Lost in Paradise: A Solo Traveler’s Darkest Nightmare

I had always dreamed of visiting Bali—the emerald rice terraces, the scent of frangipani in the air, and the rhythmic crash of waves on golden beaches. But I never imagined that my journey would lead me deep into the island’s untamed heart, where I would get lost—and realize I wasn’t alone.

It all started as a simple hike to Sekumpul Waterfall, one of the most breathtaking falls in Indonesia. The morning sun filtered through the dense jungle canopy as I followed a narrow dirt path, feeling like an explorer uncovering secrets of a forgotten world. My guidebook mentioned a few twists and turns, but after a while, I realized I hadn’t seen another hiker in quite some time. The path ahead seemed unfamiliar, and as I turned to retrace my steps, I was met with nothing but thick foliage and silence.

Then, a sound. A whisper? A footstep? My pulse quickened as I scanned the trees, but nothing moved. I told myself it was just the wind, just my imagination. Yet, the unsettling feeling in my gut told me otherwise.

Panic threatened to set in, but I forced myself to breathe. I had a bottle of water, a granola bar, and my phone—though the signal was laughably weak. With no other choice, I pressed forward, hoping to find my way back to civilization.

As I walked, I stumbled upon a small village nestled between the trees. Relief flooded through me—until I noticed how eerily quiet it was. A group of children stood motionless, their wide eyes following my every move. An elderly woman, dressed in traditional Balinese attire, emerged from a wooden house, her gaze fixed on me. She gestured for me to follow her inside.

My instincts screamed at me to run, but something about her expression held me in place. She handed me a cup of thick, black kopi Bali, her hands trembling slightly. My fingers curled around the cup, its warmth a stark contrast to the sudden chill creeping up my spine.

The moment I took a sip, a strange dizziness washed over me. My vision blurred. The walls of the house seemed to pulse. The woman’s face twisted into something unreadable, her lips curling into a knowing smile.

Darkness swallowed me whole.

When I woke up, I was no longer in the village. The jungle surrounded me once more, dense and suffocating. My backpack was gone. My phone was missing. And in the distance, just beyond the trees, a shadow moved.

I wasn’t alone.

Sometimes, the best adventures happen when you take a wrong turn. And sometimes, they turn into something else entirely.