Summary: A late night radio drama about a guy sharing a story about a tragic and

horrific incident that befalls upon his friend.

[Sound effect of radio station being chaged, suddenly a song starts to play but it ends
a few seconds later.]
RADIO ADS.
You are listening to Alpha FM midnight horror stories
[Sound of thunder and wolf's howling]
RADIO DJ
That was [song title and the artist name], to all of the loyal listeners I'd like to
welcome you to the midnight horror stories session. We got a special one for all of
you, tonight. For tonight, the story that we're are going to share with you tonight are
simply titled 'Abu Ghattat'.
[Slow piano music starts to play]
NARRATOR
It has many names, the Scandinavians call it the mare, the Turkish call it Karabasan,
from where I come from we call it Abu ghattat; however, I suppose you had probably
heard of it under the name the Sleep paralysis. First let me define it: Sleep paralysis
is a phenomenon in which a person, either falling asleep or awakening, temporarily
experiences an inability to move, speak or react. It is a transitional state between
wakefulness and sleep characterized by complete muscle atonia. It is often
accompanied by terrifying hallucinations to which one is unable to react due to
paralysis, and physical experiences. One theory is that it results from disrupted REM
sleep, which normally induces complete muscle atonia to prevent the sleeper from
acting out his or her dreams. Sleep paralysis has been linked to disorders such as
narcolepsy, migraines, anxiety disorders, and obstructive sleep apnea; however, it can
also occur in isolation.
[Sound of unintelligible whisperings]
NARRATOR
Hallucinations? Is that what those who do not believe in paranormality call an
unexplainable phenomenon or its effects? There are many people who rely on science
to clarify all phenomenons; yet there are mysteries that even science seems to fall in
its shades. According to science, you can experience a certain hallucination between
the phase of sleep and wakefulness. Still, just how can we all have the same
hallucination? How can we all witness the exaxt same terror? To me this is an insult
to all of those who have faced it; Abu Ghattat that is, and that is how I will always
refer to it, not as a personification to a phenomenon but as the demonic spirit that it

is. Most people will clearly change their minds about it if they had the same
experience, and live in denial that it was nothing but a dream; even though, in that
case itll ease their mind. You see, once you encounter Abu Ghattat, youll have every
right to claim it was a nightmare, because if you realized its truth.. Youll most
certainly never be the same again.
[The sound of unintelligible whispering fade out]
NARRATOR
This brings me back to quite a tragic story; the story of a close friend and a neighbor
of mine, his name was Adam. I remember him very well, just two years ago back on a
Sunday evening, I remember heading back to the neighborhood together, he had that
cheerful happy-go-lucky personality, as we used to hang-out every week-end. Adam
you were such an amazing person! On that exact evening, I bid him farewell and left
him with his usual smile; that was a smile he would never put on his face again for
the rest of his life.
The next morning he didnt show up to school all day. It wasnt really that much of a
surprise because we skipped school all the time, I couldnt ever visit him because his
parents disliked me, for they deemed me as a bad influence on their child. It was all
kind of regular, nothing to worry about up until now; but he skipped school the day
after as well, and so on. He didnt answer his phone, hes never online on any social
network, and hes nowhere to be seen. I became worried sick about him, I just had to
know what is going on. So I waited until Friday when both his parents arent home
and visited him. But much to my surprise, both his parents were there. His dad had
that creepy glare which he showed me everytime he saw me, but it was somehow
different than before. I sensed that he wasnt angry.. he was sad. Then he spoke with a
sorrowful tone.
ADAM'S DAD
Hello there, good thing you came honestly! Adam is in his room, if its possible
please talk to him for a bit
NARRATOR
The situation was awkward enough for me, and I just couldnt ask whats wrong. So
without further hesitation I went to his room.. The door was open, I stepped inside
and saw Adam sitting on the floor. Dear God, the state he was in was indescribable. I
greeted him but he didnt reply and he kept shivering from the moment I showed up, I
felt like my presence wont help him through whatever hes going through, so I just
went out with an optimistic faith that he probably just had too many mushrooms
again, but that most certainly wasnt the cause for this. Anyway I decided not to visit
him for a while, at least until he recovers a bit.

