Chaos Inside A Pen

Author's Note: Danag is spirits that once co-exist with mortals according to the Isneg Folklore in the Philippines. However, their co-existence ended when these spirits soon learn to crave human blood   It was the chilling wind of 5 in the morning that embrace my bones as I step outside for a jog. The surrounding is still dark but thin slits of light are slowly creeping from the east as I decide to take the familiar path that leads towards the green fields of our barrio. For almost 10 years of living in the city with every corner smothered with glitz and glamour, the sight of our village is still the one that my eyes yearn for. The simplicity of the houses that are not competing with their sizes and height. The trees that are more appealing the than the lifeless skyscrapers that look like an oversized tombstone at dusk. And most of all, the greenfield that makes you finally breathe life itself as compared to the stench of smog in the big city that chokes out the life in all of us. ...

  “We lost another dog, Arnold. Now it's our Pomeranian. Do you know how much is that dog? 10K Arnold. Ten fucking thousand.”   Diego takes another puff from his Marlboro black cigarette while fighting some of his tears to burst from his sullen eyes. Arnold reluctantly pats the shoulder of his friend who lives nearby from their home; just a walking distance in the opposite street. Diego is one of those animal lovers who become content with canine and canine companions rather than those with the modern-day bipedal mammals; treating them like their own child or somehow like their lovers minus the sexual activity.   It was the third time he lost another one of his beloved pets. Just like his other dogs, his Pomeranian he named “Becka” was found lying in one of those darkened alleyways in their compound. It was obvious that there is someone behind it all along for all of his dogs died with a common denominator: a slit on their neck right in their carotid. Effectively draining...

  It was a loud crashing sound the deafen the whole walls of Duquesa’s residence that pique the ears once more of their neighbors who are itching that morning to spun another tale and rumors in one single fabrication just to passed time.   All pause for a while swiping their phones as they focus on the voice of Arnold Duquesa in complete rage as violent sound intermingles: this time it was the sound of shattering.   “I told you, don’t buy any more of these goddamned plants! But what did you do? Tell me what did you, Emma?” The neighbor expects a slapping sound after the fuming question just like what they saw in those tear-jerking telenovelas after the handsome hulk found out that his girlfriend is enjoying a steamy night with his supposedly loyal best friend.   However, Arnold and Emma’s heated argument doesn’t concern any third party. Or at least a human third party.   “M-Maria is getting lonely. She needs more friends, Arnold. I don’t want her to get lonely.”...

  We know our guns are enough only to take down any beast in this forest but something that is way beyond beast nor human is somewhat a suicide for all of us.   Yet we insist to track down the source of the unholy scream since it was actually coming from the direction where our meeting place with the other campers is located. We got a box full of ammo and a 5’7 brawny man in the form of Jonathan whom we need to drag along the way despite his whimpering since we can’t leave him all alone in our campsite.   That’s all we have against whatever we might encounter as we tread the darkness and thickness of this forest that every second we continue going deeper towards its heart, the more we get the feeling that we are plunging ourselves in the entrails of a beast. And at the pit of it lies the doomed that promises the torment that even death will try to evade.   “No! Let’s get out of here! Come on, guys! Please!” Jonathan has reverted into an amalgam of a deranged child as...

Cans of red horse beer littered all over the floor of Cheska’s bedroom. Some are empty while others wait for their turn when her throat becomes dry again. Tonight was Friday which means she can stay up until 4 AM without getting bothered by any calls from her clients if she already finished her overdue graphic designs. They can wait for sure but her hormones don’t. That is why to set the mood, she turns off the lights and wears nothing on top of her bed but her oversize shirt, underwear, pink socks, and her thick-rimmed eyed glasses so she can watch clearly the erotic scene unfold right before her hungry eyes Her laptop, despite the 10% battery warning, continues to play a particular scene that she intentionally kept on loop on her video player. The scene where the young maiden will be stripped from head to toe. Once naked, her body that bears that shape of hourglass will be deflowered not by thick calloused hands of man but of tentacles; green, slimy tendrils that wrapped around her w...

Pinoy Komiks collector and old-school film lover know by heart the story of the magical black dress that can turn an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. This story is based from that classic tale but mostly what you are about to read is inspired from the vision of Ian Sta. Maria from his graphic book collection called "Salamangka".You can check out his works on his Instagram and I promise, you too will get inspired from it. I hope you will enjoy my version and stay tune for part 2 and 3. Jessa couldn’t believe that she was tricked by a well-played scheme of a senile old woman. She put a lot of effort into fixing the black dress that the old hag requested to her. Looking at her customer's shimmering locket and bulging rings on each of her fingers, she thought its a total jackpot. She put aside all other requests to her (even though some of them are already due since yesterday) and focus on the deep, shadow colored dress until midnight. Then in the...