Have you got an attic in your house? If you do, and you get scared easily, you might want to avoid this story...
I live in an apartment in Malaysia, on the top floor of our block. Above our flat, there is a large empty space, just below the roof, where the reserve water tanks for the whole building is stored. There is nothing else in this space, just the occasional bird nest and lots of spiders and cobwebs. The only way to access this "attic" space is by climbing up a ladder and going through one of the loose ceiling panels above my balcony.
One night, a typhoon was raging outside in full frenzy, rain lashing against my windows. I was just lying in bed, revising some History for exams (yes, I study in bed, and yes I know it's an awful habit). I was getting increasingly bored (sorry, History teachers!) and as it was getting late, my eyelids were starting to droop.
Suddenly, I heard the sound. It was a deep thundering sound, and initially I thought it was just thunder. Then I heard it again. It sounded like something really big and heavy was rolling on the floor...no, on the ceiling. I stared up at the ceiling, but of course without any X-ray vision I could tell if there was something in the attic space above my room. I listened intently for a few minutes, but there was only silence. I turned back to my book, trying to finish the chapter.
I heard it again, this time for a much longer duration. I could clearly discern that the sound seemed to be moving, like something was rolling from one end of the ceiling to the other. The logical part of my brain took over as I realized that there were large water tanks up there. Fearing that one may have toppled over due to the strong winds, I went to find my dad. Obviously I didn't want a mini flood to happen in the attic and leak down my ceiling.
Dad took a flashlight, climbed up the ladder and opened the panel. Shining the light around and giving the attic a quick scan, he found nothing amiss. All 4 tanks were there, and all were upright, and there was nothing else there. Satisfied, I went back to my room. By this time, the storm had subsided, and the rain was slowing to a gentle drizzle. I turned off the lights, went under my covers, and settled to sleep.
My eyelids flew open. There's the sound again. Louder, and much longer now. It's rolling from one corner to the other, going faster and faster and faster. In the dark, I stared at the ceiling, my heart in my mouth. Squeezing my eyes tightly closed, I started reciting prayers. I could hear the rolling getting even faster now, and so loud I'm surprised the whole house didn't wake up. As I neared the end of my prayers, it suddenly slowed down, and when I finished it stopped abruptly. The sudden silence was deafening. Whatever "it" was, it stopped.
I never found out what "it" was (probably never would), and to this day I have never had such an experience again. But I'm glad "it" chose to stay in the attic instead of visiting me in my room...
I live in an apartment in Malaysia, on the top floor of our block. Above our flat, there is a large empty space, just below the roof, where the reserve water tanks for the whole building is stored. There is nothing else in this space, just the occasional bird nest and lots of spiders and cobwebs. The only way to access this "attic" space is by climbing up a ladder and going through one of the loose ceiling panels above my balcony.
One night, a typhoon was raging outside in full frenzy, rain lashing against my windows. I was just lying in bed, revising some History for exams (yes, I study in bed, and yes I know it's an awful habit). I was getting increasingly bored (sorry, History teachers!) and as it was getting late, my eyelids were starting to droop.
Suddenly, I heard the sound. It was a deep thundering sound, and initially I thought it was just thunder. Then I heard it again. It sounded like something really big and heavy was rolling on the floor...no, on the ceiling. I stared up at the ceiling, but of course without any X-ray vision I could tell if there was something in the attic space above my room. I listened intently for a few minutes, but there was only silence. I turned back to my book, trying to finish the chapter.
I heard it again, this time for a much longer duration. I could clearly discern that the sound seemed to be moving, like something was rolling from one end of the ceiling to the other. The logical part of my brain took over as I realized that there were large water tanks up there. Fearing that one may have toppled over due to the strong winds, I went to find my dad. Obviously I didn't want a mini flood to happen in the attic and leak down my ceiling.
Dad took a flashlight, climbed up the ladder and opened the panel. Shining the light around and giving the attic a quick scan, he found nothing amiss. All 4 tanks were there, and all were upright, and there was nothing else there. Satisfied, I went back to my room. By this time, the storm had subsided, and the rain was slowing to a gentle drizzle. I turned off the lights, went under my covers, and settled to sleep.
My eyelids flew open. There's the sound again. Louder, and much longer now. It's rolling from one corner to the other, going faster and faster and faster. In the dark, I stared at the ceiling, my heart in my mouth. Squeezing my eyes tightly closed, I started reciting prayers. I could hear the rolling getting even faster now, and so loud I'm surprised the whole house didn't wake up. As I neared the end of my prayers, it suddenly slowed down, and when I finished it stopped abruptly. The sudden silence was deafening. Whatever "it" was, it stopped.
I never found out what "it" was (probably never would), and to this day I have never had such an experience again. But I'm glad "it" chose to stay in the attic instead of visiting me in my room...
No comments:
Post a Comment