*Note this story is in Tagalog

Nagkaroon ka na ba ng kaibigan na nabuhay sa dalawang katauhan?

May  sikretong itinatago sa mga tao, ang ilan ay hindi mo inaasahan at kapag nalaman mo kailangan mong pumili.

May nababago ba ang sikreto?

Hindi ko pa rin masagot ang tanong na iyon. Noong nalaman ko kung ano siya… hindi naging pareho ang mga bagay sa pagitan namin. Ngayon hindi ko akalain na kilala ko siya.

Nalaman ko ito habang pauwi na kami. Pasado hatinggabi na at nang makarating kami sa baybayin ng ilog  at nang  nalaman naming wala ng tagabangka na magdadala sa amin patawid.

Gusto kong bumalik sa baryo, maghanap ng matutuluyan, ngunit pinilit ako ng aking  kaibigan na tumawid kami sa ilog.

Nang tanungin ko kung paano niya sinabi na “Ako ang magdadala sa iyo”

Tumawa ako. Akala ko nagbibiro siya.

Ngunit hindi pala,  at bago ko nalaman na lumilipad kami sa hangin tulad ng isang pares ng mga ibon. Ang isang bahagi ng aking isipan ay nababalot ng takot, habang ang isa naman ay nasiyahan sa kalayaan na tanging  hangin lamang ang makapagbibigay.

Muntik na kaming mahulog sa langit dahil may lemons pala  akong  dala sa bulsa. Tanda ko pa ang sinabi sa akin ng mga matatanda na sila ay isang mabisang sandata laban sa mga uri ng aswang. Ang mga lemon ay maaring magdulot ng mabigat na pakiramdam para sa kanila.

Aswang ang kaibigan ko.

Hinayaan kong mahulog ang mga lemon upang magpatuloy siya sa paglipad at ng makarating kami ay ibinaba niya ako sa kabilang ilog. Hindi na kami nag-uusap simula noon, ngunit alam kong sapat ang tiwala sa akin ng kaibigan para itago ang kanyang sikreto.

Nagpasya akong huwag sabihin kahit kanino, nakuha ko  ang tiwala niya sa tinging ko’y sapat na  ang pagiging kaibigan ko para hindi siya  ipagkakanulo sa anumang bagay.

Ngunit kung minsan ay nagpupuyat ako sa gabi at nagtataka sa kakaisip na kung  kaibigan ko ba talaga siya o ako na  ang susunod niyang kakainin?

=—————————————=

English Version

Did you ever have a friend that lived a double life?

There are secrets that people hide, some you would never expect and when you find out you have to make a choice.

Does the secret change anything?

I still can’t answer that question. When I found out what he was… well things haven’t really been the same between us. Now I don’t think I ever knew him.

I found out while we were on our way home. It was past midnight and when we reached the shore of the river we found that there was no boatman to bring us across.

I wanted to go back to the barrio, find someplace to stay the night, but my friend insisted that we cross the river.

When I asked how he just said “I’ll carry you.”

I laughed. I thought he was joking.

But he wasn’t and before I knew it we were flying through the air like a pair of birds. Part of me was scared out of my mind, while another enjoyed the freedom that only soaring through the winds could give.

We almost fell out of the sky because I had lemons in my pocket. The elders told me that they were an effective weapon against their kind. The lemons would feel like heavy weights to them.

My friend is an aswang.

I let the lemons fall and he dropped me off on the other side of the river. We haven’t spoken since, but I know my friend trusted me enough to keep his secret.

I decided not to tell anyone, he had earned my trust by being my friend and  won’t betray that for anything.

But sometimes I lie awake at night and wonder.

Am I really his friend or his next meal?

=————————————-=

*Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Annie Joy Belleoñes Coronacion
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Annie Joy Belleoñes Coronacion

Based on “The Aswang of Baco’ in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.

