Kiddies

Babbies, todlers, kiddies..........cutie pies, honey poos call them whatever you like sure their adorable as hell but don't be full by their innocent demeanor (demeanor? ok I got to check the dictionary!) Behind those angelic eyes and rosey cheeks with smooth uncorrupted complexion (ok I better stop now before I really go over board) lies a very intelligent species. They know how to strategise even without reading Art of War , they can crawl into any tight spaces at lightning speed and with sheer confidence which can put the US Navy Seals at shame. Their greatest weapon......is their alluring smile, dazzling innocent eyes and adorable foreign gabbles that cannot be found in any alien planet in this universe.

I , unfortunately had fallen into their trap and became an object and amusement by them. Lucky I got away , exhausted but unscatch from the event.

It all happen a few month ago , when my cousin came to my house for a family gathering , bringing his twins which was , at that time, 11 month old.

Ohhhhh they were the cutest thing ever, all smiles and no temper tantrum. It all started when their parents wanted to eat dinner and gave the honorable duty of baby sitting the little  kiddies to yours truelly.

It happen so suddently , the two of them were looking at each other like a telepathic conversation, on was trying to make a dash (well actually a crawling dash !) to the cloth teatable and started to pull it.

I yelp and dragged the little oneaway and notice the other brother was heading for the stairs.

After handing the little misfit to my little brother , like a animal life photographer I followed the other brother up the stairs not daring to startle him just in case he decided to do a back flip !. OOOOoggggliinggg,goooggggling  and gagging , he kept me pretty much pre occupied going up and down the stairs 20 times. (I only went once on the stairmaster at the gym! Mind you!) My knees felt like it was going to fall off!.


I tried to bribe him to come down the stairs , but he just giggled, showing off his two baby teeth (another weapon! melting our hearts in the process without me realising that we had reach up the stairs again, and then he made a 360 turn as if to say "Oopsie daisy, silly me, I forgot something downstairs) I tried to carry him away, but he gave an irritated piercing scream which would have been a start into the Opera industry. "

If you think my little brother had better luck than me, think again, the other twin that he was with was scrabbling into any nook and krannies he could find, under table, behind the piano , underneath the dinner table, head banging with the my uncles' and aunties' feet.

We were release from our agony when their parents had finally decided to call it a night and carried the two boys to the car. The two boys were still giggling as their minivan drove out of sight.

Gosh , I don't think the DURACEL Bunny would have that much energy! They could be in the CIA.....Gosh my knees weew killing me!


Anywho that's my babbling for tonight. Night Night

Soul Asylum Chapter 7

 

CHAPTER 7

 

 

Aida put the book slowly on the shelf near the bed. It was 5.00 o’clock in the evening. They had moved Rafiq to the normal ward on level 4. Zarina promised to accompany her but there was no signed of her anywhere. Aida straightened the few hairs that had fallen on Rafiq’s face.  She felt her heart pounding every time she looked at his face. He was sleeping peacefully.

 

She had talked to Dr. Michael, Rafiq’s condition was stable and there was nothing to worry. He encouraged her to talk to Rafiq as often as she can. Unconscious patients were alert to whatever happening around. If Rafiq could feel her around, it could speedup his recovery.

 

Aida took his hand.

 

     “Hello Rafiq. It’s me again. I hope you can hear me. Everybody’s praying for your recovery. Pak Ngah, Pak Long, my dad are taking turns conducting prayers at their houses every Thursday night. Mak says she’s sorry she couldn’t come, she had additional orders for Baju Kurung this month, she’s pretty busy. Zarina said she wanted to come but there’s no sign of her.”

 

     “I’m staying home more often nowadays then at the flat, which is good because I needed some space to study.” Aida took Rafiq’s hand and rubbed it gently. She leaned forward and whispered in his ears. A nurse came to his bed. Embarrassed Aida let go of his hand and sat at her chair pretending to tidy his blanket.

