The Tamarind Tree

The End

2010-02-20T04:53:00.000-08:00

I looked up, followed by the priest. The two souls looked up. A strange brilliance appeared above the tree. It shone upon the four of us. It was one of warmth, calm, peaceful and tranquil feeling. A kind of feeling when one was safe in the arms of our mother or father. There was no fear. I cried and wept as I knew the end was just around the corner.
Slowly, the two of them were lifted up towards the brilliant light. It was a sight to remember. I could bet that the four buddies had seen this miracle. As they rose higher and higher, they waved to us. I put up my hand and waved back both for farewell and for a happy ending. My tears rolled uncontrolled down my cheeks. I was not ashamed. I was weeping as if I had lost someone very close. The priest wiped his eyes for he had also cried.
Then I realized that the other four buddies were also beside me. They were seated on the ground beside me. I heard a sniff and someone sighing.
The brilliance faded as the two rose higher and higher. Then they vanished. The moon had appeared once again as the clouds were nowhere in sight. We were bathed in the total brightness from the moon.
My shirt and shorts were covered in dirt and dust. My hair was unkempt and untidy. I was totally soaked in sweat. The four buddies were neater and cleaner because they were not affected by the whole incident.
The priest looked horrible; hair blown loose and unruly. His white dothi was dirty and white anymore.
We got up and together we walked away relieved and happy that we had carried out a deed few had done before. We were proud too. The fear of the place and the stories had faded and we walked away not fearing anymore. We thanked one another and especially the priest for his help and service.
The tamarind tree is still there, tall and mighty. The house had been pulled down as the company had ceased operation. I have not been to the place again since the incident. I do not know if other children still go there to gather the tamarind fruits or to get the sap from the useful tree. I hope to visit it again. But this time, I am sure I shall go there with a sense of pride and happiness.

Give them the rings

2010-02-17T05:10:00.000-08:00

The priest looked around as if searching for something. I knew it. God was against us helping them unite. How cruel! With a courage I had never known to possess, I crept nearer, eyes focused on the ground where the priest had been hit by the lightning. I scanned the area and to my utter astonishment and relief I saw the two rings. I picked them up immediately.
A sudden warm and calm feeling came over me. There was a warmth from the rings. This has to be something good, no doubt. It was like coming to the end of a race and heading to the finishing line. The end was in sight and my heart was about to burst with joy. I had no fear now. What mattered most was to get the whole business done.
The rings seemed to glow with a strange brilliance that I had often seen in the sky when the stars twinkled. The couple was smiling at me. That gave me the confidence. Their faces glowed as if they knew the end was near. Their faces were not hideous as one would expect. They were smiling and beckoning to me. The fear I had all this while faded and I knew for once that I need not fear ghosts or devils.
Without hesitation, I handed the rings to the priest. He nodded and quickly said his prayers although I could not understand a single word. From the gestures and movements of his mouth, I knew that he was performing what he had to do.
I knelt by his side facing the two pitiful souls. The wind was still furious, the lightning was sill flashing but it was far away. Thunder was pounding away in the distance.
The priest handed the rings to them. The girl took the rings and put one on her finger and the other onto the boy's finger. It was at this instant when the two had their rings on that something unexpected happened. The wind suddenly died down. The lightning ceased all of a sudden. Even the thunder faded without leaving any trace. I was amazed and shocked. I looked a the priest. He looked at me in return. We turned to the place where the two souls were huddled. They were standing up now and were holding hands. They were in total happiness and were smiling from ear to ear.

