Chapter Sixty-one [ The Full Moon]However, John, Teddy, and Ericka did not pick up when the teachers’ called. Someone responds on their behalf so they are unaware that Ericka's other pals and the three little children are already absent.The teacher also observes that the three partners who make up Ericka's group have already vanished and that darkness has spread to both sides of the area. However, someone responds on their behalf, and there are more sounds coming from the woods."All right, seniors, look for your seven companions—Ericka, Alona, and Nesty, Vanessa and Rusty, Amelia, Jason, and Teddy and John—as they appear to be drifting away from us at this .Everyone yells and calls their names.Alona, Ericka, Vanessa, Amelia, Nesty, Rusty, James, Teddy, and John, where are you now?"Everyone yells and calls their names.Alona, Ericka, Vanessa, Amelia, Nesty, Rusty, James, Teddy, and John, where are you now?"Adding, “Calling, calling you all! Please reply urgently!”They can also
Chapter Sixty-two [ The secrets and conspiracies of man]When Ericka sees her male relatives, who are her uncles' sons, coming toward her, she simply sways her hands and body to fully appreciate the current moment.“It's time to play like a mountain and wild deer with our other childhood plaything. Would you like to join us? “ As he is trying to persuade her.”Ericka, this is a very lucky night when the full moon shines to provide us with lights."Roy, her cousin, eagerly extends an invitation to bring her, saying,“We may invite John and the other four boys of Uncle Johnny as well because their house is perfectly located for us to play hide-and-seek. We can go quickly across the higher mountain and down the valley with the little rill that divided the owner of the field to your farm.”Adding a few justifications,“Do you believe that even if it's a little slick when we get on, we may use the dry coconut midrib as a sled to go down the region, making it impossible for the person on th
Chapter Sixty-three [ The Lovers of mans’ soul]Ericka couldn't help that morning while she was in Teddy’s car with her family but thought after hearing about that sporting event from her male playmates that early morning. She recalled how they had taken her to the secret hideout where the majority of male army guys hid."When we play those wild deer games, you should dress like a man." Additionally, "they must not identify you as female. Otherwise, they will become attracted in you, Ericka. If we are together, we shall tag you as Eric."However, Ericka and John keep that secret from everyone because, to them, the incident is merely a part of rural life and nobody is interested."Everyone is too preoccupied with their problems to bother other people's lives when it isn't required." Her face turns gloomy adding,“My father would have to compensate them for their work on the farm if they needed help and support. "She even defends the workers' problems, and she smiles quietly while her
Chapter One [ Returning home gives new hope and strength]After going through all of her strange, arduous, and heartbreaking romantic encounters, she is dressed nicely for travel.She is returning to the place where she was born and raised as a quirky, unusual pussycat who was also incredibly intelligent, vocal, and a little fighter.The torrential rainstorms that destroyed all the family's plants and animals caused the farm plantation to collapse.She left the city on a massive ship that had to travel a wide ocean in order to manage and settle the abandoned countryside, where she ran into her former ridiculed classmates.At first, she was once-bullied, young girl who feels that love is a paradise of temptation. She believed that she was already properly attired as she entered the funeral service for her distant relatives who had perished due to misfortune, which was held at the end of the road leading to the school, market, and business district of the barrio, which was two kilometer
Chapter two [[Early childhood memories resurface: Many shocks]That early afternoon of December,Ericka thinks with her eyes wide open that her ex-boyfriend who she considers her husband would show up with his family and surprise them. She asserts," What? We have nothing to offer because everything has fallen apart. Here, even mineral-infused filtered water is useless. I still need to get clean water out of the running water, and I need to boil it first to kill any bacteria that could cause amoebiasis or other gastrointestinal disorders.”As her gaze shifts to her Ate Lorie, who has begun to feed her elder brother's pet carabao with a bunch of green bananas, she takes pleasure in watching the animal masticate the food while tilting its head. She didn't say anything; she just looked and talked about the problems.Until they both made the decision to embrace their lack of everything and whatever negative emotions that go along with it, Ericka continued.“They must be fatigued, thirsty,
Chapter Three[The early childhood days: The Favorites]Ericka finds herself in a difficult situation as she recalls a stage of her youth when, on a summer morning spent on a farm, she anxiously searched through her mother's clothing box for what seemed like an emergency while muttering,"for my double-lined dress, which is the only one I currently own but is now old, worn out, and full of scratches. I have another sort that is brown but has already been used as rags. It has thin, transparent woven fabric linings and is constructed of silky fabric in the color sky blue.”Little Ericka intently peered down at the family's wooden old box before tilting her weary neck and gazing upward in distaste.She gradually became weary of gazing at the long mirror that was affixed to their drawers and hurried over to her shrewd cousins.She is grateful that they got to meet her during her lonely, uninteresting, and pointless childhood.“The Community Center, which was next to the school's border on
