Malaysian Mystery Memoirs: The Dark Side Of Sunny Side

By Lara Lindemann  •  05 Apr 2024 in Horror/Mystery

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* Malaysian Mystery Memoirs is a series of fictional horror tales by JUICE, for entertainment purposes only. Any similarities to actual persons or situations are purely coincidental.

* The following story contains disturbing content which may be triggering for certain audiences. Reader discretion is advised.

If there were two things Maya was passionate about, they would be the artistry of culinary delights and the warmth of caring for children. So, when the opportunity arose for her to blend these into a fulfilling career as a chef and baker at a the Sunny Side orphanage in Janda Baik, she couldn’t contain her joy.

Despite the slight inconvenience of relocating and spending weeks away from home, Maya embraced the chance to escape the bustling heat of Kuala Lumpur for the tranquil hills of Pahang.

She would also have no cell reception, which irked her, but the pay was handsome enough to convince her to accept these terms.

However, upon her arrival, she found herself taken aback by a surprising revelation: All the children in her care, ranging from ages 2 to 10, were boys. She felt this was strange, but decided not to probe her employers – a strict no-nonsense elderly couple who were simply not the type to be questioned.

Preferring not to provoke them, Maya retired to her quarters, poring over the list of children’s names and dietary needs. For the most part, everything ran smoothly. The boys were well-mannered and exhibited no fussiness over meals.

Yet, the nights proved dark, chilly, and somewhat unsettling. The dimly lit environment of the centre left Maya feeling uneasy. Furthermore, the early morning hours demanded her presence in the kitchen to prepare fresh pastries for breakfast by 7 a.m., a task made challenging by the weak bulbs barely illuminating the space.

She resolved to muster the courage to request better lighting, but found herself increasingly intimidated by her employers.

One night, as Maya tended to jam tarts in the oven around 4 a.m., she heard the faint sound of a drawer sliding open from the pantry. Groggily, she investigated, and discovered the bottom drawer ajar – a repository for candies and snacks.

Not entirely surprised that one of the children might’ve snuck out for a sweet treat, assuming the others were asleep, Maya approached to indeed find a small figure crawling away from her in the dark.

She chuckled, and bent down to pick the child up – but to her astonishment, found that it sported pigtails. As Maya moved closer to the child, she found herself grasping at thin air. She worked up the courage to pick the girl up, but the weight vanished in her arms…

Startled and bewildered, she hastily shut the pantry drawer and resumed her baking, not catching a wink of sleep for the rest of the night.

Come breakfast time, Maya set the table, occupied by the usual group of a dozen young boys. Her female employer chided her for the “sloppily prepared” jam tarts.

Suppressing her unease, Maya still couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was amiss, and decided to confront her employers about the absence of girls at the centre.

Their response was cryptic yet logical: “Nobody sends their girls here. Perhaps they believe it safer for them to reside in female-only orphanages, away from young boys.”

With that, the conversation was abruptly terminated, and Maya knew better than to ask further questions.

Later that day, Maya was instructed to offer the boys their daily ration of snacks and candies. A sense of dread washed over her as she contemplated the unsettling drawer, but she pulled through, shuffling through assortments of chocolates and crisps, until her fingers grazed upon a latch that seemed oddly loose.

Something told her that this was no mere coincidence…

Maya bided her time until the late hours of the night, when the orphanage was cloaked in darkness and silence. She cautiously slid the drawer open once more.

With steady hands, she removed the loose latch, allowing the drawer’s false bottom to be lifted, revealing a concealed compartment hidden beneath. It contained the birth certificates of the boys in her care – along with six certificates registered under female names, sharing surnames with their male counterparts.

It didn’t take long for Maya to conclude that they must have been siblings. She discreetly returned the documents to their hiding place, restoring the drawer to its original state using a screwdriver – but the names continued to haunt her over the next few days.

After a month of mounting confusion, sleep deprivation, and homesickness, Maya decided to return to Kuala Lumpur for the weekend, craving the comfort of familiarity, the solace of her mother’s company, and – of course – Wi-Fi connection.

Maya wasted no time in sharing her discovery with her mother, prompting them to conduct a swift Google search using the children’s names. Dania binti Yusof, Lim Siew Mei, Suhana Trivedi, Taylor Jordan… Each one was mentioned in a single article.

She read it aloud.

“Victims Of Mass Female Infanticide Found In Janda Baik…

“5 April 2020 – Authorities in Janda Baik were shocked to discover the bodies of six female foetuses in a local dam in Janda Baik. According to reports from the police superintendent, it is believed that the foetuses were callously thrown from a high hill, resulting in their tragic demise on impact.

“The perpetrators of this heinous act, five couples in total, have been found guilty under Section 309A of the Penal Code. Additionally, two individuals have been apprehended for further investigation in connection with the crime, which took place over the course of the past eleven years.

“Eyewitnesses revealed disturbing details, noting the sight of one parent carrying shovels towards the dam, presumably to bury the evidence of their appalling deed. Amidst the horror, it was revealed that some of the couples involved had male children, who are now under the care of Sunny Side Orphanage, a mere five kilometres away from the site of the grim discovery…”

Maya was then interrupted by a ping on her cellphone, alerting her of a message from her employers.

“We are accepting two more boys to the centre next week. Please note their dietary preferences below.”

Disclaimer: The above story is fictional and intended for entertainment purposes only. It’s important to acknowledge that female infanticide is a serious issue that has occurred in Malaysia and remains prevalent in many Asian countries.

Female infanticide is punishable by law in Malaysia under Section 309B of the Penal Code. Perpetrators of this crime can face imprisonment for up to twenty years. The Malaysian government has prosecuted several cases of infanticide.

To advocate against female infanticide, it’s crucial to educate yourself on the matter and support organisations that work towards the welfare of affected individuals.

* All illustrations AI-generated via DALL·E.