*Note this story is in Hiligaynon

“Makuwa ko ni sa duha ka minuto. Gamay man lang nga lakat ara nako sa piyak nga building kag kaya ko man makadalagan todo.” Gakabatyagan mo ang kuba-kuba sang dughan mo asta sa tiil, kamot mo gapalanugnaw kag gapalamalhas pati ang karubkub mo nagligad isa ka oras. Gapalanghugot imo batiis tapos nag ginhawa ka dalom para kabuwelo ka dalagan.

“Basi amo na ni ang ulihi ko nga paginhawa.” Sige na buya adrenaline nga gadalgan sa lawas mo. Kada tikang mo feeling mo ikaw na ang pinakadasig nga tawo sa bilog nga kalibutan. Chura mo ga ngisi, “amo na ni” pinsar mo,  “naka abot na ko!” Pila na lang ka tikang imo tuyo.

“Abaw ah” Tingala ka ngaa kadasig to sa iya. Na piyuan mo guid nga maka palagyo ka. Ginatulok ka sang bayi nga gamudlo pula ya nga mata nga daw ga-lubid ang kaladlukan ya nga nawong pag siyagit ya. “Indi!!!” Ang tingok ka utok mo nag siyagit “indi ni dapat matabo!”

Gin bitbit ka sang mga pa.a mo sa piyak nga direksyon, pabalik sa safety ka puno. “Ngaa wala ko nagtinir sa sulod man?” Gina kaon ka kapaminsaron mo nga ga hinulsol ka sa mga disisyon mo. “Ngaa wala ko nagdalagan dalagan man? ” “Ngaa ari ko di sa amo ni nga lugar man?” “Ngaa wala ko namati sang may chansa ko sa una man? ” “Wala untat panabad mga tingog sa ulo mo”

Makita mo na ang puno. “Indi ni sa kalapaw sa mga sanga ya.” Naantiparahan mo nga wala pa lima ka minuto sang nagdalagan ka. Kung wala pa kaabot lima ka minuto ang diperensya subong kag sa kabuhi ko.

“Isa na lang ka tikang kag ara na ko.” Isa na lang ka dalagan kag indi ya na ko madakop. May tiyempo kadali nga duda antis nagdive ka sa dalom sang puno kag nagabalentong sa roots ya. Wala ka gakabatyag sakit tungod sa adrenaline. “Buhi pa ko.” Wala ka untat nga pasalamatan.

Asta gin butang mo na ang kamot mo sa dughan mo. “Wala, wala, waay guid…” Naglupad na paminsaron mo. “Di puwedi nga amo to sa ka dasig.” Gatulo na dugo mo sa mga tudlo mo nga naglambot asta sa bayo mo. “Naka abot ko, dapat nakaluwas ko.”

Sulit sulit mo gina hambal sa kaugalingon mo asta sa nawad.an ka na dugo.

“Dapat nakaluwas ko”. Amo na paminsaron mo antis magsarado mga mata mo, basi ulihi na ni.

=——————————–=

English Version

“I can make it in two minutes. It’s only a few feet to the next building and I can run fast.” You can feel your heartbeat reverberate to your feet, your hands are cold and sweaty and the chill down your spine has been there for the better part of an hour. The muscles in your legs start to tighten and you take one deep breath before starting your sprint.

“This might be the last breath I’ll ever take.” The adrenaline surges through your body. Each step makes you feel like you’re the fastest person in the world. Your face betrays a smile, “This is it!” you think, “I made it!” Your objective is just a few steps away.

“Oh no.” You don’t know how it got there so fast. You were so sure that you were going to outrun it. The woman stares at you with her bulging red eyes and her hideous face twists in a scream. “No!” The voice in your head shouts “It wasn’t supposed to be this way!”

Your legs take you in the opposite direction, back to the relative safety of the tree. “Why didn’t I stay indoors?” The decisions all start coming back to haunt you “Why didn’t I take up running?”, “Why am I in this place?”, “Why didn’t I listen when I had the chance.” The voices in your head won’t stop talking.

The tree is in sight now. “It won’t be able to get past the branches.” You realize it’s been less than five minutes since you started running. Less than five minutes would make the difference between now and the rest of your life.

“One more step and I’m there.” Just one last dash and it won’t be able to grab you. There is a moment of doubt before you lunge under the tree and crash into the roots. You don’t feel much of the pain because of your adrenaline. “I’m still alive.” You’ve never been more grateful.

Until you put your hand to your chest. “No, no, no…” Your mind trails off. “It couldn’t have been that fast.” The blood starts to trickle down your fingers onto the rest of your clothes. “I made it, I’m supposed to be safe.”

You repeat those words in your head until there’s too much blood loss. “I should be safe.” Was what you thought before you closed your eyes. Maybe for the last time.

————————–————————–————————

*The Hiligaynon language, also colloquially referred often by most of its speakers simply as Ilonggo, is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 9.1 million people, mainly in Western Visayas and SOCCSKSARGEN, most of whom belong to the Visayan ethnic group, mainly the Hiligaynons. It is the second-most widely spoken language and a member of the so-named Visayan language family and is more distantly related to other Philippine languages.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Hiligaynon translation by Urnn Propakarpyo
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Urnn Propakarpyo

Inspired by the Abat entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Abat illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

The post Abat – Hiligaynon Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

The horror caught up to her yet again.

It wasn’t fair, it shouldn’t have been that way.

But life has a different view than most.

Alma carefully applied the ointments and said the eldritch words. She had not eaten since the week before and the others were concerned – well as much as manananggals could be.

They all knew what almost happened.

It was a brisk summer night and the sisters knew that it was time for the hunt. To be safe they all left their legs at the same place, casting dark magic to hide their lower halves as banana stalks.

The sisters soared through the sky, blocking out the silver moonlight.

Alma had begun late, she decided to leave her lower half by the river and used the incantations to summon an illusion. The humans would never know where they were, at least that’s what she thought.

She joined her sisters in flight and thought of what she would like to eat.

Menfolk? No, they were too wiry and tough. Sister Paya almost broke a tooth rending the flesh and shattering the bone.

Children? Those were a lot easier to catch. It seemed these days that there were more and more out and about past their bedtime. ‘Maybe a last resort,’ Alma thought.

Or the shining prize? There was a certain house that the sisters promised not to touch as there was a succulent pregnant woman there. And everyone knows that the more developed the fetus the tastier it would be. The sisters all drew straws and luck fell upon Alma. She could almost taste the sweet meat of the unborn.

If not for her hunger she would have seen the signs.

First was the acrid smell of the suha. It was left on the roof, most likely as a ward against the Manananggal. Alma’s nausea was palpable, but she would not give in. She squatted on the roof and let her long tongue slither down into the woman’s room, carefully, slowly. She had reached the edge of the bedframe before she realized, there was nobody there.

Alma’s screams echoed through the barangay. A man, perhaps her victim’s husband cut off her tongue with a slash by his bolo. The remains of the long, red organ flopping around like a fish out of water.

The sisters came to her aid. They were equally sickened by the suha, but she was their sister and their blood bond was too strong to deny.

Alma was carried off by the stronger sisters and they hastily made their exit. It was almost morning and they had to reattach else they would be dust in the sunlight.

There were shouts from below them and they turned and looked.

What they saw sent a chill down half of their spines.

The husband was following them, with others from the barangay, all armed with bolos, torches and sharpened bamboo spears.

The sisters rushed to their lower halves, all except for Alma.

The mob was by the river, almost on top of her other half.

Alma was weak and she didn’t have the willpower to continue casting the illusion. She had heard tales of the excruciating pain one felt when they could not reattach. That was what scared her the most.

“If I should die, please let it be fast,” she hoped the dark gods heard her prayer.

There was no choice. The illusion would run out soon, and she would have only one chance. Fly fast, grab her legs and hope that she could dodge the slashes of the bolos.

No sisters were beside her and her loneliness only added to the adrenaline pumping through her hideous veins.

She cried out a deafening scream. Momentarily, the mob was caught unawares, and she deftly flew in between the banana trees grabbing her legs. One human was lucky and managed to stab her in the shoulder. She shrieked in pain and could feel the ichor seep from the wound.

“It’s ok. You’re ok. It’s ok,” she said to herself in the middle of her sobs. “I just need to be complete; I just need to be complete.”

Alma joined her two halves together and started for the sisters’ home.

She had never felt such fear before and promised herself that she would never feel that way again. Alma would not let the humans win. From that point on she would be cautious.

Too cautious, her sisters felt.

She had stopped joining the weekly raids to the barangay, her emaciated form giving her sisters pause.
They tried to share their hunt, but, still crestfallen, she would not accept it. She felt it was a problem that only she could tackle.

Alma had never come that close to death before, though she knew its shadow always loomed around the Manananggal. She knew that one day she would have to pass on her powers to an initiate, probably one of her nieces, but those were always fleeting thoughts.

What was happening now was real.

Alma was not spending her time idling by. She sought power, but a specific kind, one not usually found in the islands she called home.

She heard of a creature from a faraway land that would put their soul into an object and they could not be killed unless that object was destroyed.

There were echoes of the Manananggal magic there, old and bloody. She had to find out for herself.

It took her many moons to travel to the land of the Lich. She disguised herself as a caregiver from an agency. No one ever suspected that she was a Manananggal, or maybe they didn’t remember their parents’ stories. Human lives were so fleeting, it was a wonder any of them were able to get things done.

Alma only had vague and broken stories about the whereabouts of the lich. But they were more than enough. Her magic was also able to let her hear conversations from miles away. She waited patiently until she heard it.

“Lich.”

The statement was from an old woman, cleaning out a dusty bookshelf.

