Possessed
“I am warning you girls to come back before sunset,” Rahimah’s mother sternly told them.
“We will, ma. Can you stop treating us like babies?”
having said that, Rafidah, Rahimah, Roslin and Rassidah walked out of the house to go to the river. Every evening, the girls would go there for a swim, and would take the opportunity to wash up for dinner.
All the four sisters were brave, except for the youngest one, Rassidah. Apart from their parents, there were almost nothing that the other three sisters were afraid of.
Rassidah on the other hand, was frightened by even the slightest sound. As a result, her sisters always made fun of her.
The river was particularly crowded that day, as other girls from the village were also there. The sisters had such a good time that they forgot about the time, and their’s mother warning. The sun wa setting when they left the river. All knew that they would not make it home on time.
“I’m sure that it should be okay for us to go back late once in a while. Mak won’t scold,” said Rahimah, the most rebellious one in the family.
On their walk back home, the sun had set, making their path dark. It was hard to see the stones and holes along the way. As a result, the sisters had to walk slowly.
“Did you hear that?” Rassidah whispered in a scared voice.
“What?” Roslin asked.
“I think I hear something following us.”
“You must be imagining. No one was around except for us.”
The sisters did not believe her. In the meantime, Rassidah had grown quiet.
When they finally reached home, they saw their mother waiting anxiously on the doorstep. She was stricken with worry. The moment she saw her daughters, the worry on hre forehead melted away into a frown.
“What time is it now?” She asked them sternly.
“Sorry, Ma. We forgot the time,” Rahimah replied.
“Do you know how dangerous it is out there after dark? Must you keep aggravating me?” The mother scolded them. However, deep inside, she was very relieved that her daughters came back safe and sound.
The three elder daughters apologised contritely to the mother, trying to pacify her. Only Rassidah kept silent. Her eyes were dazed and she merely walked into the house, ignoring her mother. Her three sisters looked at her in puzzlement. Their mother sensed that something was wrong.
“Rassidah, what’s wrong, nak?” The mother asked in a concerned manner.
Rassidah just stared at her mother as though she was a stranger. Worried, the mother told her husband about it.
He observed her for a while and soon brought Rassidah aside to have a chat with her.
“Nak, are you, OK? You are not sick?” Her father asked her gently.
Silence greeted his question. Rassidah merely continued to look blankly ahead. Her father took her hands, in a show of concern.
As if burned by fire, Rassidah jerked her hands away. “Leave me alone!” She snapped. Her voice sounded low and hoarse, like a man’s.
Stunned, all of them at the dinner table just looked at Rassidah. Rassidah, the most obedient of them all, was rebelling.
Seated there, Rassidah was glaring hard at everybody. Rahimah and the other sisters tried to talk to her but she totally ignored them. Usually, she would eat in a dainty manner and finish a small portion of food. Today, she dug into the food like a ravenous wolf.
Her father knew by then that something was seriously wrong. Immediately after the meal, he told the girls to go to their room but got Rassidah and their mother to stay behind. Leaning over, he whispered something into his wife’s ears and she soon left the room.
Their mother soon came back with a book in her hand. The moment she entered the room, Rassidah started to shout at her parents rudely, scolding them in foul language.
Her mother took the book, and began to recite verses from the Koran. Rassidah had grown violent, throwing things around the room. her father tried to restrain her but Rassidah seemed to be filled with superhuman strength.
Peeping through the wall cracks from the neighbouring room, the sisters realised then that Rassidah had been possessed.
Her parents had decided to leave her on her own, and went off to a corner of the room. when she could not stop hre parents chanting, Rassidah tried to open the door to get out. Her mother had earlier locked the door on the way in. rassidah was trapped.
Their parents began to recite verses from the Koran together. Concentrating on the Koran, they ignored what was happening to Rassidah.
Rassidah, on the other hand, was shrieking like a madwoman. Unable to get out, she tried to attack her mother. However, the Koran protected the parents and Rassidah could not even get close.
“Stop! Stop! If not I’ll kill your daughter!” The voice coming from Rassidah was guttural.
Their parents continued their chanting. The spirit tried to hurl things at the parents but nothing touched them.
"She is mine! I will not leave her! The spirit screamed desperately.
The girls, who were outside the room, were really scared. At moments they could hear Rassidah struggling with the weakening spirit.
"Ma, Pa, save me!" …DIE!!!" …"Help me!"
Eventually, Rassidah slumped to the floor in a dead swoon. A shapeless form materialised above her motionless body. Snaring at her parents once, the spirit vanished into thin air.