The whole village falls silent at ten o’clock at night. My neighbors lock their doors, tie the windows tightly, and light candles on the altar. They say it’s protection against the creatures that roam in the dark.
I am Lira, twenty-two years old. Like everyone else, I am also afraid of the stories of the elders—spirits that snatch babies, eat flesh, and take lives. But because I am the only one taking care of my sick mother, I have no choice but to go out even at night to get medicine and food.
“Lira, don’t stay too long,” she said softly as she panted on the bed. “Maybe… maybe the creatures will catch up with you.”
I smiled even though I was trembling inside. “Mom, I’m just going fast. This is for you.”
Carrying the kerosene lamp, I walked down the dark road. The chirping of crickets was like a lament, and every gust of wind carried a sense of dread.
⸻

lan of consciousness after defending me.
I sat quietly next to him, stroking his hair. He looked like a child in his sleep, far from the image of the fierce aswang I had known.
“Why you, Silas…” I whispered. “You can turn your back on this. You can leave me.”
But unexpectedly, he slowly opened his eyes and smiled. “And leave you to them? I can’t, Lira. I would rather be crushed than let them take you.”
I stared at him. My heart, which was once full of fear, was gradually replaced by a warmth that I couldn’t understand.
Before I could answer, the old woman from the village suddenly arrived—Aling Rosa, known as the manghihilot.
“Lira,” she said while holding the small bottle. “I have known for a long time the horror that surrounds you. The child in your womb is half human, half aswang.”
My whole body went cold. I didn’t know how to accept it. “What do you mean? Isn’t this a curse? How can I live with this fate?”
But Aling Rosa smiled, her voice soft and heavy. “It’s not a curse, my child. It’s a test. The baby won’t become a monster if you teach him the right path. Love will decide his character.”
I burst into tears. Finally, there was light amidst all the darkness.
After Aling Rosa left, Silas hugged me from behind. His voice was warm in my ear:
“Lira, you’re not alone. We won’t let the darkness overwhelm our future child.”
Weeks passed, Silas gradually recovered. I, on the other hand, continued to be pregnant, and every night, I felt the baby move inside me. There was still fear, but more hope.
One last night of the full moon, the clan of ghosts returned. They gathered in the forest, filled with anger and hunger. In their midst was the old leader, who shouted:
“Give us the child! He is our new heir!”
Silas hugged me, blocking his body from mine. But before he could rush forward, I stepped forward.
“You can’t have him!” I shouted, my voice trembling. “This baby is not yours. He is a life that should grow in love, not in hunger and darkness.”
Silas was surprised by my courage. But I knew I had to speak.
The ghosts approached, but before they could do anything bad, a strange light enveloped me—the baby itself had released a strange energy. The creatures recoiled, their skin burning in the light.
“No… impossible!” the leader shouted.
Finally, the ghosts ran, disappearing like smoke into the forest. Their power was defeated by something they couldn’t touch—love.
Silas held my hand, tears welling up. “Lira… you are the one who truly saved us. You and our child.”
A month later, I gave birth to a baby boy—healthy, fair-skinned, and with eyes without a trace of darkness. We named him Primo.
And that’s when I learned the most important lesson:
👉 A curse becomes a blessing when you choose to love and forgive.
In the middle of the road…
I heard footsteps. Heavy, fast, and unusual. I stopped.
“Is there anyone there?” I shouted, trying to raise my voice.
No one answered. But I felt someone watching. Suddenly, a cold wind touched the back of my neck, like a breath I couldn’t see.
“A-ahhh!” I screamed as a man suddenly appeared from the edge of the tree.
He was tall, pale-skinned, and his eyes twinkled under the moon. I didn’t know him, but his presence was strange. He seemed like an abnormal being.
“Why… are you alone at this hour?” his voice was deep, almost hoarse but appealing to hear.
“Don’t come near me!” I shouted as I raised the lamp.
He smiled—a hair-raising smile. “You shouldn’t be afraid of me… unless you want to feel the pain of being mine.”
“What do you mean?!”
Before I could run, he quickly grabbed me. He was like the wind that suddenly came—I had no chance to escape.
“Ahhhh! Let me go!” I tried to fight back as he held my arm.
I felt the coldness of his hand, like ice. I tried to kick him but he only came closer. I saw his sharp teeth, and that’s when I realized everything—He’s a ghost!
