Story One:
Leaving the dark and cold lecture theatre, she took in the bright sunny glare of the sun. Warmth at last, she thought. It was hot but the kind of hot you would love on any picnic day. Time to leave for home. Briskly, she walked towards the busstop. Saying goodbyes to her friend, she crossed the road and turned left to walk on the concrete pavement. There's much greenery on campus with huge oak-like sized trees looming overhead and mosses straddling themselves on branches. Smiling to herself, she drew nearer to the busstop. But, with the sound of what seemed to be a crack of thunder, a large portion of a branch crashed and splintered into a million pieces right in front of her. In a spilt second, she froze. Shocked. Unnerved. Dazed. Noticing some eyes on her already, she stepped over the wooden rubble. Walking straight ahead like as if nothing happened was simply a mask to hide the dismay of what had just transpired. Her fist as white as snow clutched tightly around her white cellphone. Hiding herself behind the advert at the busstop, she averted her gaze from any prying eyes.
To put it simply, she had just escaped from being part of the wooden rubble. She was mere seconds away from being smashed on the head with a large rotten tree branch. It could happen to anyone and anytime. But it happened to her. There and then. And before it all happened, there were news stories of trees falling and crashing people's cars sometimes resulting in fatality. But this time, it happened to her. Astaugfirullah.
Story Two:
The time was 4.05 pm. Hurriedly she closed the door, the metal gates and locked everything up. Checking all the locks once again just to make sure. Then off she went down the stairs and crossed the road. As she was walking, she took out her cellphone to check for the time. As usual, she recited the doas to ask for protection and safety. Amin. Again, she took out her cellphone to call someone. Denied. Caller was busy. She rummaged her bag searching for an umbrella. Found it and clutched it tightly. It had just rained heavily from noon. Now, it was just a very light drizzle that you can barely feel it. As would be expected, nature was everywhere. That was what she loved most about living up north. The neighbourhoods are quite new and the trees are ever so green and young. She called it her own rural countryside. Living together with nature was always her dream. Looking up to check for the drizzling rain, there were random people walking towards their own blocks. On she went walking. However, she heard the same crack of thunder. Louder and distinct this time. And down half the tree went. Again, right in front of her. The tree missing her just by less than a metre. Thankfully it wasn't a huge oak-like tree. Stunned. Dismayed. Traumatized. Sad.
The time was 4.05 pm. Hurriedly she closed the door, the metal gates and locked everything up. Checking all the locks once again just to make sure. Then off she went down the stairs and crossed the road. As she was walking, she took out her cellphone to check for the time. As usual, she recited the doas to ask for protection and safety. Amin. Again, she took out her cellphone to call someone. Denied. Caller was busy. She rummaged her bag searching for an umbrella. Found it and clutched it tightly. It had just rained heavily from noon. Now, it was just a very light drizzle that you can barely feel it. As would be expected, nature was everywhere. That was what she loved most about living up north. The neighbourhoods are quite new and the trees are ever so green and young. She called it her own rural countryside. Living together with nature was always her dream. Looking up to check for the drizzling rain, there were random people walking towards their own blocks. On she went walking. However, she heard the same crack of thunder. Louder and distinct this time. And down half the tree went. Again, right in front of her. The tree missing her just by less than a metre. Thankfully it wasn't a huge oak-like tree. Stunned. Dismayed. Traumatized. Sad.
Again. It happened again. What are the bloody odds? she thought. She remembered her mum's words. "Take a photo if something like that happens again." She fumbled for her cellphone but she felt eyes behind her. She walked round the half the tree lying on the solid ground. She could have been lying on that same floor.
Again. She almost became a victim. Always mere seconds away from escaping an uncertain future. Falling tree branches and trees right in front of her, on the very path she always takes. Why?
Again. She almost became a victim. Always mere seconds away from escaping an uncertain future. Falling tree branches and trees right in front of her, on the very path she always takes. Why?
Thats my question.
Why?
Is it a sign?
An omen?
Is it a foreshadow of a not-so-sunny destiny?
If it is an omen, its such a cryptic one.
Yes, it happened to me.
Not once
But twice.
What if it happens thrice?
I can never know.
Cubaan.
Ya Allah, aku faham ada hikmah dan sebab disebalik segala sesuatu yang berlaku.
Terangkanlah agar insya-Allah hati hambaMu ini tenang semula.
Terangkanlah agar insya-Allah hati hambaMu ini tenang semula.
~Salam~
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