 

The nurse smiled at her. Aida returned the smile, she recognized the nurse as one of the nurses in the ICU ward.

 

     “Dr Michael asked me to check up on him. I’m off duty and since I was headed down I thought of stopping by,” said the nurse. Aida smiled stiffly and muttered thank you. She didn’t like the way the nurse was looking at Rafiq. She could help feeling jealous and protective.

 

     “Your friend was here this afternoon,” said the nurse casually. Aida looked up at her confused.

 

     “She came here with you before.”

 

     ‘Sharifah? Why was Sharifah visiting Rafiq without informing her?’ thought Aida. …………..

 

 

 

 

Sharifah climbed up the dark stairs tiredly. Her arms and waist was aching terribly and she was soaked wet. Why oh why did she go kayaking by herself when she didn’t know the proper technique to paddle.

 

It was a terrible experience. She had to be rescued by a group of UiTM juniors who were also kayaking at the Shah Alam Lake. It was a hot spot for those who like water sports. You can rent a kayak for RM 10.00 half an hour. It was bad from the start. Paddle as hard as she did, her kayak only moved 10km/hr. Her arms were like butter when she finally managed to launch 5 km from the bank. She was already exhausted when she reached the middle of the lake and it was already 40 minutes. The young man in charged of the kayaks was waving his arm and blowing his whistle, signaling her time was up and to turn back to the bank. Sharifah had no idea how to turn the kayak. She made the mistake of digging her paddle too deep into the water in her feeble attempt to turn to the right. Sharifah lost her balance and toppled into the water. Bless the life jacket she was wearing! Luckily there were a couple of UiTM students kayaking near her. One of them saved the paddle from floating away. A couple, (boy and girl)tried to pull Shariah on their kayak but she was too heavy. Sharifah had to dog paddle beside the kayak with the girl firmly holding on to her life-jacket. It had made a big commotion at the bank. A few other students helped her out of the lake but the rest of the bystanders were laughing and pointing at her. How humiliating. It didn’t help when the bus driver gave her a disapproving look and the passengers stared at her on the way home.

 

Sharifah was half way up the stairs to her flat when she noticed that there was someone sitting at the top of the stairs on her level. She was about to pass the person when the person called out to her.

 

     “Hello, Sharifah.” Sharifah stopped in her track. AIDA.

 

     Aida stood up. Sharifah could see her face underneath the dim neon light on that floor. Sharifah had to admit to herself, despite her tomboyish ways and the constant frown on her face, Aida was a pretty girl, with her crew-cut hair, hazel brown eyes and pale skin complexion which brings out the natural colour of her blood red lips. People could easily mistaken her for a Caucasian or mix Europe- Asian heritage. Her eye-lashes were long and curl naturally. She was about Sharifah’s height with athletic physics. When they were together, Sharifah couldn’t help but be envious as a lot of guys heads turned towards them to look at Aida.  Aida wasn’t smiling at her , her head was bowed down and she merely looked up at Shaifah for a couple of seconds. Even under the dim light, Sharifah could see the bags under her eyes. She looked tired and forlorn. What had happened to the old Aida, boisterous and energetic? This episode on Rafiq had taken out all her energy.

 

     “You’re wet. What happened?” asked Aida motioning to her clothes. Sharifah was standing in a puddle. Her pants and t-shirt was still dripping wet. She didn’t feel like telling Aida the story, it was still painful, painfully, humiliating. She moved to the door of their flat and searched for her keys.

 

     “It was an accident. Come on in, I’m sure everyone would be happy to see you.”

     “Can we talk outside? It’s for a short while. I don’t feel like meeting them right now.”

 

    Sharifah turned to Aida and nodded. 

 

     “A nurse told me that you went to see Rafiq. May I know why?”  Aida was looking at her carefully.

