Deive's car screeched into a halt. He was breathing hard. Did he hit someone or something? Where is it? Did he kill it?

Some men who were drinking at a makeshift store rushed to him. "Hey, handsome! Are you okay?" one of them asked and knocked on the windshield of his car.

His heart was pounding wildly when he opened the window of his car. "Don't mind me. I am sure I am hit something. Can you c-check it?" He must get his wits together. He must bring it to the hospital. He hoped it was still alive.

"You didn't hit anything. The black cat crosses the street," answered the small man. Then he saw a black shadow that was running away.

"Just a black cat? I-I didn't see that one." He was worried over nothing.

"When a black cat crosses your way, that is a bad omen," said the old woman.

Deive gave the old woman a bewildered look. She looked serious as if that statement about the superstitious belief on black cats was a fact. It was already the modern times. Who else believed in mystical beliefs anymore?

"I am sorry but I don't believe that. But thanks for the warning. I must go now," he said to the group.

He would really experience bad luck if he didn't get to Villa Celesta soon. Even if he was forced to marry Callea, he didn't want her to think that he hated the idea. His old man will be more pissed off and he would find himself in the dump soon.

"Where are you going, child?" the old woman asked him.

"In Villa Celesta."

Everyone hitched their breath as if one person. Extreme fear reflected on their faces.

"Are you an exorcist or a paranormal expert, young man?" the old woman asked. "Do you want to help the suffering souls in that house?"

He shook his head. He imagined the traditional healers who perform rituals to communicate with spirits and elements using their chants and wearing their bandanas on the head. No, that image on his head was a far cry from him. "No, ma'am. I will visit my future bride there."

"Oh, my god!" exclaimed the old woman and clutched her chest. The rest of the men put their hands together as if in prayer.

The biggest of the bunch gulped. "Aren't you aware that bad spirits lurked there? Ghosts abound that place. It is a haunted house."

"Yes! Last night, we even saw a white lady standing at the verandah. It was really eerie," said the man who was mostly bones and skin.

His face twitched as he tried not to laugh out loud. Ghosts? White lady? Haunted house? These men must be really drunk with all the weird things they see.

"I have to go now. Thank you very much," Deive said.

He was about roll the car's window when the old woman stopped him. "Wait!" Then the old woman put her hand on his head and murmured a prayer. "Please protect this man from the evil spirits."

The other men also put their hands together and joined the prayer. "Amen."

"Always pray, young man," said the old woman and took his hands. "I hope that God won't leave your side."

He thanked them. From the chat that brought bad luck to a haunted house. Elements and ghosts? For Pete's sake! There were lots of technologies invented. They even sent men to the moon. There was human cloning, plant and animal mutation. Ghosts and elements were a thing of the past. It was only used to scare the little kids to sleep or as a scaring tactics by the Spaniards to the Filipinos during colonial times. You could only see those ghosts on films and horror books.

From the store, he didn't find any more houses along the way. All he could see were fields illuminated by the moonlight. After few minutes, a huge house could be seen from the view.

Villa Celeste. It was an old house built during 1920s. It was Victorian inspired house made mostly of wood. It was three-story tall. It looked like a haunted house for other people. But for him, it was a fine example of classy architecture.

He slowed down the car as he neared the iron-wrought gates of Villa Celesta. He beeped and an old couple opened the gate. "Good evening, Señorito Deive!" greeted the old man. "I am Lito, the caretaker of this mansion. And this is my wife, Poling."

He shook their hands. "Good evening to you."

"Señorita Callea has been waiting for you. Why did you arrive so late, Sir?" Poling asked.

"The traffic on SLEX was horrible. My apologies. Is Callea still up?" Deive asked.

"Maybe she's already resting. The light is off on her room. Maybe you will meet her in the morning. But Marina is waiting at the door," explained Lito.

"Who's Marina?" Deive asked. Her grandfather metioned the couple caretaker at the mention. There was no mention of this Marina.

