Nobody ever dared to offend the Encik in my school. This was because whoever did so would have the worst pains inflicted upon him. By this, I don’t mean that he tied you up and whipped you or cut up your guts. Teachers don’t do things like that. But there are other dark methods no one ever hears of…
My Encik taught us Malay. During the day, he was soft-spoken and conservative. He never lost his temper, but the senior assistant didn’t like him. It seemed that there were complaints of Encik being “Complacent”. When I discussed this with my class-mates, they said it meant the Encik was lazy and never did his work properly.
I suppose there was some truth in it. Of all my teachers, Encik did give the least homework and the highest marks. He would have been the first on my popularity list if he was not sickeningly boring.
His lessons consisted of countless yawns, especially on hot afternoons, yet he would rap our heads on a most irritating manner if he caught us snoozing. Bloody inconsiderate. As students, of course, we couldn’t say anything. But there were those who weren’t willing to take this and criticized him like anything.
And that was when the trouble started.
The critical senior assistant was the first to experience his fury. One day, he called the Encik into his office for a good talking to. Apparently, it was about some administrative matters that the Encik had not finished punctually. Halfway through, the senior assistant gave a loud yell and ran out shouting, “Help, monster!” He kept on shouting gibberish. He claimed the Encik had transformed into a fiery red creature and ordered him to mind his own business. Otherwise the creature would teach the senior assistant a painful lesson.
The staff room was thrown into unprecedented uproar. The strange thing was the Encik had been with the principal for the past hour and there was no way he could have been with the senior assistant at the same time.
Then the senior assistant broke into convulsions and writhed on the floor in agony. He kept screeching, “There is something biting me from inside! Take it out, quick! Stop it!” The biology teacher gave him a thorough body check, but there was nothing to be seen. What could it be that was gnawing at him?
They sent him to the hospital, to no avail. The doctors could not detect any physical problem. Finally, his family asked a bomoh to help. The bomoh said that it had been the mischief of “fire-devils” which had beset him. They were probably reared by an enemy of the senior assistant’s and sent to torture him.
Ah, the Encik! – No one dared to confront him after that. No, not even the principal himself. Everyone was sweet and friendly to the Encik.
Until one day, an ignorant parent came. She complained that Encik had rapped her son on the head with his ruler during lesson.
“Corporal punishment,” she bawled in the staff room, “is no longer applicable in our modern age. How can you use violence on a young, defenceless student?”
Outside, we students were watching with bated breath. It was recess time. Knowing what had happened to our senior assistant, we waited eagerly for the showdown. It came.
The mother was about to continue with her commotion when she suddenly doubled up and whined in distress. “My stomach,” she cried, “So painful!” It became so bad she went on her knees. She begged piteously, “I’m sorry! Please, whatever spirits I’ve offended, I’m sorry! I will burn you offerings…” Then, and then only, did her pain cease. I remember seeing the smug smile of satisfaction on Encik’s face.
My friends and I kept a close watch on the Encik after that. There was once we caught him preparing some offerings at a deserted spot behind the science laboratories. He was praying, facing the east. In front of him was a whole chicken, eggs, and some yellow rice, placed on a banana leaf. But that was merely a fleeting glance. We didn’t dare to keep looking.
Later though no one said it aloud, the whole school knew that Encik was in league with some evil spirits. Our principal arranged for Encik to be transferred, on the excuse that it was some sort of promotion. But this didn’t fool anybody. Encik himself knew that the school feared him. I don’t think he liked it at all.
We were on our toes the entire period before be left, careful not to incur his wrath. I was sure the teachers heaved a sign of relief havoc before he left. Our canteen caught fire that Saturday afternoon and was burnt to ashes. My art teacher was especially heart-broken, because all his masterpieces in the attached art storeroom had been destroyed in the attached art storeroom had been destroyed in the flames.
Many reasons were given for the fire. But no one mentioned the Encik at all. In the end, my art teacher was blamed. They said something about his flammable oil-paints. But for those of us in the picture, we knew the truth.
It must have been the Encik’s fire-devils.
To read other ghost stories, click here- https://asiaghosts.com/all-stories/
To visit our home page, click here- https://asiaghosts.com/
Hunt for ghost gifts here – https://payhip.com/asiaghosts
Visit our Instagram Page here- https://www.instagram.com/asiaghosts/
Visit our Facebook Page here- https://www.facebook.com/asiaghosts/
Visit our Tiktok Page here –https://www.tiktok.com/@asiaghosts
To see ghost videos, visit our youtube channel here – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYlC4mk8T7qf90z2zPRkPIQ