One chilly evening, a school guard commonly addressed as Mang Ujang was fulfilling his duties, making his rounds alone, armed with nothing but a flashlight gripped tightly in his hand. Occasionally, he rubbed his bare arms, warding off the cold that sometimes made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
"Gosh... Why does it feel so extra cold tonight?" he murmured while continuing his walk along the school’s lengthy corridor.
He pressed on, shining light into each classroom one by one. It was a routine he'd kept for years, yet for some reason, tonight felt slightly different from prior evenings, the cold air rendering the atmosphere even more eerie.
Now and then, the no-longer-young man glanced back, sensing something—or someone—following him. Undeterred, Mang Ujang proceeded from class to class, making his way up to the school’s second floor.
Suddenly, Ujang caught a fleeting glimpse of a dark shadow flitting not far from where he stood.
"Who's there?" he bellowed, pointing his flashlight straight ahead.
He tried to sharpen his vision, squinting slightly to see more clearly.
But no response nor a single sound came back, sending shivers down his spine. He rubbed the back of his neck several times, trying to shake off the fear building within.
‘Ah, it must've been my imagination. How could anyone be here? Besides, it's late; all the kids must have gone home,' he thought, glancing at his watch that read 11:00 p.m.—a time when it was highly unlikely anyone would be around.
Resuming his momentarily halted pace, he kept on illuminating room after room with his flashlight. Abruptly, the sound of sobbing emerged from a room nearby.
"What's that sound? Why does it sound like someone crying?" Mang Ujang peered around, honing his hearing, attempting to locate the source of the disturbant noise.
"Who’s there? Stop messing with me!" he yelled, aggravated.
The next moment, the heartrending sobs ceased. A young girl in a long-haired school uniform stood with her back to him; her dark hair cascaded down.
"Hey! What are you doing here? Why haven't you gone home?" he asked, moving closer.
The sound of the girl’s sobs piqued Mang Ujang’s curiosity even more.
"Help...," pleaded the woman softly.
"What's wrong with you?" Mang Ujang continued cautiously forward.
"Help me...," the girl whimpered, her voice cutting through him.
Driven by curiosity, the man attempted to tap the shoulder of the girl in the gray and white uniform to confront her.
"What's wrong?" he asked again.
The girl remained silent, only the soft sound of her crying audible.
"Why are you crying? It's better to come with me than to cry here alone," he suggested, flashing a roguish smile.
His hand, which began on her shoulder, now slid down to the girl's arm. To his shock, her arm was as cold as ice.
"Goodness, your hands are so cold. Come on, let me warm you up," he offered with a light chuckle.
Feeling emboldened by the sight of a girl alone in an empty school, with the opportunity at hand, he intended to make the most of the situation.
"Come on, follow me. I promise you won't feel cold with me; you'll be all warmed up," coaxed Mang Ujang, smiling mischievously.
The girl silent and still, Ujang grew more curious and impatient, compelling her to turn around. He was utterly shocked when she faced him—her pallor was ghastly.
Instinctively, his hand recoiled from her arm, and he staggered backward. Blood was dripping from the girl's wrist, pooling on the pristine floor beneath.
"It's you! Ju-Julia!" his tongue seemed to twist, eyes bulging in disbelief at the terrifying figure standing before him, looking at him with a vengeful and sinister stare.
"Mang Ujang..." the girl whispered, grinning menacingly.
"Stay away!" he screamed hysterically, retreating further.
Julia's ghost floated toward him, blood incessantly trickling from the cuts at her wrists.
"Please, forgive me... Do not haunt me," he begged desperately.
His flashlight disappeared somewhere in the chaos, and Mang Ujang clasped his hands over his chest. His body shook with terror, his legs felt boneless.
"Please, Julia. Forgive me. Don't torment me," Mang Ujang implored, until he backed into a wall.
Suddenly, the spirit of Julia vanished, and he felt a brief sense of relief, thinking the terrifying ghost had finally left him be. He was unaware, however, his pants were soaked as he had wet himself in panic.
"Damn! Now I'm all wet," he grumbled, standing back up. He had just begun to regain his composure and search for his flashlight when a foul, pungent odor assaulted his nostrils.
"What's that stench?" Mang Ujang sniffed the overpowering smell. He felt his shoulder—it was wet. In shock, he saw blood on his hands.
With newfound bravery, he looked upward, desperate to discover the source of the blood. His heart skipped a beat as he found the dreaded figure of Julia perched above his head, sneering at him.
"A ghost!" Mang Ujang took off, running to save himself. But instead of heading downstairs, he ran up to the third-floor staircase.
Reaching the top, he paused to catch his breath, his chest heaving. He glanced back, hoping Julia's ghost was not in pursuit.
"Why does she keep chasing me? Does she seek revenge?" he gasped in despair.
"God... That ghost is terrifying," he stammered, staggering forward without looking where he was going.
He recoiled in shock at bumping into something. Feeling ahead, he made sure of what it was while lifting his head. His heart seemed to stop when he saw the horrifying specter there again.
"Leave! Stop haunting me! Go away!" he shouted in fear.
Mang Ujang ran once more, only to find himself on a balcony. Forced to stop, he turned and saw Julia's ghost floating towards him.
"Please, don’t come any closer. Forgive me," he nearly cried, pleading profusely while continuing to back away. Unaware he had reached the edge of the floor, he let out a scream.
"Aaaaa...." His body flew through the air, plunging to the ground.
His eyes popped, as if wanting to burst from their sockets. Fresh blood oozed from Mang Ujang’s head, and his brain scattered.
Several parts of his body were broken, his right leg and arm twisted unnaturally. His bloodied body lay in a gruesome pool; he had met a horrifying end. And above, the ghostly figure of Julia observed from the upper floor with her mysterious smile.
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