Aswang (Tagalog) Illustration by Ysa Peñas
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theonechitect/

*Note this story is in Karay-a / Kinaray-a

Nagtórok táy Manang Paula sa sulat nga tugyan ni Lolo Ambo kana. Luyag man daad nana nga tahaon ang mga handum ni Lolo na, túman gid tana ka budlay ang panag-on. Kinahanglan gid nana nga ibaligyâ ang lupâ agod to makabuul tana it igô nga kwarta agod to makasaylo tana sa diin nga may dyan it mayad nga sum-an ang anang pamilya. Nag pánaw táy Paula paagto sa kahoy kang Balete sa binit kang làtàgón. Warâ gid it iwag sa mga sangá kadyang gabii. Warâ tana it hinalung-ong kon buut hambalon kabáy ka rian malumbos run man ang mga tawo rudto sa kahoy.

“Pasayloha ako.” Naghurubag ang mga luhâ sa mga masluk ni Paula. “Man-an man nakun nga nag-saad táy Lolo Ambo nga warâ it matabô nga sayud sa inyo kahoy, kag nagpangabáy pa tana kanamun tanan nga iparig-unon ang saad nga ran, páy kinahanglan ko pillion ang labíng mayad sa akun pamilya. May balatian táy Lila kag indî run tamun makabàtas magbayad kang anang bulung. Indî man táy Roberto kasagap kang paramugunan. Sa… sangka iloy ako kag kinahanglan ko itugrô sa akun mga batâ ang kabuhî nga takus kananda.” Pinanas ni Paula ang mga luhâ sa bagiing na, “Patawada gid ako.”

Rudyan pa angod ang bulan sa kalangitan. Naglubas ang mga taknâ kag warâ may natabô. Warâ gid it pamaan, warâ gid it may makuon káy Paula nga namatî kana ang mga tawo sa kahoy. Warâ tana ka maan kon ano anang lauman, páy nagsarig tana nga may ihambal sanda kana. Bisan ano man.

Naghulat tana sa kahoy tubtob sa kaagahon kag sa madason, nag-agto tana sa anang balay kag nagsugod it pangbagtong.

Kang lumigad ang tatlo ka bulan, nagatorok táy Manang Paula sa anang mga kabataan kag nalipay gid tana makadalî kutub sa mabúhay nga tion. Nagadalagan táy Lila imaw kang anang mga pakaisa, nadumduman ni Manang Paula kon ano ka pígaw kon sulngon ang anang indáy nga nga gabatáng sa baratangán sa hospital kag naghambal tana it mahinay nga pangamuyô kang pagpasalamat. Nagpungkô tana kag nagsugod kang anang kinabatasan tagsa aga nga among pag basá kang pèríodiko.

Mabasahan sa headline na kadya “Ang Bag-ong Pag-uswag kang Pagrally kang mga Manugprotesta” nga bukun man it makatiringala, ang Construction Company ginpabangdan nga ginasudyot nanda sa mga local official nga pasapayan lamang nanda ang pagrangga sa palibot nga sanda tanda man ang nagahimô, páy máy ma-id-id nga dágway ang nagpatumbô kay Manang Paula sa anang purungkoan.

Tungud rian sa sangka maambung nga bahi nga nakapula nga naga pang-ulo sa mga nagaprotesta bátok sa sangka bulldozer.

Nagyuhum táy Manang Paula. Kon sa bagay, maámlìgan man nanda andang kaugalingon.

=———————————————————————-=

English Version

Manang Paula looked at the letter that Lolo Ambo left her. As much as she wanted to respect his wishes, times were hard. She had to sell the land to have enough money to move where it would be a better future for her family. Paula walked to the Balete tree in the edge of the field. There weren’t any lights in the branches tonight. She didn’t know if that meant the people in the tree were going toleave as well.

“I’m sorry.” The tears were starting to swell up in Paula’s eyes. “I know that Lolo Ambo promised that nothing would happen to your tree, and he asked all of us to keep that promise alive, but I have to choose what’s best for my family. Lila is sick and we can’t even afford her medicine anymore. Roberto can’t find a job. I… I am a mother and I need to give my children the life they deserve.”

Paula wiped away the tears from her cheek, “Please forgive me.”

