Manananggal Novels & Stories

Manore with his sweet smile. “I’m glad that you came down here. Here is my specialty, dinuguan. It tastes good with rice and puto. But now, rice is the only available companion for this dish.” He said this after putting the bowl on the table and while sitting down beside me. “Thank you for this, Mr. Manore.” I sincerely said and got myself a spoon, mixed the dinuguan together with the rice, scooped it, and directly put it in my mouth. I didn’t know that it was hot. What the hell happened?!?!I burned my upper lip and my tongue.

Baka kasi nangangalay na ang kamay niya e. "What is this?" Pinagmasdan ko ang kulay puti na liquid sa loob ng baso at inamoy ito. Parang buko juice. "It's a coconut juice, My lady. Made from the juice of coconut mixed with goat milk and bamboo sugar." Namangha ako sa sinabi niya. "Buko juice lang pala." "P-pardon?" Nginitian ko siya at nilagok ang baso. Nang matikman ay nagalak ako sa lasa dahil kalasang-kalasa talaga ang buko juice sa real world, 'yung may halong condense milk at evaporada.

Time passed, and Rozzean didn't come out of the room again. It was eight o'clock in the evening, and I had already cooked dinner. I asked Manang what he might want for dinner, and she said that our boss's favorite is "Tinolang Manok", a famous Filipino-style chicken soup. So I immediately cooked it. However, he still hasn't come downstairs. It's tiring to go up to his room because this house is so huge. Now I'm here in the living room with Manang. We're watching a show on TV. It's good that we are allowed to do this; not all housemaids have this privilege.

Crisanto’s mother presented freshly cooked smelly eggs. “Um. What are these?” Freya asked. “And why do they smell so eggy?” “These are what we call balut,” Crisanto’s mom said. “It’s a fertilized duck! It’s boiled and eaten from the shell with a pinch of salt or a splash of vinegar.” “Fertilized duck?” Freya, Geneva, and Kirk echoed. Kenneth only frowned. “Yes, it’s a famous snack here in the Philippines, and even in other Southeast Asian countries!” Crisanto’s mother winked, adding, “It’s good for honeymooners like you. Here, we call this the ‘Street Viagra,’ known for its aphrodisiac effect.”

It was very clear to her that everything was getting out of her control, including her two sons. She stepped into the creative department and everyone stood up with their heads bent as they greeted her. Clara also got up to greet and then she took a glimpse of Maria's face. Maria was a beautiful woman, in her 50s with a slim and youthful body structure, she was a replica of Philip in almost everything except the eyes. Maria had outstanding brown eyes while Philip had grey eyes. She didn't know much about Philip's family history, but she knew that Manuel wasn't Philip's biological father. It was a mystery that she didn't want to get into.

"Hmm... 2 Fruit Tea, Lychee and 1 nachos overload." "Anything else, ma'am?" "1 clubhouse sandwich." Dagdag ng isa nilang kasama. "Repeat ko lang po orders ninyo." Wika ko. "1 large, Okinawa. 2 Fruit Tea, Lychee. 1 nachos overload and 1 clubhouse sandwich." Tumango naman sila akin bilang pagsang-ayon na tama ang sinabi ko. "Thank you, ma'am. We'll bring it here, once it's ready to serve."

Is it fooling me? "Are you on drugs?" I ask seriously. "No. Why?” I frowned when he asked and took a small one from my plate. "Seriously? Haven't you eaten it yet?” he immediately shook his head. I closed my open mouth and faced him. "This is Maruya. There is a banana in it and it is coated with just a mixture of flour and orange food coloring. Then sugar is added to make it tastier." He nodded and took another one. "This is good. Is this one of Filipino food?”

***** UHUK UHUK UHUK UGH UEK Anindira coughed and vomited wildly as she fell from Matteo's grip, but her body was tightly wrapped in a blanket made of animal skins, rolled up and wrapped, then tied up as tightly as possible, just like a *Lepet. {Lepet, a typical food from Indonesia, is made from glutinous rice, sometimes mixed with red beans. In an elongated oval shape, wrapped using coconut leaves, then tied. After that, it boils for hours}

I ask. He turns to me, soft brown eyes blinking "You'd o-only be with me when p-pigs fly?" "An example, dear" I say, trying my best not to laugh "And then Gibby, was talking to the caterpillar, Bastille, about how he couldn't wait to reach the land of Monkey's and get their golden banana" He's pouting again "So?" "What does he want with a golden banana?" "B-Because it's cool" "Yeah, but he can't exactly eat it"

Her tone reflected pride in her last statement. As Marius had hoped, we proceeded to the dining room for lunch. The spread on the table was delightful: Paksiw na Bangus, a savory Filipino dish made with milkfish marinated in vinegar, garlic, and spices, creating a delectable balance of sourness and richness. Accompanying it was Tortang Talong, an eggplant omelet, where grilled eggplants are dipped in beaten eggs and then fried to perfection. For dessert, we enjoyed Buko Pandan, a refreshing Filipino delicacy made with young coconut strips mixed with pandan-flavored gelatin, tapioca pearls, and sweetened cream.