CHAPTER FOUR [School days: Mirror reveals}On the first day of the school year, Ericka was getting ready excitedly because she will begin going to school in the first grade. When she sees herself in the mirror while wearing her new primary school uniform, she remembers her goals and aspirations to advance her knowledge, wisdom, and personality unconsciously.That is what she means every time she was been awakened from night sleep in the early dawn when her fathers’ male chickens crow repeatedly but the sunrise doesn’t emerge yet making her feel unconsciously restless from the long hour of waiting as she lay flat beside her mother and youngest brother on the wooden floor covered with a mat made of woven dried buri leaves created by her hardworking mother.As she was in that situation, she has already those wishes and fantasies as her mind lingers saying that,“When I grow bigger, older, and taller, I like to prove to my parents who always thought of me as weak, freak, and incapable of
Chapter Five [ Similarly to a deer running away from predators] Ericka is already in her grade four level. in that community school. After one month, it’s their turn to do the convocation program. Her teacher gave her a poem to memorize for the program.Her mother sews her a pink, simple dress but during the exact day, Ericka shivered and got nervous and she miss one line of her poem.Her mother quickly comes closer to encourage her not to be terrified. Her male teacher also gazes at her seriously making Ericka becomes firm and courageous facing the audience whose eyes focus on her.Her mother laughs when the strong wind blows making her dress fly showing her repaired colorful short underpants as her mother whispered,“My little, tiny girl Ericka. I have more sympathy for you because you are a dreamer and courageous to face life’s challenges. Now, people can see your old, repaired underpants and newly sew dress which suits you. I am happy that you began to endure tough life without
Chapter Sixty-three [ The Lovers of mans’ soul]Ericka couldn't help that morning while she was in Teddy’s car with her family but thought after hearing about that sporting event from her male playmates that early morning. She recalled how they had taken her to the secret hideout where the majority of male army guys hid."When we play those wild deer games, you should dress like a man." Additionally, "they must not identify you as female. Otherwise, they will become attracted in you, Ericka. If we are together, we shall tag you as Eric."However, Ericka and John keep that secret from everyone because, to them, the incident is merely a part of rural life and nobody is interested."Everyone is too preoccupied with their problems to bother other people's lives when it isn't required." Her face turns gloomy adding,“My father would have to compensate them for their work on the farm if they needed help and support. "She even defends the workers' problems, and she smiles quietly while her
Chapter Sixty-two [ The secrets and conspiracies of man]When Ericka sees her male relatives, who are her uncles' sons, coming toward her, she simply sways her hands and body to fully appreciate the current moment.“It's time to play like a mountain and wild deer with our other childhood plaything. Would you like to join us? “ As he is trying to persuade her.”Ericka, this is a very lucky night when the full moon shines to provide us with lights."Roy, her cousin, eagerly extends an invitation to bring her, saying,“We may invite John and the other four boys of Uncle Johnny as well because their house is perfectly located for us to play hide-and-seek. We can go quickly across the higher mountain and down the valley with the little rill that divided the owner of the field to your farm.”Adding a few justifications,“Do you believe that even if it's a little slick when we get on, we may use the dry coconut midrib as a sled to go down the region, making it impossible for the person on th
Chapter Sixty-one [ The Full Moon]However, John, Teddy, and Ericka did not pick up when the teachers’ called. Someone responds on their behalf so they are unaware that Ericka's other pals and the three little children are already absent.The teacher also observes that the three partners who make up Ericka's group have already vanished and that darkness has spread to both sides of the area. However, someone responds on their behalf, and there are more sounds coming from the woods."All right, seniors, look for your seven companions—Ericka, Alona, and Nesty, Vanessa and Rusty, Amelia, Jason, and Teddy and John—as they appear to be drifting away from us at this .Everyone yells and calls their names.Alona, Ericka, Vanessa, Amelia, Nesty, Rusty, James, Teddy, and John, where are you now?"Everyone yells and calls their names.Alona, Ericka, Vanessa, Amelia, Nesty, Rusty, James, Teddy, and John, where are you now?"Adding, “Calling, calling you all! Please reply urgently!”They can also
