Marhwan Region and Umbilical Cords

Marhwan Region. Located in the southeast part of Straestin and also one of the three forbidden regions of the country. A place where indigenous people live called the Marhwana Tribe.

There are many rumors about them—mostly bad. They were adored and protected, but at the same time, they were feared and avoided.

Adored and protected because Marhwan Region was the only place that remained the same and unaffected from the lacrashic colonization more than a century ago. Despite the advance weaponries of lacrashas, they could never pass through the borders of Marhwan Region until the very end.

The only, and sole place who remembered the long forgotten language and culture of Straestin that they still use and practice at the present.

They were being protected for their invaluable historical significance to the country.

However, they were also feared and avoided due to some rumors circulating around.

They are said to be barbaric and eat human flesh. Kills with no remorse for the sake of their tradition. Curses people for fun and so on and so forth. But they were simply exaggerated tales used to scare off kids who like to run off to the forest to play treasure hunts. Exaggerated tales that aren't totally baseless.

Many people who went there in the past caught rare diseases even doctors couldn't diagnose. Unexplained swelling of the belly, insects coming out of their mouths, and unbearable itch all over their body.

It wasn't really a secret that marhwana people are adept at casting curses, hexes, and spells, either given directly through skin contact or delivered through the wind.

They don't hurt people for fun but if you go there with ill intent and try to harm their people, then you'd surely suffer for the rest of your life.

If you're a woman, you might find yourself pregnant with a leech. Your womb will get bigger each month and you'll have to carry it for nine months like any pregnant woman does.

If you're a man, your testicles will grow bigger each time you orgasm until they reach the ground. You'll never have sex for the rest of your life.

These types of curses are powerful. No normal doctor can heal it.

There is nothing you can do than to hope that the Marhwan residents have forgiven you and take it back. Or find an albularyo which people from the city refer to as quack doctors. Not just any albularyo but a powerful one, or you will have to live for the rest of your life with a leech baby and balls so big you'll have to carry them to move around.

It might sound cruel but believe it or not, that was them being merciful.

Marhwan Region was divided into three sections. The Kulam, Tagna, and Lumay. And somewhere in the outskirts of Kulam is where you can find the marhwana sisters. Three old women who live in a shack made of wood, bamboo, and nipa leaves.

Isa, the eldest of the three, threw herself to her younger siblings and hugged them. "There is hope, my dear sisters." She whispered to them.

"What do you mean, Isa? And how could possibly disappear for three days without telling your sisters. We were worried." It was Tulo, the youngest.

"Duha, Tulo. Forgive this older sister of yours. I was merely caught in my emotion and forgot to tell you two. As I was saying, there is hope, my dear sisters."

"Forgive me but we don't quite follow you, our eldest. And—And why is your skin like that? You overdid it again, didn't you? What if those ignorant fools see you in that state? Will you simply die after leaving us unnoticed?" Duha asked. She was genuinely worried after seeing Isa's skin riddled with black patches.

Isa took a deep breath and placed her hands on each of her sisters' shoulders. "Listen well, you two. For I finally found the hope we've been waiting for years. I found the person blessed by one of the great gods of Straestin. The person who can help us make our dream come true."

And exactly after Isa said that, a raven barged into the shack. It circled the ceiling three times before it perched to the dried branch of balete tree.

"Se-kun-dooo. Se-kun-dooo." It repeatedly chanted.

Duha and Tulo gasped, clasped their hands and fell on their knees. "Oh! The merciful god of opportunities and second chances."

***

Meanwhile, in an old two-storey house in Saffron Avenue at 15:00 on the twenty-third day of January, Ginny and Bennet Lamora finally arrived from the hospital. Bringing with them a newborn child and some foods Bennet bought along the way.

"Ah! My grandson. My adorable grandson." It was Franchesca, Bennet's mother and the owner of the house. She waited all morning. She could hardly wait to see the grandchild she longed to have. "Ginny, dear. He has your skin and hair while everything else is from Bennet!"

Ginny is twenty-six. Has dark brown hair that complemented her caramel skin. Thick brows and lashes, hazel eyes, and thin lips. While Bennet is thirty. He's thin and tall. Has thick and dark unruly hair and a beard. Slightly pale and has large, green rounded eyes that he got from his mother, Franchesca.

