Actually, I don't want to tell this story. It seemed to me to tell me about repeating every detail of my experience in that house, and you know, it's not a very pleasant experience to remember. But alright. This time I'm going to tell it, and enough this time I do and I hope it's the last time.
Here's the story; About five years ago, when I was just a student in the city of Bandung, like most other overseas students, I was also looking for a boarding house that was roughly close to campus. Having no friends and no relatives here, or anyone I knew, I looked for a boarding house by myself.
After completing all registration matters on the campus where I was accepted, I immediately left campus to find a boarding house. Luckily I arrived early and when the registration window opened I was the first queue. Finally I can finish all my registration matters early. Around eleven o'clock I was out of campus.
Arriving outside the gate, I felt very confused. I really don't know about this city of Bandung and I also don't have anyone I know here. In fact, in my mind, if until tonight I still haven't found a boarding house, I'll just stay on campus. But the thought immediately brushed away. I exhaled hard and determined in my heart that I can definitely find a boarding house before dusk!
Then I began to ask the students who looked senior and were roaming outside the campus about which areas there were many boarding houses. I also asked the street vendors scattered around the campus gate and fortunately they kindly showed it.
After all the information and I think it's enough, I started walking while carrying my backpack which is very dense and heavy. I combed the sidewalk along the path leading to the area indicated by the people I asked earlier. I started from the first house and as I didn't really expect, the landlord said it was full. I proceed to the next house and unfortunately, I always get full.
I began to feel pessimistic that for the next house I will definitely get the same thing. I'm starting to lose hope of finding a boarding house before dusk. But by then it was already half-past two in the afternoon and my stomach started rumbling. I decided to take a break for a moment at a small shop that sells rice with simple dishes and homemade chili sauce.
The shop owner's mother was fat and her face was very friendly. When I entered his shop, he greeted me warmly and invited me to sit like his own son. I feel awkward and happy to be treated that way. But the mother seemed familiar with students like me, who were tired, hungry, and far from family. He fetched me a plate of rice complete with side dishes and vegetables. Seeing the complete mountain of rice on the plate, I was a little worried that I would pay a lot, however, I was really hungry and tired. My feelings were torn between hunger and pocket conditions. After the registration, all the money that my parents had left was almost gone and all that was left was only for boarding fees and a few meals. And my parents can only send money in a week. But the mother seemed to know my worries and she immediately said with a wise smile, "It's okay, son, it's free for once!" . Hearing that, my smile immediately brightened.
While eating, the shop owner's mother showered me with her questions. Starting from the area where I come from, the reason why I studied here, to the story about the mother's experience that had migrated in my hometown for several years and finally returned here. Because I was very hungry and ate my food hungrily, I didn't really listen to the mother talk. But apparently, the mother just likes to tell stories, although no one is enthusiastic about listening to her.
After finishing eating, just before I said goodbye and thanked me, I took the time to ask the mother about the boarding house that was still available around here. At first glance I caught a doubt on her face, but then the mother said, "If it's always full here, but maybe, over there," the mother showed me another road, about a hundred meters from across the stall "there were still many empty. You see, some students prefer boarding houses in this area. "
I'm surprised. "So what, Mom?" Is it more expensive over there? "
"Oh, not really," replied the mother almost interrupting my question. "In fact, many are cheap. It's just, maybe…, ”The mother didn't continue her words and her face turned stiff. "Mother suggested, if possible, you don't look for boarding there."
In my mind, I was already underlining the words "a lot of it is cheap" that I didn't really care about the strange change in mother's attitude about the area she pointed at. And immediately I drove there.
I came to the entrance gate of the road. I strongly suspect that this area must be an old housing complex. Evidenced by the style of the building. Besides that, plants growing anywhere clearly indicated this. I also found that on both sides of the road the trees grew lush and big. Of course, it took decades to let a tree grow that big.
Then I looked up at the sky and saw the glare of the sun peeking out from the thick leaves. I also feel the breeze blowing refreshing. The ideal place, I thought. I looked at my watch, it was half past three. Oh, I have to find a boarding house right away!
