"Hindi ako naninawala sa mga bali-balita lang."
Mayabang na sabi ni Henry at sabay pangungutya sa ibang magbabarkada kasi ayaw nila talagang pumunta sa Katarman.
Ang Katarman ay isang isla sa Samar na hindi maipalawang sa mga mananaliksik. Wala daw ito sa mapa pero mayroong mga taong pumupunta dyan. Minsan naman daw may mga gamit na naka-adress doon, kinokuha lang ng taga doon sa lungsod ng Tanuan kung saan malapit lang nito.
Sampo ng magkakabarkada ang nag-uusap tungkol sa plano nilang pagpunta doon. Mayroong umayaw dahil masyadong risky ito at sobra ito kung adventure lang ang hinahanap.
"Sa ibang lugar nalang tayo pumunta," takot na sabi ni Atan.
Nanginginig na si Atan at ibang barkada ng malapit na sila sa boundary ng Tanuan at Katarman. Paglagpas ng huling ilaw na nasasakopan ng Tanuan ay napakadilim na. Kahit maliwanag ang buwan hindi makita ng malinaw ang daanan papunta doon. Dinagdagan pa ng malalaking kahoy na kung akalain nasa kailaliman ng kagubatan.
"AY!" - isa sakanila napasigaw ng malakas ng biglang sumipol ang hangin at humahampas-hampas ang dahon at damo.
"'Wag na nga kasi Henry." - pangiginig na sambit ni Taron. Pumayag man sya na pumunta sila dito ng umpisa, umayaw din sya ng masulyapan ang dilim ng kagubatan.
"Ahhhhh---"
Animo'y boses ng babae na napakalamig pakinggan kahit dala lang ito ng malakas na hangin. Napatayo tuloy ang balahibo ng ibang barkada.
Pangiti-ngiti lang si Henry sa kabila ng mga panginginig ng mga kaibigan nya. Inasahan nila si Henry kaya kahit naglalakad ito ng dahan patungo sa Katarman ay sumunod sila. Wala naman kasing ibang matapang sa magbabarkada na maglakad pabalik sa Tanuan, medyo malayo ito at liblib na lugar din.
"WAAAAH!!"
Sigaw ni Atan,Taron at iba pa habang napatalon ng biglang nahulog ang baling kahoy. Nakakapagtaka kasi hindi naman ito patay, tiningnan nila ito at parang bago lang ito binali na sanga.
"Wak-wak----wak-wak--"
Di malaman kung ibon ba ang tunog na iyon o ang kilala at kinakatakotang aswang. Naghahawakan sa kamay ang magbabarkada ng pahina ito ng pahina ang narinig nilang boses. Kapag ganyan kasi, ibig sabihin nasa malapit ang aswang.
Hindi nila namalayan naka-apak na pala sila sa lupa na sakop na ng Katarman. Ang dala nilang flashlight ay namamatay kahit kakabili lang naman nila nito.
"Sabi sayo Henry 'wag na tayong tumuloy eh."
Sising sabi ni Atan at si Henry ay umpisa ng natakot at nanginig na rin.
Napatingin sila sa taas kasi para bang may tumalon talon sa kakahoyan. Inilawan nila ito ng flashlight ngunit hindi nala mahuli ang galaw dahil mabilis ito. Tanging ang dahon lang na nahuhulog ang inaabotan nila.
"DYOS KO!!"
Napasigaw ng malakas si Tonyo ng mahagip ng mga mata nya ang lumilipad na ang laki at impossible itong maging ibon.
"'WAG PO!!!"
Natumba si Henry ng muntik syang matamaan ng pak-pak ng kung ano man ang lumilipad na yon. Palakas ng palakas ang pagaspas ng pakpak na akala mo'y nasa malapit lang.
Dahan dahan ngayon silang naglakad palabas sa Katarman na nakapalibot ang mga mata para mabantayan ang isa't isa.
Sa umpisa pa lang alam nilang ang lungsod ng Katarman ay hindi ordinaryo. Mga tao daw dito ay hindi normal, halos lahat ay maligno atsaka aswang. Ng minsan nga may isang taga doon na nakiusap na sumakay sa isang mangingisda sa katabing isla. Magpapahatid daw sya sa lugar na ito at pumayag naman ang mangingisda. Noon kasi wala pa silang alam tungkol sa lungsod na ito.
Habang nasa laot sila papuntang Katarman nababagalan ang mangingisda na makaratinf dahil medyo malayo ito.
"Gusto mo bang mapabilis ang pagdating natin?
