The journey to Bukit Pandan was a knotty one. There were two accidents at the Kranji Expressway, and the Colonel had to take the nearest exit. The weather was not helpful for the prevailing moods with overcast skies. The clouds seemed pregnant with dark vibes. I felt there was a message. My intuition had picked up some frequency, but I was unable to put shape to it.
The disappearance of the three National Service boys was for a cause, perhaps an unnatural one, but I couldn’t confirm it. I knew the Colonel had put much trust in me, and I needed to be careful in managing his vibes. I could sense he was deeply troubled and needed my help, yet I did not have his complete trust. I had experience dealing with such moods.
As he turned into the Old Bukit Pandan road, he started to narrate.
“We’ll be there soon. There is a road, an old one that we used to move our boys in for training. The entrance is on the eastern side of the forest. The planners labeled it Road nine. It leads to another road in the forests, road ten, which leads out to the west of the forest.”
I found the entrance to Road nine barricaded with a few soldiers standing guard. They saluted upon seeing the Colonel which he returned in a slick fashion. After five minutes over a well cemented road, he turned left into another path which was concealed by the tall trees on both sides.
He pulled over after a few minutes. The thick vegetation had given way to a clearing. I spotted a couple of police cars and a convoy of military Land Rovers. Instantly I felt the gravity of the situation. Leng was uncomfortable and turned to me.
“It is serious.”
“Now do you regret coming along?” I asked.
The pensive look on her face gave way to stiff-lipped stoicism.
“Relax,” The Colonel assured us as we dismounted. “Come now; we have urgent business.”
I sensed the blanket of attention draped over me as I emerged from the car. Instantly, numerous pairs of trained eyes landed on me. I was ushered to a huge tentage that had been set up on flat ground.
“This is the command center. The place I called Base Camp.”
A couple of uniformed personnel had stepped forth upon seeing the Colonel. There were two burly soldiers – one Lieutenant and another staff Sergeant.
“My trusted staff –Lieutenant Razali and Staff Chua Hock.”
Handshakes were exchanged, and their no-nonsense expressions made me nervous.
Razali had a friendly countenance - a round face, heavily double-chinned. He was blessed with an impeccable glossy complexion and wore a broad smile. With his pleasant voice, one that qualified for professional voice-overs, he was a reassuring presence. Staff Sergeant Chua on the other hand had a non-nonsense countenance and his hoarse voice made him look, in comparison to Razali, like crude beer next to smooth wine.
“You look familiar,” I couldn't help but ask the Lieutenant.
“I was your student,” He said. “An evening module called the Interpretation of Customs and Traditions on the Master of Sociology programme.”
It hit me like hammer on a nail. Yes! Razali Bin Ismail.
“He is one of the reasons why we approached you,’ The Colonel explained. “Your stories.”
I felt a flush up my face. My habits of sharing my adventures with students could sometimes come back to bite me. I had barely continued when the Colonel motioned for everyone into a tentage where there was telecommunication equipment and a whiteboard. Instantly, my eyes caught sight of the photographs of the missing NS personnel, with their names, rank, and age below the pictures.
Corporal Chris Chen. 3rd Sergeant Ho Tai Yuan and Corporal M. Aayush.
Chris Chen and Ho Tai Yuan are both 22, and Aayush is 23.
While I was absorbed with their pictures, the Colonel made a quick introduction that caught me off
guard.
“Gentlemen, Dr. Anthony Jin, the legendary Supernatural Professor. The man who we all hope can help to find the boys.”
There was a round of lame applause, which gave me insight into how seriously they took me.
I nodded and cleared my throat before speaking.
“Thank you, Colonel. I am no Supernatural Professor, just a humble servant at your service.”
The Colonel asked for a brief, and Staff Chua stepped up and summarised with the whiteboard behind him.
“Now, we are on the third shift with fifty men searching the grounds. We will have a company of Gurkhas with us after 4pm.”
“Progress?”
Staff Chua spoke.
“The last round of searches revealed nothing. They found no traces of the missing soldiers.”
The Colonel looked at me and then added, “But-“
“But what?”
“The police squad has found something interesting.”
“Belonging to the boys?”
Staff Chua was hesitant.
The Colonel looked at me and nodded.
“Dr. Ant Jin is here at my invitation at the sanction of the Chief of Defence. Please treat him as one of us.”
Staff Chua took his orders well and went on to say, “The police have actually found a handphone that belongs to Chris Chen.” He explained, “ It was at the spot near the huge Flame Tree at Trail eighty-one.”
“What’s Trail eighty-one?” I asked innocently.
