“Fake journal entry.”

I’ve been asked by the neighbors to take Tagpipi to
the balete tree and tear out his heart using the community-funded Hand of the
Infant Jesucristo of Pulang Lupa. The notice arrived last night by special
messenger. She was my classmate in Grade 6 Section Daisy. Everyone knew she was
Mrs. Pate–a’s pet and that’s why she always got A’s in English. Anyway,
ever since the change she’s become quite short-tempered and, may the Good Lord
forgive me for saying so, putting on airs she shouldn’t. I just took the notice
from her and said thank you. I didn’t bother to invite her in. No one does,
anyway. Us regular folk don’t really appreciate the blood being drained from our
chickens and children and such.

I opened
the letter with Tagpipi licking his paws on my lap. He didn’t like it when I
suddenly stood up and started swearing. The Virgin Mary on the calendar
tsked-tsked at me, but I didn’t mind her.

– I wrote this to test a new
fountain pen while waiting for my takeout dinner at Cafe Juanita. Perhaps I’ll
find the ending one day.