*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
Tumblr: http://nightmaresyrup.tumblr.com/

*Note this story is in Kapampangan

Malyari na kang tukyan ning metung a bengi ning kasiyan.

Apulung banwa bayu ne abalu ing aral a ita. Makapadurot la ding bengi na kareng marakal a sulu ampo king libutad da ring aliwang tau.

Buri ne ing pakiramdam na ning tugtug a didiretso king buu nang katawan. Buri nang makakilalang aliwang tau, kapana-panabik ang malilyari. Ating inuman a ena balung bigkasan ing lagyu ampong batuin a ena apanenayang ayalala. Ing biye na dudurut kareng kasiyan at imbitado egana-ganang tau.

Kabira, bigla nang apanamdaman.

Misalikut ya ing impeksyon at banwa-banwa bayu la linwal ding senyales. Meging normal ing pamaglagnat, kaybat mapagal ya anggang alang aliwang rason. At ating bukul.

Sabi da ring doctor paralan ne ning katawan na para lumaban king impeksyon. Ating bengi a manalangin ya a sana sikanan da pa ing pamaglaban da.

E ya mimisip, ita ing sasayan da ring aliwa anyang abalu da. Kayari da ring mangasakit a milyari, tinuknang meng magkwentu tungkul karin, baski kareng pamilya ampong kaluguran na. Ikit na kung pakananu meg-aliwa ang lwe da kaya ibat king pamaglawe da king lagu na, pero ngeni?

Ini na ing bien a ngeni.

Ding antiretrovials ilang dapat a magligtas kay, pero ala lang masyadong arapat. Pebagalan damu ing pamagkalat na ning virus king katawan nab anta kumabye yang normal, o kalupa king normal.

Ala neng aliwang buri nung e mibalik king dati nang bie, kareng madalumdum a bengi ampong matinging ilig, kareng akakayabeng malbeng pamagluwal na ning aldo a e na naman kakilala. Pero tututwa ne at araramdaman na na ing pamagluwal na ning bayat na ning pamagsisi.

E ya pakulung king kayang pamagsisi.

Kumabye ya pa. Anggang pilan pang tag0init ing lumabas, mamag-asa ya pa king kayang bukas, manenaya.

Manenaya para kaya.

Megbakasyun ya king obra na, bala da nga dahil king Maleldo. Isip da manakit lang litrato na king dayat, miminum mayumung inuman ampong kera-kera king lalam na ning aldo.

Pero e kalupa ning panayan da a pamagpaynawa ing tutu nang misyon.

Menigaral ya, ating miyaliwang kwentu na lulwal ya iti potang mantun yang marakal pang biktima, kayanakan a gagamitan na pusu para gawang agimat.

Linawe ne ing aku a atyu ing gulut anng saken. Tinuknang neng galo pilan nang oras ing milabas at mekaramdam yang pamagsisi. Nanu wari talaga ing buri nang gawan?

Leko na ita king isip na. Ali ne pasibayung magpatakda king metung a bage. Kailangan ing pipilang sakripisyo banta asiguru nang apantun ne ing premyu na.

Alang mikibalu king itsura na nini. Ating kwentu na lupa yang kambing a alang sagu ampong asong lalakad pagulut. Ating aliwa na lupa ya kanung pusa a balamu demonyong ating matuling a balat. Atin pang alamat a sasabing atin yang katawang balamu uwak a ating pakpak ampong bitis a balamu king tipaklung a gagamitan na banta makalundag ya.

Ing bau namu ini na ing tatawling bageng makasaup kaya.

Kingwa ne ing saku saka ya menenaya king marangle anggang bengi. Bisa yang sindi, pero pota mitakutan ya king asuk ing nilalang at e ne isugal ita.

Telan ne king salu na ing baril saka ya tahimik a linukluk. Mapilang oras, megsimula yang ginalo ing sako, pero e ne pinsin.

Mitutundu ne anyang atin yang ikit a matuling a bageng gagalo papunta kaya. Asneng kabilis, mas mabilis kesa king aisip na.

Miras ya king sako saka ne binwat king kayang tuktuk. Masikan ya itis aka ne linawe.

Misalubung la reng mata da saka ne tinas ing baril.

Apat a pakbung mewala ne ing nilalang. E ya mint akeni banta mu muling alang dadalan. Memulayi ya papunta keang pintalan na ning ulimaw. Menakit yang matuling a balamu danum king gabun.

