THE CURSE By Lee Su Ann

PROLOGUE
A boy at the village stumbled upon a dead body one morning at the rubber
plantation he worked at. 

CHAPTER 1
Azreen Salleh had to leave London and go back to Malaysia due to the death of 
her sister.  She was unwilling to leave as there was an exam.  She was hoping not
to bump into Julian Ng, but she did anyway.  She left in a hurry.

 CHAPTER 2
Azreen was on her flight back to Malaysia.  She winced at the thought of going
back home.  She thought about her late sister.  She hated her because everyone
thought she was the better sister ² prettier, polite and soft-spoken as Azreen was
the total opposite of her.  She also hated when she was always compared to
her sister and the fact she could never be like her.  However, she was fond of her
and there were happy memories with her sister like cycling together and picking
fruits from the neighbors’ plantation.

 CHAPTER 3
There was a rumour spreading that Madhuri was dead by murder.  This
rumour was spread by the gossipy Puan Normala and it caused unrest among the
villagers.  The rumour was that Madhuri bled white blood and she believed that the
whole village was cursed.  In the meantime, Azreen was greeted and fetched by her
aunt and uncle, Datin Sharifah and Datuk Zulkifli at the airport in Pulau Langkawi.

 CHAPTER 4
Azreen returned home, only to be gossiped and judged by her nosy neighbours.  In
her house with Datin Sharifah, she begged her to tell what actually happened to her
sister.  Datin Sharifah could only tell her that her sister was found at the rubber
plantation.  Azreen·s father kept her from the fact on how she died.  Azreen
believed her father did that to spite her. Azreen met her mother whose dementia
worsened.  She had no idea of Madhuri·spassing.  Azreen was about to bring her
mother to the funeral, but was ordered to go back

 
home by her father, Saleh Abdullah.  He didn·t want his wife to know about
the death of Madhuri.  Azreen was defiant of her father·s orders and a fight
almost erupted.  Luckily, Haji Ghani, Madhuri·s husband managed to keep the
fight out. Azreen met with her ex-schoolmate, Mohd Asraf for a while.  She played
hockey with him when they were in school. Later that night when she was in
her room, she caught sight of someone who looked like Madhuri.  But it
disappeared when she tried to look for it again. Meanwhile, Puan Fatihah, Haji
Ghani·s first wife was feeling bitter about Madhuri·s existence in her life with her
husband.  Now that she·s dead, her husband would hardly talk to her. 
CHAPTER 5
Azreen went to the market to buy breakfast for her mother.  She bumped into
Asraf, and begged him to tell her what happened to her sister.  But he didn·t know
exactly what too.  Azreen returned home, talked to her lucid mother, but suddenly
she started muttering nonsense.Outside, Saleh was busy chopping wood when he
heard something or someone crying in the bushes.  He went to pounce on it but
there was nothing. Azreen went to visit the Old Lady, a villager who was casted
out from her village.  The villagers thought her evil and a witch, but Azreen
thought otherwise.  In fact, she got along just fine with her.  She also begged the
Old Lady to tell her what exactly happened, and finally it was the Old Lady who
revealed to her that Madhuri was actually murdered.
 CHAPTER 6
Awang the bomoh believed something terrible was going to fall upon his village.
He had seen a Pontianak which looked like Madhuri.  He suspected Madhuri had
turned into one.The Old Lady explained to Azreen what she saw.  That Madhuri
was attacked with a knife.  There was no investigation though, as she thought it
would be better for the village. Puan Fatihah reminisced about the time when Haji
Ghani married Madhuri.  He fell in love with her beautiful voice, and
Puan Fatihah·s life changed ever since.  She had lost everything. But now that
Madhuri was no longer present, she wanted her old life back. Azreen found
Madhuri·s photographs being torn into pieces.  Before she could think who would
do it, her father chased her out of the room.
 
Azreen started to reminisced on all the things that happened way back. Azreen
reminisced during the time when she took the blame for Asraf·s carelessness while
working at Encik Mohan·s.  She claimed that she was the one who left the gate
open, thus the missing bull.  However, her parents were riding on a motorbike
when they hit the bull.  Her mother·s legs was paralysed since then.  Still, she kept
loyal to Asraf and took the blame, event hough she was beaten to death by her
father. Azreen went to seek comfort at the Old Lady·s, and she revealed to her why
she was casted out.  She murdered her husband because she was abused and
unhappy in her marriage.A year later, Azreen received a scholarship to study in
UK. 
CHAPTER 7
Asraf was worried about Nek, her grandmother.  Her fever was getting worse. Haji
Ghani was mourning for Madhuri at the cemetery.  Suddenly, he saw a woman
who looked like Madhuri but she ran away. Azreen was scolded by her father
for being careless.  There was a dead chicken with a broken neck right outside of
the coop.  Her father blamed her for not shutting it properly.  Azreen was shocked
and wondered how the chicken could break its neck.  When she was about to clean
up the mess, the carcass was gone. One day, when Azreen was checking her
mail, she saw a letter from Julian.  Enclosed in the letter was a letter from Madhuri
which was sent before she died.  According to her letter, there was secret that she
wanted to share with Madhuri. Siti was stopped by Puan Normala with more
gossips ² on how the bad weather was one of the signs of the curse, the spotting of
a Pontianak and the huge argument between HajiGhani and Puan Fatihah.Azreen
and Asraf had a chat.  He was all bruised.  He claimed that he was in a fight.  They
talked about their old school times and future plans. Out of the blue, Asraf
jokingly asked Azreen to marry her and run away together.  Azreen was hurt
by that joke as she always had feelings for him.  She took Madhuri·s letter and
crumpled and threw it away.  When she went back to pick it up, it was already
gone. 
CHAPTER  8
 