“The smell of your blood…” he whispered in my ear. “And this body of yours… is perfect.”
“Please have mercy… don’t!” I begged.
⸻
He pressed me against the tree. The lamp fell and the fire died, so only the moonlight was the witness. I didn’t know what to do—his hands were like iron that I couldn’t get rid of.
“No one will hear you,” he said as he licked the side of my neck. “Now, you will be part of our race.”
“No… I won’t let you!” I almost cried.
I heard the terrifying sound of his fangs touching my skin. I felt pain and trembling. At that moment, I wanted to scream until I lost my voice, but I could do nothing but cry.
“Lira…” he whispered, “from now on… you are mine.”
And then, I felt a strange heat flow through my stomach, along with intense pain. It was as if he had planted something in my body that I couldn’t explain.
⸻
When I regained consciousness, I was lying on the ground. The man was gone. All that was left were claw marks on my arm and neck. I was weak, shaking, and could barely walk home.
When I arrived home, my mother greeted me.
“Lira! What took you so long? What happened to you?!”
I shook my head. “W-nothing, Mom. I just tripped.” I couldn’t tell the truth, because it might make her even weaker.
But when I lay down on the bed, I felt a strange throbbing in my womb. It wasn’t a normal pain. It felt like something was moving—like a living being inside me.
I held my stomach, as a wave of fear swept over me.
“Oh my God…” I whispered to myself. “What did he do to me?”
⸻
Weeks Passed
Since then, I’ve been having nightmares every night. In my dreams, I always see that man—smiling, looking at me, and saying, “You’ll be ours too, Lira. You can’t escape.”
I don’t know if it’s real or a hallucination, but with each passing day, my condition worsens. I’m not married yet, I haven’t had a boyfriend yet, but… it feels like I’m carrying something in my womb.
⸻
One night, as I was crying on the edge of my bed, he suddenly appeared through the window—hanging, smiling, and his eyes shining.
“Lira,” he said, “don’t be afraid. I am Silas. And despite the pain you have felt… I will make sure you will not regret it. I will make you experience love, in return for everything.”
I was terrified. “Get away from me! You are a monster!”
But he didn’t disappear. He just stared at me, a mixture of sadness and longing.
“You don’t know me yet,” he whispered. “But one day… you will understand too. And when you come

“When that time comes… you will love me yourself.”
And then she disappeared, leaving me shaking and wondering—where this would all lead.
Several weeks passed since that night. I didn’t tell anyone—not my mother, not my neighbors. Who would believe me? If I told them I was pregnant by a ghost, they might just think I was crazy.
But every morning, as I woke up, I could feel the weight in my stomach. It was like a life slowly growing inside.
“Lira, eat now,” Mother called from the table. Her voice was still weak, her body seemed to be weakening.
“Yes, Nay…” I replied, even though I had almost no appetite.
I sat next to her, trying to play with the rice on my plate. I couldn’t tell her how I felt, because it might worry her even more. But with every mouthful, there was a sense of nervousness.
⸻
One Night
I woke up to a rustling from the roof. At first I thought it was just a cat, but when I heard the voice her, I knew it.
“Lira…”
I stood up and hurried to the window. And there, I saw him—Silas, hanging like a bat, smiling at me.
“What are you doing here?!” I whispered, worried that Mother would wake up.
“I’m looking at you. You’re sleeping so beautifully. You’re like a fairy,” he replied, with a strange caress in his voice.
“Go away! I don’t want to see you!”
He smiled, but there was a trace of sadness. “I know you’re angry with me… and you have a right to. But remember, Lira, I can’t take back what happened. The only thing I can do now is protect you.”
“Protect? I’m suffering because of you!” I clutched my stomach. “What have you done to me, Silas?!”
He stared, his face serious. “You’re not suffering… you’re becoming one of us. And what you’re carrying—not a curse. But a part of our fate.”
I shook my head, tears welling up. “I didn’t ask for this. You’re a monster!”
He didn’t get angry. Instead, he moved closer, his face almost pressed against the window. “If I’m a monster, let me be the one to love you.”
“I can’t love you!”
He stared silently, then slowly disappeared like smoke into the darkness. I was left gasping for breath, clutching my stomach, as the inexplicable fear continued to grip my chest.
