The Possessed Woman

Tomba began living with the strange person called Ahanlem. He found out this person who somehow ended up in his house in the middle of the night was a very silent person. But surprisingly, he was a very good cook, every meal was very tasty and finger-licking delicious, everytime. On top of that, he does household chores and also helped in planting and taking care of fruits and vegetables in his garden quite well. He also finally had an extra hand to work in his tiny field at the back of his house. Tomba became quite pleased. Days passed by peacefully like this for the both of them.

One day, they were returning from the small marketplace buying some groceries and needs. Suddenly, out of the blue a young woman fell down in the middle of the small road in front of them. then, she screamed hysterically shocking and startling the whole crowd.

She was dressed raggedly, the phanek she wore were tattered and her dirty blouse and shawl barely covered her but the most appalling thing was her body were bloody red and bruised all over. Scratches, cuts and bite marks were on her arms, shoulders, legs and all. And they seemed to be self-inflicted. Why they know this? Because the woman was madly biting her already bruised wrist as well as strangling herself on the very same hand right at the very moment.

It was an utterly disturbing sight.

"Fajabi! Stop it, will you?! Let go of your hand! Now!" shouted a man's voice nearby.

"How did she get out?! I locked the door tightly!" came another voice.

Soon a middle aged man and an old woman came rushing towards the woman and were trying to stop her from hurting herself. But the mad woman was relentless and kept screaming as she bit until fresh blood dripped her hands and continue to put pressure on her neck. At last, the man finally tore off her arms successfully then tightly gripping it while the old woman put on a new shawl over her hastily.

Somehow, the two managed to drag back the woman away from the road into a nearby building. The crowd stared on until the trio finally disappeared behind the door. After that, they all turned away but opened their mouths for new gossips.

"Tch, tch. How unfortunate!"

"Indeed. An ugly fate!"

"I don't know they manage? That scared me!"

"Thank goodness, I didn't bring my children!"

"How unsightly! First thing in the morning!"

They chattered but soon they moved on with their business.

However, it left a deep impression on Ahanlem.

"Lets go!" Tomba stuttered and hurried his steps.

Ahanlem quietly followed. But she had noticed then when everybody was shocked by the incident, Tomba looked more petrified for some reason.

They returned home, Ahanlem prepared another delicious meal, ate heartily and slept.

But the next day, both were in for a shocking surprise because the mad young woman, the middle aged man and the old woman were standing right on their courtyard.

The old woman and middle aged were kneeling while the mad young woman was gagged and tight up in between.

"What is the meaning of this? What do you want from me?" Tomba spat out the steamed potato he was eating.

The old woman said, "Isn't this the residence of Yumnam Maipakpa? Are you his kin? Please inform him, we are need of his help."

"Yes but sorry to tell you my grandpa is long dead. Even though you came such a long way for his help..."

"Eh?! How unfortunate! A terrible luck for us.!" Cried the old woman.

"Ema, What do we do now?!" the man exclaimed.

"Yes, unfortunate... so I think you should be on your way home right away..?" Tomba was mumbling as Ahanlem stood beside the front door.

The old woman and man were talking quietly amongst themselves while the mad woman kept trying to freed herself. Suddenly, the old woman turned to him.

"You are his grandson right? Then, you can do it too!" she said, her beady bleary shining with hope.

"My child, what is your good name?" she added.

Tomba had feared this outcome. He immediately said, "No! I'm sorry but I have none of my grandfather's skill or talent. I cannot help you!"

The hopeful faces were instantly replaced with dejection.

"You really can't?" asked the man with a last glimmer of hope in his eyes.

Tomba shook his head.

"Alright, then I guess we will be on our way.." the old woman said, covering a big shawl discreetly over the young woman.

The man and the old woman turned away with a heavy heart. Ahanlem could literally feel the despair and the disappointment written on their faces as they lifted the bamboo fence gate, holding the young woman. Soon, they were out of sight.

