Mysterious Journey

Annisa gazed out the plane window at the sun's reflection on the wing, above it the buttercup coloured clouds streamed towards a blue grey sky. She felt relaxed now knowing the long flight was almost over and she would be landing soon. She was excited yet somewhat apprehensive about the country she was visiting, as she had never been to Bali. Even the name of the place conjured up thoughts of a mystical exotic island in her mind. Annisa was such a novice traveller, who had never ventured much further than her own backyard. Annisa was travelling with a purpose, following her late mother's request to reconnect with her Uncle and enjoy a vacation in a place that inspired her mother to paint.

Annisa's thoughts drifted off as she remembered the trauma and pain of losing her mother last year to a sudden illness. Tears welled up in her eyes as she remembered her frail mother holding her hand in her final moments. She touched the antique necklace around her delicate neck that her mother had willed to her, it meant so much to her now. It had all seemed like a surreal nightmare, the day the phone rang and the Doctor indicated her mother had but a few months to live. Even now, the reality hit hard like a gut wrenching sickness that crept through her insides, making her feel nauseous and her palms perspire. Suddenly a loud voice interrupted her hazy thoughts and she perked up in her seat "This is your Captain speaking, welcome to Bali, the temperature is 26 degrees celsius, passengers please prepare to disembark."

Annisa grabbed her laptop, purse and carry on luggage and stood in the crowded aisle way. Once she arrived at the door of the plane, she stopped to smell the warm floral breeze brushing against her face. Stepping down the metal stairs, suddenly she felt her low heel catch on something and catapulted forwards clumsily falling downwards, unable to stop herself. "Oh nooooo"! she managed to call out as she found herself crumpled on a cold metal step, her buttocks stinging from coming down hard. A stewardess came up the stairs to help her "Are you okay mam?" Annisa was disoriented but responded "Ummm, yes I think so." Annisa was so embarrassed, her face was flushed but she took the hand of the stewardess and jumped up quickly, then made her way down the stairs. It was then that she realized the heel to her shoe was broken and dragging alongside the shoe sideways in an awkward state with the nail protruding outwards. She started to laugh as she hobbled along the tarmac on a heel-less shoe, with a sore butt and luggage in tow. This could only happen to me! she thought, limping along like a pathetic gimpy degenerate, giggling at her misfortune.

Arriving at the terminal she stopped to pull the broken heel off her shoe and proceeded to baggage x-ray line and customs. After being cleared Annisa made her way to exit doors to locate her airport transfer.

Outside there were crowds of people and she heard men calling out "taxi! taxi!" She inched her way towards a small man holding a sign with her name on it. "Hello, do you speak English?" she said. The man smiled and nodded his head "You Annisa? I speeek some Aaanglis, ok?" He opened the back door for her and hurled her luggage into the trunk of the small blue car. Then the driver hurried to his seat and hit the gas hard, she had no time to buckle her seatbelt. Annisa found herself rolling sideways in the cab, she found herself giggling again at her own clumsiness. The driver looked in rear view mirror "you ok ladeee?" With laughter in her voice she responded "Yes, I am fine thanks". Annisa gained composure and locked her seatbelt just in time, as the cab shook up and down from bumps and potholes in the road.

Annisa looked ou the cab window, the passed many worn out sheds with metal roofs, bamboo stands with fruit, hanging ducks and cooped chickens. Children were playing in the streets, with worn out clothing, some with no shoes. Motorcycles sped next to the cab startling her and making her feel anxious about being in this raw uncivilized place. The cab abruptly stopped and she felt herself jolt against the seat, shaking her out of her frightened state of mind. The cab driver was at her door, luggage at her feet. "Ok ladeee you get out here." She saw a dirt road and jungle with monkeys scampering around. "What, here?" she murmered. He bowed and pointed down a laneway. She paid him in Indonesian currency with a tip and he bowed. The cab disappeared in a brown cloud of dust down the winding road.