"Mama. Let Ginny rest first. She barely slept last night. Little Chuck is rather… energetic."

"uWaaaaaaaah!"

"And there he goes again."

"Ara! An energetic child indeed. Exactly like his father." Franchesca said before breaking into a hearty laugh. "Where's his umbilical cord? You kept it, didn't you?"

"Of course, mama. How could we ever forget?" Bennet then handed her the umbilical cord that fell off from Chuck a week ago. It was placed inside a small airtight glass container. It has been ten days since Ginny gave birth.

Actually, it was a surprise to them that Chuck's umbilical cord fell off in just three days when normally, it takes seven to twenty-one days. What happened was a total horror for the new couple.

They fell asleep after pulling an all nighter watching their newborn. Then Neil, or rather, Chuck, woke up. He felt a sudden itch in his navel and he found it annoying so he ripped the stump off.

As a result, he was given the fright of his life including his new parents when his navel began bleeding like crazy. He wasn't used to his new body and momentarily forgot that he had become an infant. He was rushed to the emergency room after that and Ginny's supposed three-day stay was extended for over a week.

After that incident, he decided to behave like the baby he was. He just realized how stupid he was, pulling his umbilical cord and all. 'I thought I was gonna die after just being born. This body has zero pain tolerance too!' Chuck had a thought. He never felt so uselessly fragile till now.

"I'll take care of this. I made Ginny a chicken noodle soup in the kitchen." Franchesca said.

In Straestin, there was a rather unique superstition about umbilical cords. If you tie a red thread around it and put it in the highest place of your house, it is believed that the kid will grow to become a successful person, reaching great heights in life. And if you want your children to have close relationships, just tie their umbilical cords together and place them in one container. By doing this, they will never want to be separated from each other ever.

There was nothing scientific about it, purely superstition. But almost everyone in Straestin practices this. A culture they got from lacrasha.

Franchesca tied a red thread around it and put it in the attic, placing it inside the small box where the umbilical cords of every single person who became the owner of the house tracing back from the sixth generation including her was placed. A tradition they kept in their family. And by doing this, Franchesca was officially making Chuck the sole successor of the house and all of her properties.

When she was done, she went to see her grandson whose eyes exuded unusual intelligence.

At that moment, she made a decision.

"I promise to teach you the ways of Lamoras. I'll teach you properly. I promise you that. And you will become the new owner of this house."

***

23:32 at the Outlook Hotel, room 203.

A man by the name Fidel who turned twenty-eight just three days ago was having a dilemma.

He was finally hired to become a professor at Darwyn University in Lucena and he will be starting on the 30th of January which will be in seven days. But due to some unfortunate circumstances, he had to come earlier than expected.

He's been staring at the roughly drawn map in his sketchbook for a while already, specifically to the part circled with red pen.

"My whole life will be screwed if that old man is lying."

He went to the bathroom. Removed his belt, his pants, and his boxers. He felt like crying looking at his weenie. It started to rot no more than a week ago. At first, it was just a simple itch. And then only a few days had passed and it had become like that. Rotting and about to fall off.

It doesn't hurt but it would be terrible if it were to fall off for real. He already had it checked by a urologist but even the doctor, a supposed expert on stuff like this was helpless with Fidel's case.

And then as he was silently breaking down by the curb one day, a few feet away from the gate to his house, an old man suddenly approached him and said, "Young man, you seemed to be in a bad condition. I don't think any normal doctor can heal you."

Fidel was about to lash out. He was stressed out and although the old man was only saying that in good will, it still rubbed him the wrong way.

"Young man, do you happen to have a paper and a pen? I know someone who might be able to help you."

"Old man, stop fooling around. I'll punch you."

"Oh, dear. I'm not. Why not see for yourself? You'll lose nothing."

Although reluctantly, Fidel handed him his sketch pad. A mechanical pencil and a red pen were clipped to the side. The old man began sketching him a map.

"Go to this place. But let me remind you, young man. You must have faith. Have a great day." Then he left without saying another word. While Fidel stared at the roughly drawn map, a slight hope rose from his chest.

"Faith, huh." He muttered under his breath. "Screw faith! I can't even believe in myself."