Chapter Sixty [ The Cosmos]But before Ericka can raise any more questions, the audio declares loudly that the vehicle is ready to head back to the lowlands."Everyone who has registered and logged into our system is directed to prepare to board the vehicle that is parked at the outer gate by packing their belongings."They all had a good time during the party, but their questions about Ericka remain unanswered until they all get on the truck to go home.Ericka no longer realizes that she is resting on Darwin's chest and occasionally with John, who prevents her from collapsing, as she nods off throughout the hour-long drive home.Teddy is also feeling worn out as he sits in his father's lap. When everyone gets home, they all enjoy their meals and each other's company. They have a persistent mistrust about Ericka:"Why did nothing worse happen to her after an hour of submersion and why was she able to breathe like a fish?"Most of them lighten the tone of the interrogation by joking wi
Chapter Fifty-nine [Diving Sharply and Nose Dive]It's a steep diving challenge for Ericka. She is currently focusing on how it operates while on the air. She is further able to recall her trainer's instructions:“When diving, you lift your two straight arms over your head and let gravity carry your body freely until you reach the water's surface.When you tilt your body upside down and concentrate on diving straight to the water's surface, with your fingertips touching the water's surface first, it can protect your head. Your hands should firmly focus with straight arms until your head, shoulders, and entire body reach and submerge the water.To reach the target underwater, your two powerful, firm hands extend overhead until your entire body flips over, shielding your head with your two long, powerful arms.Like a bird that is about to nosedive and swoop straight to the water's surface, Ericka doesn't care about anything else anymore and maintains the same body posture while doing so
Chapter Fifty-eight [The Challengers ]Darwin and Teddy, as well as John, are so amazed and feel awesome at how they warmly welcome them and provide all their needs.Thinking about what they brought as part of their share of the birthday treats, Ericka looks at John.“When everything we need is readily available and free, do we still need the ripe bananas and charcoal that we attempted to carry? All we have to do is write down what we want, and they will deliver it right away!"Darwin and Teddy concurred with delight, and Ericka laughed quietly."And observe! It appears that this waterfall tourist destination still has something intriguing to offer. It appears to be a centre of worship for our beloved God over there.The image of our Lord Jesus Christ is located in a man-made garden that is comparable to the Garden of Gethsemane, and the sky is open and glistening with lights as bright as the sun.”Ericka demonstrates as Alona and Neste approach them and join her, who appears to have
Chapter Fifty-seven [ The water falls]Ericka speaks softly, saying“God heard your plea and granted you a younger sister or brother, my dear Teddy. It is your responsibility to look after Mom and her child.” Darwin finds what Ericka mentions surprisingly.“I had no idea that my son wanted a brother or sister. He longs for a large family, which is why they view you both as his brothers and sisters.Darwin chuckles as he gives him a big hug and invites him to go home to prepare for tomorrow's event.“We shall be leaving her before eight in the morning, Kuya. It would be wise to exercise caution, advise Ate Natalia to get enough sleep, and offer our congratulations on the new life she has inside her womb. May God bless you!"Ericka says this before Darwin and Teddy cheerfully depart.They were all restless and anxious about the upcoming events tomorrow, so they were unable to get a good night's sleep that night. Teddy constantly asks her mother how she is feeling and kisses her while c
Chapter Fifty-six [Granted prayer request]"Sister, come with me! Since the sun is still waiting to set and allow the shadows of darkness to engulf the entire area, let's attempt to follow this path right now. Let's seize this chance. It's Thursday today and Friday tomorrow. One more day is available for us to explore and learn about the hidden areas close to our neighborhood and what awaits us at the end of this path trek.”When John says this, Ericka becomes intrigued and holds his hand as they eagerly go along the weedy trail. “Is it safe to bring this back to our residence, in your opinion? We could get lost in the process.”Adding,“It appears that only cars have been using this pathway for a very long time. John, which vehicle is coming in and using this path?"Since they never bring a weapon against silent intruders, John declines to respond and tells Ericka to keep quiet so as not to disturb any other living beings that may be there. He coiled a stiff vine after noticing it. Hi
Chapter Fifty-five [ Identifying the three cross pathways]In the back of her tired mind, Ericka thought sarcastically that those interesting boys were trying to get rid of her till she left the school grounds for a semester break.But Ericka also lacks peace because her parents are focused on staying in the rice fields all week long, and her female classmates are idle and bother her while she is thinking in the farmhouse. They cheerfully invited Ericka to join them for a gang visit to swim in a remote waterfall with her male classmates, and she couldn't say no. Ericka is aware that she will face new difficulties as the gang will undoubtedly watch to see which of the girls will draw the boys to the swimming competition.“No! Since nobody will be left to watch over our residence here, I am unable to go to such a swimming party!”As one friend responded, Ericka's eyes widened and turned round.“Because you have amazing dogs that faithfully bark occasionally when something moves around