*Note this story is in Waray
Naaabat ko an mapinit nga puthaw san kutsilyo nga naduon sa ak panit.
Nagtikang ini alas-5:30 san kulop. Waray pag-iha an uyag san basketbol ngan ginpapauli ak dayon ni Nanay sanglit nagdagmit ak tipauli. Maluya an tunog, pero klarado. Nangulaw ak sa ak tuo ngan pakakulaw ko sa puno san santol maaram na ak dayon kun nano adto.
“Wak….wak…..wak….”
Nagyayagingying an tunog sa ak mga talinga ngan tigda ko nahinumduman an tingog san ak mga apoy, “Kun makusog an huni san wakwak karuyag sidngon harayo ini, pero pagtagam kun maluya an huni kay karuyag sidngon harani ini.” Namiminit an ak dugo pakasulod ko gud la sa balay.
An puno san santol aada gud sa bawbaw sa yungod san kwarto san akon kag-anak, sanglit maaram ak nga kinahanglan ko bistahon kun mayaon didto bisan nano nga maruruyagan san wakwak. Pakakulaw ko san ak burod nga iroy nga nagkukulaw TV, maaram na ak. Nagtikang na an away.
Nagdalagan ak tikadto sa kusina pagkuha sin kutsilyo, kagaan san pamati sa ak kamot, bangin tungod kay sigurado ak kun mag-aanano. Gintago ko an kutsilyo sa ak sarwal, ngan tinupad paglingkod kan Nanay, naghuhulat sa takna nga igluluros san halimaw an kanya baga nga dila.
Naghulat ak.
Naghulat ak.
Mga 30 minutos ak nga nagbantay. 30 minutos tubtob ginawas ak sa may puno san santol pamati kun nakadto pa an huni.
Naghulat ak pero nawara na ini.
Hasta yana, karuyag ko huna-hunaon nga inabat adto nga halimaw nga andam ak umato ngan diri niya madadali-dali an ak iroy. Pero nanggigirabo la gihapon ak kada ko pangungulaw sa puno san santol, mala naglalaum ak makabati sin mahuyo nga musika sin
“Wak…..wak…..wak….”
=——————–=
English Version
I could feel the cold steel of the knife pressing against my skin.
It started at 5:30 pm. The basketball game didn’t take too long and my mom wanted me home early so I rushed home as soon as I could. The sound was faint, but very distinct. I looked towards my right and when I saw the santol tree I knew exactly what it was.
“Wak….wak…..wak….”
The sound rang in my ears and suddenly I was hit with my grandparents voices, “If the wakwak sound is loud then that means the creature is far, but be careful if the voice is soft, for that means it is very near.” My blood ran cold the moment I entered the house.
The santol tree was right above the bedroom of my parents, so I knew I had to see if there was anything there that the wakwak might want. When I saw my pregnant mother watching TV, that’s when I knew. The fight had begun.
I raced to the kitchen to get a knife, it felt light in my hand,
probably because I was sure of what I had to do. I hid the knife in my shorts, and sat next to my mother, waiting for the moment the monster would let loose its red tongue.
I waited.
I waited.
It was 30 minutes that I stayed on guard. 30 minutes until I ventured outside to the santol tree to hear if the voice persisted.
I waited and it was gone.
To this day, I’d like to think the creature sensed that I was ready for a fight and that my mother wouldn’t be easy prey. But there are still shivers down my spine every time I look at that santol tree, half expecting to hear a soft falsetto of
“Wak…..wak…..wak….”
=——————————————=
*Waray is the fifth-most-spoken native regional language of the Philippines, native to Eastern Visayas. It is the native language of the Waray people and second language of the Abaknon people of Capul, Northern Samar and some Cebuano-speaking peoples of eastern and southern parts of Leyte island. It is the third most spoken language among the Visayan languages, only behind Hiligaynon and Cebuano.
Written by Karl Gaverza
Waray translation by Jeremy Evardone
Copyright © Karl Gaverza
Translation Copyright © Jeremy Evardone
Inspired by a story told by Ian Quirante
Wak-wak Illustration by Ian Quirante
FB: Ian Quirante Illustrations
IG: https://www.instagram.com/iq_artworks/