“You know you always hear stories about them but they’re all make-believe. They said that this castle is haunted by the Lich, but look at us now, just an old woman and her cat, making the most of life.”

Alma was still trepidatious from her trauma. She would not fly unless she was holding her lower half. It made hunting more difficult, but she managed. There were scant traces of humans around the area, but she made do ripping the viscera out of deer.

She flew with her legs and landed on the upper rampart of the castle. Using her ointments and incantations she disguised her lower half as a pile of stones. Her magic was weak in these parts and she had to be quick.

Alma abandoned her legs for what she felt was the last time and ventured into the castle.

Floating through the corridors she shuddered. There was something dark, something that made her feel alive. She followed the taste of power until it led her to a cave, far beneath the castle.

Alma stopped when she saw her savior.

“You are a long way from home, creature” the wind bellowed from the Lich’s ancient form. It almost seemed like its bones were fused to the marble of the throne.

“I will not waste your time,” Alma said. “Let me know your secrets and I will leave.”

“Pitiable whelp! How dare you come into my place of power and demand such?!”

“You know of my kind, ancient as you are. You know our power. I seek yours.”

“And what can you offer me?”

“If you teach me, I will no longer fear death. I will do your bidding… Master.”

The magic ensnared her senses. The Lich sang in a long-forgotten tongue. As if by lightning, her lower half flew through the castle and settled in the middle of Alma and the Lich.

Twisting, the legs wrapped around themselves and compacted in a sickening munch.

She looked up and saw the fruits of the ritual. Her legs had become the phylactery in the form of a ruby jewel.

Alma would no longer fear the sunlight.  Not the suha, not the bolos, not the humans.

Her fealty to the Lich would be no matter, she could always escape when she felt like it. As of now, she was finally ready to hunt and she said to no one in particular:

“I’m hungry.”

=——————————————————=

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Baconaua Illustration by Benedict Jose Villarante

The post Manananggal appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Waray – Ninorte Samarnon

Diri gud kaurugan sa panahon san akon pagtubò nahitabo sa Libacao, an lugar san akon apoy.

Pareho an akon kag-anak nagtatrabaho sa Manila mao nga adto liwat ako kun hain an akon kag-anak. Napakadto la kami sa Libacao sayò ug duha kabeses san kada tuíg.

Diri ko pa nahihingalimtan an mga takna kun adto kami. Nauubos an adlaw pagdinurudalagan sa ilarom sa tambong san mga kalubian, pakigsangkay san mga anak sa mga higripid san akon apoy, an akon mga kababata. Gintatangpos an kagab-ihon pamati sa mga susumaton sa iroy san akon nanay, an akon apoy.

San kada namo bakasyon sa Libacao, mayaon tawo nga permi ko nahihinomduman.

Sa kada pagsisirom, kadagab-e mayaon permi lalaki nga may dara-dara nga pala ngan serilya, permi siya naglilibuton sa bug-os nga barangay. An kanya kiwa, parehas san mayaon siya permi ginhihinanap. Kudi an akon manla naiimod, siya nga permi nagkukuha tuna tikang san bungdò.

Sayò ka kabeses nangutana ak’ sa ak’ apoy hiunong siton nga lalaki pero an ginbabaton la sa akon apoy “imos na iton siya” ngan ginsugaran ak nga diri magdinook-dook sa kanya.

Sugad ko sa ak’ apoy nga diri ak madook siton nga lalaki kudi kay an pangidaron san sugad ko nga langyaw pa mayda gihapon pagkausyoso.

San mga napulo (10) an ak pangidaron, naglalag ako ngan waray na ak kahibaro sa again pabalik sa amon balay gulpi an akon apura kay kun maabutan ak san kurpyo san ak’ apoy, alas 6, sigurado nga masesermonan ak’. San pabalik na ak’ sa amon, natan-awan ko ito lalaki nagdadagkot san kanya serilya.

Maaram ak’ nga mag-iisog ngan mababaraka ak’ pamilya san ak’ hihimoon kudi kay karuyag ko la man matumanan.

Dinook ak’ ngan nangutana,“naupay, nag-aanano ka?”

An baton niya nga may ngarob nga boses, “ginsisigurado nga diri na sira bumalik”.

San ak nabati, nanmulagdat an akon mga mata ngan sa sobra nga kadamo san akon naisip siton nga takna, waray na ak pakalata.

“Nano an karuyag sindngon mo nga ‘sira’?”

“Kay nano nga may ka permi dara nga pala bisan ka magpakain?”

“Puyde ko ba matan-awan an imo serilya?”

“Sugad san mga tawo nga permi ka kuno nanwawakay o danay gin-uukad mo an

 mga bungdò, ungod ba iton?”

“Mayaon ka ba ginhihinanap? Mao nga maydara ka nga pala?”

“Kay nano kadagab-e adi ka sa gawas? Nano man an iisipon san imo pamilya?”

Siton nga urhi ko nga pakiana, ginsunong ak niya sa mata ngan pumitad paatras.

“Neneng, uli na sa iyo balay. Delikado an gab-e, mao pa dihan.”

“Nano an karuyag mo sindngon? Maaram ak nga diri ak’ puyde gumawas gab-e kudi kay diri man dihan delikado, diri pareho sa Manila.

“Uli na! Larga!”

Nag-apura nga ak’ nga bumalik sa balay sak’ apoy. Katima san amon panigab-e ngan pagmingaw san sermon san akon kag-anak mas kinaruyag ko pa lugod nga may mahibaruan hiunong siton nga lalaki. Gulpi an akon pakiana san akon kag-anak ngan sa ak’ apoy.

Tubtub san sira nala an sumuko.

Ngan nagtikang nga nag-istorya an akon apoy:

“An ngaran niya Candido del Castillo. Gintitiniawan namon danay an kanya ngaran kudi diri la niya kami gin-aasahan, tigda nala siya nga nalarga. Si Candido gwapo nga lalaki. Sadto nga panahon an kalalakin-an ginhaharana an mga kadragan-an kun kanra ini natitipuhan. Giibahi la san iyo yana panahon, an kababayen-an, an mga sul-ot haros ipakita nala an ngatanan.”

“Apoy, puyde tangpuson mo na an imo istorya?”

“Sige, oo gad. Sadto, an pinakagwapa san amon baryo si Risa. Tigda nala kami naghimangraw nga ginkasal sira ni Candido. Sadto pa man, pira ka tuig man liwat an ginhulat ni Candido tubtob san nagin maupay sira sa kada-tagsa. Si Risa, diri la matingog ngan ngan diri mahilig makiisrtorya, anggasi ngani namon nga maaarog nala siya nga daraga. Nahinumdoman ko pa san ginsagot ni Risa si Candido. Siton nga gab-e gin harana ni Candido sa Risa sa ilarom san maanyag nga bulan. Samtang naghaharana si Candidio, dumungaw si Risa sa bintana ngan naghimangraw kami kay bisan pakitawa, diri gud iton siya. An kanra permi karuyag himoon didto mag-inistorya sa ligid sa salog hiunongsan kanra mga kinabuhi ngan kun diin nira karuyag kumadto. Nagpakasal sira sa simbahan didto sa poblasyon ngan anggasi namon nga mag-iiha an malipayon nira nga pag-upod.”

“San diri pa sadto burod si Risa.” Dugtong ni Apoy, ngan nag-iisip nga ginhangad an mga bitoon.

“Diri mo pa man masasabtan, an pagburod an sayo san pinkamakuri nga butang. Daramo an mga pamaagi nga puyde an katangpusan diri magigin maupay. Iton an nahinabo kan Risa. Diri na ak magiistorya pa bata kapa para masabtan iton nga mga butang. San nawara si Risa, si Candido waray na liwat kabaliani san kanya kalugarinon.”

“Apoy, kay nano mayaon siya permi dara nga pala?”

”Mayaon uruistorya nga an ikinamatay ni Risa diri yano, nga mayaon iba nga butang nga responsable sa pagkawara ni Risa.”

“Nano man iton nga butang, apoy?”

“Istorya la iton, waray na iba. Siguro mas maupay san panhuna-huna ni Candido nga may mabasol nga iba nga butang kontra san pagakseptar nga waray na si Risa.”

“Kay tingali manla….”

“Oras na pangaturog. Katurog na ngan buwas ta naman utro istoryahan.”

Kudi, waray na namo adto kadugtungi pa nga istorya.

Paglabay san panahon, talagsa ak’ nala nakakabisita sa Libacao. Diri ko na ngani naiisip pa magbisita ug bakasyon sin kun diin-diin la nga lugar tungod san kakuri sini pagineskwela pagkadoktor.

Nag-eskwela ak hiunong sa pagpapaanak ngan pag-aram hiunong sa mga sakit sa babaye nga may katuyuanan san pagburod (Obstetrics and Gynecology). Sa sobra nga kapagalan pagtrabaho sa syudad, sa Manila nagdesisyon ak nga magbakasyon naman sa probinsya.

Pinahuway na nga dayon an akon apoy, ginbayaan an kanya balay nahibilin an mga hinumdoman. San nagbabakasyon ak’ kun mayaon ak oras naghahatag ak sagdon sa mga tawo hiunong san ak kinaadman.

Nangutana ak hiunong sito lalaki sadto nga mayda dara permi pala ngan serilya, an baton san mga tawo nga, waray na liwat siya.

Kunta, mahanap na niya an kamurayawan nga kanya ginhihinanap.

