*Note this story is in Tagalog – Marinduqe
Kinausap na naman ako ng anino ko.
Ito ‘yung oras na nagahanda ako ng tanghalian. Nagahanda ako ng chop suey at ang sabi baya sa akin ay akuhain ko daw ‘yung kutsilyo at asaksakin ko daw ang waitress na makuha ng kasunod na order. Bumulong ang anino ng masasamang bagay tungkol sa kanya, kung paanong kung anu-ano ang inasabi n’yan kapag nakatalikod ako; kung paanong naga-un ‘yang ako ay puhang kaya ako’y iniwanan ng katipan ko; naga-un pa ‘yang walang mai-ibig sa kagaya kong puhang.
Sabi ko sa boss ko ay may sakit ako ngay-on kaya pauwiin na laang n’ya ako. Ang byahe ko pabalik sa inatirhan ko ay parang impyerno sa hirap. Nagkamali ako na pumwesto doon sa may bintana at ‘yung mga tao ay nakatunganga nang isang oras. Nakatingin sila lagpas sa akin, ako naman ay nakayuko laang. Ayoko baya nang ako ay apagpapansinin ng mga tao.
Napuno na ako, nag-impake ako at bumili ng tiket papuntang Iloilo. Isang oras lang ang byahe ng eroplano at sumakay ako sa unang bus pauwi sa amin. Sabi ko sa sarili ko na “puhang na ata ako sa ginawa kong ito, inasubukan kong labanan ang halimaw sa pamamagitan ng isa pang halimaw” pero ‘yang bahaging ‘yan ay napatahimik agad.
Nagsalita na naman ang anino.
Ang sabi sa akin ay madali laang manding pumunta sa drayber at pwersahing banggain ng bus ang isa pang nadaang sasakyan, o ‘di kaya ay ibangga ito sa isang gusali na malapit. ‘Yung mga bulong ay nalakas nang nalakas pero pinupwersa ko silang umalis. Nakakatakot na baya. At dapat naman akong matakot talaga.
Gabi na nang makarating ako sa bayan namin. Malapit nang maghating-gabi pero hindi na dapat ako magsayang ng oras. Tumakbo ako sa parang. Alam kong andu’n pa rin s’ya kagaya nu’ng gabing pinatay n’ya ang kapatid kong babae. Ang sabi sa akin ng kapatid ko ay tumakbo na ako pero ayaw ko siyang iwanan, akala ko ay matutulungan ko s’ya. Lagi kong maaalaala ang sigaw n’ya nu’ung kagatin ng halimaw ang anino ng aking kapatid.
‘Yung mga bulong sa tainga ko ay naging sigaw na. Galit na baya ang anino at hindi na ako makapaghintay. Kinuha ko ang flashlight sa bag ko at pinailaw sa harap ko. Matapos ang ilang minuto ay naamoy ko na ito. Ang amoy ng nasusunog na laman at sunog na balat. Ang amoy na magliligtas sa akin.
Ang sigbin ay mabangis. Ipinakita n’ya ang kanyang mga ngipin at tumakbo palagpas sa akin at matapos ang ilang segundo ay naramdaman ko ang tunay na kapayapaan. Nangyari na, sa wakas ay malaya na ako.
Matapos ang ilang minuto ay naramdaman kong may mali baya. Nu’ng napagtanto ko ang nangyari ay naghabol ako ng hininga.
Mali ang aninong kinagat n’ya.
=———————=
English Version
My shadow spoke to me again.
This time it was during lunch. I was preparing the chop suey and it told me to take the knife and stab the waitress who was going to pick up the next order. It whispered terrible things about her, how she talked behind my back; how she told people I was insane and that’s why my boyfriend left me; how no one would ever love a freak like me.
I told my boss that I was feeling sick today and he let me go home. The commute back to the apartment was hell. I made the mistake of standing by the window and people stared for an hour. They looked right across me and I just kept my head down. I didn’t want the attention.
Enough is enough, I packed my bags and booked a flight back to Iloilo. The flight only lasted an hour and I took the first bus back home. A big part of me thinks I’m crazy for doing this, trying to fight back a monster with another one, but that part is quickly silenced.
The shadow spoke again.
It told me how easy it would be to go up to the driver and force the bus to hit a passing car, or better yet a building. The whispers were getting stronger but I force them away. It’s getting scared. It should be.
I reach the town late. It’s close to midnight, but I can’t waste any more time. I run towards the field. I know it will be there, just like it was when it killed my sister. She told me to run, but I didn’t want to leave her, I thought I could help her. I’ll always remember her scream when it bit her shadow.
The whispers in my ears turn into shouts. The shadow’s angry and I can’t wait. I take the flashlight from my bag and set it in front of me. A few minutes later I smell it. The smell of rotting flesh and burnt skin. The smell of my salvation.
The sigbin is vicious. It bares its teeth and rushes past me and for a second I know true peace. It’s happened, I am finally free.
A moment later I feel something wrong. The sudden realization leaves me gasping for air.
It bit the wrong shadow.
=————————–=
*The version of Tagalog spoken in Marinduque, known as the Marinduque Tagalog, has been described as “the root from which modern national forms of speech have sprung,” where remnants of archaic Tagalog could be found, spoken in a lilting manner by its inhabitants.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Hazel Rodelas
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Hazel Rodelas
Inspired by the Sigbin entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971., Myth Museum. Medina. 2015. and 101 Kagila-gilalas na Nilalang. Samar. 2015
Sigbin Illustration and Watercolor by Nightmaresyrup
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