In our previous episode, Officer Sonia Chan had been investigating the case of Aaron Wong and his bizarre wounds; believing him to be tormented by some strange, unexplained intruder. Her suspicions are confirmed as she rushes into Aaron’s home during the evening... and comes face to face with the supernatural.
This episode stars Rachel Chin, Adam Tun-Aung, Vester Ng, Tan Rui Shan, Bright Ong, and Alicia Kan. Production and direction by Danny Koordi, screenplay by Karl Gan, editing, and sound design by Danny Koordi with mixing by David Chew, and assistance by Gareth Fernandez, Gabby Peng, and Nadarajah Bhairavan.
The overall story takes influence from the Wattpad story: Stillborn: The Legend of Pontianak, as written by Dr. Elmi Zulkarnain Osman, and first published on Wattpad.com
Finally, the After Dark podcast is an original Mediacorp production developed in partnership with Wattpad Studios, and recorded at IMDA Pixel. Your executive producers are Barry Toa and Sapna Angural from Mediacorp, and Aron Levitz, Eric Lehrman, and Dexter Ong from Wattpad. Reproduction of any material associated with the podcast is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Mediacorp.
If you would like to listen to more, you can follow the podcast on the Melisten App, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcasts. And if you would like to get in touch with us, you can send us a message through the email podcasts@melisten.sg.
Podcast artwork by Paul Hendricks, you can reach him on Instagram @PAUL_JOEL_HENDRICKS
the following audio presentation features mention of graphic imagery and mature themes, listener discretion is advised
Aaron get away from her erin I yelled for Aaron but he didn't hear me
rather she
it
dead.
She flew through the air and rushed towards me, knocked me down.
This woman in the white dress, her face pale and gaunt, her eyes red veiny, staring right into my soul. I swear she began in gym closer. No I couldn't move. I couldn't get back, I couldn't get out of the way.
Mm hmm.
She raised her hands to my face.
She had these long dirty nails caked with dirt.
Yeah.
And then she dragged them slowly across my cheek
way and then just when I was expecting the worst,
she
turns away, floated towards the front door, her feet just slightly above the ground. And sure
left
officer trying.
Officer chan
Aaron
erin, is that you are you okay? Are you hurt?
No, no I'm fine, I'm fine. What are you
doing here? What happened?
Did you see her? What
how what is that thing?
That thing.
The woman in the white dress
she was floating, Aaron, how could she felt like that.
So
you
you saw her?
What?
What the hell is going on?
Mm hmm
Officer.
That
that's a
that's plenty enough.
Welcome to After dark, a brand new horror audio drama podcast brought to you by Mediacorp in our previous episode. Officer sonia chang had been investigating the case of Aaron Wong and his bizarre wounds, believing him to be tormented by some strange unexplained intruder.
Her suspicions are confirmed as she rushes into erin's home during the evening and comes face to face
with the supernatural.
Okay Latina Pablo came back already.
Bloody hell these old houses damn difficult to maintain. Aaron are you okay or not? Yeah
so officer chan you said the door was unlocked, you came in and you saw Aaron walking down by himself when Mr and Mrs Wong came down the stairs they found me and Aaron pretty shaken up on the floor.
It
yes sir. Uh
He was
I was sleepwalking
officer trying to make sure I didn't hurt myself.
I didn't think I could tell them what happened.
I mean at that point
I wasn't even sure myself.
Uh huh.
Sleepwalking boy. You gonna sleepwalk before me? How come? I don't know what
I think it's a more recent thing.
Probably because of what's been happening
there. You are
Okay? Okay make sure you bring up the next time he comes over here. Yes.
Uh huh. Okay okay go back to sleep.
Okay
and that's for you officer jang I've got a million questions for you.
First thing first. Can you tell me what happened to our dog Baxter?
Uh
I don't know Mr Wong when I arrived it was already gone. I didn't see Baxter at all.
Okay okay my lemon idea. Make sure you're thinking of all these. Okay okay
next question
my game is low and with just now the power outage it couldn't have opened. So officer let me ask you. How do you get it?
Okay?
