Whisper

Deeply hidden in a province of Antique, a dark mysterious forest lies
None of the town folks want to enter this forest nor even swim by its river
For if one enters this forest, it is said, that person is never to return again
For if one swims by its river, it is known that person is to never be found again

As deeply and as mysterious as this forest is hidden
A secret lies, where not so much of a whisper is heard
None can talk about it, but it is a common knowledge
Like an understanding, no one can ever ever talk about it,
Not even as a whisper

Only one person really knew what happened
She is the oldest person living in that village, her name is Aling Pasing
Her age is of 100, same time as this mystery begin
She was the last child born as this curse began, as she said…
Aling Pasing whispers… as all she can do is whisper…
The truth will die with her… she knows it…
Her older brother was drowned by that river
The first ever victim of the cursed forest…
Her brother died the next day after that day…so as her mother told her
She can never forget the day, her mother whispered…
Her mother whispered to her the beginning of that cursed day
And the beginning of the town’s doom…

Long ago she said, there lived a small village in that deep mysterious forest
Small yet independent, filled with loving villagers
There resides, a happy old couple, the kindest and most loving of them all
As loving and as kind this couple were, they were not blessed to have a child…
However, fate has intervened… and in that dreadful night…our story began…

One night, a child was  found near that river
A small girl, badly beaten with all the worse and perverse things done to her…
The skin of her back  was filled with carved initials of the evil people that hurt her…
The old couple cried helplessly as they help the child

They were never supposed to find this child..for the child was left for the dead
And yet, even though her breath is weak, her spirit and strength is strong
Her small breaths were hardly noticeable…but she is still alive
A promise was made by the couple… They vowed to help her…

Seeing the initials carved by her skin,
The couple had a feeling not to go to the police..
Instead, they went to a higher office.. higher authority.. the governor himself…
That was their biggest mistake…

When they both saw the initials of his name…. Could it be?
It only took a split second…
The change of the governor’s look
That realization stare given by the old couple…

It only took a split second for the entire feel of the room changed…
From pure comfort and love to pure hate and fear…
It only took a split second for the governor to decide…
With one look, he knew this couple is a threat, so as this child

Within an hour.. the most horrific and horrible event happened…
Every person in that small village,
Everyone that knew the couple…
Were trapped in a small cave by the forest

Burned and suffocated alive… along with the child…
As the villagers suffocated to death…
They cried and cursed and cursed…
Their anger was so deep along with their question..
Why had this happened?

The governor thought that was the end
Breathe he tells himself, breathe…
For they are all gone and his secrets are buried forever
That was his biggest mistake

The  next day, the children kept drowning on that river by the forest….
Parents who looked for their children never returned…
That includes Aling Pasing’s father…
Missing people with no reason….

The villagers can not ask questions for answers were not given…
The reason for this curse, the governor thought no one knew but him
His brutality and evil deeds had no witness
There is but one… The mother of Aling Pasing…
And when she lost her husband and her child
She knew it was a punishment…
For she had witnessed and did nothing…

All she can do then was whisper…
So she whispered…
She whispered as she as she witnessed as more and more children drowned
And more and more people gone missing…
Never to be found again as they entered that forest…

In her death… she whispered to her darling daughter Pasing…
And now, Aling Pasing’s only choice is to whisper or to let the secret die with her..