This is another love story, but it doesn’t have an ending, not for the time being. It started off few years ago, after the millennium. I never get Internet ready until after the millennium, when most people ask me why, I just said that it is because of the millennium bug. Actually, the real reason is that I don’t feel the need for it until I came back for my advance diploma.
Life is boring in Singapore, maybe only applied to me. So I was back in Singapore and I am back in poly, and I know that it is going to be a long boring one full year for me. It was one boring afternoon in early February; I went down to Bugis for a walk after I finish my class in poly. I happen to wander into an Internet café and decided to give a try on the Internet. I was sitting in front of the computer staring at the monitor screen, didn’t know where I should start.
Just then I saw a double deck bus passing by outside the café, and there is an ad on a popular website printed on the bus. So I decided to give it a try, and I typed the website address into the browser. It was a good website, I never knew it until much later. I manage to found a chat room channel and went in there for a chat. I didn’t know what nick to use, so I put a make believe name of Hydro, never knew that I was struck with this nick for the rest of my life.
From that chat room, I get to know a lot of friends, mostly girls of course. I slowly get to learn more and more things on the Internet after that, starting from email, messaging, homepage, forum and more. I was kind of addicted to the Internet, never ever able to quit it until now.
It was one evening, about one month later; I was in the same chat room chatting with my regular chat room friends. Katze a nick who have remain silent in the chat room for the pass one month start to PM me, saying that she would like to know more about me, so we start chatting in private.
“Why use a nick as Hydro?”
“The reason for this nick is that I just attend a lesson one morning about machinery lubrication; it can be Hydrodynamic or Hydrostatic. It kind of suit the double personality of me, the dynamic side of me is the cheerful outdoor type who will try any thing for an adventure, the static side of me is the quiet indoor type who can sit down peacefully to enjoy reading a book with a background of smoothing music. And Hydro is another name for water, which is an element that had been closely relate to me since the day I was born. What about you? Why Katze?”
“It is German for Cat.”
“You like cats? You know German?”
“Yes and yes, because I admire the German artist Vincent Van Gogh.”
“Starry Starry Night?”
“How did you know about that?”
“A song I like a lot.”
“Me too, it’s by Don Mclean and the actual name of the song is Vincent.”
Since then Starry Starry Night or so call Vincent have been the song for Katze and me, just like the song Love Me by Collin Raye have been the song for MG and me.
“Why the sudden silent”
“Suddenly thought of my ex girlfriend.”
“You still love her a lot?”
“I don’t know, use to fold 500 paper cranes for her.”
“That is so romantic, just like Vincent Van Gogh.”
“No, Vincent Van Gogh is insane, he cut his ear off.”
“Love is crazy.”
“You like poems?”
“Yes, why?”
“I give you my homepage address, I have posted some of my work there, just tell me what you think after reading that.”
“Ok.”
We log off after that, promise that we will be there for each other at the same time every night.
“Have you read my poems? What did you think about it?”
“Yes, and I felt the sorrow and loneliness in it.”
“How can that be? Most of my friends say that it give them a feeling of a carefree spirit after reading it.”
She was right, she seem to be the only one who can feel what my heart really felt deep inside.
“I saw your photos too, you are so tall and handsome. I always want a boyfriend that look like you.”
“What about you? It is kind of unfair now that you know how I look and I know nothing about you.”
“I don’t have any homepage, do you have ICQ? I send it to you.”
“I Seek You? Sure.”
She was a simple looking girl, but I knew there is a beautiful soul hiding inside there. Since then we switch from chat room to ICQ, until one year later.
“I am finishing my course and I will be going oversea soon, I will not be able to use chat room or ICQ. I give you my email address.”
“Ok, sure.”
She did send me email, nothing interesting except one.
‘The fish is crying, but the water is unable to see it’
I replied.
‘Water doesn’t need to see the tears, because he can feel the fish in his heart.’
It was six long months; actually it would not be so bad if not of the terrorist act on the world trade center. I felt that life is short, so I decide to go Guang Zhou for a tour just to meet Katze in person. I manage to contact her on ICQ and got her mobile phone number. There she was wait patiently for me when I walk out of the airport on a Saturday afternoon in late December.
