Scary Stories 4

Uncle

Hi call me Dorcus, I'm a silent reader of this page and now I would like to share a story. Di naman po medyo nakakatakot but I would like to use this platform to be aware about mental illness. Please bear with me po and my story.

I'm from Visayas, currently we're mourning because of our uncle's death nag-suicide po kasi sya sa cave sa may dagat malapit sa amin.

15 or 16 years ago, he was actually a salvage survivor. Opo, na-salvage sya, ilang buwan din po sya sa hospital dahil wasak yung jaw nya, his other eye was blinded and puno ng paso ng sigarilyo yung katawan nya. That was the time he changed.

On his recovery, he never ever told us who did who. Nakatira pa po kami noong time na yun sa bahay nila, na-notice po namin na ang tahimik nya, minsan kapag gabi labas-masok ng bahay, worst is nakikita namin sya na pinupukpok yung ulo nya. Sa isp namin baka dahil nga sa nanyari sa kanya.

Yung bahay pala po pala nila uncle is ilang meters away from the said cave where he was found dead.

Fast forward. Mid 2018, nung una siyang pumasok sa cave. Bumukod na po kami ng bahay nila uncle. That time he lives with lola. Hapon nun nang pumunta daw si lola sa amin kasi wala si uncle. They were looking for him for hours, hours, and hours. Even called the police baka kasi kinidnap but hindi pa ma-declare since wala pa naman 24 hours. We live in a province po na maraming mga paniniwala about entities, spirits, and evils. Baka daw po kinuha ng engkanto kaya ginawa nila is sinisigaw nila ang pangalan ni uncle while naglalakad, hinahanap sa vicinity ng bahay nila. Mind you, marami po silang naghahanap, the entire neighborhood. May iba na nagtatambol para daw maingayan at ilabas daw nila si uncle. They tried everything, until they decided to go inside the cave kasi yun lang yung hindi pa napupuntahan para hanapin si uncle.

Please know that this cave is not a typical cave. Since malapit po sa dagat, yung mga rocks are very sharp and you need to crawl prior entering the cave. Medyo maputik din daw po. Nobody dares to go there since sobrang dilim and the oxygen level is low. Not until nung nangyari yung kay uncle.

It was the next day, nung unang attempt sa pagpasok sa cave. They have to put some tali and strap it on their body para di sila mawala sa loob. They brought flashlights with them but dahil sa sobrang dilim is wala pa ring makita so bumalik sila sa labas. 2nd attempt on the same day is nagdala sila ng lamp, but it was a fail kasi for some reason yung ilaw namamatay so bumalik na naman sila palabas. 3rd and last attempt they brought candles with them and it worked. So pumunta sila sa kailalimanan ng cave, they almost decided to go back kasi hindi nila nakikita si tatay until may narinig yung isa nilang kasama na parang may humihinga. Sinundan nila kung saan galing yung paghinga until they found uncle.

It was 24 hours indeed when they found uncle. It was a big relief for us. But can you imagine how he survived sa cave na walang kain, malamig, and the oxygen level is very low? That time I was scared.

Nung umuwi na si tatay sa kanila is nagkwento sya kung bakit napunta sya don. Sabi nya meron daw nagdala sa kanya dun. He tried to go back and go home pero every time he tries eh parang nasa same place pa rin sya, so then he decided nalang to sit down and stay where he is. Sabi naman nung mga matatanda sa amin is, nung umuwi si tatay ay may sumunod na shadow, sabi-sabi rin na matapang daw yung nakatira sa cave. Kaya dapat bantayan si uncle. Lola which is my uncle's mom decided to give him a rosary na dapat lagi niyang dalhin.

Fast forward. June of 2019, it was almost afternoon when lola went to our house and ask if we saw uncle. Kasi po pala si uncle minsan tumatambay sa amin para manood ng tv or umiinom ng alak with my dad which is his brother. But no, we didn't saw him. Sabi ni lola, nagpaalam lang daw para bumili ng sigarilyo pero di na bumalik. The panic begins, we started to look for him. Gaya nung dati they tried all pamahiins. Prior to that, Tita, which is uncle's sister, saw him na puno ng sand yung shorts nya pero di naman basa yung katawan. On her mind sabi nya "baka pumasok na naman ito sa cave". Uncle that time went inside the house para maligo. I told them na alam na natin kung saan mahahanap si uncle. We all agreed where he is. He's on the cave.