Mituran ya anyang memaril ya. Sinaluk ya king gamat na saka ne inum.

Mapayit ya lasa ampong makapanyuka.

Lalasa yang katimawan.

=————————–=
English Version

A night of fun can follow you forever.

It took her 10 years to learn that lesson. Her nights were spent bathed in lights and surrounded by strangers.

She loved the rush of the music as it spread through her body. She loved the new people, the exciting scenes. There were drinks she couldn’t pronounce and stars she couldn’t wait to remember. Her life was a party and everyone was invited.
But then she started to feel it.

The infection hid itself well, years would pass before the real signs showed. Fevers would be a normal occurrence, she would feel tired every day without reason. And there were the bumps.
The doctors told her that it was her body fighting against the infection. There were nights where she prayed they would fight harder.

She didn’t think, that’s what most people assumed when they found out. After enough bad experiences she stopped talking about it, even to her family and friends. It was the way they looked at her that changed, people used to see her for the beauty that she was, but now?

Now this was her life.

Antiretrovirals, they were supposedly her savior, but they could never quite come down from the cross. All they did was slow the progress of the virus in her body, she could live a normal life, or as close to normal as possible.

There was nothing more she wanted than to run back to her old life, of dark nights and wild passions, of finding the stranger that she would watch the sunrise with. But she was getting old and she could feel the weight of regrets keeping her close to the ground.

She would not be a prisoner of her regret.

There was still the rest of her life she needed to live. No matter how many summers passed over her, she still had hope that the future was there, waiting.

Waiting just for her.

She took a leave from work for vacation, everyone assumed it was because of the Holy Week. They expected to see pictures of her by a beach, sipping on a sweet drink and lazing in the sun.

But her true mission was far removed from the leisure and luxury that others had come to expect.

She did her research, there were tales that it went out of hiding during that time to look for more victims, children whose hearts it would make into an amulet.

She stared at the sack in the back of her car. It had stopped moving hours ago and she felt a pang of guilt. Was this really what she wanted to do?

She chased away those thoughts. She would not be defined by one thing, not anymore. Certain sacrifices would have to be made to ensure that she would find her prize.

No one knew what it looked like. There were stories of hornless goats and dogs that walked backwards. There were other tales of cat like demons with black skin. There was even a legend of a crow like body with wings and grasshopper like legs that it used to leap.

All she knew was that it was the last thing that could help her.
She took the sack and waited in the field until night fell. Her body craved cigarettes, but smoke might scare the creature off and she wouldn’t take that chance.

She held the gun close to her chest and sat silently. The bag started to rustle after a few hours, but she ignored it.

Her eyes were heavy when she spotted a large black spot moving towards her. It was fast, faster than she expected.
It reached the sack and carried it in its mouth. The creature was strong and stared at her.

Their eyes met and she raised the gun.

Four shots and the creature was gone. She couldn’t have come this far just to be left with nothing. She ran to where the beast was and spotted a small pool of black liquid on the ground.

One of her shots hit it. Her heart raced as she knelt to the liquid. She took some in her hands and swallowed.

It tasted of bitterness and bile.

It tasted of freedom.

*There are Urban Legends that state that the blood of a Sigbin can cure HIV/AIDS.

Inspired by the Sigbin myths

Awok Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

*Note this story is in Cebuano

Sa makausa pa, nakig istorya kanako ang akong anino. Paniudto kadto, ug samtang nagluto ‘ko sa kusina, iya ‘kong gisuguan nga kuhaon ang kutsilyo, dayon dunggabon ang sirbidora nga mao’y mudawat sa order. Daghang pagpang-daot ang gihunghong sa akong anino bahin sa serbidora — nga sige kuno sya’g manglibak nga ako nabuang na, nga mao kini’y hinungdan nga gibiyaan ko sa akong trato, ug nga imposibleng naa’y mahigugma sa sama nako.

Nagpasidaan ko sa akong amo nga mouli na lang ko tungod kay naglain akong gibati. Inig kaabot sa apartment, kadiyot kong ning duaw sa bintana. Paminaw nako, tanang tawong miagi, tabis kaayong nagtan-aw sa ako. Wa na ko makaantos, nag impake ko aron mouli na lang sa Iloilo. Nabuang na ba kaha ko, sa pagtuong mapildi nako ang usa ka halimaw sa usa pa?

