My First Ever Halloween Experience

You don’t need to be a house to be haunted. I just got home 8:30 AM today from Manila. All the time, from 225 kilometers south of Baguio City (I’m not sure of the name of the place), my hair keeps standing on end. Even as I’m blogging this, I actually feel like someone is behind me watching over what I am supposed to be writing. It really freaks me out the way I can’t get the feeling off since we passed by that place.

 

It was a wonderful day to take a trip to Manila and meet my grandparents at the airport by 11PM. Mom told me they (grandparents) were coming home from the States so she asked me to accompany her brothers as she could not go herself since she had her students to teach.

 

We started around 4PM Sunday afternoon with my Uncle Jun, Uncle Allan, Uncle Moses, my cousin Mancela, my uncle in-law’s brother (Sorry, I don’t know his name. Is there such a name as uncle in-law by the way?) and the driver (don’t know his name too but he’s a friend of my uncle in-law’s brother). It was really fun, the way to Manila as there were lots of sights to see and I was fascinated as how Moses (he’s 7 years younger than I am so I don’t usually call him ‘uncle’) was intently watching the sights. I recall, he sought for a chance to tour but yet because of time constraints, we could not. He kept repeating if we were able to start earlier, we could have had a tour. He really was disappointed and so he satisfied himself in watching the sights on the way to Manila. There wasn’t much to see but then it’s all we had and could do.

 

So we reached the airport at about 10:30 PM and we waited for my grandparent’s flight to arrive. Estimated time of arrival was at 11:00 so we had time to roam and get a little familiar with the place, at the same time stretching our tired legs and cramping butts from a 6-hour ride.

 

We got really excited when 20 minutes later, the plane arrived and we all felt like kids, waiting for candy and Santa Claus at Christmas time. My cousin was first to spot my grandparents and we rushed to where my uncles were. They also spotted their parents from the CCTV camera from the hallway leading away from the plane’s exit gate.

 

Shouts of welcome came from every corner as not only us but every relative and friend of the passengers welcomed their own ‘balikbayans’. As for us, the hugs and slaps at the back never ended until we were at where we parked the van, which was at a prohibited parking spot just few feet from the main entrance of the arrival area for passengers. We managed to still park out there without being noticed by the clueless guards. We were not able to fool some of the people around waiting for their own relatives, though. My cousin and I were laughing at the situation since we heard some people calling out, “Bawal diyan. (That’s not allowed.)”, referring to where we just parked. Yet, we just exchanged glances, smiled our most unusual evil smiles and then followed the others to the waiting area.

We started out again, headed for Baguio City. We were all sleepy as we only had a little sleep coming down. We stopped at a gasoline station just outside of Manila and there, we ate at Chowking. Hmmm. Yeah, their young beefsteak lauriat, I think it was called, was sooooooo damn good. I’ll definitely try this fantastic delicacy again when I get to Baguio.

 

We were on the road again and it all became quiet. All was sleeping. Only my grandparents were not since maybe they slept on the plane, which was much more comfortable, I would guess, than this cramped van.

 

At about 1-2 am, I thought I was dreaming when I heard someone crying (the chills at my back are starting to crawl up my neck even more). I realized the van had stopped. I woke up and our driver was crying. There was something different about the way he cried. It was not the usual crying since it felt as if he was soooo scared. He was like crying like he never cried before. Then and there, I looked around at where we were (I didn’t want to but I was curious). Damn, I was so shocked and scared it was a relief to know I had both my Uncles Jun and Moses at either side of me and my Uncle Allan behind us. My uncle in-law’s brother (let’s just call him ULB, from this time on) was right at the passenger’s seat and I could see he was also so shocked and scared. He tried to speak with our driver but then to no avail. Our driver just kept crying that way.

 

My grandparents started talking and I started shaking. Damn, a lot of things came to my mind and I also think that was why my grandparents were speaking not to us but as if there was someone else with us. It’s part of the Igorot belief and customs of the old generation to speak this way to what we call, ‘anito’ (spirits) to either tell them we have no intentions of hurting them and thus not hurt us too or to plead that they go home where they belong and not do the things they do. It was when my grandparents spoke like this that I knew there was an ‘entity’ around us somewhere. My hair started to stand on end and my breathing escalated. My never-failing ingenious brain started working and showing reels of ghastly scenarios. I tried to shake the thoughts away but they kept coming back. I was so scared, I was rooted at where I was. I never looked outside the window again. I never moved. I prayed right that instant. I exchanged glances with Mancela and I saw she too was shocked and frightened with what happened. I wanted to laugh that instant but how could I when our driver was crying that way. Good thing there was a gasoline station just a few feet from where we stopped so we opted to stop for a while as our driver collects his thoughts and rest for a while.

