CHAPTER II

SLOWLY, I opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was the roof of the car. Despite my throbbing headache, I sat up abruptly, overwhelmed with anxiety. I sensed we exchanged worried glances; concern was evident in their eyes. 

"Lily... are you okay?" 

"What happened? Are you guys alright? What happened? Sorry, I'm really tired. Did I hit someone? Just a moment, I'll call your parents." I bombarded them with questions one after another. 

"Chill, girl. We're totally fine. You fainted earlier. Is it because of your asthma? all we know is you went into that souvenir shop next to the antique shop. We had no idea you were also interested in antique shops, huh. " Hannah teased. 

"Hmmm. There was a painting there that caught my eye, did you guys buy what I was holding? The old man knew what I were buying since the last thing I remember is asking him how much the painting cost," I explained. 

"Huh? An old man? Girl, the signage says Lucy's Antique Shop" They exchanged puzzled looks as if wondering if they were pulling a prank on me or something. But if indeed it wasn't real, I'd just pretend it didn't happen. They surely wouldn't believe me anyway. 

"Oh, it wasn't the shopkeeper then. Never mind, we'll just go back later," I sighed deeply, attributing it to fatigue, maybe I was hallucinating. 

"If you're tired, you should've just said so, girly pop. Our goal here is to get back home safely to our respective families. Okay, I'll drive for now so you can rest," Clyde said. 

"Okay, I'm sorry, duh." 

"Let's not rush too much, and we can make the most out of the coming days. We're here for a month. But for now, we're visiting Kapurpurawan and the windmills, and that's our final destination for this day. After that we can all rest." Clyde suggested.

"Hmm, can Lily survive without WIFI for one month? O-N-E MO-N-T-H," Hannah teased.

"Wait! Why none?! I'll just go home! Who can survive a month without the internet, what about my followers on Insta**, Faceb**, TikT**, huhu," I complained. They just shrugged at me, as if enjoying my misery.

ANGELA parked at the corner near what they call Paoay Church. Since they were only going to be a short while, I didn't join them. I watched them from afar, unable to hide my scowl as I thought about how lucky I was to have these two. They're genuinely interested in history; they've been discussing it on the way here. They look so happy. 

When will I ever become interested in those historical thingies? 

While waiting, I couldn't shake off what happened at the antique shop. Am I going crazy or did the old man just quickly vanish from inside the shop? Or was he just messing with me?

After an hour, the two of them returned. That was quick, huh? "Wow! Let's go back there next time, okay? I also want to see the inside, it's huge!" I immediately glanced at the person opening the car door. I didn't even notice they were already done because I was busy thinking about the old man. Angela started the car, and before we left, I took a picture of Paoay Church.

"Didn't you say you didn't want to take pictures?" Angela was right, I really didn't, but I don't know why there are forces making me do these things. 

"For Instag**," I reasoned. 

"What's your caption? Is it about history? Do you want a history lesson from me?" Angela asked. 

"Who cares about history? I only care for likes, hehe. So, my followers are updated about my social life" I replied, earning a raised eyebrow from Angela. 

"Aren't you an influencer? Why don't you try posting about history? It's rare these days, and at least that way, young people might become interested in history again," Angela suggested. 

"Yeah, you might get more recognition for that!" Hannah.

I ignored them and put on my earphones, playing "Pantropiko" by BINI. I opened the window to enjoy the breeze and get some sleep. 

"Where are we?" I asked, checking my phone. It was already 4 PM, and we had been traveling for quite some time. I noticed Hannah was driving now, and Angela was fast asleep. 

"We just came from the Bangui Windmills. You were sound asleep, so I didn't wake you. Turns out, we can't go to Kapurpurawan; it's off-limits now due to vandalism. So, we're heading back," Hannah explained. 

"Do you want to visit the lighthouse? There are supposedly some spooky stories there," she smirked at me. I just nod indicating that I agree to her plan. 

We still had more than half an hour of travel time left, and I was excited to sleep. After this long journey, I'd have a month to rest, no deadlines to think about, no problems, and all sorts of things. 

"HEY, girlypop... wake up, we're at the lighthouse," I tapped her, luckily, Angela wasn't hard to wake up. Poor thing, she was exhausted from driving, and I've been bothering her since earlier. She quickly fixed her hair and put on a lip tint. 

