Balete Tree

This story was base on a personal experience of the original author of the story Ehra (didn't put her family name). It was written in Filipino language and was translated by @juvyjabian to be understood by the Steemians.

My grandfather has this hobby of planting Balete tree in front of his house in the island of Mindanao. Compared to the typical Balete that is tall and huge trunks, this one is just a small Balete tree and we called it mini Balete. It has many branches and roots and has so many leaves which is a sign that the tree is in good health. During Christmas season, as a kid, me together with my cousins, we decorated the tree. We adorned it with the usual Christmas decors such balls and lights. It looks good because the tree was just as tall as a person.

As the time goes by, the tree also earn ages and we started to feel strange in our house, a frightening and fearful events.

It was night during that time and we are all asleep, when suddenly I heard grandmother calling our names from the other room. She shouted calling my name and the names of my cousin one by one. Her voice is so big and angry. She never stop so I answered her "What is it grandma? Grandmother suddenly stop calling our names and run immediately to our room.

According to her, she was awaken of the noise coming from the outside and when she checked it, she saw me and my cousins playing around the mini Balete tree, encirle it while singing and when she called our names, we just stared at her and seems like we are angry and then continue playing.

She was then frightened when she heard me answered her call from the other room. She told me that a not ordinary people are inhabiting the mini Balete tree. She was not sure if its a good or bad elements.

It is known to the whole country that Balete tree were used as habitat for goddess, fairies and monster. According to some who also had experience with Balete trees, these inhabitants help them but for some instances it also attacks them.

After grandma told me that, I started to felt frightened and scared. Aside from grandma, I was the only one who was awake during that time. I couldn't sleep back anymore because of what grandma told and I felt like there was somebody who is watching over me from the dark side of the room.

Some events of the same nature continuous to happen after that night and the next experience was the one I remembered most.

This time, grandfather was sick and one night, we were watching television series title "Marina" together with my cousins and grandma. It was raining heavily at that night and the wind is a bit strong but we still continue to watch the show when suddenly we heard a growling. It was a growling of a man who are in nightmare, it's tone increas radically.

We run fast towards grandfather's rooms because we knew that it was his voice and we were not mistaken. He was still sleeping, growling and forcibly wanted to move his body that seems like something is holding it. Grandmother awaken him and glad that he was.

He was sweating heavily and paled due to fear. According to him, he was sleeping very well when he started to feel that somebody is holding his leg. It was very tight, he can't move and he couldn't shout. From the underneath of his bed, he clearly saw a child holding his leg and started to eat his feet. It hurts, according to grandpa. It's like there was a fire all over the place.

Due to fear and to avoid more events that might destroy us all, grandpa decided to cut the mini Balete. Some people said that it was not a good idea to cut the tree because it already became the house of the unordinary elements who could not be seen. But grandpa already made his decisions, we have to cut the tree.

Since then, we didn't experience any frightening and fearful events anymore and I can now sleep well during night time.

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