*Note this story is in Hiligaynon

1. Ang babaye sa merkado. Wala niya ginputos ang mga utan sing insakto.
2. Sa nagabusong nga babaye nga nagkuha sang taxi nga ginpara ko. Indi buot silingon nga bangod nagsala ka, dapat ako magduko sa imo.
3. Ang driver sang jeep nga dyutayan nalang ako bungguan. Indi na sia dapat magmaneho.
4. Sa babaye nga nagsal-ot sa linya sa tren. Ginahuna-huna niya nga kay tungod mayara sia sing Louis Vuitton nga bag, maubra na niya kung ano ang iya gusto.
5. Sa bata nga lalake nga indi mag-untat wakal. Ang iya wala untat nga pag-uwang naghatag sa akon sang sakit sa ulo.
6. Sa tinidyer nga nag-ubo sa kilid ko. Sin-o man bi makabalo kung ano nga sakit mayara sia.
7. Ang gwardya sa estasyon sang tren. Lantawa lang ang akon bag kag tama na. Tungod sa iya, dyutayan ko na indi maabtan ang akon tren.
8. Sa manugbaligya sing fishball. Ang imo pagpresyo kaangay na sing masimple nga pagpangawat.
9. Sa babaye. Abi niya maangkon na niya ang bisan ano sa kalibutan tungod kay sia magwapa. Hulat lang kag lantawa, isa ka adlaw maabot guid ang nagakaangay sa imo.
10. Yadtong mga turista. Abi nila pwede sila kapakita sing malaw-ay nila nga batasan sa akon banwa? Indi guid ako magpasugot. Kinahanglan nila mahibaluan nga ang pagtahod nagapanganak sa pagtahod.

Gintungtong sang tigulang nga babaye ang iya pangsulat kag nagpanghayhay. Kakapoy para sa iya ang adlaw nga ini, apang kay kadamo sang mga tawo nga nagtisting sang iya pasensya, kag syempre, tanan sila napaslawan. Nagtulok sia sa guwa sang iya bintana kag ginhanduraw ang tanan nga mga butang nga dapat niya agyan agud makapauli. Basi mangin maayo naman tanan bwas.

1. Sa bata nga lalaki nga may bitbit nga ido. Indi niya makontrol ang iya sapat kag nangihi ini sa akon.
2. Sa mga salawayon nga nagtumbo-tumbo sa palibot sing parke. Naghulat guid ako asta ang isa sa ila mabuka ang ulo, ugaling wala guid ina matabo.
3. Sa nagadalagan nga nagbunggo sa akon. Dapat sia magtulok sa kung diin siya makadto.
4.  Ang drayber sang taxi nga nagdul-ong sa akon sa balay. Ginpanaog niya ang bintana kag gintawag ang isa ka babayi nga nagalabay sa malain nga pamaagi. Kakap-al sing itsura niya!
5. Sa deliveryman. Nagsiling sila nga ang akon ginapadul-ong magaabot sa alas 4 sang hapon kag naghulat ako tubtob alas 5. Indi guid maayo ang serbisyo.

Nagalala lang nga nagalala. Ang listahan tani paagi lang para mapautwas ang iya kaakig kag handum nga wala nagasalig sa iya mahika. Ugaling adlaw-adlaw nalang may nagatisting sa iya. Ini ang mga tawo nga matyagan nila bal-an na nila tanan maski indi man kag ang mga nagapanumdom nga ila ang kalibutan.

Ginadumtan niya sila tanan, pati na ang mga wala man nakasala sa iya. Kay sa ulihi, paagyan na naman sia sang mga ini kag kinahanglan niya naman punggan ang iya kaugalingon. Gintabog sia sa madamo nga banwa sang nahibaluan sang mga tawo kon ano sia.

Indi na ato matabo liwat. Ginpromisa niya ina sa iya kaugalingon. Nagsigi lang sia dugang sa iya listahan asta madula ang iya kaakig. Kinahanglan niya ini pauntaton.

1. Ang kuring nga nagpukaw sa akon. Kada aga ara guid sia.
2. Ang mga anga ko nga tupad-balay. Indi guid sila mag-untat mitir sa akon kabuhi. Indi guid nila mapabay-an ang tigulang isa?
3. Ang manugbaligya sing taho. Indi guid mag-untat singgit kada aga. Malain na gani nga ang kuring ara na, kinahanglan ko pa guid sia atubangon.
4. Yadtong mga misyonaryo nga may bitbit Bibliya————–

Tama na. Tama na ato. Indi gani sia makaagi sa aga nga wala nagabukal sa kaakig. Siguro senyas na ini halin sa dalom. Kinahanglan na niya nga mangin iya kaugalingon liwat, agud mabuy-an kag mapahibalo sa mga tawo ang ila lugar.

Ginbuksan niya ang pwertahan kag ginbayaw ang iya kamot, ang isa ka tudlo sa langit.

Magasugod sia sa kuring kag maga-ubra sa iya dalan pasaka halin didto.

=——————————————-=

English Version

1. The girl at the market. She didn’t pack the vegetables right.
2. The pregnant woman that took the taxi I was hailing. Just because you made a mistake doesn’t mean I have to bow to you.
3. The jeepney driver that almost ran me over. He doesn’t deserve to drive.
4. That woman that cut the line at the train. She thinks that just because she has a Louis Vuitton bag that she can do what she wants.
5. That little boy that wouldn’t stop talking. His incessant yapping gave me a he
6. That teenager that coughed beside me. Who knows what kind of diseases he might have. Someone should teach him manners.
7. The security guard at the train station. Just look through my bag and be done with it. Because of him I nearly missed my train.
8. The fishball vendor. His prices were robbery, plain and simple.
9. That girl. Thinking she can own the world because she’s beautiful. Wait and see, one day you’ll get what’s coming to you.
10. Those tourists. Thinking that they can be rude in my town? I will not let that happen. They need to know that respect begets respect.

The old woman put her pen down and sighed. Today was so tiring, there were so many people that tested her patience, and, of course, all of them had failed. She gazed outside her window and imagined all the things that she had to go through just to get back home. Maybe tomorrow would be better.