Tanong ng taong taga doon.
" Aba syempre naman", sagot ng mangingisda.
"Itapon mo yang dala-dala mong asin", sabi ngayon ng taong taga doon.
Ang mangingisda ay nagdadala lagi ng asin dahil hinahalo nila ito sa pagluto kung hindi man sila makauwi sa bahay nila. Hindi naman nag-alinlangan ang mangingisda at tinapon nya ito. Simula noon hindi na naka-uwi ang mangingisda. Wala mang aktwal na nakakita sa pangyayaring naganap. Ginawan nila ito ng kwento dahil doon at simula noon kumalat ang kwento at iniwasan na ang lungsod ng Katarman.
Narinig na ng magkakabarkada ang storya'ng ito at sa totoo lang pinigilan sila. Hindi kasi nagpatinag ang isa sa barkada kaya kahit ganoon hindi nila pinakinggan. Nature kasi ng tao ang masyadong pagiging adventurous na hindi iniintindi ang sugal na gagawin.
Guhit sa mga mukha nila ang pagsisi pero walang magawa kundi matakot. 'Yong iba mangingiyak na sa takot at walang tigil na panginginig habang pinagmamasdan ang paligid.
Nadapa ang tatlo sa magkakabarkada dahil tumigil bigla sa Henry. Pinikit ang mga mata nya, umiyak at biglang napaupo.
" Hoy Henry!! Anong nangyari sayo?"
Pagtatakang tanong ni Tony.
Hindi sumagot si Henry at patuloy ang pag-iyak.
"Ano nga! Sabihin mo!"
Pamomorsigeng tanong ni Atan ng may malakas na tono ng boses.
Dahan-dahan ngayong inangat ni Henry ang isang kamay nya kahit nanginginig ito. Itinuro ang isang daliri sa may bandang harapan na napakadilim. Dahan-dahan naman nila itong tiningnan kahit ramdam nilang ayaw ito tingnan. Para bang isang lumang pinto na tumotunog habang bumobukas dahil ayaw nila itong makita pero parang may humihila na pagmasdan nila ito.
Lalong gumiginaw ang paligid o sadyang sila lang talaga ang nakakaramdan ng ginaw dahil sa takot. Takot na takot dahil ramdam nilang may nagmamasid sa kanila at ng tiningnan nila ang ang tinuro ni Henry hindi nila alam ang kanilang gagawin. Namumulang mata ang nakita nila at higante ito, ayon sa mga matatanda isa itong kapre. Kasing tangkad at laki ng isang napakalaking puno habang nagtatabako ng malaki pa sa katawan ng isang tao.
Hindi na maigalaw ang mga katawan nila dahil sa takot. Tanging isip nalang nila ang gusto tumakbo at magsisigaw pero ang katawan nila ay pinaghihinaan na para hindi makakilos.
Ayon sa sabi-sabi nangangain daw ito ng tao kaya nong nakita nilang nag-aakma itong abotin sila sa ng napakalaki ngyang palad. Iba sakanila ay nahimatay na sa takot at tanggap na nila na kataposan na nila. Palapit ng palapit ang mga palad ng kapre habang ipinikit nalang ang mga mata nila. At ng mahahawakan na sila biglang lumabas ang araw dahil umaga na pala. Napabontong hininga sila at nagpapasalamat dahil maliwanag na ang paligid at biglang nawala ang mga masasamang elemento. Laking gulat rin nila ng makita ang mga sarili sa dulo ng Tanauan at wala namang lungsod ng Katarman na kadugtong nito. Wala silang makitang kasunod na lungsod kaya pala wala sa mapa ng Pilipinas ang Katarman.
Wakas
ENGLISH
Hidden Town
pixabay
"I don't believe in just rumors."
Henry said arrogantly and at the same time mocked his friends because they're really afraid and didn't want to go to Katarman.
Katarman is an island in Samar that can't be explained and found by the researchers. It is not on the map but according to hearsay, there are people going there. Sometimes it is said that there are items that are addressed there, people just pick them up in the city of Tanuan where it is just nearby. The 10 friends talked about their plans to go there. Some refused because it is too risky and it is too much if only adventure is sought.
"Let's just go somewhere else,"
Atan said, scared.
Atan and other friends were shaking already as they approached the boundary of Tanuan and Katarman. Passing the last streetlight that covered Tanuan, it was very dark. Even though the moon was bright, the path to get there was not clear. Large trees were added that were thought to be in the depths of the forest.
"AY!" - one of them shouted loudly when the wind suddenly blew and the leaves and grass were pounding.
