爱の恐惧

Love Phobia

[ Chapter 16 ]

Distance is not for the fearful,

It is for the Bold

It's for those who are willing to spend alot of time in exchange for a little Time with the one they Love.

It's for those knowing a Good thing when they see it,

even if they don't see it Nearly enough.

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" it hasn't ended ? Me & Reagan hasn't end , which explains why I saw him today .. why ? why ? WHY ? I thought to myself ....

I just couldn't concentrate on the orientation anymore. For the rest of the day. I seem to be lost in my thoughts. Davin has tried ways & means to liven up my mood, but it was futile. Ironically, Joanne seems to be in a similar mood as me, she wasn't really herself for the rest of the day too, I noticed that change in her after the forfeit. I gathered she must have got influenced by me, thus that upbeat mood was gone.

Wind blew upon our faces, as we both sat down back to back lost in our own thoughts.

" Juliet .. I've something to confess .... " Joanne suddenly interrupted my thoughts.

" huh ? confession about what ? "

" I saw him ... "

" huh ? saw who ? "

I was kinda confused, until it struck my mind that Joanne was refering to that guy who rejected her.

" ar .. at where ... ??? " I immdiately asked before Joanne could replied me.

" that guy who shouted out the answer to your question earlier on at the lecture hall ... his name is Reagan .. " Joanne answered.

I went blank for that moment.

" you mean that ..... Re .. a ga n was the guy that you've been mentioning to me all these years ? ? ? "

Joanne nodded in reponse.

My heart sunk upon hearing that. All this while, I thought I've managed to avoid him, but in actual fact he has never once left me, he has disguised himself as an unknown figure beside me. All these years, I've heard so much about him, it was like I never avoided him at all ...

" Juliet .. I was the one that told him the answer to the question .. I'm so sorry !! it was like suppose to be our little secret . I just didn't expect to see him here today "

" neither do me ... " i muttered to myself.

" huh ? I beg ya pardon ? " Joanne asked

" ar .. nothing ... no worries dear ... " I turned my back & smiled at Joanne.

" you're really my bestie ... so forgiving towards me ... " Joanne turned around & hugged me.

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" Reagan .. you've single-handedly saved group 1 ... well done !! " my mentor patted on my shoulder.

I just smiled back.

After the mass game session at the lecture hall, I became more popular than ever. I could hear whispers gossiping about me, giggles at my silly actions. Though I'm getting all the attention from them, but what really concern me was Juliet. I rather just have attention from her alone than to be in the limelight.

" she never forgot me !!! if not she won't be stammering & weld up tears when i replied her .. " I'm thinking to myself.

The secenario of someone grabbing her hands tight leading her to the school compound kept reanact in my mind.

" Juliet's boyfriend ? & Joanne was Juliet's friend ? "

My mind can't settle down at all, it seem to be in a twirl of question marks seeking for its own answers.

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" You guys must have seen japanese famous show about 7 haunted locations in schools. I like to tell you that there are really 7 “rumored” haunted locations in our school !!! "

Davin started to liven up the atmosphere for the infamous night walk, the highlight of this camp. Davin started to light up the white candles formed in a circle shape, & stood in the middle of the circle.

" Juliet dearie .. this is getting so exciting " Joanne whispered to me.

VJC was notorious for their night walks. Each orientation, they will really crank up ideas & stories to make this whole night walk look like a real belief. Though I've heard of some real absurd stories about their night walk before entering, the experiencing part is really different. They really create that intense atmosphere among everyone, start to spread rumours about certain parts of the school from the start to make it seem so real.

" okays .. everyone .. you all will roam freely around the school compund in total darkness, after hearing what I'm about to share with you all, you all can choose to travel in groups or even alone if you dare ... every compartment of the school will be unlocked, & free to roam but enter inside at your own RISK ..

1st: Endless Corridor

Block 3 of science facaulty, i believe to be either from one of the floors from 4th Level to 6th Level. Many students and graduates feedback that they often got ‘trapped’ in Block 3 corridor. The feedback was that they tried to walk through the corridor but it was endless. Like they walking on the

same area forever. It happened even in daytime ... & once I even rescue my classmate who called me on my mobile claiming she was stuck in a corridor situated at there.

