Aimee stares at the creature and doesn’t know whether to stay or to run away.
It looks at her with its many eyes, all blinking at the same time and Aimee steps back. Where was she? How did she get here? Where are her parents?
The last thing she remembers is being in a hospital room surrounded by her family. Her mother was crying then, and her dad tried to tell her everything was going to be okay, but his face betrayed his true feelings.
It was unfair. Why her? She was so young, so full of promise.
Next week she was supposed to go to Enchanted Kingdom with her friends. Lala was supposed to tell her which boy she had a crush on and they would laugh about it on the Ferris wheel.
There were too many plans that were made, too many people that she didn’t spend enough time with.
Aimee started to cry, she wrapped her arms around herself and fell to her knees.
The monster, if it was one, walked towards Aimee, but by then she didn’t care. The only thing that made sense to her was her pain.
She felt a soft nudge and opened her eyes.
The creature was carrying Musang! She thought he had been lost when they moved houses the first time. She grabbed the stuffed animal and held it close, a warm oasis of comfort in her desert of sorrow.
Aimee looked at the creature, now with gratitude. The thing didn’t talk at all but it pointed downwards. She looked and was surprised to see herself.
She was lying down on a hospital bed, her family surrounding her. Next to them was a strange woman saying words Aimee couldn’t understand. Her parents were holding each other with tears in their eyes. Even Ralph looked sad, something she didn’t expect from her little brother.
Aimee tried to reach out to them, to let them know she was alright. They couldn’t hear her. She pounded at the barrier between them until her fists were raw. Aimee just wanted to be with her family again.
Suddenly she heard a melodic voice.
“Aimee Peñas, daughter of Marlon and Sandra.”
She turned around and tried to find whoever was singing.
“Born August 4, 1999.”
All Aimee could see was darkness.
“Lover of animals and friend to all.”
“I’m here! I’m here!’ Aimee shouted at the top of her lungs, she needed to find someone willing to help her.
“Brought to this realm by a terrible sickness.”
“Yes! That’s me! I’m Aimee Peñas! I’m here! Please help me!” She started to run in the direction where the voice was coming from.
Aimee closed her eyes and ran as fast as her feet could carry her, the creature beside her kept apace until she ran into something she couldn’t see.
“Aimee Peñas?” It was the woman from her hospital room! Aimee should have been shocked as her first reaction, but she hugged the woman in thanks. She was the first person Aimee saw throughout this whole ordeal and she was thankful to see another soul.
“Yes! It’s me, Aimee. Who are you?” Aimee looked at the woman’s face, it was old, but somehow carrying a strong sense of duty. “Are you here to help me?”
“Yes child, I am. Take my hand and we will find our way back to your family. The gudguden* ritual will not last much longer and the sun will be up soon. We must hurry.”
Aimee was still carrying Musang and she had to ask. “Do you know what this thing is? She pointed at her many-eyed benefactor.”
“That is my helper, the daligmata. I see it has helped you find something you lost.” The woman pointed at Musang.
“It was very helpful.” Aimee smiled.
“Of course, it lead me to you.” The woman smiled back. “Now it is time for us to go, take my hand child and we will travel through the cosmos.
“Will we be okay?”
“Yes child, I have done this many times before. But first I must ask, do you want to go home?”
“More than anything. I want to see my parents, I want to tell them that I love them. I want to see my friend Lala and say sorry for all the times I made her sad. I even want to see my little brother Ralph even if he’s annoying.”
“That is all I needed to know.” The woman took Aimee’s hand and they both took a step forward.
*This is a nightlong seance where a possessed medium journeys around the cosmos, singing the sick person’s personal history and looking for the abducted human soul.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Inspired by the Daligmata entry in 101 Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang. Samar. 2015 and CURRENT RESEARCH IN ETHNOMUSICOLOGY, Vol. 4 = Jose` S. Buenconsejo : Songs and Gifts at the Frontier : Person and Exchange in the Agusan Manobo Possession Ritual. Philippines. Routledge, NY & London, 2002. Pg 113
Daligmata Illustration by Julius Arboleda
