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One ordinary evening, Brenda was tired from the long day and stayed home with Josh. I rode the Love Bus alone. I sat in our usual paired seat near the middle, staring out the window as the familiar route through Quezon City passed by. The city lights blurred into streaks of gold and white. My mind wandered to the past — to Rich, to Myra, and to the strange dreams that had started returning more frequently.
Then I saw her.
A woman sitting a few seats ahead turned her head slightly. My heart stopped. She looked exactly like Myra — same gentle eyes, same soft smile, same quiet grace. For a moment, it felt like Myra was sitting there again, alive and smiling at me the way she used to. The memories came rushing back like a flood.
I remembered riding this same bus with Myra, how she would hold my hand and whisper comforting words. I remembered the pain of losing her. The resemblance was so strong it felt like a ghost from the past had come to visit.
The woman got off at the next stop. I stayed seated, staring at the empty space where she had been. My hands were shaking. The Shadows of the Past were pulling again, reminding me that the past was not yet finished with us.
When I got home, Brenda noticed something was wrong.
Franz, okay ka lang ba? she asked softly while preparing dinner.
I forced a smile.
Okay lang. Nakakita lang ako ng taong kamukha ni Myra kanina sa bus. Parang multo ng nakaraan.
Brenda held my hand.
Siguro may dahilan kung bakit mo nakita ‘yun. Baka may kailangan pang ayusin ang nakaraan natin bago tayo tuluyang magsimula ulit.
That night, as I lay in bed beside Brenda, the memories of Myra and the strange dreams from 1907 kept coming back. The old woman in Baclaran had warned us years ago. The past was reaching into the present, demanding to be heard.
Brenda turned to me in the dark and whispered,
Franz, natatakot ako. Natatakot ako na baka may mangyari sa atin. Sa atin ni Josh.
I pulled her closer.
Hindi ko hahayaan ‘yun. Gagawin natin ang lahat para maputol ‘yung sumpa, kung anuman 'yun. Para sa ating pamilya.
→ story continues in Chapter 6 Live on July 15!
The Shadows of the Past were becoming clearer. The past was no longer staying silent. It was demanding to be heard. And we were finally ready to listen.
Updated July 13, 2026 from original post date October 8, 2011.
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