The moon was still in the night sky. Hours passed and nothing happened. There was no sign, nothing to tell Paula that the people in the tree heard her. She didn’t know what to expect, but she had hoped that they would tell her something. Anything.

She waited by the tree until morning and afterwards, she went to her house and started packing.

Three months later, Manang Paula was looking at her children and she was happy for the first time in a long while. Lila was running around playing with her cousins, Manang Paula remembered how weak her little girl looked in the hospital bed and she said a soft prayer of thanksgiving. She sat down and started her morning tradition of reading the newspaper.

The headline read “Protesters Rally New Development” which wasn’t surprising; the construction company had been accused of bribing the local officials so they could ignore the environmental destruction they were causing, but a certain picture almost made Manang Paula jump out of her seat.

It was of a beautiful girl in red leading the protesters against a bulldozer.

Manang Paula smiled. They could take care of themselves after all.

=———————————————————–=

*The Karay-a language, or Kinaray-a is an Austronesian regional language spoken by the Karay-a people, mainly in Antique in the Philippines, Iloilo and other provinces on the island of Panay, as well as portions of the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. It is one of the Visayan languages, mainly along with Aklanon/Malaynon, Capiznon and Hiligaynon. As of 2015, there is an estimated 1,200,000 speakers of Kinaray-a with almost half of them are from Antique and Iloilo provinces.

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by En

Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © En

Inspired by ‘The Fairy of Balete Tree’ in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.

Mariang Ilaya Illustration by Laura Katigbak
FB: Rabbit Heart
IG: https://www.instagram.com/rabbitheartart/

*Note this story is in Tagalog

“May naririnig ka ba?”

“Oo, parang malutong. Baka may kumakain lang na hayop.”

“Iwasan na lang natin kung saan nanggagaling yung tunog. Bilisan natin, nauna na silang lahat.”

“Hindi ko talaga alam kung paano mo ako nakumbinsing sumali sa walang kwentang Scavenger Hunt. Hindi naman sa wala akong pakialam sa mga tao rito.”

“Gamitin mo iyang galit mo para manalo tayo. Tara dalian natin kasi nandoon sa burol yung susunod na palatandaan.”

“Sige, pero kapag nanalo tayo ililibre mo ako ng dalawang manok sa Jollibee.”

“Seryoso ka!”

“Sige, isang manok lang.”

“Hala! Tumingin ka rito. Ano ito, ano ito?!”

“Ano—-Ga–”

“Patay na tao!”

“Alam ko!”

“Anong gagawin natin?”

“Kailangan muna nating huminga at kumalma!”

“Dios Mio!”

“SABI KO HINGA! Sabayan mo ako, isa, dalawa, tatlo.”

“Isa. Dalawa. Tatlo.”

“Gumana ‘di ba? Kailangan lang nating kumalma at—- ANO IYON?!”

“GUMAGALAW! DIOS MIO!

“Hindi ko alam kung ano ka, pero lumayo ka sa amin! Hindi ka namin sasaktan.”

“Grabe, mayroon siyang dugo sa leeg niya.”

“Ang gusto lang sabihin ng kaibigan ko ay wala kaming gagawing masama sa iyo.”

“Huwag mo kaming sasaktan.”

“Diyan ka lang!”

“AAAHHHGHGH!”

“……teka.”

“……buhay ka pa ba tayo?”

“Ano yung ginagawa niya?”

“Sa tingin ko tinatawanan niya tayo.”

“Nakikita mo ba wala siyang bibig.”

“Kung hindi siya tumatawa, ano yung ginagawa niya?”

“Sa tingin ko namamaalam siya sa atin.”

“A…..Anong nangyari?”

=—————————————————————-=

English version

“What’s that sound?”

“I don’t know, sounds like crunching. Maybe a wild animal’s having lunch.”

“Let’s avoid the path where it’s coming from then. Come on we need to hurry, the rest of them are already ahead.”

“I don’t know how you talked me into going on this stupid scavenger hunt, it’s not like I even like these people.”

