This is happened when I was on the journey back to my house after spending a few days in Jakarta and other city. It was already late, around 2 am. The wind is quiet strong and the weather is a bit cold. Heavy rain in Bandung always help all the mist came out and fly above the street, it looks romantic but spooky at the same time.
Ini terjadi ketika saya hendak pulang ke rumah setelah menghabiskan waktu beberapa hari di Jakarta dan kota lainnya. Malam sudah sangat larut, sekitar pukul 2 pagi. Angin lumayan kencang dan udara cukup dingin. Hujan deras di Bandung selalu membuat kabut naik ke atas jalanan, tampak romantis tetapi cukup membuat ngeri juga di waktu yang bersamaan.
Just my paint, it has nothing to do with this story. - Hanya lukisan saya, tidak ada hubungannya dengan cerita ini.
I took a cab on the way home, and since the maingate to my house was locked after 10 pm every night, so we need to drive a bit further to the north. We had to cross a small pine forest that have a lot of mysterious stories. It looks nice during the day, my kids spent a lot of time playing over there, but turn out to be a very scary place like in the movie after the sun disappeared. Once, a man found eight (8) huge phytons over there, just in one place. It seems that even those snakes think that this place is a very comfortable place to hide.
Saya naik taksi untuk pulang ke rumah, dan karena gerbang utama menuju rumah dikunci setiap hari setelah lwat pukul 10 malam, jadi kami harus naik ke atas dulu sedikit. Kami harus melewati sebuah hutan pinus kecil yang memiliki banyak cerita misterus. Sebenarnya tempat itu sangat cantik saat siang hari, anak-anak saya sering banget bermain di sana, tetapi kalau hari sudah gelap, semuanya berubah menjadi seperti tempat di film-film horor. Pernah pada suatu ketika, seorang pria menemukan delapa ular piton besar di sana, hanya di satu tempat. Bahkan ular pun sepertinya senang di sana, menemukan tempat yang nyaman bagi mereka untuk bersembunyi.
The taxi driver was an old man. He looked uncomfortable when I told him we need to cross that place. I could see his nerve and tense from his voice. He told me that he had no guts to drive by himself over there, but I convinced him that it was oke. Well, I used to drive at night by myself, with car or motorcycle, and I am fine with it. I used to walk by myself as well, and for me, though it looks scary but I always to try to see the romantic things of what I saw, instead of thinking about that horror stories.
Pengemudi taksi itu sudah cukup tia. Dia merasa tidak nyaman sedari awal saya bilang bahwa kita harus melewati tempat itu. Saya dapat melihat wajahnya sedikit tegang dan tidak nyaman sama sekali, terdengar dari nada suaranya. Dia cerita bahwa dia tidak berani menyetir sendirian di sana, tetapi saya menyakinkannya bahwa semua akan baik-baik saja. Saya sering lewat sana sendirian, baik dengan mobil ataupun motor, dan tidak ada apa-apa. Saya bahkan suka sesekali jalan kaki sendirian di sana dan bagi saya, meskipun nampak menyeramkan tetapi saya selalu berusaha untuk melihat sisi romantisnya saja, dan jauh-jauh dari pikiran horor.
He told me that a long time ago, before the government opened it, this pine forest was a place to bury “unwanted child” and a lot of people suicide themselves over there. A lot of accident happened near the area with mystery. I have to agree with him, I knew there were about 8 motorbike accidents happened for the last few months, and all drivers were killed. I did not the relations between 8 phytons and 8 motorbikes accident, but it was a bit weird. About suicide, I also knew that about a year before, there was this man who climbed the telcom tower and jumped to kill himself near the area. It was sad, but shits happened.
Dia cerita kalau dulu, sebelum tempat itu dibuka pemerintah, hutan pinus itu adalah tempat untuk buang anak yang tidak diinginkan dan banyak orang bunuh diri di sana. Ada banyak keelakaan yang terjadi dan sebabnya selalu menjadi misteri. Saya harus setuju karena saya tahu juga ada delapan kecelakaan motor terjadi di sana selama beberapa bulan terakhir, semua pengemudinya tewas. Saya tidak tahu apa hubungan antara delapan ular piton tadi dan delapan kecelakaan motor, tetapi agak aneh juga. Soal bunuh diri, saya juga tahu bahwa sekitar setahun sebelumnya, ada seorang pria yang naik ke atas tower dan lalu lompat bunuh diri di daerah sana. Sangat menyedihkan, tetapi hal buruk bisa saja terjadi.
I told him that everything will be fine. Just think positive and changed the topics. I did not want him to be out of focus, we both could have a very terrible accident if he did not focus. So, I told him stories about what did I do in Jakarta before and all the funny things that happened on the journey.
