Spirit of the Coin

One fine day, as I was preparing for my PMR, an exam that determines the next two years I will be under science or art stream, I was relaxing myself at the podium where other students were chatting, studying and some were playing games after completing a nerve wrecking Sejarah paper.

"So how was the test??"

"Hey, she gonna score, la."

"No way, the test was sooo hard. I don't know la how I am going to cut the mark to be in science stream", I sounded tad a bit disappointed. 

"Dont worry, everything is up to him", Emilia was praying to him, cross herself, looking at the roof.

I laughed at the pious pope act of century.

"Hey do you want to play Spirit of the Coin?" Emilia asked

They told me how the game works, I was amazed and intrigue the moment I heard about the game. 

"But isn't this game being banned by our HM??" I asked. "Got even a suicide case where the girl slit her throat while playing."

"You are talking as if you were there, when the police came, heck did you even know anything about her, nobody even know her name," Kartini snickered. "Come on its just a gimmick."

"Yeah, but if it truly happened, that's what makes the game interesting and give your curiousity a challenge, Sheila," Emilia was saying as her eyes were wondering for a suitable place, to unwind.

"You just know how to talk don't you," seeing Emilia grinning from ear to ear, "ok ok I'm in." A decision I'm yet to undecided the future of what I'm getting involved in.  

We started playing spirit of the coin on one of the platform which is near to the orphanage inside our school, Main Convent Secondary School, an all girls school. 

So Emilia, pulled out a very old paper and on that paper was all that the oija board would have. They told me, they have done it many times (just how many times, I haven't a clue) and there's nothing to be worried about.

I thought it's just a game at first, but the whole situation started to get eerie. 

Out of the ordinary, 3 of us was sitting erect in our knees in a circle, 3 fingers touching my 20 cents coin.  

I was just looking at Emilia, the way she closed her eyes and was instructing the invisible being to show that they are with us was very fascinating. I on the other hand was calling Jesus to safe me. On that day it was excruciatingly windy, the sound of thunder was terrifying and lightning was striking. Our pinnafore was dancing in the wind, and it rained endlessly. 

"I call on the Spirit of the coin please tell us that you are with us", Emilia whispered, scared she will be caught up by the prefect, so I thought. Again and again she called. 

Suddenly Emilia looked like she was possessed. I had palpitations and was scared shitless, looking at her. I don't know how she do it, but it looked like she was in a trans. 

My finger, enclapsed with theirs move, to a yes. I cannot breathe. 

Spirit, please tell us a name. As she instructed, the coin moved to C,a,l,v,i,n. Overwhelm. 

Don't you guys think Calvin is a bit modernised, I asked them. 

Shhhhh, Kartini with her finger to her lips instructed me to keep quiet.

Jerk!! rolled my eyes.

As I was showing Kartini my dissatisfaction of her having one hand over me, Emilia's throat begun to tremble. I've seen many horror movies, where in it the person who is possesed will seriously talk in a different voice or language. But Emilia was talking in her own voice. Intriguing.

Calvin seriously fell in love with a girl from our school. Her father didn't approve of him and he comitted suicide. So as always the spirit who commited suicide have to roam the earth until they reach certain given age. 

"I asked why the hell did he come here, can't he go to the opposite school," (opposite of my school was an all boys chinese school. There you as an Indian girl can get hell of a thrashing, in their language. You can't understand and can't communicate if you don't know basic mandarin)

Cominng to the ghost story, he said he followed her and end up cajolling her to give up her life. 

And yadda yadda yadda, I was getting bored. Then suddenly, Emilia looked like she was in a bit of shock, she moved, like she was dancing to a disco song, it reminded of me of Kamal's song 'Ellamai etho etho'. 

Hello, dah makan? (Hello, have you all eaten ?), her tone was a bit sweet and soft. Our Emilia has a raspy voice, her dovy eyes were moving up and down, across all around. 

Petrified with the sudden voice change, me with sceptical thinking, shouted Peiyee! Peiyee!. I wanted to move my finger away from the board but Kartini was shaking her head, she pulled my hand, which was turning red. 

It was a secluded place, No one was near to save me. 

Whether it was true or not, they say if at all you remove your finger when the game was still intact, the spirit will posses the said person. 

I just want out, aiyooyooo. 

After giving the both of us an intense look, Emilia passed out. 

I was wishing I was somewhere else, away from all this crap. Mommy ahhh, I was crying. 

Come, we have to help her, Kartini left the game, me was shaken. 

Where am I ? what time is it ? Emilia asked, as she was in a daze. 

"It's good you are not asking Who am I" I said as we helped her up. She kept numb about the whole ordeal except for one, no two thing. She said, she could see both of them floating in the air, and you can feel them, goosebumps everytime they come near you. 

I didn't take it seriously back then. But as the time goes by I was shaking, goosebumps everytime I need to use the toilet, every time I get my menses, every time I had to go somewhere alone at the teacher's request, to the staff room or to the store room. I need a bodyguard, pleasee with tears in my eyes. I couldn't believe nor I can forget.

How did the coin moved, is there really such thing as a ghost, was Emilia really possesed by the two ghost or she was acting?, pinning my head all these years. 

She look possessed for quite some time, doing all the things like the opposite sex. Creepy. 

I never knew the real answer to it. Now, Kartini is a full force devotee of Hinduism, wherelse Emilia is a doctor. 

Me? It's a question, if you would still see me.....