original

UnSEENing

นักเขียน: s_joy

บท 1: 1. I HOPE I CAN UNSEE YOU

She was or is attractive, depending on her entity. Her presence is undeniable since she exudes a pleasant, fresh pine tree perfume; nevertheless, the scent is accompanied by genuine pine tree-barked hands. Despite the torrential rain, her hair remains in excellent condition, black, straight, and silky, draping down to her ankles in perfect contrast to her grassy dress, mud still dropping from the hem of her clothes, and puddles of red mud were imprinted on the wooden floor even though Yva couldn't see her feet.

Yva hopes it won't glance at me, but it can see her just as clearly as she can see it.

It fixed her gaze on me before tilting her head. It is now approaching her with both curiosity and hostility. Supposedly they have the same feelings.

When an echo of Jerome's laughing reached the room where Yva was standing, its expression changed. A wistful expression altered the mood in the room. It is aching for a loved one, wishing for Jerome's presence, and is in love with him, so she marries him.

Lovely, ostensibly, but Jerome is already married, to a human woman.

It is an unseen spirit from a creation that never intended to be with humans.

Tick-tila-ok, shouted the roosters, calling Yva to feed them swiftly before they startle their entire tribe and intimidate her with their loud alarms. Luckily, she was able to serve them their breakfast.

Krrrrrooooo-kroooooo, Yva summoned, wanting the entire clan to eat their breakfast together to save her time. She mimicked them as they gulped water and glanced up at the sky. The weather looks good in the morning, but it could be cloudy in the afternoon. It is now June. The rainy season has started. Her gaze turned when she noticed someone ascending the steps.

''Nelly?''

Nelly's baby bump drew Yva in. She is now the only pregnant woman in their area, so her baby belly in front and beautiful waddle stride make her immediately identifiable. Yva prepared a cup of hot water for her, as she requested. She was still heaving when sitting outside near the doorway. Even though Yva was still in the kitchen, she could see her bump rising and falling. So, what's she doing here?

'' I feel like you already know why I'm here,'' Nelly murmured, still breathing heavily.

"No, I don't. So you have to tell me'' Yva replied

''Uhmmm, I don't know if it's simply because I'm pregnant and very sensitive, but...''

"I still don't. I still don't know, and I will never know unless you tell me right now.''

''Jerome, I think he is with another woman...or maybe not. I just had this feeling.''

''Okay, tell me more.'' Yva encouraged.

Yva texted Gamaliel as soon as Nelly departed.

''Yvaaaaaaa'', Gamaliel shouted when she waved to him on the other side of the road. He is the human body of the word embarrassing. Gamaliel's method of embarrassing her was something she could never get used to. But, at the same time, she could never picture him leaving her, so she guessed she would simply have to put up with his embarrassing ways.

Yva fetched Gamaliel so that they could discuss and prepare for whatever they would be facing. And they certainly had to do the meeting at her place because it would be the most comfortable place for both of them.

"So Jerome is the one who has the problem," Gamaliel responded, nodding along with the rough path they were on.

''That's what I sensed; just because Nelly is pregnant doesn't mean she's sensitive; he seemed to have been changed. He responded appropriately, only to become passive-aggressive in his responses. It's terrible, especially now that Nelly is pregnant''.

"Then the only way is to follow him. Also, I don't think Nelly is overly sensitive. I met Jerome occasionally when he went to the farm, and everything seemed well until Nelly became pregnant.

So...

Gamaliel has been secretly following Jerome for a couple of days, under the pretense of wanting Jerome's help with a personal matter in exchange for Gamaliel's assistance on the farm. Gamaliel has been observing Jerome's daily routine –

Jerome arrives at the farm, eats his lunch there, and leaves before dusk.

However, Gamaliel feels uneasy whenever they pass by a specific pine tree located at the start of a steep slope on Jerome's property. The pine tree does not appear to be unusually old or large, and there is nothing remarkable about it. Yet, Jerome consistently peculiarly reacts to this particular tree. Whenever they approach the pine tree, Jerome looks around suspiciously and then asks Gamaliel about a strong, sweet smell that he claims is emanating from that specific tree. Jerome says he can even detect the scent from his home, but Gamaliel does not personally perceive this smell.