LOST AND CONFUSED

2009-09-13T01:55:00.000-07:00

The priest was totally in a daze. He was still transfixed on the landing beside me. I gathered my strength and courage. Then with a strange surge of bravery, I pulled at the arm of the priest. He suddenly awoke as if from a trance. I pulled him again, urging him to approach the two poor souls who were struggling at the foot of the tree.
He understood my message. Quickly he ran but stumbled along the way because he tripped over roots and stones. The struggle was one which I had never experienced.
Lightning was everywhere and the sound of thunder was getting louder by the second. My mind was num and I could not hear anything. My eyes were only focused at the pair of souls. My only aim was to help them in whatever way I could.
The priest was also struggling. Together we crept an approached them. Now we were facing one another. My heart sank when I saw the two of them. The boy was struggling to get up while the other girl was helping him.
'Love Story' and 'Romeo and Juliet' could not match the intensity ofd the scene in front of us.
"Help them. Help them." My heart cried out.
The priest understood or knew what was to be done. He took out the rings from his tiny bag and was about to say the prayers when another bolt of lightning hit the ground beside the four of us. We were thrown about, scattered like little rats.
We regrouped; the priest and me. The two souls were hurdled; hand in hand against the tree.

My prayer and hope

2009-08-06T05:57:00.000-07:00

"Go away! Leave these two souls alone!" I begged.
"Let them be united and be happy." My heart cried out.
My four buddies were crying and whimpering like little puppies. I could divide my attention. I had no time for them. I knew that my role was of major importance. They were just witness to a great event in their lives.
The girl moved forward and all the time she was begging the priest. She knelt and got up a few times as she approached the priest. Then the unexpected happened.
A bolt of lightning flashed out and struck. For an instant I was dazed. When I regained consciousness, I saw the boy on the ground under the tree. He crept slowly probabl;y he was injured by the lightning. The girl was beside him and helping him up. It was a really sorrowful scene; like a sad love story that was about to end. Was that the end of the whole affair? No, it couldn't be.
The end was yet to come.
I stood at the landing of the staircase. Instantly I knelt and put my palms together and prayed.
"God, have mercy. Let them be united. Let them be. Let them be together. Be merciful."
I was not sure what I was praying. I guessed those were the words of my prayer, more or less.

It Happened

2009-07-29T07:55:00.001-07:00

It was then that we saw them; the two ghosts or souls. The boy was dangling and swaying to and fro from the very branch we expected. We could see clearly now as we were only ten metres away. The girl was standing under the tree and looking at the hanging figure. She was sobbing and wiping her eyes.
The priest at the bottom of the staircase stood up and was totally transfixed. I for one was unable to speak. I watched everything as if I was a part of the plot. The other four buddies were huddled together at the top of the staircase shivering and whimpering like lost puppies. They must also have seen the two figures. They could not move or run away. I was the only one who got up and stood beside the priest. We stood and stared in silence.
The breeze had turned into a wind. The branches swayed in time with the figure of the boy still dangling by the rope around his neck. Leaves rustkled and flew around the tree. The girl stood up and turned. Her movements were slow and light as if in a dance. Her tears were rolling down her cheeks and her hands were outstretched. Her gestures were of begging and her facial features were genuinely sad and sorrowful.
The wind that was gathering speed together with the thunder and lightning was so powerful. These elements were working in union as if they were against the two souls that were about to be united.

Who is that? The Ghost?

2009-07-28T06:41:00.001-07:00

A short breeze started to blow. It did not produce any effect. We were still sweating. Leaves on the tree began to rustle and the dried leaves on the ground began to scatter about. The speed of the breeze began to build up. From experience we knew that a storm was brewing. We were in total darkness now as the moon was slowly being blocked by dark clouds.
We could only depend on the flicker of light from the houses a few hundred metres away. This gave us some guidance and direction.
The five of us suddenly screamed our hearts out because out of nowhere something or someone appeared beside us. Se sensed it because of the heavy breathing suddenly bearing on us. Our hearts must have stopped beating at that very moment.
We turned slowly because we did not dare to see what it was. We were about to run away when a pair of hands blocked and stopped us.
In a whisper, the voice said, "No, no. Don't go. Don't be afraid. It's me."
From the tone of the voice, we concluded he was the priest whom we had been waiting for. We began to calm down. We had no time to ask him how he had appeared out of nowhere because there was a drizzle.
Quickly, we made our way to the abandoned house. We had no choice because we did not want to be caught in the rain that was sure to follow.
The six of us moved slowly with the priest leading the way. He seemed confident and not the least scared. The five of us sat on the same staircase and waited. Surprisingly, the clouds parted a little.

