The Curse of the Toyol

Chapter 3

"If you don't get caught, you deserve everything you steal." ― Daniel Nayeri, Another Faust

The house was immersed in silence. Laila cooked some vegetables received from her parents, with a pinch of salt and a tiny piece of meat, which she knew she would not even be able to taste. She was exhausted from work, her vision was blurry, and her lower back was hurting as if someone stabbed her constantly in that area. Her daughter was feeling better. She woke up smiling and ready to meet her friends. Her enthusiasm brought hope to Laila's heart. Maybe there was a ray of joy in her life, and they truly were under a lucky star.

Suddenly, the room shook, and a thunderous noise travelled through the small hut. The door never opened that way because there was not sufficient food in their lives to make someone strong enough to slam a heavy piece of wood so hard. Laila feared that someone was there to harm them, knowing that Meon wasn't home. The concern left her body immediately as her husband entered the kitchen.

"Good evening, Beauty!" he said smiling. "It is such a good day, don't you think?"

Laila was sceptical. He never saw Meon that full of life and happiness, walking rapidly and with confidence, slamming the door, even kissing her cheek.

"If you consider so, Hubby, then I must agree. The good days are rare for our family."

"Until now!" he said. "I have discovered something beyond any words! It will help us achieve all of our dreams. I will buy you the most beautiful dresses, and I will get the most skilled craftsmen to build the biggest kitchen, the biggest house!"

"Oh, Meon, do not deceive me."

"No, my love! I am not deceiving you! What I am telling you right now is, indeed, the truth. Do you see this suitcase? It contains the secret to our endeavours. And I won't have to work a single day in my life. Come, let me show you, but... do not scream! No one must know about this. It will be from now on our deepest and most protected secret!"

Meon slowly opened the suitcase, and from inside it, a small creature jumped right in front of Laila. She made a few steps back while trying to contain her howls. She was panicking because she knew what that was: a Toyol!!!

"Meon, we cannot accept this! We cannot use a Toyol! You know very well how they are creating a perfect world for you while at the same time killing you slowly!"

"Me?" said the creature. "How dare you? I am an honest Toyol!"

"No, Laila! The Toyol will behave just as he is supposed to, no worries. All we have to do is feed him with candies, milk and other foods."

"But we cannot let him steal from our neighbours! That would be so unfair!"

"Isn't it unfair that we live in such deplorable conditions?!" yelled Meon. Isn't it unfair to live with an empty stomach? Isn't it unfair to have a sick child that you cannot cure?"

"Yes, it is, but that is not our kind neighbours' fault. They are always accepting my help and return my favours with food and sometimes even money!"

"From now, I will not allow my wife to humiliate herself anymore! Our Toyol is going to help us to make a better life for our daughter!"

And the truth is, it did! The Toyol started his job right away, and he knew very well how to use its skills. It snuck into people's farms and gardens, stealing their food, valuable objects and building materials. It preferred rich families because in their houses there were expensive jewellery, silverware and sweets brought from overseas. Sadly, some of these houses were well guarded against such thieves. They had needles over their valuable possessions and mirrors in each room. Some even hung garlic to their door to distract the Toyol, who would stop and play, forgetting the purpose of the visit.

One night, Meon advised the Toyol to rob the farmer who owned the gambling den. He told him, fascinated:

"Toyol, my child, you must plunder him. I was in his house and his farms, and you have to understand how much land this man and his family own. It has many animals and crops, which are rarely found in our parts. In the house, there are pearls under the girls' pillows and on the walls hang expensive paintings from all over the world. I saw all this with my own eyes! But don't forget the shophouse which is actually the gambling den. Inside is a safe, right under the exchange counter, where my jackpot is. Bring it to me, Toyol, don't disappoint me."

Meon's voice was terrifying for his wife. The money blinded him so badly that he thought about stealing from his only friend. The creature was happy to hear about all those goods because it understood that it could finally ask for more. It needed someone to take care of him properly.

After this particular getaway, Meon became one of the wealthiest people in the village. He built a bigger house, with tall columns at the entrance and a small pool in the backyard. He had a few animals, was dressed in exquisite clothes made from natural fibre, authentic leather or fur. Gold and silver jewellery were covering his body, and when he walked the roads of the village, everyone marvelled at his spontaneous evolution. No one suspected his dirty activities. They all thought, in their simplicity, that Meon turned around and became a diligent man. The truth was that Meon was still the laziest man in the community. His wife was taking care of the house and the animals without Meon's contribution. She was dressed better, she was no longer hungry, but she felt like a servant instead of a wife.

"Meon, I wish you could help me do all of these things... I feel that my feet will give in to the destructive burden of these secrets and lies, which I carry without any help from my husband. You should be my support when it is difficult for me to resist, as I have been for all these years in which we have lived in great poverty. Wealth did not change my loyalty and faith, but it has changed the man I love, and I am angry at it!"

"You are so ungrateful!" Meon replied. "I gave you everything, and you complain about having to wash some dirty dishes and feed a few goats."

Meon had such a manipulative way to make her feel inadequate for being exhausted. There were so many things better now, their daughter is finally healthy, they have food every day and enough money to buy whatever they need, but some things were also better before. Maybe they were poor, but they were more of a family, and Meon, as lazy as he was, showed them hidden signs of eternal appreciation. Now he considered himself the more significant character, the person who sustained the family, which made him vain and cold. After all, she prefers to humiliate herself instead of living without her husband's love. He suddenly realized that he was living with a stranger whose face she knew vaguely, but whose character seemed obnoxious to her.