There was something odd about that night. bathed in brilliant moonlight just a while ago, it was now blanketed in utter darkness. An omen, perhaps, of the sinister happenings that were about to take place in the otherwise quiet household of Captain Mohamad Zain. The lights in his splendid double storey house were off too, as everyone had turned in. Just outside, along the narrow, lonely street on which it stood, the darkness was relieved by a solitary gas lamp. Within this small oasis of rather dim light, the leaves on the trees and bushes glistened with the wetness left behind by the heavy rainstorm that fell that afternoon. The leaves hung heavy with rain water, to be shaken off now and then by a gust of cool wind. everything else was still and silent. And now mist was forming, despite the early hour, rolling and tumbling in the shine of the lamp each time the wind blew, adding a ghostly quality to the scene. This silence was abruptly broken by someone rapping rudely at the front door of the Captain's house. The caller kept knocking persistently until the door was finally opened and a tiny lamp inside shone on his face.
The light was held by Mak Munah, the Captain's cook. She answered the door with a bit of surprise and trepidation, expecting to see her employer back from his usual evening walk. What a fright she had when she came face to face instead with a big, dark, hirsute fellow dressed in an all white garb with a turban around his head, like a Sikh. She could not tell if he was Indian, African or Arab, though. With fiery eyes staring into hers, the man shoved a parcel into her hands and instructed her in a rough voice and broken Malay to give it to Captain Mohamad Zain and no one else. And without a word of explanation, he dashed off and disappeared in the thick mist, leaving Mak Munah with the parcel in hand and puzzles in her mind. 'I can never forget those eyes,' Mak Munah was later to tell Kak Yam, the only other servant in the house and governess of the Captain's six year old daughter, Bedah. 'They shone and glared at me like he was going to eat me up. And the hand, they looked withered, the fingers thin as sticks and the nails ghastly looking,' the old woman pointed out. 'If only you had seen him... I mean, I think he looked like... like a zombie.'
Captain Mohamad Zain came home very late that night, and Mak Munah did not have the chance to hand the parcel personally to him. Instead, she left it on the table in the living room where he usually sat down to rest upon his return from work. Next morning, Mak Munah found the parcel still there, apparently untouched. She dared not, however, speak to the captain about it, nor hand the parcel personally to him. One thing, the man was a private, taciturn person, who seldom chatted with his two servants and rarely showed even Bedah, his only child, any affection. The girl hardly saw him anyway, as he would leave for the office early in the morning and sometimes would not return until late at night. 'I've feeling there's something evil about the parcel,' Mak Munah said. 'Don't give it to anyone but the Captain,' the man said. Believe you me, that thing's going to be bad news for all of us.' 'What have you done with it?' asked Kak Yam.
'What do you think? When I noticed Captain Zain would not touch it at all this morning, I grabbed it and threw it into the rubbish bin. I think he must have been too scared to open it. I've been watching him and I noticed he dared not touch the parcel. In fact, he did not even dare sit beside it. 'I wonder. Could this have anything to do with the time when he was in India? Perhaps he had done somebody wrong, hurt someone so badly, that the fellow tracked him all the way here to have his revenge. That could be what that parcel is all about. That could be why that zombie was here!' Then, almost whispering, Mak Munah said, 'You know why I say so? You know what's in the parcel? You won't believe it if I tell you. It's just a doll, a fabric doll. But it's so filthy, I felt sick just looking at it. Why would anyone want to give you something like that, if he's got nothing against you? Right? There must be something evil about it. That's why I just dumped it into the dustbin.'
Kak Yam listened to Mak Munah's story with amusement. Much younger, she was more broad minded than the old lady. To her, stories like this need to be taken with a generous pinch of salt. In any case, she felt it was up to the Captain to decide what to make of the parcel. It was, after all, meant for him. Quietly, she took the back door and went for the dustbin where she found, wrapped in a sheet of rough paper, a dirty fabric doll. Just like Mak Munah said. She took the parcel, cleaned it, and without a word to Mak Munah, placed it back on Captain Zain's desk. For the rest of the day, nothing happened. Next morning, Mak Munah was setting the breakfast table when Captain Zain Summoned her. As she entered the living room to see him, Mak Munah saw the Captain with the parcel in his hand. 'Who opened this?' asked Captain Zain. Mak Munah did not say a word. 'Who dared open this bundle without my knowledge? And how on earth did it get into my house?' He sounded furious. Mak Munah replied, 'There was this man, big and tall and very dark. I've never seen him before, Sir. He came with the parcel the other night and simply said I should give it to you.' 'He didn't say anything else?' 'Nothing, Sir,' she replied in a trembling voice.
'Now, take it away and burn everything,' said Captain Zain, as he handed the parcel and the doll to Mak Munah. Reluctant as she was, Mak Munah took the dreadful thing and hurried out of the room. At the kitchen, she passed it on to Kak Yam with great relief. Despite her instructions, however, Kak Yam, who was still skeptical decided there was no sense wasting a nice toy when there was someone who really needed one. She took the doll, washed it and gave it to Bedah. Bedah, who did not have many toys to begin with, was naturally delighted when she got the doll. She fell in love with it the moment she set eyes on it, and the doll never left her side ever since. She played with it, gave it all her attention, and would not go to bed without it. Sometimes she even talked to it, as if the doll could respond.