 

Sharifah shrugged her shoulder she didn’t know whether she should tell Aida about her dreams. This was Aida, they live in the same flat for the past year and a half. They cooked together and they even slept side by side (on separate mattresses) but Aida was acting weird and edgy lately. Sharifah was worried for her. Even in her state now Sharifah couldn’t bare lying to her. Who knows maybe Aida could help her out.

 

Aida was walking to and fro he eyes not leaving Sharifah, waiting for an answer.

 

     “I’ve met him before,” mumbled Sharifah . Aida stopped in her track.

     “ I met him in the commuter to Seremban. I didn’t know him at that time. We were in the same carriage.  We were sleeping in the train. Separate rows(Sharifah added  quickly) and when the both of us woke up, everyone had gotten out and the doors were locked. We managed to get out together. We hardly talked to each and I didn’t remember him until I saw him in the hospital with you that day.”

 

Aida turned toward Sharifah, she looked at Sharifah coldly. She didn’t say anything but she just looked. No smile, no blinking, nothing. Sharifah was shaking from head to toe and she doubted that it was from her damp clothes. She wish that she could just go into the house. It was so intense that if Aida had heat ray visions, there would have nothing left of Sharifah. Aida was waiting; waiting for her talk. She didn’t want to, but somehow her mouth had a life of its own and Sharifah blurted out how she had been visiting Rafiq and about the dreams. She skipped the part about what Dr. Michael had told her.

 

     “You are something you know that,” said Aida quietly.

 

     “What?” asked Sharifah a bit taken back.

 

     “You pretend that you’re my friend and support me when all this time you like him yourself.” Sharifah  was too startled to say anything. Aida continued, looking at Sharifah like she was a stranger.

 

     “You were being nice to my family member, acting concern. You just can’t wait for him to wake up and that you’ll be  the first person that he’ll see. You are low.”

 

     “Your wrong,” countered Sharifah but that was the only thing that she could say.

 

     “I am ? Don’t tell me his not handsome. Any girl would have fell for him like flies. Don’t pretend to be naïve.  Here you are talking about weird dreams. That’s all excuses to go see him at the hospital. You know how I feel about him,” hissed Aida. Sharifah was too stunned by the accusation.

“No Aida I don’t know how you really feel about him. I’m not a mind reader. For all I know that your just concern for a cousin. You don’t …. You won’t say anything and its eating you up. What is actually your relationship with Rafiq?” asked Sharifah. Aida didn’t answer.The door  to their flat opened and Sofia stepped out. She saw Aida and

 Sharifah and was about to greet them both when she noticed how tense the two of them were. Neither of the girls said anything but they were locked in a staring match.                        

 

 Aida looked like she was going to swallow Sharifah, while Sharifah looked like a wet cat with her solemn expression and her clothes dripping all over the floor.

 

Aida didn’t say anything to Sofia, with a final ice cold look towards Sharifah, she turned her back and walked down the stairs. Sofia jaws dropped open.

     “What happened to  the two of you?” asked Sofia not giving Sharifah the chance  to enter her flat first.  Sharifah didn’t say anything, her eyes were brimming with tears. This was all too much for her. All she wanted was to get out of her wet clothes and crawled underneath her blanket. She walked past Sofia and headed towards the bathroom at the far end of the kitchen. Luckily the kitchen was beside the entrance to the flat. Her flat mates would have looked disapproving at her for dripping all over the living room. Sofia helped to get her a  towel and change of clothes. She was still waiting outside the bathroom when Sharifah had finished taken her bath and changed. Sharifah went to her room and pulled out her mattress from the rest of the pile. Sofia stubbornly sat beside her mattress and watched as her friend pulled the blanket over her head. Sharifah could still feel her presence even though she had laid there for almost 10 minutes. She pulled the blanket off her face and sure enough there was Sofia looking back at her.

     “Well, are you going to tell me what happened? Why suddenly Aida looked like Maya Karin in ‘Pontianak Harum Sundal 1?”asked Sofia indignantly. Sharifah gave a soft smile.

