ARE YOU HOT AWANG?

Day 4,862, 05:16 • Published in Malaysia Malaysia • by Amli Nujhan

The year was 1979.
I was lucky enough to get enrolled at the MARA Junior Science College for my secondary schooling.
One of the most prestigious boarding school in the country. I belong to the second batch of the college.
Since the college was still very new, some of the hostels and infrastructures were not fully built yet.
Thus, some of the students were placed in a temporary dormitory... including me.

The temporary hostel was on the second floor of the Student Hall, which is next to the Academic Building.
The Student Hall is also where dining halls are,... also cafetaria, shop, laundrette, and table tennis venue.

My personal bed happened to be situated at the corner.
At that corner there're two huge 2 meter wide thick glass walls from floor to ceiling. One on my left side and the other at the head of my bed. Next to that glass, there's a wide wooden sliding door.
Because of such exclusive placement, my bed was a bit far apart from other friends.

Speaking of exclusivity, I got the best view of all. From my space I can see beautiful open scenery far away till the hill at the back.
And a nice peek to the girls' hostel below too.

Probably,
I've seen all.

Nightfall was not something I felt happy about.
Mandatory lights off was at 11 pm. Everybody must go to sleep and be quiet.

And I've heard all.

Often past midnight, a bright light shone straight to my face.
It was from the girl water closet/toilet on the top floor of the Academic Building.
Who? or Why?... I never asked myself such questions.
For I knew well what would happen next.

I pulled my blanket, cover my head... holding my breath.
Then just listen...

The sound of footsteps. Walking across from the Academic Building.
Step by step getting closer. It's the sound of a man with a walking stick.
Walking on the corridor outside... Turning around the corner. Then stopped.
Restless, I waited for the sliding door to be opened.
But no... the door was never opened.

Just suddenly his walking stick would be knocking my bed !
Tap tap tap... tap tap tap.

***********************

Actually I haven't seen that one.
But my friend did.

He woke up and looked. There's a silhouette of an unknown old man standing beside his bed.
Since he was not fully conscious, he was only trying to recall if the man was a guard in patrol? or a warden? or a cook from downstairs?..
Of course none of them... we knew everybody in our school.

"Guaner... Pannah ke Awang?" Suddenly the man spoke in local dialect.
Translate😛 "Why...Are you feeling hot, kid?"... 'Awang' is a common calling name by an older person to a kid.

"Panas gok,.. Pokcik cari apa benda?"
Translate😛 "It's rather hot.... What are you looking for?"

"Pokcik cari anok pokcik..ppuang. Ada nnapok dok?"
Translate😛 "I'm looking for my daughter. Did you see her anywhere?"

"Oh, sini asrama llaki pokcik,... budok ppuang duduk bawoh alik sana."
Translate😛 "Oh, over here is the boy's hostel, Sir... the girls are down below over there."

Then, surprisingly the man fell down straight to the floor. My friend thought the man had fainted.
My friend looked down... but no. Nobody was on the floor.
Only then my friend came to his conscience and realized he's been talking to a ghost.
Sent shivers down his spine...

The next day all other friends were mocking the guy for having such silly nightmare.
I kept quiet but I knew what was he telling about.

Lucky for me. That walking stick never heard ever again.
Deep inside, I felt pity for the girls down below.


Let yourself shrouded in mystery.

Scaremoinger,