11. That boy with the dog. He couldn’t keep his animal under control and it slobbered all over me.
12. Those brats that were jumping around at the park. I waited for the moment one of them would crack their skulls but it never came.
13. That jogger that bumped into me. She should look where she’s going.
14. The taxi driver that brought me home. He rolled down the window and catcalled a woman passing by. The nerve of him!
15. The deliveryman. They said my package would arrive at 4pm and I waited until 5. Such shoddy service.

It was getting worse. The list was supposed to be an outlet, one way where she could sublimate her desires and release them without resorting to her magic. But day in and day out there were those that got in her way. Those that thought they knew better even if there wasn’t anything inside their heads, those that thought the world belonged to them.

She hated all of them, of course, even the ones that did nothing to her. Because eventually, they would cross her path and she would have to ball her hand into a fist to make sure she didn’t raise her finger. She had been chased out of many towns when the people found out what she was.

It wouldn’t happen again. That’s what she promised herself. Just keep adding to the list and all the anger would eventually stop. She needed it to stop.

16. That cat that woke me up. Every single morning it’s there.
17. My stupid neighbors. They won’t stop snooping into my life. Can’t they just leave an old woman alone?
18. The taho vendor. He won’t stop shouting in the morning. Bad enough the cat is there, I have to deal with him too.
19. Those Bible bearing missionaries—————-

Enough. It was enough. She couldn’t even make it though the morning without boiling over in rage. Maybe this was a sign from down below. She needed to be herself again, to let loose and make the humans know their place.

She opened the door and raised her hand, one finger to the sky.

She’d start with the cat and work her way up from there.

=——————-=

*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 Nicole Ponsoy
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Nicole Ponsoy

Inspired by the Tagalog Hukloban legends

Diwata Illustration by Kristienne Amante
FB: Creatorivm

*Note this story is in Kapampangan

“kinang kinang ya aslag

ing cabilugan na ning bulan

Ini na ing caorasan

Ing caorasan ning pamangulam”

Caung neng caung quing cucu y Aileen cabang cucua yang panulu ibat quing babo mantil. Dimput ne at inakmul at aliya man minum danum. Maluat ne ring malagnat at mangaligkig, at alub na namu salese ne. Marakal ya pa cailangang gawang obra, oneng ali mu pala obra ing manenaya caya.

“Tunggal tunggal

Tucyan mu ing delanan na

at tipunan mu ing gab-bun

para alaya ni metung mang bakas”

Mengurenta ne, at miganaca ne ing atchi ng Aileen. Minawus ne ospital oneng manenaya la pa murin. Malulunus neng manakit i achi na quing panamdaman na, ala ya muring acarapat nung ali manenaya at mangadi na datang ne ing ambulancia.

“Bubucal na ing danum

isamut mu na ing gab-bun

ditac namung panawun

at mibalic ne quing abu”

Milaco ne pangisnawa ampong pulsu y Aileen. Micarugan ne ing medic quing capali na katawan. Manyicsic ing pali careng gwantes cabang pipilitan neng pacabyayan pasibayu. Balang pwersa da reng gamat quing salu na macicintal ya quing bubucal nang catawan. Mipapawas neng marimla at mangalgal ne quing pagal ing macalunus a medic.

“Ini na ing tawling gab-bun

magigisan na at lalangi

camate na ning api

mapatlud ne ing alti”

‘Mepapa ya uling lalaban ya careng matwa na’ ana ning apu cabang timan timan ya.

=———————-=

English Version

“The moon is full
The moon is bright
The time is now
To feed my spite”

Aileen coughed. She grabbed another pill from her bedside and swallowed it without any water. It had been a few days since her fever started and she hoped it would be gone by now. There was so much work she still had to do.

“Walk in her footsteps
One at a time
Gather the dirt
A victimless crime”

40 degrees. Aileen’s sister was worried. She called the hospital but the waiting was torture. She could see her baby sister cry out in pain and there was nothing she could do about it. She prayed that the ambulance would be there soon.

“Heat up the pot
Mix in the earth
She won’t suffer long
For whatever that’s worth”

No breath sounds or pulse coming from the patient. The EMT was worried. He had never seen a fever this high before, it was as if the patient was burning up from the inside. He could feel the heat through his gloves while he was giving CPR. Each compression felt like he was pressing his hands against a hot iron, but he couldn’t stop now, he had to do what he could.

“The last of the dirt
Broken and dry
One final lick of flame
And thus she will die”

The old woman smiled. This would teach that ungrateful girl what happens when you don’t respect your elders.

————————–————————–————————–—-

Inspired by the Mangangamod description in Myth Museum. Medina. 2015.

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

*Note this story is in Tagalog

Alam mo ba kung paano ang lumipad? Ang pumaimbulog sa kalawakan nang walang pakialam sa mundo at iwanan ang mga alalahanin ng iyong buhay?

Kaya ko.

Ako at ang anak ko ay tinaguriang mangkukulam ng ilan dulot ng aming kariktan ngunit hindi nila kami naiintindihan; maligno, kahanga-hanga, marilag kung turingan. Wala kaming pakialam sa tinuturan ng mga tao para lang maintindihan kung ano kami.

Naaabot naming ang langit sa kalagitnaan ng gabi sa pamamagitan ng aming mahiwagang langis bigay ng mga anitong aming pinaglilingkuran. Ang maitim nitong kulay ang nagbibigay ng maling akala na may malakas itong mahika ng pinagsama-sama  bahagi ng aming kakayahan.

Minsan nakapagimbita kami ng dalawang kabataang lalaki na makapaghapunan sa aming tahanan, binigyan naming sila ng pagkain at matutuluyan, lahat-lahat upang maipagtanggol kami sa aming pagkakalugmok. Napagod sila sa kanilang paglalakbay mula sa probinsiya ng Batangas at sa aming pagkakaalam madali silang masisila.

Ito ay noong naiwan namin sila isang gabing kami’y lumipad at mahanap namin ang langis at  makita ang kapangyarihan nito.  Ang tao ay lubos na natakot gamitin ito para sa kanilang sarili at hindi ko naman sila masisisi dahil hindi naman naiintindihan ng mga tao, sila ay mga nahihintakutan at sa kanilang takot tumatakbo sila mula rito.

