THE MYSTERY OF THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN (1992)

Malayan Straits Times, 12 November 1960

Royalty Feared Kidnapped.

Kuala Kangsar, Saturday - Tengku Qhaidzir, second former of the elite school Malay College caused havoc when he failed to board his train back home for the final school holiday. Police suspect that he was kidnapped when he returned alone to his dormitory, Dorm 10 of New Hostel. He was last seen with his college friends waiting for the 12.10 pm southbound night train. Witnesses said that he returned to this dormitory at 11.45 pm as he had left behind his train ticket. His friends testified that he never returned to board the train. A thorough search of Dorm 10 by the police unearthed proof that he was there at midnight yesterday, but there was no sign of a struggle. Meanwhile the Royal Family....

.........

 ____________________________________________

Time : 11.40 pm, 11 November 1972

Venue : Railway Station, Kuala Kangsar.

Syakrim, Mukhri and Azad, second formers of Malay College were waiting for the 11.45 night train. The long school holidays had just begun.

"Hey! Tomorrow is my girlfriend's birthday. I wonder what I'll get for her. What do you think?" blurted Syakrim, breaking the silence.

"Tomorrow? That's nice. Mmm... tomorrow's the twelfth! Soon it will be the midnight of 12th November," Mukhri remembered something.

"What exactly happened on 12th November?" asked Syakrim and Azad, both amazed.

"Have you guys ever heard of the Mystery of the midnight train?"

"Why? What's so mysterious? Has it got wings?"

"Azad, shut up! Go on Mukhri."

"It was the midnight of 12th November 1960 when a college student from a royal family suddenly disappeared. And no one has ever found him since. It was believed that it got something to do with the ghost of the long last train."

"How did they figure it out? Sounds rather absurd to me."

"How should I know?"

Suddenly, "Attention everyone! As usual, the 11.45 night train has been delayed. Due to an engine failure, it is not expected to arrive until 7.00 am tomorrow morning. Any inconveniences are deeply regretted."

"Oh damn it! I can't wait to meet my girlfriend. Come on. Let's go back to New Hostel to get some sleep."

___________________________________________

Time : 11.55 pm

Venue Dorm 10, New Hostel.

Two figures, alone. One lost in his thoughts of his parents, home, his future. The other engrossed with his diary, his mind overcome by emotions. Neither had any idea of what was about to happen that would change their lives forever. Suddenly, the light went out. 

"Oh god! Not a blackout! I've got to finish my diary. Azad, could you check the fuse box, please? The fuse might have tripped."

"It's so dark. Can't you continue tomorrow?"

"It won't be the same. I'm in the mood now. By tomorrow. I'd probably have forgotten what I want to write."

 

Azad looked out of the window. The fuse box was situated in the opposite building 50 metres away. He stepped wearily into the damp, dark night. His steps echoed eerily, breaking the dead silence of the night. The air of mystery hung scantily, as if signalling a foreboding presence. Nothing he could see amidst the darkness. But certain was he, there was a weird sensation he felt.

Azad stopped abruptly, uncertain of whether to go on. A lightning bolt pierced through the sky from the west, almost simultaneously, another from the east, yet another from the north and finally from the south. The lightning bolts intertwined and seemed to merge in a blinding flash just above Dorm 10... and the bolts seemed to be hanging there waiting, crackling with energy. A long white figure appeared out of nowhere from the west, heading for Dorm 10. A train whistle shrilled strangely and the figure began to take the shape.... that of a train. It was slowing down and seemed to merge with the building. It screeched to a stop.... Dorm 10.... it was unfathomable but yes, apparently, it had stopped. Dorm 10.

A commotion ensued. In the moonlight, Azad could see figures disembarking and just as quickly, showy figures boarding the train. The whistle blew once more, the train jerked to a start and suddenly, the lightning bolts overhead struck with a magnitude so great that Azad was thrown to the ground. The last thing he knew was that the train had disappeared, and a distant hideous scream pitted his ears. It was the voice of Syakrim.

 

Inside Dorm 10,

His body felt light, weightless. His head, his body, mind and soul spinning in a pit of dark nothingness. Up seemed down and down seemed up and all he could do was scream. A shaft of light shone from above him and a huge hand extended out to him. "Take my hand Syakrim." Syakrim obeyed, feeling its coldness as it guided him along.

.........................

He opened his eyes. A figure suddenly appeared walking menacingly down the aisle. After a moment, the mist began to clear and then, beheld a sourly looking ticket attendant presumably in his 50's, staring straight at Syakrim with fiery eyes. He realized that he was in a train. To his shock, he discovered he was not alone. The train was full of soldiers, tough and able-bodied gurkhas and Malays.

"Attention Gentlemen! Listen here and listen good. Today we embark on our most important mission, to ambush the last Japanese stronghold in Perak, at Kuala Kangsar. Let this day, 12th November 1944 be remembered as the day we fight for freedom."

The train whistle blew loudly as the train jerked in motion. Silence descended upon the train coach as everyone became engrossed in their own thoughts. In his mind, Syakrim was lost in a sea of questions. "12 November 1994? Japanese? Kuala Kangsar? Me, a soldier in a train? What is going on...?"

