I will never forget this story of mine when i was nine. This is the most exciting experience that seized me in awe even for the rest of my living years of existence, I suppose. I am obviously enthralled by this that as years passed and the days grew older for me, whenever I recall this experience, it reminds me of how wondrous and awesome a child's innocency could be. I wish I could just counter the clock's hands and watch the replay of it while munching some popcorns as I enjoy the 3D effects of my own old show.
T'was a warm spring afternoon on October and the sun's been hovering upon me as I tread down the road to our new home from a long boring & weary class at my now neighbouring school. I honestly wanted to ditch from school to help my mum do some unloading & unpacking of stuffs since we just moved in three days before that day. Well, actually its just my sweet & humble reason of saying "I want to lazy-out the whole day in my room, do nothing but sleep, eat, & sleep."
I heard the creeking sound of the tall & huge rusted gate as it swung open and swallowed me in. Warm fresh air of the hot afternoon greeted me as I entered the place. I saw the fallen dried leaves scattered by the wind on our new wide lawn whilst trees such as santol, jackfruit (langka), star-apple, and this gigantic acacia tree that i think had stood there mightily for almost a hundred year or more already were all dancing gracefully while its leaves create a harmonious serene sound as it was swayed by the wind. They were actually the friendly habitat of those nestling country birds who were chirping on mornings and afternoons and never failed to woke me up. At the center of the lawn stood grandiosely our two story house, an old mahogany spanish style house that aged for almost as old as that acacia tree and here I am standing in awe in front of it, appreciating its untouched artistry and magnificency. This beauty must cost a billion now.
I walked to the front porch of the house and turned the knob of the door. I smiled. Excitement flushed on my face as I pushed the door open. But a gloom feeling welcomed me inside. Then silence filled the room. Windows were shut and darkness crept on my skin. Where's mum? Where's dad? Where's my siblings? Where's everyone? Heck, perhaps they aren't home.
I clamber up the stairs and went to my room, by the way it's a big house, we've got own rooms just for ourselves except mum & dad, they share the biggest room of the house, of course. I jumped to bed and never bothered to change my school uniform and drowned fast into a deep sleep. Suddenly a whisper woke me up. It was vague that I haven't had the chance to configure what it said. I wanted to go back to sleep but just as I covered my eyes with my lids, I spotted something on my peripheral version a something gray and imprecise figure passed by on the hallway at my door. It was fast though but I am certain enough that it conforms a human figure. I sat up on my bed and peeped outside the window. The sun's still up but dusk is about to appear on sight. I clamber out of bed sluggishly & decided to seek that person i just saw since sleep has been robbed already on me. I called out of my mum in a slight shout so they would hear me if ever anyone's home already. But Im pretty sure someone must be home now because my sister's favorite TPGS Volume 40 book that I kept in my drawer was left open on the mini center table as I looked down from the hallway of the second floor. I wonder if she read it again for the nth time.
Slowly, I stepped down the stairs to open the lights. I called out again for my sister yet no one answered. I head to the kitchen to look for something to eat but nothing good in there. I opened the fridge, but then suddenly felt that someone had just walked down the hall. So I hurriedly closed the fridge's door hoping I might caught it but alas, I didn't. This time, I felt goosebumps and my skin's hair were panicking tremendously. As a kid, I've never been a neurotic or a scarebaby, instead I used to be the one who do pranks to my cousins who're same as my age but don't get me wrong, I'm not what you think like a bully.
But it could be that. Perhaps my cousins are here and they're planning to take a revenge. Hah! I know its kind of silly thought since Idefinitely knew that their plac was on the south side of this earth. Nevertheless, I still hollered over my cousins' names.
I keeep calling out of them, but only the tingling, eerie sound of rustling answers my call.
Right, this was turning to worse now. I walked to the living room where boxes and sack-bags were still at mess. And the lights flickered. I roamed my eyes around. This isn't right. I must admit that this really felt terrible and scary. The lights flickered again twice. I tried to calm myself. Maybe they're just playing games with me. Or maybe the lights needed to be fixed. Or maybe no one's around. My mind comes to alert. Who's that person I saw back there at the hallway? Who's that person who walked by when I opened the fridge?
This time something indecent were already playing in my mind. Then the lights flickered again and never stopped until it all died down. I felt a bile rose in my throat. My heart started to race and tried to escape from my ribcage. Then I felt the air touched my skin. A very eerie air, like an invicible cold hand grasped my arm. I hugged myself. I am now literally panicking inside-out. I don't know what to do. Waiting for them to come home won't help.
I sat down on the sofa and stared to nothingness. I don't want to look around for fear of seeing unwanted things. I even tried to close my eyes harshly but all I could see are horrible and frightening things that's flashing in my mind. Large sweats started to form on my face and I prayed that this creepyness will end sooner & even dared to promise God I will be a good girl anymore.
I covered my face with my palms, whispering those prayers again and again. Then I stopped. Something's weird. I felt somebody just came. The atmosphere's heavy and cold. So cold. I slowly moved my hands away from my face. It's kinda blurry at first but then my vision cleared. This next part was the most exciting and terrifying part of my experience.
