suspense st0ry
Siti swished gracefully into her seat. The Newton MRT station had never been so crowded in this hour. She took a glance at her watch, 10.30pm; she had told Jake to wait for her at Ang Mo Kio station. She was late but she knew he would wait. He would not only wait, he would do anything she asked.
She glanced around the train. Her car was empty except for a teenage couple. The train slowed down at Novena station and the boy pulled the girl to her feet. They left the train giggling as soon as the door opened.
Siti stared appreciatively at her reflection in the window. Her hair waved gently to her shoulders and her new eye make-up highlighted her soft oval face, but poor Jake would not have a chance once he became engaged with her cousin, Rani. Homely Rani had him dressing better and showing a degree of gentleman which Siti had not possessed. However, she knew that it was she he watched whenever they were in a crowd. Siti had planned to spoil Rani and Jake’s relation.
Suddenly, she heard shouts and laughter from a large group of people. Out of nowhere, a young man leaped for the doors. He was dressed formally in white tie and tails and tipped his high hat to her with a good natured wink. He was soon followed by what appeared to be a wedding party. Men were dressed in white ties and the ladies in a rainbow of colours.
More and more members of the wedding party crowded onto the train. Finally, the lovely dark-haired bride and her tall slim groom squeezed through as the train doors were closing. The bridesmaids, dressed in rose silk, swirled around the bride gracefully separating her from her beaming groom. They sang what Siti recognized as a Yiddish song. Soon the groomsmen had encircled the young husband and perched him on a chair.
“That’s my son, Dr Bernstein,” exclaimed the lady wearing a sapphire blue dress and hat. “She’s a lucky girl, that one,” she added pointing towards the bride. “He could have had any Jewish girl in Peninsula Malaysia, what a boy!”
“They make a very nice couple,” Siti replied.
“Oh, she’s pretty enough, I’m sure. But socially, she’s nothing.” The lady added with a shrug of her well padded shoulders.
A portly man danced over and grabbed the lady. She squealed with delight.
“Someone dance with the pretty young lady there,” a second later, a plump young man took Siti’s hand and pulled her into the group of laughing dancers.
He whirled and twirled her until she was out of breath and dizzy. She plopped onto a seat as the train pulled into Bishan station. Without looking back, the Jewish wedding party danced off the train. She could hear the echoes of their song and laughter as the train moved on to Ang Mo Kio.
As expected, Jake was waiting. She approached his motorbike and smiled.
“Your family will be worried, we better go back fast,” he stammered as he revved the motor. As soon as they reached the void deck of the HDB flat, Siti flung herself towards Jake and kissed him passionately. She could not wait until Rani found out about the ‘thing’ going on between Jake and her.
When Siti arrived home, she distracted the expected family scolding about her lateness by telling them about the Jewish wedding party. Even Rani who was still annoyed at Jake for fetching Siti, laughed and clapped as Siti described the fantastic clothes and jewels the people had worn. Everyone was amazed – everyone except her grandmother who was pale and quiet.
Finally, the old lady could not stand it any longer and raised her arms and wailed. The hilarity stopped and Siti’s mother rushed to soothe her. When she had finally clam down enough to talk. She told them that Malay women had told a story at the Community Centre about a Jewish wedding party.
They came from the old Jewish Cemetery near Novena station and rode the train to Bishan. The ghost party was returning to the scene of a wedding celebration. They had all died in the 1920’s when their special wedding bus crashed and burned. The bride had married the groom because he was rich but she also had a secret lover.
Now, the ghosts were only supposed to appear to someone from a family where family traditions were dishonoured. The visit was a warning. Everyone knew the Jews respected life and family. Grandmother caught her breath as she remembered the rest of the story. It seemed that a cousin of the groom had dishonoured the bride and had jealously crashed his car into the bus when the groom still insisted on marrying the girl he loved. Grandmother added that whoever was dishonouring the family was warned and that the wedding party would appear again in their true forms – but only to the guilty ones, unless he has repented. “You mean it’s a man?” gulped Jake.
“Man or woman --- whoever,” she answered, observing Jake and Siti with new interest.
Siti avoided the MRT like disease for the next month but she and Jake continued to meet secretly. She laughed at the whole thing and told it to her friends at work. They admired Siti’s courageous rejection of all the superstition. Moreover, they all admired the beautiful gold locket, engraved with her name, that Jake had gave her.
“If you’re so innocent and brave, why don’t you start riding the MRT again?” chided her grandmother.
“Surely, you have nothing to fear.” chimed in Rani nastily. Rani had already voiced her apprehension that something was going on between Siti and Jake.
Siti lifted her chin and gave her the most arrogant stare. Rani blushed and looked away but her grandmother did not. Siti rose and walk boldly to her room. She closed the door, took out some paper and wrote a poison pen letter to Rani telling her of the affair with Jake including, of course, lots of juicy details. She signed it ‘a good friend’ and rushed out to mail it. Rani would get it the following day.
