“I’ll call her Joy!”
“Sha, it’s a Sigbin. I don’t think it will appreciate the name.”
“Well it’s MY Sigbin and I get to name it whatever I want!”
“Are you ready for that responsibility? Taking care of a Sigbin takes a lot of work. You have to watch over it.”
“And feed it?”
“Where are you going to find enough humans for its next few meals? Human blood is in short supply, even the nearby barangays wont have enough if the rest of the family have their Sigbins eat there.”
“Then I’ll travel past the towns to find dinner for my precious Joy. She’s a Sigbin, brother. Did you forget you can ride it and find yourself traveling through great distances?”
“I know what they’re capable of. I have three. I’m just saying it might not be as easy as you think.”
“Well I think I’M ready, so back off and let me go to my lovely Joy.”
“Sigh, alright. Whatever you want. You’re lucky it’s your birthday. I would never have given you such a heavy gift.”
“Okay Joy! I can tell that you’re hungry. What kind of blood do you want? Maybe a pregnant woman? OH! What about a child? They’re the favorites of lola’s Sigbins. Wait! You haven’t even been introduced to the rest of the family. But oh, I can tell you might fall over from hunger. Okay, just give me a second to get out the family map. Okay…. I think I found a barangay untouched by the family. Now just let me get on you. Perfect! Travelers away!!!!”
=——————————-=
Peter watched as the sigbin faded from view.
He didn’t want to rain on Sha’s parade, but she was so young. He didn’t get his first Sigbin until he was a young adult and there was Sha, barely a teenager and trusted by the elders to bond with the newest Sigbin.
He learned to respect the elders and if these were their wishes then so be it.
Shadow-eater crooned next to him, as if sensing his emotions.
He wasn’t the best at naming his pets and ended up with descriptions of their preferences.
There was shadow-eater of course, then bloodscream and the third and favorite, night-traveler.
They were all hungry this moonlit night and it was up to him to feed them.
She had to right idea to go past the nearby barangays.
They needed to diversify their meals anyway. There were certain reflections of the food to the Sigbin.
Those that only ate shadow became lethargic.
Those that only drank blood were particularly feral.
Those that ate live flesh were never satiated.
Those that ate dead flesh lost some of their abilities.
They haven’t had corpses on the menu for a while so he let out his copy of the family map and checked for a faraway graveyard.
The Sigbins were readying their digging claws.
Peter reflected on his life. There was nothing more rewarding than taking care of his Sigbin.
He thought back to the baby shadow-eater that was gifted to him.
It was so frail then.
But now, seeing it grow to become healthy, his heart grew with pride.
This is what it feels like to be a Sigbinan.
It was the best feeling in the Middleworld.
-========================-
Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Inspired by the description in The Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971
Illustration by Linnea Jalando-on used with permission from Rob Martin of Pine Box Entertainment and Secret Garden Games