“Exactly, you can use that hatred to fuel our victory, now let’s go, I think the next clue is over this hill.”

“Fine, but if we win you owe me a 2 piece chicken from Jollibee.”

“OH MY GOD!”

“Ok, ok, fine, a 1 piece.”

“No! Look over here. Oh my god, oh my god!”

“What’s—– HOLY—–“

“It’s a dead body!”

“I can see that!”

“What do we do?!”

“Okay, calm down, just breathe!”

“Ohmygodohmygodohmygod.”

“I SAID BREATHE! Count with me, one. Two. Three.”

“One. Two. Three.”

“See? We just need to stay calm and—– WHAT THE HELL”

“It’s moving! Ohmygodohmygodohmygod”

“I don’t know what you are but stay away! We don’t want any trouble.”

“Ohymygodthere’sbloodonitsneck.”

“What my friend is trying to say is we don’t mean you any harm.”

“Pleasedon’thurtus.”

“Stay back!”

“AAAHHHGHGH!”

“……wait.”

“…..are we still alive?”

“What’s it doing?”

“I think it’s laughing at us.”

“It doesn’t have a mouth.”

“Well what else do you think it’s doing?”

“I think it’s waving goodbye now.”

“I…..What just happened?”

————————–————————–————————

*Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Emman Bernardino
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Emman Bernardino

Story inspired by Numputul entry in Myth Museum. Medina. 2015.

Numputul (Sambal) Illustration by Leandro Geniston from Aklat ng mga Anito
FB: That Guy With A Pen

*Note this story is in Tagalog

“Lintil” sabi ni Jomar habang nakatingin sa ilog. Nakita niya ang dating kaaway mula sa kalayuan.

Hindi kayang itago ng kaniyang mahabang buhok ang mukha nito kay Jomar. Ilang beses niyang pinapaalala sa sarili na kahit ano pa man ang mukha nito, isa pa rin siyang demonyo.

Kinuha na ni Jomar ang kaniyang lambat sa ilog at nilapag ito sa bangka. Ang pagbebenta lang ng ueang* ang pinagkakakitaan niya at tuwing nababaling ang kaniyang paningin, kukuhanin ng demonyo ang lahat ng kaniyang napangisda. Nangangarap na lang siya na sana buhay pa ang kaniyang lolo para maturuan siya kung paano harapin ang ganoong klaseng nilalang. Naisa-isa na ang mga mahal niya sa buhay dahil panahon kaya kailangan niya itong harapin mag-isa.

Nakaupo siya sa kaniyang bangka at nag-iisip kung ano ang gagawin niya ngayon. Hindi niya kayang makipag-unahan dahil mayroon siyang binubuhat. Alam ni Jomar na hindi siya kayang habulin nito sa ilog, kaya kailangan niyang mag-isip kung ano ang gagawin niya: Delikado sumugod sa rumaragasang ilog dahil masisira ang bangka niya sa matutulis na bato, at ang isa namang pwede niyang gawin ay lilituhin niya ito para siya makatakas. Hindi niya nagustuhan ang mga naisip na plano.

Lumipas ang isang oras pagkatapos makita ni Jomar ang nilalang at matagal na rin siyang nakabilad sa araw. Kinikilabutan siya dahil napansin niya na hindi gumagalaw ang demonyo simula nang nakita niya ito. Kailangan niya nang pumunta sa ilog para mauwi niya ang kaniyang napangisda.

Dinaan niya ang bangka pababa sa ilog. Tinangay siya ng rumaragasang tubig at kinailangan ang buong lakas niya para iwasan ang mga tumatalsik na bato at malalakas na agos. Hindi nagtagal nakaabot din siya sa kaniyang pupuntahan, pero ang ginahawang naramdahan ay bigla ring humupa.

Dahil mayroon siyang nasisilayan sa tabing-ilog.

Isa na namang demonyo.

=————————————————–=

English Version

“Linti!” Jomar looked across the river and saw his old nemesis. He could see its face beneath the long hair and he had to remind himself that, no matter what it looked like, it was still a demon.