I climbed in. Oh you climb in new job, I get
Mhm
Yes sir. Like some burglar. Right.
I sir, I thought something bad had happened. I'm so sorry. I only wanted to help. Help. Okay, Okay,
so correct me if I'm wrong,
You come to my house, you see the lights are out. Uh you think there's something wrong? So you climb the gate pass through my front door and that's when you felt right?
Yeah,
Yes sir. Officer john,
I'll ask you
how stupid do you think I am First you try to take my son away then you go and visit him behind my back.
Now you break into my house in the middle of the night. Who the hell you think you are sir? I only did it out of my obligation to protect you know what? Forget it, forget it. Okay,
I don't want to listen to your nonsense anymore.
You are finish searching,
finished
me,
You take it off all these and send to Roger
who is Roger?
Oh the Minister, Yala.
Mhm
You don't like that. Just give you kimchi.
Sorry, Officer chan
we see the battle.
Mhm
Oh
Mhm
Yeah.
Mhm
Yeah.
Okay.
Mhm.
Okay.
Kiss it.
Okay.
I understand sir.
Hold on,
come in
uh bus. I'll call you back later.
Uh china's here already.
J J. You asked for me? Yeah,
I just had a very interesting conversation with our boss who told me that? apparently you broke into the wang's house last night. Listen I can explain explain you define my orders john but I had to know you didn't, I told you to just drop it and move on. But not only did you not listen, you went back there yourself and you created this giant mess that I have to clean up. JJ please listen to me. I found out what was after Aaron.
So sorry what did you say? I think I know what attacked Aaron Wong.
Uh Okay
this better be good john it was something uhh
something that Nicole ying did, who the heck is Nicole yang? Nicole yang is the daughter of carrying. He was in business with robert wang for a long time before falling out recently because of their parents history. Aaron and Nicole grew up to be best friends all throughout primary and secondary school. Then J. C. They were super super close and I think
I think they were also dating.
Wait so this Nicole yang, she broke into their house and hurt Aaron. Well not exactly she uh
I think she sent something after him.
Mhm.
Okay. And what's their motive? I did research look
Nicole put up a blog post about having to right some wrongs to fix something that changed her life
and her family the yangs they're very well established across a whole range of industries and they run a few shops across the region that sells
talisman talisman. Yeah talismans amulets statues, you know, things like that and that was how their family got started in business. I think they're quite well known for their spiritual work. In fact carrying was even featured in this article about the history of summoning spirits.
You're kidding. And after carrie fell out with robert, I think Nicole and erin's relationship soured and that's when Nicole summon something to go after Aaron.
So where are they now? Well, according to immigration records, the yangs are now residing in Canada. Okay,
so they're not here in the country
and yet somehow you think they have something to do with all of this. Well, no, not them. It's Nicole. Nicole sent something after erin, she put banana tree sap on his face and now he can see things.
I can see how ridiculous this sounds great for a second there. I thought I was going crazy. Uh, john what the heck are you talking about? I can't back this. You know that right? You broke into a house, You defied instructions but we're about to crack case DJ the case is already cracked, john
it's Aaron
he's doing this to himself. Okay. Not some spirit or banana tree, whatever. I'm sorry, sonya, I can only report the facts and the fact of the matter is that right now, things are not looking too good for you.
Do you understand?
Yes,
dismissed.
Yeah,
I don't know what they're gonna do to you. But this is out of my hands now misconduct, defiance of authority and possible burglary charges, that's what I get for caring. Right. Certainly not the best way to climb the career letter. I was put on temporary suspension with no pay while they were deciding what to do with me.
I couldn't go back to the station, couldn't access any of the databases or records and I definitely couldn't go anywhere near
the wang mention but call me stupid or stubborn.
I just couldn't leave it like that.
I had to find out more about that thing. That thing that attacked me and Aaron pontianak.
Mhm.
Yeah.
Mhm.
Mhm.
They're in a
thinking about what matters.