⸻
The Next Days
I noticed a lot had changed in me.
My previously weak body suddenly had a strange strength. I could lift heavy things that I couldn’t before. Sometimes, I would catch myself with sharp hearing—I could hear the neighbors’ whispers even if they were on the other side of the fence.
“Lira, are you okay?” Mom asked as I wiped the sweat from my forehead after finishing the heavy housework.
“Yes, Mom. I’m just strong now.” I forced a smile.
But deep down, I knew something was wrong. This wasn’t normal.
⸻
As I was walking home from the farm, I felt someone following me. I stopped, and the footsteps stopped too. I took a step, and the same noise behind me.
“Is there anyone there?” I shouted.
From the darkness, three men suddenly appeared with a bag of chips. They were drunk, and they were grinning as if they were planning something bad.
“Oh, this is Lira,” one of them said. “You’re still beautiful even though you’re tired. Come with us, you’ll definitely be happy.”
I was shaking. “Go away!”
But they approached me. One of them grabbed my arm. “Shh, don’t be so tight.”
“Let go of me!” I shouted, trying to break free.
Suddenly, a strange force burst from my body. With just one push, the man was thrown several meters, fell to the ground and lost consciousness.
I was surprised. “W-what is this…?” I whispered.
“Son of—what kind of woman are you?!” one shouted, backing away.
Before they could run, Silas fell from above, grinning, and his eyes flashing.
“You disrespectful people,” his voice was cold. “How could you touch my woman?”
“W-wow!” one shouted, running away. The rest collapsed in fear.
In an instant, Silas disappeared and reappeared in front of the man. “If you don’t want to die, stay away from her. Because her life… is my life too.”
The man ran, leaving us both behind.
⸻
We were left staring at each other. I, trembling, still holding my arm. He, looking at me with a mixture of desire and tenderness.
“You’re not ordinary anymore, Lira,” he whispered. “You’re starting to become like me.”
“No… I don’t want this…” I almost whispered back.
He came closer and gently touched my cheek. I don’t know why, but instead of just feeling disgust, a mixture of heat stirred in my chest.
“Lira,” he said, “I won’t take back what happened. But I promise, never… I’ll abandon you. Don’t call me a monster—because of you, I’m learning to be human.”
“If that’s true… why did you choose me? Why did you hurt me?”
He was silent for a moment, then looked at the moon. “Because of the manycreature in this world, you are the only one who made my heart beat that had been dead for a long time.”
I didn’t know how to answer. His words were terrifying and thrilling at the same time. And despite everything, I couldn’t deny… there was a part of my heart that was beating because of him.
⸻
When I got home, I stared at myself in the mirror. I was pale, but my eyes were brighter. In my heart, I asked myself:
“Am I really changing? And if it’s true… can I still stop myself from falling for a creature that everyone fears?”
In the dark of the night, I heard his voice again from afar.
“Lira… wherever you go… you’re mine.”
And then I felt it—it wasn’t just fear that was enveloping me. It was a mixture of apprehension… and a strange thrill.
Ever since the night Silas saved me from the drunken men, I’ve been restless. Every time I close my eyes, I remember the way he stared at me—eyes that were cold and fierce, but with a tenderness that I can’t explain.
“Why is this…” I whispered as I lay on the pallet. I held my stomach, which seemed to be slowly growing even though it had only been a few weeks since that first night. “Why me… why did this happen to me?”
I heard Mom cough softly. I quickly approached her.
“Son,” she said softly, “what’s been bothering you these days? Your eyes are so sad.”
I bowed my head. “Nothing, Mom… just tired.”
She smiled, trying to encourage me. “I know you’re strong. No matter what, you’ll overcome it.”
But deep down, a question kept echoing in my mind: Would I be able to survive if the enemy was my own body?
⸻
Every night, I had strange dreams. I saw Silas in the middle of the forest, bare-chested, and smiling at me.
“Lira…” he called. “Come, you’re here.”
I approached him, but with each step, the ground was covered in blood. There I saw—human corpses, scattered, and some in pieces. I trembled, I wanted to retreat, but he held my hand.
“‘Don’t be afraid,’ he whispered. “Because all of this… is for you.”
I woke up sweating, panting, and hugging myself.
⸻
One night, while I was in the backyard washing dishes, I felt his presence. I didn’t need to turn around to know.