Jomar fished his net out of the river onto his boat. Selling ueang* was has only source of income and every time he would let his guard down one of these demons would steal his catch and leave him with nothing. He wished his lolo was still alive to tell him how to deal with these creatures, but time took its toll on the people that he loved and he was left alone with his problems as always.

He sat in his boat and wondered what he would do this time. There was no chance of outrunning the demon, not while he was carrying this heavy a load. Jomar knew that the demon couldn’t follow you through a river, and he had to make a choice: Going through the river could be dangerous, the current ran fast and there was a chance that he would end up dashed against the rocks, on the other hand he could take his chances distracting the demon and then making a break for it. Neither of those choices seemed appealing to him.

I had been an hour since Jomar had first seen the demon and his skin was cooked from the heat of the sun. The demon hadn’t moved a single inch and its impassive features sent shivers down Jomar’s spine. It was time to decide, and Jomar knew that the river would be his best bet at surviving and keeping his catch.

He steered the boat down the river and held on for his life. The rapids were violent and it took all his strength to guide his craft through the winding stones and dangerous waters. It didn’t take long to reach his destination, but the relief he felt didn’t last long.

A figure was waiting along the riverbank.

Another demon.

————————–————————–————————–

*Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.

*Ueang is freshwater shrimp

Story inspired by the Bawa description in ‘The Myths of the Philippines’. Gaverza. 2014.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Emman Bernardino
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Emman Bernardino

Bawa Illustration by Nica Mapeso

*This story is in Tagalog

Iniisip ko pa rin ang nakatakas na huli ko sana.

Apat na taong gulang pa lamang ako ay nangingisda na ako. Nasa dugo ko na ang pangingisda. Nakarating na ako sa Pantabangan at Lumot para manghuli ng Apahap, sa Cebu para manghuli ng Tikos, sa Isla ng Mactan para manghuli ng Mameng at nakahuli pa nga ako ng Maya-Maya na saandaa’t dalawampung sentimetro ang haba. Ngunit hindi maihahambing ang mga ito sa isdang iyon.

Una ko iyong namataan malapit sa baybayin ng Anilao. Hindi ko iyon mawari. Mukha iyong malaking kalaso—mas malaki kaysa sa anumang nakita ko na. Karaniwang hanggang tatlumpung sentimetro lamang lumalaki ang isang kalaso, ngunit ang isang ito ay tila pating na lampas apatnaraang sentimetro, o baka nga mas mahaba pa roon.

Inabot nang ilang linggo bago ko naipon ang sapat na dami ng pain na kailangan ko. Mukhang malaking isda lang ang gusto nito, lalo na ang Dorado at Lapu-Lapu, ngunit hindi na ako nagulat. Sa tuwing iaahon ko sa tubig ang pain, may malaking kagat dito. Nilapa ang isda ng nilalang na may napakalakas na panga. Alam kong mangangailangan ako ng mas matibay na tali.

Bumangon ako ng alas tres ng umaga at naghintay. Isinabit ko ang pain sa pamansing at umupo ako nang dinarama ang malamig na simoy ng hangin sa madaling araw. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit gustong-gusto kong mangisda. Ang tahimik at payapang mga sandali, ang katiwasayan bago ang unos kapag inisip mo ang mga bagay na posibleng mangyari sa iyo. Palaging sinasabi sa akin ng aking ama na ang siyamnapung porsiyento ng pangingisda ay paghahanda. Masyadong matagal bago ko iyon natutunan.

Namataan ko ang palikpik nito pagkasikat ng araw. Batid kong tapos na ang oras ng paghahanda. Naghagis ako ng karne ng isda malapit sa pamansing. Naalala kong mahilig sa dugo ang isdang iyon. Inihanda ko ang sarili ko dahil tiyak na kakagat iyon, ngunit walang paghahandang sasapat sa nangyari.

Naputol ang tali. Hindi ko alam kung paano iyon nangyari, dahil ang ginamit kong tali ang pinakamatibay na nakita ko sa palengke, ngunit naputol pa rin iyon. Tatlong buwang paghahanda para sa wala.

