Dark Creature Series: Flight of the Aswang

By Louella Mendoza

The “Dark Creatures Series: Flight of the Aswang” features two novelettes about the aswang and its struggles in a modern, more complicated world. The sound of “tiktik” in a rural town in the Philippines after dark would be enough to strike fear in the hearts of those who believe in the aswang, often pictured as a vile creature who hungers for human blood. Among the creatures of local mythology, it is the most feared for its habit of stalking its prey as a seemingly normal person by day, and ultimately hunting him or her after dark after assuming its dark persona.

Its ability to co-exist among the living during the day was probably one of the reasons why the fear of the aswang persists. Unlike the vampire, the aswang - in its human form - can and will live among normal folk during the day without fear of dying under the hot, blazing sun. Moreover, the aswang has been described as a shape shifter, imbued with an ability to transform into various types of animals such as dogs, pigs, and bats, with only its red, glaring eyes revealing its true nature.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Louella Mendoza
• Release date: Aug 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311067203

Book preview

Dark Creature Series:

Flight of the Aswang

Copyright 2015 Louella Mendoza

Published by Louella Mendoza at Smashwords

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Table of Contents

Prologue

Sleepwalk

Bar

About the Author

Books

Prologue

Nobody knows when the creature comes at night. But even the bravest among men fears the sound of the tik tik tik as it cuts the silence.

The sound of tiktik in a rural town in the Philippines after dark would be enough to strike fear in the hearts of those who believe in the aswang, often pictured as a vile creature who hungers for human blood. Among the creatures of local mythology, it is the most feared for its habit of stalking its prey as a seemingly normal person by day, and ultimately hunting him or her after dark after assuming its dark persona.

Its ability to co-exist among the living during the day was probably one of the reasons why the fear of the aswang persists. Unlike the vampire, the aswang - in its human form - can and will live among normal folk during the day without fear of dying under the hot, blazing sun.

Moreover, the aswang has been described as a shape shifter, imbued with an ability to transform into various types of animals such as dogs, pigs, and bats, with only its red, glaring eyes revealing its true nature.

Depending on the storyteller, the aswang has been closely associated with other viscera sucking monsters such as the manananggal, another Philippine mythological creature, but it does not have the ability to disengage its upper body part, and leave its lower torso behind, hidden in a dark clump of trees, to fly off in search of prey.

According to local folk stories, a person becomes an aswang after swallowing a live black chick given by another aswang, who has to impart this unholy gift in order to painlessly die or wither away. Other stories tell of a human marrying into an aswang clan and becoming one herself or himself.

But like the vampire, the aswang has its own vulnerabilities. It has an aversion for garlic, salt, religious symbols, and any whip made from a dried stingray tail or buntot pagi. Having these items in one’s possession could be a deterrent to an aswang attack, according to old folks. During the olden days (probably until now), it was not unusual to see homes in the rural areas - where these stories are rampant - decorated with a pungent garland of garlic in every possible entrance or exit. More so, if someone in the household is pregnant, sick, or perceived to be vulnerable to an attack.

It may not be too far out to presume that aswang stories were often used as a means of exerting social control over the community. As a matter of fact, these stories were often used as a morbid warning for children and even adults to steer clear of the dark streets, especially on a full moon, unless they want to end up dinner for the creature.

There were several historical references of using folk belief in the creature as a tool for psychological warfare. In the 50’s, CIA operatives in the Philippines were said to stage ambush attacks on the HUKBALAHAP or the Hukbong Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon, a group which was originally established to fight the Japanese during World War II but which eventually turned into an anti-government guerrilla movement after the occupation. The operatives, according to accounts, would stage the attacks to appear as if perpetrated by the vampire-like creature. Bodies were found drained of blood and bearing two holes in the neck area.

But going back to the folk stories, one of the most famous ones, which passed from generation to generation, is about a certain Lieutenant Gimo (Tinyente Gimo) and the aswang feast. In whatever iteration or version of the story, it always ends up tragically with the lieutenant and his entire village of aswangs accidentally killing his daughter instead of the guest from another town, the daughter’s friend, who was presumably brought home to be slaughtered and served in the feast.

The girl, who was spared by fate, apparently overheard the conversation between Gimo and the townsfolk on who to kill that night. Gimo gave directions to kill the sleeping figure on the right cot (or left in some stories) at midnight but to do so as quietly as possible. After hearing this, the girl devised a plan in which she would dupe Gimo’s daughter into sleeping on the other cot, hoping that the dark would hide the switch. Old folks said this happened during a time when most rural towns in the Philippines relied on gaslight and candles for illumination, so it was hard to see the difference.

Another story with iterations in different communities, involved a drinking spree with a group of friends. One of the men was rumored to be an aswang. After they had too much to drink, the men parted ways. Since this supposedly occurred at some indeterminate time in the past, the streets were insufficiently lighted and clear of any type of transport. So the men had two options - either spend the night in some dark corner or walk home. One of the men took the second option.

At some point in his journey, he felt a presence following him. It was stealthily moving closer until he could feel it moving alongside him. He slowly turned his head to see what it was, and to his horror, and amazement, the presence turned out to be an abnormally huge black pig. The creature was wearing a pair of rubber slippers, similar to the pair worn by his rumored aswang friend, and was drunkenly shuffling beside him. He decided to speak to the pig as if it was perfectly normal to do so. Once he was just a block away from his home, the pig turned and walked away in the opposite direction.

In my family, I have heard the story of a grandfather who was said to have wooed an aswang in a far off village (he, of course, did