Kaurugan sa mga tawo nga permi sa ak’ nadook mga kababayen-an tungod san akon kinaadman nga hiunong sa pagburod. Ngatanan sira sayo la an istorya, permi sira napupunitan. Napupunitan an problema san mga kababayen-an sa amon lurgar, sumala kanra, haros tulo sira kabeses napupunitan. Nahahadok na sira utro magburod kay an iba nga kababyen-an mao an ikinamamatay.

Nag-aro na ak’ bulig basi mahanap kun nano an kinahiunongan sini nga problema. Waray man liwat problema sa panlawas sini nga kababayen-an, may posibilidad nga mayaon ini hiunong sa kanra kalibongan ug an kanra lugar.

Diri ak makakalarga tubtub san mabuligan ko ini nga mga tawo, diri la ak’ maaram kun paunanho.

An akon la naobserbaran, daramo na liwat an mga bungdò dihan sini nga baryo.

Kudi, waray man haon ini kinalabotan sa panhitabo.

Waray ba?

=————————————=

English Version

Not much of my childhood was spent in Libacao.

Both my parents worked in Manila and would only take me there for vacations once or twice a year.

I would always look forward to those. Spending the day running around the coconut trees, making new friends with our neighbors and ending the night with one of Lola Maria’s stories are memories I still hold dear today.

There was one person that I will always remember though.

Every evening like clockwork, there would be a man with a shovel and a lantern going around the barangay. It always looked like he was looking for something but all I could see was him taking a shovel to some mounds.

When I asked my lola about him she just said *“Kaumangon imaw.” And made me promise never to go near him.

I said I wouldn’t, but you know how kids are.

One night when I was about ten, I lost track of time and ended up out after my curfew (around 6pm). Afraid I might get sermoned I rushed back to my lola’s house. On the way I saw the man lighting his lantern.

I knew the adults would be mad and worried if they knew what I was doing. But I was too curious to think about that.

I approached him and asked, “Excuse me, what are you doing?”

He replied with a gruff tone, “Making sure they don’t come back.”

My eyes opened wide with interest and my mouth couldn’t keep up with my thoughts.

“What do you mean ‘they’?”

“Why do you carry a shovel around with you everywhere?”

“Can I see your lantern?”

“Everyone says you dig up anthills, is that true?”

“Are you searching for something? Is that why you have a shovel?”

“Why are you out every night? What does your family think?”

On that last question he stared me in the eye and I stepped back.

“Go back to your home, child. The nights are dangerous, especially here.”

“What do you mean? I know I’m not allowed to go out at night, but this town seems pretty safe to me. Not like where I’m from in Manila.”

“JUST GO!”

I knew I wore out my welcome and rushed back to my lola’s house.

After dinner and the sermon, I had to find out more about him. I was incessant and bombarded my parents and lola with question after question after question.

They knew when to give up.

My lola started the story:

“His name is Candido del Castillo. We used to make fun of him about his name, but he took it all in stride. He was actually a very handsome young man. In those days those lads would actually take the time to woo a girl and serenade her. Not like today, with your televisions and radio and the miniskirts that let the whole world see—”

“Lola, can you finish the story?”

“Alright, alright. Back then the most beautiful girl in the barrio was Risa. It was actually a surprise when they got married. It took years of trying for Candido to be able to even take her out. She was so cold and aloof that many of us thought she would be an old spinster. I remember when he finally got a ‘yes’ from her. He took his guitar and serenaded her in the moonlight. She looked out her window and smiled (Which was a shock to most of us, we had known her for years and barely even a grin showed on her lips). Their favorite thing to do was sitting by the river, telling stories about what their lives were and where they wanted to go. They got married at the church in Poblacion and it seemed like their life together was going to be happy.”

“That was before Risa got pregnant,” lola looked wistfully to the starlight.

“You may not understand, but a pregnancy is a difficult thing. There are many ways it could end badly. And that’s what happened with Risa. I won’t let you know all the details, you’re much too young to hear them. Ever since Candido lost her, he was never the same.”

“Lola, why does he carry the shovel around?”

“There are…. stories, handed down by people older than I. When Risa died there were… murmurs about how what happened to Risa wasn’t natural, that something else was responsible.”

“What was that something else?”

“Just an old story, nothing more. It was probably easier for Candido to have something to blame rather than accept the face that she was gone.”

“But what about—-”

“It’s past your bedtime. Go to sleep and we’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

We never did.

As the years went by, I visited Libacao less and less. I was too busy facing the horrors of medical school to even think about that old place.

I graduated and finished my residency in Manila, choosing Obstetrics & Gynecology as my specialty. The stress of working in Manila was taking its toll on me and I decided to take some time off and go back to the province.

Lola had passed by then, leaving the house cold and empty. I spent my free time giving medial advice to people in the area.

I asked about the man with the shovel and they told me that he passed away as well.

I hope that he found the peace he was looking for.

Most of the people that come to me are women (not surprising considering my specialty), and they all seem to have the same story. Miscarriages are very common in the area with some women saying that they had at least 3 miscarriages. Women are scared to get pregnant because so many die in childbirth.

I ask for help trying to find the cause of these issues. There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with the women physically, so it might be an environmental factor.

I can’t leave until I help these people, though I’m not sure how I can do that.

The only thing different that people have noticed is that there have been a lot more anthills popping up in the area.

But that can’t be connected.

Can it?

*This Aklanon phrase means ’Baliw siya’ in Tagalog, or ‘He/she is crazy’ in English

*Waray is the fifth-most-spoken native regional language of the Philippines, native to Eastern Visayas. It is the native language of the Waray people and second language of the Abaknon people of Capul, Northern Samar and some Cebuano-speaking peoples of eastern and southern parts of Leyte island. It is the third most spoken language among the Visayan languages, only behind Hiligaynon and Cebuano.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Waray translation by Andrew Montejo
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Andrew Montejo

Story inspired by the Tanggae depictions from Aklan

Tanggae Illustration by Michael Sean B. Talavera
IG: @maykelshan
Deviantart: https://www.deviantart.com/isaneleach13

The post Tanggae – Waray – Nirnote Samarnon Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Bicol – Naga

“Selamat pagi!” bati ni Aish sa local niyang taramon asin nagsimbag ako na “Maray man mahiling ka.” Siya bago pa sana, sarong estudyante haling Malaysia na muya mahiling ang igwa ang Pilipinas kaya uni kami ngonyan. Nasa katahawan ning Negros, masakat pasiring sa kabuludan. Yay.

Dae man sa habo kung maging tour guide pero mahambog lang ako kung masabi akong iyo. Saro akong taga syudad, pinangaki asin nagdakula duman kaya habo ko sa arog kani igdi. Kadakulon mga kahoy, kadakulon maray masitas asin dae pa ko nainom kape sa limang oras na nakaagi. Dae ko maisip na kakayahon kong mabuhay sa arog kani.

Pagkatapos kang lakaw na garo mayong katapusan, nakaabot man kami sa campsite. Naglibot si Aish sa lugar para magkua ning mga magagayon na litrato para sa saiyang souvenir book asin ako man nawalat sa campsite habang minaisip kung panong ang arog kaning bagay naging pamuso sa arog kaning panahon. Ang pagsakat sa mga tukad bako ko talagang ideya ning kaogmahan asin pagkatapos kaning lakaw na ni, dae ko maisip na maulit pa ko.

Naglatag ako ning duyan asin nagpurbar magturog nguna bago magpreparar ning pamanggihan. Naglubog na ang aldaw ning amay ngonyan na banggi pero ang bulan bilogon kaya dae man problema. Nagsara ako ning mata asin nag-isip na mangiturugan ning marhay na bagay.

“Penanggalan! Penanggalan!” namata ako sa kurahaw ni Aish asin dae ko aram kung saro pa ini sa mga gawi ning Malaysian, pero mayo akong interes ngonyan sa pag-aadal kultura. Pigyugo ako ni Aish sa sakuyang duyan asin naghapot, “Haen si mga kakanon!?”

“Aram mo Aish—” nagpundo ako sa katahawan ning taram kang mahiling ko siya. Ito. Aram ko kung ano ito. Sarong ungga-ungga o kung ano mang apod saiya sa parteng ini, pero sa Bikol inaapod mi ining anananggal. Ang mga tour groups madalas tinatakot ang mga turista kang mga istorya kang bruhang naglalayog na naglalaylay ang lamang loob. Dae na ko nag isip isip asin nagdalagan ning abang rikas. Dapat talagang ngpirmi na lang ako sa harong.

“Hain si kakanon?!” Kurahaw ni Aish giraray. “Dae ini oras para mag-isp kang tulak mo!” Kurahaw ko man habang nagdadalagan kasabay niya. Dae ko maisip na maiintindihan ko ang mga Malaysians talaga. “Seryoso ako!” kurahaw niya giraray, kaya tano dae, kung gusto niya ang huri niyang pagkakan, dae ko siya pupugulan. “Yaon sa likod kang tent.”

Nagdalagan si Aish pasiring sa tent asin pigsusog siya kang ungga-ungga. Bako ako itong maisog na tawo pero barkada ko man giraray si Aish. Garo arog kayan, kaya kaipuhan ko magdalagan pabalik para kuanon siya. Nahiling ko siya na may kapot pinya asin pigdaklag ini sa ungga-ungga asin tinamaan ini. Dae ko aram kung anong nangyayari pero nagkurahaw ang ungga-ungga asin naglayog parayo.

Nagtindog lang ako duman, ribaraw.

“Sa pinaghalian ko, ang pinya pigtatanom gibo kang ang mga tunok kang dahon kani pinapahali ang Penanggalan. Ang mga tunok napasiring sa mga baga asin laman loob kani kaya nasasakitan sindang maglayog. Aram kong mabisa ini dawa igdi.” Nagngingirit si Aish sin nag-abot sako ning mga isnakan.