“It is a path up to Point two-hundred-and-eighty-eight (288), the highest point in the nature reserve.” Lieutenant Razali chipped in, “However, I found this strange.”
“What’s strange?” I asked.
“We've been up and down the trail. We have covered every inch of the ground since the boys were confirmed missing, but we’ve found nothing. Nobody spotted the phone, and now they’ve found it.” Razali added.
“Maybe it was dark, and the vegetation was thick.” Staff Chua muttered.
“There is a possibility that it could be an oversight, plain luck. It would be interesting if it was left there on purpose for us to find.”
“Purpose? Who could it be?”
I smiled. “We will soon find out. Can I see the phone?”
There was a moment of silence as Razali and Staff Chua again looked at the Colonel for an answer. Good soldiers.
The Colonel nodded. “Please, go get it.”
Staff Chua stepped out and returned ten minutes later with a plastic bag that contained the phone.
I took it over from him and checked the handphone. It was a Samsung A81. The phone was on, and the battery was down to the last bar. Surprisingly, there was no password. I accessed it and began to check the folders.
“What are you looking for?” Razali quizzed.
“Have the police or anybody else checked the phone?"
Nobody answered, and I continued.
I accessed the pictures gallery and wasted no time in checking the videos. There was something in the folder I found intriguing.
“What’s this?” I mumbled, and Leng and Colonel leaned over to peep.
“Pitch black.” The Colonel pronounced.
“Exactly! Nothing but darkness. Could be a random shot.” Leng uttered.
It was tempting to pass off the picture as one taken at random. The black image indicated that the person who took the picture might have taken it by mistake while the lens was on his palm or body. However, upon examination there seemed to be a silhouette. There was a lighter shade but I struggled with identification.
The phone was passed around, Razali and Staff Chua said the same as Colonel, and then I asked for the lights to be turned off. After it was dark in the tentage, I adjusted the contrast. I checked again. I saw something.
I spotted something.
“There is something, or, more precisely, someone.”
All the heads crowded over my extended hand with the phone. In a moment of uncoordinated spontaneity, we said.
“It’s a... face!”
A chilling blanket of eerie silence fell on the tentage. Even the other personnel in the background stopped their work when they heard our chorus.
I was intrigued.
“I think it may be...”
“What are you doing?!”
A bolt of a sharp voice broke me in mid-sentence. I sensed vexation in the voice, a lady’s voice. I turned to find a lady who had a commanding presence. Her hair was swept back in a bun, and her almond-shaped eyes lent an aura of austerity. Her deep tan also gave her a cloak of authority.
“What do you think you are doing?”
She confronted me.
I felt her voice shearing at my cheeks. Before I could offer a word of explanation, she had snatched the phone from my hands.
“Your fingerprints are all over the phone. Who the hell you think you are?”
As I reeled from the shock and struggled for an answer demanded by the new arrival, CK came to the rescue. “This is Dr. Anthony Jin. He teaches at the University of Singapore.” “University of Singapore? Then why is he here?” A flush of heat crawled down my neck. I felt like a 10-year old who had been caught playing truant and now had to give a reason for my existence. I had never before in my life felt the need to do so. “I had clearance from the Chief, ASP Wong.” The Colonel continued in a firm tone and his face had a unflappable expression. A man of steel who had seen rough waves. He turned to me and smiled. “This is Assistant Superintendent Wong. She leads the police team who is assisting us with the search operation.” The lady police officer rolled her eyes over to me and then looked at the Colonel. “How is he going to help you? Help us?” Her thoughtful questions had the Colonel mellowing h
After the brief by the Colonel, I headed back to my office. Whilst on the road, my mind was brimming with theories on the whats and what ifs of the disappearance of the soldiers. The stories I had heard about Bukit Pandan in the past were never taken seriously. I never thought I would have any entanglements with the place. Now, that seems to have changed. There was a streak of light from the setting sun that shot through the foliage of trees outside onto my desk. How apt! Just like the new responsibility that had just fallen on it My heart is heavy. There is real danger, but I cannot put shape to that menace. How things have changed. This morning, I had expected a run-of-the-mill week – the usual grind of lectures and tutorials. But by evening, I had been sucked, succinctly by destiny, into what could potentially be an exciting adventure. Three missing soldiers. Where could they have gone? A real case of AWOL? They are dead? I quickly
The jungle was a sea of darkness and in the background, a cacophony of insect sounds heralded the start of darkness. The Army had a few field lights mounted along a path that led to the Base Camp. Were it not for the illumination, I could barely see my hands. The only respite I enjoyed was the fragrance of the Pandan plant, which carried a soothing quality. It was a favorite ingredient in Chinese dessert soups. “What was that?” I asked, referring to the series of lights floating through the darkness. “Search party. The last for tonight.” Staff Chua explained, “It’s getting late. Almost nine pm and we don’t want to lose another soldier to the night.” He sounded dispirited. I soon noticed everyone I met in the tentage was plain tired. “Did they make any progress after I left?” Staff Chua shook his head. “Where is the Colonel?” “He left to brief the Ministry officials. He mentioned he would be back to meet you later.