Wala na kaming nabalitaan sa mga lalaking yaon at hindi na rin naman naming gustong alamin pa ang kanilang kalagayan para sa amin mas marami pa kaming masisila bukod sa kanila at sa totoo lang ang  malawak na karimlan ng gabi ang amin lang minimithi upang makipaglaro sa kinang ng mga bituin sa saliw ng indayog ng lubos na kaligayahan.

Sa aming mga kauri ang langis ang siyang pinagmumulan ng aming kapangyarihan. Kawangis nito ay likido ng kalayaan. Hinahayaan nito kaming madampian ang pisngi ng Mundo ng Kalawakan at mamasdan ang mga likha na para bang kami ang lumikha.

Ang paglipad ang pinakamataas na antas ng Kalayaan kasama ang langis kami ay lilipad hanggang sa dulo ng walang hanggan.

=——————————–=

English Version

Do you know what it’s like to fly? To soar through the heavens without a care in the world, leaving all the worries of your life behind?

I do.

My daughters and I are called witches by some, beautiful by all. We are misunderstood, maligned, magnificent and majestic. We care not for the petty words used by mortals to try to make sense of what we are.

We can reach the skies in the dead of night through our magic oil, a gift from the spirits that we serve. Its blackish hue belies a magic greater than the sum of its parts.

There was one time when we invited two young men to dine in our house, we gave them food and shelter, all to keep their defenses low until we struck. They were tired from their voyage from Batangas, and we knew they would be easy pickings.

It was when we left to take our evening flight that they found our oil and saw the power it had. The humans were too afraid to use it for themselves, and I could not blame them, what mortals do not understand, they fear, and what they fear, they run from.

We never heard from those men again, and we did not want to, there will be more prey for us to have, and, in truth, the night sky is all we will ever want to have, to flirt amongst the stars in a dance of pure ecstasy.

The oil is more than just a source of magic for our kind. It is freedom in liquid form. It allows us to touch the face of the Skyworld and see creation as if we were gods.

Flying is the ultimate freedom, and with our oil, we will fly until the end of time.

=———————————-=

Inspired by ‘The Magic Oil.’ in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.

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

*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 Tagalog

Noong bata pa si Ida inayawan niya na ang pagiging panganay.

Ang pinakamaagang alaala niya ay nang siya ay 5 taong gulang pa lamang. Inaalagaan siya ng kaniyang Tito at naglalaro sila ng tagu-taguan sa damuhan. Nakakita siya ng magandang taguan at hindi siya makita ng kaniyang Tito dahil dito. Lumulubog na ang araw at doon lang napansin ni Ida na may kakaibang nangyayri.

Tumingin siya at napansin na nakadapa ang Tito niya malapit sa puno kung saan sila nagbibilang.

May usap-usapan sa burol na wala naman siyang sakit sa puso. Narinig ito ni Ida sa mga matatanda hanggang sa nalaman niya na hindi lang pala nag-iisa ang kaniyang Tito.

Ang kaniyang Tito Boy ay namatay sa edad na 45.

Ang Lolo Abe naman niya ay binawian ng buhay ng siya ay 65.

Ang pinsan niyang si Layla ay pumanaw ng siya ay 26 pa lamang.

Iyan ang mga pangalang pinag-uusapan sa araw na iyon.

Nang umabot si Ida sa edad na 12, kinausap siya ng mga magulang niya tungkol sa kasaysayan ng kanilang pamilya.

Sinabi ng nanay niya na may lahi sila ng sakit sa puso, at marami na rin siyang kamag-anak na nagkaroon ng ganoong klaseng sakit. Hindi naiintindihan ni Ida ang mismong sinasabi ng kaniyang nanay, pero ang payo lang kay Ida ay mag-ingat at kapag nakaramdam siya na may kakaiba sa kaniyang katawan ay huwag magdalawang-isip at magsabi kaagad.

Tuwing kinakapusan siya ng hininga o mahina ang tibok ng kaniyang puso, lagi niyang naaalala ang sinabi ng nanay niya na, “Mabuti pa ring magpatingin ka sa doktor, para hindi ka matulad sa iyong tito.”

Iba naman ang lahi ng sakit na kaniyang tatay. Marami-rami sa kamag-anak niya na may kaso ng katabaan at nagtataglay ng Type 2 Diabetes. Nagpaliwanag ang tatay niya kung bakit nito pinapasali sa iba’t ibang laro at pinapakain ng mabuti ang kaniyang anak.

At sa paglipas ng panahon, dumarami rin ang mga pagtitipon.

Maraming inaatake sa puso.

Marami ring nagkakaroon ng stroke.

At mayroon ding nagpapakamatay (Ito ang pinakamasakit sa lahat).

Lahat ito ininda ni Ida.

Gumigising siya araw-araw na may pag-asang mabubuhay ulit siya ng isang araw.

Masugid ang pagsunod niya sa kaniyang pamamaraan sa araw-araw: Iinom siya ng gamot, magpapawis, iinom ng protein shake, kakain ng prutas sa agahan, at babantayan ang sariling pangangatawan. Bibilangin ang calories, iiwasan ang mga matatamis, mga saturated fat, mga energy drink, paninigarilyo, at pag-inom ng alak.

Habang siya ay nabubuhay ayos lang sa kaniya ang ganitong gawain.

Hanggang sa, syempre nagising siya sa ospital.

Pangkaraniwang araw iyon at kakatapos lang ng pagtitipon kasama ng kaniyang mga katrabaho. Tanghalian na at kumain lang siya ng kaunti nang bigla siyang makaramdam ng hilo, bumagsak sa sahig at sumusuka ng dugo.

Mabuti na lang mayroong taong nakakita sa kaniya at nadala agad sa siya ospital.

Sa susunod na mga araw ay nababalot siya ng takot at pangamba.

Ang sinabi ng mga doktor na walang kinalaman ang kaniyang naramdaman sa lahing sakit ng mga magulang niya. Nakita nila na parang may sumisira sa lalamunan at iba pang lamanloob ni Ida.

