Vampire Of The New World

The bus that Lisa and Nestie were riding seemed to belong to a museum rather than the road. Its metal body was in desperate need of paint, its seats did not have cushion, and the windows were merely openings on the side of the bus, having no glass to protect the passengers from the elements. It was fortunate that the bus was traveling westward and the last of the sun's rays were disappearing on the horizon. Without air conditioning, raising the wooden boards that served as blinds for windows would also prevent cool air from entering the bus turning the bus into a moving oven.

The bus parked at the terminal near the Cardena public market. As the passengers alighted, they were assaulted by street vendors who were offering wares placed in bamboo baskets. There were a number of different products such as fiber slippers, wood carvings, and paper weight souvenirs, but most of the products being sold were local food delicacies and rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves. Lisa and Nestie found it difficult to exit from the bus and had to wait for the other passengers who were gathering their belongings from the overhead compartments, under the seats, and the bulky ones that occupied the aisles. Lisa and Nestie squeezed their way through the vendors and fellow passengers. Fortunately, they had all their belongings with them and did not have to wait for checked-in baggage that were stored in the compartment under the bus like the other passengers.

Cardena's public market had been in existence for as long as anyone could remember. According to local historians, the market was in the earliest known maps of Cardena although its area had expanded and its location had shifted over time. Located near the coast, the public market probably started as a place where fishermen would dock their boats and sell their freshly caught fish to customers. Eventually, people put up wooden stalls and agricultural produce coming from the mountains or nearby villages were sold there as well. The shifts in location were perhaps due to the storm surges and tsunamis that happened in the past. True enough, the old maps indicated that the shifts were towards higher ground.

The air was filled with different smells, mainly of fish and brine, but occasionally, the odor of decaying matter would waft into people's nostrils, prompting them to cover their noses. Smoke would also fill the air whenever the sea breeze stopped blowing and when vendors were cooking food on grills around meal times. It was early evening when Lisa and Nestie arrived and vendors had started to grill fish and other foods in preparation for the influx of customers looking for something to buy for dinner. The smell of the grilled fish along with other smells created a heady mix that was overpowering at times.

After getting through the food vendors and grilling stalls, Lisa and Nestie were approached by tricycle drivers who were all speaking at the same time, vying to get their attention. Finally, Nestie chose the driver who was the first to approach them. Immediately, the other drivers gave up and looked for other passengers. Lisa and Nestie's driver led them to a small tricycle which was parked a short way from the bus. The space inside the tricycle was limited and Nestie had to crouch low due to the low headroom. The driver tied his passengers' baggage securely at the back of the tricycle and then started the engine.

The road they travelled on was riddled with cracks and potholes that remained unrepaired, probably since the recent typhoon that ravaged the region. Cramped inside the small tricycle, the two friends held on tightly to the side and managed the best they could. Nestie bumped his head a few times and he lowered his head as low as he could.

Despite the bumps and the cramped space, Nestie and Lisa were still able to appreciate some of the old trees and structures that they passed. There was an old stone structure that stood imposingly against the dimming sky. It seemed to be centuries old and was in danger of collapsing in on itself.

"What is that building?" asked Nestie pointing at the crumbling structure.

Lisa looked out as they passed the structure and said, "That was the old brick factory. It's crumbling now, but it used to supply all of the bricks used as building materials for the houses in the city. Celie's house is actually locally known as the Adobe House and all of its bricks came from that factory. It was eventually closed down when people started using concrete blocks as building materials."

After a few more minutes, more houses lined the street indicating that the tricycle had reached the city center. Many of the ancestral houses were abandoned and crumbling while some were already being demolished to give way to concrete houses.

The two friends heard the tolling of the bells and saw that the houses were more imposing and better maintained. Even

the road they were travelling were in better conditon.

"We're near," said Lisa. "Those bells you are ringing right now is from the cathedral. Celie's house is just next to the cathedral."

Nestie nodded. Soon, they could vaguely see the belfry rising above the houses in the remaining light. When the tricycle stopped, Lisa and Nestie found themselves under a balete tree that was standing close to the gate of an old house. The gates were closed, but across the expansive lawn rose a two-storey house made almost entirely of bricks. The lights on the patio as well as some of the windows were on. The path leading to the main door was lit as well.

"That's the house!" said Lisa.

"Nice! Looks old, but well-maintained," remarked Nestie. "This balete tree though gives the place a haunted house look." Nestie looked at the huge balete tree and the long hanging roots that seemed to drip from the broad branches.

"I know why people dislike this tree," said Nestie.

"Because they are inhabited by supernatural beings?" asked Lisa smiling.

"Well, as you know, they start out by growing on a host tree and eventually suffocating it and killing it." Nestie looked away from the tree.

"They're not called strangler figs for nothing," said Lisa, following Nestie to the gate.

"They live by killing other trees," added Nestie.

"That's natural selection for you," said Lisa.

Lisa found the gate unlocked and opened it. She then beckoned Nestie to come in before she closed the gate. As they were walking on the path to the house, the main door opened and a woman in white dress came out.

Lisa recognized the woman as her aunt and ran to greet her. Nestie followed Lisa.