File 5: 31st Floor (in Tagalog)

 "Call center butterfly" ang tawag nila sa tulad ko.  Hindi kasi ako mapirmi sa isang call center. Hindi ko na usually inaabot ang regularization, lumilipat ako agad sa iba after a few weeks on the floor. Ewan ko. Siguro that is how I was wired.
 It works for me. Kung pwede nga lang magkulong sa kwarto at mag-DVD marathon o mag-sound trip, 'yun ang gagawin ko maghapon.
 But sometimes it bothers me. Hindi ko ito nababanggit sa iba. Pero I'm a ghost magnet yata. Most of the time, graveyard shift ako so 'pag lumabas ako ng house mga past 6 na. Madilim na dun sa nilalakaran ko papunta sa sakayan ng jeep na magbababa ng EDSA. Maraming beses na kasi nangyari na may makakasalubong akong naglalakad-weird-nakatitig sa akin na para bang nanlilisik ang mga mata. Tas 'pag pinilit kong i-spot ang nilalakaran nila, nakalutang ang mga paa nila sa lupa.
 Alam ata nila na nakikita ko sila. May mga kaluluwang gumagala na ayaw talaga magpaabala. Nagagalit sila 'pag sinusundan sila ng tingin. Naalala ko minsan nung bata pa ako, naglalaro ako sa bangketa tas may dumaang karo ng patay. Dun sa mga kapamilyang nakabuntot sa karo, may nakita akong maputlang lalaki na nakapamburol, nakatitig sa akin. Hindi na naalis 'yun sa isip ko.
 Dun sa isang call center na pinasukan ko, sabi nila may bata raw na naglalro sa mga training rooms sa 25th floor. Madalas himahampas niya 'yung mga swivel chairs.
 'Yung CR nga sa dulo wala nang gumagamit dahil madalas siya rung magparamdam. Akala mo may laman ang isang cubicle dahil may maririnig kang mga kaluskos, wala naman pala. Minsan nga nag-CR ako dun mag-isa. Habang naghuhugas ako ng kamay, biglang kumindat 'yung mga ilaw. Tas sa gilid ng mga mata ko, para bang may nakita akong payat na naka-blue uniform sa tapat ng ihian, nakalutang ang mga paa niya mga 2 feet mula sa sahig. Baka iyon 'yung multo ng namatay sa elevator. May isang utility man daw kasing nagkukumpuni ng sirang elevator tas nag-short yata 'yung mga kable. Ayun, nabagsakan siya ng elevator mismo. Patay agad.
 Isang madaling-araw, nang mag-round yung guwardiya, binuksan niya 'yung Training Room 3. May nakita raw siyang tao na nakaharap sa computer. Akala niya agent. Pagsasabihan niya sana kasi bawal mag-stay sa training room kahit before mag-start ang class kaso nakatalikod sa kanya so tinawag niya. Hindi ito sumagot. Pagbukas niya ng ilaw, wala siyang nakitang tao.
 Sa Workforce naman namin, may isang area na sobrang lamig kahit nakapatay ang aircon. Isang araw, nung kinakausap ko 'yung ka-batch ko dun bigla na lang tumilapon 'yung Avaya, 'yung phone na ginagamit namin sa calls. Nagtaka sila. Minsan kasi bigla na lang umikot 'yung isang upuan ng 360 degrees. Sa takot nila, nagtakbuhan daw sila lahat. "Baka poltergeist 'yung multo, " sabi ng ka-batch ko. Hindi ko na lang binanggit na nakita ko 'yung reflection ng bata sa salamin ng window. Tumakbo siya at nagtago sa ilalim ng isang computer station na parang naglalaro.
 Parang nasasanay na ako sa dami ng mga manifestations. At least, hindi pa ako nakakakita ng mga multo na sabog ang bungo o putol ang kamay, 'yung tipong naaksidente.
 Hanggang sa mag-work ako sa isang kompanya sa Ortigas. Sabado kaya konti lang ang agents na may work saka rest day ng mga nag-oopisina. Mga 8 p.m. 'yun kaya si manong na lang ang inabutan ko. Sa 36th floor ang mga work stations namin. Bago ko i-swipe ang ID ko bigla akong kinilabutan. Sabi ko, baka malamig lang kasi malakas ang ulan sa labas. Nag-good evening si manong-"Pauwi na?" usisa niya-saka binusisi ang bag ko. Tapos kinuha ko 'yung payong ko dun sa lagayan sa tabi ng door.
 Hanggang sa tapat ng elevator sa 36th floor ay parang aburido ako. Pinindot ko 'yung "down" button. Binilang ko sa isip 'yung changing numbers sa itaas. Nag-ding ang elevator at bumukas ang pinto. Walang tao. Nakita ko 'yung reflection ko sa salamin. Nilingon ko si manong tas nag-wave siya sa akin. Pumasok ako sa elevator at pinindot yung "G" para bumaba sa ground floor.
 Kulob 'yung katahimikan. Binibilang ko ulit sa isip ko 'yung numbers.
 Nang biglang huminto 'yung elevator. Nag-stop sa 31st floor. Bumukas 'yung door. Walang tao. Nung magsasara na 'yung door biglang may lumapit na matandang babae, may kasunod na bata. Pinindot ko 'yung button para bumukas ulit ang pintuan. "Salamat," sabi niya. Nakahawak sa braso niya 'yung bata.