     “She didn’t look like her at all.”

     “Oh yeah, did you see her expression when she was looking at you. Her eyes went big, and round, and red, and the way she was clenching her fist. I bet she was hiding her claws.” Sofia shook her head. “Pity, she was once a pretty young woman” said Sofia faking her sorrow. Sharifah giggled and flung her pillow at her classmate. Trust Sofia to lighten the moment.

     “Will you please not mengumpat about my friend in front of me.” Sofia smiled and flung the pillow back Sharifah, landing right on her face.

 

     “Ok seriously, what happened? Aida was never that hostile before,” said Sofia. Which was the truth, Aida was a sweet and care-free person. Was….as in past tense! Everything changed with this whole Rafiq thing.

Sharifah was glad Sofia was there. She had to tell someone about her problems. The WHOLE story not just about Rafiq and Aida but also on her disturbing dream and the figure she saw the other night. She knew that Sofia would not push of her dream tale as just a mere dream and tells her that it was only her imagination playing. No not Sofia, she was an avid fan of X-file.  She practically remembered each episode of the whole nine seasons. Her secret fantasy was to be a real life Mulder although Sharifah doubted they would spot any UFO’s in Malaysia.

 

Sharifah told everything to Sofia from A-Z. Sofia scratched her head and got up. Her waist was aching from sitting too long on the hard foor. She went to sit at the study table.

 

     “You know that figure that I saw sat at the same place you are sitting now,” said Sharifah pointing at the place Sofia was about to sit. Sofia yelped and returned to her previous position, sitting beside Sharifah. Sharifah used her elbow to prompt herself up. She looked at her friend.

 

     “You don’t think I’m going crazy, do you?” asked Sharifah. Sofia scratched her head. Her glasses were sliding down her nose. One thing that Sharfah and most of her friends beg her to do for them was to exchange her glasses with contact lens. Her special features which everyone notice except Sofia was  her eyes. They were big and dark brown and full of emotion. Her eyes would light up and sparkle whenever she was happy. They  would go lifeless and glassy whenever she was sad. It was hard for Sofia to fake her emotions from her friends. They could see it through her eyes.

Right now those big brown eyes were looking at Sharifah in excitement and wonder. It reminded Sharifah of a small child.

“That’s hard to say,” said Sofia, her eyes twinkling playfully. Sofia moved to the mattress. “Or this could be nothing,’

 

“What do you mean?” asked Sharifah her heart sank. She had hoped that Sofia would say that she wasn’t hallucinating, that there was something wrong with her.

“You like him,” said Sofia shortly.         

“I don’t think so,” said Sharifah.

     “Don’t think so or don’t want to think so.” Was the respond she got from Sofia. Sofia edged closer. “Dreams are a powerful tool my friend. I read that dreams can  show our subconscious feelings. You dream you’re a member of a firing squad and your target is your boss, it shows that your angry and you hate your job. You dream of earthquake or avalanche, it show’s that you are facing some personal problems. You dream of a guy that you met a year ago that shows……”

 

“How lonely and pathetic I am,” continued Sharifah. “Tell me one thing Sofia, why am I dreaming about the guy, his fiancée and his family and wake up to see a figure sitting on my study table?”

     “You were probably dreaming about the figure also. Either way you could be in denial,” said Sofia getting up and headed towards the door.

“From what? I have no feelings towards this guy,” said Sharifah hotly.

     “Maybe so, I might be wrong but one dream doesn’t show much.”

 

     “What about the second dream. It was so real, it was as if I was facing it, it was so intense and sad. I woke up crying. What was that all that about?” asked Sharifah trying to control her temper.

     ‘I don’t know Sharifah, it’s just seem that you are having feelings about this guy and your feeling guilty towards Aida. Your emotions were playing with you. You know that you can’t have him so subconsciously your creating a scene where your breaking away from him.” Sharifah punched her mattress in frustration. She so badly wanted Sofia to see from her side. That she was not creating all this, it was as if she was pulled into the dream.   

