For the past three months, every night I have been smelling a strange smell. It’s not a typical body odor. It was like the smell of mold mixed with a strong, pungent smell clinging to the blankets, to the bedsheet, and especially to the part of the bed where Miguel was sleeping.

From then on, a strange fear gradually developed inside me.

And then the night came when the smell became so strong, I could barely sleep. Every time I lay down, I felt like something was rotting under the bed.

A very strong sense of fear.

One night, Miguel said he had to go to Cebu for a three-day business trip.

He pulled his suitcase to the door and kissed me on the forehead.

“Make sure the door is locked.”

I nodded, but there was a strange feeling in my chest.

As the door closed and the sound of his footsteps in the hallway gradually faded, the whole house became very quiet.

I stared at the door for a long time.

Then I slowly turned my gaze back to the bed in our bedroom.

Suddenly, my heart was beating faster.

An idea popped into my head — and in that moment, I knew I couldn’t ignore it anymore.

“Something is wrong… I need to know the truth.”

I pulled the mattress to the middle of the floor.

My hand trembled as I held the cutter.

I took a deep breath.

And I made the first cut.

As soon as the mattress fabric separated, a strong foul smell suddenly evaporated from my face.

I grabbed my nose and coughed loudly.

My heart was pounding.

It can’t be… Why does it smell like this inside the mattress?

I cut it even bigger.

The foam was slowly coming out of the inside.

And then…

It was as if my world had stopped.

Inside the mattress there are no dead rats or spoiled food.

But it’s a big plastic bag tied tightly, which is starting to mold on the outside.