 Nakatingin sa akin 'yung bata. Nakakapote siya, yung transparent. Pero basang-basa yung buhok niya. Basa pati 'yung gilid ng mga mata niya. Sumugod ito sa ulan, sabi ko sa sarili ko. Ito namang nanay, kako, hindi pinayungan ang anak niya. Ang lakas pa naman ng ulan sa labas.
 Hindi ko gaanong napansin 'yung mukha nung nanay. Medyo stocky ang katawan niya. Naka-t-shirt lang siya at maong. Parang ahente ng mga cosmetic products, 'yung tipong mag-oorder ka gamit ang brochures nila. May dala siyang malaking shoulder bag. Ang naaalala ko'yung kuwintas niya na may parang jade na pendant, 'yung nabibili sa mga Muslim sa Greenhills.
 Dinukot ko ang cellphone ko. Isinaksak ko ang earphones sa mga tenga ko. In-open ko 'yung playlist at ini-scroll down ko sa "On The Radio" ni Regina Spektor. Clinick ko 'yung play. Sa itaas ng pintuan ng elevator, pababa nang pababa 'yung mga numbers: 28, 27, 26, 25 ...
 Biglang bumukas ang pintuan sa 23rd floor. Nagulat ako. Nagkatinginan kami ng babae. Hinintay naming may pumasok. As usual, walang tao. Nakakayamot. Nung magsasara na 'yung elevator, nagbubukas siya ulit. Ganun siya mga dalawang beses ata. Parang nagha-hang nang half-open. Pinindot ko 'yung "close" button.
 Pagkababa namin sa ground floor, nauna akong lumabas ng elevator. Sumunod sa akin 'yung ale. Tsinek ng guard ang bag ko. Gumilid ako para isara ang zipper ng bag ko. 'Yung bag naman ng babae ang tsinek ng guwardiya.
 "Asan po 'yung anak n'yo?" tanong ko sa babae.
 "Ha? Anong anak?" pagtataka niya.
 "Kanina may kasunod po kayong bata e. Nakakapote."
 "Mag-isa lang akong bumaba," sagot niya.
 Nagbiro 'yung guard. Baka 'yung batang multo raw ang sumabay sa amin sa elevator. "Manong naman!" ang takot ng ale. Natahimik na lang ako.

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File 4: The Three Students

I heard this story from my Lola (grandmother), along time ago when I was only 14 years old. The story started when my Lola was in High School. It was after school, when she met her 2 friends, Myrna & Xuchilt by the school gate, where they always meet to walk home. She said that all three of them walk everyday together to and from school. They all lived right next door to each other and it was always been their routine to walk together ever since they were little and it was also their way of staying safe. After all we are stronger by numbers, right?