The first two days were the happiest time of my life since MG left me, we been to many places. Her knowledge in history was amazing, and I just kept quiet and listen. It was Sunday night; we were walking along Pearl River wanting to buy ticket for the river cruise. Some kids were selling roses there, and I brought a stalk for her. We were trying to cross the road, and I make use of the chance to hold her hand. I don’t know what I am thinking that time, I kind of thought about MG and quickly let go of her hand after we cross the road.
“You are still in love with MG until now?”
“I don’t know. I really don’t know.”
“I can never ever take a place in your heart if MG is still inside there.”
The rest of the night pass by in silent, I know the fish is crying again, I don’t need to see the tears cause I can feel it in my heart.
The rest of my stay in Guang Zhou was miserable; I tried to send a SMS to her every night but no reply ever come back.
Monday night.
‘Because of you, I spend half year of my saving to come all the way to see you. Because of this meet up, I even practice the way I breathe. Words can never express even 0.1% of my feeling for you. Because of this, I toss and turn in the night, unable to fall asleep.’
Tuesday night.
‘The way you care for me is the tragic that goes unnoticed by me. It only locks onto my heart whenever you are not around me. The friendliness that you have shown me is the regret of my life. It only shown on you face whenever I hurt you.’
Wednesday night.
‘Put my truthful love inside your palm, maybe we will be able to meet again someday. Write your name inside my heart, so that the storm will not be able to disturb the peacefulness inside.’
I left Guang Zhou with a broken heart. Never heard from her again until another six months later.
She sent me an email.
‘Loving a sailor is a high price to pay,
Loving him truly is hard when he is away,
It is being alone with nothing to hold,
It is being young but feelings so old,
It is having him whisper his love for you,
It is whispering back you love him too,
There comes a kiss and a promise for more,
As his ship slowly glides away from the shore,
Reluctantly, painfully letting her goes,
While your inside are dying from wanting him so,
Watching him leave with eyes full of tears,
Standing alone with your hopes, dreams and fears,
It is sending a letter with the stamp upside down,
To a far away love in a far away town,
It is going to temple to kneel and pray,
And really meaning the things you says,
Being in love will foster your dreams,
Of that far away sailor your mind fairly beams,
Days go by, no mail for a spell,
You wait for some word to hear that he is well,'
Then a letter arrives and you are given in,
To open his letter and read it with a grin,
Yes, he is well and misses you so,
And filled with the love you wanted to know,
Weeks are like months and months are like years,
You wait for the day when you will have no more fears,
Days go by slowly, how many have passed,
Then suddenly you realize it is here at last,
Yes, loving a sailor bitterness and fears,
Loneliness, sadness and despondent years,
Loving a sailor is no fun,
But it is worth the price when the battle is won
And remember he is thinking of you everyday,
He is sad and he is lonely while so far away,
So love him and miss him and hold your head high,
Be strong and have faith, wipe that tears from your eyes,
Your man is a seafarer, like that old ancient trader,
It is a high price you pay for loving a sailor!’
I replied.
‘I shouldn’t have thought about MG and let go of your hand, I should have give you a kiss before I left.’
Monday, November 30, 2009
Love Story
It all started long time ago, on a Wednesday afternoon at the poly swimming pool. I never knew it started so early until MG told me the truth after she gives me her first kiss. I was doing my second year while she just joins the poly for first year. I love swimming a lot, and I like to do a bit of skin diving once in a while. I always swim at the ploy swimming pool every Wednesday afternoon, and that afternoon she went there for a swim with her classmates.
What caught her attention was that I was able to hold my breath and dive the breath of the swimming pool with ease. She was impressed and told some of her guy classmate that whoever can do the same thing; she will reward him with a kiss. Of course, none of them are able to do it, so she had make up her mind that her kiss was only for me.
She started off asking around for any information about me, and she manage to found out that one of her best friend was just starting go out with my best friend AK. Maybe it was fate; AK told me that the girl he is going after is kind of shy and wanted a group dating. Of course, MG was there to be my date whenever we went out for a group date. Every thing seems to be so perfect, for we have so much in common. We thought our love story would last till eternity, and we could even die for each other too.
