Through The Blanket

My family and I call this "Dad's ghost story" since it's been recounted many times since me and my sister were kids. It happened when he was about 5-6 years old a few years after World War II in the Philippine islands. His family lived in a small wooden hut at the site of what was once their house. The Japanese had spared nothing and burned the whole town as they retreated from the liberating American forces. The hut was basically one big room crammed with a family of 7 and their belongings. They all slept side by side, sharing one big wool GI issue blanket.

One night, my dad awoke for no apparent reason and as his eyes focused on the lit gas lamp on top of a table, something caught his eye. Right beside the lamp was a short Filipino lady intently staring at his sleeping father beside him. He wasn't scared at first, but quickly realized that she wasn't someone that he knew. Terrified out of his wits, he quickly buried his face under the blanket. Unfortunately, there happened to be a rather big hole on his part of the blanket and could still see her clearly through the hole. He observed her for what seemed to be an eternity, opening and closing his eyes to make sure he wasn't just dreaming. She wore a white sleeping gown, had long black hair and besides the fact that she never blinked, looked very human. The stranger then slowly turned her head towards him and smiled sweetly. Everything went black after that.

The morning after, he told his family of the encounter. It turns out that she was my Grandfather's first wife. She had been beheaded by a Japanese officer who accused her of harboring and feeding guerilla rebels fighting against the Japanese occupation (she did). I guess she was just checking up on my Grandfather and his new family. According to my father, he still has dreams of that night and that darn blanket.

Hope you enjoyed it!