Sulod sa bus nga akong gisakyan pauli, ming sulti na usab ang anino — nga sayon ra kaayong lubaon ang drayber, dayon ibangga ang bus sa katagbong sakyanan. Wa nako tagda ang mga hunghong. Akong namatikdang nahadlok kini sa umaabot. Angay lang nga mahadlok kini.

Hapit na sa tungang gabi-i sa among pagkaabot sa munisipyo. Kinahanglang magdali. Ning dagan ko padulong sa basakan. Sigurado kong didto nako maabtan ang sigbin, kung asa niya gipatay ang akong igsoong babae. Saksi ‘ko sa pagpaak niya sa anino sa akong igsson adtong higayuna.

Nagka-dako ang hunghong sa akong anino samtang nagpaduol kami sa lugar. Nag-alingasa na kini; di na ko kahulat. Akong gigawas ang flashlight, dayon tutok sa akong  atbang. Sa wa pa magdugay, ako nang nasimhutan ang sigbin — sa nagsagol nga baho sa nadunot nga unod ug napaig nga panit. Kini ang baho sa akong kalingkawasan.

Arang kabangis sa sigbin. Gi-angil niya ang iyang mga pangil, dayon pa-dasmag nga ninglabay sa akong kiliran. Lingkawas na gyud ko!

Apan dili kini mahitabo; naa’y nasayop. Ug didto na nako naamguhan. Lahi nga anino ang gipaak sa sigbin.

=—————————————————————-=

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 Cebuano language, alternatively called Cebuan and also often colloquially albeit informally referred to by most of its speakers simply as Bisaya (“Visayan”, not to be confused with other Visayan languages nor Brunei Bisaya language), is an Austronesian regional language spoken in the Philippines by about 21 million people, mostly in Central Visayas, western parts of Eastern Visayas and most parts of Mindanao, most of whom belong to various Visayan ethnolingusitic groups, mainly the Cebuanos. It is the by far the most widely spoken of the Visayan languages, which are in turn part of wider the Philippine languages. The reference to the language as Bisaya is not encouraged anymore by linguists due to the many languages within the Visayan language group that may be confused with the term. The Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino, the official regulating body of Philippine languages, spells the name of the language as Sebwano.

Written by Karl Gaverza
CebuanoTranslation by Winston
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Winston

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
Tumblr: http://nightmaresyrup.tumblr.com/

*Note this story is in Waray

It usa ka gab-e nga kalipayan pwedi maging sunud-sunod ngada sanoman.

Gin abot hin napulo (10) ka tuig para mabaruan niya kun an karuyag signgon hito nga linya. Puro mga suga ngan dire mga kakilala an iya kaupod kada gab-e.

Karuyag niya an tokar nga bagan naagos ha iya bug os nga lawas. Karuyag niya an mga bag-o nga katawohan nga iya nakikilala, an makararayhak nga mga kalipayan. Mayda mga irimnun nga dire na ngani niya nangangaranan ngan mga bituon nga dire na niya manumdoman.

Puro karisyohan lat iya kinabuhi ngan tanan pwedi umupod.

Pero umabot an adlaw nga umabat  na hiya.

An inpeksyon kay nagtinago lan maupay, umabot an pira anay ka tuig sano magpakita an tunay nga mga simtomas. Normal manla unta it hiranat, kakapuyon la hiya dayon bisan waray rason. Ngan umabot an adlaw nga nagpakita na an mga bukol.

An iya daw ito kalugaringon nga naato han inpeksyon, ansyan yakan han mga doctor. Tapos may mga gab-e nala nga mag pipinan ngadi hiya nga unta umato pa hira hin makusog.

Waray hiya paghuna hin maraot, an paghuna-huna han mga tawo tungod ha iya han ira na nabaruan. Tapos, nasumo nala hiya ha nga tanan nga mga maglain nga eksperyins, waray nala hiya pag estorya tungod hito, bisan ha pamilya ug kasangkayan. Kay an ira pagkita ha iya an nag bag-o, han una nahuhusayan hira ha iya, pero yana?

Ansya na ine yana it iya kinabuhi.

An mag liligtas unta ha iya, an antiretrovirals, pero bisan ngani pag kalma ha iya dre natalab. An nahimo la hine nga medisina an pahinayon an pag sarang han virus ha iya lawas, para daw mabuhi la hiya hin normal ug bisan manla harani la ha pagiging normal.