"She is Miss Callea's companion. Please get inside so you can gave your late dinner and you can rest," said Poling.

He went back to his car. "Why don't you ride with me back to the mansion?" he offered.

"We are on our way home. We only visit this place two to four times a week to clean up this place. Or if Marina and Miss Callea wants us to buy something from town," Lito clarified.

"I see." It was only the two women in the house. Isn't that dangerous? Do they even have security there?

"Don't worry, Señorito Deive. Nobody would dare rob the mansion. They are terrified to even pass by this place," said Poling in an amused voice.

Lito elbowed his wife. "Watch your mouth. We don't want to give Sir Deive the wrong impression."

"Is there a problem?" Deive asked.

"What my wife meant was the Lopezes are respected in this town. So, even if this house has no guard, nobody would dare loot it. We have to go now, Sir. We will be back tomorrow to check on your needs."

Then he waved goodbye to the couple and kept on driving. He didn't really like old houses but he admired Villa Celesta. It was as if the moonlight was worshipping it as it casted its glow. The Lopezes tried their best to maintain its splendor. There was a certain romantic appeal to the house. According to his Lolo Jorge, Callea loved the house so much and preferred to live there. So, as her future husband, he must learn to appreciate the place as well.

There was a sprawling garden with a fountain in the middle. There was also a tall camachile tree. He looked as it as he get off his car. He was used to the noise and brightness of the city. He was not a rural boy. But now he appreciated the silence of the night where he could only hear the night insects chirping. The beautiful moonlight was usually unnoticeable due to bright city lights. But he could see it clearly now because it was the only shining object in the night sky.

So this was her bride's world.

Very laidback. Very...

He looked around when he heard the wooden door squeaked as it opened. Feared clutched his whole being when he saw a hunchback. He stepped back. He asked himself if the stories about ghosts were real.

"W-Who are you?" he asked in a shaky voice. He was ready to run anytime. Is the place really cursed?

"I am Marina, Señorito Deive."

"Y-You are Callea's companion?" This was the woman that Callea trusted?

She nodded slightly. "Señorita slept while waiting for you. But I can reheat your dinner if you want to eat."

He took out his luggage from the backseat of the car. "Thank you but I am still full." Deive couldn't fathom why Callea had chosen this woman as her companion. She was not fit to be a bodyguard. Or maybe she was the reason why the people in town was afraid of Villa Celesta?

What was this lunacy? As if they also wanted to frighten him. Not to be judgmental and all. He now understood why towns people were afraid of the place. It was an old house with a hunchback living on it. They weave their own stories. Well, the world was really judgmental and cruel.

"If you don't want to eat anymore, I will take you to your room so you can eat," she said then offered to bring his luggage.

"You don't have to. I can handle this. Where is my room?"

"At the second floor, second door from the end of the hall," Marina answered. "Please get inside because the night is starting to get colder. You might get sick."

Deive halted his steps when he felt like there were eyes on him from the second floor. He caught sight of the shadow of a woman. He looked away. Maybe it was just his imagination. It was just the three of them inside the house. Callea was already sleeping.

He must stop thinking too much. The scary stories from the drunk and the silly old woman was starting to get to him. But how could he explain this eerie feeling?

Callea was holding her breath as she held her cat. She was crouching beside the window, away from the prying eyes of many. Even the moonlight couldn't reach her.

"Do you think Deive saw me, Luna?" she asked the cat.

She had been waiting for Deive Hontiveros since this afternoon. She prepared a sumptuous dinner for him. She didn't want to disappoint him. Even if she didn't want to marry him, she was taught at a very young age how to properly treat visitors. She needed to get his confidence if she wanted to make her plan work.

But the dinner was already cold and he still didn't come. She thought that maybe he decided to back out from their wedding. So, she told Marina to just put the food in the fridge. She was about to sleep when she heard his car purr as it arrived at Villa Celesta.

