Shroud: Jinn

25 - Hapless

It was a pocong.

Its sudden presence made me fumbled with the words on the page. I shut my eyes tight and started reciting the only two surahs (chapters from the Quran) I knew by heart - Surah Al-Fatihah (The Beginning Chapter) and Surah Al-Ikhlas (The Sincerity Chapter).

Its pungent smell was so thick that it assaulted my chest as the odour seeped its way into my nostrils. I knew that it was now standing much nearer than before. Its eerie laugh bellowed again and pierced through my eardrums.

"You think that the words of God can save you?" it snarled in an awful rasping voice. "Think again."

I jumped at a sudden loud sound that thundered on my left. Deeply terrified, I hugged my shaking form closer and continued with the prayers. I did not know how long I had been reciting, but it had been silent for a while. I opened my eyes a fraction and noticed that the threatening figure was no longer present. I breathed in gasps of air as the rapid pounding of my heart slowed down.

I turned to my left and was taken aback with what I saw. The tall tree beside me had split in half. The half that was nearest to me bent unnaturally above me at an awkward angle. Something was holding it back and preventing it from falling on top of me. I jolted myself away from the precarious situation. The second I did so, it collapsed dangerously at the spot that I was at earlier.

"Ya Allah! (Oh, God!)" I muttered in shock, relieved that I had been spared.

Spooked, I hurried back towards the direction of my car. As I was running away, I heard an extra set of footsteps, or rather, one hefty footstep at a time as though this person had only one foot.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

I slowed down my steps to make sure that my mind was not playing tricks on me. The rhythm was frighteningly constant and made me broke out in a nervous sweat for I had no idea who it was or what it was.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud!

There was no denying of its existence. It was getting much louder now.

I stopped dead in my tracks, gulped and turned around.

THUD! THUD! THUD! THUD!

The pocong was hopping towards me at a threatening speed despite having both its feet bounded by a tight knot.

"Run," it growled. "I love it when humans run."

It stopped hopping and glided towards me at a speed that made me stumble over my wobbly legs. Its icy growl pierced through me and drained whatever courage that I had left. I ran towards my car at a speed that surprised even me. I ignored the searing burn in my shins as I widened my steps.

"You think that I'm far. But I'm always near," its whispers breathed down my neck as though it was just beside me.

I turned my head to my left and screamed in shock as the pocong pressed its face against mine. My fear only magnified its laughter. It stared right into my eyes with slits that glowed a bloody red before it jumped at a tall height and disappeared into midair.

I increased my speed and finally reached my car. I fumbled to open the door. When I got in safely, I did not hesitate to lock it from the inside. I spun around in the driver's seat anxiously as I scanned the area around me, worried if the pocong or any other evil entities had followed me back to my car. My right hand trembled as I took a lot of effort to do a simple task such as turning on the ignition.