Gunshots disturbed him. "The Japs! It's an ambush! Take cover everyone!" Syakrim dropped to the floor and the train soon halted to a stop. An explosion rocked the train, sending showers of debris everywhere. Most of the soldiers were no longer alive. Some still engaged their rifles as a battle ensued. In the commotion, Japanese soldiers began to board the train and kill the remaining soldiers. One of them descended on Syakrim, raising a shining rapier that would soon slice through Syakrim's throat. He froze, unable to resist. 

"So my end has come. Thank you for the wonderful years." He closed his eyes, waiting for what seemed like an eternity for his death to come.

......

Suddenly, he heard the train whistle and the train began to move. Confused and scared, he opened his eyes expecting to face death. But he was alone once more, without any sign at all of the battle that had just passed.

"Where are the Japanese? What's happening to me." He was no longer wearing the army oulfit but his T-shirt and slacks once more.

"You there! Don't you have a ticket? Well then you and I are going to have some fun!" The ticket attendant produced a whip and grabbed Syakrim.

"No! Stop! He's with me," said a boy dressed exactly like Syakrim. The attendant examined the red document in the boy's hand.

He let go of Syakrim and in disgust, left the coach.

"Thank for your help." said Syakrim.

"That't just a small matter. Anyway, what's your name?"

"I'm Syaiful Syakrim."

The boy produced a book from his pocket.

"Then this diary must be yours. Come, let's have a seat. By the way, my name is Tengku Qhaidzir Tengku Sulaiman."

"Tengku Qhaidzir?" Syakrim remembered something. 

 

Time passed by. The train was still running through the jungle. The boys were still sharing their experiences. 

"So Qhaidzir, how did you get in here?"

"Mmm. I'm not sure myself. Last night I was in my dorm. The next thing I remember, I entered this train. It was like a dream. And how about you?"

"Me? Exactly like you. I don't know. I think there's something strange about this train. There's this evil feeling, a cold one."

"Yes. I too agree with you."

"When I entered this train," said Syakrim, "I was in the middle of a battle between Japanese and Gurkhas."

"So you were involved in that battle?" asked Qhaidzir.

"Yes. Why?"

"Err.... no. Nothing." Qhaidzir tried to hide something.

 

 12th November 1972

Dear Diary....

I don't know how I could get in here. Everything is really strange and so many weird things have happened to me. At first, I was in my dorm and then suddenly I was in this train trapped between a battle of Japanese and Gurkhas. Now, here I am with Tengku Qhaidzir, a long-lost boy from 1960, together trapped in this midnight train. I don't know where this train is going or whether I will get out....

 

Syakrim closed his diary. He was sitting alone while Qhaidzir was washing his face. Suddenly, the train stopped. He jolted. He rushed towards the door. That's it! As he was jumping out of the door, grabbing hand grabbed him and pulled him back into the train. His diary fell outside.

"My diary!" Syakrim struggled to retrieve his diary but the strong man that held him did not seem to hear him. Syakrim was thrown back to his seat.

"Syakrim? What happened?" asked Qhaidzir.

"My diary. It fell outside. I must get it!"

"No, you can't. I've tried to get out of this train but every time it stops, I can never get through that man."

"So.... what should we do now? We can't stay in here forever. I've got a plan," said Syakrim. He showed Qhaidzir an iron rod under the seat. They both smiled.

Hours passed. They waited patiently. Suddenly, the train whistle blew and it's motion slowed down.

"It's almost time."

Qhaidzir got up and smashed the window while Syakrim moved to the opposite seat. Their action caught the man's attention. He came and grabbed Qhaidzir who was pretending to jump out. At the same moment, Syakrim hit the man's head as hard as he could, causing the man to let go of Qhaidzir.

"Come on. This is our chance. " Syakrim pulled Qhaidzir as both ran towards the door. At the door, Qhaidzir jumped out first but as soon as Syakrim tried to get out, the door slammed shut and the train began to move.

"Syakrim! No...." Qhaidzir tried to reach for the door but where there was once a door was now just an empty space. The train had faced away. Qhaidzir fainted.

 ...............

 "Tengku, wake up.... I know you can hear me. You have nothing to fear." Slowly he opened his eyes. A man, about 20 years old was standing beside him.

"Who are you?" Qhaidzir asked.

"I'm Mukhri. Syakrim's friend. And you.... Tengku Qhaidzir, right?"

"How did you know my name?" 

Mukhri showed him something.

"Syakrim's diary!"

"I've been waiting for Syakrim all these years on every 12th November hoping for his return. I found this lying on the floor on the midnight of 12 November 1976. Then, last night found you unconscious also on the same spot. It's now 1980."

"1980? Twenty years? Does this mean that I have travelled in time for twenty years into the future? It seemed only yesterday that I was with my friends waiting for the train back home."

"I'm afraid that's exactly what happened. I cannot explain it but you're lucky you're still alive. Where's Syakrim?"

"I'm sorry. He's still trapped in there."

"You mean...."