Annisa walked to the small laneway ahead, overgrown with tropical foliage and large leafy vines that twisted up into some gnarly knotted trees. The humidity was rising and she was exhausted to the point of hallucination. She heard unusual bird noises overhead and kept seeing movement in the bushes. Her heart sank and she felt alone in this wild environment, she must be crazy coming here. Fear overcame her, her heart was racing and she began to walk more quickly. Suddenly rustling bushes caught her attention, she came to an abrupt stop "Helloooo?" she meekly called out. She saw dark glowing evil eyes in the greenery and shrieked, jumping back in horror. A small black hairy pig with a dirty snout emerged and squealed past her, running away. Regaining her footing and composure she felt silly for being frightened of a small pig.

In the hazy light of the dusty pathway ahead she was mesmerized by the view ahead of a beautiful cottage in the middle of overgrown foliage, bamboo shoots and vines. There was a large front porch with hand carved posts depicting leaves, flowers and elephants. Over the front door was a teak archway carved with intricate floral petals and vines, with two large brass handles on the door itself. The house resembled an exotic jungle treehouse with a thatched roof and wood constrction.

Arriving at the front door she could smell the scent of a woody jasmine incense in the air. Before she could knock, the door opened and before her stood an older distinguished man with a grey beard wearing khaki jungle attire. "Annisa, it has been such a long time, so happy to see you." he wrapped his large arms around her and enveloped her in a warm hug. "It is nice to see you Uncle Nico, it has been many years" she smiled at him.

"Come inside Annisa, I know you must be exhausted from travelling but there is something you must see." She followed her Uncle to a small room bathed in sunlight from a half shuttered window. "Here are some books that belonged to your mother, journals, diaries and photo books of her time in Bali." Annisa felt overjoyed to see the remnants of her mother's past life here and she was excited to read journals of her mother's adventures and teaching life in Bali. "Of most importance, is this small black notebook" he said and handed her the leather notebook. "thank you Uncle Nico". He looked into her eyes and said "I suggest you take it to the back porch and read it carefully". She looked at him quizzically. "alright, I can try to read it, hopefully I won't fall asleep" she chuckled.

Annisa took the black notebook to the back porch, where she kicked off her shoes and made herself comfortable on a bamboo daybed. She plumped up the silk pillows and placed them behind her back. She opened the leather cover of the notebook and began to read "Dearest Annisa, I gave you an Indonesian name when you were born meaning "lady" and you have grown to be a beautiful intelligent lady. Bali has been like my second home and I enjoyed teaching children English here, it brought meaning and purpose to my life. Bali is a paradise full of nature to explore and experience. Please find time to re-evaluate your life and its meaning, find purpose and let your heart guide you to do the right thing. I have left you a gift and the key to the necklace I gave you will open a whole new world for you. Go to the garden and open the door to the replica temple, then use the skeleton key to open the beautiful box. Love you always, forever in my heart, Mom.

Annisa stood up from the daybed and swayed from exhaustion. She walked the stone path into the beautiful garden where she found a small temple structure. crouching down, she opened the metal doorand looked inside. She saw a carved wood box. She reached in feeling cobwebs which made her shiver and pull her hand back out. She wiped the cobwebs away and put her hands in again, this time pulling out the box. She took off her necklace and inserted the key into the lock, it sprung open. She was shocked to see a lot of money in bundles inside, she flipped through bundles of $1000.00 each, counting to $20,000.00. Wow, what did her mother want her to do with this small fortune? She said follow my heart. Before she could stand up, suddenly she felt a cold hard object hit her head "bang" it echoed, she spiralled into a tunnel of darkness.

Gasping loudly, trying to catch her breath, Annisa awoke and sat upright in terror. Panicked and fearful, she felt her heart pounding in her chest. Her mind still swirling, her thoughts muddled and confused. Slowly she focused into her surroundings, she started to calm down. her breathing slower as she looked around, realizing she was in familiar surroundings, in her own bed. How did I get here she thought? She brought her hand up to her chest and then to her throat, she felt the coldness of the necklace with the skeleton key. She realized she had dreamt the entire journey and yet the journey was still to be taken. Her airline tickets sat with her passport on the dresser next to her bed. Was this all a dream or a premonition? Was this an indication of events yet to come?

the End

Monique Carroll

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