"Nelly came again, already terrified," Yva informed Gamaliel after a week of their plan's execution.

''Aunt Celia is already scared of how his son Jerome has changed,'' Gamaliel added, still holding on to his mug of coffee hoping that it would keep him awake.

"Why did you even watch him while it was nighttime?" she asked.

''I'm not sure, but he's not cheating on her, and there's no other woman involved. I had been alongside him for two weeks, and he had never met another woman."

"Jerome encountered another woman, but it was not a human being."

Nelly returned to meet Yva and told her about her nightmares, which were so realistic that she was afraid. In her dream, a woman emerged, an ethereal entity glowing almost but with a definite dark goal, as evidenced by the darkness in her eyes. This woman approached Nelly in her bed and began slowly scratching her arms. Nelly characterized it as being scrapped because she sensed a rough surface, and her pine-barked hands were like those hardened branches. And, unlike Jerome, she felt practically suffocated in her dreams due to the deep earthy odor that permeated the room. Its odor is similar to that of an old tree rotting or that of an earthy old person.

Yva reached Nelly's place while there was still enough light to guide her and while Jerome was still on the property. Gamaliel then called Aunt Celia and asked her to take Nelly to her house for protection.

This it or entity that resents every woman in Jerome's life. So Jerome reflected on her energy; he was always angry at his wife Nelly, at his mother Celia, and at his sister, who had previously visited him regularly.

This unseen entity turned towards Yva and then at her. She can still see it in her peripheral vision, staring at her closely. Then she stared at it, intending to tell that she had seen it. Yva can already smell its aged, earthy being. This was clearly above their skills, so they sought additional assistance from Uncle Juan. He is the oldest member of the group, but not quite as old. He is still in his prime since he is concerned about maintaining his body healthy and his profession necessitates a specific diet. However, Yva still feels awful for contacting him so late. She hoped she should have phoned him sooner so that they wouldn't have to play hide and seek with this monster.

Gamaliel and Yva prepared everything Uncle Juan requested, a scarlet blanket and a pail of courage for each of them. They are prepared, but the weather is impeding, or rather challenging, them. It will be a muddy, soggy hide and seek for them.

Gamaliel spoke with Jerome, and it took some convincing for him to grasp the reality of his current situation. But Uncle Juan just told him that an unseen being married itself to him, which explains his dislike of women. That being resented every woman in Jerome's life.

So Yva had a difficult time entering their house to see what was driving Jerome and Nelly's marriage to fail. It turns out that an unseen being has appointed itself as Jerome's spouse.

Jerome had been working tirelessly on their farm when he learned that his wife was pregnant. He was overjoyed, but he knew that he needed to prepare for his child's birth, so he jumped at the opportunity to farm another garden that his brother offered. It may be distant from home, but it produces twice as many vegetables more than their farm. The property is close to the mountain's summit. It was a new garden that had only been cleared for a month. There was a risk and sacrifice for him, but there would be a huge return if his plant could adapt to new soil. He was new to the location.

But the unseen being had been there for longer than he was. It had always been there, a witness to how the world had changed and how their houses had been cleared for the sake of the visible living beings. An elderly soul laments how the world has changed for the welfare of living beings, but also serves as a harsh reminder to the unseen beings that they no longer have a place to live.

But all is not lost for this being, as it can feel Jerome's presence every time he touches its bark to give himself another push before beginning the uphill journey. This being gave itself a pleasant hum every time Jerome sought cover under its shadow every time the sun worked its might. This being was drawn to Jerome by his existence as a human and married him without hesitation. This invisible creature married Jerome, a human creature.

Gamaliel checked his telescope again and asked Uncle Juan to move the scarlet blanket to the side. Before going down the tree, he gazed down and exhaled deeply. He had forgotten how far he had climbed earlier that morning. They had been figuring out when the best moment would be to execute it because it had been raining nonstop. Undoubtedly, the *wa-o* had arrived. It had been raining continuously for eight days. This morning was the only time they could get there because it wasn't raining, therefore they needed to hurry because the rain would make things more difficult. Waiting for the rain to cease will not help; it will only make the situation worse. It will simply strengthen the being's attachment. Yva was assigned to stay in Jerome's place, and the three of them were in different locations to scare that being. It turns out that Yva was the terrified one.