As she walked home, Jake rushed up to her, he was upset that Siti didn’t seem to love him as much as Rani did. Jake insisted on an answer. If Siti really loved him, he would tell his dad about the both of them. Even if his father disowned him, he would stand by Siti and marry her.
Siti was annoyed at his dramatics and had no intention of marrying such a simple fool but hid her anger with one of her little girl’s smile. She kissed Jake, after all she mused, he was just for fun, and marriage was for wealth.
The next evening, she was again held back at work. A flood occurred at Bukit Timah road. She had no choice but to make a dash for the MRT at Newton Circus. It was almost eleven. The station was e she had no choice but to make a dash for the MRT at Newton Circus. It was almost eleven. The station was eerily quiet. Each click-clack of her heels echoed in the deserted station until the roar of the approaching train filled the silence. Searching the car for people, she saw an old lady nodding off , and promptly selected a seat not far away from her.
As the train pulled into Novena station, the old lady appeared to be fast asleep with her head on her chest and Siti relaxed. She did not want to be alone in that station.
The door started to close. Suddenly, the weird strains of Jewish music filled the silence of the empty car. The ghostly wedding party leaped and danced through the almost closed doors.
Siti screamed in horror. They no longer appeared to be in flesh and blood but strangely transparent. She could feel her heart pounding against her ribs as her vision darkens. The fantastic wedding party changed before her eyes. The dresses were tattered from years in the grave. The wedding suits for the gentleman were torn and gray with mould. Their fleshes were rotten and worms squirting out.
She barely recognized the mother of the groom in the rags that had been a sapphire blue satin dress. She was no longer fat but seemed bonier. “We have come for you, dearie,” she chortled with glee.
“What do you want from me?” Siti gasped.
“Just a little fun dearie, just a little fun”, the ghost answered. “We had wonderful groom for you, very rich, very handsome.”
“Kiss him. Kiss your lover, dearie,” she roared with laughter.
They pushed Siti towards the “bridegroom”. He turned. Worms crawled out of the almost empty eye sockets as the skull pursed what was left of his lips for a loving bridal kiss. Siti squealed in terror.
When Siti did not arrive home, her family phoned the office and was told she had left around 10.30. She should have reached the station before 11pm. Naturally, they informed the police when she did not come home the whole night.
An old lady who had been on the train informed the police that she had not seen a Malay girl, in fact, she believed that she was the only one on the train. This was also reported by the train engineer.
A few days later, a social worker called from the Woodbridge Hospital. She wondered if there might be some mistake about the age. The police had found an elderly woman wandering aimlessly around the Novena Station. She was totally white-haired and must be at least fifty, but she was wearing a gold locket with the name ‘Siti’ engraved on it.
She glanced around the train. Her car was empty except for a teenage couple. The train slowed down at Novena station and the boy pulled the girl to her feet. They left the train giggling as soon as the door opened.
Siti stared appreciatively at her reflection in the window. Her hair waved gently to her shoulders and her new eye make-up highlighted her soft oval face, but poor Jake would not have a chance once he became engaged with her cousin, Rani. Homely Rani had him dressing better and showing a degree of gentleman which Siti had not possessed. However, she knew that it was she he watched whenever they were in a crowd. Siti had planned to spoil Rani and Jake’s relation.
Suddenly, she heard shouts and laughter from a large group of people. Out of nowhere, a young man leaped for the doors. He was dressed formally in white tie and tails and tipped his high hat to her with a good natured wink. He was soon followed by what appeared to be a wedding party. Men were dressed in white ties and the ladies in a rainbow of colours.
More and more members of the wedding party crowded onto the train. Finally, the lovely dark-haired bride and her tall slim groom squeezed through as the train doors were closing. The bridesmaids, dressed in rose silk, swirled around the bride gracefully separating her from her beaming groom. They sang what Siti recognized as a Yiddish song. Soon the groomsmen had encircled the young husband and perched him on a chair.
“That’s my son, Dr Bernstein,” exclaimed the lady wearing a sapphire blue dress and hat. “She’s a lucky girl, that one,” she added pointing towards the bride. “He could have had any Jewish girl in Peninsula Malaysia, what a boy!”
“They make a very nice couple,” Siti replied.
“Oh, she’s pretty enough, I’m sure. But socially, she’s nothing.” The lady added with a shrug of her well padded shoulders.
A portly man danced over and grabbed the lady. She squealed with delight.
“Someone dance with the pretty young lady there,” a second later, a plump young man took Siti’s hand and pulled her into the group of laughing dancers.
He whirled and twirled her until she was out of breath and dizzy. She plopped onto a seat as the train pulled into Bishan station. Without looking back, the Jewish wedding party danced off the train. She could hear the echoes of their song and laughter as the train moved on to Ang Mo Kio.
As expected, Jake was waiting. She approached his motorbike and smiled.
“Your family will be worried, we better go back fast,” he stammered as he revved the motor. As soon as they reached the void deck of the HDB flat, Siti flung herself towards Jake and kissed him passionately. She could not wait until Rani found out about the ‘thing’ going on between Jake and her.