Waray hiya iba nga hingyap kundi an bumalik an iya una nga kinabuhi, mga paka sosyal nga sarayaw kada gab-e, makabiling hin dire kilala pero maupod ha iya para makit-an an maupay nga pag gawas han adlaw. Kaso natika lagas na hiya ngan naabat na hiya han bug-at han iya mga pagbasol nga  bagan gin dadanas na hiya ngadto ha tuna.

Pero dire niya karuyag maging priso ha iya mga kabarasol-non.

Mayda la gihap naghuhulat ha iya nga  maupay nga kinabuhi bisan kun pira nala hiya kaadlaw ha kalibutan. Bisan kun pira ka summer it lumabay, nahingyap la gihap hiya nga mayda la gihap maupay nga kabubwason para hiya, naghuhulat la.

Naghuhulat para la hiya.

Nag leave hiya ha trabaho, naghuna-huna lan iba nga para ha Holy Week. Umasa hira hin mga litrato niya ha dagat, nag babakasyon, naghuhulat la umulnod it adlaw.

Pero an hiya gud misyon kay harayo ha kun anuman an huna-huna han iya mga sangkay.

Naghalungkat hiya hin mga estorya nga may sugad han iya sakit. Mayda usa nga nasiring nga han una nga adlaw gumawas daw ito para makatirok hin damo pa nga biktima, mga kabataan nga ginkukuha an kasing-kasing para himuon nga anting-anting.

Ha luyo han iya awto mayda hiya usa kasako nga ambot kun anon sulod, kumita hiya luyo, waray nat gigi-os nga sako pira na ka oras an naglabay. Nakonsensya hiya. Karuyag gud ine niya buhaton?

Gin itsapwera nala niya an iya konsensya. Dire na hiya kikilal-on, dire na gud. Kailangan hin sakripisyo para makuha niya an karuyag.

Waray hibabaro kun anon postura hito. Mayda ngani mga estorya hin kambing ngan ayam nga patalikod an lakat. Mayda liwat itom nga misay pero demonyo. Mayda gihap estroya nga may tawo nga may lawas hin uwak, may pako, ngan an tiil kanan insekto.

Basta an hiya hibaro nga ansya la ini an makakasolbar ha hiya problema.

Ginkuha niya an sako, gindara ha halu-ag nga tuna ngan naghulat gumab-e. Karuyag niya mag sigarilyo pero bangen mahadlok an aada ha sako hin kumita hin usok.

Pumuruko hiya ngan gindat-ol an iya pusil ha hirani ha may kasing-kasing. Niruniyan pa, an sako naglinanguya pero waray lat niya pansina.

Bagan nanganga-piyong na adto hiya tapos mayda dako nga itom nga tidaraon ha iya. Malaksi. Mas malaksi kaysa iya huna-huna.

Umabot itun ha iya, pero ginkuha an sako ngan ginbanga. Maaram hiya nga makusog ini nga butang.

Nagikitaay hira ngan iya gin pusil.

Upat ka pusil tapos nawara na adto nga dako nga maitom. Kaso waray hiya pag singanhi para la bumalik nga waray dara. Iya ginlanat an halimaw ngan iya naabtan ha may salog nga itom an tubig.

Ginpusil niya an halimaw, usa ka pusil la tinablan na. Makusog ngan madagmit an tibok han iya kasing-kasing han sumarop hiya han tubig nga itom. Ngan iya gin inom.

Mapait ngan maaslom an iya rasa.

An iya rasa kay baga kan nakalaya.

English Version

A night of fun can follow you forever.

It took her 10 years to learn that lesson. Her nights were spent bathed in lights and surrounded by strangers.

She loved the rush of the music as it spread through her body. She loved the new people, the exciting scenes. There were drinks she couldn’t pronounce and stars she couldn’t wait to remember. Her life was a party and everyone was invited.
But then she started to feel it.

The infection hid itself well, years would pass before the real signs showed. Fevers would be a normal occurrence, she would feel tired every day without reason. And there were the bumps.
The doctors told her that it was her body fighting against the infection. There were nights where she prayed they would fight harder.

She didn’t think, that’s what most people assumed when they found out. After enough bad experiences she stopped talking about it, even to her family and friends. It was the way they looked at her that changed, people used to see her for the beauty that she was, but now?