“Silas…” I whispered.
From the darkness, he appeared. His form now was not as monstrous as the first time I saw him—he was wearing a simple robe, standing like an ordinary man.
“You’re not scared now,” he said, staring at me.
“I can’t do anything anymore,” I replied, my voice cold. “I guess I’m used to your presence.”
He came closer, and before I could move, he was holding my hand. His palm was warm, unlike the cold of the first night.
“Lira, I’m trying to be human for you,” he whispered. “I don’t know if I can give up my race… but for you, I’m ready to fight.”
I looked at him. “Why me? Don’t you know I’m not special? I’m just a simple girl.”
She shook her head. “You don’t know how important you are to me. Your blood is unique… strong, pure. That’s why since I felt it, I’ve been restless.”
My tears flowed down my cheeks. “Do you mean… you only chose me because of my blood?”
She was silent for a moment, then gently touched my cheek. “No. I chose you because you were the only one who reminded me… how to love.”
I didn’t know why, but I didn’t push her away. Instead, I kept staring into her eyes. There was a mixture of fear, but a strange warmth that was bubbling between us.
⸻
The next day, news spread through the village: some pet pigs and chickens had been found torn apart, as if they had been played with. People were shouting in the plaza.
“There’s another ghost!” one shouted. “If we don’t catch it, it might be a human next!”
I felt my blood run cold. I looked at the edge of the forest, where I knew Silas was.
“Lira,” the neighbor called. “Are you with the guard tonight?”
I shook my head. “No… Mother is sick. I can’t leave her.”
But the truth is, I’m afraid they might catch Silas.
⸻
Despite my protest, I heard the shouts and footsteps of people from the window. Some were carrying spears, garlic, and salt. They were circling around, ready to kill.
“When we catch them, burn them immediately!” one shouted.
I couldn’t help but tremble. What if they catch Silas? What if they see that I have a connection to him?
And then, I suddenly thought: Why am I thinking about him? Isn’t he the reason for all this? But why do I seem so afraid of losing him?
⸻
As I watched the people, I heard a shout from the field.
“Aswang! Aswang!”
I quickly ran outside. There I saw—Silas, fighting with the men with spears. His arm was wounded, but he did not give in.o.
“Silas!” I shouted, before I could stop myself.
He turned around, and in an instant, he landed next to me. He grabbed my waist, and before the people could get close, we both flew away.
“Ahhhh!” I shouted while hugging him, feeling the speed of the wind.
In a few moments, we were at the top of a mountain, far from the people. He slowly lowered me down.
“Don’t scream,” he whispered. “You’re safe.”
I sobbed. “Why did you do this? Why did you take me with you? I might get hurt!”
He faced me, his face serious. “I would rather have you with me than lose you from my side.”
“Silas… I’m not sure if I’m angry or… or happy that you saved me.”
He smiled, bitter but true. “You don’t have to decide now. Your heart will tell the final verdict.”
⸻
As I sat next to him under the moon, I looked into his eyes. I no longer saw a monster—but a creature confused, searching for love.
“Lira… shouldn’t you hate him? But why does it feel like your own heart is siding with him?” I whispered to myself.
I held my stomach, feeling the tiny beat of the creature inside me.
And then I thought: maybe it wasn’t just a curse coming… maybe it was destiny.
⸻
Under the moonlight, Silas slowly approached. I didn’t push him away. And for the first time, I wasn’t just filled with fear.
A mixture of excitement.
Ever since Silas took me to the mountain, I’ve been restless. Even when I returned to the village, I felt like all the people’s eyes were on me.
“Lira, why do you seem different now?” asked Aling Marta, our gossipy neighbor. “You’re so white, and your eyes seem to have brightened. Are you hiding something?”
I smiled, trying to hide my nervousness. “Maybe it’s because I took care of my mother. Maybe my appearance has just changed.”
But I knew it wasn’t just my appearance that had changed. Every night, I felt a strange strength in my body. Sometimes, I could hear people’s heartbeats even from afar. And most of all—I could feel the beating of a strange creature in my womb.
⸻
One night, he appeared at my window again. This time, he didn’t look like a monster—he was wearing a simple robe, holding some leaves and herbs.
“For your mother,” he whispered. “It’s healing.”
I looked at him. “Why are you doing this? Aren’t you the reason why I’m suffering?”
