Walking through the woods after an april shower on a humid evening, I was on my way to the cemetery to pay respects to my grandfather on his anniversary. It has been 5 years since he passed away, and I could still remember how he doted on me as the youngest in the family. I can still feel his rough hands on mine when he cuddles me. Grandpa was such an amicable character.

As my mind was fully filled with images of my grandpa, I wasn’t really looking at where I was going. Suudenly, I found myself in the middle of nowhere. I didn’t recognise my surroundings. Bushes around me were more than 6 feet high, and the canopy covered most of the light from the evening sun. Shadows were lurking everywhere and I can make out rustling sounds of the leaves, as if something or someone was behind them.

The sky was getting darker at an exponential rate. I was frantic about getting out of this place and back home. As I was disgustedly sweeping the bugs flying around my face, I heard a coarse man’s voice call my name. I swung around towards the voice’s direction, only to find more shadows among the leaves. Just as I was about to shrug it away as my illusion, I heard the voice again. This time it seemed nearer and clearer. I spun around again, only to see an old man dressed in black robes and long hair standing about 5 metres away from me. His eyes were fixated onto me as if there was something on my face. Half his face was covered by the dark shadows of the trees, the other half was covered in wrinkles so deep that they could hold a gallon of water. 

Peturbed by a sudden appearance of another human being, I was stunned silenced for a few moments, before asking, ‘Wh…who are you? Why do you know my name?’ Without saying a word, he lunged towards me with a vicious growl, baring his decayed teeth and spouting breath smelling of faeces. In that split second, I could make out his other half of the face. It was covered in blood and decayed flesh. Worms were crawling out of tiny holes in on his face. His palms were hairy and nails were sharp like a beast.

I let out a shriek and plunged onto the soft ground, eyes shut, hands covering my head. Images were rushing through my head. What is this thing? Would I die? Will they find my body? As I felt the impact of my body on the fallen leaves, everything vanished. There was no old man, no bad breath, and no attack. The forest was as peaceful as usual. As unsettled as I was, I gathered my stuff, brushed myself clean and took off as fast as my feet would carry me. I didn’t know where I was running, but I kept on dashing towards one direction.

Finally, I saw the lights on the main road. Frantically, I burst onto the deserted pavement and searched around for help. Not seeing where I was going, I tripped over a branch and fell over. A strong hand picked me up. As I looked up, it was the half decayed face of an old man……

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