Then, out of the blue, about a week later, Kak Yam resigned. It took the household by surprise, but there really nothing Captain Zain could do but let her go. 'I can't stop you from going, really. But Bedah is going to miss you a lot. She has been very close to you. If ever you feel like coming back, please do. I'd be very happy to have you here again,' said the Captain. Kak Yam explained that she had to leave at such short notice as her father had just written to say her old mother was seriously ill and needed her around. But the truth was, her mother has nothing to do with the decision at all. The real reason for Kak Yam's sudden departure was the doll. It was beginning to give her the creeps!
As had been her habit, she went to Bedah's room one night just to check if the girl was alright and sleeping well. As she opened the door to the bedroom, she saw in the dim light within, some strange movements on the bed. She took a closer look and saw something walking about like a human being. And yet it seemed too small to be one. As she kept watching, the thing went first to the window, paused, and turned around to face the door where she stood. What a shock Kak Yam had when she realized it was the doll. It glared at her with shining eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. Kak Yam could not do a thing. She felt like she had been nailed to the floor. He whole body froze and all her joints seemed to have seized. She felt like screaming, but all she could release was a feeble whimper. An eerie feeling was on the back of her neck and she felt her hair standing on end. The doll clambered down the bed, and now coming towards Kak Yam. Not for one moment did it take its gaze off her. She could see it was no longer the lovable toy she knew, but something horrid and menacing. It seemed to be muttering something, though she could not hear what it was. Step by step the doll came. Closer and closer it drew, and all Kak Yam could do was stare in horror. The doll reached out for her face. Kak Yam blacked out.
When Kak Yam told Mak Munah all about this just before she left for her village, the old lady kept reciting Quranic verses silently. Kak Yam told her how, when she came to, she steeled her nerves to step into Bedah's bedroom, and found the girl sound asleep and the doll that had earlier been going after her lying motionless below the bed. 'I picked it up. it didn't move, didn't look as horrible as I thought it was, didn't look anything more than just... a doll. Did I really see what I thought I saw? I really don't know. I just put it back on the desk beside the bed and dashed out.' All the way in the bus that took her back home, Kak Yam could not get the incident out of her mind. Was it all just her imagination? How could a doll walk? Was this some sort of black magic? Would Bedah be in any danger? Perhaps, being the child's governess, she should have stayed and protected her. Perhaps she should have destroyed that doll while she had the chance.
But if the doll was black magic, who was it meant for? Suppose, like Mak Munah suspected, the Captain had done someone wrong while he was in India. Suppose his enemies had now come to settle scores. Then Bedah would not be the only one in danger! Which reminded her of something Mak Munah had insisted on whispering into her ears as she was leaving. It sounded a little far fetched at first, but now, as she thought over it in the light of her own experiences, she began to wonder. What if Mak Munah was right? 'I was about to wash Bedah's clothes and bed linen when I found some red stains on them. At first, I thought some paint must have flaked off the doll. But no, it wasn't it. In fact, the doll wasn't even painted, and had nothing but cotton wool inside. I'm convinced now. It's blood, no doubt about it. The only question is, if it's blood, where could it have come from? Certainly not Bedah because I didn't find any cut on her.' These thoughts continued to haunt Kak Yam even as she settled down to life at home.
Soon, she began to wonder about the Captain himself. Surely, he must have something to do with all this. The thing was, no one, not even Mak Munah, seemed to know much about him other than that he used to serve in the British forces in Malaya, had withdrawn along with them to India when the Japanese invaded the country, and had remained there till the end of the war. He came back when Malaya was under the British Military Administration, and along with him came a little girl. That was Bedah, who everyone presumed, was his daughter. But who the mother was and what had happened to her, no one knew. Besides her, the Captain was alone when he returned. And he had remained single ever since. Kak Yam often wondered why the Captain never remarried. How she wished she could be his wife. How she wished she could be by his side, take care of him, and take care of Bedah, too. Had he ever looked at her as a woman, and not just as his servant? Sometimes, posing in front of a tall mirror at his place, she could not help noticing her good looks. No one could call her old. She was still attractive and cut a great looking figure. Indeed, she had noted more than a few men who had found her worth a second glance. Three weeks back home, and Kak Yam was already feeling like a fish out of water. Perhaps it was her anxiety over Bedah's safety, or perhaps her heart was really with the girl's father. In any case, she felt being drawn back to the Captain's household. Finally, she decided to come back.
The Captain was not around when Kak Yam returned but she was welcomed with delight by Mak Munah and Bedah. Mak Munah could not wait to be alone with her, to share with her everything that had transpired during her absence. 'You know, ever since you left, I've found more and more traces of blood on Bedah's bedsheet. I really don't know what I ought to do. I'm not sure I want to tell Captain. And I've yet to find out where they came from. Certainly not Bedah. I know because I've been bathing her myself. 'That girl has been spending so much time with the doll. In fact, I dare say she has completely ignored all her other toys, preferring it above all else. And yet, other than the traces of blood, nothing of concern has happened to her.
'I'm beginning to think,' Mak Munah continued, Bedah is not the one in danger. I suspect the target is someone else!' That night, as she tucked Bedah in, Kak Yam could not help thinking about the doll, then lying beside the girl. It did not make sense to her that something so harmless could bring any sort of tragedy to the household. Afterwards, back in her bedroom, she took her Quran out of her bag and started reciting the verses slowly line by line, to soothe her nerves. Before she had reached the twentieth verse, however, Mak Munah had rushed inside, looking very excited. 'Yam, Yam, come quick, follow me. You've got to listen to this. They're talking to each other.' 'Talking? Who?' asked Kak Yamas she hurried out. 'Who else? Bedah and her doll, of course.' Mak Munah half jogged to Bedah's room. It was sometime past eleven then. The two servants placed their ears against the door to the little girl's bedroom and in the silence, heard two voices in conversation. One was definitely Bedah's, but the other was a voice they had never heard before. 'What did I say?' whispered Mak Munah to Kak Yam. 'She could be talking in her sleep, you know,' replied Kak Yam.
'Yes, but in two different voices?' Mak Munah was still trembling. Then, rising, she said, 'Come on, Yam. I think we've heard enough. I'm not going to stay here any longer.' She dashed back to her room. But Kak Yam hesitated. Scared as she was, she wanted badly to find out what was really happening inside. As she considered what she ought to do, she suddenly heard the front door being opened, followed by a cough. Captain Zain was back. Reluctantly, she rose and went into Bedah's room, closing the door behind her. She was not prepared to face the unpleasant questioning that will certainly follow if he caught her lurking in the darkness outside his daughter's bedroom. She found Bedah fast asleep. her hand was holding the doll, squeezing it repeatedly, as she murmured softly. Then there was that alien voice. It was clearly not from the girl's mouth. It has got to be the doll, she thought. Must be some part of it making noises everytime it was squeezed.
Next moment, Bedah's hand went to the doll's neck and started squeezing it. To Kak Yam astonishment, the head turned round and round. Then she heard a voice, seemingly from the doll, pleading for help. Kak Yam felt a chill coming over her and she froze with horror. Somehow Bedah released her grip. The doll landed on the floor, but instantly got up and limped to the side of the bed, before clambering up to lie down beside Bedah again. Kak Yam did not know if she walked or ran back to her room. All she knew was she had fled in terror and was now in bed, her face buried in the pillow. Next morning, she plucked up enough courage to speak to Captain Zain. 'Oh, it's great to see you back. Bedah missed you terribly.' It was the first time the Captain saw her since her return.
Before Captain Zain could continue, Kak Yam cut in, 'Did you know about her new toy?' 'Oh, yes, I do. You sure know how to find her the nicest of things. Thank you.' 'But,' Kak Yam replied, 'it's really not a nice toy, you know.' For the first time, Captain Zain laughed. 'Well, sometimes we adults do find our kids toys horrid, don't we? I haven't actually seen what you bought Bedah, but if she likes it, fine. And if there's anything else you'd like to get her...' he shrugged his shoulders to indicate he had no objections. 'Actually, I did not buy her the toy,' Kak Yam replied, with growing anxiety. 'Actually, it came from the parcel that stranger delivered here not long ago. Remember that parcel you told Mak Munah to dump? The doll was in it. Mak Munah gave it to me to throw away like you said, but I took it and gave it to Bedah. And now it's starting to do some weird things. Like walking and talking!' 'What? What are you talking about?'
'The doll's alive, Sir! It walks and it talks! I've seen it and I've heard it with my own eyes and ears. God, I don't know what kind of black magic this is, but I'm troubled by it. To think that I gave it to that sweet little girl!' She hung her head down in obvious despair. Captain Zain was speechless. After some time, regaining him composure, he spoke, 'Thank you for telling me about it. I think I know what this is all about. I've been expecting it for a long time, actually. I knew it had to come, sooner or later. But... have you really seen the doll walking and heard it talking?' Drawing closer, Kak Yam said, 'If you're still skeptical let's meet outside her bedroom tonight. You can confirm it with your own eyes and ears.'
