*Note this story is in Tagalog
Alam ng babae ang ginagawa niya.
Alam niya noon pa man.
Ang pagpasa ng sumpa and tanging paraan upang makatakas sa kaawa-awang buhay na ito.
Isa lang sa pamilya nila ang kayang kumuha ng sumpa.
At doon pumasok si Anita.
Akala niya ay purong imahinasyon lamang ang mga kuwento, si Lola Ading ay may dementia na at hinahayaan ng angkan ang kanyang mga delusyon.
Nagmamakaawa at sumisigaw sa sakit si Lola gabi-gabi.
Nagpalitan ang mga mag-pinsan sa paglilinis at pagusap sa kanya.
Ngayong gabi ay si Anita.
Nabasa niya tungkol sa X linked Dystonia Parkinsonism at inisip niya na baka meron ito si lola, bukod sa dementia. Ito ay dahil sa pagtigas ng mga kasukasuan at ang pangkalahatang paninigas ng kanyang mga paa’t kamay.
Sasabihin sana ni Anita sa pamilya niya, na baka pwedeng dalin si Lola sa assisted living facility kung saan makakakuha siya ng pangangalaga sa buong magdamag.
Pero ngayong gabi ay iba.
Sa unang pagkakataon sa mahabang panahon, malinaw and pag-iisip ni Lola.
Pinag-usapan nila and pagkabata ni Anita, tungkol sa kung paanong isang hayag na lihim ang pagiging paboritong apo niya. Maging ang mga sensitibong paksa, tulad ng pagiging alkoholiko ni Tito Boy, ay hindi iniligtas. May mga luha sa mga mata ni Anita. Ito ang lolang kilala niya, ang lolang mahal niya.
Nag-usap sila hanggang sa kalaliman ng gabi at nakatulog si Anita.
Nang magising siya, nagsimula ang lagim.
Nasa ibabaw si Lola ni Anita; nakapilipit ang katawan ng matandang babae.
Para bang wala siyang mga kasukasuan; pilay-pilay siyang lumapit nang nakanganga.
Nilamon ng takot si Anita. Lumundag siya mula sa kama at tumakbo palabas.
Narating niya ang isang matalas na liko, habang ang adrenaline ang nagtutulak sa kanyang pagtakas.
Lumipas ang isang oras at lumingon siya; napuno siya ng kalituhan.
Hindi humabol si Lola.
Nakabawi ng malay si Anita at nag-isip kung ano ang kanyang gagawin.
Mahigpit na hinawakan ni Anita ang kanyang telepono at tinawagan si Enrique, ang pinsang pinakamalapit sa kanya.
Tumutulo ang kanyang mga luha sa lupa.
Matapos niyang ikuwento ang kanyang karanasan, sumagot lang ang lalaki ng, “Ikaw rin?”
=—————–=
English Version
The woman knew what she was doing.
She always knew.
Passing on the curse was the only way out of this wretched existence.
Only one of their family is able to take the curse.
And that’s where Anita came in.
She thought the tales were pure imagination, the lola Ading had dementia and the rest of the clan were entertaining her delusions.
Lola begged and screamed in pain almost every night.
The cousins took turns cleaning and talking to her.
Tonight was Anita’s turn.
She had read about X linked Dystonia Parkinsonism and she thought that might be what lola had, in addition to the dementia. This was mostly due to the stiffening of the joints and the general rigidity of her extremities.
Anita was going to bring it up to the family, that maybe lola could go to an assisted living facility where she could get around the clock care.
But tonight was different.
For the first time in a while lola was lucid.
They talked about Anita’s childhood, about how her being the favorite grandchild was an open secret. Even taboo topics like Tito Boy’s alcoholism were fair game. Anita had tears in her eyes. This was the lola she knew, the one she loved.
They talked well into the night and Anita dozed off.
When she awoke the horror began.
Lola was over Anita, the old woman’s form twisted.
It was as if she had no joints, she hobbled over with her mouth agape.
Anita was overcome with fear. She jumped out of bed and ran outside.
She reached a sharp turn, adrenaline fueling her escape.
An hour passed and she looked back and confusion filled her.
Lola did not give chase.
Anita got her bearings and thought about what she would do.
Anita held her phone tight and called Enrique, the cousin she was closest to.
Her tears were dripping on the ground.
After she told her story, he just replied, “You too?”
=———————–=
*Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Ailene Pasco
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Ailene Pasco
Inspired from the Ameanhig description in Philippine Demonological Legends and their Cultural Bearings and The Aswang Complex in Philippine Folklore, Maximo Ramos, 1990, Phoenix Publishing
Illustration by Klyde Sosa used with permission from Rob Martin of Pine Box Entertainment and Secret Garden Games