"You know, it's better to visit in the morning or around two in the afternoon," Angela said. Poor thing, she's already handling so much as the mom of the group, yet we still dragged her to our last destination because we wanted to vlog. Well, she deserves it since we're her guests in her hometown. Evil laugh.

"We're excited because Lily and I heard there are creepy things there," Hannah added. 

We started walking, and there weren't many people around, maybe because it was getting dark and it was freezing due to the wind. We had to walk up some stairs, then climb up some more. I don't know why the three of us, exhausted all day, and then decided to make the most out of it. We're so impulsive. 

"Wow, these stairs are steep!" Hannah complained. 

"You wanted to come here, so don't complain now. What if I push you down there?" Angela teased.

"Cultural heritage in Burgos declared as a National Historic Landmark as well as a National Cultural Treasure by the Philippine Government."

"Welcome to Cape Bojeador Lighthouse!" There goes our Angela again, our tour guide.

"It was designed by Magin Pers y Pers in 1887 and was eventually finished three years later by Engineer Guillermo Brockman..." 

"Wow, do you have all that memorized?" Hannah asked. 

"No, I just read it, hahaha." 

Since I wasn't interested in the background of this lighthouse, I wandered off on my own and I started filming the location. 

"Do you know that this place was featured in a documentary? It was said to be creepy," Angela shared. Yeah right. As a woman in film, we were also tasked to watch documentaries and stuff as part of our writing activities in school. I remember when I searched before coming here, this was featured in 'Misteryo in GMA. According to those interviewed who guard the lighthouse, they said that sometimes they see a beautiful woman around 3 to 4 AM. Creepy, right?

"Do you know how tall this is? Back then, equipment wasn't as advanced... so many people lost their lives building this lighthouse," 

"Besides being a beautiful attraction, this place holds a dark history and stories left by the visitors," Angela added.

"What about you? Do you think you'll leave a memory here in Ilocos?" I glanced at Angela, who was also looking at me, her expression unreadable. What could she mean? I also glanced at her without expression while she did the same, both of us seemingly lost in thought. I couldn't help but be curious about what was going through her mind in these moments. Suddenly, we were startled and looked in Hannah's direction while pointing at the well..

"LOOK! Is that a wishing well?" Pointing at the well. 

"Isn't it obvious, Hannah? What if I push you in there so we can say it's a legit wishing well?" I teased Hannah. 

"I was just asking!" she retorted. 

"Should we try it?" 

We headed towards the direction and approached the well. I noticed there were many coins, so...I felt foolish but still grabbed a coin from my pocket, just like the others. Can I just throw in some cash? I have so many wishes hehe. 

I hope I leave a memory here in Ilocos, like Clyde said. I also hope to become a famous painter. 

I was the first to toss a coin, followed by Hannah, while Angela still held onto hers, staring at me. What was she doing? I've been wondering about Angela since earlier. It feels like there's something fishy going on. 

"I wished for our safety during all our adventures. I also wished for our friendship to last even when we face problems. Just remember, I'll always be here," I realized I was wrong about Angela; she's kind. It made me wonder why I even thought about those things. I couldn't say anything more. I'm so lucky to have friends like them. Even though she witnesses my mischief, she always advises me like a younger sibling. 

We hugged as a group and took a selfie before leaving as a memory of our time at the lighthouse. 

FINALLY, we arrived at Clyde's grandfather's house. She welcomed him warmly, while Hannah and I just exchanged cheek kisses with him. 

"How are you, my grandchildren? How was the trip? Oh, come on, change your clothes, and I'll prepare some food... After such a long journey, you must be exhausted," the old man said. I glanced around; their house was so beautiful, it felt like I was in the Renaissance era. The old man was right about them being a wealthy family. 

"Do you have a charger? I need to charge my phone, it's low batt," I asked the old man, but Angela suddenly pinched me and whispered, "Show some respect, he's not like your dad. Maybe you'd like to sleep outside next to our dog." 

"Ah, um... I just wanted to charge, hehe," I quickly changed my expression.

"Oh, you child, I bet after five days, you won't want to go back home," the grandpa said. I hope not... I don't want to go back home. I don't want to go back home because next year, my dad's new family will move into the house. 

My mom died because of sadness, medication, and alcohol due to Daddy's affair. We used to be happy, our lives were simple like a typical family enjoying and complete. But Dad wanted more, and he achieved his dream. But he left behind the one who dreamt with him which is my mom, my mom who was always there for him, but he was blinded and looked for someone else. 

Maybe it's good that Angela brought me here to rest from the exhausting world; she knows how stressed I am, and how sad my life is. For now, I'll just enjoy each passing day here in Ilocos. And in addition to that, Neil and I are getting married soon. 

"Okay, I'll just escort them to our room; we still need to tidy up hehe," Angela said, asking for permission. The grandpa nodded in response. 

We spent over an hour cleaning Angela's room, it was so dusty, grandpa had stored their family's old documents here, so we had to move them to the garage. Then we swept the floor. 

We had two tables, one filled with art materials like canvas, oil paint, acrylics, watercolor sketchpads, mechanical pencils, journal for me. 

The other table had a laptop, paper, ballpoint pens, and Hannah's planner. She probably plans to write articles or blogs about the historical places we visit, while Clyde just needs paper, ballpoint pens, and her guitar, so she said she'll stay on the bed. 

While waiting for Hannah, who takes forever to shower, I decided to lie down and check my notifications. It's already 11:30 PM, April 7th, and tomorrow I'll be losing my internet connection. So, I posted on all my social media accounts that I'll be taking a break for a while since it's starting to worry me that many CEOs from different brands have been reaching out to me, especially since I'm also an affiliate on TikTok. It would be a shame to miss out on these opportunities.

"My tala (star)... I'm happy you've returned!" 

"This is the necklace, it will serve as your reminder of me..." 

"Take me with you..." 

"I'll wait for you to return again..." 

"NO!" I suddenly sat up. It was just a dream; my anxiety was intense. My dream tonight is different. Usually, I dream about the trauma caused by my parents' separation, but now it's something else... a man, I couldn't see his face clearly, and I'm not sure if he was referring to me, but he seemed happy that I returned. The lighthouse keeps appearing repeatedly, along with the necklace, and it feels like a ballroom. 

"You're awake..." I shuddered and looked to my right. It's Angela! 

"You were sleeping so soundly earlier that we couldn't wake you up. Come on, eat something; your stomach is empty." I must be exhausted if I'm seeing and dreaming all sorts of things. 

"I was dreaming," I mumbled. 

"Hmmm?" Angela inquired. 

"I dreamt of dancing with a man in the ballroom, but I'm not sure if it was me or if I just saw someone being given a necklace," I recounted. 

"Maybe it was from our grand ball? Don't you remember? You had plenty of dance partners then," Angela suggested. 

"No, I felt like I was around 26 years old something, and the setting seemed Victorian-era," I explained. 

"That's just tiredness and hunger. Come on, I'll prepare some food for you; your stomach must be empty," Angela insisted. I followed Angela; she said she wouldn't sleep anyway since it was already 3 AM in the morning, and her grandpa would wake up soon because he also needs to visit his wife who has been in a coma for a long time due to a head injury.

"Gela, I don't feel like eating anymore, let's just have coffee," I said. 

"Alright, let's just have coffee at my favorite spot," she suggested mysteriously. 

"Where?" I asked. 

"Shhh, just bring your mats; you might get inspired by the beauty of the sunrise later and paint," Angela replied. Oh my gosh! I love that idea; I want to witness the sunrise! She really knows how to make me smile. 

While Clyde was brewing coffee downstairs, I prepared my paints, acrylics, canvas, and easel. We didn't bother waking up Hannah; she was fast asleep, snoring like she could inhale flies. 

AFTER we set up under the large tree, Angela began laying out the blanket, and I placed my painting materials on the ground. We started sipping our coffee, and I requested Angela to play "Crazy Beautiful" by Andy Grammer because it's my go-to painting song.

As I looked around, I noticed that it was still somewhat dark. I realized I might not be able to capture the sunrise in one painting, so I decided to paint the large tree. 

Somehow, the surroundings were still a bit dark, but because of the full moon tonight, everything was clear to my eyes, and I could see the surroundings as if my eyes as if I had night vision.

Is it really just a full moon or eclipse?