Hindi ko na muling nakita ang isdang iyon, ngunit dumarayo ako sa Anilao paminsan-minsan para subukang masilayan iyon. Gusto kong muling bumisita ngayong taon ngunit ipinagbabawal ang pagpalaot sa pook-isdaan. May ilang bagitong mangingisda na natagpuang nalunod malapit sa kanilang mga bangka.

Iniisip ko pa rin ang huli sana na iyon, kung gaano sana kasarap sa pakiramdam na mabuhat iyon sa aking mga balikat. Ngunit hindi ako susuko.

Panibagong araw bukas. Marahil ay matatagpuan ko rin iyon balang araw.

Hindi ko naiintindihan kung ano ang natunghayan ko, ngunit alam kong mas mapanganib ito kaysa sa sinasabi ng mga tao. Mula noong bumalik ako sa Anilao ngayong taon para muling hanapin ang isdang iyon, mas maraming tao na ang natagpuang nalunod.

Mayroong magkasintahang turista na natagpuan sa may pantalan. Mukhang kumukuha sila ng mga litrato; hawak pa rin nila ang kanilang mga telepono noong inagos papunta sa dalampasigan ang kanilang mga labi. Ngayon lang nakakita ang mga tagaroon ng mga sugat tulad ng mga kagat na nasa kanilang mga katawan. Nakahanda kaming lahat na sabihing napakasamang aksidente nito.

Hanggang nagsimulang mawala ang mga surfer.

Limang kabataan sa kabuuan ang naiulat na nawawala mula noong umpisa ng linggong ito. Naakit sila sa mga along dala ng maulang panahon, at naisip nila na magandang pagkakataon ito para subukan ang mga along iyon. Para sa ilan, ito ang huling desisyong ginawa nila. Hindi pa rin natatagpuan ang mga katawan at naglabas na ng babala ang lahat ng resort na nagbabawal sa mga tao na pumunta sa tubig.

Naroon ako noong nangyari ang lahat ng pagkawala. Ibig kong sabihin, malapit ako noon sa dagat, at isinusumpa ko sa puntod ng aking ina na nasilayan ko ang mga palikpik sa mga pook kung saan naglaho ang mga taong iyon.

Maaaring nahihibang na ako para isiping mayroong kakaibang uri ng isda na may kinalaman sa mga nawawalang tao, ngunit ayaw mawala sa isip ko ng hinalang ito. Mayroong kaugnayan sa isa’t isa ang mga ito.

Mukhang hindi ako makakauwi, dahil parami nang parami ang nakikita kong ganoong palikpik sa dagat.

Tumigil pa nga ako sa pangingisda. Ayokong matulad sa mga taong iyon, at walang makikinig sa akin. Patuloy kong sinusubukang balaan sila, sinusubukang sabihin na masyadong mapanganib ang dagat para suungin ng kahit na sino. Hindi makikinig ang mga resort; masyadong malaki na ang nalugi sa kanila kaya muli nilang pinayagang pumalaot ang mga maninisid at mangingisda.

Gayunpaman, hindi ako titigil. Kailangang mabalaan ang mga taong ito.

Hindi lang iisa ang pares ng mga palikpik.

=——————————————–=

English Version

I still think about the one that got away.

I’ve been fishing since I was four years old. The water’s in my blood. I’ve been to Pantabangan and Lumot to catch Bass, Cebu to catch Tikos, Mactan Island to catch Wrasse and I’ve even managed to catch a 120 cm long Maya-Maya. But none of them compare to this.

I first spotted it off the coast of Anilao. I didn’t know what to make of it. It looked like a large lizardfish, larger than any I had ever seen before. Typically a lizardfish only reaches a maximum of 30 cm but this looked more like a shark that was well over 400 cm, maybe more.

It took me weeks to come up with the amount of bait I needed. It only seemed to like large fish, Mahi-Mahi and Grouper most especially, though I couldn’t be surprised. Every time I fished the bait out of the water there was a giant bite taken out of it. The fish were ripped apart with incredibly sharp jaws. I knew I was going to need a stronger line.