Now this was her life.

Antiretrovirals, they were supposedly her savior, but they could never quite come down from the cross. All they did was slow the progress of the virus in her body, she could live a normal life, or as close to normal as possible.

There was nothing more she wanted than to run back to her old life, of dark nights and wild passions, of finding the stranger that she would watch the sunrise with. But she was getting old and she could feel the weight of regrets keeping her close to the ground.

She would not be a prisoner of her regret.

There was still the rest of her life she needed to live. No matter how many summers passed over her, she still had hope that the future was there, waiting.

Waiting just for her.

She took a leave from work for vacation, everyone assumed it was because of the Holy Week. They expected to see pictures of her by a beach, sipping on a sweet drink and lazing in the sun.

But her true mission was far removed from the leisure and luxury that others had come to expect.

She did her research, there were tales that it went out of hiding during that time to look for more victims, children whose hearts it would make into an amulet.

She stared at the sack in the back of her car. It had stopped moving hours ago and she felt a pang of guilt. Was this really what she wanted to do?

She chased away those thoughts. She would not be defined by one thing, not anymore. Certain sacrifices would have to be made to ensure that she would find her prize.

No one knew what it looked like. There were stories of hornless goats and dogs that walked backwards. There were other tales of cat like demons with black skin. There was even a legend of a crow like body with wings and grasshopper like legs that it used to leap.

All she knew was that it was the last thing that could help her.
She took the sack and waited in the field until night fell. Her body craved cigarettes, but smoke might scare the creature off and she wouldn’t take that chance.

She held the gun close to her chest and sat silently. The bag started to rustle after a few hours, but she ignored it.

Her eyes were heavy when she spotted a large black spot moving towards her. It was fast, faster than she expected.
It reached the sack and carried it in its mouth. The creature was strong and stared at her.

Their eyes met and she raised the gun.

Four shots and the creature was gone. She couldn’t have come this far just to be left with nothing. She ran to where the beast was and spotted a small pool of black liquid on the ground.

One of her shots hit it. Her heart raced as she knelt to the liquid. She took some in her hands and swallowed.

It tasted of bitterness and bile.

It tasted of freedom.

*There are Urban Legends that state that the blood of a Sigbin can cure HIV/AIDS.

*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

Translation by Ma. Rezza Ann Abanag-Pejana

Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Ma. Rezza Ann Abanag-Pejana

Inspired by the Sigbin myths

Sigbin Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

*Note this story is in Ibanag

Kinovovuk mangana sakan na aninu’.

Sangaw, ta pangumma mabi gapa. Ta paddaguk-ku nga pallutu turi ta chapsuy, nekagi na niakan nga ekku kanu apan yuri ila anna ekku duddugan yuri weytres nga mangalawa turi ta tumunuk nga order. Neana-anabik na ta talinga’ yuri marakay nga gannu-gannug nga meannung turi ta babay, nu kunnasi kanu yayya nga maguvovuk ta likuk ku; nu kunnasi na kanu nga nekagi ta totolay nga ulapa nga’ kanu yatun ta pinanawan sakan na nobyo’; nu ngatta kanu awan tu magiddu ta kagitta’ kanu nga palla.

Nekagi’ ta boss ku nga marakay i gawa-gawayyak-ku yatun ta pinalabbe na sakan. Infiyernu yuri biyahe’ nga palabbe ta apartment ku. Kunnud, liwa gabba yuri pinaggiak-ku ta biko na bentana. Gafu turi, dinul-dulangan sakan na totolay ta patangoras. Inni-innad-da sakan, ngem nakkummak nga’ laman. Manaki ku garay ta agini-iningan onu atensyon na totolay.

Kustu ngana. Ta olang ku, nagempake nga’ anna giminatang nga’ ta tiket na eroplano nga mattoli ta Iloilo. Patangoras laman yuri biyahe, kunnud, nattakay nga’ gapa turi ta olu-olu nga bus nga mallabbe ta giam-mi. Dakal nga billay na baggi’ i makkag-kagi niakan tu maguyoyung nga’ megafu taw ta kiningwa’ nga makipabbakal ta tadday a ari-masingan. Ngem, yaw nga nesimmu ay mabi nga naimammo.

Naguvovuk mangana yuri aninu.