Basang-basa ng luha ang kaniyang unan at nagtataka kung paano ito nangyari sa kaniya.

Ginawa naman niya ng tama ang lahat, at tinanggihan niya ang mga bagay na magbubunga sa sarili niyang kamatayan.

Bakit ito nangyayari sa kaniya?

Nang sumapit ang gabi habang natutulog si Ida, tumapat ang ilaw sa katawan niya na nagmumula sa kabilugan ng buwan. Biglang may lumabas na alupihan na may kasabay na sapot sa bibig niya.

Umakyat ang alupihan sa bintana para bumalik sa kaniyang amo, nakita ng lalaki na gumuguhit ng dugo ang kaniyang alaga, tanda na pinagtagumpayan nito ang tungkuling inatas dito.

Nababalot ng takot si Ida sa buong buhay niya na maaring siyang biglang mamatay, ng hindi man lang niya namamalayan ang mga nangyayari sa kaniyang paligid.

Hindi ang mga kaibigang nasa tabi niya.

O ang kaniyang mga naging kaaway.

Binulsa ng lalaki ang kaniyang alagang alupihan at lumapit sa isang sasakyan para tanggapin ang bayad niya. Makapal na pera ang kaniyang natanggap at doble mula sa kanilang unang pinag-usapan. Kinuha niya ito at umalis sa ospital.

Nagtataka siya kung ano ang nagawa ng taong iyon para kunin ang kaniyang serbisyo.

Kinalimutang kasintahan?

Nagseselos na katrabaho?

Para makaganti?

Kung ano man iyan, maganda ang bayad.

Sana kumalat pa ang balita sa kaniyang ginagawa.

Dahil kailangan niya ng maraming kliyente.

=————————————————=

English Version

Ever since Ida was young, she hated her birthright.

The earliest incident that she could remember was when she was five years old. Her tito was babysitting her and they were playing out in the grass. It was a game of hide and seek. Ida thought that she had found the best spot to hide in, her tito couldn’t find her at all. When it was sundown she knew something was wrong.

She didn’t have to look far. Her tito’s body was facedown by the tree where he was counting down.

At the funeral they said there was something wrong with his heart. Ida listened to the older members of her family and found out he wasn’t the only one.

Tito Boy dead at age 45.

Lolo Abe dead at age 65.

Cousin Layla dead at age 26.

And those were the ones that her family was willing to talk about.

When she was twelve her parents sat her down to talk about their family’s history.

Her mother explained that heart problems were common on her side with a lot of her relatives having something called ‘a weak heart’. Ida didn’t understand the specifics but her mother just told her to be careful and if Ida experienced any symptoms, she should tell her immediately.

And every time Ida would be out of breath or have short palpitations, she would remember her mother saying, “It’s always better to go to the doctor. You don’t want to end up like your tito.”

Her father’s side had a different set of problems. There were many in his family that were obese and suffered from Type 2 diabetes. It explained why he would push Ida to do sports and eat healthy.

And so the years passed, bringing her to more reunions.

More heart attacks.

More strokes.

And even a suicide (That one hurt the most).

Through all this Ida endured.

She woke up every morning determined to live another day.

Her routine gave her a sense of purpose: Take her medications, work out, have a protein shake, eat a breakfast of fruits and oats, and monitor everything. Count calories, no sweets, no saturated fats, avoid energy drinks, no smoking, no drinking were only a few of the things she would keep in mind.

That was her life and she was at peace with it.

Until she woke up in the hospital, of course.

It was a normal day, she had just finished a meeting with her associates and sat down to have lunch. She took a few bites and started to feel dizzy, crumpling to the floor and vomiting blood.

Thankfully someone had called an ambulance and rushed her to the emergency room.

What followed were days of uncertainty and fear.

The doctors said whatever Ida had wasn’t related to her hereditary issues. It looked like something had been ripping through her esophagus and organs.

Her pillow was soaked with tears. It wasn’t fair.

She had done everything right, denying herself even the smallest bit of pleasure just so she would know that she could see the next sunrise.

Why was this happening to her?

That evening, as the light of the full moon washed over her sleeping form, a small centipede with a gossamer thread crawled out of Ida’s mouth.

It made its way out the window towards its master, who, after seeing that the thread was red with her blood knew that his pet had done its duty.

Ida had spent her entire life with the shadow of death looming above her that she didn’t take the time to notice what was happening around her.

Not the friends by her side.

Or the enemies she had made.

The centipede’s master pocketed his pet and walked to the car where he would receive his payment. A fat roll of bills greeted him, double what they had agreed on. He took his spoils and left the hospital.

He wondered though what would anger a person so much that they would need his services?

A jilted lover?

A jealous workmate?

To settle a score?

Whatever it was, it paid well.

Hopefully word would spread.

He needed more clients.

=————————————————————-=

*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

Inspired by the Mambabarang legends from Siquijor

Mambabarang Illustration by Megel Ramiterre

FB: https://www.facebook.com/the.scribbler.meg/

IG: @_megel

*Note this story is in Tagalog

1. ‘Yung batang babae sa palengke. Hindi maayos ang pagkakabalot niya sa mga gulay.
2. ‘Yung buntis na sumakay sa pinapara kong taxi. Nagkamali ka, pero hindi ibig sabihin noon ay pagbibigyan na kita.
3. ‘Yung tsuper ng dyip na muntikan nang makasagasa sa ‘kin. Hindi siya nararapat na magmaneho.
4. ‘Yung babaeng sumingit sa pila sa tren. Dahil lang mayroon siyang bag na Louis Vuitton, akala niya puwede na niyang gawin ang kahit anong gusto niya.
5. ‘Yung batang lalaking hindi tumitikom ang bibig. Sumakit ang ulo ko sa kakadaldal niya.
6. ‘Yung tinedyer na umubo sa tabi ko. Malay ko ba kung anong mga sakit ang puwedeng dala niya. Dapat siyang turuan ng magandang asal.
7. ‘Yung sekyu sa istasyon ng tren. Silipin mo na lang ang bag ko nang mabilis tayong matapos. Muntikan na akong maiwan ng tren dahil sa kaniya.
8. ‘Yung nagbebenta ng fishball. Sobrang mahal ng presyuhan niya.
9. ‘Yung batang babaeng ‘yon. Akala niya sa kaniya umiikot ang mundo dahil lang maganda siya. Maghintay ka lang. Mamalasin ka rin balang-araw.
10. ‘Yung mga turista. Akala ba nila ay puwede silang mambastos sa bayan ko? Hindi ko ‘yon papayagan. Malalaman nila na kailangan muna nilang magbigay-galang bago sila galangin.