I mastered my breathing like taking the reins to a running horse. Bringing it down to a steady and firm gallop, I found myself slipping into the mode of meditation. Like I've found a door, I entered and found myself hearing the innate temp of the woods, a crisp and low thumping tone. I trained my mind to scan my landscape, almost like a supernatural radar. Nothing happened. I could still hear the insects, Razali’s breathing. I also felt the vibes of Staff Chua, a dare devil’s attitude, and the overwhelming dampness of the forest. Then it came, sliding into the frame. A whiff of air built into an icy breeze. There was a void, that familiar emptiness when I crossed dimensions. In a moment, I could no longer hear Razali or the insect squeaks. I had successfully entered the other dimension. The world that is invisible to the average human being. As I opened my eyes, I was greeted by a dark environment with a scene of sporadic stars of illumination. Each
I saw stars after the unexpected attack and felt like someone had landed an elephant on my head, with a terrible pain reverberating up my spine. My internal defence mechanism sets in and gradually nullify the impact on my senses. However before I could see the assailant, I was again lifted from the ground and pulled through the air like there was an invisible carriage that dragged me. In circles, I went. I was abruptly dropped to the ground but regained consciousness in time. Exercising my immense willpower, I brought myself to a soft landing. Despite my spinning head, I lifted my paintbrush and scribbled an attack command, and created a circle of yellow energy. Ohm! I bellowed with all the energy I could muster and sent the circle into the darkness. I looked around me, but the assailant was nowhere in sight. The next moment, I sensed something on my shoulder. It was light but perceptible. I checked. A streak of hair! As I
“What is going on?” Someone bellowed. It was the Colonel, and he had arrived at the Lone Flame Tree site, with three soldiers tagging behind him. Earlier on, he had walked into the tentage to find Dr. Anthony and his staff missing. “Where’s Ant?” Staff Chua pointed to where Ant Jin was seated. “What is going on?” “He performed some rituals. He told us he crossed the portal to look for the boys.” Lieutenant Razali explained. “Portal? What portal?” The Colonel looked around at the span of darkness. “To the other world. The other dimensions.” Razali raised his pointer finger. A befuddled Colonel, trying to come to terms with the latest development, swiftly squatted to check on Anthony “I should have stayed and accompanied him.” He took another look and said “What if something happens to him and…” The Colonel paused. He had seen something. and what he saw drew an exclaim. “He’s bleeding!” Razal
I was swimming helplessly against a stream. My limbs were heavy, and despite my efforts, I was static. It was an endless motion, and I felt lead in my limbs. When I was about to give up, I saw a tunnel of light ahead. Instantly, things seemed easier. I stayed afloat, and the peddling became effortless. As I swam ahead, I saw a silhouette. A female figure. She turned around. She is my mother! The sight injected buoyancy into me. Her merciful features, her benign smile, and the way she waved at me. I found the strength to steer myself to the bank and waded out of the waters, extracting myself from the baleful pain. Most importantly, I found clarity in my mind. “Mama?” I looked up, but she had disappeared. A sense of forlornness wrapped over me. A dark sense of hollowness that came with the loss crashed my ego. “Anthony. Anthony.” I heard my name and turned. I found my mother standing by a tree next to the ba
“We found one of the boys!" "Who is the soldier?" "Chris Chen!” The Colonel jumped with joy and hugged me. The gesture touched a sore spot on my back, but I resisted showing my discomfort. “Anthony! It works!” “He’s doing the right thing!” Colonel continued as he looked at ASP Wong. “I did the right thing?” “You showed us the direction. You brought back that clue from the other dimension?” “Colonel. I indicated the area before I passed out?” “You don’t remember? ” The Colonel drew closer. My brain was void of memory before I passed out in the other dimension. The trauma from the encounter had damaged my sensory abilities. My internal defense mechanism may have buffered the shock but it will take time for a full recovery. I am still trying to remember her facial features. “Don’t worry Anthony. Tell us more when you’re ready.” The Colonel assured. “I hope that moment is sooner rathe