“Gutom ka?”

=—————————=

English Version

“Selamat pagi!” Aish greets me in his native language and I reply “Nice to see you.” He’s a new guy, an exchange student from Malaysia who wanted to see what the Philippines had to offer so here we are. In the middle of Negros backpacking through the “great” outdoors. Yay.

It’s not that I don’t like being a tour guide, but that would be a lie. I am a city boy, born and raised and I do not like it here. There are too many trees, there’s too much green and I haven’t had coffee in 5 hours. I don’t think I’ll survive this.

After a trek that seemed to last forever we finally hit camp. Aish goes around the area to take some nice pictures for his souvenir book and I’m left at the campsite wondering how this sort of thing is popular these days. Trekking through the mountains is just not my idea of fun and after this trip I don’t think it will ever be.

I lay out a hammock and try to take a small nap before preparing dinner. The sun set early tonight but the moon is full so it isn’t that inconvenient. I close my eyes and hope that I get to dream about something good.

“Penanggalan! Penanggalan!”Aish’s shouts wake me up and I don’t know if it’s another one of his Malaysian customs, but right now I am not interested in a cultural exchange. Aish shakes me from my hammock and says, “Where is the food!?”

“Look Aish—“ I stop mid-sentence when I see her. It. I know what that is.  An ungga-ungga or at least that’s what they call it in these parts, back in Bikol we just call them anananggal. The tour groups would always try to scare tourists with stories of the witch that flies with its guts hanging out. I don’t take another moment before I run like hell. I should have stayed in my house.

“Where is the food?!” Aish shouts again. “This is no time to think about your stomach!” I scream as I run alongside him. I don’t think I’ll ever get Malaysians. “I’m serious!” he shouts again, so why not, if the guy wants his last meal then I won’t stop him. “It’s behind the tent.”

Aish dashes to the tent and the ungga-ungga follows him. I was never the brave one but Aish is still my friend. Kind of. I have to run back and get him. I see him with a pineapple and he throws it at the thing and hits it. I don’t know what’s happening but the ungga-ungga screams and flies away.

I just stand there, confused.

“Where I come from, pineapples are grown because their thorns keep the Penanggalan away. The thorns go into their lungs and intestines which makes it harder for them to fly. I knew that would work just as well here.” Aish smiles and hands me some snacks.

“You hungry?”

=——————————————-=

*Central Bicol, commonly called Bicol Naga, is the most-spoken language in the Bicol Region of southern Luzon, Philippines. It is spoken in the northern and western part of Camarines Sur, second congressional district of Camarines Norte, eastern part of Albay, northeastern part of Sorsogon, San Pascual town in Masbate, and southwestern part of Catanduanes. Central Bicol speakers can be found in all provinces of Bicol and it is a majority language in Camarines Sur.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Monmon Nietes
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Monmon Nietes

Inspired by the Ananaggal entry in Bikol Beliefs and Folkways: A Showcase of Tradition. Nasayao 2010.

Anananggal Illustration by Leandro Geniston fromAklat ng mga Anito
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Watercolor by Catherine Chiu
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*Note this story is in Aklanon

Maubra ko ra sa sueud it daywang minuto.pilang metro malang sa sunud nga building ag maka daeagan akut madasig batyag mu ing tagipusuun Ursa padtu sing siki.ing Altima gapang eamig ag Gina hueasan it maeamig padtu sing likod una eun it pilang uras.

ru Unud sing paa gaumpisa eun magpanghugut..ginhawat madaeum ag bagu dumaeagan it uman…raya eun lang siguru Ang ulihi nga paginhawa.ru kadasig hay gapaeanutsut sa ing eawas..kada eak Ang hay batyag gid nimu.ikaw ru pinakamadasig sa bilog nga kalibutan.ru imung hibayag hay ga traidor raya eun ra imaw eun gid ra..ag ru akun nga planu hay pilang eak Ang eun lang gid …ay nanu hangawa ka kun hamat mas madasig ka ag makaabut sa bukut tamang uras sa mas tempranu..may Baye nga gatueok kimu mapuea ra mata.

ag ru anang uyahun nga may ginatagu ag suminggit it gulpi…Indi!!!may limog sing piniino nga nag hambae nga Indi ta dapat sa makaraya…ring paa hay nagliso ag gindaea ka sa ibang aeagyan..binalik ka sa siguridad nga Lugarhaman uwa lang ikaw magduhung sa baeay.ru disisyun nga inubra mu hay nagbalik ag ikaw hay naeagas..haman uwa gid mabuoe pagdaeagan ko.haman iya gihapun aku sa Lugar ngara..haman uwa aku namati tag may uras pa.

ru limug sing utuk nga galinibut libut..ru kahuy hay tan aw ko eon…Indi eon puydi nga balikun ru mga sanga it nakataliwan.nabatygan ko nga bukun eun gali it limang minuto ru nagtaliwan nga aku hay gadinaeagan.ru kueang sa limang minuto hay bukun man it mabahoe nga depirinsya ru mkarun ag sa bilog nga kabuhi..isang eak Ang lang gid ag una eon aku.isang agi lang gid ag Indi mu eun aku mabooe..

may unang Lugar nga gaisip kapa bagu makasandad sa mga ugat it kahuy. Indi kaeon kabatyag dahil sa gaoy ka eon ag buhi pa ag grabing kalipay ru nabatyagan..hasta binuytan mu ing dughan Indi… Indi…Indi…ru ing piniino hay gasala eon nga may pagkangawa bukun ag haman it makara..hamat bukun tat makara kadasig…ru dugo gaumpisa sa pag ilig padtu sing mga tudlo ag sa ibang parte king eawas ag eambong..haubra ko man ra ag ag dapat maeayu aku sa kataeagman…

ginpiniino Mut Mayad ag sigi eang pabalik balik sing piniino kun Anu natabo.ag abu eon nga dugo ru naduea.dapat eowas aku ruyun ru naisip hasta ipiyung lang gid ru mga mata nga gauy eun.ag raya eun lang ra..basi ulihi eon lag gid ra….

=———————————–=

English Version

“I can make it in two minutes. It’s only a few feet to the next building and I can run fast.” You can feel your heartbeat reverberate to your feet, your hands are cold and sweaty and the chill down your spine has been there for the better part of an hour. The muscles in your legs start to tighten and you take one deep breath before starting your sprint.

“This might be the last breath I’ll ever take.” The adrenaline surges through your body. Each step makes you feel like you’re the fastest person in the world. Your face betrays a smile, “This is it!” you think, “I made it!” Your objective is just a few steps away.

“Oh no.” You don’t know how it got there so fast. You were so sure that you were going to outrun it. The woman stares at you with her bulging red eyes and her hideous face twists in a scream. “No!” The voice in your head shouts “It wasn’t supposed to be this way!”

Your legs take you in the opposite direction, back to the relative safety of the tree. “Why didn’t I stay indoors?” The decisions all start coming back to haunt you “Why didn’t I take up running?”, “Why am I in this place?”, “Why didn’t I listen when I had the chance.” The voices in your head won’t stop screaming.

The tree is in sight now. “It won’t be able to get past the branches.” You realize it’s been less than five minutes since you started running. Less than five minutes would make the difference between now and the rest of your life.

“One more step and I’m there.” Just one last dash and it won’t be able to grab you. There is a moment of doubt before you lunge under the tree and crash into the roots. You don’t feel much of the pain because of your adrenaline. “I’m still alive.” You’ve never been more grateful.

Until you put your hand to your chest. “No, no, no…” Your mind trails off. “It couldn’t have been that fast.” The blood starts to trickle down your fingers onto the rest of your clothes. “I made it, I’m supposed to be safe.”

You repeat those words in your head until there’s too much blood loss.

“I should be safe.” Was what you thought before you closed your eyes, maybe for the last time.

*Aklanon (Akeanon), also known as Bisaya/Binisaya nga Aklanon/Inaklanon or simply Aklan, is an Austronesian language of the Bisayan subgroup spoken by the Aklanon people in the province of Aklan on the island of Panay in the Philippines. Its unique feature among other Bisayan languages is the close-mid back unrounded vowel [ɤ] occurring as part of diphthongs and traditionally written with the letter ⟨Ee⟩ such as in the autonyms Akean and Akeanon. However, this phoneme is also present in other but geographically scattered and distant Philippine languages, namely Itbayat, Isneg, Manobo, Samal and Sagada.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Aklanon Translation by Zaldy M Domingo
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Zaldy M Domingo

Inspired by the Abat entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Abat illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
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*Note this story is in Tagalog

Siya iyon.

Hindi ako maaaring magkamali. Nakita ko siya nang gabing iyon, ang pangil niya at ang kulubot niyang mukha. Ang mga patak ng dugo, nakita ko at sinundan ko iyon hanggang sa bubong.

Halimaw ang nakita ko.

Nakangiti siya na nakalabas ang mga pangil na ang buhok ay naka-pomada pero siya talaga iyon.

Fortunato Leviste ang pangalan niya ayon sa mga napagtanungan ko. Nandito siya para makapangampanya sa pagtakbo niya sa pagka-Gobernador.

Kung alam lang nila.

Natatandaan ko noong mga bata kami. Lumaki akong palaging pinag-iingat sa gabi lalo na kung may sakit dahil sa mga nilalang na lumilipad na handang bumaba sa bubong at pagpiyestahan ang bituka ng magiging biktima.

Kwento pa ng Lola ko noon, maganda raw ang mga halimaw, mapuputi at may mapang-akit na mga mata. Kaya’t pinag-iingat rin ang mga kalalakihan dahil ayon sa mga kwento, pinakakasalan ng mga ito ang biktima nila, pagkatapos ay lilipad at hindi na muling magpapakita.

