THE REMINDER

This incident really spooked me.

It happened in Bangi ( 2009 ) when I was still doing my second degree.  Abang was also there attending a course, so I put up at his place ; a training centre. On that fateful day, I was walking to my car when I had this strong urge to go to the restroom. Since it would take me sometime to reach my class, I decided not to wait and went to the one in the lobby.

However, I felt kind of uneasy when I opened the door of the restroom. Strangely, it was very clean, so spotlessly clean to be exact ; as if it had not been used at all. My instinct told me that I could be at the wrong place but I somehow brushed it off. Well, no time to wonder and ponder ! I told myself. Just do your business and then find your way out !

There were four empty cubicles with all doors opened in the restroom. After doing some thinking, I decided to go into the first one. Well, after doing what I had to do, ehem , I flushed. To my surprise, I heard someone else flushing too ! Funny, I did not remember seeing or hearing anyone entering the restroom ! And did I not tell you earlier that all doors of the cubicles were opened when I walked in ? Ohh Noo! Stay calm, just stay calm .. It is just your imagination ! I reassured myself and got out of the cubicle. I went straight to the sink to wash my hands. That was when I heard a sound like someone was coming out of the cubicle. I turned around and saw the door of the second cubicle opening slowly ( wider this time ! ) with a creaking sound. The spooky part was there was no breeze, no wind, no nothing! Just me! "Okay, okay, this is not happening, it can't be happening. Not now, not to me ! Dear God ! Is this what I think it is ?" My imagination then ran wild and all hair stood on end as I saw no one in the cubicle! Excuse me ! I did not wait to find out. I grabbed my bag and rushed to the door . I did not dare to look back for fear of  seeing  something that would haunt me for the rest of my life !
Ask me now or anytime, I would still say that something was there with me that day but I did not know what. Alhamdulillah I did not get any panic attacks and was still able to think right !!   What if I pass out and wake up later only to find myself  still in the restroom with  It ? OMG !!
Later that day, the janitor related some spooky stories about the place and cautioned me to be careful as she said that those "things" (not just one !!) were the playful type. After what happened, I told her, I would do just that , not just there but at any unfamiliar places and at all times !

Now, let 's do some reflective thinking. Why did it happen to me ?  I'm not sure, but everything happens for a reason,  remember ? This could be a reminder of certain things. First, I should be more careful  with restrooms at places like this.  If they are  so clean, like they are not used at all, forget it ! Go elsewhere please !  Why? Because it shows that people seldom use  them. Guess, you know how some places are when they are rarely visited. Need not tell you more! Second,  I should  make it a habit to  go into a restroom  with the left foot first and recite the appropriate doa as a form of protection from all that lurk in the "dark"(sunnah nabi ). Finally, perhaps at times, I should pay attention to the old adage " follow your instinct ".  You may not agree with me but based on my experience,  sometimes our subtle insights do not lie.

Okay friends, see ya.

(p.s. My daughter Angah,  commented on this one, "Mom, it spoils the mood! "  
My response, " Jangan pandang belakang....")