We saw something...what

2009-07-24T07:27:00.000-07:00

It was then that we saw something or someone, at first faintly and then quite distinctly. We wanted to scream but we could not. We seemed to have been rooted to the spot speechless.
The figure moved slowly from behind the house towards the tree. If only the clouds had move away to allow more light to seep through, we could see clearly who the person was.
Then it disappeared behind the tree. Our fear kept us rooted. Even Ravi was unable to move. He was shivering and Guna quickly held him close to his side. Our eyes were all peering directly at one direction; the tamarind tree.
In most horror films, at the least unexpected moment, something would spring out to scare the wits out of the audience. Then everyone would scream their heads off. None happened here. Not a thing.
In my mind a thousand questions and possibilities kept churning. Maybe we had been fooled. Who was the person behind the tree? What was happening? Why didn't the ghost or ghosts appear? Should we go home? Should we wait? My mind was numb; totally confused.
I could bet the other buddies of mine shared the same feeling. They must have been waiting to run away and be safe in their houses; in the warm beds rather than standing and expecting the worst.

Hesitation

2009-07-20T23:46:00.000-07:00

Ravi, the youngest said softly, "I'm not so sure now. Can I go home? I'm really afraid."
Thaila interrupted, "Ravi, be brave. If we haven't harmed them, we will be safe."
Gopal whispered, "Right, be brave. I don't know what to expect but stay together."
Guna added, "I'm scared too but if we are helping someone, it has to be good. So I'm staying put."
Well, four to one was the verdict. Furthermore, Ravi could not possibly go back alone in the dark without company. We all stood silently and waited for the unexpected.
An owl hooted far away and then stopped. Then it was all quiet again. What a strange night! Dogs would usually be barking furiously as some of the residents nearby kept them. Even the insects were exceptionally quiet. The distant clanking and hooting of the midnight train jolted us.

Going to The Tamarind Tree

2009-07-18T19:08:00.000-07:00

I signaled to Gopal to wait. After a few minutes, my grandmother went to bed and I was relieved. I quickly switched off the lights and bolted the front door before leaving.
Only then did I notice that the rest of the gang had already assembled under the tree in front of my house. Quickly we started our journey. It was not a very long walk. After about ten minutes, we reached our destination. It was the tamarind tree that we had been to in the afternoon. Nothing had changed except for light from the moon.

In the light of the moon, the place was even more eerie. The shadow cast under the tree was dark and formed strange shadows. The only brightness were streaks from the moon through the branches. The air was so still and silent that we could hear our own breathing. We were perspiring profusely both because of the still and stuffy air and the fear that was building up. We kept silent all the way and looked suspiciously and expecting at any moment to see what we were to encounter.
We did not dare go near the tree in front of us. We stood a few metres away and waited. We did not know what to expect; to see or to hear. All the five pairs of eyes were wide opened. Our hearts were beating in rhythm. Our ears were cocked.

The agonosing wait

2009-07-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

That night the dinner was really tasteless; not that my mother's cooking was bad but the thought of the encounter that was to happen spoiled my appetite. My mother noticed the sudden change. I did not really ate but nibbled at the food and all the time my mind was far away.
I waited after dinner. As the minutes ticked away, I became more restless. My beating of my heart increased. My palms became sweaty and my mind was numb. I could not concentrate on my reading. I did not know what I was reading. I just sat with my book in my hands and staring at the pages as if they were windows outside. My eyes did not blink; not even once.
After a very long time, I was suddenly awoken from my trance. I heard a low whistle coming from somewhere outside. It was not the owl; for it did not sound at all like an owl. It could not have been a bird. Birds would have been fast asleep by now.
I walked to the window and peeped through it. Gopal stood under the tree. He waved at me. Only then did I realized that it was the hour; the appointed time. It was confirmed by the struck of the old grandfather clock in the house. It was eleven o'clock.
By then my parents had retired to their room. My brother and sisters were already fast asleep. Only my grandmother was doing some sewing. I waited for her to sleep too. It was agonizing.

