"So you agreed with Lolo Juan, and now you are scheduled for Third Eye opening soon?" Arcana asked as they were lounging in the living room. Sancho told Arcana what transpired after she left.
"Yeah. He said that you are free to not open your Third Eye, but if we plan to inherit his business, like what he said when he took us in, we will have a hard time if we don't open our third eye," Sancho explained while chewing some potato chips.
"Ugh, honestly, I am scared to undergo that ritual. I mean, I am open to the supernatural, but actively dealing with it and seeing them directly? I am still not ready to undergo that. I heard many tales about people going crazy after not unable to endure what they were seeing. After all, with the third eye open, doesn't that mean we will be seeing ghosts normally?"
"True. Lolo understands your reasons on why you are afraid. He said he will give you a chance to think it over, and perhaps you might change your mind. Besides, Lolo said that he will be guiding us to control our third eye to ensure that we will not be overwhelmed. I think it is a bit thrilling to say so, at least."
Arcana sighed. "I will still think about it. Tell me the experience once you have yours open, okay?"
Sancho just gave her a thumbs up before resuming eating.
"By the way, Sancho. Are you nervous?"
"Nervous about what? Opening my third eye?" Sancho asked.
"No. You know, it's almost enrollment in high school soon. Aren't you nervous about the new environment, new faces, and new school to attend?" Arcana asked while still keeping her eyes glued on her phone.
"Honestly? A little. Considering that I am still not too used to the habits of people here in Manila, I just hoped that my mannerisms back then were enough to not be labeled as weird in the future."
Arcana grinned. "True. But hey, you are not someone who easily gets bullied, you know? Just because you came from a provincial area before doesn't mean it is a different area altogether, the moment you step into Manila. We are still in the Philippines, hello?"
Sancho chuckled. "Enough about me, what about you?"
"Heh, I am already prepared. I have been in contact with one of my friends who is attending college here in Manila. She said she is excited to see me again after all these years. I will just ask her how to properly act here in Manila and what the difference is here and back in the province."
"Well, good for you. Make sure not to be gullible, alright? Just because you get to know a friend doesn't mean you fully know them."
"Relax, Sancho. I know my stuff!"
Sancho sighed and shrugged. "Suit yourself."
...
...
...
Afternoon. It's almost 3 in the afternoon. Only a few minutes left before the clock strikes three. At the moment, Sancho and Lolo Juan are in the basement. This is where his Lolo Sancho performs rituals related to various things that are related to the paranormal.
"What should I do, Lolo?" Sancho asked while wondering why his eyes were being blindfolded.
"Just stay still, Sancho. And don't remove the blindfold just yet. This is a way to ensure that your newly awakened third eye won't overwhelm you and so that you can control yourself."
"Are all the rituals involving the third eye opening done like this?" Sancho asked.
"Not all. This method of mine is a special one, so that it acts as a lens that you can use to peer into the other side. Most third eyes that are commonly awakened at birth are fully open and fully active. There are only cases where one can fully control their third eye, but most have no control over it, allowing them to be bombarded with the residents of the afterlife and ending up wanting their 7th sense to be permanently closed. This third eye I will be opening for you is something you are in control of. Now relax and close your eyes under the blindfold. No matter what you hear and what you feel in your body, just ignore them."
Sancho slowly felt a chill in his body. It was hard to ignore as he could feel his body shiver, and his hair on his skin seemed to crawl. He then felt Lolo Juan's hands touch his forehead and started talking in a language he couldn't understand. It was like some kind of Latin words, but considering he doesn't study Latin in the first place, he is just guessing them.
As he continued to remain stationary and wait for Lolo Juan to be finished with his Latin recitation, Sancho suddenly heard something aside from Lolo Juan's Latin words. At first, it was inaudible. It was like something was being chewed and muffled, but soon, the noises seemed to clear slowly and surely, which allowed Sancho to finally hear it clearly this time around. And it made Sancho feel a pang of fear as he realized the noise was mimicking his Lolo Juan. The noise was actually a deep voice of someone who seems to be also reciting with Lolo Juan
The longer he listens, the more troublesome it is to hear. Not only does he hear the voice of his Lolo Juan, but also the double voice that is mimicking every word he says. It doubles, it mixes in, and sometimes, it drowns the voice of Lolo Juan, overwhelming Sancho's ears with the noises of the unknown entity.
Despite the craziness happening, Sancho tightened his grip on the arm of the chair he was sitting in. Despite not seeing anything, Sancho is slowly getting aware of his surroundings. The dim source of light above them, the old table that is currently holding various bottles containing different kinds of herbs, and some things he couldn't identify. The shelves contain various things and also miscellaneous items he has never seen before.
However, the longer the ritual continued, the more bizarre the situation he was in. At the beginning, he can tell that the only presence in the room they are in is Lolo Juan and himself sitting in the chair. In the middle of the ritual, something or someone seems to have arrived in the room. At first, he thought it was his sister, Arcana, who had entered the basement to witness the ritual, but soon, another presence seemed to have arrived, and it didn't stop there as they continued to appear one after another.
Sancho might not be seeing anything due to his blindfold, but the longer the ritual was happening, the more Sancho could feel the extra things in his surroundings. Not only that, but he can hear various voices that he has not heard before, female, male, child, adult, various, and even unknown deep voices. All mimicking the Latin words his Lolo Juan is reciting.
They echo, they seem to bury deep into Sancho's consciousness to the point that instead of hearing those Latin words, Sancho is now hearing cries of despair, the screams of help, the lament of various people. Sancho felt his nerves weaken the more he listened. It was like the more he was tormented with it, the more he would hear them.
Soon, Sancho can no longer hear the voice of his Lolo Juan, and the only thing he can hear is the voices of others that he is hearing. Voices that seem to come deep under the ground.
But just as he thought he would run out of sanity, Lolo Juan tightened his grip on Sancho's forehead before shouting the final stanzas of the words he was reciting. As soon as Lolo Juan did it, the noises that seemed to overwhelm Sancho were removed, and soon enough, the young man returned to his senses. Bullets of sweat are trickling down his forehead, signs that he is struggling to keep it up.
As soon as Lolo Juan stopped, Sancho breathed a sigh of relief.
"Can I remove the blindfold now, Lolo?" Sancho asked.
"Yes. But slowly pull the blindfold instead. Don't be surprised by what you will see. After all, your Third Eye has finally awakened."
Sancho nodded and slowly untied the blindfold on his eyes and was welcomed by the scenery of his Lolo Juan surrounded by pale people that are bathing in their own blood, with various damages like the rotting side of their head or the destroyed piece of their body still hanging dearly on their bodies. Some have even items still lodged on their bodies.
Sancho is terrified after seeing these ghosts, specifically those watching him with a blank look on their faces while possessing the most fear they bring. They aren't moving, but Sancho knows he is not just seeing anything that would endanger his life. Those people...they are non other than ghosts.
"Are you seeing these Ghosts, Sancho? If so, congratulations, you are now fully awakened from your third eye."