Kinagi na niakan nu kunnasi i kalogon na nga fuwersan yuri drayver na bus nga dompian i kadafung mi nga kotche, onu mas nakasta paga, madompi i tadday nga balay. Mas nassika-sikan anna naggalla-gallu yuri ana-anabik ira ngem finuwersa’ nga wawanan. Makanassing ngana yayya. Mepangngo nga makanassing yayya.

Aranni ngana nga mattangnga-gabi ta paddattal ku ta ili. Kengak-ku ngana i oras ku. Enna’ nappalaju turi ta tana. Ammu’ nga egga yayya turi, kagitta na gari kustu enna pinatay yuri wagi’ nga babay. Nekagi na wagi’ nga mappalaju nga’ ta arayyu, ngem, manaki ku yayya nga ibattang, abbo ku gapa nu mauffunak-ku yayya. Ari ku makattamman yuri kulle na wagi’ kustu nakaga yuri aninu na.

Yuri ana-anabik ta talinga’ ay nabbalin tu kulle-kulle. Napporay ngana yuri aninu anna ari nga’ gapa ngana makennak. Ekku ina yuri flashlayt ku anna nessibo ku ta arubang ku. Nappasa i piga nga minuto, ay naguk ku ngana yayya. Maguk ku i nalabbak nga pattak anna natuggi nga tabbi. Maguk ku i pakapaliag ku.

Naguyoyung yuri sigbin. Nepasingan na yuri ngipa-ngipan na anna mabi na nga tinalebaran sakan, kunnud, ta patangasegundo, ay nammuak-ku i imammo. Nesimmu ngana, mattalimoray nga’ ngana.

Mangananwan, marakay i natageno ku. Ganganalaman, gavva tu ari nga’ makenango’.

Tanakwan nga aninu i enna kinaga.

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 Ibanag language (also Ybanag or Ibanak) is spoken by up to 500,000 speakers, most particularly by the Ibanag people, in the Philippines, in the northeastern provinces of Isabela and Cagayan, especially in Tuguegarao, Solana, Abulug, Cabagan, and Ilagan and with overseas immigrants in countries located in the Middle East, United Kingdom and the United States. Most of the speakers can also speak Ilocano, the lingua franca of northern Luzon island. The name Ibanag comes from the prefix “I” which means “people of”, and “bannag”, meaning river. It is closely related to Gaddang, Itawis, Agta, Atta, Yogad, Isneg, and Malaweg.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Jake Calubāquib Coballes
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Jake Calubāquib Coballes

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
Tumblr: http://nightmaresyrup.tumblr.com/

*Note this story is in Hiligaynon

Gin instorya ko liwat sang landong.

Sang tigpalanyaga na. Ga preparar ko sang chop suey kag ini naghambal sa akon nga kwa on ko ang sundang kag bun on ang “waitress” nga gapakadto para kwa on ang dason nga order. Ginhutikan ako sni sang malalain nga tinaga parti sa iya kung panu ya ako ginalibak; kung pano sya magistoya sa mga tawo nga ako isa ka buang kag amu na ang rason nga gin bayaan ako sang akun nga nobyo; kung paano wai may gapalanga sa isa ka buang nga peros sa akon.

Naghambal ko sa boss ko nga lain akon pamatyag kag ginpasugtan ya ako magpuli. Ang pagpapuli ko balik sa akun apartment daw impyerno. Sala man ang ginhimo ko nga pagtindog sa binta sang isa ka oras kag ginatulok lang ko ka mga tawo. Ginatulok ko nila kag nagaduko nalang ako. Indi ko gusto sang atensyon.

Tama na, nagimpake ko sang akun mga gamit kag nagpabook sang flight papuli sa Iloilo. Isa lang ka oras ang flight kag nagsakay ko sa una nga bus papuli. Isa ka daku nga parti sa akun gahambal nga buang ko para ubrahun ko ini, himo nga pagbato sang halimaw sa isa man, pero naghipos nalang ang parti nga ina.

Nag istorya naman liwat ang landong.

Naghambal sya nga hapos lang kadtu on ang driber kag pwersahan nga ibungo ang bus sa galabay nga salakyan ukon mas mayu nga ang building. Mas gakusog ang hutik pero ginpwersa ko nga tabugun sila. Gakahadlok sila. Dapat lang.
Naka abot na ko sa banwa gab-i na. Lapit na tungang gabi, pero indi na ko mag usik sang tyempo. Nag dalagan ko sa tunga sang kampo. Nabal an ko nga ara to, parehos sang ginpatay sini ang akun utod nga babayi. Naghambal sya sa akun nga magdalagan pero indi ko sya gusto pag baya an, abi ko mabuligan ko sya. Permi ko madumduman ang iya pagsingit samtang ginkagat sini ang iya landong.