I got up at 3 am and I waited. I strung the bait on my line and I sat in the cold early morning air. This is why I loved fishing. It was about the nice quiet moments, the calm before the storm when you can think about every eventuality that might come your way. My dad always told me that 90% of fishing is preparation. I took too long to learn that lesson.

I saw a glimpse of its fin right after sunrise. I knew the time for preparation was over. I threw some chum near the line. The fish had a taste for blood, I remembered. I braced myself for the inevitable bite and nothing could have prepared me for what happened.

The line was cut. I don’t know how that could be, it was the strongest one I could find on the market, but there it was. 3 months of preparation all for nothing.

I never saw that fish again, though I sometimes take trips to Anilao to see if I could spot it. I wanted to go again this year but the fishing grounds were off limits. A couple of amateur fishermen were found drowned by their boats.

I still dream about that catch. How it would have been amazing to carry it on my shoulders, but I won’t give up.

Tomorrow is another day and maybe someday I will find it.

I don’t understand what I stumbled upon, but I know for a fact it’s more dangerous than people let on. Ever since I returned to Anilao this year to find that fish again more people have been found drowned.

There was the tourist couple who was found by the dock. They looked like they were taking pictures, they were still holding on to their phones when their bodies washed on shore. The bites that appeared on their bodies weren’t like anything the locals had seen before. We were all prepared to say it was a terrible accident.

That was until the surfers started disappearing.

5 young people in total had been reported missing since the start of this week. The rainy season had made the waves enticing to them, and they thought it would be a good chance to try them. For some, it would be the last decision they ever made. The bodies still haven’t been found and the resorts have all issued a warning for people to stay out of the water.

I was there for each of the disappearances. I mean I was by the sea, and I could swear upon my mother’s grave that I saw a glimpse of the fins in the areas where those people disappeared.

I may be crazy to think that some kind of fish has something to do with missing people, but my instinct is shouting in my head. There has to be some connection between them.

I don’t think I’ll make the trip back home, because I keep seeing more and more of the fins around the waters.

I’ve even stopped fishing, I don’t want to end up like those people, and no one will listen to me. I keep trying to warn them, trying to say that the waters are too dangerous for anyone to go in. The resorts wouldn’t listen, they were losing too much money and they reopened the waters for divers and fishermen.

I won’t stop though. These people need to be warned.

There are more than one set of fins.

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**Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Maui Felix
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright © Maui Felix

Story inspired by the Siyokoy entry in Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology. Ramos. 1971.

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

Watercolor by Mykie Concepcion
Tumblr: http://mykieconcepcion.tumblr.com/

*Note this story is in Tagalog

Case #JKGM 9888

Nanganganib ang barangay ng San Pascual kaya tumawag ang kapitan nito sa mga pulis. Isang linggo bago ang Undas nang dumating ang tawag at nagkakaroon ng mga reklamo ng bandalismo sa kalapit na sementeryo. Dalawang pulis ang ipinadala para pag-aralan ang sitwasyon.

Ayon sa kanilang imbestigasyon, mababaw lang ang bandalismong naganap. Nabungkal ang lupa ng mga puntod na humantong sa pagkaladlad ibang mga kabaong. Ang sabi ng pulis wala namang mamahaling mga bagay na nakabaon sa mga puntod. Ang mga singsing at iba pang mamahaling mga bagay ay nandoon pa rin sa mga labi ng mga yumao. Wala ng ibang kakaibang nakita ang mga pulis bukod sa mga nawawalang mga hinlalaki ng mga yumaong nakaladlad.

Iginigiit ng kapitan ng barangay sa mga pulis ang mga kaganapan sa sementeryo habang papalapit ang Undas. Pinadala ulit ang parehas na dalawang pulis para magbantay sa sementeryo buong gabi para mahuli ang gumagawa ng pambababoy.

