*Note this story is in Bicol-Naga
“Hilingon mo daw an irarom kan higdaan ko?” an maluyang tingog ni Jess epekto kan saiyang pagpapabolong. Iyo ini an gibo niya barubanggi puon kan pagdigdi ninda ospital, kumbinsido siya na igwang kun ano sa irarom kan saiyang higdaan na dahilan kan saiyang paghilang.
Tulong bulan an mga tests asin burulongan asin sya dai marahay-rahay. Aram ko na dapat magin masurípot an buhay alagad anom na taon sana man si Jess. Mayong aki na dapat mag-agi sa mga dagum asin tubo sa aroaldaw na mayo man sanang nakukuang kasimbagan. Dai ini masurípot(fair).
Nagngirit lang ako asin hinadokan an saiyang noo. “Mayo man nin mampák(monster) sa irarum kan saimong higdaan, kaya magpahingalo ka na. Kaipuhan dapat may kusog ka para sa mga tests saaga, sige na?” Nagngirit man si Jess sakuya asin nagturog na. An katatagan talaga kan mga hubenes dai man nanggad palyadong nagpaugma sako, alagad naglalaom ako na lugod magin husto ini para sa saro pa niyang aldaw.
Dai nanigo. Nagadan si Jess kan bangging idto. Nakaturog ako sa kataid niya asin katakod kaini an mga doktor asin mga nars naghihiridali asin nagkukururahaw. Saro sa mga nars pinugulan ako ta pinipirit kong mahiling kun ano an nangyayari.
An nars tig-ibanan ako pasiring sa pinto asin duman ko man nanggad nahiling. Kan inot nagmamawot ako na huli ini sa tubong nakaturuhok kay Jess, alagad garo may sala digdi. Dakula ini bakong arog kan mga wire o ano man hasta ini hanggan sa irarum asin puro kan higdaan.
Iyo sana iyan an narurumduman ko kan bangging idto asin dakol pang mga dai makatubod na mga bagay an nangyari. Nawara an hawak ni Jess kan pasiring na ini sa punerarya, saysay kan morge na mayo man nangyaring maraot kan pagpasiring ninda duman, alagad nawawara an láwas (body).
Ginigibo ko ngunyan an gabos maaraman lang kung anong nangyari ki Jess. Sabi kan mga nars na nagkaigwa nin pagrangka(break-in) kan nakaaging bulan sa ikatulong palapag kan ospital, baad ini katakod sa pagkawara ni Jess.
Babawion ko siya.
Dawa mailubong sana siya.
=————————————=
English Version
“Can you check under my bed?” Jess’ voice was weak from the treatments. It had been her routine every night since we moved to the hospital, she was convinced there was something under her bed that kept making her sick.
Three months of tests and medicine and she still hasn’t gotten any better. I know life’s not supposed to be fair but Jess is only six years old. No child should have to go through days of needles and tubes and still not getting any answers. It wasn’t fair.
I smile and I kiss her forehead. “There aren’t any monsters under your bed, now go get some rest. You need your strength for the tests tomorrow, alright?” Jess smiles at me and drifts off to sleep. The resilience of youth never failed to impress me, but I hoped that it would be enough to get her through one more day.
It wasn’t. Jess died that night. I had fallen asleep next to her and the next thing I knew doctors and nurses were rushing in and shouting. One of the nurses had to restrain me because I kept trying to see what was happening.
The nurse lead me to the door and I that was when I saw it. At first I thought it was one of the tubes that was attached to Jess, but there was something off about it. It was too big to be a wire or anything like that and it ended at the bottom of the bed.
That’s all I remember from that night and there were too many strange things that happened after. Jess’ body was “lost” en route to the funeral home, the morgue says there was nothing wrong with the transport, but the body never got there.
I’m doing all I can now to find out what happened to Jess. The nurses said that there was a break-in a month ago on the third floor of the hospital, maybe that’s connected to Jess’ disappearance.
I will get her back.
If only to bury her.
“Can you check under my bed?” Jess’ voice was weak from the treatments. It had been her routine every night since we moved to the hospital, she was convinced there was something under her bed that kept making her sick.
Three months of tests and medicine and she still hasn’t gotten any better. I know life’s not supposed to be fair but Jess is only six years old. No child should have to go through days of needles and tubes and still not getting any answers. It wasn’t fair.
I smile and I kiss her forehead. “There aren’t any monsters under your bed, now go get some rest. You need your strength for the tests tomorrow, alright?” Jess smiles at me and drifts off to sleep. The resilience of youth never failed to impress me, but I hoped that it would be enough to get her through one more day.
It wasn’t. Jess died that night. I had fallen asleep next to her and the next thing I knew doctors and nurses were rushing in and shouting. One of the nurses had to restrain me because I kept trying to see what was happening.
The nurse lead me to the door and I that was when I saw it. At first I thought it was one of the tubes that was attached to Jess, but there was something off about it. It was too big to be a wire or anything like that and it ended at the bottom of the bed.
That’s all I remember from that night and there were too many strange things that happened after. Jess’ body was “lost” en route to the funeral home, the morgue says there was nothing wrong with the transport, but the body never got there.
I’m doing all I can now to find out what happened to Jess. The nurses said that there was a break-in a month ago on the third floor of the hospital, maybe that’s connected to Jess’ disappearance.
I will get her back.
If only to bury her.
=——————————–=
*Central Bicol, commonly called Bicol Naga, is the most-spoken language in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, Philippines. It is spoken in the northern and western part of Camarines Sur, second congressional district of Camarines Norte, eastern part of Albay, northeastern part of Sorsogon, San Pascual town in Masbate, and southwestern part of Catanduanes. Central Bicol speakers can be found in all provinces of Bicol and it is a majority language in Camarines Sur.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Bicol Translation by Adrian Bulalacao
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Adrian Bulalacao
Story inspired by the Balbal description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.
Balbal Illustration and Watercolor by Nightmaresyrup
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