Ibinaba ng matandang babae ang kaniyang panulat at bumuntong-hininga siya. Talagang nakakapagod ang araw na ito. Sobrang daming taong sumubok sa pasensya niya, at, siyempre, nabigo silang lahat. Tumingin siya sa labas ng kaniyang bintana at inisip niya ang lahat ng pinagdaanan niya para lang makauwi. Baka mas maganda ang araw niya bukas.

11. ‘Yung batang lalaking may alagang aso. Hindi niya kayang kontrolin ang alaga niya, nalawayan tuloy ako.
12. ‘Yung mga batang nagtatatalon sa parke. Hinintay kong may mabagok sa kanila pero walang nangyari.
13. ‘Yung tumatakbo na nakabangga sa akin. Dapat niyang tingnan ang dinaraanan niya.
14. ‘Yung tsuper ng taxi na naghatid sa ‘kin pauwi. Ibinaba niya ang bintana at nanutsot ng babaeng dumaraan. Ang kapal!
15. ‘Yung deliveryman. Sabi niya, darating ang package ko nang alas kuwatro ng hapon at naghintay ako hanggang alas singko. Ang pangit ng serbisyo.

Palala na ito nang palala. Labasan lang dapat ng sama ng loob ang listahan kung saan niya maibubunton ang mga kagustuhan niya nang hindi kinakailangang gamitin ang kaniyang salamangka. Ngunit palagi na lang may mga taong nakakaabala sa kaniya. Mga taong walang laman ang mga ulo ngunit kung makaasta ay tila mas magaling sila. Mga tao na kung makaasta ay tila pag-aari nila ang mundo.

Siyempre, kinamumuhian niya silang lahat, maging ang mga taong walang ginawa sa kaniya. Dahil makakasalamuha niya sila ‘di kalaunan at kakailanganin niyang itikom ang kaniyang kamao para masigurong hindi niya maitataas ang kaniyang daliri. Napalayas na siya sa maraming bayan nang malaman ng mga tao kung ano talaga siya.

Hindi na iyon mangyayari muli. Pangako niya iyon sa kaniyang sarili. Daragdagan niya lang nang daragdagan ang laman ng listahan at mawawala rin katagalan ang kaniyang galit. Kailangang mawala iyon.

16. ‘Yung pusa na gumising sa akin. Tuwing umaga na lang, nang-iistorbo siya.
17. ‘Yung mga hangal kong kapitbahay. Ayaw nilang tumigil sa pang-uusisa sa buhay ko. Hindi ba nila puwedeng tantanan ang isang matandang babae?
18. ‘Yung naglalako ng taho. Ayaw niyang tumigil kakasigaw sa umaga. Masahol na nga na palaging dumadalaw ‘yung pusa, problema ko pati siya.
19. ‘Yung mga misyonaryong may dalang Bibliya—————-

Tama na. Tama na ito. Ni hindi niya kayang malampasan ang umaga nang hindi kumukulo ang dugo niya sa poot. Marahil ay isa itong pahiwatig mula sa nasa ibaba. Kailangan niyang ibalik ang dati niyang pagkatao, kumawala sa gumagapos sa kaniya, at ipaalam sa mga tao na mas mababa sila.

Binuksan niya ang pinto at itinaas ang kaniyang kamay nang nakaturo sa kalangitan ang isang daliri.

Magsisimula siya sa pusa hanggang sa matapos niya ang pinakakinamumuhian niya.

=————————————————————-=

English Version

1.The girl at the market. She didn’t pack the vegetables right.

2.The pregnant woman that took the taxi I was hailing. Just because you made a mistake doesn’t mean I have to bow to you.

3.The jeepney driver that almost ran me over. He doesn’t deserve to drive.

4.That woman that cut the line at the train. She thinks that just because she has a Louis Vuitton bag that she can do what she wants.

5.That little boy that wouldn’t stop talking. His incessant yapping gave me a headache.

6.That teenager that coughed beside me. Who knows what kind of diseases he might have. Someone should teach him manners.

7.The security guard at the train station. Just look through my bag and be done with it. Because of him I nearly missed my train.

8.The fishball vendor. His prices were robbery, plain and simple.

9.That girl. Thinking she can own the world because she’s beautiful. Wait and see, one day you’ll get what’s coming to you.

10.Those tourists. Thinking that they can be rude in my town? I will not let that happen. They need to know that respect begets respect.

The old woman put her pen down and sighed. Today was so tiring, there were so many people that tested her patience, and, of course, all of them had failed. She gazed outside her window and imagined all the things that she had to go through just to get back home. Maybe tomorrow would be better.

11.That boy with the dog. He couldn’t keep his animal under control and it slobbered all over me.

12.Those brats that were jumping around at the park. I waited for the moment one of them would crack their skulls but it never came.

13.That jogger that bumped into me. She should look where she’s going.

14.The taxi driver that brought me home. He rolled down the window and catcalled a woman passing by. The nerve of him!

15.The deliveryman. They said my package would arrive at 4pm and I waited until 5. Such shoddy service.

It was getting worse. The list was supposed to be an outlet, one way where she could sublimate her desires and release them without resorting to her magic. But day in and day out there were those that got in her way. Those that thought they knew better even if there wasn’t anything inside their heads, those that thought the world belonged to them.

She hated all of them, of course, even the ones that did nothing to her. Because eventually, they would cross her path and she would have to ball her hand into a fist to make sure she didn’t raise her finger. She had been chased out of many towns when the people found out what she was.

It wouldn’t happen again. That’s what she promised herself. Just keep adding to the list and all the anger would eventually stop. She needed it to stop.

16.That cat that woke me up. Every single morning it’s there.