     “So you can’t help me?” asked Sharifah. Sofia was about to step out of the room.  She looked at her friend and her pleading eyes. To Sofia, keen as she was to supernatural  events, somehow she didn’t think this was one of it. She didn’t however had the heart to turn her back from her friend especially the incident with Aida earlier. Sharifah clearly needed someone beside her now. .

     “I didn’t say that. Look I’ll search any information that I can find about dreams and you have to take note of anything weird that happens okay?” answered Sofia softly “Oh and Sharifah?”

“Ya.”

“I think it’s best that you stay away from Rfaiq for a while,” said Sofia giving her friend a gentle smile and left the room. Sharifah watched her friend closed the door and lay back on her mattress, she put a hand over her eyes. Somehow the neon light above her was shining brightly and hurting her eyes.

 

“ Sharifah,” said a soft whisper. She quickly remove her hand from her eyes, she could see a figure looking down at her. She couldn’t see the face clearly as the light was shining brightly giving only a blurish image of a male figure not a few metres above her. Sharifah blinked to focus her vision through the blaring light but the figure was no longer there.

 

 

Sharifah blinked again and the only thing she could see was the long neon light blaring down on her……….

 

 

 

 

Soul Asylum Chapter 4,5 and 6

Chapter 4

 

 

“AAAAAddduuuh!” cried Sharifah sitting up straight. The living room was quiet and the morning sun was shinning in her face.

 

Her head was dizzy from her sudden movement.

 

     Someone had stepped on her foot. Who would be awake at…..Sharifah reached for her watch and looked at the time. Ok….7.30 in the morning. Bugger, she had missed the morning prayers.  Sharifah looked around the living room and saw sneaking out the door.

 

     “Where are you going?” asked Sharifah. Aida’s left foot was already outside the door.

Aida had came back from her uncle’s place late last night. Nobody had seen her come in.

 

     “I received a call from Mak. Rafiq’s in the ICU. My family’s already at the hospital,” Sharifah tried to shake the sleepiness and got on her feet.

 

     “Hang on, I’m coming with you,” said Sharifah and started to get her towel. Sharifah didn’t know why she was so concern but she just felt that she had to be there.

 

An hour later the two of them had arrived at the hospital. Aida’s mother greeted them outside the ICU ward. Her whole family had already gathered outside.

 

     “What happened?” asked Aida giving her mother a hug.

 

     “The doctors don’t know. It happened suddenly, his heart rate went up and he went into seizure. They had to sedate him. He was still unconscious when everything happened Their discussing to move him to HUKM in Cheras. There’s more facilities there to help him.” Sharifah was listening to every word Aidas mother was saying. Why was she feeling so…… uneasy? She looked down at her hands, they were shaking. Sharifah clenched her hands into a fist.

 

Aida’s father came out of the ICU looking tired. Aida’s mother wanted to see Rafiq and went into the ICU. Aida wanted to follow her mother but stopped and looked at Sharifah.

Sharifah nodded gently encouraging her friend to follow her mother. Sharifah watched them enter the ward until the automatic door closed behind them. Sharifah looked around her. Most of them there were Aida’s relatives and Sharifah didn’t know them all. She tried to look for Aida’s father but he was no where to be seen. Sharifah saw a young woman about her age sitting on a bench. She was reading the Metro paper. Sensing that she was being watched, the woman looked up at Sharifah and smiled. She had similar features as Aida, fair, short boyish hair,light brown eyes, strong cheekbones the only difference was she had nice thick curvy eyebrows and was smaller in size than Aida. Sharifah assumed that she was also the same age as Aida.  She moved a little to give space for Sharifah to sit.

 

Gratefully Sharifah sat down and put her hand out to the young girl.