 

Damn, that was really creepy. We were out of the van and Mancela and I never left each other’s sides even as we went to the restroom, only 3 meters away. We were still so shocked that we never said a thing. We just knew we had to stick together.

 

I remembered Sunday morning, Mancela and I was watching a Halloween special hosted by Drew Arellano (I think). It was about entities in some spots along the way to the north, which meant the expressways (like the Subic expressway) and such where accidents happened and the souls of the dead were still lingering at these spots. It is believed that these entities were causing trouble and showing themselves to certain travelers at different times at night and at the wee hours of the morning. The Halloween special even had testimonies from individuals who experienced seeing or hearing these entities. What really freaked us out was these testimonies and the re-enactments. It was the first thing that came to mind when that happened and it really really creeps me out whenever I think of it. It just keeps popping out of my head.

 

Later, we heard that the driver’s brother who was a soldier had a stroke and at that very same minute we started out from Manila, his remains were at Quezon City for the wake. Our driver had not received any notifications that this happened. It was only after we were a few miles out of Manila when someone sent him a message that his brother had a stroke and died.

 

We thought maybe the brother showed himself, thinking maybe why didn’t our driver even stop to see him when we were still in Manila. So eerie. I know I wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight so as I am writing this, I’m streaming some Korean dramas I plan to watch online until the sun shines once more.

 

I did everything but I couldn’t get the thought of this out of my head. It’s still creepy how the chills still remain crawling up my spine and the hairs at the back of my neck keep standing on end. I already prayed to the Lord to help me not to be afraid and to guide and bless all the relatives and friends of our driver’s brother, that they keep strong. I also prayed for the dead brother that he may reach heaven and be forgiven for his sins, and that he would watch over his family, relatives and friends that they may not come to be harmed by anything seen and unseen.

 

I immediately took a bath after I came home thinking maybe the feeling and the chills would go away but to no avail. Here I am blogging as I think it may calm my thoughts but again I fail. My last resort was to watch and divert these feelings and thoughts into something more pleasant.

 

So here I am watching Sungkyunkwan Scandal. I am about to finish this drama and am streaming another Korean drama, Personal Taste which stars Lee Min Ho, the star of Boys Over Flowers.

 

If the feeling still does not go away, I would keep watching and streaming Korean Dramas until it does.

 

****

Lord, I know you are always there guiding me and watching over me in everything I do. You are always in my heart and I know you would not leave me feeling this way. I seek for your help and continued guidance and blessings that I may overcome what I’m feeling right now so that I could live as a better person, in my right mind for me to serve you well as your servant. Thank you Lord. Good night.

 

 

I was not alone

Electricity’s back on and here I rush to check my e-mail messages and send messages to my family and friends whom I have not been able to contact for a while.

Northern Philippines has been trashed by Typhoon ‘Juan’, internationally codenamed ‘Megi’. I was so alone in our apartment and was really contemplating on going to a friend’s house but yet the cold, splatter of the heavy rain and the flooded streets restricted me to do so. Water was everywhere—even inside our apartment. I kept myself busy on trying to block all wholes and cracks that water would enter and at the same time, keeping the doors and windows from opening and closing. I was already scarce on materials to use for blocking these cracks. I gave up. I thought it would be easier if I left it at that and maybe tomorrow, it could hold til this nightmare ends.


I tried to sleep. I tried closing my eyes and feel that great slumber everyone talks about. I didn't. Then a creepy sound brought me to my haunches. Woooooooo… The wind was so strong it felt the whole apartment building would fly off the ground into that vast nowhere we call space. The sound of the wind among the walls of the surrounding buildings brought me goosebumps everywhere. A tingling feeling run up my back and I sensed it was fear. Or was it not?

I had no one to turn to. My sister went on a field trip, I don’t know where. I wasn’t able to contact her or even my family in the province. The internet connection is out, cell phone service is down, telephone lines are down. I had no way of reaching out into the world outside and know what was happening to the others. I prayed -- like I have never prayed before. You can think as if I was summoning all the forces of the Jedi knights and all the spirits of the underworld. It was like that -- praying for my family's safety, my relatives, my friends and all the families affected by the raging storm.

I was just lying there, praying within the four apple-green painted walls that surround me--alone, tired, cold, worried, scared and I couldn't stop the flow of tears running down my freezing cheeks as  turn about in bed unaware of the world outside -- just the echo of the heavy rain banging on the rooftops and the ear-splitting shrill of the wind. Just as I was about to make another impatient turn in bed, a knock came at the door, sat me right up. And then the lights went out.

I was not alone.

Technorati Tags: typhoon juan,megi,storm,supertyphoon,cyclone

"Langit, lupa, impiyerno..."

Nasa langit na ba ako?--Itong mga katagang ito ang tangi kong nasambit habang palinga-linga ako sa aking paligid.

Tila ako sirang napatitig nalang sa kawalan--na-shock, nanigas. Tila isang panaginip na bumalik sa aking alaala ang mga pangyayari kani-kanina lang. Di ko alam kung anong mararamdaman--amazement... takot... Ewan... Ni wala  na nga akong maramdaman, physically.

Nauulinigan ko pa ang isang pamilyar na tinig. Ginigising ako. Si Mama. Oo nga pala. Papasaok sina Mama at ang kapatid ko sa school ngayon. Teacher ang mama ko sa Mababang Paaralang Sentral ng Sagada habang ang kapatid kong bunso sa mataas na paaralang ng Sagada nag-aaral. Dito din ako lumaki at natuto sa piling ng dalawang eskuwelahang ito. Gising na! Ayan nanaman ang tinig.

Animo'y isang alingawngaw na paulit-ulit kong naririnig ang boses ni Mama. Gising na! Gising na! Ngunit sa wari'y ko'y madilim parin sa labas. Sa kagustuhan kong pahintuin ang nakakabinging tinig na ito'y sinakluban ko pa ang mga tenga ko ng unan saka lang ako nakatulog ulit. Ngunit wala pang ilang minuto, bigla akong napabangon. nang isang napakalakas na tunog ang marinig ko. Inaalimpungatan pa akong napabalikwas sa hinihigaan ko. Anong ingay 'yun? Parang bombang pinakawalan nalang kung saan. Napadungaw ako sa bintana at hindi ako makapaniwala sa aking natanaw. Puting-puti, animo'y makapal na usok at tanging ang mga bubong ng kabahayan at itaas ng punong nasa harapan ko ang tumambad sa aking mga matang pupungas-pungas. Hindi ko alam kung ako'y matutuwa, maiiyak o kaya'y matatakot sa mga sandaling iyon.

Patay na ba ako? Hindi puwede. Madami pa akong kailangang gawin at tapusin. may mga pangarap pa akong hindi natutupad. Hindi talaga pwede. Kung langit na nga ito'y bakit hindi kasiyahan ang nararamdaman ko kundi pagsisisi, takot at panghihinayang? Hindi maaari.

Sa isa nanamang iglap, biglang naglaho ang mga litratong pinapanood ko ngunit hindi ang puting usok na pumapalibot sa kinaroroonan ko. Doon ko lang napagtanto na mga ulap pala itong puting bagay na bumaba sa lupa-- hamog kumbaga pero sa sobrang kapal ay hindi mo makita ang nasa kabila nun. Yung malakas na tunog palang iyon ay yung pintuan sa baba na binalibag pasara ng kapatid ko pagkalabas niya ng bahay. Napatitig nanaman ako sa nasisilayan ng aking mga matang wala nang bakas ng pagkatakot. Napalitan ito ng pagkamangha sa natatanaw. Unti-unting nawawala yung ulap at nasisilayan ko na ang sinag ng araw. Ang ganda. Ang lamig ng simoy ng hanging dumampi sa aking mga pisngi.

Ganito pala ang pakiramdam ng muling makauwi sa Sagada makalipas ng ilang taong mamalagi sa siyudad. Ang sarap ng pakiramdam. Lalo na kung pagkagising mo ay ganito na lamang ang senaryong masasaksihan mo. Mga ulap saan ka man mapatingin. Mga ulap sa ituktok ng mga bundok animo'y hinahagkan ang mga ito. Mga ulap sa ibayo animo'y malawak na dagat. Mga ulap sa mga bubong ng bahay animo'y usok galing sa tsimnea. Para kang lumilipad. Parang nakatuntong sa mga ulap. Napaisip tuloy ako, ganito din kaya sa langit?

Ayun si Haring Araw, pasulyap-sulyap sa likod ng mga ulap. Ang sarap talaga ng pakiramdam. Nakarinig ako ng mga mumunting tinig. Natigilan ako sa narinig ko. "Langit, lupa, impiyerno. Saksak puso, dadaloy ang dugo. Patay, buhay..." Ah, apat na batang anak ng kapitbahay namin. Naglalaro sa labas. Napangiti ako sa sarili. Nilalaro din namin yan ng mga kaibigan ko nung mga bata pa kami tulad nila.

Bumaba ako sa sala para manood sana ng news na nakagisnan ko na tuwing umaga. Pagkabukas ko ng telebisyon, "Ako si San Pedro sabi ng anghel sa tarangkahang ginto..." Ngek! Nasa langit na nga yata ako.