Shroud: Jinn

27 - Anomalous

One by one, the men failed. Except for one. A man named Ustaz Qasim, who was only a young man then.

Unfortunately, it did not end there. Legends said that after her body was shrouded in a burial cloth and laid on the floor, a black cat that came out of nowhere, jumped over the deceased and the dead body spurred to life, terrifying all that came to pay their last respects.

There were different variations to the ending of that past. One version claimed that the shrouded body disappeared without a trace. Another version professed that the dukun's (shaman's) spirit was expelled from the body, but the angered spirit continued to wreak havoc in the village at night. Another account stated that when the deceased's body came to life, five of the people that were present and nearest to the body were possessed. They were never the same afterwards.

The house had stayed unoccupied ever since.

I had spoken to Ustaz Qasim a day after I moved in. He was now a man in his early fifties. He approached me when I was picking lychees alone from a tree near his residence. He was surprised to learn that I had moved into the house which the villagers avoided like a plague. Knowing that they steered clear of the house meant that Melati and I had our privacy and keeping low was our topmost priority.

I still remembered my conversation with Ustaz Qasim as though it was yesterday.

"It's always good to bless a house before moving in. Have you done that?" Ustaz Qasim asked with a warm smile.

Embarrassment crept underneath my skin. Afraid of being judged, I forced myself to nod. I was scared of being shamed for my lack of knowledge. I felt guilty for lying.

I was clueless in blessing a house.

"I've recited extra prayers too," I added on more lies.

"Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God.) It's good to make a habit of it. Recite more of the three Quls (last three chapters of the Quran) - Surah Al-Ikhlas (Sincerity Chapter), Surah Al-Falaq (Daybreak Chapter) and Surah An-Nas (Mankind Chapter). Don't forget Ayatul Kursi (The Throne Verse). Better yet, recite Al-Baqarah (Cow Chapter) in the house. Ayatul Kursi (The Throne Verse) is part of Al-Baqarah (Cow Chapter). Abu Hurayrah, (may Allah be pleased with him), narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, 'Do not turn your houses into graveyards. Satan runs away from the house in which Surah Al-Baqarah is recited'."

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind," I replied politely.

"I have blessed the house after the previous owner passed away and added some extra protection. In shaa Allah (If Allah wills it), the house will be safe from shaitans (demons). No evils will be entering the house. Unless it followed you home or it had been waiting at the entrance for you. It can slip into your house if you do not recite any prayers before entering your home. The protection's as good as void for it would be broken from the inside."

I swallowed hard and stayed silent for a long while, unsure of what to say. Ustaz Qasim, however, found the silence overbearing.

"How was your night there? Slept well?" he asked.

"Good. No complains from my wife," I chuckled.

"Ah, you're married?" he lit up.

I nodded.

"Good, good. Marriage is half of the Deen (religion)," Ustaz Qasim smiled as he clapped my back like a proud father.

I chuckled to myself as I recalled the memory from two years back. I was no longer at the lychee trees near Ustaz Qasim's house. I was now seated on one of the small stools beside the pushcart stall that sold warm beverages and soda drinks in the kampung. I blew at the frothy foams of the teh tarik (pulled milk tea) as I warmed my hands with the glass mug. The flavour was not as rich as the one I usually had at my previous kampung, but it would have to do.