Playtime with Toyol BY Cicakboy

This happened 4 years ago when I was still in form 5. I was the first to wake up every morning and when everyone is still taking turns to use the shower, I had already eaten my breakfast and ready for school. I was sitting next to an open window, staring at the wall into emptiness. I was thinking about my future in life, what I will do after O levels, will I survived A levels and which university should I go to.

Something in the reflection of the open window attracted my attention. The reflection shows a tree in my yard and it was shaking vigorously yet there was hardly a breeze that morning. Like the old saying, ‘jika tiada angin, masakan pokok begoyang’ (if there is no wind, the tree won’t shake which means there’s a cause behind every incident). I got up from my seat and stand in front of the open window trying to find why the tree was shaking. My first guess ranges from a bird, a squirrel and a monkey but to my horror and disbelieve, I saw a Toyol.

Those of you that do not know what a toyol is, it is a supernatural creature raised by humans to steal money and important documents in exchange for blood which is milked from the toes of the owner of the toyol. It took the appearance of a child wearing nothing but a loincloth with a greenish body, bald, pointed yellow teeth and glowing red eyes with small yellow pupils, almost similar to the stereotype image of an alien.

Knowing what the toyol is meant to do, I think he is off duty as it seems as innocently as any child, he is playing around in my yard, running around the tree beating it with a stick that its holding. I was in a trance, not sure how I should react to the situation so I just watched. Everything was fine in a way but then we made eye contact. It dropped the stick it’s holding while I started to perspire but our eye contact remained frozen. I blinked and rubbed my eyes denying what I am seeing and when I looked up, it wasn’t there.

A relieved sigh escaped me but before the feeling could sink in, the banana tree which is a few meters away from the tree before and closer to the house no start shaking and the toyol’s head popped out from behind the banana tree, staring at me. This time I decided to do the same and stare back right into its eyes. The staring contest went on for 2 minutes or so and the toyol stepped out into the open, just standing next to the tree. By this time, my courage was running low and guess what the toyol did that completely dried up that little amount of courage left? He pulled up the widest smile revealing those pointed yellow teeth and waved at me signaling me to come to him. I freaked out and ran to get my parents. They didn’t believe me and when I went back, it has disappeared.