She decided not to welcome him anymore. So, he would know that she would not be the type who wait out for him if he decided to show up late. She just told Marina that she would just sleep.

Callea told herself that she was not interested in Deive. But something pulled her towards the window and peep. She couldn't see much of his face because it was dark. But with the help of the moonlight, an image of a vigorous young man was formed.

Her eyes rolled heavenward. "So, he was a hottie. So what? What kind of man would let a woman wait for him for several hours. That is hardly a man."

If only she didn't need Deive Hontiveros so badly, she won't allow him to set foot in Villa Celesta. "But why does my heart beat so fast at the sight of him?" she asked Luna as she touched her cat. As if her head would explode when he looked up her way. What was happening to her?

Her long, lustrous hair fell on her face. Then the gray cloud covered the moon. On Deive's arrival, her life was about to change. She must follow her grandfather in the meantime. She would get her hands on Villa Celesta soon.

And Deive Hontiveros would be out of her life.

"THERE are six rooms on the second floor and there's also the attic. Don Leandro has six children. He was the one who built this house and he is Señorita Callea's great grandfather. But after some time, nobody stayed in this house anymore because the family decided to leave someplace else. Others are even abroad. Only Señorita Callea choose to stay here."

Deive gulped as he ascended the grand staircase. Marina was leading him to the second floor to the room that he would stay in. She was like a tourist guide. He bet she could explain the history of each part of the house.

He felt like he was back in 1920s when the mansion was still lively with all the original settlers who lived there. The furniture was also from the olden times. But the place gave him creeps. As if anytime, a head would roll on his feet or a white lady would just show up.

He stopped midway when he saw the painting of a beautiful woman wearing a white ball gown. With all the decorations at the mansion, it was the only thing that caught his attention. It was as if the image was alive. Even the black cat on her lap has intimidating green eyes.

"Who is she?" he asked Marina.

"She is Doña Celesta, the wife of Don Leandro," the woman answered. "She looked a lot like Señorita Callea. Whoever sees her though Doña Celesta went back to life. Unfortunately, she died giving birth to Don Tomasino. They mourned for her. Don Leandro loved her so much and decided not to marry anymore."

He looked away from the painting. He felt Doña Celesta's eyes on him. As if she knew his intentions for her great granddaughter. He felt guilty in a way. The house was built by two people who love each other. The house was a fruit of their love and devotion for each other. While he was there to marry a Lopez for his own interest.

His room was simple yet elegant. A huge four-poster bed dominated the room. There were two old lampshades beside the bed. A replica painting of Francis "Botong" Francisco hangs at the head of the bed. There wasn't much modern furniture even if there's electricity.

"If you want to watch TV, there's an entertainment room downstairs. Don Tomasino preferred that the family will watch TV together or listen to music. So if you want to watch, you do it with Señorita Callea."

He smiled a bit. "No problem. Where is her room?"

"At the end of this hall. But she doesn't want to be bothered especially at night."

Deive nodded and sat on the bed. Great! His room was near to the beautiful woman he was about to marry. Not that he had plans to enter her room without permission. He was not that type of man and he didn't have to force any woman. Well, if Callea wanted to get to his room, that's another thing entirely.

Sleep was starting to lull him. The bed was soft and comfortable. The air was cold and he didn't even need a fan or an air conditioner. He could hear the hymn of night insects as if they were singing him a lullaby. Perhaps it was the dim light from the old silk cocoon lamp that was making him drowsy.

He was usually specific that all of his needs were met whenever he arrived at a new place. But all he did was lean back at the bed's headboard and close his eyes.

"Do you want me to help you with unpacking your things, Sir?" Marina offered.

He flicked his hand while his eyes were still closed. "Let it be. I just want to rest. You may go. Thank you, Marina."

He listened to her footsteps. It was so relaxing. He had never been so at home before. The eerie feeling was gone. He felt better in that room than his own condo or any elegant hotel in the world he had stayed in. Even the ancestral house of the Hontiveros clan in Camarines Sur never gave him this feeling as if strong giving arms were swaying him. He just wanted to sleep.