"'I told you Henry not to go in this place.' - Taron said while trembling. Although he agreed for them to come here, in the beginning, he also refused to look at the darkness of the forest.
"Ahhhhh ---"
It was as if a woman's voice was too cold to listen to even if it was carried by a strong wind. The foreskin of the others stood up after hearing it. Henry just smiled despite the shivers of his friends. They expected Henry so even though he was walking slowly towards Katarman they followed. No one else was as brave as him to walk back to Tanuan, it is quite far and also a secluded place.
"WAAAAH !!"
Atan, Taron, and others shouted and jumped when the branch of the tree suddenly fell. Surprisingly, it was not a dried one, they looked at it and it looked like it had just been cut.
"Wak-wak ---- wak-wak--"
It was not known if that sound was a bird or the well-known mythical creature.
The group of friends held hands together when the tone of voice was getting lower. According to the oldies when that voice of mythical creatures gets lower it just means it's nearby.
They did not realize that they had stepped on the ground already covered by Katarman. The flashlight they were carrying was blinking even though they had just bought it.
"Henry told you not to go."
Regretful words of Atan while blaming Henry. Henry started to get scared and trembled as well but it's too late.
pixabay
They looked up at the sky because it was as if someone had jumped into the woods. They lit it with a flashlight but could not catch the motion because it was fast. They only saw the falling leaves when the light of the flashlight hit them.
"MY GOD !!"
Tony shouted loudly when his eyes took a glance that was flying and it was impossible for it to be a bird. He was thinking that the evil monster looked like a bird but had sharp teeth with wings, red eyes, and sharp claws.
"'NOOOO!!!"
Henry fell to the ground when he was almost hit and tried to avoid the wings of whatever was flying. The flutter of the wings was louder than you thought it was just nearby, it's echoing.
Slowly they now walked out of Katarman with their eyes around to keep an eye on each other.
From the very beginning, they knew the town of Katarman was not ordinary. It was said that people here were not normal, almost all of them are monsters and ghosts. Once upon a time, there was a local who begged to ride with a fisherman on a nearby island. He asked a fisherman to send him to their town named Katarman and the fisherman agreed. At that time, they did not know anything about this town.
They were at sea on their way to Katarman, the fisherman was quite bored while heading to that town because it is quite far.
“Do you want to arrive faster?
Question of the person from there.
"Oh of course", replied the fisherman.
"Throw away the salt you're carrying", said the man from there.
The fisherman always brings salt because they mix it in cooking when they can't get home. The fisherman did not hesitate and threw it away. Since then, the fisherman has not been able to return home. No one actually saw the incident happen. They made a story because of it and since then the story has spread and the town of Katarman has been avoided.
The group of friends had already heard this story and were actually preventing them. Even though they already learned the truth, it is human nature to be too adventurous without paying attention to the gamble. There was remorse on their faces but there was nothing to do but fear. The others cried in fear and unceasing trembling as they looked around.
pixabay
The 3 of them stumbled because Henry suddenly stopped. He closed his eyes, cried, and suddenly sat down.
"Hey, Henry !! What happened to you?"
Tony asked in astonishment. Henry did not answer and continued to cry.
"What is it! Tell us!"
Atan asked persistently in a loud tone of voice. Henry now slowly raised one of his hands even though it was shaking. Pointed a finger at the front that was very dark. They looked at it slowly even though they felt like they did not want to look at it. It was like an old door that was creaking as it opened because they didn't want to see it but it was as if someone was pulling them to look at it. The surroundings were getting colder or they were the only ones who really felt the cold because of fear.
Terrified because they felt someone was watching them and when they looked at what Henry had pointed out, they did not know what to do.
They saw red eyes and it was a giant shadow because it was so dark, according to the elders it was a kapre. It was tall and the same size as a huge tree while smoking tobacco was much larger than a person's body.
Their bodies could not be moved because of fear. They wanted to run and shout but their bodies were weakened so they couldn't move. It was said that it eats people, so when they saw that it was trying to capture them, it reached for it with its very large palm. Some of them have fainted with fear and they accepted that they were done for. The Kapre's palm came closer and closer as they just closed their eyes, they're very afraid but they were ready. And when they were about to be touched, the sun suddenly came out because it was morning.
They sighed and were thankful because the surroundings were bright and the evil elements suddenly disappeared. They were also shocked to find themselves at the end of Tanauan and there was no town of Katarman attached to it. They did not see the next town and that's the reason Katarman was not on the map of the Philippines.
END...
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Tagging @beyonddisability @tpkidkai