When Siti arrived home, she distracted the expected family scolding about her lateness by telling them about the Jewish wedding party. Even Rani who was still annoyed at Jake for fetching Siti, laughed and clapped as Siti described the fantastic clothes and jewels the people had worn. Everyone was amazed – everyone except her grandmother who was pale and quiet.
Finally, the old lady could not stand it any longer and raised her arms and wailed. The hilarity stopped and Siti’s mother rushed to soothe her. When she had finally clam down enough to talk. She told them that Malay women had told a story at the Community Centre about a Jewish wedding party.
They came from the old Jewish Cemetery near Novena station and rode the train to Bishan. The ghost party was returning to the scene of a wedding celebration. They had all died in the 1920’s when their special wedding bus crashed and burned. The bride had married the groom because he was rich but she also had a secret lover.
Now, the ghosts were only supposed to appear to someone from a family where family traditions were dishonoured. The visit was a warning. Everyone knew the Jews respected life and family. Grandmother caught her breath as she remembered the rest of the story. It seemed that a cousin of the groom had dishonoured the bride and had jealously crashed his car into the bus when the groom still insisted on marrying the girl he loved. Grandmother added that whoever was dishonouring the family was warned and that the wedding party would appear again in their true forms – but only to the guilty ones, unless he has repented. “You mean it’s a man?” gulped Jake.
“Man or woman --- whoever,” she answered, observing Jake and Siti with new interest.
Siti avoided the MRT like disease for the next month but she and Jake continued to meet secretly. She laughed at the whole thing and told it to her friends at work. They admired Siti’s courageous rejection of all the superstition. Moreover, they all admired the beautiful gold locket, engraved with her name, that Jake had gave her.
“If you’re so innocent and brave, why don’t you start riding the MRT again?” chided her grandmother.
“Surely, you have nothing to fear.” chimed in Rani nastily. Rani had already voiced her apprehension that something was going on between Siti and Jake.
Siti lifted her chin and gave her the most arrogant stare. Rani blushed and looked away but her grandmother did not. Siti rose and walk boldly to her room. She closed the door, took out some paper and wrote a poison pen letter to Rani telling her of the affair with Jake including, of course, lots of juicy details. She signed it ‘a good friend’ and rushed out to mail it. Rani would get it the following day.
As she walked home, Jake rushed up to her, he was upset that Siti didn’t seem to love him as much as Rani did. Jake insisted on an answer. If Siti really loved him, he would tell his dad about the both of them. Even if his father disowned him, he would stand by Siti and marry her.
Siti was annoyed at his dramatics and had no intention of marrying such a simple fool but hid her anger with one of her little girl’s smile. She kissed Jake, after all she mused, he was just for fun, and marriage was for wealth.
The next evening, she was again held back at work. A flood occurred at Bukit Timah road. She had no choice but to make a dash for the MRT at Newton Circus. It was almost eleven. The station was e she had no choice but to make a dash for the MRT at Newton Circus. It was almost eleven. The station was eerily quiet. Each click-clack of her heels echoed in the deserted station until the roar of the approaching train filled the silence. Searching the car for people, she saw an old lady nodding off , and promptly selected a seat not far away from her.
As the train pulled into Novena station, the old lady appeared to be fast asleep with her head on her chest and Siti relaxed. She did not want to be alone in that station.
The door started to close. Suddenly, the weird strains of Jewish music filled the silence of the empty car. The ghostly wedding party leaped and danced through the almost closed doors.
Siti screamed in horror. They no longer appeared to be in flesh and blood but strangely transparent. She could feel her heart pounding against her ribs as her vision darkens. The fantastic wedding party changed before her eyes. The dresses were tattered from years in the grave. The wedding suits for the gentleman were torn and gray with mould. Their fleshes were rotten and worms squirting out.
She barely recognized the mother of the groom in the rags that had been a sapphire blue satin dress. She was no longer fat but seemed bonier. “We have come for you, dearie,” she chortled with glee.
“What do you want from me?” Siti gasped.
“Just a little fun dearie, just a little fun”, the ghost answered. “We had wonderful groom for you, very rich, very handsome.”
“Kiss him. Kiss your lover, dearie,” she roared with laughter.
They pushed Siti towards the “bridegroom”. He turned. Worms crawled out of the almost empty eye sockets as the skull pursed what was left of his lips for a loving bridal kiss. Siti squealed in terror.
When Siti did not arrive home, her family phoned the office and was told she had left around 10.30. She should have reached the station before 11pm. Naturally, they informed the police when she did not come home the whole night.
An old lady who had been on the train informed the police that she had not seen a Malay girl, in fact, she believed that she was the only one on the train. This was also reported by the train engineer.
A few days later, a social worker called from the Woodbridge Hospital. She wondered if there might be some mistake about the age. The police had found an elderly woman wandering aimlessly around the Novena Station. She was totally white-haired and must be at least fifty, but she was wearing a gold locket with the name ‘Siti’ engraved on it.
posted by Ping En at 1:50 PM
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