i was 17, that time just finish spm and me and my friends were fooling around town.
we came to this mansion, very freakishly similar to this nabila villa by looking at teh pictures. we parked our car somewhere outside the gate beside main road. nothing weird happened to us yet, untill the moment we walked a few yar inside the compound, got gusts of wind. then things settle down like it was before. 5 of us, just shrugged it off.
we didnt really have the guts to enter the main house as the doors and windows were barred. just chillled at the porch/foyer/minipark. the place was really nice. soothing. felt like home.

there was a pond with a fountain in the middle. of course la dead fountain but still, the pond was clear. nothing like a left out puddle covered with those algae. only a few lotus plant. the overgrowth around us, although thick, they didnt seem to touch the little park we were in. its like, we were in a well kept little clearance sides some leaves.

i don't know if it was because of the tense, creepy atmosphere we had on our way there or the place was really beautiful. i felt easy being there. the open air, starry nightsky plus orange flickers from the candles weve brought. cozy habis.

we didnt really realize how long we had stayed there. sedar2 weve stayed there for like, 3 hours. we finally decided to go back home after we took pictures there.

now this was where things got weird...

the path wasnt really that long. sure we have to take some turns but it felt like weve walk for ages. no im sure we werent walking in circles or squares. there were toppled shed and some weird shaped stones and we didnt pass any of them. only trees, walls, walls and trees.
i started to get exhausted. so do my friends.
no we didnt feel afraid. just, despair. feeling down. even though the path was wide, there's this, crushing feeling that tells us we were never meant to go back. ever.
one of my friends tried to climb the wall but he never get to the top. he said the wall just keep getting taller. what i see, everyone was tired.

we took a rest.

then it comes to my mind, "apa agaknye yand ada kat depan dinding ni?"
the pond.
"korang. jom la balik kat kolam tu dulu. lepak jap tunggu sampai siang."
i was relieved when we turned back and start walking the other way.
strange enough, the walk we had were really much shorter and easier.
the pond. the lotuses. the candles.
i really thought that how coke feels like.
"dah pukul berapa dah?"
everyone has fell asleep.
looked at my phone. 4am. almost subuh.
tried to wake em up.
was about to message my gf but theres no signal.
played around with the water in the pond before i was bored and followed suit.

i woke up. it was so refreshing. i swear that was one of the most comfortable night i ever had despite sleeping on bare marbles then i looked around. no one.
ah shit.
marah gila. bengang. what kind of friends leaving a friend alone in the middle nowhere??? i yelled for them. thought they were playing pranks.
i dont know how long ive tantrum. after ive managed to calm down and then i realized something really weird.
it was still dark. the stars were still there in the sky. the candles. its like they were just lit.
the long sleep i thought i had was actually just a nap.
if they were leaving me behind, they shoulnt have gone far. i took the path. at first i just walked but filling with rage, i ran.
and then the same despair feeling came. the tiredness.

shit. the tought of me kena sorok came to mind.
i ran frantically toward the gate. or what i thought a straight line towards it.
the path then seemed to get narrow. the trees were forming canopies above me. and it was so quite all the while.
but i kept running until i see a light at the end. ran as hard toward it and finally, i was out of whatever i was in.
the gate, just a few yards infront of me. lega sangat.

then something just f***ed my mind.
a huge, dark, what seemed to be a giant lumbering just a few meters outside the gate.
not thinking much, i ran back through the path.
i think ive felt pure fear at that time. and i felt the same suffocating despair. and then i thought of the pond.
i was there back again. feeling safe. and somewhat happy.

after that, i just wandered there. playing with the lotus. staring at the sky. i think i do sleep but it was always night when i woke up.
i dont feel hungry.
i thought, maybe i should just lay there.
forever.

suddenly, someone woke me up.
"JUMPA DAH! SINI!"
i felt so tired and weak i can't even sit up. they brought me to teh hospital. warded for a week or so. those 4 friends of mine did visit me.
i demanded explanation.
"kitorang ingat ko dah balik sorang. bengang gak kitorang. pastu kitorang cuak sebab mak ko tepon rumah aku cakap ko tak balik rumah lagi."
they did looked for me back then but gaveup and told my parents. they asked around and an ustaz later offered to help bring me back.
apparently, ive been missing for 1 whole week.