 

     “Sharifah,” said Sharifah gently. The girl shook her hand smiling shyly..

 

     “Zarina, you can call me Ina. Your hand is cold and shaking,” said Ina worriedly.

 

     “Are you okay?”

 

 

     “I’m not used to the hospital I, guess.’

 

     Zarina didn’t say anything and continued to look at the paper in front of her.

 

     “So are you Aida’s cousin?” asked Sharifah. Ina looked up from her reading.

 

     “Yes. Rafiq’s also,”

 

     “Aida and Rafiq were close weren’t they?”

 

     “Very close. More like brothers and sisters. Then they just drifted off,” said Ina softly.

 

     “You don’t know what happen?”

     “No, sorry, you’re pretty curious aren’t you.” Sharifah laughed gently but she could sense that Ina was being protective. Sharifah didn’t push the subject any more.

 

     ‘Which one of them are his parents?” asked Sharifah looking at the group of people talking in front of the ICU.

 

     “None of them are his parents. They passed away a couple of years ago.”

 

     “Oh…How did they die?”

 

 

     “Your being nosey again.”

     “Sorry………..so………..how did they.” Ina sighed and looked at Sharifah. Sharifah tried to give the sweetest smile that she could give.

 

     “They died in a car accident. Them , and his fiancée.” Sharifah was about to ask another question when the door opened and Aida stepped out. Her mother was behind her dabbing her eyes. Aida motioned to Sharifah to come to her.

 

     “Thanks Ina, just don’t tell Aida okay. She’s not accepting all this too well,” whispered Sharifah getting off the bench.

 

     “No problem,” said Ina and continued her reading.

 

“Would you like to see him? I know that you’re a stranger to him and he doesn’t know you but it would help if more people talk to him. The doctor said that if we talk to him there is a possibility that he can hear us and that could speed up his recovery.  Do you want me to accompany you?” asked Aida. Sharifah shook her head. She could see that her friend was trying very hard to hold back the tears. She couldn’t bear to see her friend break down. She looked towards the ICU ward. She suddenly felt nervous. It was silly; she had never known this man personally except for that one night. Not even a glance,

 

Sharifah stepped into the ward and felt the door closed behind her. Sharifah looked around her. It was like a scene in a movie, everything was in white, well except the nurses, they were wearing blue uniforms. The nurses were everywhere, looking at their patients chart, taking notes, pushing carts filled with medicines thro and fro. There was a special station for the nurses near the entrance, with computers and intercoms; they were able to monitor the conditions of each patient in that ward. Sharifah asked one of the nurses on Rafiq and was ushered to a bed at the left corner of the ward.

 

     “He’s stabilizing. It helps to talk to him. He can still hear you,” whispered the nurse beside her. Sharifah felt uneasy. How can she talked to someone she hardly knew? She tried to open her mouth and felt a presence beside her. Sharifah looked at her side and saw the nurse peering at her. Sharifah cleared her throat. The nurse saw her discomfort and left them.

 

Sharifah felt more uncomfortable now that they were alone. Sharifah pulled a chair towards her and sat down. She looked at Rafiq. He was on a drip and there were wires on his chest. His face was shaved and his complexion was paler than the last time she saw him. Sick or not he could still make any girl melt. Sharifah smiled secretly, bet the young nurses would jump at the opportunity to take care of him.

 

     Sharifah leaned closer to his ear.

 

     “Hi…” Sharifah straightened up and looked at his face expecting a reaction. There was nothing.

 

     “Assalamualaikum…errr…..you don’t know me…we’ve met before….briefly. I was the girl that fell on you stomach during the time when we were trapped in the commuter train. I’m just here for Aida. Your cousin…she’s waiting outside…..you got everyone worried,” said Sharifah gently.

