Shine O

Red had always been my favourite colour. But for this I wouldn't mind picking yellow, green or even blue. They all look lovely with no exception.


Kuantan is a quiet town. Quiet but rather merciless to me. When the clock stroke 9 and when the moon shine, everything seemed to malfunction unless if you reside at home. Going to clubs might be an option except why go to club when there are no friendly faces, when you don't feel the security anymore. Smoke till you choke, pacify yourself but memorizing some physic equation. We had choices but that night I chose to be mesmerized by the colourful tanglung.


It was lantern festival.


Not the contemporary design that I looked for. I always prefer conventional rather than contemporary. The fact that they were made from papers make them glow brighter with a scented candle inside. Giving you the unexplainable feeling.


I hardly ever say this but I will say it today. I have Chinese blood in me. I love everything related to Chinese except bak kut the and it's family. But when people asked, I will answered ..I'm half Javanese and half Mandahiling. With a little sprinkle of Bugis. The Chinese form? It's not that important to know.


That night while everybody buried themselves in biology or even physics books, my housemates and I aligned those multihued art crafts using a wire that we generally use to hang our clothing. I adored my housemate back in Kuantan. That place didn't do us justice but we still have fun together. Dressed up as if we were in LA and spent lazy hours lying in front of the TV, talking craps was a total bliss.


We laughed and admired how dazzling they floated in the middle of that silent night. I sat in front of the door just staring at those lanterns thinking of how things would be 3 years from now, thinking is there another better life than this. As the night went quieter my body got restless and was begging to feel the softness of my mattress. I hung the remaining lanterns from bedroom ceiling, near my bedroom door. When the light was off, there was only dim luminosity embracing the room. Dim but enough to engender shadows on the wall. Before closing my eyes, I remembered seeing my lanterns floated like some magic spheres. Magnificent


It was a hot night. Heat must have waked me up. Was about to get up and head to the kitchen for a glass of water when I realized something. My lanterns. I stared at the shadow reflection on the wall.


There were not only lanterns. There was also a woman.


Not audacious enough to turn around I just kept staring at the shadow. It gave me a reflection of a woman dancing with my lanterns in her hands. Dreaming I thought, must be. But it won't be a dream when you could hear yourself breathing so hard while your other hand pinching your thigh beneath the cover just to make sure you feel the pain. It was painful, I was not dreaming.


She wore a long dress with a baggy end at the arm part that flapped loudly as she danced. I swear I could feel cold breeze every time she flapped her loose arms. Sweat poured like it's 300 degrees inside. I just shut my eyes and prayed.


I must fall asleep with trepidation since I couldn't summon what happen after that. The next thing I know It was already morning.


I never saw that lady again. Until today I still wonder who she was.


One thing for sure, I never touch any lantern anymore, for some unknown reason.


It's lantern festival again..
Wonder where will the lantern lady be this year.


Have a memorable lantern festival and happy weekend.