Ahanlem gave a meaningful glance at Tomba. He stupidly ignored it and scratched his head muttering, "...can't do anything about it..."

The rest of the day passed quietly. Tomba and Ahanlem worked in the field, ate, then worked in the field and when the sun set they return to their house to make dinner.

Later, that night Tomba was washing dishes in his little backyard pond when suddenly,

"EEEEEYAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!"

Came a loud shrilling cry like somebody just got murdered in the dead of the night.

He almost fell on his face towards his pond from extreme shock. Ahanlem rushed out and asked, "What was that?"

Before Tomba could answer him, a serious of shouting could be heard in the near distance. Then, soon enough loud persistent knockings came from the front door followed by a familiar voice yelling, "Tomba! Are you asleep? Open the door! A horrible incident has happened!"

Tomba haphazardly put the pots and plates in the kitchen and rushed to open the door.

Chaoba and Naoba, the neighbourhood twins and Tomba's only friends stood before the door, each holding wooden torches.

"What's going on?" Tomba asked. His mind already told him it was going to be something unpleasant.

"Ah! Ahanlem, you are awake too! Good!" Naoba said.

"Well, we'll tell you everything on the way. Just light some torches and locked your door. We have to get going. Lives at stake!" Chaoba added.

On the way, the twins told them of the incident, at Kaka Pishak' inn, a couple and an old woman came to stay for the night. He let them in, gave rooms and dinner and retired for bed as usual. In the middle of the night, he heard weird noises nearby but soon it stopped, so he ignored it. A little later, his seven year old son wanted to go outside to do the loo. So, they went out. He told his son to not go too far and waited. As he was mindlessly gazing his surrounding, he discovered the door to the inn which was next to his house was wide open and the dim candle light was pouring outside. He turned to his son, and told him to immediately go inside and went to check out. The only guest he got was the couple and the old lady that day. So out of the three bedroom inn house, two were locked while the one where they requested to stay altogether were open. He called out a few times until the guests woke up, he was asking why the door was open and was telling them to lock it when suddenly the man whipped his head around and horror seems to be written on his face. The old lady followed the same. He too, was becoming anxious when he realises that the young wife seems to be missing. The man and old lady immediately rushed out ignoring him. They looked and called her name a few times when suddenly they heard an eery laughter, "Tee hee tee hee hee.."

The innkeeper's hairs stood on end and all three turned around to the direction of the sound. There, before the dark background of the night, under the alluring crescent moon, a silhouette of a slender woman sat crouching on the straw rooftop of the inn house.

Innkeeper Pishak was beyond frightened, "What is that? How did it get there? It can't be human?! A spirit?!" he blurted.

But at that very moment, his son came out rubbing his eyes, "Pabung, let's go to sleep? Why are you not coming?"

And in an instant, the creature leaped down towards his son like a tigress pouncing on her prey. Before Pishak can act, the creature grasped hold of the child tightly with its arms and ran off into his back door. Pishak had no time to think he shouted, "HEY!!!!" and chased right after. And soon as he went in, his eyes widened. In the dim light of the line of the lamp, that creature or rather a young woman with a crazed expression was strangling his wife. His wife eyes bulged under the ruthless pressure and looking towards her husband with her mouth gasping desperately for air and his little son was crying out of fear clutch tightly in the other arm.

And the very scene was enough to make his blood boiling so hot, enough to forget his fear. With this surge of anger he grabbed the axe lying beside his door and lunged towards the crazed woman shouting in rage, "LET GO YOU WRETCHED BEAST!"

The mad woman seems to feel the danger and dodged but the damaged was already done. A long red mark was drawn over her clothed upper body. She had immediately let go of his wife but she still clung to the child tightly. She glared manically at the man and it was unbelievable to tell if she was human.

His wife, amidst a fit of violent coughing cried incoherently, "Save our child..(cough) Save Ibungo..!(cough)(cough)"

But as Pishak stood anxiously looking at his wife, the creature took this chance and did a terrifying leap and ran off again through the wooden door leaving a trailed of bloody red behind.

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