"Yes," for a moment both remained quiet.

"Qhaidzir, you must realize that nobody knows, and no one will believe that you still exist. For them, Tengku Qhaidzir is just another dead person. You must accept that."

"No! I'm Tengku Qhaidzir and I'm still alive. No one can take away what's rightfully mine. I must fight for what I deserve."

"So ... if that's what you want, it's up to you. But there are many difficulties that you will face," said Mukhri.

"I understand."

 _____________________________________________

 New Straits Times 27th October 1984

Teenager Found Guilty of Impersonating Royalty

 Kuala Lumpur, Wednesday - Unidentified teenager, 18, who claims himself as the long lost Tengku Qhaidzir was sentenced to 5 years jail for causing havoc and bringing pain and grief to the Royal family. Although he looks exactly like Tengku Qhaidzir, it is impossible for him not to have aged over the years. His story is ridiculous, but tests conducted by psychiatrists confirm that he is mentally sane.

 

_____________________________________________

Time : 10.30 am 10th November 1984

Venue : Visitor's room, Pudu Jail

"How's life?” asked Mukhri.

"OK. They treat me well. What's up?"

"Tomorrow's the night of 12th November and...."

"You've got to save him!" exclaimed Qhaidzir interrupting Mukhri.

“I know. I've been waiting for this moment. Promise me if anything wrong happens, you'll come and save us," said Mukhri.

"You've got yourself a promise, I can only pray for your success."

They both shook hands, and that was the last time they ever met.

_____________________________________________

Time : Morning, 27th October 1989

Venue : Pudu Jail, Main gate

"A 1003892. You are now a free man. Make full use of everything you have learnt over the last five years. Good Luck."

The gigantic doors of the main gate opened and Qhaidzir stepped out of the prison.

"I have no future for myself. My title and wealth are gone. I live only for one cause now."

 ______________________________________________

 

Time : 11.45 pm 11th November 1992

Venue : Dorm 16 Corridor, Overfloor

It was a great night to celebrate. SPM had finally ended. Only a few were around to savour the beautiful night while the rest had gone elsewhere to celebrate and unwind their pent-up tensions.

"Now I turn to regret. If only I had another chance to relive my college days there are so many things that I should have do but had didn't" Tears began to fall down his cheeks, tears of delight.... of sadness.... of old memories."

"Hey guys look at the full moon. What a nostalgic sight! Let's climb up the roof for some photographs."

A slight wind began to stir as 8 figures stood proudly on the roof.

"Aca, remember how we used to play football at 4 am in the morning on weekends?"

"Yup! That's how my specs got bent. I couldn't see the ball in time." said Aca with a chuckle. 

"I can still remember 18 August 1990. It was at that spot where you made the winning touch which made us the under 15 rugger champs of Perak."

"Hey look! There's someone over there heading for New Hostel. Why would anyone want to go to New Hostel at this hour?"  

"How can you be so sure that it's a man."

"Come on, you don't believe in ghosts, do you?"

"It's suspicious. Let’s follow him."

The two boys hurriedly following the figure.

The figure clads in black stopped and stared at the building in front of him. It was 11.57 pm.

"I have nothing left in this world. My future.... all gone. The tragedy has change my life. My friends rely on me now."

The two boys rushed in pursuit of the figure as it began to climb the stairs.... towards Dorm 10.

"Bro, are you sure of this?"

"Of course, where's your sense of adventure? Don't tell me you're chickening out."

 

Meanwhile, on the roof ...

"OK Guys, line up over there. Wanee, move a bit to the right. You are out of my viewfinder. Okay, on my count." Jemir aligned the boys.

"One.... " 

It was exactly 11.59: 57 seconds.

Tick!

The two of them climbed up the stairs into Dorm 10, pausing at the door.

"Two..."

There was a sudden gust of cold wind as they looked at each other in uncertainty.

Tick!

"Three!"

...and they stepped into Dorm 10.

"Say Konika!" Jemir said loudly....

Tick!

.. and suddenly the camera dropped out of Jemir's hand crashing onto the roof.

"Jemir! What's wrong?"

Jemir stood frozen, pointing to the sky above New Hostel.

All were bewildered. Lightning bolts came in a flash, all four simultaneously merging into one. As suddenly, all were gone at once, and from the distance, came a terrible scream....

 

And The Mystery Continues....

 

 

This story was adapted from a true story. The characters involved are purely fictional and any similarity with anyone, dead or alive is purely a coincidence.

Story adaptation: Hasma & Azraai 

True story & photography: Nale

Special Thanks to

LONE for his patience and understanding

Chott and Madad - for their helpful contributions 

Man Bai and Aca for their encouragement

As first published in Koleq Mag 1992

Notakaki 1: Nor Azad was charged mentally unstable after found repeatedly mumbling about 'ghost train', following the missing of Syaiful Syakrim. He was sent to Tg Rambutan for further treatment. Mukhri declined to disclose further details.  

Notakaki 2: The DNA test was conducted on Tengku Qhaidzir Tengku Sulaiman but was dismissed due to no scientific explanation on his younger appearance.