Ghosts, spirits and black magic........Part 5

The next day, I felt better. Slept like a log and woke up fresh and ready for some adventure in Kuantan. There were some shops selling salted fish and dried seafood nearby but I wasn't going to put up with the smell all the way back to Penang. In the end, we didn't do much... just walked around a bit and it was already time to go the jungle!

We arrived early so that we didn't have to trek through the jungle in the dark. But then, come to think of it, we still had to trek through the jungle in the dark when we wanted to leave. Still, one trip in dark was better than two. Heheh!

Noon was waiting for us when we arrived at his house. His mother managed a slight curl on her lips while his two wives (yes, two) were chirping happily among themselves. Noon, as usual was trying to sell us his plants and herbs and told us to wait for nightfall.

A tropical rainforest that's more than a million years old can be quite scary. Even scarier when you are used to the sea breeze, wide open seas and soothing sounds of waves rushing to the shore. I felt like a trapped human in a jungle of old looming trees, thick undergrowth (snakes lurking !!!) insects, hooting noises, crickets and unfamiliar noises from wild animals.

Luckily we already in Noon's little house. Little because where we sat was also where he, his mother, his two wives and his five children slept (with one more on the way). Don't ask me where they do it...... obviously that didn't stop him, hehe!

As the sounds of the jungle began to ease off in my ears, Noon's face froze into a fierce grimace amidst the incense smoke. He took a bunch of leaves and began waving it into the air like he was summoning something. Then he took a sharp metal object that looked like a spearhead to me and slowly smoked it with the incense.

Then, as if to prove to us he was not faking it, suddenly, he cut his arms with the spearhead and stabbed his own chest. No wounds... but I was rather taken aback by it, being the cynical one all this time. Suddenly I realised my mouth was gaping and quickly closed it.

After the show of prowress, Noon spoke with a throaty voice,`This evil spirit is very powerful..... he won't let you go!' He stared at me (why me ???) with piercing eyes. I cleared my throat and pleaded in a small voice, `Datuk, please help us.'

Then suddenly, Noon grabbed his leaves and stood up. He walked towards me and waved the leaves over my head, mumbling something. Outside the house, the wind began to stir. It was cooling at first but that was just the beginning. The wind became stronger and started wailing..... the jungle was silent. Oh c'mon.... thunderstorm now ??? Flash and Boom!!!! Yes, thunderstorm. Wow, I thought, this is so Thailand ghost story scenario......only problem was, I was in it!

Whether it was a coincidence or the battle of the spirits whipped up the weather mayhem, I don't know. But there I was, sitting uncomfortably crossed-legged at the mercy of Noon in trance. I didn't know which was worse. The thunderstorm, the `exorcism' or sitting cross-legged in pain. But then, come to think of it, they all added up to the torture.

By the time Noon finished sweeping his leaves all over me, Tom was about ready to leave in panic, if not for the rain. `Haha!' I thought in mischief, `You wanted to do this so badly, now you have to sit through it yourself! Serve you right!' Then my attention shifted back to Noon.

Well, at least he didn't use the spearhead, I thought. But just as my thought finished, another came in, Oops, said it too early, as I saw Noon reaching for his spearhead. He dipped the spearhead into some oil container... couldn't make out what it was in the semi-darkness, he chanted something and hailed me to move to him.

I crawled my way there and sat, cross-legged, yes, very painful for someone not used to it. Then he put the spearhead over my head and chanted something, sometimes like scolding someone. I kept quiet, looked down and didn't want to think anything. Seemed like my thoughts were going against me all day, so I decided to blank out everything. Finally, he finished his exorcism by circling me with some smoke.

He did the same thing with Tom, who was more at ease because he knew exactly what was going to happen. It was still raining cats and dogs outside...... actually more like monkeys and tigers. At the back of my mind, I was worried that the lighting might strike a tall tree and fall onto the tiny house we were in. Oh no, don't think bad thoughts, not today, not now !!!!

While waiting for the rain to subside, we paid Noon for his services (which was not cheap), but Noon was quite a charmer. He had that salesman in him and when he was not possessed, he was quite a friendly and talkative guy. Again, he was trying to sell us his herbal concoctions for a variety of illnesses. I thought, `Poor fella, he goes into the jungle and searches for all these stuff for days in a row, so I guess it's only common courtesy for us to buy some. Afterall, he has a whole family to feed!' So, we bought some tongkat ali for Andy (who is always interested in some kind of manhood enhancement) and when the rain stopped, we got on our way.

Looking back, seriously, I really don't know whether it was effective or not. All I can say is that, at least it put Tom's mind at ease. That much it did, at the very least. And as for me, well, it was quite an experience. No doubt I didn't feel anything dramatic, like me shivering or talking in ancient languages or spitting out green vomit..... (thank God!)....but I'd rather think of it as paying for a real-life Thailand ghost story adventure and came out safe and sound.

But that was not the case..... when we met Ariya, AY for short...

Look out for my new Label for this series..... The Supernatural World.