2nd: Haunted Toilet near Auditorium

This is actually true. A Malay cleaner in his thirties was cleaning the toilets. So he went to the rumored toilet to clean it up. As he wiped the water stains on the washing hand basins, the 2nd last cubicle door suddenly banged and made the poor cleaner jumped in fright. he looked behind and tried to find out whats behind the cubicle door but it was snapped shutted, like as though the door was stuck. He tried a few times with effort to open but with no effect. So he sighed and finished the cleaning work instead. When he about to leave the premise the toilet suddenly open with a creepy sound and the cleaner look .......

3rd: Swimming Pool

Many people do not dare to swim at night.There is a rumor that says a black figure will appear in swimming pool. First symptom is you heard a sudden splash sound from behind and then you find someone swimming at you with free style. This however is a rumor i heard from my classmates.

4th Music Studio

Many students reported seen a poltergeist inside the muisc studio. It often danced around and suddenly went into the mirror and was gone. I have checked the studio was not often in use and the investigation have to come to a halt due to a certain club member who broke the mirrors in the studio.

5th Figure in Bio Lab

One famous rumor of all. There rumored that in one of the bio technology lab, you will find a guy with pale face doing some last minute testing. The moment you turned your head and come back to face him, he was gone. it was believed to be one of the students who got killed in a motorbike accident outside the college when he was rushing for his bio practical test. More is unknown.

6th The infamous "Red" room

A story abstracted from one of the graduates

I noticed that is wasn’t getting any brighter, in fact, it was somehow getting “redder” as if we have skipped morning and went straight to another dusk, only redder. It was unbelievable red that you cannot tell if it is dark or red but for sure you can discern that crimson shade everywhere. I stopped what I was doing and got up, then I saw I was alone in the room and my friend was nowhere to be seen. I turned to look and saw a woman dressed in an old-fashioned dress similar to the 1800s. She looked fair and she seemed to be standing high in the room. From the head I looked down slowly and saw that she was standing on a stool. The stool tripped and I shrieked in horror as she went dangling by the neck. She struggled, kicking and fighting till she was now looking at my direction, her eyes affixed at me and her face was something I cannot forget for the rest of my life. I closed my eyes thinking this is all a nightmare. Then what appears to be a knife darted from outside the window and struck the woman in the neck and I turned to look a floating man was holding several knives in his hand. He then looked at me and started to sharpen two knives as he looked at me with lust. He smiled menacingly with his eyes all wide that almost drove me insane, he then started throwing knives in my direction but it kept hitting the window railings that it flung in several directions. In anger of failing to hit me with his knives, he held on the railings and started to put his mouth inside, doing “smooching” actions at me occasionally banging his head on the railings. I shouted at the top of my lungs in order to wake up from this nightmare.

These are all I known of. The 7th horror site I do not want to know as it may lead to …. Anyway for you who are existing students to find out… if you dare. "

" Spooky ... " Joanne whispered to me.

Everyone seems to be in their commotion after hearing the stories.

" Joanne dearie .. give me a million bucks, & i also won't enter that red room ... "

Despite knowing that the stories were fictional, sort of created into a make belief to make this whole night walk more creepier, but you still can't deny that fear within you. Strategies were discussed, common sense & logic tells as long as you walk in a big group, should be quite safe & sound.

" Alright ... enough of the commotion !! the night walk starts now !!!!!!! " Davin blew off the candles from the circles & the whole school building lighted up at his command.

Everyone were kinda surprised upon the brightly lighted up school compound.

" Chey .. so much for the atmosphere they created earlier on .. tsk tsk .. " everyone started to jeer at the night walk strategy the mentors has used as they proceed into the building.

I turned my direction to look at Davin, to find him with that evil grin on his smile. I held on to Joanne's hands tightly, as I proceeded in.

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" Reagan .. you must protect us later .. our whole group depends on you .... " the girls noisily surrounded me as we went in.

