*Note this story is in Bicol-Legazpi
Sa inot na beses, siya napagal
Halaba ang saiyang naging aldaw. Panù ang saiyang utak kan mga suriyaw asin iriwal, kan mga kadakul na gibuhun na dai na niya puwedeng palampason. Ang saiyang mga ulunan ina-agda siya na mag-iba sa inda. Mag-iba sa saindang paglakaw-lakaw pasiring sa mga lugar na dai siya ma-aabot, dai siya ma-aapudan kan saiyang amo. Kung sain sa wakas, makakakua siya nin katuninungan. Ang hudyan na bagay na saiyang nahiling iyo ang ilaw kan sa iyang telepono na nagluway-luway ng magdiklom.
Sa pangaduwang beses, siya nakadangog nin tugtog.
Natatakot siya sa maraut na pangaturog, pero ang saiyang kapagalan iyo ang nanginutan. Sa iyang namatian ang gabat kan kinaban, padagos siyang tinutuklang pasiring sa kairaruman asin kinakalot ang sa iyang lubungan. ‘Ang bang-gi na ini magiging lain kaysa sa mga naka-agi’ ang huring niya sa saiyang ulunan. Makakapahingalo man giraray siya sa wakas. Sa pagwara-wara kan saiyang huwisyo, siya nag-ngalas kung nata nagpapa-tugtog nin makusog ang saiyang mga kataraning. Sa iyang imahinasyon, nahiling niya ang sadiri na nag-reklamo kina-agahan.
Sa pangatulong beses, may mga anino.
Tulòng aldaw na ang naka-agi na dai niya magibong mag-katurog. Dai niya kayang magbalik sa lugar kung sain siya nag-duduman pag nakapiyong ang saiyang mga mata. Sa lugar kung sain dai dai nakahiro ang saiyang bilog na lawas. Sa lugar kung sain wara siyang kontrol. Napahiling siya sa gilid kan saiyang higdaan, sa salug na may mga mantsa asin tinag-duan nin kape, sa mga gumok na pakete nin asukar. ‘Magiging marhay ang gabos.’ Ini ang sinabi niya sa saiyang sadiri. Ipinapangadyi niya na magiging marhay ang gabos.
Sa ika-apat na beses, siya nag-ngarakngak
Nag-uulok ang gurang na babayi habang pighihiling ang sa iyang gibo, sarong kalag na naman ang saiyang makukua. Sa pag-muklat ninda, naglalaug tulos sa saindang mga isip na tapos na ang maraut na pangaturog, pero sa giraray na pagpikit kan saindang mga mata, niyaun siya. Magsisirbing ulang sa saindang agihan. Nagtindog ang gurang na babayi, dara ang saiyang magabat na lawas siya naglakaw, tapos na ang saiyang trabaho. Inagihan niya ang iba pang ispirito na naglalagaw-lagaw sa mundo nin pangaturogan. Sarong daligmata ang makaskas na uminagi asin diit pang makadasmag sa saiya, sa uyam niya, minuda niya kada saro kan kadakul kaining mata. Halaba nang maray ang bang-gi na ini, kaipuhan na niyang mag-pahingalo.
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English Version
The first time, she was tired.
The day had been too long. Too many memories of shouting and fights, too many deadlines she couldn’t ignore. It had been pure joy when she finally saw her bed. The pillows invited her to journey with them to places where her boss couldn’t call her, somewhere she could finally be at peace. The last thing she saw was the light from her phone gently going dark.
The second time, she heard music.
She was afraid of the nightmare, but exhaustion overtook her senses. The weight of the world felt like it was pushing her down and digging a grave for her. Tonight would be different, she told her pillow. She would finally be able to rest. As she drifted off, she wondered why her neighbors were playing such loud music. In her head, she imagined complaining the next day.
The third time, there were shadows.
It was three days and still she did not sleep. She could not bring herself to go to the place she had been when her eyes were closed. It was a place where she couldn’t move her body. It was a place where she had no control. She looked at her bedside, at the coffee stained floor and the crumpled packets of sugar and she told herself she would be okay. She prayed she would be okay.
The fourth time, she laughed.
The old woman smiled at her handiwork, another soul for her to claim. They would always wake up and think that the nightmare has passed, but once they close their eyes, she would be there to block the door. She hauled her corpulent frame, and passed the other spirits roaming through the dream world. A daligmata rushed through, nearly ran into her and she cursed each eye on the beast. This night had gone on for too long, she needed some rest.
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The Bikol languages or Bicolano languages are a group of Central Philippine languages spoken mostly in the Bicol Peninsula in the island of Luzon, the neighboring island province of Catanduanes and the island of Burias in Masbate. There is a dialect continuum between the Visayan languages and the Bikol languages; the two together are called the Bisakol languages.
The Tabaco-Legazpi-Sorsogon (TLS) dialect is spoken in the eastern coast of Albay and the northeastern part of Sorsogon. TLS is the dialect that has been most influenced by the Inland Bikol languages.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Wella Guianan
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Wella Guianan
Story inspired by Batibat entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.
Batibat Illustration by Leandro Geniston
FB page: That Guy With A Pen
Watercolor by Alexa Garde
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