"Just tell me if you need anything, Sir. There is a rope that you can pull and it will ring in my room. I will attend to you right away."

He opened an eye and smiled at her. "Okay. That would be all. Goodnight!"

"Señorito, whatever you hear during midnight, don't mind it. And don't ever leave this room." Then he heard the door squeak as it closed slowly on her wake. What did she mean by that?

He didn't care about the noise or even the ghosts. The paranormals could party for all he cared. And for the first time, he had a good night's sleep that he never had for years.

Callea's hands were moving swiftly over the paper. She was focused while working on the drawing table with a little lamp as her light. The rest of the room was pitch dark. The night was silent and still. It was midnight. All she could hear were the cicadas singing in the night and the night birds hunting for food.

Nobody would think that her room was owned by a beautiful and comely lady. Perched on the wall are different sketches and paintings of scary creatures that would give people nightmares had they been alive. Two skeletons stood guard on both sides of her table. One was wearing an elegant wedding dress. It's skull has blonde curly wig topped with white veil that matched the gown. The other skeleton was wearing a pirate's garb complete with eyepatch, swishack sword and a red bandana. It was a match made in heaven in her eyes.

While Callea was wearing a white night dress. Her straight long black hair flowed down her back. Some strands of her hair was covering her forehead. The strong scent of blood that stained her gown permeated her nose. She was not Callea anymore. She was Althea, an avenging white lady. She was a woman in the 80's, a beautiful nursing student who fell in love with a doctor and got pregnant.

The image of a handsome man formed inside her head. His piercing eyes were so powerful, as if it touched her soul. He was supposed to be Althea's boyfriend He was rich and devastatingly handsome. He easily seduced the virgin nursing student and kept their relationship a secret. When Althea got pregnant, he refused to take responsibility because he was about to marry another woman who would do good for his family's financial and social standing. He forced Althea to abort their child instead and died during the operation.

Gathering all her energy, she started sketching the man. Only to end up starting at the gorgeou sketch of Deive Hontiveros, her own fiance.

She snatched her breath. "No!"

She snatched the paper with her sketch, crumpled it and threw it to her cat, Luna. It was playing with the papers that she crumped beforehand. All of it has skecthes of Deive Hontiveros' face.

She dropped her pencil in frustration and looked around the room. She pulled her hair and groaned. "Why does he keep on popping up on my drawings? I don't even like him. I don't like him."

Callea was a graphic novelist for horror stories. She preferred writing at night where she was usually on the mood. As if the darkness was colluding with her, its secretive and mysterious energy allowed ideas to flow inside her head. It made her feel sane, her normal self. But for that specific night, she was not herself. As if she was insane and the night couldn't deliver the inspiration she needed.

She started sketching for the new story in her mind. To get into the mood, she loved dressing up like the characters she created - from mermaids to fairy and evil witches. She loved cosplaying while working. That's why her room was full of different costumes and she had files and discs of horror moves to motivate her more. She loved her white lady character, a woman who was forced to have an abortion by her boyfriend and died in the process. That's why it had a full blood effect on her dress and skin.

Usually, being in character sets her in the mood. She was particularly bothered tonight. After viewing Deive from afar, her story was in a disarray. She couldn't focus on her work. The full moon was not effective anymore and her costume didn't add an ounce of motivation to her.

"What's missing?" Callea asked the skeleton couple standing on both sides of her desk. The two didn't give her an answer. She got up from her desk and sat in front of her cat Luna that was busy playing with her balls of scratch paper. "Luna, why am I still thinking about Deive?" She put her palm on her cheek. Her heart was beating like crazy when she thought about his handsome face. "Why is my heart racing with the thought of him. What's wrong with me?"

She had always been in control and she never had this kind of reaction to a human before. She was excited yet scared at the same time. She was more interested in anything gross, creepy, scary, and grotesque. Those things helped her form her stories. Her fans loved it in return.