I started from the first house. But I don't expect much from this house. If my previous searches were always 'full', this place is the opposite. I just couldn't find anyone to ask.
I missed the first house after half an hour of getting nothing. Then I proceeded to the second house and the result was the same, as well as the third house and so on until I came to the end of the road which turned out to be a dead end. It's five o'clock in the afternoon, and so far I still haven't found a boarding house. Only the last house numbered 66 which is located at the very end. The building is in Dutch style. The walls that were once painted white are now a dull brown. In fact, in some places it has been black with decades of moss. The house seemed to lean against the high black wall that ended this road. Like the previous houses, it also looked empty and long abandoned. Wild grass and vines had grown haphazardly in his yard.
I was getting hit with disappointment. It seems that getting a boarding house today is hopeless. I decided to just go back to campus and continue the search tomorrow. But when I turned around, suddenly a mother came out of the house. Her hair was all white and she was wearing thick, round, chained glasses. Her crumpled hand trembled on the doorknob.
"Want to find a boarding house?" he asks me in his trembling old hoarse voice. I replied with a quick, enthusiastic nod. "Come in!"
Actually, when I first walked in and my feet stepped on its abandoned yard, I felt something was weird. Feelings of sadness, isolation, gloomy and hopeless as if raging, rose from every corner of the house. But because at that time the hope of obtaining a boarding house was greater than anything else, I ignored the feeling, worried that it would scare me myself.
The mother guided me inside. The living room was empty, not a single luxurious piece of furniture on display, only a gloomy antique tiled floor. The walls were also dull, and a bit smelly. Like moss, but not really.
While walking, I saw the ceiling of the house is high, but a little speckled brown. In the center hung a low wattage lamp wrapped in spider saws, which seemed to have been left unattended for years.
I became awkward because the mother was silent as she guided me through the hallways of her house to the empty room which was located at the very end. The sound of her sandals rubbing against the cold, dark tile floor gave me the chills a bit.
Along the hallway, the closed door of the room was lined. I'll make sure there are about a dozen rooms either side of it. I conclude this house has long been used as a boarding house and I am sure that there must be a lot of residents.
But unfortunately none of the doors were open. The window beside it was also dark with a slightly dusty curtain.
"Are all these rooms full, Mom?" I asked.
It took a long time for the mother to answer. "Only one is empty."
That means a lot of people here. I'll have lots of roommates. This house is sure to be very crowded. But strangely, none of the rooms showed anyone in it. Is everyone out there?
"This is the room." said the mother coldly. He inserted the key and the door opened slowly. The door gave a long creak. Obviously it hasn't been opened in a long time.
There's a switch next to the inner door. I then pressed it and I saw a lamp hanging half a meter from the ceiling. Initially, the lamp was reluctant to turn on, flickering as if it was about to break up, but fortunately it was able to turn on even though it seemed a little dim. But it didn't matter because I could still investigate how the room actually was.
There was a wooden wardrobe leaning back in one corner of the room and a bed beside it. A few uncovered pillows were also on it, piled up to form a mountain of pillows — I had absolutely no hope that the pillow would be mine, as it looked like it had long been unused and was covered in thick dust. However, what is most important to me is the power outlet. After I confirmed there was — it turned out to be right beside the window — I went out to the mother, it was time to negotiate the price of the room.
"The bathroom is at the end there, then turn left," said the mother, pointing to the side. "There are two. One is just for washing clothes and bathing. "
I nodded in agreement. I think this room is suitable. It is quite spacious and the weather is cold. It's been a long time since I had my own room, anyway. In my mind, I have already imagined various arrangement plans for my new room. I have placed the best position for television, computer, rice cooker and so on.
"Oh yes, with water and electricity, how much a month, Mom?" I asked.
"One hundred thousand." he replied briefly.
What!? Did I mishear. Today there are boarding houses with such low rental prices? Oh, maybe I heard wrong. Maybe the mother said something wrong. I still can't believe it. "How many?" I asked to make sure again.