So the Ponti anna where to begin a spirit as old as Southeast Asia itself. In malay folklore it is usually described as the spirit of a pregnant woman who died in childbirth supposedly she comes back in a white dress with long black hair
and nails that are said to be able to rip flesh apart. Her entire thing is that she lures unsuspecting men as prey as revenge and retribution for how they treated her when she was alive. I know pretty messed up right? But here's the crucial bit. The Montana is associated with banana trees and it is said that she spends her days residing within them.
If a pontianak is around, you always notice the smell first that foul mix of a beautiful floral scent
along with a decaying corpse.
Also
if the sounds of the forest are loud then she is far but
if there are no sounds at all. She
it is near by.
So this was the thing that was tormenting Aaron
coming into his house, attacking him with her long nails and causing those gashes on his body.
We had the means. We had the opportunity.
The only thing left
was motive.
Why?
It took a while but I finally tracked Nicole yang down. You have no idea how many students and parents and teachers I had to call. Anyway I managed to get her email address and send her a short message
hoping against all hope
that she would actually respond.
Hello. Hi
is this mess
sonya? Yes. Yes. Hi. Is this Nicole being
thank you so much for calling. I hope you're having a good morning. It's morning over there. Right.
I was hoping to ask you a few questions.
This is about
Aaron.
Right.
It is
um
What what kind of questions
he's in trouble. Nicole. I know
I saw that from that email.
That's why I decided to call.
Sorry Miss Sonia. Just Sonya is fine
sonya.
I moved here to start a new life
to get away from Aaron
but
you still called?
Why
I
Okay.
Okay
you still care for him? Right
you call? What happened?
Did he do something to you?
No no
it's
it's not like that.
It's not what he did but
more of what he got me to do.
Does it have anything to do with your blog? You mentioned that you wanted to right some wrong?
Right.
Yes, I
I loved him.
He told him I wanted to keep
that our parents would have supported us.
It
I found out at six weeks
I told Aaron we should keep
I wanted to keep it. I told him he could find a way to make it work.
No.
Oh my gosh. Erin I can't believe it. Our own baby.
Mm hmm.
Mhm.
Aaron
Nicole. Um
we need to talk about this. My
dad he wants us to
uh he wants us to what?
Mhm
No
no no no
Aaron
we talked about this.
Okay and he's right, we're supposed to be focusing on our studies now. Go to university built towards a career.
What's going to happen to applications? Our scholarships? What do you mean? What's going to happen?
Aaron, we are
having a baby, don't you see this changes everything. No it doesn't. We
can still build
our futures and raise a family. Cool. You need to be realistic about this. I mean if we have a kid don't we have to play for the same school.
I thought you want to go to Canada and my dad he wants me to go to Harvard
but we can always adjust our plans. Right. I can change my application And what if we don't get to the same school?
Uh huh.
Have you even thought about that? We can make arrangements or something. Maybe. I'll defer
my studies for a few
years old.
You've got so much going on for you know this is not fair. I want to keep our baby. This is our
baby. Erin cole.
Please can you think about this?
This doesn't make sense for us. Right now we're gonna be bumped down, barked down. My dad is right. Your dad doesn't know ship. Your dad would say the same thing
so he wouldn't How could you even say that?
Look
okay. I know it sucks
what we're going to have to make This is just not because we want to
but because we have to. All right.
Yeah.
You might think you want this baby number. What happens in a few years when you're stuck at home with no degree and no prospects.
What happens when you see all your friends moving on in the world while you're still stuck in the same place? Huh?
Don't you get it? No. Then
you're representing me or even worse yourself or the kid?
No. No I won't.
What are we gonna do then babe? The
the baby didn't ask for red.
The baby never asked to be torn between two parents who wanted more
Aaron
please.
You know I'm right. Nicole.
This is the only
way
the way
my dad will pay for everything. Okay. He
he probably already spoke to your father and you you won't have to fork out a single cent right. We can still have a whole life to live
please.
Mhm
Don't let a stupid decision getting aware of
that.
She shared all of this.
I could sense the shame and regret in her voice.
Even if she didn't want to admit it.
I think
deep down
Nicole knew that Aaron was right
but you know what the funny thing is,
she ended up presenting him anyway.
It was
the most difficult thing that I ever
I had to do in my life
and
when I needed someone
to help me through it
I was turned away
mm hmm.