     ‘I’m sorry about your parents, I just found out…Must be hard and your fiancée……But there’s a lot of people who care about you here. You’re a lucky young man….very lucky,” said Sharifah gently. She looked up and saw that the nurses were busy doing their work. She looked at Rafiq’s arm rested at his side. Without thinking she reached out to touch it, his hand felt warm. She remembered his big hand on top of hers, hurting her and when he shook her hand and gave a gentle comforting squeeze. Just at that time for a split second there were sincerity in his eyes. She gently rubbed his hand up and down in a soothing gesture. Rafiq looked like he was sleeping peacefully. She wished he would wake up , he had nice hazel brown eyes. She squeezed his hand. Would he feel it? Sharifah suddenly realized what she was doing and withdraw her hand quickly. What was wrong with her? Goodness sake, this was an unconscious man in front of her, a man who was proud and spoilt when she first met him and still good looking and here she was taking advantage of his condition.

 

Her conscious was playing with her, one part wanted to just hold his hand and give support, the other part told her that this was wrong and what if Aida saw her, what would she say?

 

     “I think this is my queue to leave before I do anything stupid..” Sharifah shuddered. She rushed out of the ward. Aida was talking with one of her aunties. Sharifah quietly went to the toilet. She was shaking. Why was she shaking? Why was her heart thumping so hard? For goodness sake she though that Rafiq was going to rape her when they were stuck in the train. He was a spoilt brat, he had let her know that when he had hurt her hand and brushed her off after they had gotten off the train. But a small voice asked her, why had he waited for her when she had thought he had left her alone in the cabin? Why did he stopped her from falling if he was that mean? She leaned against the wall. She was all jumbled up with mix feelings for a man that she had only met a year ago. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and washed her face. This was bad, this was bad…bad.

 

     “Hey, there you are. Time to go home,’ said Aida standing at the toilet door.

     “Are you okey?’ Sharifah looked up and put her best smile.

 

     “Yes, you?”

 

     “Better, Rafiq’s condition is stable. The doctors want him to stay in the ICU for the night, observation.”  Aida looked happier and she was smiling.

 

     “Let’s go home.”

 

     “Let’s go.” Sharifah slowly followed her friend out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 5

 

Sharifah sat on the prayer mat. She felt peaceful after prayers. Replaying what had happened that morning, Sharifah felt silly. Everything was okay now. She looked at the living room. Aida, Rina, Badariah  and Lin were watching television. The rest of her housemates had gone out.

 

Sharifah folded the praying mat and took off her ‘telekung’ (prayer cloth, a two piece white cloth, the upper cover with a hole on it to show only her face and the bottom piece to cover her legs). She didn’t feel like joining her friends, all she wanted was to sleep, sleep and sleep all through the weekday and weekend and if she’s lucky (or unlucky) she might wake up the next Monday.

 

She dragged her mattress from the rest of the mattress piled at one corner of the room and searched for a blanket. She closed the door of the bedroom and switched off the light. There was still some light from the streetlight outside streaming into the room through the window. Sharifah looked at the fan spinning above her. Her eyelids felt heavy and soon she was drifted off to sleep.

 

     “I was wondering when you would wake up,” said a voice on her left side.

 

Sharifah opened her eyes. Why was everything white? Sharifah blinked feeling very disoriented. She was not in her room. She looked at her pyjamas and nearly jumped up. They were hospital gowns! What happened?

 

     “Hang on there. Your okay,” said the voice again. Sharifah sat up straight and looked towards the voice. If it wasn’t for the railing at both side of the bed, Sharifah would definitely fell of the bed. There sitting a couple of meters from her was Rafiq.

Healthy, happy and very much awake, Rafiq. Sharifah couldn’t help but stare. He looked the same as she left him that morning. Besides, the fact that he was conscious now.

 

     “I must be dreaming. I must be dreaming,” said Shairfah repeatedly to herself.

 

     “Sorry for disappointing you but you were wheeled in here a while ago. Car accident,” said Rafiq studying her.

