I was in my second year of college and on the first semester of the year (one academic year is divided into two semesters and each semester consists of 3-4 months in the Phils.), my schedule went hectic. I was participating in socio-cultural activities, sports and academic contest. All of them were competitions so I have to work hard and dedicate most of my time for practice, trainings and review. I was really loaded.
In the morning, I have to attend our training in Badminton, that's until 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Then from 5 PM to 12:00 midnight, we have to practice for our folkdance competition. That left me the wee hours of the morning to review for my quiz bee in history. I have to wake up at 3:00 AM so I could have time to review because my day will begin again at 6:00 AM. Because of this, I agreed that I'll join the other folkdancers in housing or spending the night at school in the school cottages, located at the far border of the university. That is, in the forested area of the university.
My first nights there went restless and I can't sleep the three available, free, or vacant hours I could have in my 24-hour busy day. I was getting frustrated of course, but I have to bear it. The teacher who's in charge of us, suggested that I occupy her room together with her brother and a fellow folkdancer (if I'd like, which I did) because she knows that I have to wake up at 3:00 AM for my review. And we did occupy her room.
I woke up at three, and there were strange noises from the outside. Like crickets singing their nightly songpiece. I went home at 5:00 AM. Nothing happened.
The next night, I planned to sleep with my fellow dancers in the living room because my friend who accompanied me the other night in that room, had to go home because she was sick. Add to that, our teacher's brother had to go home too; it was the weekend. So I had no choice. I went at the living room and slept there.
At three, I woke up and went to the small rectangular dining table. I am facing the windows, draped over them was a set of curtains which move and dance from time to time as the night air sweep them. I glanced at my left and saw my fellows lying on their mats and mattresses on the floor. No one was awake but me. To my right, was the kitchen and just a few meters away, was the kitchen door.
I read my book, scribbled a few notes on my pad and memorized some points.
Suddenly, due to my sharp hearing and because of the dead night, I heard a rustling of the leaves on the forest floor. Thinking it was just a stray animal or a chicken passing by, I shrugged off the feeling. Then the wind blew and the curtains danced. I continued reading.
Not long enough, the rustling came again. I rested my open book on the cold wooden table and listened more. My eyes not following the curtains, I fixed my gaze on the certain spot. Straight from where I was sitting. I felt goosebumps rising on my arm as I hugged myself.
The rustling came in a pattern. Something that's causing it made it a bit louder when it's coming to the far right and when it's crossing again, going to the left, I cannot hear anything, almost. It was just so faint. But as it reached the far left, it became louder again. I was thinking that maybe it was pacing, back and forth.
That was not normal.
Before anything else, I stood up and left my chair. I was determined to finish the chapter so I laid back on my former spot and continued reading, trying to erase my thoughts about "what's outside". The light from the dining room was all I had but it was enough and it reached some parts of the living room, since it was just a cottage.
The place was all but quiet. No noise could be heard except for the crickets and me, turning the raw pages of my book.
Just then, as I was focused on my reading, there came a loud banging on the kitchen door. Three loud and heavy knocks. It was such in a hurry as if someone banging it was in an emergency.
I sat up in a bolt.
Our teacher tilted her head to see me. I was relieved she was awake. She acknowledged my presence through eye contact.
"Maam, someone's at the back door?" I remembered asking her but I really don't think it was audible enough. She went back to sleep. I don't blame her, perhaps she really hadn't heard me. My voice was small though.
So what I did, I got up. I brought my book with me. I padded across the small dining room to get to the kitchen door and open it so I could see who's knocking. I can see from the broken window that it was really dark outside and I couldn't see anything. It was a creepy place there since the house was already situated at the forested area.
I stopped halfway, well, actually, now only a meter or two from the door. No knock or banging came after that and I thought, who would knock at this time in the morning? And it was really dark. I was thinking that if there's someone out there, that person should've stared calling. But no. There was no one.
So I hesitated.
I took a step back and sat on one of the chairs. I waited for another knock or a set of loud banging to come.
But nothing came.
I dozed off and I was awakened at past 5 by my fellow. I told them eagerly what happened a few hours back, even my teacher was listening. They didn't believe me. No one did. Not even my teacher. Why?
They said they didn't hear anything.
Not even my teacher.
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