17.My stupid neighbors. They won’t stop snooping into my life. Can’t they just leave an old woman alone?

18.The taho vendor. He won’t stop shouting in the morning.
Bad enough the cat is there, I have to deal with him too.

19.Those Bible bearing missionaries—————-

Enough. It was enough. She couldn’t even make it though the morning without boiling over in rage. Maybe this was a sign from down below. She needed to be herself again, to let loose and make the humans know their place.

She opened the door and raised her hand, one finger to the sky.

She’d start with the cat and work her way up from there.

=——————————————————————————————=

**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

Inspired by the Tagalog Hukloban legends

Diwata Illustration by Kristienne Amante
FB: Creatorivm

IG: @creatorivm_

*Note this story is in Pangasinan / Pangasinense

1. Amay bii ëd tindaan. Ag to inyan ëd pananginan iray pising.

1. Amay malukon a angala ëd paparaën kon luluganan. Aliwan lapo’d alingo ka ët ondakmomo ak ëd sika.

2. Amay draybër na jeep ya akatalapos lawari ëd siyak. Ag to nëpëg so man-drive.

3. Aman a bii ya inunaan to ak ëd pila. Say amta to nagawaan to lan amin lapo labat ëd wala so bag ton Louis Vuitton.

4. Atan a ugaw ya aga ontondan mansalita. Iitdan to ak na sakit na ulo.

5. Amay ugaw ya imukok ëd abay ko. Syupa so makan-amta ëd sakit to. Ibangat da kumon na dugan kagagawa.

6. Amay guwardiya ëd estasyon a tren. Sumpalën to lan nengnengen iya so bag ko. Atilak ak lawari lapud sikato.

7. Amay managlako na pisbol. Singa labat mantatakëw ëd kamablian a lako to.

8. Atan a bii. Nonot to gawa to’y intiron dalin lapo’d magana. Unsabi-sabi so agëw mo.

9. Araratan a turista. Abalang da makapanlastog ira? Aga ak umpayag. Dapat naamtaan da ya say respeto ët mangipawil na respeto.

Inlëksab to may akulaw so lapis to insan imëngas na aralëm. Makapakësaw iyan agëw, amayamay so simubok ëd pasensiya to, balët, amin akayanan to. Nimnëngnëng sikato ëd bintana insan ninonot so amin a ginawa tan inarap to piyan makasëmpët. Piyan nabwas mas maabig la.

1. Amay ugaw ya wala so kaiban aso. Ag to naparëën may aso ton man-ilol ëd siyak.

2. Araman a bëngër ya ugugaw ya manlukso diyad parki. Inalagar kon wala so nabëtagan a lapislapis na ulo, balët anggapo so agawa.

3. Amay umbabatik ya akadumbo ëd siyak. Nëngnëngën to kumon so dadalanan to.

4. Amay drayber na taxi ya nanpatnubang ëd siyak. Inleksab toy bintana na luluganan tan nanngisiw ëd biin dimalan. Nayari lasi ya!

15.Amay man-iitër na impawit. Imbaga to onsabi imay pawit ko na alas-kwatro ya ngarëm balët inalagar ko anggad alas-singko. Makapoy a serbisyo.

Mas onaaliwa so nagagawa. Amay listaan kumon, para’d panagpaway na saray labay ton nagawa piyan ag la man-usar na mahika. Balët diyad inagëw-agëw ton panagpaway, wala ’ray arum a nasasabat to. Iramay say nonot da maamta ira anggano anggapo so otëk da, iramay say nonot da gawa ra so intiron dalin.

Kabusol to iran amin, anggano iramay anggapo so ginawa ra ëd sikato. Ta unsansia, nasabat to ira lamët, insan man-akop ya lima to pian ag to nitagëy ‘san nituro to so gamët to ëd tawën. Amimpiga da lan pinapaway sikato ëd amayamay lan balëy nen naamtaan da so aliwan gagawaën to.

Balët ag la naulit. Insipan to la ëd sikato. Man-arum labat ëd listaan pian nabalang so pëtang-na-ulo. Kaukolan iyan ontonda.

1. Atan a pusa ya nanbangon ëd siyak. Inagëw-agëw itan ya wadtan.

2. Aramay atapis kon kaonay. Ag da ak tondaan ëd panagbilay ko. Akin ët ag ira ontondan mibabali?

3. Amay managlako ya taho. Aga ontotondan man-ëyag ëd kabwasan. Wala la lanti so pusan aarapën ko, imarum ni anggad sikato.

4. Araman a nandi-bibliyan misyonero. . .

Tonda la. Tonda la ‘ya. Ag to ni ingen makasumpal na kabwasan a ag umpëpëtang so ulo to. Manlalapo lagi iya’d dalem a dalin. Kaukolan ton umpawil ëd tuwan sikato pian makalinawa ‘san ipanëngnëng ëd saray totoo no inër so kanëpëgan da.

Inlokas to so pinto insan to intagëy so lima to, akaturo ed tawën so sakëy a gamët.

Umpisaan to ëd samay pusa insan to la isublay iramay arum.

=——————————————————————————–=

English Version

1.The girl at the market. She didn’t pack the vegetables right.

2.The pregnant woman that took the taxi I was hailing. Just because you made a mistake doesn’t mean I have to bow to you.

3.The jeepney driver that almost ran me over. He doesn’t deserve to drive.

4.That woman that cut the line at the train. She thinks that just because she has a Louis Vuitton bag that she can do what she wants.

5.That little boy that wouldn’t stop talking. His incessant yapping gave me a headache.

6.That teenager that coughed beside me. Who knows what kind of diseases he might have. Someone should teach him manners.

7.The security guard at the train station. Just look through my bag and be done with it. Because of him I nearly missed my train.

8.The fishball vendor. His prices were robbery, plain and simple.

9.That girl. Thinking she can own the world because she’s beautiful. Wait and see, one day you’ll get what’s coming to you.

10.Those tourists. Thinking that they can be rude in my town? I will not let that happen. They need to know that respect begets respect.

The old woman put her pen down and sighed. Today was so tiring, there were so many people that tested her patience, and, of course, all of them had failed. She gazed outside her window and imagined all the things that she had to go through just to get back home. Maybe tomorrow would be better.