 

Sharifah was too shaken up to say anything. How could she be in a car accident, she was riding a bus for heavens sake! She can’t be going crazy. What was the name of the three pendekar in Pendekar Bujang Lapok? Aziz, Ramli and Sudin . Hah! She definitely didn’t have any memory lost. Which came back to her first theory, she was dreaming.

 

Sharifah frowned, why the heck was she dreaming of Rafiq? That must have been some touch!

 

     “Hello, earth to you,” said Rafiq. Sharifah glanced at him and saw that there was a pretty young woman beside him. She was also looking curiously at her.

 

     “This is Rozita, my fiancée, I’m sorry you are?”

 

     “Sharifah,” whispered Sharifah. Wasn’t she….?

 

     “Assalamualaikum,” said Rozita walking towards her be , her hands extending out in a welcome gesture. Sharifah didn’t return her hug. She was very confused. What had happened? How was she in the hospital ward? Why was Rafiq awake and healthy? Why was Rozita there? Where were the nurses and the computers? Million of questions flooded Sharifah’s head.

 

An elderly couple came to Rafiq’s side. The old lady kissed his head gently.

 

     “How are you, son?’ said the lady gently. Rafiq took the old lady’s hand and gently kissed it lovingly. He did the same to the old man. The old man had the same features as Rafiq, fair, well-built and pretty darn good-looking.

 

 

     ‘Mak and Abah, I like to introduce you to Sharifah,” said Rafiq smiling at her. Sharifah’s jaw nearly fell to the ground. Weren’t they dead?

 

This was very weird. Either that or she watched too much twilight zone movies. She looked around the ward. It was hardly a ward. There were no windows, no attendants or nurses and definitely no doctors. It was like they were the only people in that place. Everything was in white, the bed, and their clothes. Rafiq was still talking to his parents and Rozita. Sharifah wasn’t paying attention to what they were talking, she was too busy thinking. Sharifah turned to look at Rafiq, he was reading on his bed….alone. Sharifah frowned, she didn’t hear them leave. Sharifah got off her bed but she didn’t feel the ground. She started falling and falling and falling.

 

 

     Sharifah  felt her body jolted and she opened her eyes. It was dark. For moment

Sharifah was disoriented, she didn’t make out where she was. Sharifah touched the mattress below her and felt the cold floor underneath. She laid her head on the pillow breathing heavily, she was shaking all over. She reached for her alarm clock tucked underneath the pillow. The hands showed that it was 2.00 am in the morning.

 

Sharifah tried to close her eyes

 

Rafiq 

 

Sharifah’s eyes flew wide open. She looked up at the fan on the ceiling spinning slowly. Slowly she sat up. At their study table near the window was a shadowy figure looking back at her…….

 

 

The doctor pulled a chair beside Rafiq’s bed. He looked at his patient. His condition was stabilized. His eyelids were closed but he could see his eye movement. They were moving rapidly.

 

 

The doctor’s eyes fell on the EEG machine at the side the bed. He had asked for an EEG test to monitor his brain movement. He didn’t want to take the chance of another seizure that could permanently damage his patient’s brain. He would ask for a PET scan early in the morning. What was worrying him now was why his patient wasn’t waking up. His eyes were moving rapidly. The doctor’s attention moved to the heart monitor beside his patients head. His heart rate increase slightly but there was nothing to be alarm about, he watched the EEG machine, there was some activities in the brain as the machine reported high peaks then the normal moderate spikes.

 

The doctor sighed and looked back at his patient.

 

                 “What are you dreaming about?” he asked softly to his silent patient.

 

 

     Rafiq turned his attention to his new roommate. But the bed beside him was empty.

                 “Where’s the girl?” asked Rafiq looking at Rozita who was busy arranging the flowers at his coffee table.

 

                 “What girl?” asked Rozita looking curiously at him Rafiq frowned looking at his fiancée.

     There was a girl that just came in that night. Where did she go? And why was he having a feeling that he had met her before?