2010-10-17 - 12:29 p.m.
My brother's girlfriend Dindi told me this story.:P She said it was based on a true event, related to early rumours about Cipularang highway.
First of all, Cipularang is a highway that connects Jakarta straight to Bandung, West Java. It was built sometime around early 2000's. Since then, strange things have been happening around there...
One Friday night, a family was traveling from Jakarta to Bandung. The father was driving his wife and their seven-year-old son through Cipularang. At that time, not many cars passed by.
Suddenly the boy chirped:
"Mommy, I need to go."
"We're not there yet, sweetie," his mother calmly told him. "Just hold on a little, okay?"
"But I can't," he wailed anxiously. "I really need to go."
His father gave in and pulled over by the curb. The mother and the son got out of the car together. She carried her flashlight and switched it on, directing the light on the bushes a few steps ahead at the corner. The boy rushed towards them and soon disappeared behind one.
"Be careful, it's dark there," his mother warned him. "And don't take too long."
"Okay, Mom."
Five minutes after that, the boy returned. Then the family continued their journey to Bandung.
Something had changed the boy abruptly since that night. He had grown quiet and pale. He didn't want to eat nor play any games. He didn't want to buy any toys. He didn't want to do anything.
His parents were worried. It was so unlike him.
"I'm afraid that he might be sick," his mother told his father. "I think we should go home soon and take him to the doctor."
The boy's father agreed, so they shortened their holiday. The evening after that, they drove back to Jakarta - through Cipularang. But then the same thing happened again.
"Mommy, I need to go."
Just like the previous night, the father gave in and pulled over to the curb. The mother and the son got out of the car. She used the same flashlight and shone it to the bushes. The boy ran towards them and soon disappeared in the darkness.
"Don't take too long, okay?"
"Okay, Mom."
However, this time the boy didn't return. After ten minutes, his mother started calling out his name. No reply. She called out again, louder this time. Still, no reply.
Feeling worried, she told her husband in the car. But when they searched the bushes, they realized to their horror that their son was nowhere to be found. Where was he?
Suddenly, the father's cellphone rang. He answered it.
It was from the nearest police station. An obviously concerned and suspicious officer informed them that their son was in the station. They were shocked even more. How was that possible?! The police station was so very far from where they'd stopped.
When they reached the police station, they found their son sitting in there. When the boy saw them, he started crying.
"Why did you leave me?"
"H-how did you get here so fast?" his mother stammered. A uniformed officer stepped in to explain.
"Sir, Ma'am," he said gently, "your son has been here for a couple of nights already. We found him wandering the corner of the highway alone."
When the parents looked at their crying boy, an eerie sensation ran down their spines.
He was still wearing the same clothes he had - the very first night they passed Cipularang...
The Author/SBF