Deive was far from gross, creepy, scary, and grotesque. He was more of a Prince Charming on a fairy tale. She hated fairy tales with a lovely princess and a handsome prince. Those are the things she was hiding and running away from. And she won't fall for that fairy tale trap or crap.

She felt safer in the world of darkness. Because she learned that sometimes, Prince Charmings could be monsters.

So, how could she overcome this awesome obstacle?

An idea clicked inside her head. "I know just what to do, Luna. Let's play the piano."

Her cat was restless when she lifted it out of the room. She promised Marina that she won't leave her room wearing one of her costumes, won't play the piano, and won't bother anyone of the night.

But she won't be at peace if she couldn't feel the piano keys under her fingers. She needed the music to set her in the mood. She won't' be able to write at all if she won't play music tonight. It was her only chance so she could focus on her story and get her back on track.

Luna meowed in protest and tried to scratch her skin she would let it go. But she kept a tight hold on the poor cat and shushed it. "Shhhhh! Be quiet, Luna. Just let me play. Just one piece and it will be over."

With the help of the moonlight, she carefully tiptoed down the living room where the grand piano was. She felt excitement course through her veins as she lifted the lid of the piano. The moment she sat down on the piano bench, the old grandfather clock chime, and the sound resonated at the whole mansion.

It was twelve o'clock at midnight.

A smile curved on her lips. "Perfect!"

DEIVE woke up to the booming sound of the old grandfather clock. It was deafening in the silence of the night. In horror films, it served as a warning that nocturnal and scary creatures are out to roam at night - from a white lady, a beheaded priest, cut-off arms that had a life of its own, and many more.

He took off his shirt then laid facedown on the bed. He didn't give a freakin' f*ck if those creatures wanted to scare people. He just wanted to go back to Dreamland. He was so tired and the horror stuff were the last thing he wanted to worry about.

The cold of the night was starting to lull him back to sleep when he heart the sound of the piano. He let it pass at first on the first new notes. Maybe it was just his imagination. Who would dare play piano in the middle of the night?

After a few moments, the note formed a piece of melancholic music yet hair-raising music. He suddenly jolts awake. He couldn't sleep at all. That song kept on ringing inside his head.

"I'll be damned!" he uttered and felt goosebumps form all over his body. He remembered the horror film he watched as a kid where a severed bloody hand was playing the piano in the middle of the night.

He remembered the stories a while ago at the store along the road. Villa Celesta was haunted. Not even the bravest could stay there for long.

He stood up and took the flashlight on the bedside table. He mustered all his courage. He didn't believe in ghosts. And he would prove that there were no such silly things. It was just formed by wild imaginations. If Callea and Marina who were both women could stay in the house and were not frightened at all, then he could do it as well. He was a man. A real man. He was not scared. He could face everything. He won't be defeated by ghosts... if there was any.

He slowly walked the quiet and dark hallway of the mansion. He didn't bother with the slipper because it might squeak and create noise. The wood was cold under his feet. Maybe the music was coming from the entertainment room. According to Marina, there was a television set and a modern sound system inside that room. He must give credit to the entertainment system then. It was like listening to a piano concerto. Right. Maybe it was Callea's lullaby.

He calmed a bit with the thought. Perhaps he would buy her a music pod so only she could listen to her music. It won't bother him anymore whenever she wanted to play her unearthly playlist during midnight. It almost turned his experience into a horror fright night.

Right. It was just some silly entertainment system music. Maybe he would just lower the volume. If Callea was fast asleep, perhaps she won't mind.

He was near the stairs when the music stopped. Holding the banister, he saw a woman with long hair and wearing a white nightdress walking out of the mansion.

He moved down the stairs with. Did he really saw that woman or it was just an imagination? The piano's lid was open. The bench was a bit far from the piano itself as if someone sat there and played the music.

"Luna! Luna!" called the woman with a melodious voice.