Tuesday, January 21, 2025

The Shadows of RSCM

 Here’s a long, engaging horror story inspired by the real-life RSCM (Rumah Sakit Cipto Mangunkusumo) in Jakarta. This will combine historical facts, urban legends, and fictional elements to create a chilling tale.



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The Shadows of RSCM


Jakarta's Rumah Sakit Cipto Mangunkusumo (RSCM) has stood tall since the early 20th century, its halls echoing with countless stories of hope, despair, and death. Established during the Dutch colonial era, RSCM was initially called Centrale Burgelijke Ziekeninrichting (CBZ), a hospital meant to treat the elite. Over decades, it transformed into one of Indonesia's largest and busiest hospitals. However, for every patient saved within its walls, whispers of ghostly encounters followed, carried from room to room like an uninvited shadow.





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The Beginning of a Long Night


Anita was a junior nurse on her first night shift in the Emergency Unit. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, and the faint scent of antiseptic lingered in the air. The emergency ward was quieter than usual, an eerie calm in a place usually chaotic with cries and rushing footsteps.


“Anita, don’t forget to check on Ward C,” said Sister Lusi, the senior nurse. Her tone carried a strange heaviness. Anita nodded, clutching her clipboard tighter.


Ward C was infamous among the staff. It was part of the older section of the hospital, a place few dared to enter unless absolutely necessary. Rumors of ghostly apparitions and unexplained phenomena had made it a hotspot for urban legends.



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The First Encounter


The corridor leading to Ward C was dimly lit, with flickering lights casting long, dancing shadows. Anita’s footsteps echoed as she approached the ward. As she pushed the heavy metal door open, the air felt colder.


She entered and glanced around. There were only four patients, each lying motionless on their beds. The sound of the heart monitor was the only sign of life. One patient, an elderly man named Pak Darman, turned his head slowly toward her.


“You shouldn’t be here,” he croaked, his eyes wide with fear.


“Don’t worry, Pak. I’m just checking your IV,” Anita replied, trying to hide her unease.


Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed behind her. She turned, expecting to see another nurse, but the corridor was empty. Her chest tightened as a faint whisper brushed her ear: “Leave.”



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The Whispering Room


Shaking off her fear, Anita continued her rounds. In the far corner of Ward C was Room 309, a place rumored to be the center of the hospital’s hauntings. During World War II, it was allegedly used by Japanese soldiers to interrogate prisoners. Some believed the tortured souls still lingered.


As Anita approached Room 309, the door creaked open on its own. Inside, the room was darker than the rest of the ward. A broken window allowed the wind to howl through, carrying with it the faint scent of decay.


She stepped inside and froze. On the far wall, someone had scrawled “Mati di sini” (Die here) in what looked like dried blood. Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind her. Anita spun around, her heart pounding.


A soft, raspy voice filled the room. “You can’t save them.”


The shadows in the room seemed to move, coalescing into the shape of a woman in a tattered hospital gown. Her face was pale, her eyes sunken and lifeless. Anita’s scream caught in her throat as the figure moved closer, reaching out a skeletal hand.



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The Ghost’s Story


Anita stumbled backward, her back hitting the wall. “Wh-what do you want?” she stammered.


The ghost tilted her head, as if pondering the question. Then, she whispered a name: “Siti.”


Later that night, Anita frantically searched the hospital records. She found a file on Siti, a patient who had died mysteriously in Room 309 during the 1940s. The report mentioned “sudden asphyxiation” and was marked with a stamp reading “Unsolved.”


Anita couldn’t shake the feeling that Siti’s death wasn’t natural. Determined to uncover the truth, she spoke to the older nurses, who reluctantly shared the story: during the Japanese occupation, Siti had been accused of being a spy. She was tortured and eventually strangled in Room 309. Since then, many patients who stayed in that room reported seeing her ghost.



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The Final Showdown


The following night, Anita returned to Room 309 with a small prayer book in her pocket. She wanted to help Siti’s spirit find peace. As soon as she entered, the air grew heavy, and a cold breeze swept past her.


The ghost of Siti appeared again, but this time, she wasn’t alone. The shadows of men—tall, looming figures—surrounded her. Their faces were obscured, but their intentions were clear. These were the spirits of her tormentors, still haunting her even in death.


Anita stood her ground, clutching the prayer book. She began reciting a prayer, her voice trembling but determined. The shadows writhed and shrieked, but Anita didn’t stop. Slowly, the oppressive air lifted, and Siti’s ghost turned to her, a faint smile crossing her face.


“Thank you,” Siti whispered before disappearing.



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The Aftermath


The next morning, the staff found Anita asleep in a chair outside Room 309. When she woke, she told them everything. The older nurses nodded knowingly, while the younger ones looked skeptical.


Room 309 was officially closed off after that night. The hospital administration claimed it was due to “structural issues,” but the staff knew the truth.


Anita continued working at RSCM but never entered Ward C again. Yet, she often felt a gentle presence near her, as if Siti was watching over her, grateful for her courage.



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Epilogue


To this day, stories of ghosts and strange occurrences continue to surround RSCM. Visitors and staff alike have reported hearing whispers, seeing shadowy figures, and feeling an unexplained chill in the air. Whether you believe in spirits or not

, one thing is certain: the hospital holds more than just medical history within its walls.