As said na mahirap pasukin yung cave mga maliliit lang ang kayang makapasok. That time it was almost two hours since uncle is not around. Si tatay, my uncle's cousin na malaki medyo ang tiyan know he won't fit inside. Plus, it was high tide pahirapan ang pagpunta sa bunganga ng kweba. He then decided to go there and silipin lang naman yung may entrance ng cave, nagpasama sya sa cousin ko na babae ng bigla syang sumigaw: "nagpakamatay si _____!!" (Please understand po na I won't reveal my uncle's name) and it was the worst moment of our life. Sabi nya nakita nya si uncle sa may bukanan ng cave na naliligo ng dugo and not breathing. We called the medics and police but At that time wala pa silang magawa kasi malalim ang tubig. They waited, it was 3 in the afternoon wala pa ring nagawa yung mga pulis. Nga pala, yung medics wala pa rin (bs*). So yung isang nakatatandang cousin ko decided to go inside nalang with the police's consent. With the help of our neighbors and cousin they went inside and kinuha nila ang body ni uncle. Medics arrived but for some reason there was no ambulance. Sinakay po sa patrol car si uncle. They were about to declare that he's dead but no, meron pa pulse si tatay. They headed to a hospital, pulse was still there until unti-unting nawala. The Doctor said, na meron 5 stab wounds. 3 sa tiyan and 2 sa neck.  He wouldn't have the chance to survive because yung ugat sa puso that is connected to his brain is natanggal.

We couldn't imagine how uncle did this to himself. 5 stab wounds? Sya may gawa for a suicide.? The police couldn't even believe, But after thorough investigation. there was no foul play. Yung kutsilyong gamit kila lola.

Uncle was a very silent man. He just turned 40 this March. It was not a typical birthday kasi ang dami-dami niyang handa, may pa-lechon at cake pa. Di naman siya mahilig sa ganun pinilit lang naman, kasi nga 40 na. Wala syang asawa, mahilig syang mangulit sa amin. He used to smile. But those days prior him committing suicide he changed.

Di na siya kumikibo, di na namamansin palagi na lang nakatulala, kapag tinatanong di sumasagot. Minsan ganun talaga sya. Pero this time it was different, akala ko ako lang yung naka-notice but halos sila palang lahat. It was just last week nung fiesta sa amin I saw him very happy, like there's no tomorrow. Hindi sya mahilig sumayaw pero nakita namin sya sa disco-han sumasayaw, sabi pa nga ng isa kong cousin na to take a video of him para ipakita sa kanya bukas, but I didn't baka kasi magalit. But I regret na hindi ko kinunan ng video, kasi that was the last time I saw him happy.

As we gathered and talk about what happened, Napagtanto namin na he have a sign of depression. His actions and behaviors na naipagwalang bahala namin. Maybe if we took immediate action and be vocal about him it could be prevented. So guys if there are people na parang gaya ng uncle ko talk to them.

Hindi din maiiwasan na lagyan ng meaning kung anong nangyari sa uncle ko. Sabi-sabi baka kinuha daw ng demonyo na nakatira sa kweba. Yung mga elders na nakatira na ng matagal sa lugar namin, ang nagsabi talaga na may nakatira sa kweba at masyadong matapang (this was said 2018 on the first instance). Nga pala, walang dala si uncle na rosary nun kasi nga naligo muna sya at iniwan yung rosary sa kwarto nya. Sabi-sabi kapag naka-3 ng balik sa kweba ay kukuhanin na daw talaga si uncle.  Una nung 2018, 2nd is yung nakita ni tita si uncle na puno ng buhangin at 3rd ay yung nawala na sya. I don't believe at this kind of story or reason behind uncle's death. Pero napapatanong ako out of all places, bakit sa kweba? Bakit ang daming saksak? Baka siguro totoo ang lahat ng sabi-sabi. I don't know. It could be true, it could be not.

Hindi po ako relihiyosang tao but I believe in God. Kung totoo man po ang mga demons, spirits, or entities, let us all remember that nothing beats us if we believe in God.

Also, suicide is never an option. Life is the greatest gift from God. Wala po tayong right na kumitil sa sariling buhay natin. May iba nga na ginagawa ang lahat mabuhay lang, mga nagpapagamot kasi may sakit.

If you feel lonely, alone, or depressed. Not just you but if you notice some people having signs like my uncle does, talk to them or give them those hotline numbers where they're free to talk. If not give them some advice to visit some professional to seek for help. Never let the devil win over you.

Here are the mental health crisis hotline numbers :

0917-899-8727
02-989-8727

By the way, yung mukha po ni uncle is parang natutulog lang. Not the usual dead person. He looks at peace. We miss you uncle. We'll pray for you.