Every night, she'd dream about her, her branchy arms scratching her arms as she tried to fall asleep. This being is undoubtedly angry at her because she is the only female present. They had to stop Jerome from going to the farm because they needed to separate them.

The red blanket had been placed, and Uncle Juan was standing alongside it, ready to trap a being. Gamaliel wrapped a handkerchief across his palms and tightly gripped his axe. Jerome was confined to a room with sealed windows. And Yva was there, hands clasped in prayer as she will soon face a spiritual war against a being who has no right to be with a human being.

"The blanket is fluttering now," Uncle Juan told her over the phone. It was a challenging chore because they were so far apart, but calling made it simpler. Through the smartphone, she could hear the rushing wind, a faint whirring, and a woman's humming.

''It had been circulating this place now,'' Juan explained. '' Prepare now for I will bring out Jerome's clothes; whatever happens, don't open the door. Please don't stop praying.''

Uncel Juan warned so she then informed Gamaliel.

Yva knew it had begun when she heard a thumping from Jerome's room and a woman's scream of hatred, agony, and wrath echoing throughout the home. It was going back and forth, around the whole house. Yet she was determined to win this war of psychological and spiritual conflicts since Uncle Juan and Gamaliel had to fight physically.

Uncle Jaun took out the red blanket to draw the being's attention. He had to pretend that he was hanging clothes in the pale early light. Hoping it'd work. If he had already drawn the being's attention, he needed to ensure that it would attach itself to something else, such as Jerome's clothing. They chose some of Jerome's garments that still carry his human fragrance. They hoped the being would attach itself to the garments. That being's longing will be its downfall.

It will be destroyed instantly after being attached to the clothing. They considered using gas to swiftly burn everything, but they were concerned about the smell. It could overshadow Jerome's fragrance. Another issue is that they would get into difficulties with the authorities and could be accused of starting a fire. Then, if the clothing was already on fire, Gamaliel had to cut the tree roots. Hopefully, everything will be completed before the afternoon rain arrives.

The clothing was still on fire, and the screaming noise was gradually receding. Uncle Juan was able to phone Yva, so she figured everything was fine. However, they were concerned when Gamaliel called.

"The roots..... It's too much. I didn't anticipate it to be this long and numerous... This tree...this tree is home to an elderly being," he added, and fatigue could be heard in his voice.

Another call....bzzzzzzttttt

"Hello....Uncle Juan?"

"How are you doing over there?" he asked

''I'm fi..... agh, Yva screamed, for before she could finish her sentence, the banging resumed, and the screaming became louder.

''You must continue praying... It'll be a long day for us. I had to imprison the creature in a circle of fire... It's too much. We underestimated it...we forgot that it had been surviving for far longer than us."

Uncle Juan stated.

Then...

Yva looked at Gamaliel in the passenger seat and saw that he was doing his best, just like he always did. But she feels sad for him in his current position. His clothes were soaked since he had to continue cutting the roots even though it was raining. He fought the rain, the muck, and the continual shudder that ran down his spine as he cut off each root. Gamaliel ended their labor that day by chopping every root.

Yet Yva doesn't want Gamaliel ,his healthy co-worker to get used to this kind of situation.

"You should get married or at least go back to university ," Yva remarked as he sat down to dine. He had just showered, but his tired expression remained.

''Yes, I will...soon and you will be a flower girl. I never want to be stuck with you forever," he replied jokingly, lightening up the mood.

"At least one of us should get married or have a degree," Yva muttered under her breath.

Yva took a drink of her coffee and was going to enjoy it when goosebumps appeared on her arms when recollections of everything they had gone through today were projected as if she were in a movie. A monster who previously wielded some power in the light but was sent down because it desired far more. And then they were flung down here, still wielding their awful power. But we all have to go through it and fight back against them. They opposed heaven and were not also welcome here. Yet here they are, ruining our environment with their hideous images. Here they are instilling terror in us.