*Note this story is in Tagalog
“Isa na namang salagubang, siguro sampu na iyon.” Halos natawa siya sa pagkakataong iyon, at tatawa talaga siya, kung hindi lang talaga sobrang sakit. Sa pagkakataong iyon, lumabas ito sa kanyang kanang balikat, “Buti na lang hindi ulit sa mukha.” Nagpapasalamat siya sa Diyos para sa maliliit na pabor, ngunit sa tingin niya ay hindi Siya nakikinig.
Hindi niya alam kung ano ang nagawa niya para danasin ito, hindi niya alam kung sino ang ininis niya, sapat para magdusa nang ganito, pero ito na siguro ang buhay niya ngayon, araw-araw nagkakamot ng ilang parte ng kanyang katawan, at araw-araw makakahanap ng panibagong kulisap na lalabas sa balat niya.
Hindi naman palaging ganito. Noong mga nakaraang buwan ay isa siyang mag-aaral na may magandang hinaharap. Ang akala niya ay magiging isa siyang accountant; hindi siya nanigarilyo, hindi nagmura, at hindi rin nagsabi ng masamang bagay sa kahit kanino. Pero isang araw, nangyari na lang, mabagal sa una, tapos ay nagpatuloy.
Nagsimula sa bahagyang pamamaga. Inakala niyang allergy attack lang ito at ininuman niya ng antihistamine, at dumating ang mga pigsa. Hindi masabi ng mga doktor kung ano ang mali sa kanya. Ang bawat gamot na ibinibigay nila ay unti-unting nawawalan ng bisa hanggang sa maging mga butil na lang sila ng huwad na pag-asa.
Ang unang kulisap ay isang gamu-gamo. Ito ay parang isang panaginip. Ang pangangati ay halos hindi na maikakaila, ang dugo ay nakuha mula sa kanyang mga pisngi, at may ilaw na nagmula sa loob niya. Nagkamot siya nang nagkamot hanggang sa mamula ang kanyang mga kuko at lumabas ang insekto. Maganda sana ito kung hindi lang napakasakit.
Subalit ito na ang buhay niya ngayon, hindi niya alam kung paano siya napunta rito, pero alam niya na may pag-asa pa siya. Siguro isang araw, matatapos din ito. Isang araw, kung saan hindi siya makakahanap ng anumang gumagalaw sa loob niya. Isang araw, kung saan walang lilipad mula sa balat niya.
Hanggang sa araw na iyon, aasa siya at magdadasal na matapos na ang kanyang pagdurusa.
Umaasa siyang may makakarinig ng dasal niya.
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English Version
“Another beetle, I guess that makes ten,” He almost laughs this time, and he would if it didn’t hurt so much. This time the thing came out of his right shoulder, “At least it wasn’t my face again,” he thanks God for small favors, but he doesn’t think He’s listening.
He didn’t know what he did to deserve this, he didn’t know who he pissed off enough that he would be cursed this way, but maybe this was his life now, every day scratching some part of his body, and every day finding some new bug that crawls out of his skin.
It wasn’t always like this. Months ago he was a promising student with a great future. He thought he was going to be an accountant; he never smoked, never swore and never said a bad thing about anyone. Then one day it happened, slowly at first, then it progressed.
It started with slight swelling. He thought it was just an allergy attack and took some antihistamines, then came the boils. The doctors couldn’t tell what was wrong with him. Each medicine they gave became more and more useless until they were just pills full of false hope.
The first bug was a firefly. It was almost like a dream. The itching became almost unbearable, blood was being drawn from his cheeks, and then a light came from inside him. He scratched and he scratched until his nails were red, and then the insect was released. It would have been beautiful if it wasn’t so damn painful.
But this was his life now, he didn’t know how he got here, but he knew he still had hope. Maybe one day it would end. One day, where he wouldn’t find something skittering inside of him, one day when something wouldn’t fly out of him.
Until that day, he would hope and pray for his torment to be over.
He hoped someone would hear his prayer.
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Written by Karl Gaverza
Filipino translation by Catherine Britania
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Catherine Britania
Inspired by the Mambabarang description in 101 Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang. Samar. 2015 and Myth Museum. Medina. 2015.
Mambabarang Illustration by Leandro Geniston fromAklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen
Color by Alexa Garde
Website: Lexa.us