WILD, WEIRD FAMILY GAMES

When I was younger, my uncles used to stage a “horror house” at the bodega behind my grandparents’ house in Davao. All the kids would gather at the door with my other uncle ushering us in, reminding us over and over, not to push each other or else we’ll get hurt, or try to attack the “monster” or HE’LL get hurt.

One particular scene that keeps playing in my head, though, was when my uncle threw something wet and slimy at us in the dark, saying it was ATAY (liver). Naturally, the kids screamed in fright on first impact, rushed to the exit and cried all the way to their mommies chitchatting at the front lawn.

The result: 3 kids with scratch wounds and 2 with bruises. Things were about to turn nasty (considering how OA most mothers are) when the uncles emerge from the behind the house, laughing, telling us that it wasn’t really atay but a soaking wet rag. Lunatics.

The crying stopped then. And the kids began laughing! We all actually thought it was a great stunt (much to the dismay of our moms who were so ready to pounce on our uncles). Such was my family. We had a penchant for things scary despite being every inch of a coward ourselves. What happened after that?

We asked for an encore.

(Next family "horror" story/game: the one where my uncle pretends he's dead and the kids would place imaginary flowers on his chest. Now this, my friends, is a classic Doctor game)

*message implied: sana makapunta ako sa Gabi ng Lagim sa Star City