Page 15 of Filipino Vampire

I threw a rock through one of the church's huge windows. I would be safe if I just got inside. Oh, don't worry about the window. God understands. He forgives all.

  A sudden WHOOSH! and I was lifted off the ground. Mum laughed and made to bite the back of my head, but I reached up and pulled away her right breast. She screamed and let go, and I landed in a bush. It wasn't as soft a landing as one would think. I rolled out of that thing with thorns and twigs sticking out of me. I yanked out as many as I could as I ran for the church. Mum called my name and came in for another hit.

  Vol tackled her, and they were both sent exploding though the church doors. The two torsos punched and choked each other.

  The whole place came alive – flames engulfed each candle, bibles exploded, holy water bubbled, walls bled, statues looked away in shame, and the organ played by itself. It was a crazy song – something a cat would play if it was running all over it.

  Mum and Vol burst into flames. Mum reached out for me, trying to get me. She was spitting blood at me and cursing me out in Filipino. I ducked one of those bloody spits, and it sizzled on the grass. Vol tried her best to hold her back. Mum got close to breaking free from her, so Vol tore away Mum's other breast, then her eyes, then the meat on her arms. Mum's ears fell off. She was melting.

  An intense heat was inside. Hairs jumped out from the ground like snakes and pulled them into a zigzag crack of black smoke. All sorts of laughter and cursing came out from there. The hole was bilingual. Mum was tearing at her own face, pulling off everything. Vol was helping her, laughing, giggling, just so happy.

  The crack sealed up...

  ...the candles died out...

  ...the music stopped.

  A car was driving up right for me. No one was driving it. I jumped out of the way as the car took a sharp turn and rolled on its side and sealed the church up good.

  I ran from that place as fast as my little legs could carry me. As I went by those dead cars, I stopped by all those bills on the road and stuffed my pockets with so much cash. I ignored the dead bodies. Once my shoes were full, I went to the nearest bus stop and slept there.