"Waving from the Dark"

"Waving from the Dark"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

When I was a young kid( and yes it does seem like quite a while) my mom told me a story that I have been trying to puzzle out until this day.

In the early 70's in Odiongan , Romblon. There was a Wake that was set up in the area of Torrel. Now during those times going into the area meant driving or walking on foot with muddy fields of rice all around you and with only a few lamp posts in between so you better be with someone who has a lamp or flashlight when you absolutely need to walk out at night.

During this wake there was a particular old lady who was rumored to have Aswang blood in her which is said to be passed on from generation to generation. She was playing Mahjong and some of her relatives who owned an Owner Type Jeep ( only a few had those on the island) were going back home and offered her a ride. Not coming with them meant that she would stay in the wake until morning because there was no way that she could go home in her feeble state. Amazingly the old woman said that they could go on just ahead while she finishes her game and she would catch up to them.

The relative thought she was not making any sense. How could an old woman outrun a motorized vehicle? Since she was known to kid around a lot the relative just ignored the old woman and drove off with his family. Now getting out of Torrel meant that you would drive straight for 5 to minutes out of a muddy road,rice paddies taller than the average person on both sides. When you reach the main road you turn right going to Dapawan. About 5 minutes heading in that direction you hit the end of the Ricefields and into the town proper.

This is where the story gets weird. When they were about to enter Dapawan the male driver saw what looked like someone who was waving at them from a distance. Given that this was late at night and no other lights in the area they were surprised that there was even someone out there but there was. It was the old lady who was waving at them to stop so that she could get on. The family members all looked at each other in puzzlement. Here was a 70 plus old woman who impossibly got ahead of their vehicle without the hint of any running or signs that she has been through anything. As the old woman climbed unto the jeep everyone gave her a lot of space.

The Speculations....

Now there has been a lot speculation as to how the old woman did this. One is that there was a secret way , a faster way going to Dapawan from Torrel.However in order for such a way to exist. It would have to cut the distance of a a whole rice field. In the darkness, full of mud and unseen mud pools it would have been hazardous even to a normal person, lest to a 70 year old Lola. Stumbling in the dark and even falling in to one of those carabao pools was a great possibility.The Lola did not look like she was in any kind of field that night. No mud on her clothes or slippers.

Another way was if the Lola used a motorcycle to get ahead of her relatives. There was only one way in or out of that area during that time. And being a 2 lane street our Lola's relative could have easily seen any other vehicle in both directions or hear them at least because it was awfully silent. There was none. Just the Lola waving at the end of the road.

The Most compelling theory is that she merely flew.Aswangs have been known to shapeshift after all or she could have sprung wings which would have made it so much easier to traverse the distance and even stay ahead of her relatives own type jeep.

I have not mentioned names in hopes of protecting the families reputation. The story and family is real. Some of them still live in Romblon as of today. Not one of them could explain what happened without mentioning the Aswang blood that could very well be in them.