In 2011, in a quiet neighborhood of Rembang, Central Java, Indonesia, lived a woman named Mrs. Rani. She had recently married a police officer, but because of his duty schedule, he could only return home every three days. During that time, they stayed at a rental house that once belonged to your grandfather.
At first, everything seemed normal. The neighbors were friendly, the air felt peaceful, and the house didn’t cause any problems.
But then… things began to change.
Several villagers started sensing an unsettling aura around the house—especially late at night. The wind would die, the air would become humid and heavy, and strange knocking sounds echoed from the walls.
One night, at 12:30 AM, a loud knock struck the front door.
Duk… duk… duk…
When Mrs. Rani opened it, she froze. Her husband stood there, staring—same uniform, same face, same posture.
Except…
His eyes glowed faintly red.
He smiled with an unnatural grin.
And he did not speak.
Confused, homesick, and relieved at the sight of her “husband,” she allowed him to enter.
Inside, the air turned boiling hot, as if the house were closing in around her. A foul scent—like wet soil from a freshly dug grave—filled the room. Her vision blurred, her body felt weak, and eventually…
Everything went black.
—
The next morning, the sound of a motorcycle engine came from outside.
Mrs. Rani opened the door and gasped.
Her real husband stood there with luggage in hand.
“I just got back,” he said casually.
“But… you came home last night,” she whispered, pale and trembling.
Her husband frowned.
“No. I’ve been on duty all week.”
Instant dread crawled through her spine.
If that wasn’t him… who had entered the house?
—
Later at dawn, one of your neighbors claimed to see something inhuman leaving the rental house:
-
towering height
-
dark, pitch-black skin
-
body covered in coarse hair
-
red, glowing eyes
-
long, sharp fangs
-
claws instead of fingers
-
heavy footsteps that shook the ground
-
a rotten, earthy smell
It was a creature known in Javanese folklore as a Genderuwo—a shapeshifting spirit that often disguises itself as a woman’s husband, especially when he is away, feeding on desire and life energy.
—
When your grandfather heard about the incident, he rushed over immediately. With his knowledge of spiritual protection, he brought:
-
blessed cloth charms
-
aromatic herbs
-
protective stones
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and whispered ancient prayers
He placed them around the corners of the house and performed a silent ritual to close whatever astral gateway had opened there.
After that:
the heat disappeared
the knocking stopped
the nightmares faded
the foul smell never returned
Peace finally returned to the rental house in Rembang.
—
Yet even now, some villagers swear that if you pass by that house at 2:07 AM…
You can hear a deep, heavy breathing from behind the old wooden walls:
Hsss… huff… huff…
As if the Genderuwo is still there—
watching silently,
waiting for the house
to become lonely again. 