Saya bilang ke sopir taksi bahwa semuanya akan baik-baik saja. Pikirkan saja hal-hal yang positif dan ganti topik. Saya tidak mau dia kehilangan fokus, kita berdua bisa mengalami kecelakaan bila dia tidak fokus. Jadi, saya berusaha mengalihkan dengan cerita tentang apa yang saya lakukan di Jakarta dan semua cerita lucu yang terjadi sepanjang perjalanan.
We crossed that place safely. Until the last turn on the main road, suddenly the taxy driver looked at the mirror inside to saw behind the cab. He instantly looked pale, I notice everything since I always try to focus my attention to him. He slowed down the cab, and I wanted to know what was going on. I turned my head back to see the back of mine, and….
“Whaaaat……!!!”
Kami lalu melewati tempat itu dengan aman. Sampai kemudian kami sampai di belokan terakhir jalan utama, tiba-tiba sopir taksi itu melihat ke kaca di dalam mobil untuk melihat belakang taksi. Langsung saja wajahnya pucat pasi, dan saya perhatikan karena saya selalu berusaha fokus memperhatikan dia. Dia lalu memperlambat laju taksi, dan saya ingin tahu apa yang terjadi. Jadilah kemudian saya pun nengok ke belakang, dan….
“Tidaaakkkk…..!!!”
I could see an ugly face woman sticked on the back window of my cab. She was wearing all white clothes that flows like the wind. Her hair was very long and mostly covered her face. She smiled in a wieird way at us.
Saya dapat melihat wajah buruk rupa menempel di kaca belakang taksi. Dia memakai baju putih yang melambai seperti angin. Rambutnya sangat panjang dan hampir menutupi seluruh wajahnya. Dia tersenyum dengan cara yang aneh kepada kami.
Oh My God!!! I tried to focus and prayed. I prayed for her, I do believe she need it. At least to make her feel comfortable, I guess. I don’t know.
Aduh Tuhan! Saya mencoba fokus dan berdoa. Saya mendoakan dia. Saya yakin dia membutuhkannya. Paling tidak untuk membuat dia merasa nyaman, kayaknya. Saya juga tidak tahu.
Then we were about to pass security office. I could see two securities standing outside and I was hoping they could help us. I did not dare to open the window, Ha! I was to chicken to open it, I did not want that ugly face lady to get inside and sit next to me. The taxi driver stopped his cab in front of them, he might think the same like I did. But, guess what?! Those two big security men was frightened, they ran away with pale. Damn it!
Lalu kami hendak melintas pos satpam. Saya dapat melihat dua orang satpam di depan pos itu dan berharap mereka dapat membantu kami. Saya tidak berani membuka jendela. Ha! Saya terlalu takut untuk membukanya, kalau perempuan berwajah buruk itu masuk dan duduk di samping saya, gimana?! Sopir taksi pun menghentikan taksi di depan mereka, dia mungkin berpikiran sama. Tapi, tahu nggak apa yang terjadi?! Kedua satpam tersebut malah ketakutan dan lari terbirit-birit! Sial!!!
I told the taxi driver to drive as fast as possible to my house, it was only 100 meters left. He listened to me and we both were trying to be as focus as possible. When we were arrived, both of us still very quite. I collected all my guts to looked behind me. Then….
Saya lalu bilang ke sopir taksi itu untuk menyetir secepat mungkin ke rumah, hanya tinggal sekitar 100 meter saja. Dia mendengar saya dan kami berdua terus berusaha sefokus mungkin. Ketika sampai, kami berdua tetap terdiam. Saya mengumpulkan semua keberanian untuk melihat ke belakang. Lalu…
Thank God, she or whatever it is already gone. I told the driver, and we both got out from the cab. I took all my things and put them all inside after I paid the bill. I offered him to get inside and have something to drink to comfort him. He agreed with it. He even asked me stay at my house until he could see the sun came out in the sky. I agreed.
Syukurlah, dia sudah pergi! Saya bilang ke sopir taksi itu dan kami segera keluar dari taksi. Saya mengambil semua barang dan membawa masuk setelah saya membayar taksi. Tak lupa saya pun menawarkan sopir itu minum untuk menenangkannya, Dia setuju. Dia bahkan meminta ijin untuk boleh tinggal sejenak sampai ada matahari muncul di langit. Saya setuju.
Until now, I still have to cross that pine forest almost every night. Nothing happened but the memories about that face is still remain in my eyes. I hope I will never ever have to see her again. Wish me luck!!!
Sampai sekarang, saya masih harus melewati hutan pinus itu setiap malam. Tidak ada yang terjadi tetapi ingatan akan wajah itu tetap selalu ada di pelupuk mata. Semoga saja saya tidak berjumpa lagi dengannya. Doakan ya!!!
Note:
This story is just for fun! Hahaha…
Cerita ini hanya untuk senang-senang saja… Hahaha…
Bandung, 17 Maret 2018
Warm Regards – Salam hangat selalu,
Mariska Lubis