Chapter 5 : Zion

Shaking my head off from those recollections, I continue making my way out of the dark alley.

My heart is still thumping like crazy. My body still feels cold and my lips and fingers still trembling.

I feel scared, anxious. That terror and horror stab my mind deep and I can't pull it out of my mind.

Those blood, those scattered bodies...

Chaotic scenes, panicked people...

Dense negative emotions and the scent of death were everywhere. It was suffocating.

I will never forget them.

My body feels numb, and my steps slow. I could tell my feet will give in if I continue walking. But it was already deep within the night. And with me feeling afraid and frightened, more so, I'm alone. I wanted to go home quickly.

I don't know what I looked like right now, however, I feel my face heat up. My eyes sting and my eyes keep getting blurry.

I persevered, I endured and I didn't cry. I sniff and sniff but I certainly didn't cry. Tears didn't drop, it just accumulated at the side of my eyes.

I have to go home.

I have to go home.

I have to go home.

Feeling terrified, I walk quicker. I wanted to run, but I feel like I would trip if I tried.

I gasp, feeling suffocated. I look around and feel weirded out.

Why don't I see anybody in this place?

The public market is just ahead, and even if the night was already this deep, people still come and go in this area.

And what's more peculiar is the street lights were all off. I see one that has gone on and off. But staring at it just gives me a creep.

This is giving a bad feeling.

Thinking about this day, I can't help but think that lady luck sucked out all my luck. And it seems that it is not yet over.

What now?

What should I do?

I stood in place, feeling my legs giving out from all this thriller. I look around, but I really don't see anyone, even a dog is nowhere in sight.

It is very eerie quiet, and I can't help but just look forward and continue walking step by step.

I don't dare look at my side or behind. I don't dare be curious. I don't dare wander around. I just walked forward, step by step to the location where I could get my ride.

This kind of situation looks familiar.

No. No. No. No. No.

I have to go home.

I have to go home.

I have to go home.

Chanting that repeatedly, I quicken my pace. My body is stiff and I clench my hands so tightly. Cold sweats are already gathering on my forehead, and my back feels so cold that I am shivering.

This feeling is like when I tried the roller coaster one time at the amusement park before. My feet were wobbly, and I kept trembling tremendously.

This is the worst.

I want to go home.

I want to go home.

I frown my brows just keeping myself standing. This is really frightening, my heart never slows down and it just keeps beating much faster and harder. It's beating my chest and it is making me breathe hard.

I look like a person with asthma right now. I gasp as I breathe, I hold my chest and I walk step by step like an old man.

Bang!

Startled by that loud sound, I jumped as I stepped back. I almost stumble, but thanks to my quick reflex I manage to stand steady again.

Unconsciously, my head turned towards the direction where the loud sound was. It came from the corner of the building of a store. There is a big bike there and it just fell down by itself.

Yes, itself. Since I didn't see anyone there. Then maybe it just got blown down by a strong wind.

Yup, yup. A strong wind. I nodded my head as I convinced myself that it was nothing. There's no ghost, right, there's no such thing as a ghost.

Maybe the bike stand broke off, that's why it fell down.

Right, it was nothing. There was nothing there.

There was no woman there.

Right. There's no woman there that is looking at me too...

Badum! Badum! Badum!

Feeling the loud sounds of drums in my chest, I turn my head away from that specific location and continue walking step by step.

That...that woman was just a nobody...

Maybe she's there to stand the bike again. There's no way she just appeared there, right?

I'm an idiot and my eyesight is very bad. That's why I didn't see it clearly.

That's why...

Instinctively, a smile form on my lips and I chuckle thinking how stupid I am. It's a form of consultation, thankfully I wear a mask.

Ignoring the woman standing still beside the fallen bike. She is standing way across the road and I don't dare look at her again. But then I remember, the ride I will be taking is...

Across the road...

Beside the street where the woman is standing.

"..."

Forget it. I should just walk home.

Walking is exercise too.

Right. I'll walk home. Though it is 30 minutes’ walk from where I am now, it doesn't matter.

Going across the road will kill me, and I don't want to risk and pull out my courage.

That's right!

My sister tested me on 'the horror movie test' before and I am the kind that will not get killed until the end.

Right! I am the kind that wouldn't get involved in any horror events even if that scene is already in front of me.

So, better ignore that woman.

I walk, walk, walk and walk. Until I bypass the woman across the road. I quicken my steps and I feel happy I was getting away from her.

I didn't turn my head away in front. I didn't look back nor look to the side. I didn't look at the woman again.

I just walk, walk, and walk.

I wanted to get away from this place as fast as possible. I wanted to go home quickly. That's all that I have in mind.

I focus all my attention in front of me. Never looking back.

Maybe that's why...

I didn't notice...

That the woman is already stalking behind my back...

Until, it's already too late.