'Alright,' said Captain Zain as he prepared to leave for work, 'I'll see you there at 12.30 tonight.' That evening, Kak Yam was not her usual self. Nervousness having killed all her appetite, she spent the time closeted in her room, getting more and more fidgety as the night wore on. Nine o'clock, and it was bedtime for Bedah. Dragging her feet, she went out and took the girl to bed. 'But where's my doll? Please bring it to me. I won't get any sleep if I don't have it.' Kak Yam fetched the doll and gave it to her, whereupon she hugged it lovingly and lay it beside her. 'Why do you like this dirty thing so much? Couldn't you be without it even for one night?' asked Kak Yam. 'No, I must sleep with my doll,' she replied as she held it tight and patted it lovingly. 'Alright, alright. Now, shall we close our eyes ans have some sleep?' After dimming the light, Kak Yam left the room, praying for God's protection for the innocent child. Back in her bedroom, Kak Yam lay down and soon dozed off. Her sleep was interrupted at about eleven, when she awoke to find the house completely quiet. Mak Munah must be in bed and fast asleep by now, she thought as she closed her eyes again. When she awoke the next time, it was already past midnight. She got up hurriedly, primmed her dress and quietly left her room.
The night was still. Not the slightest wind blew outside. And everything was so quiet that her bare footsteps sounded loud and clear. She was tiptoeing to Bedah's room when suddenly, sounding like an exploding gun amid the silence, the front door opened. It was none other then Captain Zain. He quickly joined her and together they waited, side by side, outside the door to Bedah's room. At first, all they heard was Bedah's steady breathing. but then came two voices in conversation, growing louder and louder. 'There,' whispered Kak Yam excitedly, 'you heard that, Sir?' The Captain pressed his ears against the door. Instinttively, Kak Yam turned her against it too, and before they knew it, they were standing face to face, so close she could feel his warm breath on her cheeks. In the meantime, there was a pause in the strange chatter inside. Gingerly, Captain Zain pushed the door open slightly to take a peek. Suddenly, he grabbed Kak Yam's hand and held it tight. Drawing his head out, he whispered. 'I saw it! I saw the doll walking!'
Kak Yam stiffened up. 'The doll stared at me,' he said. 'It actually had its eyes on me.' Then, with an abrupt change of tone, he went on, 'I've been expecting this, you know. Though I never imagined this is what it's going to be.' Kak Yam did not respond. She was not sure she understood him. Within the bedroom, the talking voices continued. This time, Bedah's voices was more distint, 'Come over here, please. Don't leave me alone. Come sleep with me... hurry!' Another voice, from the doll, came in response. The words were clear, but Kak Yam could not understand any of them. They sounded like... Badh-la! Whispered Captain Zain, echoing the words. 'Badh-la! It's Hindi, and it means revenge,' he explained, drawing a deep breath. 'I knew it. I knew it all along. And now it's here. Well, I'm ready.' Kak Yam recalled the suspicions Mak Munah had had from the very beginning about the doll.
'I've got to go in there. I've got to face this, and do something about it,' said the Captain. 'No, wait. Let me go with you.' And Kak yam followed Captain Zain inside.From behind him, Kak Yam scrutinized the room. Bedah was fast asleep in her bed. Nothing seemed out of place. Except for one thing. The doll was nowhere to be seen. She took a good look around her, but nothing was astir. Yet, she could sense it. It was there, somewhere. Kak Yam drew Captain Zain back. 'Don't move, Sir. You've just seen it, so it must be in here somewhere. We've got to be careful.' But he stepped ahead instead, and stood protectively before her. 'No, I think it's safer if you stay put. let me look around. Kak Yam's eyes were still searching warily for the doll, when they landed on the sheets covering Bedah's feet. Something was stirring underneath. Was that just Bedah's feet, or what? The edge of the blanket lifted slightly and instantly she caught a pair of eyes staring at her. Instinctively, Kak Yam dashed in front of Captain Zain, trying to shield him. But, again, he would not let her, and quickly drew her back. 'Let it come. I'm ready for it,' he said.
In the meantime, the doll had appeared from under the blanket and now stood boldly at Bedah's feet. Its eyes shone and its mouth spewed strange, threatening words, 'Badh-la! Badh-la!' And like lightning, it sprang towards the Captain. It landed on his neck, and had sunk its teeth into his throat before he could do anything to avoid it. Everything happened so fast that Kak Yam was not even sure what was going on. All she saw was the Captain striking something on his neck and trying to brush it off. He seemed to succeed after a few times, and Kak Yam heard a light thud as the thing landed stiffly on the floor. Everything was over quickly and he seemed none the worse for it. Moments later, Captain Zain spoke, 'Could you please straighten Bedah's sheets?' Still confused, Kak Yam went to the side of the bed and did as she was told. That awoke Bedah, and she sat up, surprised. 'Auntie Yam? Daddy, is that you, too?' 'Yes, we've come just to see if you're OK. You can go back to sleep, dear,' replied Kak Yam as she patted the girl.
All the time, Kak Yam did not stop looking out for the doll. Suddenly she saw a hand slipping inside through the bedroom window. It seemed to retrieve something from the floor before swiftly slipping out again. For a fleeting moment, there was a dark figure in the window, but it vanished before Kak Yam could do anything. She heard Bedah talking to her father, 'Aren't you in bed yet, Daddy? I've just had a dream, but now I can't remember what it was.' 'That's alright. Go back to sleep. It's late,' the Captain replied. Kak Yam and Captain Mohamad Zain later made their way back to their bedrooms. In the darkness along the way, he suddenly stopped her. He turned around, and gave her a look that made her skin tingle uncomfortably. Without saying a word, he embraced her. Then, holding her tight in his arms, he pressed his lips onto hers. She struggled, but could not free herself. Her breathing became hard. She felt drained of energy. She felt her body turning limp, and surrendered herself to his warm kiss.