Marahil ay ganoon din sya, magandang lalake at mestiso, kaakit-akit rin sa mga kababaihan. Karamihan ay nagkakandarapang makausap siya.

Pero isa lang ang ipinagtataka ko.

Hindi ba’t babae lang ang mga manananggal?

Binabalikan ko ang mga kwento noon.

Babae na natatanggal ang kalahati ng katawan

Babaeng may pakpak na tulad ng sa paniki

Babaeng hindi na makababalik sa kanilang kalahating katawan kapag nilagyan ito ng abo, suka at asin.

Babaeng may mala-sinulid na dila na sumisipsip sa bituka ng kanilang biktima.

Pero hindi.

Alam ko ang nakita ko.

Nakatayo siya sa di kalayuan sa akin at tumatawa.

Ano kayang iniisip niya. Siguro ‘yong susunod niyang biktima?

Hindi ko hahayaang mangyari iyon.

Matapos ang mga nakita ko.

Sinundan ko siya papalabas sa kalsada. Naaamoy ko ang usok ng kaniyang Tabako.

Nakita niya ako at ngumiti.

Sinabi ko sa kaniya na alam ko kung ano siya at kung anong nais niyang gawin sa akin. Sinabi kong hindi ko hahayaang mangyari iyon at wala nang magiging biktima pa.

Tumawa lang siya.

Naghihisterikal lang daw ako.

Sinong maniniwala sa akin?

Ang mga pulis?

Mga kaibigan ko?

Pamilya ko?

Lumapit siya sa akin at tinitigan ako at nagsimula akong kilabutan.

“Tutuloy na ako,” and sabi niya, “hindi pa ako naghahapunan”

Parang naramdaman ko ang paghaba ng kaniyang dila na hanggang sa may leeg ko

Umiiyak akong bumagsak sa sahig.

Hindi.

Hindi maaaring hayaan ko na lang siya.

Natunton ko na ang kaniyang lungga.

At ito. Asin, suka at kutsilyo.

Sana’y sapat na ito.

Diyos ko, sana…

=——————————————–=

English Version

It’s him.

At first, I didn’t recognize him. That night, I saw a twisted face and fangs. I saw the blood-red thread and followed it to the roof.

And I saw the monster.

The fangs are replaced by a gleeful smile and the hair is slicked back with too much pomade, but it’s the same face.

I ask around and find out that his name is Fortunato Leviste. He’s in the area trying to get some votes to be the governor.

If only they knew.

Growing up we’d be told to be careful in the night, especially if we were sick. There were creatures that flew through the moonlit sky, ready to land on your roof and feast on your bowels.

My lola told me a story once about these monsters. She said they were beautiful, with ivory-white skin and alluring eyes. Men were warned against this beauty though, for it was said that they marry their victims and flee, never to be seen again.

Maybe he’s doing the same here. He’s handsome and mestizo, charming every woman in the room. They’re practically falling over themselves to have a conversation with him.

But one thing keeps nagging me.

Mananaggal are only female, right?

I think back to all the stories.

Women that remove the upper half of their bodies.

Women with batlike wings.

Women that can’t reconnect their lower parts if it’s covered with ash, vinegar or salt.

Women with a threadlike tongue that sucks the bowels of their victims and feast on them.

No.

I know what I saw.

He’s standing four feet away from me and laughing.

I wonder what he’s thinking about. His next victim perhaps?

I won’t let that happen.

Not after what I’ve seen.

I follow him out the door into the street. The smell of tobacco cloyingly lingers on my nose.

He sees me and his smile widens.

Then I tell him I know what he is and I know what he tried to do to me. I tell him I won’t let that happen, that there would be no more victims.

And then he laughs.

He tells me I’m just a hysterical girl.

Who would believe me?

The police?

My friends?

My family?

What could they do?

He walks by me and looks me in the eye. Fear rolls down my spine.

“I’m going to go ahead,” he says “I haven’t had dinner.”

I could feel his tongue get longer, long enough to reach the back of my neck.

I fall to the ground, tears streaming down my face.

No.

I won’t give him the satisfaction.

I find out where he’s staying.

And prepare.

Salt, garlic and a knife.

I hope this is enough.

Please God, let this be enough.

=——————————————-=

*The Iqui is also known as Ikki / Ike

Story inspired by the Iqui description in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Iqui Illustration by Michael Sean B. Talavera
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*Note this story is in Tagalog

Magmula ng pumanaw ang tito Paul niya, hindi na naging tulad ng dati si Leo. Binabalewala lang niya ang mga mensahe ko at nagkukulong na lamang siya sa kuwarto niya. Paglaon, bihira na ko na siyang makita sa paaaralan.

Kinse anyos pa lang kami noon. Nagkakilala at naging matalik na magkaibigan sa maraming taong nagdaan. Pareho kaming nag-iisang anak ng pamilya at nagkakasundo kami sa bagay na iyon.

Hindi ko nais magpanggap na alam ko kung ano man ang pinagdadaanan niya.  Karamihan sa mga matatandang nakakausap ko ang nagsasabing bigyan ko lang siya ng puwang. Subalit, ang hayaan siya sa ganung kalagayan ay parang pagsuko na rin.

Tuwing hapon, pinapadalhan ko siya ng parehong mensahe:

“Uy, L si Rafa ito. Alam kong may pinagdadaanan ka. Nandito lang ako kung kailangan mo ng may makakausap o makakasama man lang. Tawagan mo ako kung kailan mo kaya. Nag-aalala lang ako sa’yo.”

Bagamat alam kong binabasa lang niya mensahe ko, ayos na rin sa akin iyon. Ang mahalaga, nandoon ako para sa kanya.

Makalipas ang isang linggo, tumugon siya sa mensahe ko, sabi:

“Kamusta R, ngayon lang ako nakasagot sa mensahe mo. Masyadong maraming nangyari kamakailan at hindi ako masyadong nakakatulog. Salamat sa patuloy na pakikipag-ugnayan, malaking bagay ito para sa akin. Mag-usap tayo pag may pagkakataon ha?”

At sumagot ako:

“Siyempre naman L, alam kong mabigat sa iyo ang nangyari sa pagkawala ng tito Paul mo. Alam kong gugustuhin niya na nasa maayos kang kalagayan.”

Ngunit nabagabag ako sa tugon niya:

“Walang hiya siya!”

Matapos ang huling komunikasyon ko kay Leo,  hindi siya nakipag-ugnayan muli at naging paksa ng usap-usapan sa paaaralan. May nagsasabing dinala daw siya sa sa isang mental institution at kailangan niyang manatili doon ng buong taon. May ilan namang nagsasabi na lumayas daw siya ilang linggo na ang nakakalipas at nakita na lang na walang buhay sa isang estero subalit gusto ng pamilya niya na itago ang pagkamatay nito.

Ginawa ko lahat para iwasto ang mga hindi magagandang usapan patungkol kay Leo pero ang totoo, kapag nagsimula ang ganitong klaseng usapin, mahirap na ito pigilan.

Subalit ang lubos nakakagulo ng isipan ko ay ang huli niyang sinabi tungkol sa tito Paul niya. Matagal ko ng kilala ang pamilya nila at mukha naman na masaya sila.

Si Tita Tress, ang ina ni Leo, ay isang OFW, datapuwa’t nilalaan niya ang buong oras niya sa Saudi, bumubisita naman siya tuwing may okasyon. Sa kabilang banda, si tito Paul naman ay kilala bilang lubhang masiglahin subalit maingay na indibidwal. Lagi niyang ipinagmamalaki ang mga mga nakamit na parangal ni Leo at madalas inilalagay sa kanilang sala.

Napaisip ako ng lubusan kung ano marahil ang ibig sabihin ni Leo.

Ano ba talaga ang ugali ng tito Paul niya kapag sila-sila na lang? May pang-aabuso kayang nagaganap?

Bakit hindi ito nagawang ipabatid sa kanya ng kanyang matalik na kaibigan?

Pakiwari ko ay pinili ni Leo na sarilinin ang problema. Napagtanto ko kung gaano ako kasarili at hindi naunawaan agad ang bigat ng problema na pasan-pasan ni Leo ng mga sandaling iyon.

Lagi ko siyang pinapadalhan ng mensahe tuwing hapon at alam ko na alintana niya ang mga ito.

Ang mahalaga, buhay siya. Maisip ko lang iyon ay panatag na ako.

Pinanghawakan ko ang paniniwalang ito hanggang matapos ang huling bahagi ng taon. Natatakot ako na dumating ang araw na hindi niya babasahin ang mensahe ko at malaman ko na lang na may nangyaring masama sa kanya.

Isa lang akong takot na bata na kailangan ang kanyang matalik na kaibigan. Nanalangin na nasa maayos siyang kalagayan.

=================

Patapos na ang panahon ng tag-ulan nang sa wakas ay makatanggap ako ng tugon mula kay Leo. Isa lang itong mensahe pero napuno ako ng pag-asa. Buhay si Leo at makikita ko siya ulit.

MAGKITA TAYO SA PARKE, ALAS-ONSE NG GABI

Kahit masyadong gabi at malayo, hindi na mahalaga sa akin iyon.

Matalik na kaibigan ko si Leo at kailangan niya ako.

Nang gabing iyon, sinabi ko sa mga magulang ko na matutulog ako ng maaaga. Masunurin akong bata, may magandang grado, mabait, lagi sa oras at iba pa. Hindi maghihinala pamilya ko.

