Cadaver Ghost Story Part 2
Despite everything, the smell of incense was incredibly disturbing. I wanted to ask Jonatan to put it out, but I was afraid of being labeled intolerant.
Moreover, I started feeling uneasy after Jonatan lit the incense a while ago. According to local myths, particularly in the Javanese community of Indonesia, incense is not only associated with the spiritual realm but also believed to attract certain beings. I know it may sound far-fetched, but I couldn't shake the feeling of being in a crowded place, even though there were only 13 of us in this spacious room.
Hoeeek!
I was startled by the sound of someone clearing their throat right behind me. But who could it be? All my friends were surrounding the cadaver, and I could see that Dr. Ray was not behind me either.
Huh! Once again, I took a deep breath to clear my mind and remain rational.
Each of us held thick books in our hands. Yes, these were the human anatomy books, containing a myriad of information related to the human body. There must be thousands, countless materials inside, including complex terms that were challenging to memorize. I don't mean to boast, but someone with below-average IQ would struggle in this field.
"Study the external anatomy of the human body," Dr. Ray said before leaving us alone in the room.
After Dr. Ray's departure, we remained silent, none of us daring to make the first move. That cadaver, I just couldn't bear to look at it any longer. Its expression with its gaping mouth seemed to want to convey something. Aaargh! I was letting my thoughts wander beyond reason. I should be confident; after all, the cadaver couldn't come back to life.
"Excuse me, sir, we are practicing here. Your assistance would be appreciated," finally, one of us spoke to the cadaver. Even though we were all wearing masks, I could tell it was Winda who spoke.
Winda's words represented all of us. We began studying the external organs, starting with the eyes, nose, mouth, and so on. Occasionally, we took notes in our books for future reports. When we touched certain parts of the body, they felt soft, and I couldn't help but wonder if I pinched it, would something come off? Fortunately, the effect of the formalin prevented me from trying. I truly couldn't imagine having to do this every day.
My sense of smell and sight seemed to be getting used to the situation. Delia and I examined the hands to check their condition and attempted to lift them. To our surprise, they were incredibly heavy. It didn't make sense; the center of gravity in the human body was around the torso, so why were the hands so heavy? Even when another friend tried to help, we still couldn't move them.
"I'm sorry, sir. We apologize," Delia said.
But Delia's words didn't make the hands any lighter; on the contrary, we couldn't lift them at all. They felt like hands made of metal, weighing tens of kilograms.
"Maybe the owner of the body doesn't want to be used for practice, huh?" Delia asked me.
I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head. We were all confused; it was understandable since we were still amateurs, and this was our first practice. We were at a loss, not knowing what to do, especially since we needed to write a report.
"What should we do?" Jonatan asked.
I wanted to protest about the incense, as it might be the cause of these occurrences. But I was afraid it would lead to an argument, and I didn't want that to happen.
"Maybe we should ask the senior students," Fauzi suggested.
Jonatan and some others took out their phones and made a quick search on Google. After a moment, there was no sign of excitement on their faces; I knew that not all seniors were helpful.
"How is it, Jo?" I asked.
He shook his head.
Finally, we decided to take the initiative and perform some rituals as suggested. Of course, each of us did it based on our own beliefs. I read some verses from the Quran, which was entirely different from what Jonatan did.
Not that I'm saying one is better than the other. Come on, can't he feel the effects of burning incense? I was really annoyed, but there was nothing I could do.
Jonatan went back to doing what he did earlier. The smell of the incense filled the room again, and I felt my hair stand on end. I sensed a presence, but when I looked around, there was nothing.
Baannnnnkkk!!
We were startled by the sound of someone kicking the refrigerated cabinet loudly, but there was no one around it.
One of my friends who had his back to the cabinet was startled, and one of them almost fell towards the cadaver. Some of us panicked and almost ran outside, including Winda and Amanda, who were crying in fear.
I approached Jonatan, who looked shocked as well.
"First of all, sorry, Jo. I'm not underestimating what you did. But I feel like what you did might be the cause of all this," I said.
Jonatan was still in shock and confusion.
"Here." I took the burning incense. "According to my family's beliefs, among the Javanese, this is what invites them." And I put it out.
Jonatan didn't protest; he understood what I did.
I appeared calm, but it didn't mean I wasn't afraid. Truthfully, my heart was almost jumping out of my chest. The difference was, I didn't cry like the two women.
Putting out the incense didn't mean the disturbances ceased entirely. I still felt like whispers or the sound of objects falling were present, but it wasn't as extreme as before.
The first day of practice was quite exhausting. Fortunately, today didn't involve any surgical procedures. I rode my motorbike back to my boarding house, and as I got off, I heard the familiar sound that I heard every day. Honestly, it bothered me a little, but I always tried to think of it as a melody, the worst song.
Lying down was the best way to relieve fatigue, although the expression of the cadaver still lingered in my mind.
There was nothing for me to do after practice today, just the usual mundane activities. Until night came, after Maghrib prayer, I lay down again, replying to some incoming messages, and eventually fell asleep on my own. And then, I woke up in the middle of the night. It had become a habit for me to wake up in the middle of the night if I slept too early, not just because I hadn't prayed Isha yet. But it had become a habit.
I sat up, and once again, I reached for my phone, the first thing I always looked for. There were three messages, but I ignored them, focusing only on the time displayed on the screen. Before heading to the bathroom, I heard something.
Cciiieett! Ciieett! Ciieett!
At first, I disregarded it, as my mind was still groggy from sleep. After coming out of the bathroom, I returned to my spot, and the sound was still there.
Cciiieett! Ciieett! Ciieett!
Finally, I took the time to listen carefully. For a few moments, I stood frozen like a street performer dressed as a hero in Kota Tua. I sharpened my sense of hearing, and I was certain.
The sound came from the wheeled bed with the cadaver.
Continued...
First article: Cadaver Ghost Story Part 1