Go home and get ready

2009-07-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

After about ten minutes, his eyes opened and he regained consciousness. Then he got up and sat up facing us again.
In a slow and solemn voice, he said, "Yes, I will help you. We have a mission to carry out tonight. What a pitiful pair!"
He added, "I will see you under the tamarind tree at midnight, tonight."
So saying, he left and we went home full of hope. We were excited at the event that was to happen tonight but at the same time we were a little scared at the expectation of seeing the ghosts. We exchanged glances and smiles as we went our way home. We were smiling because we knew that half the battle ha\d been won. At the back of our minds, we knew that thee was a bigger and more frightening encounter that was to take place soon.
We promised to meet in front of my house at eleven and go to the tamarind tree. Finally we left.

THE TRANCE

2009-03-28T23:13:00.000-07:00

After frowning for a while, he asked me for the rings to have a look at them. I produced them from my pocket of my shorts. They felt warm in my palm. There was a strange feeling; a tingling and warm assuring sensation.
Once they had exchanged hands, the priest suddenly gave an abrupt, startled jerk and we saw a strange look on his face. It was look of a totally different person. With the rings at his fingertips, he swayed from side to side. Then he started mumbling and speaking strangely. Guna, the spokesman, was also surprised and stumped. He could not understand what was going on. We were even more shocked and stunned. He listened intently to the gibberish but could neither make head nor tail of what he was saying.
Guna whispered, "I think he is in a trance. It is possible that he is getting a message from the ghosts."
We all looked in silence with our mouths wide opened. We could not utter a word. All we could do was sit still and stared at the priest.
His eyes rolled around for a long time. All the while he was mumbling something at times loudly and at times very softly that we had to stretch our eyes to catch it. In between he heard laughter and sigh. Then he would sway his head and we saw tears rolling down his cheeks.
Suddenly he collapsed on the floor in front of us. We gave out a shriek and sat completely stunned. We looked at one another. We wanted to run away but when we saw the rings in his fingertips, we remembered our mission. We then stayed and waited.

AT THE TEMPLE

2008-12-17T01:08:00.000-08:00

When he saw us, he smiled and without thinking we smiled in reply. We sat at the end of the temple so as not to interfere with his duties. He worked with precision. He knew where and when to do his duties. He was like a robot; very timely and very agile. We kept looking and wondering when Guna would make his move.
After quite a while, I thought Guna was aware when the priest had completed his task when Guna got up and approached him. By then he was sitting cross-legged near the entrance of the temple. Guna went nearer and greeted him. He acknowledged and Guna started his tale about what I had witnessed and the favour asked by the couple.
The priest listened intently and nodded his head now and then. Then he smiled and got up. He came over to where the rest of us were seated. He sat cross-legged in front of us and before. By then, we were quite comfortable and had got over the fear of him. He started talking and asked us a lot of questions. We answered, or rather I answered all I could as truthfully and as close as I could without leaving any details.

TO SEE THE MEDIUM

2008-12-06T18:06:00.000-08:00

So, the next thing was to seek the priest from the Indian temple nearby. It was another scary place. The statue of the God in the temple was awesome and frightful. Even though we had not done anything wrong or silly when we were there, we were afraid of it. We had been naughty, playful and cheeky but we still feared the temple and its inhabitant.
The little temple was not very far from our hoses. Just a short wlak and we would be there. Would he, the priest believe us; the story? Would he think that we were pulling a fast one on him? Would he laugh off as a joke? How could we convince him and get him to go to the tamarind tree at night? Tonight!
Guna, the braver and wiser of the five decided to talk him into helping out. He would be the spokesman. The temple was ahead of us. Someone, possibly the priest had just carried out prayers because we saw the lights on the oil lamps still flickering when blown by a breeze. There were lights from little square incenses laid around the altar and at the doorway of the temple.
We were sure to find the priest there now. Without any doubt, he was just coming out from the inside of the temple where the statue was situated. He was dressed in his usual white dothi, a white coloured cloth wound around his waist and covering his lower torso. His upper torso was bare. His long hair; which I had seen him washing and drying, was now tied into a little neat bundle behind his head. He had a little beard and moustache on his face. On his forehead he had applied some white powder used for praying. Both part of his upper arms were also smeared with the same white powder. He did not look frightening. He was rather a solemn figure going about his duties.