'Thank you for everything,' he said as he finally released her. He left a stunned Kak Yam with a warm grip on her hand, and made for his room. At the door, he turned around and, with a smile, added, 'In case I get up late tomorrow morning, please don't wake me up. I think I'm going to stay in bed a little later than usual.' it was almost noon the next day when the police came to Captain Zain's house. An anxious Kak Yam had called for help when she failed to wake him up, despite knocking repeatedly on his bedroom door. Police broke the lock and rushed inside to find Captain Zain still in bed. His mouth was agape, the tongue sticking out. His throat was swollen like it had been stung by hornets. He was no longer alive.
Captain Mohamad Zain came home very late that night, and Mak Munah did not have the chance to hand the parcel personally to him. Instead, she left it on the table in the living room where he usually sat down to rest upon his return from work. Next morning, Mak Munah found the parcel still there, apparently untouched. She dared not, however, speak to the captain about it, nor hand the parcel personally to him. One thing, the man was a private, taciturn person, who seldom chatted with his two servants and rarely showed even Bedah, his only child, any affection. The girl hardly saw him anyway, as he would leave for the office early in the morning and sometimes would not return until late at night. 'I've feeling there's something evil about the parcel,' Mak Munah said. 'Don't give it to anyone but the Captain,' the man said. Believe you me, that thing's going to be bad news for all of us.' 'What have you done with it?' asked Kak Yam.
'What do you think? When I noticed Captain Zain would not touch it at all this morning, I grabbed it and threw it into the rubbish bin. I think he must have been too scared to open it. I've been watching him and I noticed he dared not touch the parcel. In fact, he did not even dare sit beside it. 'I wonder. Could this have anything to do with the time when he was in India? Perhaps he had done somebody wrong, hurt someone so badly, that the fellow tracked him all the way here to have his revenge. That could be what that parcel is all about. That could be why that zombie was here!' Then, almost whispering, Mak Munah said, 'You know why I say so? You know what's in the parcel? You won't believe it if I tell you. It's just a doll, a fabric doll. But it's so filthy, I felt sick just looking at it. Why would anyone want to give you something like that, if he's got nothing against you? Right? There must be something evil about it. That's why I just dumped it into the dustbin.'
Kak Yam listened to Mak Munah's story with amusement. Much younger, she was more broad minded than the old lady. To her, stories like this need to be taken with a generous pinch of salt. In any case, she felt it was up to the Captain to decide what to make of the parcel. It was, after all, meant for him. Quietly, she took the back door and went for the dustbin where she found, wrapped in a sheet of rough paper, a dirty fabric doll. Just like Mak Munah said. She took the parcel, cleaned it, and without a word to Mak Munah, placed it back on Captain Zain's desk. For the rest of the day, nothing happened. Next morning, Mak Munah was setting the breakfast table when Captain Zain Summoned her. As she entered the living room to see him, Mak Munah saw the Captain with the parcel in his hand. 'Who opened this?' asked Captain Zain. Mak Munah did not say a word. 'Who dared open this bundle without my knowledge? And how on earth did it get into my house?' He sounded furious. Mak Munah replied, 'There was this man, big and tall and very dark. I've never seen him before, Sir. He came with the parcel the other night and simply said I should give it to you.' 'He didn't say anything else?' 'Nothing, Sir,' she replied in a trembling voice.
'Now, take it away and burn everything,' said Captain Zain, as he handed the parcel and the doll to Mak Munah. Reluctant as she was, Mak Munah took the dreadful thing and hurried out of the room. At the kitchen, she passed it on to Kak Yam with great relief. Despite her instructions, however, Kak Yam, who was still skeptical decided there was no sense wasting a nice toy when there was someone who really needed one. She took the doll, washed it and gave it to Bedah. Bedah, who did not have many toys to begin with, was naturally delighted when she got the doll. She fell in love with it the moment she set eyes on it, and the doll never left her side ever since. She played with it, gave it all her attention, and would not go to bed without it. Sometimes she even talked to it, as if the doll could respond.
Then, out of the blue, about a week later, Kak Yam resigned. It took the household by surprise, but there really nothing Captain Zain could do but let her go. 'I can't stop you from going, really. But Bedah is going to miss you a lot. She has been very close to you. If ever you feel like coming back, please do. I'd be very happy to have you here again,' said the Captain. Kak Yam explained that she had to leave at such short notice as her father had just written to say her old mother was seriously ill and needed her around. But the truth was, her mother has nothing to do with the decision at all. The real reason for Kak Yam's sudden departure was the doll. It was beginning to give her the creeps!
