Eight months ago, I was an associate professor on leave to pursue my PhD; gather materials for my thesis while working my ass off at two to three different odd jobs to pay my living expenses and tuition fees. I have been living with my grandma. But, I always go to my aunt's restaurant to help out who has opened a restaurant in the city of Shanghai with her local husband. While helping with the food delivery, I also do some other odd jobs like artist assistant at the nearby talents company. After I finish my work, I switch on my call page to do the on-call driver around Shanghai four times a week.
That eventful day, I was on my way to deliver the dry clean dress to my client when a man walking hurriedly had pushed down the rack of dresses to the ground. The dresses were ruined, scattered all over the ground. I could barely contain my anger at that moment. All those costly dresses might get me into problems. Nobody is going to trust me to give me jobs ever again. I was frustrated and incoherent in mind; I pursued him relentlessly for the mere apology.
Only to be astonished by the view before me. As an overwhelming curiosity, I walked towards the transparent curtains that the man just went through. The next thing I know, "KYAA!" I was naked as a newborn baby. I look behind to get back to the alley where I come from. All I saw was the busy streets beyond the alley. I was about to go back when a realisation struck me. I took a step back from the transparent curtains. 'I can't go back there naked! I need to get dressed. I saw the bundle of clothing scattered on the ground. Maybe I can get it if I'm fast enough. But my insecurity gets the best of me. I was too scared to jump out there naked. 'What if I jump back there and I'm not fast enough?' I gulped down my saliva in fear. I stare at the curtains slowly disappearing, no more busy streets with the cars honking—only the serenity of the forest surrounding me. I looked around the forest and found no one in sight. Thank God! I felt relieved. I need to cover myself or find some decent clothing before asking someone for directions to the city. I found some weird looking huge leaf, grabbed it with its long looking tail. I look up to the tree. The tree's leaf that I never saw before. Curiosity crept into me. Where am I? I'm done with it in a few minutes since I have little experience in camping during my outdoor curricular activities at the University.
I ignored the unreasonable curiosity and started through the forest by marking the tree's trunk on my way just in case I got lost. I know how to survive through the forest. After almost one hour or more of walking, I finally saw a tall building. I walked closer to it only to find that it was a temple. The building looks new, but I never saw that on TV. Maybe some archaeological findings of certain ruins. But new building? Maybe the government fascination got to them and decided to build one—fufufu.. talking about historian fanatics. I walk towards the temple, and suddenly a man appears with some robe like a priest.
"Excuse me." I was shy with my half-naked situation. I hide behind thick bushes. "Hello?" I was distracted by it. My focus shifted to the bushes surrounding me. It waves side by side like someone of something poking at it.
The man turned around. In shock. "What have you done?"
"What?" I was surprised by his stentorian voice & foreign language. It's more like he was accusing me or something. He hurriedly strode over. "I was lost, and I need some clothing…." I was stunned that I stopped. He ignored me, and he actually ran towards the forest behind me.
"You haven't done anything?" His voice was sharp and contemptuous. "Look at what you have done!"
I turned to see what he was talking about.
My jaw dropped at the creepy scene. My body was trembling. What's going on? All the trees that I walked past a moment ago were bleeding. It wasn't there a moment ago. I squint to look at the familiar marking. It was totally my marking. How is that even possible?
"How did you get into the forbidden garden?" The man approached me as if to gobble me up that very moment. His eyes were red hot with anger, and his hands were trembling. He is almost like the cartoon character in 'Looney Tunes'.
"I'm sorry, alright. I am not aware that the tree will bleed like that."
"Not aware? What are you? A mundane?"
"Wait, What? I don't understand what are you talking about. English?" I disbelieve his hostility towards me just because of some marking that she made for survival. "A mundane?" Why is he talking about it? What is this place? It finally falls to the place of my enquiries to this forest. Everything seemed different. The air smells different too. I remember hearing some whispering noises when I arrived, and the long fifteen minutes journey, the noises continued. I thought it was the music of the forest or birds chirping noise, but as I stopped and tried to listen, it disappeared. Whenever I turned towards the noise, it disappeared. Now it comes back even louder than before. My head is pounding. Even the trails were obviously widened a moment ago and are now crowded with bushes. I was confused and disoriented with the whole event. My surroundings are going around like a merry go round. The last thing I know, I was already on the ground, unconscious.
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I remember leaving my aunt's home in a sour mood. The door shut with a bang. Jaya asked for grandma's money again. As always, ma gave in to his lies and with the same lame excuse. 'He's the only grandson she had. He deserves more favours than us, her other children since we girls will leave the family once we get married.' Well, she is not wrong on that. But Lala left home not because of getting married. She left because she had enough of life with us. I can understand what that comes from. Lala was the youngest, and she always complained about how she never got new to everything. She always got bullied at school because of her shabby school uniforms—a leftover from her three sisters. Since then, she has turned into a grumpy, isolated person, never sharing her things with us or any food with us. Her only aim was to grow up fast & leave home. Now she achieved it perfectly. She is already a kindergarten teacher. Always smile & care for the children under her care. I visited her once, but she refused to see me.
'Why am I getting back to the past? To this particular scene?' The noises in the background annoyingly get louder and disturb my dream. I stirred to the side. The whispering ceased. I sat up immediately with my eyes closed. I even dreamed of chasing a man a moment ago.
From my side view, several people were present. There seemed to be other weird clothes on them. Who are they? Why are they just standing there? Whose home I'm in? I hold my head. The dizziness is still there, but the noises have ceased as I recall my dream and double-checked with my clothing. It is such a relief to see I am wearing a garment. All those people standing there continue to stare in silence. They looked troubled and uneasy. I scanned the room, the bed, and the chair. I realised it was a cold room. The window was open with a clear sky, and the wind blew softly into the crowded room... The room is made of hardstone. Only the beds are soft and comforting—what a good material. The owner of this place must have a weird taste.
"Thank you for your hospitality. I need to go home." I smiled at them. "If you don't mind, I was looking for a way back to the city."
"I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't let you leave as yet." a familiar voice broke the silence. I turned behind me to see a familiar priest's robe. The memories of the bleeding trees reappear. The eerie sight scares me, but I fell silent. "Come, walk with me."
'What a strict priest.' I muttered under my breath. I push the covers away as quickly as I can and step down from the high bed. BUK! 'Arg, that hurt so much.' my legs give way and fall to the hard floor with a bang. Nobody dares to reach out but giggling at my clumsiness. I glare at the spectator. They just smirked and looked away. I rub my buttock easing the pain off.
The priest is not on sight anymore as I get to the wide corridor. The other people inside the room begin to disperse one by one while still whispering to each other, ignoring me. Their attire is obviously unfamiliar to me. It makes me wonder where I was at that very moment. The shape of the windows was so unique that I never saw them anywhere before in my life—the fresh breeze blowing into the corridor. I strode to the nearest window only to be flabbergasted at the view. My heart quickens in worry. Where am I really!?