Ang hutik sa akun dalungan naging singit na. Gapangakig na ang landog kag indi na ko makahulat. Nagkuha ko flashlight halin sa akun bag kag ginbutang ko ini sa akun atubang. Sa pila lamang ka minuto, na simhutan ko na ini. Ang baho sang gakag agnas nga unod kag sunog nga panit. Ang baho sang akun kaluwasan.

Gapangakig ang sigbin. May matalom ini nga unto kag gadalagan na pakadto sa akon kag sa isa ka ti on nabal an ko ang tuod tuod nga kataw hay. Natabo na, tawhay na ako.
Pag katapos sang isa ka tion may na batyagan ko nga may sala. Gulpi lang na nakabatyag ako sang kakulba.

Ginkagat sini ang sala nga landong.

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 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 Allen Suating
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Allen Suating

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
Tumblr: http://nightmaresyrup.tumblr.com/

A night of fun can follow you forever.

It took her 10 years to learn that lesson. Her nights were spent bathed in lights and surrounded by strangers.

She loved the rush of the music as it spread through her body. She loved the new people, the exciting scenes. There were drinks she couldn’t pronounce and stars she couldn’t wait to remember. Her life was a party and everyone was invited.
But then she started to feel it.

The infection hid itself well, years would pass before the real signs showed. Fevers would be a normal occurrence, she would feel tired every day without reason. And there were the bumps.
The doctors told her that it was her body fighting against the infection. There were nights where she prayed they would fight harder.

She didn’t think, that’s what most people assumed when they found out. After enough bad experiences she stopped talking about it, even to her family and friends. It was the way they looked at her that changed, people used to see her for the beauty that she was, but now?

Now this was her life.

Antiretrovirals, they were supposedly her savior, but they could never quite come down from the cross. All they did was slow the progress of the virus in her body, she could live a normal life, or as close to normal as possible.

There was nothing more she wanted than to run back to her old life, of dark nights and wild passions, of finding the stranger that she would watch the sunrise with. But she was getting old and she could feel the weight of regrets keeping her close to the ground.

She would not be a prisoner of her regret.

There was still the rest of her life she needed to live. No matter how many summers passed over her, she still had hope that the future was there, waiting.

Waiting just for her.

She took a leave from work for vacation, everyone assumed it was because of the Holy Week. They expected to see pictures of her by a beach, sipping on a sweet drink and lazing in the sun.

But her true mission was far removed from the leisure and luxury that others had come to expect.

She did her research, there were tales that it went out of hiding during that time to look for more victims, children whose hearts it would make into an amulet.

She stared at the sack in the back of her car. It had stopped moving hours ago and she felt a pang of guilt. Was this really what she wanted to do?

She chased away those thoughts. She would not be defined by one thing, not anymore. Certain sacrifices would have to be made to ensure that she would find her prize.

No one knew what it looked like. There were stories of hornless goats and dogs that walked backwards. There were other tales of cat like demons with black skin. There was even a legend of a crow like body with wings and grasshopper like legs that it used to leap.

All she knew was that it was the last thing that could help her.
She took the sack and waited in the field until night fell. Her body craved cigarettes, but smoke might scare the creature off and she wouldn’t take that chance.

She held the gun close to her chest and sat silently. The bag started to rustle after a few hours, but she ignored it.

Her eyes were heavy when she spotted a large black spot moving towards her. It was fast, faster than she expected.
It reached the sack and carried it in its mouth. The creature was strong and stared at her.

Their eyes met and she raised the gun.

Four shots and the creature was gone. She couldn’t have come this far just to be left with nothing. She ran to where the beast was and spotted a small pool of black liquid on the ground.

One of her shots hit it. Her heart raced as she knelt to the liquid. She took some in her hands and swallowed.

It tasted of bitterness and bile.

It tasted of freedom.

*There are Urban Legends that state that the blood of a Sigbin can cure HIV/AIDS.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the Sigbin myths

Awok Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

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.

————————–————————–————————–—

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

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
Tumblr: http://nightmaresyrup.tumblr.com/