I nodded with a smile. I still seem lost in my thoughts. Then Pahim words suddenly struck me.

As your feelings has finally reveal themselves in front of love, your destiny awaits you ... for you shall be the key to conquer the phobia .. It shall starts from the tale of star-crossed lovers to the tale of S'Agapo."

" The phobia .... LOVE PHOBIA ?? Juliet once mentioned to me before about her phobia .... "

I was more than determined to seek out the answers she has left 4 years ago.

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Everyone were in a rowdy mood, as all the groups slowly progressed into the building. Just as the last person entered the building, a loud shriek scream was heard. then the lights went off. It was in total darkness. Most of the girls started to scream & run about, including some of the guys trying to playfully create more intense surrounding among the girls, started to run about shouting too. It was only at this moment then i realised Joanne wasn't by my side anymore. All of the groups were mixed up, & were dispersing rapidly into all directions.

" Joanne !! ~ !! Joanne !!!! " I shouted at the top of my voice, but no one seem to be answering to my response. It was then I realised i was all alone by myself. All the stories I've heard earlier on from Davin seem to come alive in my mind. I was fearful. I tried to gather my courage in roaming about, careful not to enter any of the compartments.

I crept around the school blocks, until i came to a dead end. In order to progress I must enter a compartment which I don't really feel like doing so. As i look back behind me, the long corridor pathway was eerie & dark with some darkly lighted crimson shades of red shining upon it. I looked around to realise that I'm at block 3 now.

" The endless corridor ???? " I started to panick & entered into the next compartment without realising more unforseen dangers are ahead.

I ran around the blocks endlessly, trying to find someone, but somehow everyone seem to be missing. Before I knew it, I've entered into another room unknowningly. I paused to catch my breathe after all the running. Only then I realise i wasn't alone. I saw one of the senior dressed up as the fictional character ( that woman dressed un in 1800s from the story earlier on ) , then I realised I was in the "red" room. I shouted at the top of my lungs & ran out. I saw a classroom nearby & quickly ran inside to hide.

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I heard a loud scream nearby. The voice was seemingly familar. I quicken fasten my footsteps to trace the voice. I was all alone after I've lost my group near the auditorium. They went haywire shouting & screaming after they saw that malay cleaner rumoured to have quit after the incident. I traced the shouting voice to a nearby classroom. I went in & caught a shadow shivering in the dark .. I decided to approach it, with the risk that it might be a mentor trying to scare me.

" hey are you alright ? ! ? " I approached the shadow asking.

Just then, the shadow leap foward towards me, & hugged me in tears. I was in total disarray & stunned. Only then i realised it was a female schoolmate that was horrified by the night walk.

I tried to calm her down, & reassured her its going to be alright since I'm here with her now. The shadow managed to calm down after some pacifying from me. It was then I find this situation seemingly awkward, she went quiet & I just do not know where to start from.

We both just sat down in total darkness in a secluded corner of the classroom. It sort of reminded me the days when me & Juliet spent our time together in the secluded corner of the library.

" those were the days ar .. " I mumbled to myself smiling.

" huh ? days ??? " the shadow spoke in a soft tone.

" ar .... no luh .. just kinda reminisce of my primary school memories with someone ... hurhur "

" I guess it must have been fun with that someone to have leave such an deep mark in you .. "

" hmmm .. not exactly .. It can takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone and a day to love someone - but takes a lifetime to forget someone ... " heard of that before ? hurhur "

The shadow went silent upon hearing that ...

" sorry .. guess I must have bore you with my memories .. i guess it's hard to fathom one's heart afterall "

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My mind went blank upon hearing that phrase,

" It can takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone and a day to love someone - but takes a lifetime to forget someone "

I knew it was him ... from the moment he spoke out that line.

" Juliet .... " Reagan said.

" huh ..? " I responded ...

Both of us went speechless into the night full of suspense & surprises yet to be unrevealed.

[ To be cont.. ]

Such is my love, to thee I so belong,

That for thy right myself will bear all wrong.

William Shakespeare