As had been her habit, she went to Bedah's room one night just to check if the girl was alright and sleeping well. As she opened the door to the bedroom, she saw in the dim light within, some strange movements on the bed. She took a closer look and saw something walking about like a human being. And yet it seemed too small to be one. As she kept watching, the thing went first to the window, paused, and turned around to face the door where she stood. What a shock Kak Yam had when she realized it was the doll. It glared at her with shining eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. Kak Yam could not do a thing. She felt like she had been nailed to the floor. He whole body froze and all her joints seemed to have seized. She felt like screaming, but all she could release was a feeble whimper. An eerie feeling was on the back of her neck and she felt her hair standing on end. The doll clambered down the bed, and now coming towards Kak Yam. Not for one moment did it take its gaze off her. She could see it was no longer the lovable toy she knew, but something horrid and menacing. It seemed to be muttering something, though she could not hear what it was. Step by step the doll came. Closer and closer it drew, and all Kak Yam could do was stare in horror. The doll reached out for her face. Kak Yam blacked out.
When Kak Yam told Mak Munah all about this just before she left for her village, the old lady kept reciting Quranic verses silently. Kak Yam told her how, when she came to, she steeled her nerves to step into Bedah's bedroom, and found the girl sound asleep and the doll that had earlier been going after her lying motionless below the bed. 'I picked it up. it didn't move, didn't look as horrible as I thought it was, didn't look anything more than just... a doll. Did I really see what I thought I saw? I really don't know. I just put it back on the desk beside the bed and dashed out.' All the way in the bus that took her back home, Kak Yam could not get the incident out of her mind. Was it all just her imagination? How could a doll walk? Was this some sort of black magic? Would Bedah be in any danger? Perhaps, being the child's governess, she should have stayed and protected her. Perhaps she should have destroyed that doll while she had the chance.
But if the doll was black magic, who was it meant for? Suppose, like Mak Munah suspected, the Captain had done someone wrong while he was in India. Suppose his enemies had now come to settle scores. Then Bedah would not be the only one in danger! Which reminded her of something Mak Munah had insisted on whispering into her ears as she was leaving. It sounded a little far fetched at first, but now, as she thought over it in the light of her own experiences, she began to wonder. What if Mak Munah was right? 'I was about to wash Bedah's clothes and bed linen when I found some red stains on them. At first, I thought some paint must have flaked off the doll. But no, it wasn't it. In fact, the doll wasn't even painted, and had nothing but cotton wool inside. I'm convinced now. It's blood, no doubt about it. The only question is, if it's blood, where could it have come from? Certainly not Bedah because I didn't find any cut on her.' These thoughts continued to haunt Kak Yam even as she settled down to life at home.
Soon, she began to wonder about the Captain himself. Surely, he must have something to do with all this. The thing was, no one, not even Mak Munah, seemed to know much about him other than that he used to serve in the British forces in Malaya, had withdrawn along with them to India when the Japanese invaded the country, and had remained there till the end of the war. He came back when Malaya was under the British Military Administration, and along with him came a little girl. That was Bedah, who everyone presumed, was his daughter. But who the mother was and what had happened to her, no one knew. Besides her, the Captain was alone when he returned. And he had remained single ever since. Kak Yam often wondered why the Captain never remarried. How she wished she could be his wife. How she wished she could be by his side, take care of him, and take care of Bedah, too. Had he ever looked at her as a woman, and not just as his servant? Sometimes, posing in front of a tall mirror at his place, she could not help noticing her good looks. No one could call her old. She was still attractive and cut a great looking figure. Indeed, she had noted more than a few men who had found her worth a second glance. Three weeks back home, and Kak Yam was already feeling like a fish out of water. Perhaps it was her anxiety over Bedah's safety, or perhaps her heart was really with the girl's father. In any case, she felt being drawn back to the Captain's household. Finally, she decided to come back.
The Captain was not around when Kak Yam returned but she was welcomed with delight by Mak Munah and Bedah. Mak Munah could not wait to be alone with her, to share with her everything that had transpired during her absence. 'You know, ever since you left, I've found more and more traces of blood on Bedah's bedsheet. I really don't know what I ought to do. I'm not sure I want to tell Captain. And I've yet to find out where they came from. Certainly not Bedah. I know because I've been bathing her myself. 'That girl has been spending so much time with the doll. In fact, I dare say she has completely ignored all her other toys, preferring it above all else. And yet, other than the traces of blood, nothing of concern has happened to her.
'I'm beginning to think,' Mak Munah continued, Bedah is not the one in danger. I suspect the target is someone else!' That night, as she tucked Bedah in, Kak Yam could not help thinking about the doll, then lying beside the girl. It did not make sense to her that something so harmless could bring any sort of tragedy to the household. Afterwards, back in her bedroom, she took her Quran out of her bag and started reciting the verses slowly line by line, to soothe her nerves. Before she had reached the twentieth verse, however, Mak Munah had rushed inside, looking very excited. 'Yam, Yam, come quick, follow me. You've got to listen to this. They're talking to each other.' 'Talking? Who?' asked Kak Yamas she hurried out. 'Who else? Bedah and her doll, of course.' Mak Munah half jogged to Bedah's room. It was sometime past eleven then. The two servants placed their ears against the door to the little girl's bedroom and in the silence, heard two voices in conversation. One was definitely Bedah's, but the other was a voice they had never heard before. 'What did I say?' whispered Mak Munah to Kak Yam. 'She could be talking in her sleep, you know,' replied Kak Yam.