But the mother still answered the same, and remained unchanged when I asked for the third time. In my heart, is it my lucky day or is it the one who offered the wrong price? Ah never mind. I'll take this room. As long as it's cheap.
After agreeing and receiving some money from me, the mother handed over her room key. The friction sound of the sandals against the floor sounded away when I went back into the room and sure, the mother had returned to the front room, or maybe to her room near the living room.
Because I don't have a lot of stuff, only one backpack, I don't have to take long to organize the room. I just need to clean it first and then buy things that I really need right now.
Even though it likes to flicker every time it is turned on, actually my room lights are still fine. But I don't like the dimness. The light made my room gloomy. I'm also reluctant to ask for a replacement lamp. Pay only a hundred thousand I asked for more. Ah, I better buy it later.
All day walking makes my feet really sore. Plus cleaning the room, mopping the floor, and wiping the dusty parts, then shifting the location of the wooden wardrobe and bed, perfectly crushed my body. Incidentally, my mother left the mattress pad and some pillowcases in my backpack, so I didn't have to ask the old lady again. After everything was clean enough, at least my bed was comfortable enough for me to sleep with, I decided to lie down for a moment, as well as wait for maghrib to arrive.
It seemed that less than a few minutes, I was fast asleep. But soon I felt something was making me uncomfortable. Hot filled my room, increasing continuously. Strange. Whereas before it was very cold. I wanted to wake up but because I was very tired I was really helpless even if I just turned my body. More strangely, I wanted to open my eyes but it didn't work. My mind was between conscious and unconscious.
Then suddenly I felt scared. Very afraid. I got goosebumps and trembled with fear. I curl up, pulling the blanket over my head. I also feel my cold sweat seeping slowly from all over my body. To my fear even more, I heard a hoarse voice, like whispers and moans, calling out my name. Whose voice is that?
I want to wake up but my body is like paralyzed. Even to just open my eyes I really can't. However, faintly from the gap of my eyes, I saw a white figure standing floating at the tip of my feet, tall and long haired. His head almost touched the ceiling of the room and he seemed to be looking down at me. I was scared and wanted to get up quickly but really, I was helpless. I also wanted to scream out loud, but my voice was lost. My body froze and trembled, drenched in sweat.
After struggling to open my eyes, what seemed like hours, I finally woke up. I immediately got up and ventured to stare at the place where the white figure was standing.
I got nothing. There was just a dull wall, damp, as it had been. I also looked at the ceiling of the room, maybe that "something" had moved and was hanging somewhere above me. But not. There was no sign that anything had happened. I didn't see the window curtains sway, or maybe the door that opened slowly made a long, horrible creak. Not. There is no.
Ah, maybe that's just my dream. After all, I also often have horror dreams like that. It may also be due to fatigue and in the stage of adjusting to a new place. But the whispering voice…. The sound was real. I'm not sure it's just a dream. And strangely, I felt like the sound was coming from the walls in my room.
I glanced at the clock on the study table beside my bed. The clock showed at half past seven. Twilight has definitely passed. I decided to take a shower.
I left the room with towels and toiletries. When I looked down the hall, I saw a flash of white shadow disappearing into the corner of the bathroom. I only had time to see the edge of the white cloth. For a moment my blood rustled. What is that?
Ah, maybe it's my roommate who wants to take a shower too. I continued my steps down the long hallway to the bathroom, hoping to myself that at least one of the rooms was bright, indicating there were occupants. But my feelings shrank, even more, when I reached the end of the hall and had to turn to the bathroom. Not a single room was lit. Everyone died. The only light in the hallway was a low-watt yellow light hanging right in the middle. Instead of making light, the resulting dim effect actually supports a horror atmosphere that uplifts the hair on the neck. Then the figure who went to the bathroom earlier?
I ventured into the bathroom. In front of me, there are two bathrooms. One is open and one is closed. From the gaps below, I could tell the light in the bathroom was not on. But strangely, I heard the sound of splashing and splashing so noisy. I think someone inside was taking a complete shower.
....To be continue .....