Chapter 2: The Old Woman

One morning, Gwen was on her way home from school, walking alongside her friend, Merly.

"So, when are you finally going to get yourself a boyfriend, sis? Valentine's Day is just around the corner again! I'm so excited because my boyfriend is going to send me flowers and chocolates once more," Merly teased proudly.

"So what if he does? Is it going to kill me if I don't have a boyfriend? Give me a break," Gwen replied, clearly sounding a little irritated.

"Come on, I'm just worried about you. You've never even had a boyfriend your entire life. Why don't you just give Aaron a chance? He seems kind, and he's handsome too. Ooooh!"

"Oh, please. Romance isn't even on my mind right now. I need to finish my studies first—for my parents and my younger siblings."

"Hello, Gwennie girl! You're not living in the '90s anymore. You can have a boyfriend while you're still studying."

Gwen simply stayed silent. A few moments later, Merly said goodbye and headed home.

As Gwen continued walking, she passed by a massive tree standing just outside the entrance of their subdivision. The area surrounding it was filled with lush plants and colorful flowers of every kind.

She suddenly stopped in front of the tree.

Once again, she found herself staring at it, completely mesmerized. Just as she was about to step into the garden, an elderly woman suddenly grabbed her arm.

"Ahhh!" Gwen screamed in shock, as though she had been awakened from a trance.

"My dear," the old woman said gently, "it's getting late. You should go home before your parents start worrying about you."

"Excuse me, ma'am... may I ask you something?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"What kind of tree is this?"

Her curiosity about the tree was simply too strong to ignore.

"That's a long story, child. And it wouldn't be safe for us to stay here until nightfall."

"What do you mean by that?"

Before the old woman could answer, Gwen's younger brother, Angelo, spotted her and called out.

"Ate! Ate!"

"Oh, there you are! What are you doing out here?"

"I was going to buy a pen from the convenience store, but it's already closed. The shops around here close so early, don't they?"

"Yeah, they do, but—"

When Gwen turned to look at the old woman again, she was gone.

"What is it, Ate? You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"Come on. Mom is probably looking for us already."

A chill ran down Gwen's spine when she realized the old woman had completely disappeared. She had vanished without a trace.

When Gwen and Angelo finally arrived home, their parents were already waiting for them.

Without saying much, Gwen went straight to her bedroom. She wanted nothing more than to rest after another exhausting day at school.

She didn't even bother walking over to the window.

She no longer wanted to see—or even catch another glimpse of—the mysterious tree standing silently in the distance.

To be continued...

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