Nagtutunggali ang pinasang pagsisiyasat ng dalawang pulis. Ang sinabi ng isa may malaking sumugod na aso sa mga pulis at kinagat ang kaniyang sapatos. Ang sinabi naman ng pangalawang pulis, nakita niya ang batang lalaking gumagawa ng bandalismo at hinabol niya ito, wala siyang malay sa malaking asong kumagat sa kaniyang kasama hanggang sa susunod na araw.

Dahil sa kakulangan ng mga pulis sa paligid, hindi nila nabantayan ang buong Undas, pero nagpapasalamat sila dahil nagtapos ito ng mapayapa. Walang bandalismong naganap at taong nabalita.

Makalipas ang ilang mga linggo, nagreklamo ang mga nagbabantay sa sementeryo dahil naganap ulit ang bandalismo sa lugar. Sinira na rin pati ang mga mosoleyo.  Walang mahahalagang bagay na kinuha sa mga katawan bukod sa isiniwalat ng matandang imbestigador, sinabi niya na pinutol ang mga daliri sa paa ng mga yumao.

Ang kongklusyon ng mga inspektor ay mayroong mabangis na hayop na naghahanap ng pagkain at nagkataon lang ito sa mga katawan.

Ang ibang mga pulis, lalo na yung taong nagsabing may batang lalaki na gumagawa ng bandalismo, hindi sumang-ayon sa pagtatapos ng imbestigasyon. Hindi kayang sirain ng isang hayop ang bakal ng mosoleyo, at mayroong mga tambay na nakatira sa loob at labas ng sementeryo.

Dahil walang ebidensyang nagpapatunay sa sapantaha ng kaso, ito ay isinara. Lumipas ang ilang buwan nakakuha ulit ng tawag ang estasyon ng pulis mula sa mga nagbabantay sa sementeryo. May nagbungkal ulit ng mga puntod, pero nandoon pa rin ang mga pag-aari nila, ganoon pa man kalakip pa rin dito ang mga nawawalang daliri sa paa at mga hinlalaki ng mga yumao.

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English Version

Case #JKGM 9888

The captain of barangay San Pascual called the police in a state of distress. The call came a week before Undas and there were complaints of vandalism in the nearby cemetery. Two officers were dispatched to investigate.

Based on their reports the vandalism seemed minor. The ground around the graves was disturbed and some coffins were left exposed to the elements. The officers noted that there was nothing valuable in the graves themselves, wedding rings and other expensive objects were still with the remains. Nothing else out of the ordinary was noticed, except for a peculiar lack of thumbs on the bodies that were fully exposed. 

The barangay captain insisted on a police presence in the graveyard on the days leading up to Undas. The same officers were sent to guard the graveyard during the night in the hope of catching the vandal in the act.

Conflicting reports from the two officers were submitted. One claimed that a large dog attacked the officers and nearly tore his shoe off. The other officer insisted that he saw the vandal was a young boy and gave chase, he was not aware of the attack on his comrade until the next morning.

Due to the lack of officers we are not able to spare resources to guard the whole Undas, but thankfully the holiday finished peacefully. No reports of vandals, human or otherwise were reported.

The next few weeks caretakers from the cemetery complained of the vandal becoming more bold. Even the mausoleums had been broken into. Nothing was taken from the bodies but a senior investigator noted that parts of the toes appeared to have been torn off.

The conclusion that the inspectors reached is that some sort of animal had been foraging for food and chanced upon the bodies.

Other officers, especially the one that said the vandal was a young boy, disagreed with the conclusion. An animal could not have broken through the mausoleum locks, and there were reports of vagabonds living in and around the cemetery.
With no evidence to support either theory the case was closed. Every few months the station gets calls from the caretakers about graves being dug up, but valuables still remained intact, though with each report the curious description of missing toes and thumbs is highlighted.

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*Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a quarter of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, officially named Filipino, is the national language of the Philippines, and is one of two official languages alongside English.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Translation by Emman Bernardino
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Emman Bernardino

Umangob Illustration by Erik John Paredes

Inspired by the Ifugao Umangob legends