Azreen ·s mother passed away peacefully.  She mourned her dead mother and
sister in hersister·s room.  Suddenly, she saw someone outside the window.  She
went outside the house and called out to that person but it was in vain.  At the same
moment, she smelt smoke coming from Madhuri·s room.  Fortunately, her father
appeared in time to put out the fire. Puan Fatihah was about to go see the village
witch doctor for a charm for Haji Ghani when suddenly she saw someone looking
like Madhuri reaching out to her.  She passed out as soon as the woman touched
her. Saleh Abdullah found a yellow cord where part of the house was burned.  He
charged straightaway to Awang·s house to have a word with him.  Azreen went to
the Old Lady·shouse for comfort. Asraf·s grandmother·s condition was getting
worse.  When he ran out of options, he sought out the Old Lady.  He begged the
Old Lady to go see his grandmother. 
 CHAPTER 9
Siti looked over Asraf·s grandmother while he went out to see the Old Lady.
He finallycame back with the Old Lady.  The Old Lady examined Asraf·s
grandmother and went out to get herbs for her.  Meanwhile, the nosy neighbours
Puan Kamsiah and Puan Normala who saw her planned to get rid of her.  The Old
Lady came back, made a mixture of herbs and gave it to Asraf·s grandmother.  The
condition of Asraf·s grandmother improved, to the surprise of the Old Lady,
in which she felt peculiar of.Azreen went home to get some eggs.  Suddenly, she
saw an intruder.  But it was just Awang.  He came to tell her that there was a big
crowd on the way to Asraf·shouse.  Azreen hurriedly went to his house and saw
the angry crowd headed by PuanNormala.  They were angry at her for bringing
back the Old Lady into the village.  A fight between Azreen and Puan Normala
was about to ensue but it was stopped by Azreen·s father.  Azreen then made her
way to Asraf·s house, only to be told of the good news that his grandmother had
recovered. 
CHAPTER 10
Siti ran over to Azreen·s house to tell her that Asraf·s grandmother passed away
suddenly.    When the neighbours came to visit him, they convinced him that the
Old Lady had poisoned her.  Fuelled with anger and loss, he and the mob of people
went over to the Old Lady·s house with torches.  As Azreen tried to stop him, his
torch fell and it set the houseo n fire.  Azreen ran inside to try to save the Old Lady
but she was trapped under a pillar.  Her last words to Azreen were just to learn to
forgive.  Then Azreen was pulled away by her father from her right before the
house collapsed. Asraf came to apologise to Azreen.  He was distraught about his
grandmother and Madhuri·s death.  He revealed to Azreen that they were in love
and they were supposed to run away together.  Azreen couldn·t stomach the
revelation so she ran to a cliff.  Then she decided to go to the rubber estate where
her sister died.  She bumped into Awang.  Awang thought that she was Madhuri·s
mother.   Azreen was puzzled, hence he revealed that Madhuri was not her sister.
He told her that Madhuri·s mother had gone mad when her husband left her.  She
was left in the paddy field for hours when her mother was looking for scraps.
That·s when Saleh found Madhuri, nursed her back to health and raised her as his
own.   Her mother left the village, but came back after Madhuri·s death.  Awang
warned her that Madhuri·s mother was dangerous.  She was the one broke the
chicken·s neck and started the fire at her house.       Meanwhile, Haji Ghani was
thinking about Madhuri.  He remembered the day he was told of Madhuri·s death.
He knew about her affair with Asraf and he would·ve killed him if he caught them
at the rubber estate. But all there was left was her slashed body.  He decided to
make the murder looked like an accident to avoid more truth to be revealed hat
would bring shame to him and Madhuri·s innocence. 
CHAPTER 11
Azreen was on her way back home when she heard footsteps following her behind.
She quickly ran towards her house.  She peered through her window and saw the
woman whom Awang said was Madhuri·s mother.  She pointed at something near
the woodpile.  At the same moment, Saleh appeared.  Azreen told him everything
she knew.  Her father went to the woodpile and picked up a parang and threw it
near her feet.  Madhuri·s mother was actually pointing at the parang.  The parang
was stained with something white and sticky.  Then Azreen figured everything out.
The white blood that the neighbours claimedto see was actually latex that spilt on
her when she was killed.  She then realised that it was her father who had killed her
 Saleh was going to the jungle to get woods.  Then he saw Madhuri hugging a man
who wasn·t her husband at the rubber estate.  He ran towards them but the man had
already left.  He was so consumed with anger, he slashed his daughter when she
told him she loved him.  Madhuri fell and knocked over a cup of rubber latex.
Azreen left immediately, feeling a terrible loss.  Saleh realised he had lost both his
daughters.  Suddenly, he saw Madhuri·s mother coming towards him with the
parang.  She killed him in an instance.

 CHAPTER 12

Azreen visited the grave of her family, including the Old Lady.  From a distance,
she saw Madhuri·s mother smiled at her. 

Epilogue

Azreen is now back in London.  She received a letter from Asraf, telling her that he
had taken up the teaching course in KL.  From her heart, she wished him the best.
She has forgiven him for the wrongs he did towards her.  Julian was there to
accompany her.  She soon saw him in a different light.  It was going to be a new
beginning.