I was driving home late on a Saturday night. Normally I hate leaving late from a party, but it was my best friend’s birthday and last party before he leaves for Singapore so I have to make an exception. It was almost 3 AM and there were hardly any cars on the road; a huge contrast from when I was driving on mornings. The PUVs were few and the people, even less.
I could get used to this. I thought as I drove past the stop light adjacent to Pedro Gil. I normally do not like to drive on Taft Ave. due to the abnormally high number of stoplights, but I was a bit drunk and I did not want to risk being caught by the police. Manila is notoriously ranked as one of the least safe cities in the world.
While waiting for another stoplight, I saw a woman sitting on the corner of the sidewalk, visibly crying. She was wearing a gray sleeveless cocktail dress and 6-inch heels. Her dress was short enough to reveal that she was wearing a thong. She had an air of someone who partied too hard and regretted too much.
As any decent human being would, I rolled down the window and asked the distressed lady what was going on.
“Miss? Are you okay? Are you lost?”
She instinctively lifted her head to reveal her chubby cheeks and big round eyes which were either red from crying or intoxicated from alcohol or both. She looked at me with an incredulous expression on her face.
I got out of my car, since no police were around anyway, and approached the girl. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have approached the girl and minded my own business. But there was something about her angelic features that I didn’t think that she can do any wrong.
“Don’t be alarmed, miss, I want to help, ” I briefly flashed my DLSU ID to show that I mean no harm. “Are you waiting for someone, miss? This is a very dangerous place especially at this hour.”
The lady merely looked at me with with blank eyes that I almost questioned if I was a ghost myself. I noticed that she didn’t have a bag with her nor does she she have any possessions whatsoever. She merely held a small pink handkerchief with her long smooth hands.
“Miss?” I didn’t know what to do so I did the most logical thing I can do, “Can I offer you a ride home?” I extended my hand in anticipation of the opportunity of helping a damsel-in-distress.
For a moment, I saw her eyes gleamed with hope as tears rushed through her eyes. She was hesitant at first, but I believe she realized that this would probably be her only chance to get home.
She eventually reached for my hand with a grateful smile and accepted my offer. I led her to the front seat of my car. She sat with a cautious eye on me while silently emitting a sigh of relief.
As I settled on the front-seat, I asked the lady, “Where do you live? It is very late, your family must be worried sick.”
“Malate.”
“Okay… That’s very close by. I can get you home in about 15 minutes,” I said with the most enchanting smile I can come up with. She merely stared out the window as if I was invisible.
“Uhm…. Do you know the name of the street?”
She shook her head.
“Ohhh…. No worries. Any particular landmarks?”
“The M-m-m-midnight Ember….” She stuttered.
“The …. What?” She snickered at my ignorance.
She looked me dead in the eye “My apartment is beside the Midnight Ember. It is the place where the sun never shines and where darkness shines the brightest.”
It was at that moment that I started to question my judgement. This girl was either so wasted or part of an elaborate con. Beautiful women are the downfall of great rulers, as the old saying goes. I glanced at the side mirrors as well my dash cam to check for anything suspicious. The streets were as empty as it should be. She seemed to have fallen asleep from the exhaustion. The girl was wasted as hell. I reached over her side of the chair to fasten her seatbelt. Her body emitted a certain heat that usually comes after running a marathon. As my face drew closer to hers, I could smell a faint hint of cherries over the sweat and alcohol. She was lying in an upright manner that fully exposed her breasts, cleavage and all. With my free hand, I brushed her hair to the back of her head exposing her naked face for the first time. The sleeping beauty was as enchanting as a fairy tale and her skin as soft as silk. She gave out a slight moan as I brush past her cheeks with my palm.
Suddenly a loud blast from outside brought me back from my trance, I jumped back to my seat expecting a hoard of goons…. Or the pulis banging on my window door with a gun pointed directly on my face. My mind was blank in a state of shock for about 10 seconds before I realized that it was just a car horn clamouring for me to move my car’s ass as the green light shined from the traffic post. The girl woke up to the constant beeping from behind with a perplexed look while rubbing her eyes.
I’m not sure how long had passed, but we would have been issued a traffic ticket for sure. I stepped on the gas pedal and drove to the nearest vacant spot I could find that won’t obstruct the traffic flow. She was awake now, but still groggy, that little shock must have rattled some brain cells.
“Samara”
“Huh…what?” I muttered as I snapped out of my daze.
“My name is Samara and I am ready to go home now….” Her gaze was as sharp as razors piercing through the darkness. The sobbing slutty girl I picked up on the sidewalk turned into a stern and grim vixen that is both terrifying and ravishing at the same time. She shifted her eyes towards me with the expression “get going before I tear you apart.”
“Now if you please.” She insisted one more time.
Still startled with what was transpiring, I admitted that I do not know the way. I have lived in Manila for my whole life and I have never heard of this place called Midnight Ember. I inferred that this might be a night club or strip club in some out of he way area in Malate or Cubao…. Or at least I assumed it was in Manila. I didn’t know how to respond and sweat dripped from my forehead as anxiety starts to set in. I thought about reasoning out that I really did not know the place and that I can call her a taxi instead, but her tenacious eyes and piercing aura suggested otherwise.
She sighed, “No worries, I’ll show you the way. It is not far….. I’m just not familiar with street names.”
I glanced at the rear-view and side-mirror to check again if someone (or something) is lurking behind the dark. I honestly hoped that a police officer, albeit probably crooked is nearby, I just wanted to get out of this predicament. But no, scratch that. That is the wrong mindset. That would not be the right thing to do. Besides, the worst case scenario would be getting killed while being deep inside her luscious legs.
I restarted the engine and asked her to lead the way with as much composure as I can.
We U-turned back on the next intersection and drove in the direction of the university where she told me to turn right. The drive started out expectantly quiet with me trying my best to keep my eyes on the road and make sure we don’t get killed. Nothing noteworthy happened during the time, the streets which had previously been bare had become emptier than the Chinese cemetery on February. The usual street dwellers were not sleeping on the sidewalk, the jeepneys that are on the late shift seemed to have retired for the night. Is this what usually happens at 3 AM in the morning? Hell, I haven’t even seen street dogs in what feels like hours.
I turned right on the corner of Vito Cruz station while glancing towards the little slum area for any people roaming around. All lights were closed, no people sleeping on the streets, not even some drunks loitering around the streets. What the hell is going on? If it weren’t for the street lights, I could have sworn that I’m in some underdeveloped part of some out-of-the-way province. To my right I saw the Rizal Memorial Stadium, that one beacon of Manila that personifies Pinoy Pride and houses some of our top athletes that represents our country while waving our red, white, and blue flag with the utmost integrity. The stadium is currently being sold to some old Chinese guy who plans to build a mall.
We took a sharp right-turn after two blocks. Then another left turn and a few more zigzags after, until I eventually lost count to the point where the streets are unrecognizable. Tensions were up high during these moments. Fear has an interesting effect on the body, the senses become more alert and the mind wanders from the body and straight to the abyss. To the weak-wielded person, this would mean doing something beyond the realms of irrationality. Coincidentally, alcohol tends to cause irrational behaviour of the same, if not greater magnitude. While fear revolves around unprecedented cautiousness, intoxication involves blatant imprudence. It is not hard to believe that we have more evidence of the latter than the former. However, mixing cold hard terror with an intoxicating air never does end well. The interaction of the chemicals inside the body renders the brain disoriented and perplexed. The whirlwind of emotions was so overwhelming that if one would casually suggest to kill myself I would crash on to the nearest tree right then and there. I caught sight of my pretty passenger on the rear-view mirror. I guess testosterone really is the powerful substance in the body.
“I know what you’re thinking.” Samara said after turning another left. The tone of her voice is now condescending and filled with disgust. “Men are so predictable, you don’t think I recognized that look in your eye?”
“Huh….what?” I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach.
“You might think I’m an easy dumb drunk slut that would invite you to my house and spread my legs for you.” I wanted to explain my side, but she interjected, “Why else would you offer to drive a stranger home, huh?”
I missed a speed-bump which caused an unexpected shock inside the car.
“Ms. Samara, I…. didn’t…. I mean…. I didn’t want to leave you alone. You know this is a very dangerous place, especially….”
“…. especially for a pretty girl like me?”
My cheeks were now very flustered now; partly due to alcohol, partly due to embarrassment, and as much as I didn’t want to admit, guilt. In my mind, I really wanted to be the Good Samaritan. My intentions were good. Yes, she is hot as hell. Yes, I wanted to date her. Yes, my first instinct was to take her home, potentially have coffee with her and be her knight-in-shining-armor . But in no way have I thought to take advantage of her!
“Do you think I’m pretty?”
Samara leaned toward my ear and whispered, “Do you think I’m pretty?”
I was speechless and stunned, and not in a good way, if I may add. Cold chills run down my whole body as her sharp fingernails scrape through my neck. I slowly turned my head where our faces are now directly opposite each other, our lips about 2 inches apart. Her big gray eyes look like a greyhound’s circling their prey waiting for the right opportunity to pounce.
“Ooops, turn left on the next intersection.” Her smile is as majestic as ever.
“You men are all alike. You seek something all your life and when you have the opportunity to grab it, you shy away.” Samara said as she re-adjusted herself back to her seat. “And now…. It’s byebye.” She leaned back to her chair and went back to what seems to be her own thoughts.
“What….wait Samara, listen, I not that type of…”
“I’m also from DLSU. Just putting in there there, for the sake of your sanity.” She interjected.
“Ohh… I never did see you around campus” Well, our school IS a big campus.
“Guess I’m not that pretty for you to notice….” she said with a coy sigh.
“Huh what?” That’s all I was able to say. My head hurts, I didn’t want to think anymore. Her house shouldn’t be that far off at this point.
She rolled her eyes and just stared out the window.
An awkward silence ensued for about 5 minutes.