As time goes by, we start to become steady and hang out more often as a pair, and of course as I have said earlier she give me her first kiss and told me the real reason for that kiss. I was a quiet, shy and shabby guy back then, the only clothing I wear is T-shirts and jeans, I could take a shower with just a piece of soap. I don’t know why, girls always want to change their guy after they have given them their most precious thing. The same thing happen to me, I was force to dress up more appropriately, and I had to start using shampoo, facial wash and shower foam.
Then problems start to happen between us, seem like I manage to get a lot of attention from other girls after that. Whenever I sit alone at the poly canteen having my lunch, girls tend to prefer to sit around me, and whenever MG saw that she will become angry for no reason. I also found out later that one of her best friend DT was having a crush on me, and she was making up tales behind my back to destroy my relationship.
Christmas was coming round the corner; I thought it might be a very good chance for me to do something about our relationship. I spend one month of my time every night, folding paper birds and putting them into a big glass bottle. I wanted to give it to MG as a surprise Christmas present, there are a total of 500 paper birds, each and every one of them were fill with my love, hope and thought of her.
It was Christmas Eve; we were supposed to meet up at Orchard for dinner. She came, and she wants me to promise her something first. She said DT told her that seaman always fool around when they go oversea, and she doesn’t want me to go sailing after my course. I told her that I couldn’t promise her that, as I need to sail at least six months to get my diploma, if not all the three years of studies will go down the drain.
She left, disappear among the crowd in Orchard, I don’t even have a chance to give her the Christmas present. The words she said before she left still tingling in my mind till these days, “Guess you are too good for me now, I am sure someday you will find a girl much better than me, just forget about me, ok?” Not even a hug, a kiss or a goodbye, she was gone from my life forever. We use to think our love story would last till eternity, and we use to think we could even die for each other too. Guess I am unwilling to give up my future for her, and she doesn’t have enough trust in me.
Saucer Spirit
Yes, it’s another sleepless night again and this is going to be another story. This story doesn’t happen to me, but it happen to one of my friend name JF. Ever heard about Saucer Spirit? Yes, it’s almost the same as Oujia Board, only it’s Chinese version. JF was another friend of mine; we became good friends because of our interest in Martial Art. He always likes to come to my house after class, he always like to challenge me to a game of Chinese Chess. I heard about his story during one of our usual Chess Session, it was about his strange encounter about Saucer Spirit with his other group of friends.
They were having a gathering at one of the friend’s house, after having some drinks they were getting boring. One of them suggested that they try Saucer Spirit. The other one heard about a legend that if you play Heavy Metal Music Cassette Tape in reverse direction you will be able to hear the voice of Satan from Hell. They thought it might be a very cool idea to try both at the same time. So one of them went back to his house to get the Saucer Spirit, while the other guy start opening up the Heavy Metal Music Cassette Tape to switch the direction of the tape.
Everything was ready by Midnight, the Hour of Evil. All the six of them, four guys and two girls started their cool little entertainment for that night. None of them believe in the force of Supernatural, I would say that they are ignorance instead of stupid. All of them start putting their fingers on the Saucer Plate; the Satanic Music was playing at the background. They start their charm to summon the so call Saucer Spirit, actually what they are doing is summoning any wandering spirit nearby.
The Saucer starts to move, indicating that their summoning has been answered. So each of them will take turn to ask those unanswered questions which they want to know the answer so badly. They manage to get all their questions answered, from mysteries of their past to the unforeseen of their future. Now they are getting boring of this little game of theirs, but according to the rules they have to send off the Saucer Spirit before they can lift their fingers off the Saucer. They had tried but failed many time, the Spirit seem to enjoy chatting with them, as she has been very lonely for the past few years.
