Writer's Recipe vol. 4 (2019)

THE FORSAKEN ONE

Written by : Siti Khadijah binti Shaharudean

10th of April 2019

The bells pealed across the school and the students began to shuffle home. But, in a secluded area of the school stood a figure, pale looking with her hair in a tangled mess, surrounded by a group of girls.

"Anna, didn't I tell you to finish my homework? Because of you I was humiliated in class!" the girl named Elly sneered while looking at Anna up and down. She pushed Anna harshly against the wall. Anna groaned in pain. She did not retaliate but you could see it clearly that her eyes were glowing with fury.

"I am sorry Elly, I..." without letting Anna finish her words, Elly was slapping and beating Anna. Anna just stood there gritting her teeth while she received every single hit from Elly. When she was finally satisfied, Elly and her friends turned away and vanished from Anna's eyes. Weakly, Anna picked herself up and wiped the tears away.

Anna walked into the hostel, and quietly went to her dorm room. Her eyes glued to the front of the hostel. There were many cars parked there since it was Friday and parents were allowed to bring their children home that weekend.

"I wish I can be as happy as them too," murmured Anna in. She was an orphan after all. She grew up in the orphanage. She had neither parents nor siblings to care about her. Anna shook her head to snap herself from her thoughts. She lay down on her bed, hoping to catch a few winks. Soon, she was already transported to dreamland.

"Anna, wake up, wake up, wake up," it was a familiar sweet voice that woke her up from her slumber. Her head was feeling rather fuzzy. As she opened her eyes, she saw Emma, one of the few close friends she had, sitting at the edge of her bed.

"What time is it?" wondered Anna.

"It's already 10. Were you sleeping or fainting?" said Emma jokingly while combing back her long silky hair with her fingers.

"Oh," said Anna shortly.

"Hey Anna, did you realise we're the only ones left in the hostel tonight?"

"Okay," Anna was not really in the mood for a conversation.

"I'm amazed by how relaxed you are in this situation," said Emma after a brief silence.

"What do you mean by that?" said a confused Anna.

"Haven't you heard the urban legend about this old hostel of our?" said Emma while looking around cautiously. "The story goes that a long time ago, there lived a girl, named Emili. She was a bookworm. A clever one. One day, she failed in her examination. Her mother was ill and her father lost his job. She thought of the series of unfortunate events that had just befallen her. How could anyone be so unfortunate? Then, she found a solution. She made a contract with a demon on the rooftop of the hostel. This hostel!" Emma was telling the story with the excitement of a master storyteller.

Anna however, was less than impressed.

"Anyways, something went wrong and Emili died because of the demon. They say that once in a year, Emili's spirit is said to come and haunt the hostel on the day that she died."

"And what was the day did she died?" asked Anna.

Emma smiled deviously. "Today, 10th of April."

"You're just pulling my leg, right?" dismissed Anna.

"I don't know. But as long as we stick together, we should be just fine," replied Emma as she turned towards her bed and covered herself in blanket.

Anna twisted and turned on her bed. Emma's story had made her unable to sleep. It was then that she noticed a pink stick-it note pasted on the mirror on the small book rack beside her bed. The note reads:

Hey Anna. Sorry, I wanted to tell you I'm suddenly going home this weekend, but I didn't want to disturb you sleeping. I'll see you on Sunday!

Emma

But wasn't Emma sleeping on her bed? Anna turned to look and was greeted by Emma's face right in front of hers. Anna couldn't help but to scream out of shock.

"What's the matter dear? You look scared." As she said it, her face slowly turned older, much older and her straight her turned into a white curly mess. The old creature before Anna started to laugh menacingly.

Immediately, Anna jumped off the bed and ran towards the door, hoping to be saved from this predicament. She frantically tried to open the door but it was locked shut. Someone had locked her in! Was it Elly and her friends? Yes, it must be them. Anna was certain of it. Her hair stood on end as a demonic cry rang shrilly behind her. The creature slowly approached Anna. She tried to run away, but overcome with fright, she lost her balance and fell down, hitting her head violently on the floor.

When Anna woke up, she found herself in a dark confined room filled with water that was knee deep. The only source of light was a small opening on the roof. There was also a faint sound of running water "Where I am?" she asked herself in confusion, but it did not take long for her to realise that she was not in a room. She was in a water tank. Desperately, she tried to climb towards the opening above her but it was too high and the walls were too smooth to latch on to. Realising that the water was slowly but surely rising, panic started to engulf Anna.

"Is anyone out there? Please help me!" screamed Anna repeatedly at the top of her lungs until she was too tired and all her energy had left her body. She gave up. The water level was already at her neck. "I swear that I will have my revenge on whoever did this to me," Anna shouted furiously. Just then, Anna felt something pulling her into the water. She started to choke as the water went into her nostrils and lung.s As she closed her eyes forever, the sky turned into a hideous grey. Lightning struck and thunder rumbled.

10th April of 2020

Her scream echoed eerily across the rooftop. She was scared stiff when she saw the figure in front of her.

"Anna? But you're dead! They found your body!" fear gripped Elly. Her body was frozen in fear.

"Surprised to see me? I miss you so much Elly.And your friends too. Don't worry, they'll be joining you soon. Goodbye Elly,"replied Anna with a wicked grin.