By Mystery Hunter –
That night, me and four friends, Shah, Amir, Faiz and Laila, made a crazy decision to spend the night in the Labi recreational forest located deep in the interior of this country.
The area is famous for its unspoiled nature, but there are mysterious stories that often surround the place. We ventured out too, carrying tents, food and other necessary equipment.
“Eh, isn’t this bad? our right there?” asked Laila while looking at Shah who was leading our group.
“Bah, inda don’t be afraid We’re here anyway. After all, I’m challenging myself,” replied Shah with a small laugh. However, there was a vibration in his voice that I could not ignore.
The silence of the night enveloped the journey. We arrived around seven in the evening, with the sky starting to darken. The large trees around cast an eerie shadow. However, we resisted our fear and pitched our tent in an open space.
A bonfire was lit and we gathered around telling stories. At first it was quiet, but suddenly we heard the rustling of leaves, like something was moving around us. Everyone was silent.
“Did you hear that?” whispered Faiz as his eyes darted towards the forest.
“Hear what?” Amir asked, trying to act calm, but clearly looking agitated.
“Be patient… maybe it’s just the wind,” Shah said, trying to calm us down, but we knew something was wrong.
Suddenly, a soft voice was heard, as if whispering among the leaves, “Don’t come in here…”
The voice was very close, but it was resonant and strange, as if from another world.
At the same time we looked at each other, each face contorted with fear. Without a word, we all stood up and gathered closer.
“I think so inda it’s comfortable,” said Laila, her voice shaking. “This place is like any other, eh,” he said.
Shah tried to calm down, “Bah, if you’re all scared, let’s just go home,” he said, trying to smile, but we knew he was also anxious.
We started packing things to leave. However, as we stepped towards the exit, the road suddenly disappeared in a thin mist that appeared out of nowhere. The trees that looked normal now look like big creatures staring intently.
“Shah, which way is the way out?” I asked, panicking.
“You know, eh! It was straight… but…” Shah fell silent, his eyes wild. “It’s like the same place…”
We continued walking without saying a word, but the feeling of fear grew stronger. The sound of rustling leaves was getting closer, as if something was following us. Suddenly, Faiz fell and screamed in pain.
“Ouch! There’s something on my leg!” he shouted. When we shone the light towards his feet, we could see small claw marks and fresh blood on his skin. Faiz’s face was pale, and we knew something unseen was playing with us.
“Bah, don’t leave Faiz. Walk together,” said Amir as he helped Faiz stand up.
However, the voice came back again, closer this time. “Don’t try to run… you’re all mine…” the voice whispered softly, but clearly in the quiet night.
We looked at each other, scared and stiff. The voice seemed to come from all directions, and suddenly the fog surrounding us grew thicker. I could feel my hair standing up, and the air was getting colder.
“Bah, don’t care. Keep going!” said Shah as he gripped my hand tightly. I could feel that he was trying to hide his fear, but the cold sweat on his hands clearly showed that he was also nervous.
We continued walking in the dark, groping our way down the road which was now full of huge roots like hands trying to pull us into the ground. Our steps are getting heavier, as if some energy is sucking our strength little by little.
Suddenly, Laila stopped and whispered, “Bah, try to listen to all of you… is anyone crying?”
We all fell silent, listening intently. True, in the distance, a low mournful and bitter cry was heard, as if a soul lost in the darkness. The cry grew louder, and this time it was clearly heard, “Help me… please…”
Terrified, we tried to ignore the voice, but our hearts were pounding.
The cries and whispers seemed to come from another world that we did not understand.
Curiosity mixed with anxiety suffocated our chests.
“What are we doing now, Shah?” asked Faiz, his tone full of fear. He looked at Shah, as if demanding an answer.
Shah shook his head while saying, “I am inda know, Faiz… But the important thing is that we get out of here.”
However, as we walked further, a white shadow appeared from among the trees. It has the figure of a woman with a vague face, long hair covering her face. It didn’t move, just stood looking at us blankly.
“A…what is that?” Laila spoke nervously, her body started shaking.
The woman slowly raised her hand, pointing in the opposite direction of the road we were on. As if to give a hint.
“A… maybe he wants to help,” I said, although my heart was still wary.
With hesitant steps, we followed the direction the shadow was pointing. Step by step, we walked silently, feeling the presence of invisible beings watching over us.
After walking for some time, we finally saw the way out in front of our eyes. The light from the main road made us feel relieved, as if saved from a nightmare.
When he looked back, the shadow of the woman was gone. We just stood at the edge of the forest, staring into the darkness that was now quiet and cold.
Since that night, we all promised not to set foot in the forest again.
The incident became a mystery that continues to haunt us, as if to remind us that there are creatures in another world that must be respected and that the Labi forest is not a place to be explored or explored indiscriminately.