“Because I want you to see that I’m not just a monster,” he replied. “If you just let me, Lira… I can change your life.”
I stared at him silently. I hated to admit it, but there was a part of my heart that melted every time I saw him like this—not as a ghost, but as someone who cared.
⸻
But one night, as I was walking home from the field, I heard a strange whisper.
“Is she the woman?” said a voice from the darkness.
“Yes. She was the one Silas chose. Her weakness,” answered another.
I was terrified. When I turned around, three creatures emerged from the trees. Their eyes were red, their claws were long, and they were grinning menacingly.
“They are ghosts too…” I whispered to myself.
“Lira,” said one, “you are the reason Silas is so weak. If you don’t disappear, our entire race will be destroyed.”
I stepped back. “What do you mean?”
They grinned. “You shouldn’t live. And what you are carrying shouldn’t live either.”
⸻
Before they could get close, Silas suddenly fell from above, his face angry and his eyes flashing.
“‘Don’t touch Lira!’ he shouted, blocking one of the aswang’s attacks.
“Silas,” shouted one of the aswangs, “have you forgotten our race? Choose—the woman or the brotherhood!”
“I have no other choice but her!” he replied, striking one of them down.
He pulled me. “Let’s run, Lira!”
As we ran through the forest, I felt my heart beat faster. I didn’t know if it was from fear… or from the tightness of his embrace.
⸻
When we got a little further, we stopped on a hill. He was panting, wounded, but smiling.
“The village is no longer safe for you,” he said. “They know. And they won’t stop until they get you.”
I burst into tears. “Silas, what should I do? I can’t leave my mother.”
He gently touched my cheek. “I won’t force you. But remember, if I don’t protect you… I’ll lose you. And I can’t handle that.”
My eyes burned with tears. “Why did you choose me, Silas? You know everything will be difficult.”
He looked straight at me. “Because you’re the only reason I chose to be human, even though half of my body is a monster.”
⸻
We were silent for a moment, only the wind blowing and the chirping of crickets could be heard. He approached slowly, slowly, as if asking if I would agree.
I didn’t know why, but I didn’t back down.Instead, I kept staring at her.
“Lira…” he whispered, and I felt the heat of his breath on my cheek.
And for the first time, I let our lips touch. A kiss filled with fear, pain, but with a warmth I couldn’t explain.
⸻
When our lips parted, I pulled away, holding my own chest that was beating rapidly.
“Silas… this is wrong. It shouldn’t be.”
He smiled, bitter but full of hope. “Wrong for the world. But right for our hearts.”
I couldn’t answer. I looked up at the sky, holding my stomach, feeling the beating of the creature inside me.
My God… what have I let in?
⸻
From afar, I heard the screams of the ghosts that Silas and I had fought earlier.
“Silas! You can’t escape! If you don’t leave the woman, you will both die!”
His grip on my hand tightened. “Lira, from now on… there is no turning back. In the dark of the night, we will fight this.”
That night was the cruelest and most painful night of my life. The navel of my stomach felt like it was being torn apart with every beat of my heart. I didn’t know what kind of creature was forming inside me, but I knew I was no longer the same.
I was sitting inside Silas’ hut, clutching the blanket he had given me. Outside, the air was cold but the moon’s gaze was even colder as if it was peering into all my secrets.
“Lira…” Silas called softly, as he sat on the edge of the mat. “You don’t have to fight this alone.”
I smiled bitterly. “You don’t know how I feel, Silas. You are not the woman who was exploited… you are not the one who was suddenly cursed.”
He shook his head and gently took my hand. I noticed a strange warmth from his skin. Hot, but comforting, like a fire that doesn’t burn.
“I can’t feel your pain… but I can see it. And I can take the weight you don’t want to carry,” he replied, staring straight into my eyes.
The surroundings fell silent for a moment. Only the chirping of crickets and the wind blowing through the bamboo surrounded us. But at the same time, I felt a presence outside the hut.
I turned around, nervous. “Silas… someone is watching.”
He stood up immediately, like an animal ready to devour. His eyes flashed red again, and that’s when I understood that he was not just a ghost. He was my guard, my protection against even worse dangers.
“Lira, go inside. Don’t come out no matter what you hear,” he ordered firmly.
“But—”
“Follow!”