One week later, as I had been heading to school, I saw it.. The large tent-like structure
that holds funerals in my homecountry, the tradition is to construct it close to the
deceased persons house, and to keep it there for three days to welcome condolences.
What shocked me was that it was constructed near Adams house, I ran to get there
fast as my heart beat even faster. I asked the first person I met shouting: WHAT
THE HELL HAPPENED? WHO DIED? He then replied, informing me of Adams
suicide, he slit his own throat. My God! Adam, how come that you disappeared from
our lives? These news almost made my heart stop, it had broken my soul. A dark
cloud covered the neighborhood propagating anguish and misery all over it, it was a
great loss for everyone. I gave my condolences to Adams parents, his tearful dad told
me to return tomorrow for a highly important subject.
The following day, I went to see Adams dad, only to find that he gathered Adams
clothes and overall possessions in a big Cardboard box. He told me that since I had
used to be a close friend of Adam that I should be the one to take them. This didnt
look right one bit. Adam was his child, and as his father he must keep his possesions
in order to remember him. But looking at that face, I realized he already cant forget
the tragedy of his only son, he wants to take out anything that may remind him of
that. So I accepted to keep them instead. He later informed me that his wife and him
will move out of town, but that didnt surprise me.
I took the cardboard box home. I found within it a photo album, and nostalgically
viewed it when something between the pages caught my eyes; it was a letter. It had a
date which was the day before the one I visited him at. I started reading it and its
contents brought me to tears. It was written as the following.
[Song changes to another piano music]
ADAM
To anyone who is reading this, Im writing this because I couldnt share what
happened to me with anybody. Even though, I wanted someone to look in my eyes
and tell me its alright, I couldnt bring myself to it. Oh God I just couldnt!
On Sunday night, that cursed night that will forever be kept inside my memory. I was
sleeping normally, traveling the fantastic dreamworld. I cant recall what my dream
was about, all I can remember that I was feeling really delighted, but then I fell into
somekind of a pit, which woke me up.

[Scary music slowly fades in]

ADAM
Upon waking up, I felt somekind of pressure on my body. I tried to stand up, but I
failed to. I couldnt move a muscle, I couldnt do anything, neither move nor talk. I
was clearly able to see the insides of my room, and was damn sure Im not having a
dream so why? Why couldnt I move? I thought Im having that thing my
grandmother once told me about. Abu Ghattat, according to the myth she told me itll
only last for minutes, and the paralysis will perish. But what creeped me out, was the
fact she mentioned something about a demon being the one paralysing you. But I
knew such thing is impossible, I really wanted to believe that. But then I heard a
sound coming from the corner of my room. Since my eyes were the only part of my
body that wasnt paralysed, I tried to force them to focus on the rooms corner, and
then I saw it.
[Sound of evil laugh, and heavy breathing
ADAM
That sight terrified me to the fullest. The Jinn, the demon Abu Ghattat, the monstrous
being sitting there with the most sinister smile on its hideous face, it noticed that I
saw it and started crawling slowly until it reached me. I was dying from terror, I
wanted to shout, I wanted to scream, I wanted to get off my bed and just run for it,
but I couldnt. Then it sat on my body and I could clearly see its grotesque image
now. It wasnt very big, it resembled a troll or something, only it was uglier and
scarier. It then strangled me with its hairy hands while keeping that smile. Oh my
God! How terrible that felt, then it started biting my torso and punching it, it got off
my body for a couple of seconds to wonder the room laughing, while I could only
watch, while I cant do anything to save myself. It came back to me again and started
strangling me all over again. I just wanted to close my eyes, I forced them with all my
might to get closed.
[Scary music fades out, replaced with slow piano music]
Then the paralysing feeling disappeared, I opened my eyes screaming as hardly as I
can waking up my parents in the process, the demon Abu Ghattat vanished as
well.All what happened later doesnt matter anymore, and now that night refuse to
exit my mind, the same goes for Abu Ghattats damned face. I dont know what have
I became anymore, Im afraid to sleep, Im afraid of the dark, Im afraid of solitude. I
keep feeling its demonic presence near me all the time. Its like Im loosing my mind
gradually. I know that I should get a grip of myself and be strong but I cannot, I
cannot.

NARRATOR
The letter ends like that, Oh Adam I shouldve been there for you when you needed
me the most, Im sorry my dear friend, may your soul forgive my idiocy. It was hard
for me, but I had to look more to what he was going through, I made a research on
Abu Ghattat or how it is formally known: The Sleep paralysis. As it seems, there are
things that provoke it, but the way I see it, those were things that invite Abu Ghattat
to your bed. I have discovered that many people had the same experience as Adam.
Most of them saw it as well, the grotesque creature Abu Ghattat. All of them
aknowledged within themselves that it was a dream, if only you had done the same
Adam! Your fear took hold of you and swallowed you completely, it devoured you
from the inside, to the point you gave up on your own life to end your suffering. Now
I see that you thought it was more mercyful, if only I had realized all of this sooner.
May God have mercy on your soul. Many may disagree, but to me Abu Ghattat is
real. I used to be horrified by the fact I could end up its victim anynight, and even
though I got over it quite a long time ago; remembering the evil that took away my
friend still haunts my mind. After all, unlike the common ghost stories and sightings,
it is real. Now I know that all of this had horrified a lot of you people as well, all I
can recommend is not to do anything that could invite it in. Do not get yourself into a
nightmare you might not wake up from, as you may suffer the same fate as Adam.
This is all my dear readers, have a good night. Although, I know you probably wont.
[Slow piano music fades out]

AUDIO
VISUAL
TECHNIQUE
SCRIPT AND SUMMARY

NAME: MOHAMAD AIMAN ARIF

STUDENT ID: 13 201301 00434
LECTURER: SHAFINAZ MANSOR