Yes. Hello Mr Wong
is Aaron at home
Can I just talk to him for 10 minutes please go home. I just I just need to see him already. Okay.
Mhm.
I tried
time and time again
day after day
but
nothing
I thought that if I went along with what they wanted they would at least be grateful. I
me and Aaron could at least still be together.
Mhm
mm.
Okay
how could I have been so stupid
Nicole it's not your fault. Who cares whose fault it is it doesn't matter. Okay
it was my baby. I took away his life and for what? How am I supposed to live with what I did you call? I
I know it's hard. Oh you don't okay don't even try with that bullshit.
Mhm
Nicole
when I was younger
back in university trying to get my degree
the same thing happened to me.
I
experienced what you did
here.
You had a baby.
I
did the same thing you did.
Mhm.
Mhm.
Well, I understand. All right.
You understand how painful it is. It is.
It's so painful. I get it. You're torn because you care for so many people so many things at the same time. Your boyfriend, your parents, what's growing inside of you
yourself
and
whatever decision you make, somebody gets hurt.
It sucks. I know, but you you just
you just have to learn to make peace with that.
It might take a few months. Heck even a few years. But I've been through enough to know that.
Yeah,
you don't want to stay in pain. Angry,
depressed,
guilty.
You don't have to live like this forever. Nicole you.
You
deserve better.
Mm.
Uh huh.
Okay,
mm.
Thank you
sonya.
I wish
I could have talked to you sooner.
Of course. Of course.
So
after what happened,
I
I got angry.
I mean I was in a
bad, bad place.
I started
threshing my room
fighting with my parents.
Breaking school property.
It got so bad
that my parents
eventually put me out and transferred me here.
As if that was ever going to really change anything.
Mhm.
Right.
That anger
I couldn't
I couldn't
put it aside.
So before I left
I
I told myself
one last thing left to do.
Right or wrong from your blog.
Yes.
Nicole. What did you do?
So I
Went back again to Erin's house late one evening
only this time
I wasn't actually going to see him.
I took a path inside the forest surrounding the mansion and made my way to our favorite thought banana tree. Yeah. You see my dad used to tell me that there's so much more to the world than just the physical material, what you see or touch. They're all just superficial impermanent. They will come to an end. That's what Aaron said. There's more to this world tree to smell. Step my dad knew what was in there. You want me all the time. Never to look, always make sure you don't look when you come across the smell
but I never took it seriously. I mean how could you,
I even used to joke about it all the time with Aaron shall we seemed so
stupid.
The trivial.
Yeah.
Until
that's right.
Damn
wow.
Mhm.
After talking to Nicole I called erin Way it's me officer chan way. I told him I knew how to get rid of the Montana
but I had to make sure that his father would not find out.
So he roped in his stepmother Charlene to let me in, she would distract robert Wong and he would come meet me by the side of the house.
Mhm.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Hey, Aaron you there?
Yeah.
Okay. What now? We don't have much time. Let's go.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Mhm.
Yeah.
Yeah
we went back to the tree
this time in the early evening as light was beginning to dim and night was almost upon us.
Oh,
it looks so different than up.
You've never been here at night.
No,
never
Nicole. And I always hung out here during the day.
Um
what are you going to do?
Honestly,
I'm not so sure myself,
but it looks like neither of us have any other options left, do we?
Yeah,
yeah,
yeah.
I reached out
touch the tree
and began the ritual.
I perform the same steps that cole did.
The stench started to fill the air,
growing stronger
worse.
Yeah.
And
there she was.
Oh
officer,
trust me
perched atop the banana tree in a squatting position looking down at us. If those red eyes,
I,
I know what you are.
I know why you're here.
I spoke to who sent you
and
she regrets it.
She regrets what she's done
both to herself,
her baby
and to share in the cool.
He is also hurting
this boy here.
You can see that, right?
He misses Nicole.
He misses everything they had
and he is in so much pain himself.
He has so much anger.
It's eating him up inside and he's letting you hurt him
because he wants to feel that pain.
He wants to hurt on the outside. The same way he is hurting within
Yeah.
And I have been there,
I have been the same.
