Here's an encounter shared with us by Aie
This story was related to me by my mum-in-law. My parent-in-laws used to live in Kampong Chantek in the 1960s, somewhere near Stevens Road there. They would do their grocery shopping at the 'pekan' (a central marketplace) on every Monday. My dad-in-law (To be known thereafter as FIL) would give a ride to my mum-in-law (To be known thereafter as MIL) on his gentleman bicycle (we usually call this kind of bicycle, 'basikal apek') and they would do their shopping before heading home.
On one of those Mondays, while on the way home, my MIL slapped my DIL's thigh and told him to stop. Apparently, my MIL saw a rubber ball just sitting there by the side of the path. My MIL told my DIL that she wanted to take the ball and give it to my brother-in-law to play. My DIL forbade her, giving the reason that the ball might belong to someone.
The pathway was deserted and there were no houses or kids in sight. My MIL said that due to those reasons, she was sure that the ball had been lost and there was no way of tracing the owner. She got off the bicycle and headed towards the ball. Now here's the funny thing. The moment she wanted to grab hold of the ball, the ball rolled away.
Thinking that the wind blew the ball away (even though she did not feel any wind at all), my MIL chased after the ball. Every time she almost touched the ball, the ball always managed to roll away from her. The ball passed by some bushes and stopped at the foot of a tree in the forest.
My MIL was certain that now she can get the ball. As she bend to pick it up, the ball started rolling UP THE TREE! Her eyes followed the ball until it stopped on a branch. As her eyes rested on the ball, she suddenly realized that what she at first thought was a branch next to the ball, was actually a wrinkled hand with long fingernails. A white cloth could be seen and with that, long wavy black hair at the top. No face could be seen.
My MIL was flabbergasted and stood rooted to the ground. It was only when she heard a soft, shrill laughter that she could turn and bolted away from the place as fast as her legs could carry her. Once out of the forest, she jumped onto the bicycle metal bar and shouted in panic, urging my dad to cycle off fast.
My DIL sensing something wrong, quickly did as he was told. Once they arrived at home, my MIL jumped off the bicycle and ran off into her room. My DIL followed her from behind and asked her what happened. My MIL was mumbling incoherently and she had developed a fever when my DIL touched her forehead.
Needless to say, from that day forward, my MIL has never picked up anything that is thrown away or found (things like balls, furniture, toys, etc. But if it's cash or jewellery, I think she will still pick it up.