I stood up and walked around, hoping to find a better view or an interesting object to paint, but my mind drew a blank. I realized I had wandered quite far from Angela, still without a subject in mind. I continued walking until my feet led me to a gate covered in grasses that seemed to conspire to enclose it. 

Brushing aside the grass, I found the gate unlocked, so I easily pushed it open. 

"Wow!" I exclaimed, "A whole freakin mansion!" 

If I were to describe it, it looked ancient, but the moonlight illuminated it perfectly, making it stand out. Despite not having a flashlight, I could see the entirety of the house clearly. It had two floors and maybe four windows, so cool! I cursed my curiosity as I pondered whether to enter. 

Should I go in? 

Maybe I should wait until tomorrow? Should I bring Hannah and Angela? 

What if Angela is looking for me? Have I been gone for long? 

"Hello? Is anyone there?" I called out.

"I'm sorry, I was just curious about your house... It's like I've never seen it before." The house's appearance intrigued me, and it seemed beautiful inside, so I stepped in. 

"Hello? Is there anyone here?" I repeated myself several times over two minutes, but it seemed there was no one around! I don't like waiting, nor do I like being made to wait. 

I glanced around, checking for security cameras, but found none. I expected the house to be pitch-dark and creepy, with strange noises echoing around. But I was wrong. It was just a simple, abandoned house, nothing special. 

Though dimly lit by the moonlight filtering through the perforated roof, I could make out the items inside. I was right; it was just an old house, devoid of any supernatural elements. I was fascinated by the structures here in Ilocos; they transport you back to the Renaissance or Victorian era. The ambiance was so beautiful; I wished I could live here! Quiet and solitary. Or what if I just bought this house? I could turn it into my workspace. 

As I walked, I noticed there was a second floor. I immediately headed up the stairs, marveling at the richness implied by even just the staircase. I found myself in a second room because the first one seemed like an office, filled with papers. 

The bed in the second room was so soft; it felt like a couple's room. I felt like rolling around; I didn't care if it was dirty; I could always take a bath when I got home. #Dirty 

After five minutes, I got up, remembering there was still a third room to explore. I really can't help myself; I'm curious about everything. I slowly opened the door, checking for any occupants, but I was delighted to find it empty. But my joy turned to shock when I saw a painting of a woman. Wow, she looks so tough! I actually thought she was alive.

I was stunned by the beauty of the room; it was old-fashioned but looked like a princess lived here. I immediately entered and hopped onto the bed. While sitting, I noticed two mirrors, one long and one for makeup like a vanity fair. The house was old-fashioned, with mosquito nets still hanging. I stood up because the bed was itchy, and I went to check out the closet. 

"Oh, my goodness! What is this?"

If I'm not mistaken, these clothes are called Filipiniana. So, it's confirmed, a woman owns this. I sat in front of the mirror; it seemed like she used to sit here, brushing her hair and putting on makeup. I wanted to play around and try some makeup on, but I might ruin my face, plus there's so much dust, and she has a lot of trinkets. She must be really girly; maybe we'd get along! 

 I paused my rummaging when I saw the music box, but I was surprised to find that it didn't play music; instead, there was a necklace inside, a beautiful necklace! This necklace was something else; I've never seen anything like it in my whole life. 

This wasn't an ordinary necklace. 

I immediately grabbed it. If the owner caught me, at least I got to see the necklace, right? This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, girl, so go for it! I stood up and went to a large mirror that showed my full body; the other one only showed half. Even though it was late at night and the room was dark, I couldn't help but marvel at how perfectly the light hit the necklace, making it visible in the mirror! 

"WOW!" I couldn't say anything else; it was just so beautiful! This is mine now. I kept looking at myself in the mirror repeatedly. I feel so beautiful today, I mean every day. 

I got excited for no reason and impulsively went to the cabinet, where I took out the red Filipiniana that suits to the necklace. I wore it even though I knew it was dusty. I also tied up my hair, and after that, I finally faced the mirror. It's so beautiful. Gorgeous. 

I couldn't help but look around and reflect on the moment. How beautiful this house is, this room that seems frozen in time, as if time had just stopped. I wonder if this belonged to that woman in the painting, and if all these items were hers, it must have been joyful living in those times. Even though I'm not very knowledgeable about history, I know that several countries invaded the Philippines, and women didn't have much privilege back then, just like what Hannah mentioned during her lecture in the car, where women were mostly busy with household chores.