Tatlong kilometro ang layo ng parke mula sa amin at ang liwanang ng buwan ang gabay ko sa pagbibisekleta. Masuwerte ako at kabilugan ng buwan ng gabing iyon.

Nang nakarating ako sa parke, umupo ako sa tabi ng puno ng balete at hinintay si Leo.

“R”

Laging gulat ko ng may isang kamay ang sumandal sa aking mga balikat mula sa likod.

“Ano ba Leo?! Huwag mo akong takutin ng ganyan!

“Pasensya na.”

Miserable ang kaanyuan ni Leo. Magulo ang kanyang buhok, malalim ang mga mata at halata ang ikinapayat niya.

Pilit niyang iniiwasan ng tingin ang mga mata ko sapagkat hindi lingid sa kanya kung gaano kamiserable ang gayak niya pero sa kabila nito ay mahigpit ko siyang niyakap.

Hindi ko alam kung gaano katagal na ang nakalipas at nagpasya ako na basagin ang katahimikan sa pagitan naming dalawa.

“Alam ko kung gaano kahirap ang pinagdaanan mo simula ng nawala ang iyong ama.”

“HINDI MO ALAM KUNG ANONG GINAWA NIYA SA AKIN!”

Napaatras ako sa pagsagot niya at napaluha si Leo ng mga sandaling iyon.

“Tama ka, hindi ko ‘nga alam. Kaya ako nandito. Hayaan mo akong makinig. Pakiusap, L.”

“Ayaw ko ng makasakit ulit.”

“Hindi mangyayari iyon, pangako. Maupo muna tayo at mag-usap.”

“Ikaw ang maupo, mayroon kang kailangan makita.”

Nakinig ako sa sinabi niya at sumandal ako sa puno ng balete. Ang buong parke ay naiilawan ng buwan.

Walang makakapaghanda sa akin sa ginawa ni Leo. Kinikilabutan ako tuwing naaalala ko ang mga sandaling iyon.

Maririnig ang pagtunog ng buto niya sa bawat pagbaling ng kanyang leeg. Nanginginig ang kanyang katawan nang mahulog ito sa lupa at ang natira na lamang ay ang malaking puwang ng laman. Makikita ang pagtibok ng kanyang puso at ang paggalaw ng kanyang baga habang hiwalay sila mula sa katawan nito.

Lumulutang si Leo sa hangin subalit wala akong makita kundi ang kanyang ulo at mga lamang-loob.

Naduwal ako sa kahindik-hindik na nasaksihan ko.

Tumingin siya sa akin at makikita pa rin ang mga luha sa kanyang mga mata. “Ako ito. Naging ganito na ako,” malungkot na wika nito.

Mabigat ang katahimikang naramdaman ko. Sa pagkakataong ito, si Leo naman ang bumasag ng katahimikan sa pagitan naming dalawa.

Inilahad niya ang kuwento patungkol sa kanyang ama. Isang sumpa ang ipinamana sa kanilang pamilya mula sa angkan ng tito Paul niya. Nalaman lang niya ito noong pumanaw ang kanyang ama. Sila ay nabibilang sa magtatanggal, mga nilalang na kumakain ng laman ng tao. Lumilisan sila sa gabi upang maghanap ng kanilang mabibiktima.

“Noong una, pusa at aso lang hinuhuli ko, subalit habang tumatagal, nararamdaman ko na lumalakas ang sumpa. Tuwing makakakita ako ng ibang tao sa gabi ay parang gusto kong magpalit anyo at kainin ang kanilang puso.”

“Paano si tita?”

“Itinago ng ama ko ang sikreto mula sa kanya. Ito rin ang dahilan kung bakit kinonsinte niya na mag-OFW siya.”

“Marahil ito rin ang dahilan kung bakit hindi mo ako kinakausap?

“Oo.”

Bakit ngayon mo lang ito sinabi?”

Dagliang lumutang si Leo ilang layo mula sa puno.

“Nakikita mo ba ‘yang supot na ito?”

“Oo.”

Naglalaman ang supot ng asin at kung ano mang bagay na tila abo.

“Ano it–”

“Kapag nilagyan mo ng asin at abo ang aking katawan, hindi na ako muling makakabalik dito. At ‘pag nasinagan ako ng araw…”

“Anong sinasabi mo?”

“Lagyan mo ng asin at abo ang aking katawan. Hindi na ulit ako makakabalik sa katawan ko pag nasinagan ako ng araw.”

“Nais mong wakasan ko buhay mo?”

“Hindi ko na kayang gawin ito R. Sa bawat araw na lumilipas, sinasabi ng sarili ko na pumatay. Naiintindihan mo ba? Makakapanakit lang ako at mauulit lang ito hanggang sa wala na itong katapusan. Magiging mas madali sa akin ang pamamaraang naiisip ko habang hindi  pa ako tuluyang nagiging tunay na halimaw.

“Hindi dapat magkaganito. Hahanap tayo ng pwede nating kausapin hinggil dito, may magagawa pa tayo.”

Lumapait si Leo sa akin, animo ay lumulutang sa hangin.

“Alam mo ba na nagtatago ng tropeo ang aking ama? Mga bagay na nagpapaalala ng kanyang mga biktima. Ipinakita niya sa akin ito bago niya ibigay ang sumpa. Binubuo ito ng mga buto, mga malilit na uri. Siguro malapit sa ilang daan ang bilang nito.

Napapatahimik na lang ako.

“L, huwag mong akong piliting gawin sa iyo ito, matalik mo akong kaibigan.”

“Kaya ko ito sinasabi sa iyo. Pakiusap R, hindi ko na nais makapanakit pa ng iba.

Napahikbi na lang sa iyak si Leo at ang kanyang luha ay walang tigil ang pagpatak sa mga lumulutang na lamang-loob nito.

Kasabay nito, dumaloy ang mga alaala sa aking isipan, ang takot na tumitibok sa aking pulso, at ang ibang gunita ng kahapon.

“Naalala mo ba noong sampung taong gulang pa tayo, at akala ko na kaya kong lumipad?

“Oo, at kalahating taon na nakabalot ang paa mo dahil nabalian ka.”

“Anong pakiramdam kapag lumilipad ka?”

“Ito ang pinakamalayang pakiramdam na mararanasan mo.”

“At gusto mo itong tapusin?”

“Oo.”

Lumapit ako sa walang laman na katawan ni Leo. Matapos ang ilang sandali ay isinaboy ko dito ang asin at abo.

Tumingin ako sa kanyang mata at tinanong, “mayroon pa ba akong magagawa para sa’yo?”

“Maaari ka bang manatili muna sandali? Kahit hanggang sumikat ang araw?”

“Oo naman, para sa’yo.”

Ilang oras kaming naghintay hanggang dumating ang bukang-liwayway. Hindi ko inaasahan na mabilis ang mga susunod na pangyayari. Matapos haplusin ng liwanag, ang kanyang ulo at katawan ay dagliang nadurog ng pinong-pino na animo’y buhangin.

Kalaunan, nalaman din ng aking magulang ang ginawa kong pagtakas ng gabing iyon. Sinabi ko na hinanap ko si Leo at hindi naman ako pinarusahan. Palagay ko ay nakita nila akong umiiyak.

Makalipas noon, maraming naging haka-haka tungkol kay Leo. Ang pinaka-patok ay ang paglayas niya at ang pag-aakalang namatay na siya. Hindi ko na iniwaksi ang paniniwala nila hanggang lumipas ang panahon at nakalimutan na ito ng mga tao.

=———————————————————–=

English Version

Leo wasn’t the same after tito Paul died. He’d ignore my messages and hole himself in his room. It became rarer and rarer to see him in school.

Back then we were only fifteen. We met in grade school and had been best friends for years. Both of us were the only child of our family and we bonded through that.

I didn’t want to pretend that I knew what he was going through. Most of the adults that I talked to told me to give him space, but that, to me, just felt like giving up.

Every afternoon I’d send the same message:

“Hey L it’s Rafa. I know you’re going through some stuff right now. I’m always here if you need me, to talk or just to be there. Hit me up when you can please. I’m really worried about you.”

He’d leave me on seen, which was still a relief for me. At least he’d know I was there.

After a week he finally messaged back:

“Hey R, sorry I didn’t get back to you ‘til now. Things have been getting too much to handle, haven’t been sleeping much. Thanks for reaching out to me, I really appreciate it. Let’s talk soon alright?”

And I replied:

“Of course L, I know tito Paul’s passing hit you hard. I know wherever he is now he’s wishing you’re alright.”

His reply unsettled me:

“He was a bastard.”

=————————————————————=

After that conversation Leo didn’t contact me for a month. He was the main topic of everyone’s gossip in school. Someone started the rumor that he was put in a mental institution and would have to stay there for the whole year. There was another where they said he ran away weeks ago and they found him in a ditch and the family wanted to keep his death a secret.

I tried to shut them down the best I could, but once the words were out in the air they couldn’t be brought down.

Leo’s last message still disconcerted me. I had known their family for years and they seemed to be happy.

Tita Tress was an OFW, she spent most of her time in Saudi, but would visit every now and then, every other year during holiday season. Tito Paul was a loud man, in the best sense of the term. He would always tell everyone about Leo’s achievements and would put them all over their sala.

My mind raced to all the possibilities of what Leo could have meant.

What was tito Paul like behind closed doors?  Was there any kind of abuse?

Why didn’t my best friend tell me?

Looking back, I realize how selfish I was, trying to make this about myself. Leo was the one that had the problem. If he didn’t want to tell me that was his choice.

I still messaged him every afternoon and he still would leave me on seen.

At the very least he’s alive. I’d think to myself.

