*Note this story is in Cebuano
Sa makausa pa, nakig istorya kanako ang akong anino. Paniudto kadto, ug samtang nagluto ‘ko sa kusina, iya ‘kong gisuguan nga kuhaon ang kutsilyo, dayon dunggabon ang sirbidora nga mao’y mudawat sa order. Daghang pagpang-daot ang gihunghong sa akong anino bahin sa serbidora — nga sige kuno sya’g manglibak nga ako nabuang na, nga mao kini’y hinungdan nga gibiyaan ko sa akong trato, ug nga imposibleng naa’y mahigugma sa sama nako.
Nagpasidaan ko sa akong amo nga mouli na lang ko tungod kay naglain akong gibati. Inig kaabot sa apartment, kadiyot kong ning duaw sa bintana. Paminaw nako, tanang tawong miagi, tabis kaayong nagtan-aw sa ako. Wa na ko makaantos, nag impake ko aron mouli na lang sa Iloilo. Nabuang na ba kaha ko, sa pagtuong mapildi nako ang usa ka halimaw sa usa pa?
Sulod sa bus nga akong gisakyan pauli, ming sulti na usab ang anino — nga sayon ra kaayong lubaon ang drayber, dayon ibangga ang bus sa katagbong sakyanan. Wa nako tagda ang mga hunghong. Akong namatikdang nahadlok kini sa umaabot. Angay lang nga mahadlok kini.
Hapit na sa tungang gabi-i sa among pagkaabot sa munisipyo. Kinahanglang magdali. Ning dagan ko padulong sa basakan. Sigurado kong didto nako maabtan ang sigbin, kung asa niya gipatay ang akong igsoong babae. Saksi ‘ko sa pagpaak niya sa anino sa akong igsson adtong higayuna.
Nagka-dako ang hunghong sa akong anino samtang nagpaduol kami sa lugar. Nag-alingasa na kini; di na ko kahulat. Akong gigawas ang flashlight, dayon tutok sa akong atbang. Sa wa pa magdugay, ako nang nasimhutan ang sigbin — sa nagsagol nga baho sa nadunot nga unod ug napaig nga panit. Kini ang baho sa akong kalingkawasan.
Arang kabangis sa sigbin. Gi-angil niya ang iyang mga pangil, dayon pa-dasmag nga ninglabay sa akong kiliran. Lingkawas na gyud ko!
Apan dili kini mahitabo; naa’y nasayop. Ug didto na nako naamguhan. Lahi nga anino ang gipaak sa sigbin.
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English Version
My shadow spoke to me again.
This time it was during lunch. I was preparing the chop suey and it told me to take the knife and stab the waitress who was going to pick up the next order. It whispered terrible things about her, how she talked behind my back; how she told people I was insane and that’s why my boyfriend left me; how no one would ever love a freak like me.
I told my boss that I was feeling sick today and he let me go home. The commute back to the apartment was hell. I made the mistake of standing by the window and people stared for an hour. They looked right across me and I just kept my head down. I didn’t want the attention.
Enough is enough, I packed my bags and booked a flight back to Iloilo. The flight only lasted an hour and I took the first bus back home. A big part of me thinks I’m crazy for doing this, trying to fight back a monster with another one, but that part is quickly silenced.
The shadow spoke again.
It told me how easy it would be to go up to the driver and force the bus to hit a passing car, or better yet a building. The whispers were getting stronger but I force them away. It’s getting scared. It should be.
I reach the town late. It’s close to midnight, but I can’t waste any more time. I run towards the field. I know it will be there, just like it was when it killed my sister. She told me to run, but I didn’t want to leave her, I thought I could help her. I’ll always remember her scream when it bit her shadow.
The whispers in my ears turn into shouts. The shadow’s angry and I can’t wait. I take the flashlight from my bag and set it in front of me. A few minutes later I smell it. The smell of rotting flesh and burnt skin. The smell of my salvation.
The sigbin is vicious. It bares its teeth and rushes past me and for a second I know true peace. It’s happened, I am finally free.
A moment later I feel something wrong. The sudden realization leaves me gasping for air.
It bit the wrong shadow.
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*The Cebuano language, alternatively called Cebuan and also often colloquially albeit informally referred to by most of its speakers simply as Bisaya (“Visayan”, not to be confused with other Visayan languages nor Brunei Bisaya language), is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 21 million people, mostly in Central Visayas, western parts of Eastern Visayas and most parts of Mindanao, most of whom belong to various Visayan ethnolingusitic groups, mainly the Cebuanos. It is the by far the most widely spoken of the Visayan languages, which are in turn part of wider the Philippine languages. The reference to the language as Bisaya is not encouraged anymore by linguists due to the many languages within the Visayan language group that may be confused with the term. The Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino, the official regulating body of Philippine languages, spells the name of the language as Sebwano.
Written by Karl Gaverza
CebuanoTranslation by Winston
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Winston
Inspired by the Sigbin entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971., Myth Museum. Medina. 2015. and 101 Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang. Samar. 2015
Sigbin Illustration and Watercolor by Nightmaresyrup
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