I recoiled. I saw how his form had changed—his claws had grown long, his fangs gleamed in the moonlight. But instead of being scared, some strange throb in my heart made me stay and watch him.
Suddenly the window opened—three creatures, both aswangs, landed, their eyes hungrily focused on me.
“Silas!” I shouted.
He immediately rushed forward, a strong blow of his hand knocking one down. The creature flew until it hit a tree. The other two attacked, but he quickly blocked them.
“You can’t get him!” Silas shouted as he held back his companions.
I covered my mouth, trembling. That’s when I understood even more—he didn’t choose me to hurt. He chose me to fight for.
One aswang approached me, almost touching my stomach. “The baby… he will be the next leader!” said with a silly grin.
I swallowed, then backed away. “No! You can’t eat me!”
But before he could get me, Silas landed from above and sank his fang into the enemy’s neck. A groan of agony, and the creature’s body fell to the ground like ashes.
After the clash, Silas gasped and returned to the hut. His eyes gradually returned to normal, but his hands were still trembling with blood.
“Lira… you’re safe,” he said softly, before finally kneeling in front of me.
I came closer, hugging him even though I was shaking with fear and confusion. That’s when I felt his heart beat faster against mine.
“Silas…” I whispered, almost unable to hold back my tears. “Why are you doing this for me? You don’t… love me.”
He looked up, and for the first time I saw a smile on his lips—a genuine, not dangerous smile.
“I love you, Lira. And that baby… I won’t abandon you.”
When I heard that, all the walls I had built in my heart collapsed. Yes, he was a ghost. Yes, the world he lived in was scary. But in that moment, in the middle of the forest, under the light of the cold moon—I found warmth, hope, and love.
The day after the battle, I still couldn’t believe I was alive. The hut smelled of ashes and blood of the creatures that had vanished the night before. Silas was still asleep, wounded and almost dead.lan of consciousness after defending me.
I sat quietly next to him, stroking his hair. He looked like a child in his sleep, far from the image of the fierce aswang I had known.
“Why you, Silas…” I whispered. “You can turn your back on this. You can leave me.”
But unexpectedly, he slowly opened his eyes and smiled. “And leave you to them? I can’t, Lira. I would rather be crushed than let them take you.”
I stared at him. My heart, which was once full of fear, was gradually replaced by a warmth that I couldn’t understand.
Before I could answer, the old woman from the village suddenly arrived—Aling Rosa, known as the manghihilot.
“Lira,” she said while holding the small bottle. “I have known for a long time the horror that surrounds you. The child in your womb is half human, half aswang.”
My whole body went cold. I didn’t know how to accept it. “What do you mean? Isn’t this a curse? How can I live with this fate?”
But Aling Rosa smiled, her voice soft and heavy. “It’s not a curse, my child. It’s a test. The baby won’t become a monster if you teach him the right path. Love will decide his character.”
I burst into tears. Finally, there was light amidst all the darkness.
After Aling Rosa left, Silas hugged me from behind. His voice was warm in my ear:
“Lira, you’re not alone. We won’t let the darkness overwhelm our future child.”
Weeks passed, Silas gradually recovered. I, on the other hand, continued to be pregnant, and every night, I felt the baby move inside me. There was still fear, but more hope.
One last night of the full moon, the clan of ghosts returned. They gathered in the forest, filled with anger and hunger. In their midst was the old leader, who shouted:
“Give us the child! He is our new heir!”
Silas hugged me, blocking his body from mine. But before he could rush forward, I stepped forward.
“You can’t have him!” I shouted, my voice trembling. “This baby is not yours. He is a life that should grow in love, not in hunger and darkness.”
Silas was surprised by my courage. But I knew I had to speak.
The ghosts approached, but before they could do anything bad, a strange light enveloped me—the baby itself had released a strange energy. The creatures recoiled, their skin burning in the light.
“No… impossible!” the leader shouted.
Finally, the ghosts ran, disappearing like smoke into the forest. Their power was defeated by something they couldn’t touch—love.
Silas held my hand, tears welling up. “Lira… you are the one who truly saved us. You and our child.”
A month later, I gave birth to a baby boy—healthy, fair-skinned, and with eyes without a trace of darkness. We named him Primo.
And that’s when I learned the most important lesson:
👉 A curse becomes a blessing when you choose to love and forgive.