I hung onto that thought to the latter part of that year. I was so scared that he’d leave my messages unseen and I’d never hear from him ever again.

I was just a scared kid that needed his best friend to be okay.

=———————————————————————————=

It was the end of the rainy season when I finally got a response from Leo. It was just one message but it filled my heart with hope. Leo was alive and I could finally see him.

MEET ME AT THE PARK TONIGHT AT 11

It was late. It was far. It didn’t matter.

Leo was my best friend and he needed me.

That night I told my parents that I was going to bed early. I was the requisite good boy. Good grades, well behaved, always on time, etc. My family wouldn’t suspect a thing.

The park was 3 kilometers away from me and I biked using the light of the moon. I was lucky there was a full moon that night.

When I got to the park I sat by the balete tree and waited for Leo.

“R?”

A hand gripped my shoulder from behind and my heart nearly jumped to my chest.
“Dammit L, don’t scare me like that! God!”

“Sorry.”

Leo looked awful. His hair was disheveled, eyes sunken and he was thinner than I’d ever seen him.

He tried to avoid eye contact and took a step back, knowing what he looked like.

I still gave him the biggest hug I could.

I didn’t know how much time passed and I thought it would be best for me to break the silence.

“I know things have been rough since your dad passed.”

“YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT HE TURNED ME INTO!”

The reply made me step back. Leo face was flooding with tears.

“You’re right, I don’t. But that’s why I’m here. Let me listen. Please, L.”

“I just don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“You won’t hurt me, I promise. Let’s just have a seat and talk, okay?”

“You should sit, I need you to see this.”

I did what he asked, sitting back by the balete tree. The whole park was illuminated by the light of the full moon.

Nothing could have prepared me for what Leo was about to do. Even now the memory horrifies me.

I could hear his spine crack as his neck turned.  His body shivered as it fell to the ground and what was left was hollow. I could see his heart beat and his lungs inflate as they detached.

He was floating through the air with nothing but his head and organs.

I vomited as the grisly spectacle finished.

He looked at me and I could still see the tears in his eyes. He said, “This is me. This is what I have become.”

The silence was heavy.

This time it was Leo who broke the silence.

He told me about his father. There was an inheritance from tito Paul’s side of the family, a curse that Leo only learned about as his father passed away. They were magtatangal, creatures that fed on human flesh who flew at night, searching for victims.

“I tried to be only catching cats and dogs, but every day the curse gets stronger. Every time I see someone at night I want to change and eat their hearts.”

“What about tita?”

“Papa kept the curse a secret from her, it’s why he pushed her to be an OFW.”

“This is why you haven’t talked to me.”

“Yes.”

“Why are you telling me this now?”

Leo floated to a tree a few meters away.

“Do you see that bag?”

“Yeah.”

“Open it.”

The bag was filled with salt and what looked to be a grey powder.
“What is—”

“If you put the salt and ashes on my body I won’t be able to reattach. Once the sun hits me….”

“What are you talking about?”

“If the ash and salt are sprinkled on my body, I won’t be able to reattach. If I cant be complete when the sun hits, I won’t be coming back from that.”

“You…..do you want me to kill you?!”

“I can’t keep doing this R. Every day my instincts tell me to kill people I see. Don’t you understand?! I’m going to hurt someone and then another and then another. It’s just going to get easier for me. Until I’m as much a monster as I look like.”

“It doesn’t have to be this way, we can find someone to talk to, there has to be something else we can do!”

Leo floated nearer to me.

“Did you know my dad kept trophies? He showed them to me before he gave me the curse. They were bones, small ones. There must have been hundreds of them.”

Another pause, another break in the silence.

“L, please don’t make me do this. I’m your best friend.”

“That’s why I’m telling you this. Please R. I don’t wat to hurt anyone else.”

Leo sobbed unceasingly, his tears falling onto his floating organs.

Memories started to flood my mind, the fear pulsing through my veins, until something struck me.

“Remember when we were ten and I thought I could fly?”

“Yeah your leg had to be in a cast for nearly half a year.”

“What’s it like to fly?”

“It’s the most liberating feeling you could ever have.”

“And you still want to end it?”

“Yes.”

I stood above his hollow body and sprinkled the salt and ash.

I looked at Leo in his eyes and asked him, “is there anything else you want me to do?”

“Can you stay with me? Until the sun comes up?”

“Anything for you.”

We sat there for hours waiting for sunrise. When it happened it was faster than I expected, Leo’s body and head disintegrated as soon as the sun rays hit them.

When my parents found out that I snuck out they were livid. I told them I was trying to find Leo and they eased out of punishing me. I think they saw that I was crying.

There was even more gossip after that. Leo ran away and was assumed dead was the most popular theory. I never corrected them and as the years passed people forgot.

=———————————————-=

To this day, I still remember him asking me to make the most difficult decision of our lives.

Goodbye L.

I’ll always miss you.

=———————————————–=

Inspired by the description of the Magtatangal in “Distinctions Made Among the Priests of the Devil” in “Customs of the Tagalogs” by Juan de Plasencia. 1589.

Magtatangal Illustration by Fam Telmo

FB: https://www.facebook.com/famskaartyhan/
Instagram: @famskaartyhan

The post Magtatangal – Tagalog Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

*Note this story is in Tagalog

“Kaya ko ito sa loob ng dalawang minuto. Ilang talampakan lang naman ang layo patungo sa susunod na gusali at kaya kong tumakbo ng mabilis.” Ramdam mo ang tibok ng iyong puso na umaabot hanggang sa iyong talampakan, pinagpapawisan ng malamig ang iyong mga kamay, at mula pa lang sa simula, hindi maalis ang kilabot na iyong nararamdaman. Nagsimulang maghigpit ang kalamnan sa iyong mga binti at huminga ka ng malalim bago mo simulan ang iyong pagtakas.

“Ito na marahil ang huling beses na gagawin ko ito.” Tumindi ang pagsidhi ng lakas sa buo mong katawan. Ang bawat yapak ay tila nagbibigay sayo ng pakiramdam na ikaw ang pinakamabilis na tao sa buong mundo. “Eto na ‘yon,” sabi mo sa sarili mo,”nagawa ko!” Ang iyong inaasam ay ay halos abot kamay na lang.

“Hindi.” Wala kang ideya kung paano ito nakarating agad, kumpyansa ka na mauunahan mo ito. Subalit, ang bumungad sayo ay isang babeng may kahindik-hindik na mukha at ang kanyang panlilisik mula sa mga mapupulang niyang mga mata. HINDI!” Sigaw mo sa isipan mo. “… Hindi dapat nagkaganito!”

Di umano ay dinala ka ng mga binti mo sa kabilang direksyon, pabalik sa kaligtasan ng puno. “Bakit hindi ba ako nanatili sa loob?” Nagbalik sa iyo ang lahat. “Bakit hindi pa ba ako tumakbo?”, “bakit ba ako nasa lugar na ito?”, “bakit ba hindi ako nakinig nung may pagkakataon pa ako.” Hindi tumigil ang mga tinig sa isipan mo.

Tanaw mo na ang puno. “Hindi ito makakalampas sa mga sanga.” Napagtanto mo na wala pang limang minuto mula nung tumakbo ka, ang tila limang minuto na may malaking pagkakaiba sa ngayon at sa natitira mong mga sandali.

“Isang hakbang na lang at nandiyan na ako.” Isang mabilis na sugod na lang at hindi ka na nito maaabot. May konti kang pag-aagam-agam nang sumuong ka sa puno at sa kailaliman ng mga malalaking ugat nito, subalit, hindi mo na ininda ang sakit at laking pasalamat ka na lang. “Buhay pa ako”.

Datapwat bigla ka na lang napaisip ng ilagay mo ang iyong mga kamay sa iyong dibdib. “Hindi maaari… Hindi dapat ito ganun kabilis.” Nagsimula tumulo ang dugo pababa sa iyong mga daliri at dagling nagsikalat sa iyong damit. “Nakarating ako, dapat ay ligtas ako.”

Paulit-ulit mong binibigkas ang mga salitang ito sa iyong isipan hanggang sa iyong mga huling sandali.”Dapat ay ligtas na ako.” Ito na lang ang namutawi sa iyong kaisipan, bago magsara ang iyong mga mata. Marahil, sa huling pagkakataon.

=————————————————=

English Version

“I can make it in two minutes. It’s only a few feet to the next building and I can run fast.” You can feel your heartbeat reverberate to your feet, your hands are cold and sweaty and the chill down your spine has been there for the better part of an hour. The muscles in your legs start to tighten and you take one deep breath before starting your sprint.

“This might be the last breath I’ll ever take.” The adrenaline surges through your body. Each step makes you feel like you’re the fastest person in the world. Your face betrays a smile, “This is it!” you think, “I made it!” Your objective is just a few steps away.

“Oh no.” You don’t know how it got there so fast. You were so sure that you were going to outrun it. The woman stares at you with her bulging red eyes and her hideous face twists in a scream. “No!” The voice in your head shouts “It wasn’t supposed to be this way!”

Your legs take you in the opposite direction, back to the relative safety of the tree. “Why didn’t I stay indoors?” The decisions all start coming back to haunt you “Why didn’t I take up running?”, “Why am I in this place?”, “Why didn’t I listen when I had the chance.” The voices in your head won’t stop talking.

The tree is in sight now. “It won’t be able to get past the branches.” You realize it’s been less than five minutes since you started running. Less than five minutes would make the difference between now and the rest of your life.

“One more step and I’m there.” Just one last dash and it won’t be able to grab you. There is a moment of doubt before you lunge under the tree and crash into the roots. You don’t feel much of the pain because of your adrenaline. “I’m still alive.” You’ve never been more grateful.