Ghosts? Spirits? Aliens?

2008-11-08T03:53:00.000-08:00

Once out from under the staircase, I opened the palm of my right hand. Yes, there were two rings. Everybody exclaimed in awe. Two rings, real rings and not made of plastic. There were tiny and beautiful carvings on the top and upon inspection we saw some lettering on the inner part. They were beautiful.
"Tick! Tick! Tick! Krek! Krek! Boom!"
We looked up but we did not see anything. That was the cue to scatter. We took to our heels. The sound was so loud and deafening. What was that?
"Ghost? Spirits? Devils? Oh no."
From a distance we heard the sound again. This time we stopped and eyed the house and the tree. Only then did we understand. We saw branches and leaves and seeds dropping on the zinc roof the house. A slight breeze must have brought them down without us realizing it. These droppings on the zinc roof caused the terrific din. It was so silly that we laughed and laughed aloud although we were already exhausted after the sprint.
It was after a while that we stopped our racket and really took the time to examine the rings which were still clasped tightly in my palm. We examined them carefully again. Yes, they were real and it was just as had been instructed by the girl. It must be true; the story must be real. They all agreed. We all nodded and smiled.

The Search

2008-09-11T03:16:00.001-07:00

To the backyard of the deserted house, we went. It was deserted after the sad and unfortunate incident. No one wanted to live there after that. Who in the right mind would occupy it especially after the horrible incident.
The whole house had a strange stillness and quietness. It was empty but the emptiness was intense and terrifying. It seemed to envelope us all as we approach it.
The staircase was in front of us now. The words kept coming to me as if to guide me. It kept drumming and echoing and I thought the girl was beside me all the time.
"Go to the left side of the stairs and underneath it you will find the two rings."
None of us wanted to be left behind. We walked closely together. Upon reaching the staircase, we stopped.
Gopal whispered, "Koong, where are the rings? Can you remember?"
Slowly but carefully, I reached under the staircase and started looking around. The others waited a few metres away. It was narrow; the space under the stairs allowed only one person in. it was dark too and there was a stench of decayed material. I used my hands to grope the spot but there was nothing. I pushed away the dirt and dead leaves away from under the staircase nervously. I was seriously considering giving up not because I was unsuccessful but more of fear that a hand would stretch out and grab me into the darkness.
The others were getting impatient. I bet there were equally frightful.
One voice whispered, "Have you found them? Any luck?"
I did not recognize who said that but the voice seemed nervous and dead serious.
I remembered the girl saying the left side of the staircase. I kept at it; pushing dirt and dead leaves away. Then I felt something hard and tiny. The feeling of something round excited me. Even in the darkness, I saw a glint. I was totally engrossed at my task and totally ignoring the others waiting for me.
I quickly crawled forward, stretching my hand. My whole body was by now hidden by the staircase. Sure enough, I found a ring. My heart burst with joy. But where was the other. I slowly moved my hand and groped the area where I found the first ring. I used my fingers slowly and nervously because I was too excited. Then I touched the other ring. Instinctively, I withdrew my hand holding the two rings expecting at any moment a hand reaching out to grab me and pull me inside. None of that happened as one would expect in a horror film. It was a relief.
I crawled out again, retreating backwards. The others came forward to help me out.
Guna asked, "Have you got them?"
I nodded my head because I was to exhausted and scared to answer.
"Let me have a look."