"If only I could live in a different time," I couldn't help but become emotional to the point of wondering why my life has come to this, where I'm desperate to somehow live in another era or be reborn.

"And in that world..." I said, trying to hold back my tears. "I would find peace. Away from the troubles of this life, away from the burdens that weigh me down."

"My wish isn't that heavy, universe, right? All I wanted is a perfect life and a perfect family. I wish I could buy that with money, I do have money." I muttered to myself as I wiped the tears from my eyes. 

My emotional moment was interrupted when suddenly, my heart raced as the door slowly creaked open.

Oh noooo. Where do I hide? I froze in place; I had nowhere to run, should I jump out the window? 

Think. 

Think. 

Think. 

I'm sure if they catch me, I don't know where they'll take me, or maybe I won't make it out alive.

"You!" I felt a mixture of fear and nervousness as an old man appeared at the door. His gaze immediately shifted to the necklace. I couldn't calm down; I didn't know what to do. In my panic, I froze. Was I seeing things, right? I couldn't tell if this was real or just a dream when someone suddenly grabbed my hand. 

Wait, WHAT?! Someone grabbed my hand from inside the mirror?! I rubbed my eyes, hoping I was just dreaming. 

Wait, is this real?! Like a portal?!

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. To test it out, I slowly lifted my hand and reached towards the mirror. My heart pounded as I expected to feel the cold, hard glass. But to my shock, my hand slipped right through, like dipping into water on a hot day. It was as if the mirror had turned into a magic portal, pulling me into a world of wonder and mystery. In that moment, I knew for sure this wasn't just a figment of my imagination. Something extraordinary was happening right before my eyes.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE IN MY HOUSE?!" Is he even serious? Who in their right mind would stand up and live in the middle of the jungle? But to be fair, his level of introversion is impressive. Like it!

"WHY ARE YOU WEARING THAT NECKLACE?!" I thought the owner of this place was dead, darn it! Well, how would I know! I totally thought nobody lived in this house. Huhu, what should I do now?

"No—I was just—"

Oh gosh, panic surged through me as I found myself cornered, with nowhere to run. My heart pounded like a drum as the old man crept closer, his eyes gleaming with malice, a knife glinting in his hand. I couldn't bear the thought of my life ending like this, not yet, not now.

Slowly, I felt myself being drawn into the mirror's surface, enveloped by a strange sensation. It was akin to being pulled into a swirling vortex, as if the mirror contained the secrets of another world. It felt like one of those "what if" scenarios, pondering what it would be like to be sucked into a black hole.

Fear and confusion gripped me as I closed my eyes, preparing for whatever awaited me ahead.

"CHILD, wake up..." I slowly opened my eyes, unsure if I was still dreaming or if my mind was still asleep. My shoulders ached, but it felt like I had just experienced the deepest sleep I'd ever had.

"W-where am I" I asked to myself.

"Is this just a dream?" Phew! It's just a dream. Honestly, that dream was too realistic. I could share it with Hannah; she might even turn it into a story. Who knows, she might become famous for it.

Wait, Something's off. 

Even though my body was a bit sore, I got up and looked around. There were so many people! And... they were all wearing old clothes that I usually see in events like Buwan ng Wika or those resembling guards in Intramuros.

"Call for a medic," the man who woke me up said. Confusion and panic were still evident on my face, but I think I'll wake up from this dream soon. Maybe I just need to close my eyes again and soon enough, I'll wake up to the alarm, and for sure all this chaos will disappear.

"Where is the young lady?" I immediately looked at the woman. 

Approaching me was... H-Hannah!!! I was right, I wasn't mistaken. I hugged her tightly, but she remained quiet. 

While I embraced her... I heard..."Listen to me girlypop, you're not dreaming. This is real; we're in the year 1898. I'll explain everything later. For now, rest." she said, her voice quivering with uncertainty.

I blinked, trying hard to understand what she just said. Going back in time? It sounded like a story from a movie. But Hannah looked serious. Even though Hannah can be crazy sometimes, I know that when it comes to serious matters, she's truly serious.

I felt both surprised and excited. Was it really possible? Were we in a place where the past? pinched myself, thinking I might be dreaming.

"W-what do you mean, the year wh... what??" I stammered. 

"1898?!"