That's why you didn't hurt me right? Because you knew you knew I had been a mother once
you knew what I had gone through and you knew the pain I had also felt in losing my child.
Shall I ask you
mother to mother?
Okay
Pete let this boy live.
Mhm.
Waited for what seemed like an eternity.
I expected her to jump down any second and to rip us apart with those long nails.
Please
let him live
like you did for me.
If only because you can understand our pain.
Yeah.
Mhm.
Oh
yeah.
Mhm.
Mhm.
Mhm.
Just like that she was gone,
floated away into the night.
Oh
officer you
you you did it you did it you
actually did it. Oh my God it worked. It worked.
You did. It was finally over
so he found some more links between the laptop and wallet case. So john
now that you're back I'm going to need you to follow up on these leads and
hello officers is this a good time?
Oh Mr wang
What what brings you to the station? I
you just wanted to come over to say
thank you. Oh yeah. What what for
my son?
He hasn't had any issue for the past week already. He mentioned that it was because of officer chance help officer charm.
Really. You're very welcome. Mr Wong. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah
I don't know what you did to my boy. He feels a lot better now he hasn't woken up like he used to.
No no screaming nothing scary
so no more blood, no
scratches, ripped bedsheets nope.
Well uh to say there's quite a pleasant surprise.
So I guess this means
case closed. Yeah yeah yeah case closed. Thanks again. Officer john
Aaron please just call me sonya.
You
believed in me
when I needed it the most and
for that I'm forever grateful.
Thank you.
You're welcome Aaron. So
that's it. Huh? No need to follow up already. Uh don't come and stop us anymore.
Uh Box
don't forget her.
Oh yeah yeah yeah
about the whole officer chant breaking incident. Just just forget it about it that way. You sure? Yes yes yes yes after after all she did. Huh?
Didn't you dog go missing or something? Yeah. That stupid old boiler probably went to chase some skrill or something and lost his way. He will come back a few days later. Okay.
I guess I'll let my superiors know about the good news. I thought I'm already, in fact I think officer john deserve recommendation. Yeah
thank you. Mr wang.
It was nice seeing JJ eat his own words for once and what made it better was that he had to rewrite the whole case report and sign off on my recommendation. Can you imagine that?
And that's for Aaron
we actually became pretty good friends after that. How was your A. Levels did you do? Well
I still talk to him from time to time you know he lives in America now has his own little family with a kid and another on the way says his son has quite the temper, just like his grandfather
and I guess that's about it.
There's a saying in the police that
there will always be a case that you remember
either because of how it closed or how it changed you.
For me I think I can genuinely say that this was both.
I'll always remember Aaron huddled in the bathroom crying for help. I'll always remember how close I was to getting fired and for as long as I remain as an officer, I'll always remember to try and help the best I can
and to not look the other way.
Mhm
yeah,
mm hmm.
Thank you for listening to this episode of after dark new episodes will be released every other friday at 10 p.m. And you can follow the podcast on the meal is an app, Spotify, apple podcasts or google podcast. Episode six The spirit was produced and directed by Danny Cordy. Screenplay was written by Carl gone editing and sound design by Danny Cordy with mixing from David chiu
and assistance by Garrett Fernandez Gaby paying another raja by Ravan. The overall story takes influence from the white pet story. Stillborn. The legend of pontianak is written by dr l me so carnitine Osmond.
The cost for episode six features Rachel chin as sonia. Adam tune on as JJ vester um, as robert, Wong ton rations as Charlene Wong Bright on as Aaron Wong and leash Akane as Nicole ying. Finally, the after dark podcast is an original media core production developed in partnership with what Pet studios and recorded at I M. D A pixel.
Your executive producers are buried too. Oh and Sabrina Angara from media corp
and Aaron Levitz, eric, Letterman and dexter wrong from white pad reproduction of any material associated with the podcast is strictly prohibited without the express written content of media corp. We hope to see you again as we continue the story in the next episode of After
Dark.
Yeah.
Hello?
Hey, what's up?
What?
There's something in whose house?
Wait calm down. What?
What do you mean by strange noises?
Hello?
Hello?