Yes, the Spirit claims to be a female, who had been rape and kill by a sex pervert. Now that she had used her power to help them answer their questions, she wants them to help her take revenge in return. There are no free lunches in this world; you have to pay a price for everything you wish to gain. If their motive was out of curiosity for knowledge, I would have suggested them to do it the hard way, which is to read more books. The Spirit also claimed that she was just floating beside one of the girls, which make the girl scream in fear, lift her finger off the saucer and ran out of the house. Her Boy Friend wanted to go after her, but he could not gather his courage, so he starts cursing the Spirit in vulgar language.
Maybe their ignorance was a bliss; maybe it was their blessing in disguise. The other girl parent who were sleeping inside the bedroom heard the scream and shouting in the living room and came outside to check what happen. Her mother quickly light some joss sticks and make some offering to plead the Spirit to let them go. The Saucer move back to the starting point at the center of the board, and all of them were relieve that they can finally lift their finger off the saucer.
The story didn’t end here; the girl who ran away was dead inside the school female toilet. Witness claim that she ran out of the cubicle screaming in fear saying that there is a ghost inside, she slip and fall hitting her head against the washing basin. Her Boy friend was admitted into the Wood Bridge Hospital one week later; he kept saying that two female ghosts haunted him every night. Of course, nobody will believe him except all those who are present that night and been through what have seem impossible to them.
Ignorance may be a bliss, but not every body will be that lucky every time. So if you have the curiosity for knowledge, I would suggest that you go and read up more books, or even better if you surf the Internet. Since now the technology have been so advance to provide you with so much excess of knowledge and information at your fingertip. The Sea of Knowledge is Vast; there is no Limit to one’s Learning. Better to speak up your Doubt and be a Fool for a day, than to remain silence and be a Fool forever.
They were having a gathering at one of the friend’s house, after having some drinks they were getting boring. One of them suggested that they try Saucer Spirit. The other one heard about a legend that if you play Heavy Metal Music Cassette Tape in reverse direction you will be able to hear the voice of Satan from Hell. They thought it might be a very cool idea to try both at the same time. So one of them went back to his house to get the Saucer Spirit, while the other guy start opening up the Heavy Metal Music Cassette Tape to switch the direction of the tape.
Everything was ready by Midnight, the Hour of Evil. All the six of them, four guys and two girls started their cool little entertainment for that night. None of them believe in the force of Supernatural, I would say that they are ignorance instead of stupid. All of them start putting their fingers on the Saucer Plate; the Satanic Music was playing at the background. They start their charm to summon the so call Saucer Spirit, actually what they are doing is summoning any wandering spirit nearby.
The Saucer starts to move, indicating that their summoning has been answered. So each of them will take turn to ask those unanswered questions which they want to know the answer so badly. They manage to get all their questions answered, from mysteries of their past to the unforeseen of their future. Now they are getting boring of this little game of theirs, but according to the rules they have to send off the Saucer Spirit before they can lift their fingers off the Saucer. They had tried but failed many time, the Spirit seem to enjoy chatting with them, as she has been very lonely for the past few years.
Yes, the Spirit claims to be a female, who had been rape and kill by a sex pervert. Now that she had used her power to help them answer their questions, she wants them to help her take revenge in return. There are no free lunches in this world; you have to pay a price for everything you wish to gain. If their motive was out of curiosity for knowledge, I would have suggested them to do it the hard way, which is to read more books. The Spirit also claimed that she was just floating beside one of the girls, which make the girl scream in fear, lift her finger off the saucer and ran out of the house. Her Boy Friend wanted to go after her, but he could not gather his courage, so he starts cursing the Spirit in vulgar language.
Maybe their ignorance was a bliss; maybe it was their blessing in disguise. The other girl parent who were sleeping inside the bedroom heard the scream and shouting in the living room and came outside to check what happen. Her mother quickly light some joss sticks and make some offering to plead the Spirit to let them go. The Saucer move back to the starting point at the center of the board, and all of them were relieve that they can finally lift their finger off the saucer.
The story didn’t end here; the girl who ran away was dead inside the school female toilet. Witness claim that she ran out of the cubicle screaming in fear saying that there is a ghost inside, she slip and fall hitting her head against the washing basin. Her Boy friend was admitted into the Wood Bridge Hospital one week later; he kept saying that two female ghosts haunted him every night. Of course, nobody will believe him except all those who are present that night and been through what have seem impossible to them.