The Wonderful Tamarind Tree

2008-08-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

At this time of the day, the workers would be at work and would only arrive home at four in the evening. Therefore the place was deserted and totally quiet.
We walked slowly under the tree looking sheepishly because we all knew where the boy had hung himself. We would all look up at the tree half expecting to see the figure swinging to and fro. But there was none. Only the slight movement of the tiny leaves on the branches brought relief to us.
This tree had provided us a lot of fun and usefulness. I used to spin my tops under the tree. There were many afternoons when I had played alone here when the others were not around. They would usually help their parents tending to the goats or cows or vegetable plots. So I was usually alone.
It gave me a place of solitude and peace. It was strange though; to think of it now, because I had never thought about the incident when I was alone there. My neighbours had frequently warned me not to play there too often especially during the evenings or nights.
I had always punctured the bark of the tamarind tree to get the sap from it. It is white and looks like the latex of rubber trees. When the sap starts oozing from the puncture, I would dab the end of a string that was used to wind around a top. Then I would rub the end of the string so that the sap when hardenend prevented the end of the string from fraying. This was an ingenious idea.
I was not the only one who used the sap for the same purpose. Many of the boys including my buddies did the same. In fact I had learnt this skill from them.
I can bet many youngsters today do not know about this little skill.
The shade under the tree was perfect for my little games; marbles, top spinning, cards and even hide and seek. This spot was not a popular place to many de to the spooky tales surrounding it.
The fruit, the tamarind was also much sought after by the little boys and girls around the area. The locals would throw pieces of wood, aimed at the fruits hanging from the branches. Once hit, the fruits would drop onto the ground. The ripe ones would be gathered and eaten. The unripe ones would be left scattered under the tree. Often when I arrived there, I would see the unripe fruits scattered all over the place with the tiny green leaves. Then I would know that some kids had been there before. These kids never lingered very long there. Once they had enough of the fruits, they would run helter due to the fear of the place.
I had also done the same; aiming a piece of wood at the fruits and hitting them. Once they had dropped to the ground, I would select the ripe ones and leave the young green sour ones. The ripe ones had a hard brown shell. Once the shell had been opened, the flesh gives of a sour smell. The taste is sour, a kind of sweet fragrant sour that was quite tantalizing.
We were advised not to consume too much as it causes a stomachache. In fact consuming too much of anything is bad to our health.

The Adventure Starts

2008-08-19T08:34:00.000-07:00

It was an instant approval without hesitation. We left for the house mentioned. Before that I left specific instruction to my younger brother and sisters to stay at home and not to wander around.
So, it was with great enthusiasm that we arrived at the house. It was empty and left unattended for quite some time after the sorrowful incident. Getting to the house was easy but upon reaching the backyard, a certain uneasy and uncanny feeling enveloped us all. We had seldom entered or passed this area unless being forced to.
We knew of the incident and heard of countless stories of strange encounters. Why the sudden interest in all of us; I could hardly explain. Maybe, it was because as a group we felt braver or maybe it was the sense of togetherness. It could also be just a favour to help the poor souls.
Even in the daytime, the huge tamarind tree with its shady branches and leaves provided a blanket over the whole area. There was an indescribable quietness and stillness one would not expect in area near so many houses. Not far away, barely a hundred metres, were two rows of linked houses. In those days, they had wooden walls and rose on stilts. These were houses that were provided by the company for its workers.
Once in a while, a bird would land on a branch, chirp a few times, look around and fly away upon seeing the five of us under the tree.

Questions and more questions

2008-08-13T05:38:00.000-07:00

“How?” Guna asked.
“That’s the problem. I need your advice.” I pleaded. “She asked me to get the Indian priest from the local temple tonight.”
“Tonight?” Thaila asked.
I answered, “Yes, tonight.”
“Then how can we help?”
“I don’t know the priest but you do. So please help me. Can you help me?
Gopal asked, “How can we do that?”
“Well, we have to convince the priest to go there; I mean the tamarind tree tonight and help the poor souls.” I said.
Thaila volunteered, “I’ll do the talking and persuading but I need you support. But how can we prove it to him? He wouldn’t just believe our words.”
“Ah… I nearly forgot. She told me to look for two rings under the staircase at the back of her house.”
Ravi quickly added, “Let’s go now. It’s still early and bright. It’s not so scary.”

