Polong
Pak Idrus had just finished dinner with his family. Satiated, he went to the living room to get a puff while the women were busy in the kitchen cleaning up.
It was a quiet and peaceful night. There was a gentle breeze out, rustling the leaves. It was dark outside Pak Idrus home as the house was situated some distance from the village. In the darkness, he could see faint lights coming from his neighbours house, indicating that they were still awake.
Suddenly, a shrill scream tore through the night, shattering its tranquillity. Turning around, Pak Idrus realised that it was coming from the kitchen and rushed there immediately.
Entering the kitchen, the screaming had stopped but he saw his wife lying on the kitchen floor, unconscious. His three daughters were on her, as if to restrain her.
As abruptly as the screaming had stopped earlier, it started again. His wife was writhing on the floor as the scream came from her. His three daughters were struggling to control her, but she soon broke loose.
Pak Idrus too tried to restrain her, but was amazed at his wife's incredible strength. She had the strength of ten men. It took everybody's effort to keep her down.
After a while, his wife started crying like a baby.
Amazed by the sudden change of mood, he sensed that something was wrong. Knowing of only one person who could help, he sent his youngest daughter, by far the bravest, to the bomoh's house. It was situated at the other end of the village, near the river. Unsure as to what to do, he could only turn to the wise bomoh for directions.
After what seemed like years, the bomoh arrived at Pak Idrus house. By now, Pak Idrus wife, Mak Tenah had moved into the living room and was crouched in a corner like a scared child. Her daughters had tried to coax her to bed, but she ignored them. The moment the bomoh came near Mak Tenah, she started to scream hysterically.
"Go away! Don't come near me!" She screamed.
Her three daughter were scared and stood at the corner of the room looking at their mother.
"Stay away from me. Leave me alone!" It was no longer Mak Tenah's voice anymore. Instead, it was rough in timbre, very much like a man's voice.
Knowing that the polong had possessed her, the bomoh started to chant a prayer.
"Please leave me alone…" Mak Tenah's voice sounded like a pathetic child begging for help, and she started to cry pitifully.
"Stop, please stop. I think she is in pain." One of Pak Idrus daughters told the bomoh.
"We cannot stop now. She is possessed. We must removed the spirit from her body or your mother will be worse than she is right now." The bomoh's voice was stern, as he stood firm in his decision.
The bomoh chanted a few more verses, this time more loudly and with force. Seemingly writhing in pain, Mak Tenah covered her ears with her hands and screamed even louder.
It was sometime later when Mak Tenah stopped. She looked ahead blankly.
Pak Idrus then spoke to the polong. "Who sent you?"
Mak Tenah started to laugh sinisterly.
"I ask again. Who sent you. Why are you here?"
"My master sent me," came the reply. The voice was guttural, almost inhuman.
After much interrogation, Pak Idrus and the bomoh found out that it was the work of a woman living down the road. Both Mak Tenah and the woman had a heated quarrel a few days ago. The woman was very angry with Mak Tenah because she had been humiliated in front of all her neighbours.
Pak Idrus tried sending it back but it was a useless effort. Mak Tenah started crying again but this time, no tears coming from her eyes. As she cried, the wails grew louder and more intense. In no time, she was screaming again.
The whole family was shocked to see the nightmare unfolding in front of them.
The bomoh continued chanting the prayers, and he was soon joined by the whole family. After struggling with the polong for some time, they were finally successful in sending it back to the sender. Mak Tenah looked tired but she had no recollection of what had happened.
Giving the family a blessed kris to hang in the house, the bomoh advised Mak Tenah to mind her temper before he went off. Pak Idrus also advised his wife not to humiliate anyone in public. That was the last time that such thing happened to the family.
A few
days later, they found out that the woman who set the polong on Mak Tenah
was seriously injured in a road accident.