In the Faraway Land of San Roque

San Roque is a secluded town in Cebu with ten Sitio and five barangays. Its geography lies in plains and only Sitio Bundok is at the foot of the mountains. The town center is full of large and old structures built even during the Spanish period, and only the Municipality hall in Poblacion has a modern design.

There is an exclusive local radio station in the town of San Roque. It is not known when the station started, because people have become aware of the artificial crow that can be heard on the radio every four in the morning since time immemorial.

And while selling things, watering plants, plowing the vast plains, chopping wood, planting seeds, picking flowers, harvesting vegetables and fruits, and even in childbirth and childcare... such radio station has become a part of folk's life. So it is not surprising that everyone would be silent on a news that morning.

"Another girl is missing. Conchita, the daughter of Aling Bechay of Sitio Bundok, has not returned home since she bit goodbye to her mother last week. If anyone had seen a girl of eight, with long brown hair and a horizontal scar on her right cheek, report it immediately to the authority. Our hotline is also open for any calls. This is our tenth warning to all of our listeners. Folks, don't let your child wander around!"

The people listening to the news looked at each other.

It has been ten years since the last time that someone had gone missing. People speculate that it is because of the monsters lurking in the dark woods. This time, another girl is missing. What mystery lies behind this incident?

~~~

Author's note:

The story is set in fictional town named San Roque.

This work is fictional but the lessons, paranormal scenes, and revelations are inspired and based on true accounts of witnesses and testimonies from people I know and not known in real life.

Please read at your own risk.