Getting the gang to believe Me

2008-05-08T06:06:00.000-07:00

They were my Indian neighbours and we usually met in front of my house and played games in the compound surrounded by our houses. It was like killing two birds with one stone; having fun playing games and keeping an eye on my brother and sisters.
After lunch, mum left me in charge. As usual, I met my ‘gang’ under the tree in front of my house.
It is usual even to youngsters nowadays. They prefer to talk and consult their friends on many matters. It was also true in my case. I expressed and consulted my friends more than my parents. This was because they were always too busy and hardly had time to attend to and listen to us.
I started quite hesitantly, "Hey guys, you wouldn’t believe me.”
“What?” Guna asked.
The others echoed his query, “Yes, what happened?”
“Listen,” I said. “Last night, after the horror movie, I saw something.”
“What?”
“A ghost!”
“Joking. You must be pulling our legs.” Ravi said.
I quickly added, “No, no. It’s no joke. Let me carry on. Remember the guy who committed suicide under the tamarind tree.”
“Yes. What’re their names?” Gopal asked.
“Let me see. Chandran, was the name of the boy and the girl…Devi. Yes, Devi.” Guna answered.
Thaila asked, “Yes, you’re right. But why did you ask?”
“I haven’t finished. You see, on my way home after you guys had left, I saw them.”
Before I could carry on, Gopal interrupted. He said, “Are you sure?”
“Yes, believe me. I saw both of them.” I said. “The boy was hanging from the same tree and the girl was in front of me. She asked me to help them.”
“What? Help the ghosts?” Ravi asked.
“Yes, to help them get married.” I said.
“How?” Guna asked.

To Tell or Not To Tell

2008-05-08T06:01:00.000-07:00

My father had left for the farm as usual to tend to the vegetables. I saw my grandparents getting to go too. Mother was in the kitchen preparing breakfast for the kids. It was a Friday so I had to go to school as usual.
In school I was very quiet because I was still thinking of the incident the night before. My mind was confused. I just could not wait for the bell to ring. Friday was the best day of the week as I could go home at noon. I wanted to tell my close friends when I reached home. I was also excited. Would they believe me? How could I convince them? Would they help me?
When I reached home my mother had cleaned the house and was preparing lunch when I approached her. She sensed something but she kept quiet. I wanted to tell her about the encounter and the dream that I had but I realised that she would not believe me. She would only laugh at me and say that it was just my imagination.
At about lunchtime, mum had to send the lunch to the farm as my father and grandparents ate their lunch there. It was useless coming back just for lunch and go again as the distance was quite great.
I was asked to stay at home to take care of my younger sisters and brother. It was a duty I did not quite like. I preferred the company of my close buddies; Gunasegaran (Guna), Gopal Krishnan (Gopal), Thaiyalan (Thaila) and Ravinderen (Ravi).

In Safe Arms

2008-04-06T06:10:00.000-07:00

At that same instant I must have opened my eyes and right in front of me was my mother. She was shaking my shoulders and wiping my forehead with a towel. I screamed again because she had being transformed into my mum. After quite a while I finally realised I was lying on my bed. My own bed! My clothes were soaked. By then I knew that sitting by my side was indeed my mum and not the lady ghost in the terrible dream.
I hugged my mother tightly; something I had not done since I was a little boy. I felt comfortable and safe in her arms. I could not sleep and just laid there.
Slowly my mum asked, "Did you have a bad dream?"
"Yes, mum. A terrible nightmare! A ghost! I dreamed a ghost," I replied. I left out the details and the similarity between the encounter and the scene in the dream.
My mother said, "Well, I guess you will not go for another horror movie after this. Sleep now and forget about it."
She left me to sleep and I slowly dozed off again. It seemed really strange how the words and comfort of a mother could work wonders. This time I really slept without being disturbed. It was broad daylight and the cockerel was crowing loudly.

Sleep and Dream

2008-03-27T06:08:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-26T08:23:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-22T08:08:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-15T07:29:00.000-07:00

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

2008-03-09T20:54:00.000-07:00

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