11.That boy with the dog. He couldn’t keep his animal under control and it slobbered all over me.

12.Those brats that were jumping around at the park. I waited for the moment one of them would crack their skulls but it never came.

13.That jogger that bumped into me. She should look where she’s going.

14.The taxi driver that brought me home. He rolled down the window and catcalled a woman passing by. The nerve of him!

15.The deliveryman. They said my package would arrive at 4pm and I waited until 5. Such shoddy service.

It was getting worse. The list was supposed to be an outlet, one way where she could sublimate her desires and release them without resorting to her magic. But day in and day out there were those that got in her way. Those that thought they knew better even if there wasn’t anything inside their heads, those that thought the world belonged to them.

She hated all of them, of course, even the ones that did nothing to her. Because eventually, they would cross her path and she would have to ball her hand into a fist to make sure she didn’t raise her finger. She had been chased out of many towns when the people found out what she was.

It wouldn’t happen again. That’s what she promised herself. Just keep adding to the list and all the anger would eventually stop. She needed it to stop.

16.That cat that woke me up. Every single morning it’s there.

17.My stupid neighbors. They won’t stop snooping into my life. Can’t they just leave an old woman alone?

18.The taho vendor. He won’t stop shouting in the morning.
Bad enough the cat is there, I have to deal with him too.

19.Those Bible bearing missionaries—————-

Enough. It was enough. She couldn’t even make it though the morning without boiling over in rage. Maybe this was a sign from down below. She needed to be herself again, to let loose and make the humans know their place.

She opened the door and raised her hand, one finger to the sky.

She’d start with the cat and work her way up from there.

*Pangasinan (Salitan Pangasinan) – sometimes called Pangasinense is one of the major languages of the Philippines. It is the language spoken in the province of Pangasinan, on the west-central seaboard of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, the northern portion of Tarlac and southwestern La Union, most of whom belong to the Pangasinan ethnic group. Pangasinan is also understood in some municipalities in Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, and by the Aeta or Aeta of Zambales.

Written by Karl Gaverza

Translation by Dean Alfred Narra
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Translation Copyright ©Dean Alfred Narra

Inspired by the Tagalog Hukloban legends

Hukloban Illustration by Kristienne Amante
FB: Creatorivm

1.The girl at the market. She didn’t pack the vegetables right.

2.The pregnant woman that took the taxi I was hailing. Just because you made a mistake doesn’t mean I have to bow to you.

3.The jeepney driver that almost ran me over. He doesn’t deserve to drive.

4.That woman that cut the line at the train. She thinks that just because she has a Louis Vuitton bag that she can do what she wants.

5.That little boy that wouldn’t stop talking. His incessant yapping gave me a headache.

6.That teenager that coughed beside me. Who knows what kind of diseases he might have. Someone should teach him manners.

7.The security guard at the train station. Just look through my bag and be done with it. Because of him I nearly missed my train.

8.The fishball vendor. His prices were robbery, plain and simple.

9.That girl. Thinking she can own the world because she’s beautiful. Wait and see, one day you’ll get what’s coming to you.

10.Those tourists. Thinking that they can be rude in my town? I will not let that happen. They need to know that respect begets respect.

The old woman put her pen down and sighed. Today was so tiring, there were so many people that tested her patience, and, of course, all of them had failed. She gazed outside her window and imagined all the things that she had to go through just to get back home. Maybe tomorrow would be better.

11.That boy with the dog. He couldn’t keep his animal under control and it slobbered all over me.

12.Those brats that were jumping around at the park. I waited for the moment one of them would crack their skulls but it never came.

13.That jogger that bumped into me. She should look where she’s going.

14.The taxi driver that brought me home. He rolled down the window and catcalled a woman passing by. The nerve of him!

15.The deliveryman. They said my package would arrive at 4pm and I waited until 5. Such shoddy service.

It was getting worse. The list was supposed to be an outlet, one way where she could sublimate her desires and release them without resorting to her magic. But day in and day out there were those that got in her way. Those that thought they knew better even if there wasn’t anything inside their heads, those that thought the world belonged to them.

She hated all of them, of course, even the ones that did nothing to her. Because eventually, they would cross her path and she would have to ball her hand into a fist to make sure she didn’t raise her finger. She had been chased out of many towns when the people found out what she was.

It wouldn’t happen again. That’s what she promised herself. Just keep adding to the list and all the anger would eventually stop. She needed it to stop.

16.That cat that woke me up. Every single morning it’s there.

17.My stupid neighbors. They won’t stop snooping into my life. Can’t they just leave an old woman alone?

18.The taho vendor. He won’t stop shouting in the morning.
Bad enough the cat is there, I have to deal with him too.

19.Those Bible bearing missionaries—————-

Enough. It was enough. She couldn’t even make it though the morning without boiling over in rage. Maybe this was a sign from down below. She needed to be herself again, to let loose and make the humans know their place.

She opened the door and raised her hand, one finger to the sky.

She’d start with the cat and work her way up from there.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the Tagalog Hukloban legends

Diwata Illustration by Kristienne Amante
FB: Creatorivm

“Okay let’s start over again.” Diosdado was getting impatient. They’d been working on this for four nights straight and they still didn’t have any solid answers.

“Calm down Dio,” said Angela. She was tired too and she wanted more than anything to solve this mystery, but attacking it head on would just cause more confusion. They needed to think outside the box.

“Ange, it’s been four days. I don’t want to go out and find another victim.” Diosdado’s eyes blazed with fiery conviction.

Angela saw that there was no use in dissuading her longtime partner and she sighed. “Alright, let’s go through everything one more time.”

“The victim was found strangled and her body left in the park at Quezon City Circle. Police arrived at the scene thirty minutes from when the body was first found. In those thirty minutes we managed to examine the body and found signs consistent with a paranormal attack. There were marks everywhere on the body as if she had been bound by rope and there was hair in her mouth as well as in her nose and ears. The victim looked emaciated as if she hadn’t eaten in days—“

“Consistent with their life force being sucked out of them,” Angela interrupted.

