THE SOUND THAT NEVER WAS

11 o'clock(ish) 21st July 2008...a broad day light incident...(I forgot to write the proper timing earlier on...)

After printing all the documents that were required, I just turned off the printer and this laptop because the internet suddenly went "limp" for the past couple days and nights till now. My friend, Wan Mah (to AH) was attending to Amir Harith and was reading him his new and latest addition to his collection of books - bought by Cik Za from the Amcorp Mall the evening before. They entitled "Fun All The year with Pooh and Friends. Printed on cloth and well folded into square shaped books with straps to fasten when finished reading them.

Suddenly, she heard an eerie sound that came from no where...she told me, twice it came to her ears. It was quite similar to the "pleading waling sound coming from a woman). I did not hear this. BUT as I walked towards her, I too heard "it" but different in strength and tones. I quickly went to the front window looking out into the compound of our next door neighbor, then towards their main door and next to the window. Nothing amiss had come from there. So, I returned to where Amir Harith was playing.

Then came this wierd "strangled-groaning-sound" , a very loud one...again we rushed to the window trying to locate where it had come from. Instantly I thought, this sounds like the zoo negara environment. But it was so obvious, that was true enough of a human (man) sound, most unlikely an animal sound. It sent my hair to stand at ends, feeling creepy yet not frightened like the incident in...The Lady In The Next Room, when the washing machine was being disturbed. Perhaps the monkey leader's voice? But who on earth having a sound mind would dare holding the monkey and strangle it? Then looking uphill, I notice the neighbor's little boy was at the sliding door looking out, not crying. So, there should not be any trouble coming from their house.

Suspicious and still getting the creeps at this weired sound, I called the area security guard to come and check on other houses. Hey, have I turned into a heroin of the street (or Madam K? K is for kepoh)? He then summoned the head of security from the campus nearby. The likely source of the sound was impossible to trace at all. It was like a hill and an open valley. The sound could have come any directions. But this residential area is far too small for any other large animals except our regular visitors, the monkeys, the squirrels, two gray and one albino biawaks.

By 12 o'clock (at midday) , an empty house opposite us was full of people gathering outside. Its owner was not home and not even at work either. The gate was half opened. We thought there was something amissed coming from this "target" of ours. By sheer coincidence, the front glass window was broken with pieces were still on the ground. An overnight bag was visibly seen being placed in front of the main door, near the glass wall. A white Jazz car, sitting idly in the garage with a black pair of man's shoes nearby. One side of a sports shoe was left near the garden hose. The hilly part with over grown grass looked good enough for a crime spot.

All sorts of theories came up as we gathered outside. Three guards went up the roofs trying to find a way into the house. They did not break open the front door as they would not want to be responsible for any charges on break-ins. They kept the house under surveillance for quite a while. Dared not even call the police yet, because of any eventualities. I was on the phone with some people in the authority from the campus. There was no sound at this time. Everything was quiet.

Upon realizing that Amir Harith may have woken up from his sleep and needed me to feed him, I left and down the hill I came. ODD? That was what we thought. Where could the sound have come from? What could have made that sound?

Until today, 22nd July as I continue this story, the mystery remained unsolved, unanswered and unquestioned by the authorities from the campus. But they lingered on in my mind. In case it was someone being strangled or murdered, WHO was it? It suddenly ring a bell in my memory, a few years back, someone had put a cut-up body from Taman Medan, into the empty rubbish bin in Jalan 12/5 (if I am not mistaken)..............it was published in the paper and being aired on the local TV stations.

Just in time...now Amir Harith is awake and ready for his second feed...but the mysterious afternoon sound still remained in my mind.