*Note this story is in Hiligaynon
Ika-Siyam nga Adlaw
Hambal sang mga katigulangan, malab-ot lang sang Siyam ka adlaw para sa ini nga tinuga nga madula ang iya interes kag malubong na namun ang akun utod.
Malawig na na ang siyam ka adlaw pero kilanlan ko himu on. Para sa iya.
Ika-Walo nga Adlaw
Sa una nga adlaw wala man may natabo. Basta may kandila kag tawo sa palibot sang namatyan, ang halimaw indi makapalapit. Mas hapos man gale.
Ika-Pito nga Adlaw
Gahulat lang sa sa gwa. Gatulok sa namatyan.
Ika-Anum nga Adlaw
Gahulat man sa gyapun.
Ika-Lima nga Adlaw
Bweset! Natulugan ko. Wala man may nag bulos sa akun kag ang tinuga lapit nalang makuha utod ko. Indi na ni matabo. May apat nalang ko ka adlaw.
Ika-Apat nga Adlaw
Wala ko sya nakita sa gwa. Basi nadula an na to interes.
Ika-Tatlo nga Adlaw
May problema sa kuryete sang “funeral home”. Tanan nga suga nadula sang pila ka oras. Bweset! Tane nagbakal nalang ko damu nga kandila. Indi ko makita ang tinuga, pero kabalo ko nga lapit nalang ini. Gahulat-hulat sang oras nga mapatay ang kandila. Pero indi nya sa makuha. Indi ko ini pagbabay an.
Ika-Duha nga Adlaw
Mayu nag balik na ang kuryente. Nakalampuawas man ko isa ka semana nga kape lang kag “red bull” para sigurado nga makabugtaw ko. Indi ko makahulat nga makakuha man guid ko tulog kag mapadula ang halimaw.
Ika-Isa nga Adlaw
Pasensya kana Sarah, kabalo ko nga indi ako ang pinakamayo nga magulang sang buhi kapa, pero tane ang akun pagpangamuyo para sa imu makapakita kung anu taka ka palanga. Ginapromisa ko nga bisitahun ka adlaw-adlaw kag siguraduhon nga wala may matabo nga malain sa imu. Gina promisa ni Manong.
Siyam na ka-adlaw ang nakalipas basi sa paghambal sang mga katigulangan. Nadula an na interes ang tinuga. Tane kung sin o man ang iya sundan sa dasun kabalo nga magpasiga kandila para mapalayu ini. Ginapangamu yu an ko ang ina nga kalag, pero na sadyahan ko nga indi na na ako ina.
English Version
Nine Days
The elders say it will only take nine days for the creature to lose interest and then we can bury my sister. That’s nine days too long but I have to do it. For her.
Eight Days
The first day went without incident, as long as there are candles and people around for the wake the monster doesn’t seem to be able to get close. This may be easier than I thought.
Seven Days
It just waits outside. Staring at the wake.
Six Days
It’s still waiting.
Five Days
Damn it. I fell asleep. No one covered for me and the creature almost got to my sister. It won’t happen again. I only have four days left.
Four Days
I haven’t seen it outside lately. Maybe it already lost interest.
Three Days
There was a problem with the electricity in the funeral home. All the lights went out for a few hours. Damn it! I should have bought more candles. I can’t see the creature, but I know it’s somewhere here, just biding its time until the candles go out. But it won’t get her. I won’t let it.
Two Days
The power’s finally back on. I’ve been surviving the past week on nothing but coffee and red bull to make sure that I stay awake. I can’t wait until I finally get some sleep and to put the monster to rest.
One Day
I’m sorry Sarah, I know that I wasn’t the best brother when you were alive, but I hope that my vigil for you showed you how much I love you. I promise to visit you every day and make sure that nothing bad will happen to you. Kuya promises.
Nine days have passed and it was as the elders said. The creature just lost interest. I hope that whoever it stalks next knows to light a candle and keep it at bay. I pray for that poor soul, but I’m glad it isn’t me anymore.
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*The Hiligaynon language, also colloquially referred often by most of its speakers simply as Ilonggo, is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 9.1 million people, mainly in Western Visayas and SOCCSKSARGEN, most of whom belong to the Visayan ethnic group, mainly the Hiligaynons. It is the second-most widely spoken language and a member of the so-named Visayan language family and is more distantly related to other Philippine languages.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Hiligaynon translation by Allen Suating
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Allen Suating
Inspired by the Ebwa description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.
Ebwa illustration by Andrew Rebuldela
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewrebuldela/