October 2023

Dark Side of the City

Shinnen Cahandig October 12, 2023

The rush hour began and riding a jeep on the other side of the road will cost more, I always thought. I started walking like I always do so I could find a jeepney that has enough space for me to go home. The dark and crowded sidewalks felt heavy with the exhaustion I had for the day.

“Stop crying! Hala naay police oh,” a mother hushed her little child for not buying him a lato-lato on a busy sidewalk. I looked at the bright distance where the mother’s eyes were fixed— two men in uniform laughing at each other. The child’s face showed no fear and continued his loud cry that joined the noise of numerous vendors selling toys, street foods, and fruits. The mother insisted that their jeepney fair was the only thing left in her pocket as she tightly hold a huge red plastic bag filled with noodles and uncooked rice. 

As I passed them, I overheard a worried voice from a person walking beside me, “Nak, uli ug sayo kay naa na pud gilabay sa daplin.” My feet stopped. An old jeepney’s loud horn startled me when I was about to turn my head. I raced with the waiting passengers and hurriedly went inside the vehicle before it turned into a can of sardines. I quickly looked outside but there was no sight of him, nor the policemen in the distance. The light inside the jeepney was enough to see the clock’s hand pointed at ten from the man’s pale wrist sitting beside me.

Cybora

Malaya October 12, 2023

Dalawang oras ko nang inaayusan ang sarili, hindi ko magawang makontento sa make-up ko. Gusto ko ma-achib yung smokey eyes effect, kailangan para sa gagayahing karakter. Dominatrix! Kulay itim ang isusuot kong latex dress at leather ang hanggang tuhod kong boots, handa na rin ang mga props, bagong bili sa online shop ang gagamitin kong latigo. Panigurado, marami akong kikitain ngayon.

Matapos kong ihanda ang sarili, binuksan ko na ang kompyuter. Kailangan pang mag-log-in sa website at mag-live ng ilang minuto bago magkaroon ng kustomer. Alam ko na ang gusto nila, nababaliw sila sa mga dominanteng babae. Gusto nilang minumura. Pinapahiya. Minamaliit. Gusto nilang maramdaman na hindi sila tao. Na peke ang kanilang pagkatao.

“Hello baby! Where are you from?”

“I’m from the US!”

“Are you ready for me?”

“Touch your penis! Masturbate!”

Minura niya ako.

Biting Mouths, Bitten Hands

Kent Reymark Toyacon October 12, 2023

During the day I am an employee of a budding fast-food chain, the one on Magsaysay Street. I deliver orders to tables. I appease complaints. I attend to trivial requests, things I thought customers could do themselves, but I guess their listless bodies hinder them from doing so. Sometimes I think the customers just want to exercise that little power they get at restaurants, an asking of convenience, fully knowing that we are just there at the corner waiting to be ordered. At night I help tend the small stall my father set up at our local food hub. We serve drinks, mostly liquor, and if it is a forgiving night, an occasional foreigner would drop by for some glass and pay us an extra amount. This has been the cycle of my everyday ever since I got out of prison. My father reminded me about doing good in both of those jobs, told me to behave if I really want to help the family pay the debt I caused. 

Some say we haven’t earned our rage yet, people like me, people who tire their body in abusing ways. I remember my workmate, her uniform stained by the day’s busyness, asking about the impossibility of it all, Di ka pa ba kontento hit kaguol dinhi? Are you not contented of the weariness here, she asked. I knew the bareness of her question, how it did not ask for any response, but I still did respond. I wanted to tell her this is all it ever does, but part of me wanted to spark her passive rage; I mean it was easier then since we were both tired. I told her how our wage is never enough, and how the owner likes to keep it that way so we still find ourselves in this same job tomorrow. She smiled, acknowledging this. Upaya la magyaman ka hito, make sure you become rich doing all these, she said in her dry humor.  Read More

Ang Batang sa Pangpang

Mark Alden Arcenal October 12, 2023

KANUNAY NGA MAG-ATANG sa mga kinulipa sa lawod ang suod nga managhigalang Tiyago ug Litoy. Nahigam sila sa mga duwaan nga usahay ipanghatod sa mga bawod sa baybayon. Apan, walay bisan usa silang sinugatan nga nahipalgan; gawas sa usa ka batang nga nadagsa ilawom sa tiilan sa pangpang.

Nahingangha ang duha ka bata. Dayan-dayan ang mga lumot ug mahait nga mga sisi niini. Una pa nila mahiling ang kinatibuk-an sa batang, gipamadlong sila sa mga mananagat. Nagkadaiyang mga hungihong ang nadungog nila kabahin sa maong kahoy. Napatik sa panumdoman ni Litoy ang sugilanon nga usa daw kini ka barko nga gipanag-iyahan sa mga dili ingon nato.

“Dili kuno na tinuod ingon ni Papa,” ni Tiyago usa ka adlaw samtang nagpaabot sila sa hunasan. Gapayong ang duha sa bangaw nga mingtanday sa kapunawpunawan. Ang huyuhoy nga nakilantugi sa lunhaw nga kadahonan walay puas ang paghunghong sa iyahang kadaogan. Read More

Pamainit

Ronnel Victor Kilat October 12, 2023

Hunyo 2020

Suwaw na ang Adlaw dinhi sa Sitio Camagong, pero kinahanglan nga mogawas, sangat ngadto sa tugkaran sa silingan. Kon lakawon, duha ka minutos. Magsag-ob mi sa karaang tabay sa among sityo. Napawong na sad kagabii ang linya sa tubig. Nahubas ang pundo sa mga baril sa tubig, sama sa paghubas sa panudlanan sa bugas. Maayo kay naa pay gamay para karong adlawa. Wala man god gipadayon ang construction sa condo. Wala koy lain kapaninguhaan. Naa koy gamayng bata, tres anyos, natulog kauban sa akong asawa nga nagmabdos sa akong ikaduha. Maglugaw ko, samtang hinanok pa sila. Maayo ning lugaw aron matipid ang bugas kay asa na man kog ilung-ag ugma? Wala man mi kadawat sa ayuda sa miaging semana. 

Duol ra man, maong wala ko nagdalag quarantine pass, pero nagsul-ob ko sa face mask. Milakat ko nga suot ang pares sa Spartan, nga nindot gyod sa tiil labi nang galukdo ko sa itom nga galon sa tubig nga pinalit lang nako og tag diyes. Naa pay tatak sa Caltex. Dili dangog sa tiil ang tsinelas. Nindot unta magtiniil pero haiton man ang mga bato. Taas na ang linya sa tabay, o mitaas lang kay wala man magsikit ang mga tawo. Naa silay tawag ani, social distancing, usa ka metro ang gilay-on kon maglinya. Nag-mask ang tanan. Read More