One day after school, when they were walking home, my Lola looked down and noticed that her friend on the right, Xuchilt (my Lola was in the middle of the two girls) saw that Xuchilt shadow looked a little off. She kept looking to Myrna's shadow, her own shadow then back to Xuchilt's shadow, but she can't believe how Xuchilt shadow did not have a head!

So she quickly pointed it out to both of her friends, since they were too busy talking and didn't notice the unusual event that was happening. She said that Xuchilt didn't act like she was scared, but was just curious why her shadow didn't have a head. So, they tried to change and switch positions several times, but no matter what they did, Xuchilt's shadow still coming out with no head!

As they reached their village, they saw that Xuchilt's shadow was back normal, she had her head back. She said they all parted and went their separate ways home. But little does she knows that would be her last time seeing her friend Xuchilt alive.

The next day her friend Myrna came knocking almost banging anxiously at my Lola's door. When she opened, Myrna was all hysterical and crying. My Lola tried to calm her down, so that she can talk and tell her what happened. When Myrna was able to talk, she told my Lola that Xuchilt's parents found her on bed dead. At first they thought that she just overslept, so after calling Xuchilt several times, her mom decided to go to her room and wake her up. She said that as soon as Xuchilt's mom tried to touch her to shake her to wake up, she felt Xuchilt's body all cold. That's when they realized that Xuchilt was dead.

To this day, they don't know what caused the sudden death of Xuchilt. She said that the Doctor told the parents that it was Pneumonia that caused it, but no one believes it, because Xuchilt was just fine the day before. She did not show any kind of sickness when they went home that night. My Lola believes that it was something evil that took her friends life and it gave them a sign or warning by taking Xuchilt head shadow.


http://www.teckler.com/en/Frane/Philippines-True-Ghost-Story-4-The-Three-Student-215734

File 3: Balete Drive ( in tagalog)

Kwento Ng Isang Taxi Driver

Mayroon ako isang kamaganak na taxi driver na kaka-retire lang dahil hindi na niya kaya magmaneho dahil sumasakit ang kanyang likod, at di na niya makayanan ang traffic ngayon. Nagmaneho siya ng mahigit 40 years at nagsimula siya noong '60s; maluwag pa raw ang Maynila at mas madali magmaneho noong mga panahong iyon. Sa dami ng mga pasaherong sumakay sa kanyang taxi, dalawa lang ang hindi niya malilimutan. 

Isang madilim at maulan na hapon noong 1965 nagmamaneho ang aking tiyo patungong Aurora Boulevard; kakahatid lang niya ng isang pasahero sa Cubao. Nakakita siya ng dalawang mukhang magasawa na nakatayong naghihintay sa isang waiting shed. Pumara ang aking tiyo sa tabi ng waiting shed at ibinaba niya ang kanyang bintana para kausapin ang dalawang naghihintay. "Taxi sir?" ang tanong niya sa dalawa. Hindi umimik ang dalawa at tinitigan lang siya ng lalaki. Naisipan ng aking tiyo na baka pipi ang dalawa at hindi sila makapag salita, kaya binuksan niya ang pinto para sila'y makapasok sa likod ng kanyang sasakyan. "Halika pumasok po kayo at malakas ang ulan..." pumasok at umupo ang dalawa sa likod ng kanyang taxi. Mukhang mayaman raw ang itsura ng dalawa, ngunit nakakapagtaka nga naman kung bakit sila naghihintay sa ilalim ng isang waiting shed na walang dalang sariling sasakyan. Nginingitian ng aking tiyo ang dalawa mula sa repleksyon ng kanyang salamin, at kung anu-ano ang kanyang itinatanong para makipagkuwentuhan. "Saan po kayo nangaling? Buti hindi po kayo nabasa ng husto..." walang imik ang dalawang pasahero. "Buti na lang at dumating ako. Wala pa naman kayong payong..." tahimik na nakatingin lang ang dalawa sa bintana. "Siya nga pala, saan po tayo sir?" "Sa New Manila". Nagulat ang aking tiyo at sumagot rin ang lalaki. Mababa at mabagal raw ang kanyang pagsasalita. Hindi malaman ng aking ityo kung bakit siya ninerbyos sa tono ng boses ng lalaki. Hindi na siya nagtanung pa, at naging matahimik ang kanilang biyahe. Umu-oo lang ang lalaki pag nagtatanog ng direksyon ang aking tiyo, hanggang makarating sila sa isang malaking bahay sa Balete Drive.

