Sleep and Dream

I did not want to be teased by them so I tried to act as brave as possible. I washed up, brushed my teeth and changed my soiled clothes into dry ones. Then I tucked myself in bed, covering myself from head to toes. In fact I was shivering as if I was having a chill or fever. I could not control myself. I was feverish. I dared not call my mum and explain to them. She would not believe me. It was better to keep it to myself.
I must have dozed off when all of a sudden I awoke or was it a dream; I was not sure. The girl appeared again; sad and sullen; with deep sorrowful eyes. She was crying and I could see her tears rolling down on either side of her cheek. But her tears were flowing like the water in a river. The scene was the same and it was near the tamarind tree. It was similar to the encounter earlier in the night. She floated nearer and nearer and each time, she was calling out my name. It was so sorrowful, the way she called my name. I was sure my heart sank not out of fear but out of pity. The figure hanging from the tree was swaying to and fro as if on a swing.
Although I could not hear what she was trying to say but from the movement of her lips and her gestures, I could understand what she meant.
Suddenly there was a total change in her features. Her tears were tears of blood and her face was not a solemn or sad but of anger and terror. She was stretching her arms and the fingernails seemed to grow longer by the minute. She was about to strike me with her fingernails when I instantly retreated but I slipped and fell. I had tripped over a protruding root of the tamarind tree. She stretched her arms further. Her fingers were holding onto my shoulders and shaking me violently. At that instant, I let out a terrifying and ear-piercing scream. It was uncanny and inhuman like.

Reaching Home Safely

Luckily I did not collapse out of fright. Everything was so still and not a soul could be seen. It must have been past midnight. I wondered how long I had been rooted there. Still I sensed as if somebody was watching me from afar.
The hooting of an owl jolted me out of the trance and gave me the cue to dash home as quickly. Surprisingly, now I could run so fast. What had happened when the girl or the ghost appeared? I could not even move although I tried to. Was it because the ghosts or spirits had a spell on me then?
My house was not very far away. The lights were on and it was a relief to see it. The comfort of my home and my bed would definitely calm my nerves.
My mother, my brother and my sisters were still up because they were waiting for me. They were in fact just packing up after a long night of baking cookies for the coming Chinese New Year. My grandmother had already retired early as she was tired after the long task.
My mother noticed the change and the messy look in me. My hair was wet and I was sure that gave it away.
She asked, "Heng, what wrong?"
I could only answer, "Nothing. Nothing."
I did not want to look silly. If I had told them about the encounter, they would have laughed and teased me. They would have said; 'Serves you right' or 'Why did you have to go out to watch the horror movie?' or 'Told you so!' or 'Maybe after this you will not dare to go again'.

Talking to the Ghost

In a slow and sad voice she said, "Koong, please me."
I mumbled something, "W..h..a..t?"
The ghost said, "Koong, you have to help me. I will not harm you. We just want your help."
My trembling voice seemed so strange. I said, "O…how do you know my name.. what.. do.. you.. want.. me to.. do..?"
"Koong, you must help us," she said again slowly.
"What… what … can I do?" I was stammering incoherently.
"Koong, you must help us. Only you can," she said.
"How.. how…?" my voice faded.
"You know why we killed ourselves, don't you?" she asked.
"Yes… but…" I asked.
"You must listen carefully. Go to the backyard of my house and under the left side of the staircase leading up to the house, you will find two rings," she said.
I quickly asked, "Yes, then…"
She explained further, "Take the rings. Then find the Indian priest from the local temple. Bring him here tomorrow night. Tomorrow will the one hundredth day of our death."
I asked again, "Is that all?" I was eager to get away as quickly as possible.
"No! No!" she interrupted. "Explain to him that he must help us to be married under the tamarind tree tomorrow."
"Now, I understand," I said with a little sadness inside.
Before I could ask any further, the girl vanished and the hanging figure disappeared too. I was too shocked and dazed after the encounter that I was rooted to the spot. After what seemed to be a very long time, I came to my senses. The hair on my neck and hands were standing on ends and there was a very strange sensation all over my body. My shirt was wet and sticking to my body like the skin due to the sweat that was still oozing from all the pores on my body.

The Tamarind Tree: Part 2 The Encounter

That house mentioned was just up ahead, on a hill, which I had to cross to get to my house. The tall tamarind tree was also just beside the house. Oh, my God! Please keep me safe and let those poor souls away from me. People believe that those who died tragically will not rest in peace. Their souls or rather spirits will wander around the scene of the tragedy. People have often seen them; one hanging from the tree and the other sitting under the tree weeping away.
Well, I kept walking as fast as my feet could carry me. I nearly tripped over a root that was sticking out from a tree. How my heart pounded and I thought I could hear it too. The drizzle had stopped and my shirt was wet due to the sweat that was pouring down my neck and back. Again the voice could be heard. How could the spirits know my name? Rubbish! They did not know me. I had never talked to them. Oh, ghosts know everything! Oh, no. That was the last straw. I ran all the way up the hill and was just about to turn away from the sight of the house; I saw it or rather them.
In the light of the moon, I saw a figure crouching under the tamarind tree and another hanging from the tree. It was swaying slightly. I was rooted to the spot as my legs refused to move. I tried to yell but not a sound or whisper could be emitted. My legs were shaking feverishly. My eyes were focused at the horrible scene. It was just 100 metres away. The figure under the tree got up slowly and appeared to stretch out its hand towards me. The hanging figure was still on the tree. My mind must gone blank due to the increasing fear. I was frozen for quite a while. Then when I came to myself, the figure was in front of me, barely 2 metres away.

The Tamarind Tree: Part 1

I heard someone calling my name softly. I turned to the direction of the voice but I could not see anybody. I thought that it was just my imagination or just the wind that was blowing. As it was late in the night, our imaginations can go wild. I kept on walking, as I was rather tired and that it was past midnight.
I was an avid fan of movies and especially horror movies. Every second Thursday of each month, there would be an open-air cinema screening movies, which I had never missed. That particular night, a horror movie "Dracula" was screened. I went there early not wanting to miss it. Many of my friends refused to go because they were afraid of such films.
The unmistaken voice calling me again was quite distinct. I was sure that somebody was calling me. Who could it be? It was drizzling a little but not heavy enough to soak me. Who could be calling me and not showing himself? Was it my friends who wanted to scare me? Or could it be GHOSTS!
I had better not take the risk of stopping and looking around. I was alone and there were stories about ghosts and spirits wandering around at night around the particular lane I was walking on.
At that instant, my thoughts went back to a haunted house up ahead. It seemed that a couple had committed suicide due to a family dispute. The boy had hung himself from a tall branch of a tamarind tree. The girl had consumed a bottle of weed-killer and she died in her house. It seemed that the parents of the boy refused to accept the girl as she was from a family with a lower status. Later, and after the deaths, the two families were often accusing one another for that tragedy.

Be patient and look out for part 2

The Tamarind Tree: Introduction

Why is the title "The Tamarind Tree"? Well, the tree has a lot of uses and haunted many who lived and who are still living there. Many Malaysians will undoutedly know the many tales and the spooky feeling when you go near this tree. This tree is also known as the 'assam tree' because we can use the fruit the 'assam Jawa' to cook many of our mouth watering dishes.

Let me spin this tale; wholely true and factual based on my experience and in memory of my dear friends, Ravi, Guna, Thayalan and Gopal.

Be patient and wait for my part 1