'Yes, but in two different voices?' Mak Munah was still trembling. Then, rising, she said, 'Come on, Yam. I think we've heard enough. I'm not going to stay here any longer.' She dashed back to her room. But Kak Yam hesitated. Scared as she was, she wanted badly to find out what was really happening inside. As she considered what she ought to do, she suddenly heard the front door being opened, followed by a cough. Captain Zain was back. Reluctantly, she rose and went into Bedah's room, closing the door behind her. She was not prepared to face the unpleasant questioning that will certainly follow if he caught her lurking in the darkness outside his daughter's bedroom. She found Bedah fast asleep. her hand was holding the doll, squeezing it repeatedly, as she murmured softly. Then there was that alien voice. It was clearly not from the girl's mouth. It has got to be the doll, she thought. Must be some part of it making noises everytime it was squeezed.
Next moment, Bedah's hand went to the doll's neck and started squeezing it. To Kak Yam astonishment, the head turned round and round. Then she heard a voice, seemingly from the doll, pleading for help. Kak Yam felt a chill coming over her and she froze with horror. Somehow Bedah released her grip. The doll landed on the floor, but instantly got up and limped to the side of the bed, before clambering up to lie down beside Bedah again. Kak Yam did not know if she walked or ran back to her room. All she knew was she had fled in terror and was now in bed, her face buried in the pillow. Next morning, she plucked up enough courage to speak to Captain Zain. 'Oh, it's great to see you back. Bedah missed you terribly.' It was the first time the Captain saw her since her return.
Before Captain Zain could continue, Kak Yam cut in, 'Did you know about her new toy?' 'Oh, yes, I do. You sure know how to find her the nicest of things. Thank you.' 'But,' Kak Yam replied, 'it's really not a nice toy, you know.' For the first time, Captain Zain laughed. 'Well, sometimes we adults do find our kids toys horrid, don't we? I haven't actually seen what you bought Bedah, but if she likes it, fine. And if there's anything else you'd like to get her...' he shrugged his shoulders to indicate he had no objections. 'Actually, I did not buy her the toy,' Kak Yam replied, with growing anxiety. 'Actually, it came from the parcel that stranger delivered here not long ago. Remember that parcel you told Mak Munah to dump? The doll was in it. Mak Munah gave it to me to throw away like you said, but I took it and gave it to Bedah. And now it's starting to do some weird things. Like walking and talking!' 'What? What are you talking about?'
'The doll's alive, Sir! It walks and it talks! I've seen it and I've heard it with my own eyes and ears. God, I don't know what kind of black magic this is, but I'm troubled by it. To think that I gave it to that sweet little girl!' She hung her head down in obvious despair. Captain Zain was speechless. After some time, regaining him composure, he spoke, 'Thank you for telling me about it. I think I know what this is all about. I've been expecting it for a long time, actually. I knew it had to come, sooner or later. But... have you really seen the doll walking and heard it talking?' Drawing closer, Kak Yam said, 'If you're still skeptical let's meet outside her bedroom tonight. You can confirm it with your own eyes and ears.'
'Alright,' said Captain Zain as he prepared to leave for work, 'I'll see you there at 12.30 tonight.' That evening, Kak Yam was not her usual self. Nervousness having killed all her appetite, she spent the time closeted in her room, getting more and more fidgety as the night wore on. Nine o'clock, and it was bedtime for Bedah. Dragging her feet, she went out and took the girl to bed. 'But where's my doll? Please bring it to me. I won't get any sleep if I don't have it.' Kak Yam fetched the doll and gave it to her, whereupon she hugged it lovingly and lay it beside her. 'Why do you like this dirty thing so much? Couldn't you be without it even for one night?' asked Kak Yam. 'No, I must sleep with my doll,' she replied as she held it tight and patted it lovingly. 'Alright, alright. Now, shall we close our eyes ans have some sleep?' After dimming the light, Kak Yam left the room, praying for God's protection for the innocent child. Back in her bedroom, Kak Yam lay down and soon dozed off. Her sleep was interrupted at about eleven, when she awoke to find the house completely quiet. Mak Munah must be in bed and fast asleep by now, she thought as she closed her eyes again. When she awoke the next time, it was already past midnight. She got up hurriedly, primmed her dress and quietly left her room.
