Wrong Turn

On another tiny village thirty kilometres from Aklan, Winona and Karina enjoyed a sunny stroll on the market grounds. Winona who usually walks slow, suddenly had a boost and whizzed through the stalls like an excited child, with Karina catching comically whatever was chucked on air to her direction.

‘Isn’t this too much?’ Karina finally complained after paying for the 15th item Winona picked up.

‘We need that to protect ourselves.’ Winona muttered.

‘From what? The thing you were waving at last night?’ Karina snapped back.

Winona fell silent. Karina regretted her words. After they sat down to have a snack at a stall, Karina stepped out and left Winona to eat on her own. Winona wondered if her old ways were not what her granddaughter needed.

‘Here,’ Karina said, handing the one thing her grandmother kept looking back at every time they passed by the center stall.

Winona took it and smiled.

Doesn’t suit her, but she seems to like it. Karina thought.

‘Thank you,’ Winona said as she wrapped the silver necklace around Karina's neck, much to Karina's surprise.

‘That stall is run one by of the most trusted shaman from around here.’ Winona added.

Karina glanced at their shopping haul. It didn’t occur to her till then that the things inside it were items that could double as “protection” as her grandmother implies. Talismans for luck, salt, garlic cloves, blanket made by some tribes, black rocks, more silver, and most peculiarly, boxes of old ammo.

Winona followed Karina’s line of vision. One item stood out among the rest. A crocheted red heart and an ashen wool jacket.

‘For a friend.’ Winona said simply.

"What else did you want to get?" Karina asked, sounding more understanding and perky.

The two continued to shop until the market closed.

*****

The drive back to Aklan wasn’t as straightforward as Karina had hoped. The weather became unpredictable with a fierce storm already upon them, casting everything in darkness, even if they had two hours to spare before the sunset. The road was transformed by the relentless winds of the impending typhoon. Tree limbs were strewn about and stop signs slowly bent out of view.

‘But you said this was the right turn!’ Karina exclaimed in frustration.

‘I thought it was…’ Winona responded, her voice lost in the howling wind the battered the car.

As they drove through the winding mountain road, Winona and Karina found themselves caught in an increasingly dangerous situation. The familiar path was now unrecognizable even for Winona, with tall trees blocking the way and debris scattered across the road. The heavy rain and strong winds made it difficult to navigate, and with every wrong turn, the sun grew closer to the horizon. The two women tried their best to figure out the correct route, fighting over a torn map and a GPS that wouldn’t connect.

 It was clear that they wouldn't be able to make it back to Aklan in time.