On the other side of the sofa, there sat a lady in black gown with a veil covering her face. Her lips were as red as a cherry and skin as white as a snow. She has a curly hair tucked up. At her side is a little girl perhaps like my age, wearing a grey dress and a black shoes with white socks. Her skin a pale white. I stared at them dumbstrucked unable to utter a single word nor able to move one muscle. Since when did these two people came? I didn't even know them. My eyes moved and looked their faces one to another. They were smiling but they didnt looked back. It seems like they haven't noticed me. Then I heared footsteps coming from the kitchen. I saw a man wearing an amerikana heading to where the two were. He is holding a cane on his right hand. I wanna stand up and run for my life. I wanna hide or go away. Far away from that place. I was apalled when the little girl suddenly jumped and laughed and ran thru the door of the house. And she swiftly vanished while her happy voice echoed in the room. I looked back to the woman and the man. They were now standing and talking animately near the stairs.
I watched them intently while fear was already eating up my balls and I just couldn't move, afraid that they might notice me if I try to take a single act. I could say that the two were fighting yet they're shouting inaudibly. I couldn't hear any words coming out from their mouths. Then the man got really mad and he grabbed the woman's hair. The woman was trying to escape from his torturing but he suddenly choked her. This time the woman kicked the man on his stomach so he accidentally released the woman and hold his aching stomach. The woman ran up the stairs. She hurried up and I was so shocked when I followed her with my eyes as she went inside my room and closed the door. The man followed her up and tried to push the door open. He is shouting but I still couldn't hear any voice, I could just perceive it and I didn't even know how. Then I saw him breaking the door with his cane. He is strong enough that he did broke the doorknob. He went inside the room. He shut the door and locked it with those deviseable lock or whatver you call it, those locks with chains, you know. I don't know how but I could still see them in my mind even when they're already behind those walls.
"No. You will not take her." I gasped. I could hear the woman's voice.
"She will come with me." Replied the man.
The rest of the fight was terrible and gruesome. I felt a tear streamed down my face. I don't know why and what's really happening but I can feel the tense, sadness, gloominess, and the horror of the hasty event. I don't even really know what's happening. I just want my family to come home now.
But the most horrifying thing that I witnessed is when the man raised his cane and yanked it to the woman's head. My eyes almost bulged out from its socket and my heart leaped from its place. My pulse were beating fast beyond normal and my breath left me offguard.
I don't understand why I could still see those scenes, but the woman stopped from struggling and lied down on the floor unconscious while eyes wide open. Suddenly her blood pooled around her, drenching her head and her body. I thought that very moment that all my blood drained off from my head too. I wanna shout, but nothing came out of my mouth as I opened it. It left hanged open when the door at my room flew open and exposed the man out. He rushed down the stairs and head to the door of the house. Perhaps he's going to search for the girl.
I panicked. I felt sorry for the woman as well as to the girl. What if he'll also kill the girl? I can't imagine myself being killed. I feel the horror in my body as my skin's hairs stood up freakingly. I could see myself turned pale after the scene I just saw in my room awhile.
I wanna stand up to look for the girl and help her hide away from the man. I tried to stand up but my knees trembled. I can't manage to stand. How much more to walk. My mind was too preoccupied of the occurences and thinking wildly what might possibly happen next. There's so much of a grim things prowling through my head. Then suddenly...
"BOO!!!" The girl, without a warning, appeared on my sight and scared all the fudge out of me. This time I was fortunately able to shout in full horror.
Then I woke up. I realized I was dreaming. I sat up on my bed and took a deep breath and sighed. Those aren't real. It were just dreams. It was rather a statement than a question. I rubbed my eyes and yawned. I lied back to my bed and I turned on the other side of my bed. But as I face to my left, I came face-to-face with the woman's bloody face with eyes wide staring blatantly at me. This had caught me off guard that I let out a very loud shrill cry until my throat was almost dry of screaming.
"Kira, mata ui. Mata na dira. Gidaman ka." I was woken up by a voice and I realized I am still shouting. I opened my eyes and saw my sister gawking at me, with concern in her eyes. I stared at her for a moment then literally slapped my forehead, logically trying to wake myself for another nightmare but I felt a sting as I hit it. It's no more a dream, its all reality now.
At that night after dinner, with much terror I felt after the boggling dream, I made up a vow to myself:
I'm never gonna do bad things, or pranks, or whatever stuffs that will anger Him for fear of dreaming things as such again. (cause I honestly thought naively that Daddy God is punishiing me for being so naughty as a kid! Yeah I know it's kind of pathetic. Haha)
Well, this is some kind of a story telling, ain't it? ANyway, That's all what it is. :)
One thing is for sure: OLD HOUSES WERE NICE, BUT I'LL NEVER GONNA FIND THEM COOL AND AWESOME TO LIVE WITH EVER AGAIN !!! Old, big, ancient houses (like the once we lived before) really creeps the fudge out of me. Haha.