Saglit na tiningnan ng tiyo ko ang metro; at bigla siyang lumingon para sabihin kung magkano ang pamasahe, "Sir ano po..." nagulat siya nung makita niya na walang taong nakasakay sa likod ng kanyang sasakyan. Hinagilap niya ang kalye at paligid ngunit hindi niya makita ang kanyang dalawang pasahero. Hindi niya malaman kung papano sila nakalabas at naka-lock ang parehong pintuan sa likod. Tiyak na maririnig niya ang pagbukas at pagsara nito kung lumabas man sila. Naisip niya na siguro hindi niya namalayan ang kanilang paglabas, at baka naman pumasok sila sa bahay nila para kumuha ng perang pangbayad. Halos bente minutos siyang naghintay bago siya lumabas at lumapit sa gate ng bahay. Sinubukan niyang buksan ang gate at panay katok siya: "Tao po! Sir! Yung taxi driver po!" walang sumagot. Naisipan niya pumunta sa guard house ng kapitbahay para magtanong. "Boss..." sabi niya sa guardia, "Kilala mo ba yung nakatira sa malaking bahay na yan?" tinuro niya ang bahay na kung saan nakaparada ang kanyang taxi sa harap ng gate. Tiningnan siya nang guardia na para siyang nasiraan ng ulo. "Walang nakatira diyan..." "Ha?! Hindi maari yan! May hinatid lang akong dalawang pasahero..." Huminga ng malamim ang guardia at dahan-dahan niyang sinabihan ang aking tiyo na litong-lito, "Matagal nang walang nakatira sa bahay na yan. May magasawang nakatira diyan dati, pero pinasok sila ng magnanakaw at pareho silang pinatay." Nanginig ang tiyo ko sa takot. Hindi na siya namasada noong araw na yon at naisipan na lang niya umuwi ng maaga dahil sa nerbyos. 

Sa paglipas ng maraming taon, maraming mga ibang taxi driver ang nagsasabi na meron rin silang hinatid na magasawa sa Balete Drive na bigla nalang nawala. Nandoon pa ang malaking bahay hanggang ngayon. Ang gate ay naging kulay pula na dahil sa makapal na kalawang, at ang tumubong talahib ay nakasilip mula sa likod ng matataas na pader. 

--Mars / Mandaluyong

http://www.teckler.com/en/Frane/Philippines-True-Ghost-Story-3-Balete-Drive--in-215735

File 2: The Jeepney Ride

Common Jeepney in the Philippines

It's funny when certain events in our lives occur and we blame it all to bad luck. What's funnier is the things that we do to counter the flow of bad energy that causes these so called bad luck or bad events. At least at that time I thought it was funny, until my friend shared her unlikely experience.

This story is about my friend and her scary jeepney ride going home. For those of you who don't know what jeepneys are, they are a popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They were originally made from US military jeeps left over from World War II and are well known for their flamboyant decoration and crowded seating.

My friend went home late after finishing their school project, now since she lives within the vicinity of the U.P. Diliman campus (University of the Philippines) it was perfectly safe for her to take the jeepney instead of taking a taxi in going home during late hours. It was about midnight when she took the ride home, and she could not help but notice the driver kept glancing at her through his rear view mirror and then he would turn to her. (Now all jeepneys have their own route and do not take any turns and they have to stick to their route or else there is a big chance that they would run into some cop trouble). What's odd about this jeepney ride besides the eerie glances that the driver gave from time to time, he was also taking turns in corners that he was not suppose to. Afraid of what the drivers plans are, she was even more afraid of her surroundings because it seemed as if she was in the middle of nowhere already. So instead of going down, she just stayed on the jeep. On the last turn that the driver made, she noticed that they were back on the route that they were suppose to be in the first place.