“Which leads us to believe it might be some sort of aswang that targeted the victim,” Diosdado continued. “The police took the body to the morgue right away so we couldn’t examine it further and now—“

“We’ve hit a wall,” Angela finished.

Diosdado slammed his fist against the wall. It happened so suddenly that Angela jumped out of her seat. She placed her hand on his shoulder and said, “Let’s run through the usual suspects alright? We might find something if we go through the list.”

“Alright, alright,” Diosdado said. Maybe there’s something there.

“What about a gabunan? Strangulation isn’t anything new to them and they aren’t affected by weakness during the day. They’re also very fast, no one in the park would have seen them do the deed.”

“It doesn’t fit. Gabunan are the oldest and strongest of aswang. They wouldn’t risk being seen in such a public place. And their hair is usually white. From what we saw the hair in the victim was jet black. They like to see their victims suffer. They’re known for making copies of their victim from banana trunks and making the copy arrive home until it dies which is a signal to kill the real victim.”

“Hmmm, good point. What about a katanod? They look like ordinary people. It would be easy for them to blend into the crowd after strangling the victim.”

“The victim wasn’t pregnant or at least not obviously so. Katanod usually follow their victims home to be around the fetus.”

“Scratch another one off the list. How about a mandarangkal?”
“The victim was female. Mandarangkal only seduce men. They’re also very particular about eating the flesh of their victims. Whatever happened to this one was something a lot more subtle.”

“A korokoto could sneak in and out of the park without being noticed if it turned into a cat.”

“They’re not usually seen this far north. And they cook their victims. If this was a korokoto then there wouldn’t be a victim for us to find.”

“The Alasip?”

“They eat the livers of their victims. There was no blood around the victim’s abdomen and no signs that her liver was taken.”

“Harimodon?”

“I think people would have noticed a giant wild boar in the park. There weren’t any injuries that were consistent with being attacked by a Harimodon.”

“Maybe it was a newly turned yanggaw?”

“Yanggaw that have been newly turned to aswang have a manic bloodlust. They crave human flesh. If it was one of those then we wouldn’t have seen her body intact.”

“Let’s look at it from the point of the life force being drained. What about an aswang na gala? The last time we were against one they fed off the life energy of those poor patients in that ICU.”

“It doesn’t seem like something an aswang na gala would do. They’re psychic vampires, yes, but their victims are usually stressed, sick or dying. All the ones I’ve encountered would shadow hospitals and pick their victims carefully so as to not arouse suspicion.”

“Well let’s put a pin in that first and get back to it later. What’s next? The bangkilan?”

“We’re not in Palawan so I don’t think that they’re what we’re looking for. Besides they usually play around with their victims, kissing them so that they become aswang as well. Whatever did this doesn’t have that kind of subtlety.”

“A hubot could have made a quick getaway.”

“Yes, they have those large wings, but none of the witnesses we interviewed said that they saw a giant bat anywhere near the body.”

“It could have been really fast.”

“Maybe, but I don’t think that’s it. What’s next?”

“The sinasa’ban. It’s a good candidate for aswang that absorbs life essence from humans.”

“Yes, but it does so carefully. They’re attracted by the phlegm and excrement of sick people. The victim was healthy by all appearances. It sucks the victim’s life out little by little, not all at once like what happened here.”

“Tigabulak?”

“The victim’s too old. Tigabulak only hunt children.”

“Wait I think I’ve got it. What about the kubot?”

Diosdado’s face lit up for the first time in four days.

“Yes, I see what you’re getting at. The kubot uses its long hair as tentacles and wraps it around the victim and in some cases the hair goes into other orifices in the body. The life force of the victim is drained through the hair and the aswang leaves behind the withered husk.”

Angela smiled. It took a while for them to get there but at least they had the first part of the puzzle figured out.

“What now,” Angela said, “We know what caused the attack, but how do we know where it’s going to strike next?”

“The kubot look like ordinary humans, only with long hair—“

“So do we ask every rocker with long hair to stop and hold calamansi?”

“No, but they are creatures of habit. I bet if we hang around the park it will strike again.”

“I think it’s a little too late for that.”

Angela pointed to the TV. There was a news report about another victim being found at the same park. The newscaster was warning people to go in groups and to be alert about their surroundings.

“Dammit!” Diosdado’s fist slammed the wall again. “We’re too late.”

“Not for whoever’s next.”

Angela picked up her wards and stingray tail. Diosdado followed suit and slung his bolo around his back.

Knowing full well that they might not survive the patrol, they stopped and looked each other in the eye. This life hadn’t been the easiest on either of them, but as long as they were together they would push though it and fight.

That’s what warriors do.

Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by the different aswang legends

Kubot Illustration by Austin Salameda
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinsalameda

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Do you know what it’s like to fly? To soar through the heavens without a care in the world, leaving all the worries of your life behind?

I do.

My daughters and I are called witches by some, beautiful by all. We are misunderstood, maligned, magnificent and majestic. We care not for the petty words used by mortals to try to make sense of what we are.

We can reach the skies in the dead of night through our magic oil, a gift from the spirits that we serve. Its blackish hue belies a magic greater than the sum of its parts.

There was one time when we invited two young men to dine in our house, we gave them food and shelter, all to keep their defenses low until we struck. They were tired from their voyage from Batangas, and we knew they would be easy pickings.

It was when we left to take our evening flight that they found our oil and saw the power it had. The humans were too afraid to use it for themselves, and I could not blame them, what mortals do not understand, they fear, and what they fear, they run from.

We never heard from those men again, and we did not want to, there will be more prey for us to have, and, in truth, the night sky is all we will ever want to have, to flirt amongst the stars in a dance of pure ecstasy.

The oil is more than just a source of magic for our kind. It is freedom in liquid form. It allows us to touch the face of the Skyworld and see creation as if we were gods.

Flying is the ultimate freedom, and with our oil, we will fly until the end of time.

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Written by Karl Gaverza
Copyright © Karl Gaverza

Inspired by ‘The Magic Oil.’ in Philippine Folk Literature: The Legends. Eugenio. 2002.

Aswang (Oriental Mindoro) Illustration by Ysa Peñas
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