With as much daunting courage as I could muster, I muttered, “Look Samara….. We didn’t start on the right foot. Let’s start over….” I was completely ignored.
“Uhm…. my name is Tyler….also from DLSU…. ID 110… I belong….”
“Turn left on the next block and drive straight. My house is at the end of the cul-de-sac.” She interrupted.
It was was the first time I saw people in a while. There were quite a few people on the streets going to and from the parallel sidewalks. I caught a few staring at our car as we drove pass them. There were children playing on the street…. At 4AM in the morning? A mestisa-looking little girl waved at us with an interesting straight-faced smile. There were no streetlights available but dim blinking lights from the individual the structures light the way. I wasn’t able to determine the street name, a previous storm must have knocked the sign from the posts… so much for government efficiency. There were also no stores and restaurants around, only semi-homogeneous small houses filled the rows.
“I belong to SOE, by the way… AB Economics,” she eventually said as she became more comfortable with the surroundings. Home.
“Wow….this place is….”
“Straight out of a story book? Yes it is,” there was a nice slight twinkle in her eye.
“Let’s circle around this block. I want to show you something.”
I didn’t really have a choice.
We were welcomed by bright, blazing, neon lights which became more and more visible as we approach it.The luminous glow came from what seems to be a bar or night club with architecture inspired from a bygone era. The property was mostly made of bricks painted with an elegant white base and violet scattered around for a dash of aristocracy. Ionic order columns scattered the facade of this two-floored structure with what I assumed was a Greek God holding a bow and arrow pointed at my direction. The garden was filled with lavender that surrounded an artificial pond. A statue of an angel stood at the center of the pond. Two life-sized lion statues stood erected on the gate. Muffled music came from within the structure that seemed reminiscent of The Great Gatsby. There were people outside in suits and dresses loitering around outside smoking. This place was just so surreal, I couldn’t help but feel awed by what I saw.
The Midnight Ember
“Amazing isn’t it?”
“Wow…” Still dazzled with the majestic structure
“I’ll take you here next time,” she said in a tired sweet voice. “You are the first person that has been nice to me ever since I came back to Manila. You see, I’m not from here.”
“Samara, I would love to show you around.” I was trapped inside her pupils again.
She sighed, “My house is just around the corner.”
I drove past the Midnight Ember and turned left towards where she lived. It was a house very much indistinguishable from the rest.
“Thank you so much, Tyler,” she said with a sad smile. “You are a great help. I hope to see you around.”
I reciprocated her smile and I was ready to ask for her number when a huge man came out of the house, “WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE??”
“Oh no, you should leave now! Go!” She immediately got out of the car towards the man to try to calm him down.
“Dean! Please!!” She was trying to push him back towards the house. This seemed to have woken up the neighbors as one by one the houses started to light up. The man hit Samara square on her face that prompted me to get out of the car.
“Hey!”
Samara shouted, “Go away now!”
“How dare you hit her! Who do YOU think you are?”
The man drew a gun from his holster, “I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!”
Oh Shit!
He aimed the gun directly at my direction, “YOU ARE FUCKING GOING TO DIEE!” A loud gunshot disturbed the silence of the cul-de-sac as I got into my car as fast as I can. Loud banging sounds and cries can now be heard from all directions. The people on the street were unfazed by the gunshot and now glared at my direction.
The little girl I saw awhile ago now pointed a finger toward me and let out a blood curdling scream. The people now started to scream and people started to pile up near the windows of these houses.
“Tyler!!!”
I drove as fast as I can while trying my best not to notice the now illuminated buildings with people looking at me as though I was being persecuted. A bullet eventually hit one of my back-lights. As I heard this, Dean screamed at the top of his lungs. “YOU ARE GOING TO DIEE!!!”
After a few minutes of nonstop driving, I finally got out of the cramped area and back at Roxas Boulevard. I looked back to check if I was being chased. No one, I think I had lost them. I took a long breath and cried a little prayer and safely drove home.
The next day I told my parents what happened and went to file a police report on that maniac Dean for the insurance claim. The police had trouble locating the area and were not able to find any records of a club called The Midnight Ember. I did my own research and I was not able to locate anything remotely similar to the club in Malate or in Metro Manila as a whole.
I also went to look for a girl named Samara in DLSU and I was not able to find her. I looked for current and former students under the SOE and even the COB to no avail. I searched her name on google looking for any traces or news regarding “Samara,” if that is even her real name.
There was still that bullet in the headlight. Since the investigation was inconclusive, and that I was practically driving drunk, we wrote this off as an on-road accident claim. Good thing Dad knows a lot of important people.
Was she a ghost? An extraterrestrial? I don’t know. The bullet is definitely real. The fear and terror I felt in that street was nothing like I have ever experienced. I still experience nightmares from this episode. Every time I go out the streets at night, I still see the strange people through the windows.
And above all, I am still very worried and guilty about what happened to Samara? Regardless of what they are, Samara seems to be in trouble and Dean is the type of person who gets what he wants.
I gave up late night parties ever since.
– Sedric Chua 8/14/2018
Writer's Nook by Sedric 