Before reaching the end of the terminal, the driver turned to my friend and said, "Im sorry if I scared you or startled you! It was not my intention".. "Could you do me a favor and BURN all your clothes when you get home".. Wondering why my friend asked why he was acting very strange. The driver explained, "The reason why I kept glancing was because your head was not attached to your body when I looked through my rear view mirror." "That is why I changed my route awhile ago, hoping we could get away from the bad energy present in that area, and thats why I want you to BURN your clothes when you get home because I think its still with you."

Upon arriving home, still shaking from fear, my friend took all her clothes off and burned them as quickly as she could. A few days later she found out on the news that the jeepney driver died a day after the incident. It turned out the warning was not for her but for the driver.

http://www.teckler.com/en/Frane/Philippines-True-Ghost-Story-2-The-Jeepney-Ride-215736

File 1: The Cellphone

My friend was very addicted to texting random strangers. Because of that, you will never see her without her cellphone in her hand or pocket. She always carries it wherever she goes. It was her source of energy and entertainment.

But so happened during the month of October, her cellphone was stolen from here. What happened was she was texting (again) with her cellphone in the market. Here in the Philippines thieves are rampant in public places... so while she was holding her cellphone a guy suddenly ran, grab her cellphone, and escape from the sea of people. Well, she cried all night and day about this incident..., it was her fault to start with but anyway.

Her family got annoyed but so they decided to buy her a second-hand cellphone for they can't afford to buy a brand new one. They strolled into some pawnshops and luckily found one shop selling a cellphone with a touch screen.

My friend was so overjoyed that the next morning she showed it to us up to the point where she lied in saying that it was "imported" and stuff. During that time a person owning a touch screen cellphone was very rare on our campus. But she never knew that it will be the cause of her troubles...

One night, after a week from buying her new cellphone, she was busy texting us about stuff that happened in school, our project, and some random things. She went down to drink water(cause her room is on the second floor) and left her cellphone in her bed. When she went back, the floor was wet with water and her room was messy. Thinking that it was just her sister who went inside her room after taking a shower, she pays no attention to it and continued to lay in her bed. In the following days, the same event happened except that on the fifth day there were hairs on the floor, mixed with the water. She got scared of this and finally talked to her sister thinking it was her fault.

Her sister denied this and told her that she doesn't take shower in the evening. She still couldn't believe what her sister said so she decided to ask her parents about it. They just regarded it as nothing. Thinking there is nothing she could do she decided to sleep.

It was late night and as she describes it, it was unnaturally cold. She was still cold after layers of blankets covering her body. The chill made her got up from her bed. Then, her cellphone suddenly flashes but it did not ring. She took it and expect it. Then what happened next gave chills to her spine.

A girl with a bloody face was projected in the cellphone....and its hand was reaching to her face. It scared the hell out of here but her voice was sealed. She hoped to run but her feet froze. As the hand materializes outside the phone she finally found her footing and ran outside her room. She screamed and woke up her family.

She told them what happened and decided to go back to her room, and found her cellphone in the toilet.
The next day she told us what happened, all of us went with her to return the cellphone back to the pawnshop.... only to find out that the pawnshop was not there anymore. The space where she said where it is was vacant...

She freaked out about this cause she was with her family during the time when she bought it. Out of fear she decided to burn the phone near in the vacant lot.... and we went home still consoling her, but still have it hard to believe in her story... until...

The next morning we were called for class attendance but she was marked absent during that day.... and the following week... we never knew that it was the last time we would see her...

http://www.teckler.com/en/Frane/Philippines-True-Ghost-Story-1-The-Cellphone-215737