount. There were some on the table, by the window, a few scattered on the floor… All except for the three by the doorstep and now, Fidel couldn't help but wonder what those three candles really are for.

Next, Uncle Basyang started to mutter some incoherent words. Fidel didn't understand a thing. It's like a completely different language. And a few seconds after that, things started to get weird. Just like earlier, the wind blew. It blew so hard that the curtains were fluttering. But for some reason, the flames on the candles weren't moving at all. When normally, some of them should be dead already or dancing wildly. But no, they stayed calm and burning.

And after that, Uncle Basyang took a small blackened pouch from the altar-looking place. Opened it and took a shiny white stone from it, then put it inside his mouth, he didn't swallow it.

He then grabbed the bottle which was placed beside the pouch. It has turned yellowish from old age. He opened it. The scent of flowers and incense wafted into the air. Totally different from the gut-wrenching vials on the table and those that were displayed at the Santadura Bazaar.

He poured the content into his palm and spreaded it thoroughly. Uncle Basyang also put some on Fidel's forehead. Then he took one egg, whispered something to it and put it in the bowl. He repeated this five more times for all of the eggs.

Fidel wasn't as creeped out anymore. In fact, he was rather relaxed. As if he was being tickled from the inside.

Then Uncle Basyang took the cucumber. Rubbed some sort of oil all over it while still muttering something. Fidel didn't notice Uncle Basyang's eyes had turned all white. Then things started to get creepy again.

For a full minute or so, Fidel heard that sound again. Cries and moans from the distance and eerie children's laughter. However, this time, something was different. Aside from that, he also started to hear a rhythmic ringing of bells followed by the powerful blow to the conch shell. They weren't there earlier.

But somehow, he thought he heard it already somewhere in the past. He just couldn't remember it.

The bells were getting louder and louder. The conch shell was literally echoing inside his head and it almost drove him mad.

He grabbed his hair with both of his hands and he let out a guttural scream.

No, he wasn't in pain or anything. It's just that, something inside him seemed to be running wild, wanting to be free, wanting to get out and now it was doing all the crazy shits in his mind just to get that one opportunity. But before it became successful, Fidel was distracted by a female voice. No. Rather, the voice saved him. And all at once, all the voices and sounds stopped.

"Basyang, did you just call me?" It was Helena, Basyang's wife. She was peeking her head out the door. She's got otherworldly beauty, that's for sure. But somehow, her face wasn't that clear to Fidel. It's like her face was covered in mosaic but he just knows she's beautiful. It doesn't make sense, does it?

She stared at Basyang for a bit before going back inside. "I disturbed you. Sorry. I thought it was me you're calling."

"Lad, listen to me." Uncle Basyang then told him.

"Y-Yes, sir?"

"Look carefully."

When Uncle Basyang said that, he took out one egg and cracked it open to the bowl. And lo and behold, it contained a bunch of worms. Squirming and swimming about on the yolk. The same thing happened on the other five. Fidel had to stop the urge to throw up.

"Wha—" Fidel couldn't even finish what he was about to say. It was a mixed feeling. He couldn't decide either to be disgusted or be amused.

"Now. Look at this, lad." Uncle Basyang told him as he held the cucumber with his one hand.

However…

Contrary to the fresh cucumber earlier, it was now rotten and somehow resembled his weenie. It was still going on with its rotting process even as he stared at it. Then slowly, a crack appeared in the middle until it completely fell.

*Thud!

Down into the table and into the floor. And it rolled into his feet.

Fidel gulped. He imagined this is what will happen to his weenie in the future too.

"Lad, you go home and check it for yerself. And no, don't look at it while yer not in your room yet. This is important. Never look at it unless you are alone in your room. Understood?"

"But—"

"Understood?" Uncle Basyang cut him off.

"Y-Yes, Uncle Basyang." Fidel had no choice but to agree with how intense Uncle Basyang was staring at him.

"And I want you to return tomorrow. There is something we needed to talk about. This is important. Now, leave!" Uncle Basyang kicked him out of the house again.

Fidel had lots of questions. Was he healed? Will it be okay now? He doesn't know. But one thing is certain. He could hardly wait to check it out.

Regardless of the result, either good or bad, he can't wait to see it. He was dying to know. Somehow, he started to chant inside his head. "Please, be better. Please, be better."

He arrived at his mother's house in Saffron Avenue not more than thirty minutes later. Again, he found his mother at the front yard carrying his nephew.

"Fidel—"

"Not now, mother." He told her when she attempted to greet him with a hug then he ran off to the house. Climbed up the stairs and into his room. He made sure to lock the door.

Then he took a deep breath. His heart was beating loudly, threatening to break free out of his rib cage.

And after a few seconds of hesitation, he finally decided to unbuckle his belt, take off his pants and boxers.

Then he looked down. And a single streak of tears fell down from his eye.

His weenie is all better now.

To others, it might sound weird that a grown man, twenty-eight years old, was crying over his weenie. But mind you, it meant the world to him.