Until you put your hand to your chest. “No, no, no…” Your mind trails off. “It couldn’t have been that fast.” The blood starts to trickle down your fingers onto the rest of your clothes. “I made it, I’m supposed to be safe.”

You repeat those words in your head until there’s too much blood loss. “I should be safe.” Was what you thought before you closed your eyes. Maybe for the last time.

=——————————————–=

Inspired by the Abat entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Abat illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

The post Abat – Tagalog Translation appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

Leo wasn’t the same after tito Paul died. He’d ignore my messages and hole himself in his room. It became rarer and rarer to see him in school.

Back then we were only fifteen. We met in grade school and had been best friends for years. Both of us were the only child of our family and we bonded through that.

I didn’t want to pretend that I knew what he was going through. Most of the adults that I talked to told me to give him space, but that, to me, just felt like giving up.

Every afternoon I’d send the same message:

“Hey L it’s Rafa. I know you’re going through some stuff right now. I’m always here if you need me, to talk or just to be there. Hit me up when you can please. I’m really worried about you.”

He’d leave me on seen, which was still a relief for me. At least he’d know I was there.

After a week he finally messaged back:

“Hey R, sorry I didn’t get back to you ‘til now. Things have been getting too much to handle, haven’t been sleeping much. Thanks for reaching out to me, I really appreciate it. Let’s talk soon alright?”

And I replied:

“Of course L, I know tito Paul’s passing hit you hard. I know wherever he is now he’s wishing you’re alright.”

His reply unsettled me:

“He was a bastard.”

=————————————————————=

After that conversation Leo didn’t contact me for a month. He was the main topic of everyone’s gossip in school. Someone started the rumor that he was put in a mental institution and would have to stay there for the whole year. There was another where they said he ran away weeks ago and they found him in a ditch and the family wanted to keep his death a secret.

I tried to shut them down the best I could, but once the words were out in the air they couldn’t be brought down.

Leo’s last message still disconcerted me. I had known their family for years and they seemed to be happy.

Tita Tress was an OFW, she spent most of her time in Saudi, but would visit every now and then, every other year during holiday season. Tito Paul was a loud man, in the best sense of the term. He would always tell everyone about Leo’s achievements and would put them all over their sala.

My mind raced to all the possibilities of what Leo could have meant.

What was tito Paul like behind closed doors?  Was there any kind of abuse?

Why didn’t my best friend tell me?

Looking back, I realize how selfish I was, trying to make this about myself. Leo was the one that had the problem. If he didn’t want to tell me that was his choice.

I still messaged him every afternoon and he still would leave me on seen.

At the very least he’s alive. I’d think to myself.

I hung onto that thought to the latter part of that year. I was so scared that he’d leave my messages unseen and I’d never hear from him ever again.

I was just a scared kid that needed his best friend to be okay.

=———————————————————————————=

It was the end of the rainy season when I finally got a response from Leo. It was just one message but it filled my heart with hope. Leo was alive and I could finally see him.

MEET ME AT THE PARK TONIGHT AT 11

It was late. It was far. It didn’t matter.

Leo was my best friend and he needed me.

That night I told my parents that I was going to bed early. I was the requisite good boy. Good grades, well behaved, always on time, etc. My family wouldn’t suspect a thing.

The park was 3 kilometers away from me and I biked using the light of the moon. I was lucky there was a full moon that night.

When I got to the park I sat by the balete tree and waited for Leo.

“R?”

A hand gripped my shoulder from behind and my heart nearly jumped to my chest.
“Dammit L, don’t scare me like that! God!”

“Sorry.”

Leo looked awful. His hair was disheveled, eyes sunken and he was thinner than I’d ever seen him.

He tried to avoid eye contact and took a step back, knowing what he looked like.

I still gave him the biggest hug I could.

I didn’t know how much time passed and I thought it would be best for me to break the silence.

“I know things have been rough since your dad passed.”

“YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT HE TURNED ME INTO!”

The reply made me step back. Leo face was flooding with tears.

“You’re right, I don’t. But that’s why I’m here. Let me listen. Please, L.”

“I just don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“You won’t hurt me, I promise. Let’s just have a seat and talk, okay?”

“You should sit, I need you to see this.”

I did what he asked, sitting back by the balete tree. The whole park was illuminated by the light of the full moon.

Nothing could have prepared me for what Leo was about to do. Even now the memory horrifies me.

I could hear his spine crack as his neck turned.  His body shivered as it fell to the ground and what was left was hollow. I could see his heart beat and his lungs inflate as they detached.

He was floating through the air with nothing but his head and organs.

I vomited as the grisly spectacle finished.

He looked at me and I could still see the tears in his eyes. He said, “This is me. This is what I have become.”

The silence was heavy.

This time it was Leo who broke the silence.

He told me about his father. There was an inheritance from tito Paul’s side of the family, a curse that Leo only learned about as his father passed away. They were magtatangal, creatures that fed on human flesh who flew at night, searching for victims.

“I tried to be only catching cats and dogs, but every day the curse gets stronger. Every time I see someone at night I want to change and eat their hearts.”

“What about tita?”

“Papa kept the curse a secret from her, it’s why he pushed her to be an OFW.”

“This is why you haven’t talked to me.”

“Yes.”

“Why are you telling me this now?”

Leo floated to a tree a few meters away.

“Do you see that bag?”

“Yeah.”

“Open it.”

The bag was filled with salt and what looked to be a grey powder.
“What is—”

“If you put the salt and ashes on my body I won’t be able to reattach. Once the sun hits me….”

“What are you talking about?”

“If the ash and salt are sprinkled on my body, I won’t be able to reattach. If I cant be complete when the sun hits, I won’t be coming back from that.”

“You…..do you want me to kill you?!”

“I can’t keep doing this R. Every day my instincts tell me to kill people I see. Don’t you understand?! I’m going to hurt someone and then another and then another. It’s just going to get easier for me. Until I’m as much a monster as I look like.”

“It doesn’t have to be this way, we can find someone to talk to, there has to be something else we can do!”

Leo floated nearer to me.

“Did you know my dad kept trophies? He showed them to me before he gave me the curse. They were bones, small ones. There must have been hundreds of them.”

Another pause, another break in the silence.

“L, please don’t make me do this. I’m your best friend.”

“That’s why I’m telling you this. Please R. I don’t wat to hurt anyone else.”

Leo sobbed unceasingly, his tears falling onto his floating organs.

Memories started to flood my mind, the fear pulsing through my veins, until something struck me.

“Remember when we were ten and I thought I could fly?”

“Yeah your leg had to be in a cast for nearly half a year.”

“What’s it like to fly?”

“It’s the most liberating feeling you could ever have.”

“And you still want to end it?”

“Yes.”

I stood above his hollow body and sprinkled the salt and ash.

I looked at Leo in his eyes and asked him, “is there anything else you want me to do?”

“Can you stay with me? Until the sun comes up?”

“Anything for you.”

We sat there for hours waiting for sunrise. When it happened it was faster than I expected, Leo’s body and head disintegrated as soon as the sun rays hit them.

When my parents found out that I snuck out they were livid. I told them I was trying to find Leo and they eased out of punishing me. I think they saw that I was crying.

There was even more gossip after that. Leo ran away and was assumed dead was the most popular theory. I never corrected them and as the years passed people forgot.

=———————————————-=

To this day, I still remember him asking me to make the most difficult decision of our lives.

Goodbye L.

I’ll always miss you.

=———————————————–=

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the description of the Magtatangal in “Distinctions Made Among the Priests of the Devil” in “Customs of the Tagalogs” by Juan de Plasencia. 1589.

Magtatangal Illustration by Fam Telmo

FB: https://www.facebook.com/famskaartyhan/
Instagram: @famskaartyhan

The post Magtatangal appeared first on Philippine Spirits.

“I can make it in two minutes. It’s only a few feet to the next building and I can run fast.” You can feel your heartbeat reverberate to your feet, your hands are cold and sweaty and the chill down your spine has been there for the better part of an hour. The muscles in your legs start to tighten and you take one deep breath before starting your sprint.

“This might be the last breath I’ll ever take.” The adrenaline surges through your body. Each step makes you feel like you’re the fastest person in the world. Your face betrays a smile, “This is it!” you think, “I made it!” Your objective is just a few steps away.

“Oh no.” You don’t know how it got there so fast. You were so sure that you were going to outrun it. The woman stares at you with her bulging red eyes and her hideous face twists in a scream. “No!” The voice in your head shouts “It wasn’t supposed to be this way!”

Your legs take you in the opposite direction, back to the relative safety of the tree. “Why didn’t I stay indoors?” The decisions all start coming back to haunt you “Why didn’t I take up running?”, “Why am I in this place?”, “Why didn’t I listen when I had the chance.” The voices in your head won’t stop talking.

The tree is in sight now. “It won’t be able to get past the branches.” You realize it’s been less than five minutes since you started running. Less than five minutes would make the difference between now and the rest of your life.

“One more step and I’m there.” Just one last dash and it won’t be able to grab you. There is a moment of doubt before you lunge under the tree and crash into the roots. You don’t feel much of the pain because of your adrenaline. “I’m still alive.” You’ve never been more grateful.

Until you put your hand to your chest. “No, no, no…” Your mind trails off. “It couldn’t have been that fast.” The blood starts to trickle down your fingers onto the rest of your clothes. “I made it, I’m supposed to be safe.”

You repeat those words in your head until there’s too much blood loss. “I should be safe.” Was what you thought before you closed your eyes. Maybe for the last time.

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Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the Abat entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

Abat illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
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