The night was still. Not the slightest wind blew outside. And everything was so quiet that her bare footsteps sounded loud and clear. She was tiptoeing to Bedah's room when suddenly, sounding like an exploding gun amid the silence, the front door opened. It was none other then Captain Zain. He quickly joined her and together they waited, side by side, outside the door to Bedah's room. At first, all they heard was Bedah's steady breathing. but then came two voices in conversation, growing louder and louder. 'There,' whispered Kak Yam excitedly, 'you heard that, Sir?' The Captain pressed his ears against the door. Instinttively, Kak Yam turned her against it too, and before they knew it, they were standing face to face, so close she could feel his warm breath on her cheeks. In the meantime, there was a pause in the strange chatter inside. Gingerly, Captain Zain pushed the door open slightly to take a peek. Suddenly, he grabbed Kak Yam's hand and held it tight. Drawing his head out, he whispered. 'I saw it! I saw the doll walking!'
Kak Yam stiffened up. 'The doll stared at me,' he said. 'It actually had its eyes on me.' Then, with an abrupt change of tone, he went on, 'I've been expecting this, you know. Though I never imagined this is what it's going to be.' Kak Yam did not respond. She was not sure she understood him. Within the bedroom, the talking voices continued. This time, Bedah's voices was more distint, 'Come over here, please. Don't leave me alone. Come sleep with me... hurry!' Another voice, from the doll, came in response. The words were clear, but Kak Yam could not understand any of them. They sounded like... Badh-la! Whispered Captain Zain, echoing the words. 'Badh-la! It's Hindi, and it means revenge,' he explained, drawing a deep breath. 'I knew it. I knew it all along. And now it's here. Well, I'm ready.' Kak Yam recalled the suspicions Mak Munah had had from the very beginning about the doll.
'I've got to go in there. I've got to face this, and do something about it,' said the Captain. 'No, wait. Let me go with you.' And Kak yam followed Captain Zain inside.From behind him, Kak Yam scrutinized the room. Bedah was fast asleep in her bed. Nothing seemed out of place. Except for one thing. The doll was nowhere to be seen. She took a good look around her, but nothing was astir. Yet, she could sense it. It was there, somewhere. Kak Yam drew Captain Zain back. 'Don't move, Sir. You've just seen it, so it must be in here somewhere. We've got to be careful.' But he stepped ahead instead, and stood protectively before her. 'No, I think it's safer if you stay put. let me look around. Kak Yam's eyes were still searching warily for the doll, when they landed on the sheets covering Bedah's feet. Something was stirring underneath. Was that just Bedah's feet, or what? The edge of the blanket lifted slightly and instantly she caught a pair of eyes staring at her. Instinctively, Kak Yam dashed in front of Captain Zain, trying to shield him. But, again, he would not let her, and quickly drew her back. 'Let it come. I'm ready for it,' he said.
In the meantime, the doll had appeared from under the blanket and now stood boldly at Bedah's feet. Its eyes shone and its mouth spewed strange, threatening words, 'Badh-la! Badh-la!' And like lightning, it sprang towards the Captain. It landed on his neck, and had sunk its teeth into his throat before he could do anything to avoid it. Everything happened so fast that Kak Yam was not even sure what was going on. All she saw was the Captain striking something on his neck and trying to brush it off. He seemed to succeed after a few times, and Kak Yam heard a light thud as the thing landed stiffly on the floor. Everything was over quickly and he seemed none the worse for it. Moments later, Captain Zain spoke, 'Could you please straighten Bedah's sheets?' Still confused, Kak Yam went to the side of the bed and did as she was told. That awoke Bedah, and she sat up, surprised. 'Auntie Yam? Daddy, is that you, too?' 'Yes, we've come just to see if you're OK. You can go back to sleep, dear,' replied Kak Yam as she patted the girl.
All the time, Kak Yam did not stop looking out for the doll. Suddenly she saw a hand slipping inside through the bedroom window. It seemed to retrieve something from the floor before swiftly slipping out again. For a fleeting moment, there was a dark figure in the window, but it vanished before Kak Yam could do anything. She heard Bedah talking to her father, 'Aren't you in bed yet, Daddy? I've just had a dream, but now I can't remember what it was.' 'That's alright. Go back to sleep. It's late,' the Captain replied. Kak Yam and Captain Mohamad Zain later made their way back to their bedrooms. In the darkness along the way, he suddenly stopped her. He turned around, and gave her a look that made her skin tingle uncomfortably. Without saying a word, he embraced her. Then, holding her tight in his arms, he pressed his lips onto hers. She struggled, but could not free herself. Her breathing became hard. She felt drained of energy. She felt her body turning limp, and surrendered herself to his warm kiss.
'Thank you for everything,' he said as he finally released her. He left a stunned Kak Yam with a warm grip on her hand, and made for his room. At the door, he turned around and, with a smile, added, 'In case I get up late tomorrow morning, please don't wake me up. I think I'm going to stay in bed a little later than usual.' it was almost noon the next day when the police came to Captain Zain's house. An anxious Kak Yam had called for help when she failed to wake him up, despite knocking repeatedly on his bedroom door. Police broke the lock and rushed inside to find Captain Zain still in bed. His mouth was agape, the tongue sticking out. His throat was swollen like it had been stung by hornets. He was no longer alive.
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