Ignorance may be a bliss, but not every body will be that lucky every time. So if you have the curiosity for knowledge, I would suggest that you go and read up more books, or even better if you surf the Internet. Since now the technology have been so advance to provide you with so much excess of knowledge and information at your fingertip. The Sea of Knowledge is Vast; there is no Limit to one’s Learning. Better to speak up your Doubt and be a Fool for a day, than to remain silence and be a Fool forever.
The Chalet Without Mirror
This is another ghost story written by me, just read it as a story and do not question it. I am not here to answer your questions; I am only here to tell you a story. If you are afraid of darkness, stop right here now before it is too late. If you are determine to dig out the truth, I advise you to just forget about it completely. If you just want to gain more knowledge about the other existence, you may read on. As the Sea of Knowledge is so vast that there can never be a limit to one’s learning. Knowledge is Power as a Pen is always mightier than a Sword, and with Great Power comes Great Responsibilities.
It happen a very long time ago, during my Secondary School time, with my friend AK again. But this time we were not alone, but instead we were having a Class Chalet with all our Secondary School Classmates. It was a good day, we moved into the chalet and start the basic cleaning up before we settle down. We are having a Barbeque that night; as usual I am supposed to be the Fire Starter for the Barbeque Pit. A man got to do what a man got to do.
Every thing was set and all of us were gathering around the Barbeque Pit in front of our Chalet. I don’t know why do I have to always be the one that stew the chicken wings for them, why do people afraid to get their hands dirty? We were sitting there eating our chicken wings, chatting and having a good time. Just then, something happen so suddenly that it shock every one of us.
A middle aged man came out of no where and start burning incense and making offering right in front of our eyes right in front of our Chalet. Even our neighbors were shock when they saw this thing happen right in front of their eyes. We try to chase him away, but he just ignores us and continues with what he is doing.
“I think we better get the security people to come and settle this.” I suggested. “I will go with you.” AK said. We went to the security office to get one of the security guards to follow us back to our Chalet. “Where did that guy went?” I asked as I realized that he was not there any more. “He just left after he had finish what he come here to do.” DT said. “Never mind then, I will clear the stuff for you all and you all just continue with your Barbeque.” The security guard said.
“Maybe he was just praying and making offering to some Gods?” DT said. “See the Joss Sticks he use? The handle is green in color, not red, that is not for gods offering, that is only use during the Hungry Ghost Festive to make offering to the ghosts.” I pointed out what worries me most. “You really know those stuff well.” The security guard was surprise with my knowledge. “Maybe you should speak to Uncle Tan, he been working here for quiet a long time, maybe he will know something.” The security guard suggested. AK and me went with the security guard to see Uncle Tan, and we heard the most amazing story about the Chalet that we are going to stay for the next two days!
“Did you realize that there are no mirror at the dressing table?” Uncle Tan said. “Now that you tell me that, I think that is so, don’t you think so? AK.” “Yes.” AK agrees. “It happens quiet a few years back.” Uncle Tan signed as he begins his story.
A rich man was having an affair with his mistress at the Chalet. The mistress wanted him to divorce with his wife so that they can be legally together instead of hiding in Hotels or Chalets. The rich man disagrees and the mistress threatens to expose their affair to his wife. In the fit of anger, he kills the mistress by accident, banging her head against the mirror.
The management clears up the Chalet, restore the mirror with a new one and continue to rent it out to the public. Everything was fine until a newly wedded couple rented the Chalet for their Honey Moon. They went for a swim that afternoon at the seaside; the husband let the wife use the bathroom to take a shower first. After the wife is done she sat down in front of the dressing table to comb her hair. After the husband finish his shower, he lay on the bed to wait for his wife to finish with her hair.
He was very tired and fell asleep. By the time he wakes up again, it was already way pass midnight. He saw his wife still sitting in front of the dressing table combing her hair. He was puzzle and went behind her, wanting to pull her to his side so that they could have some romance for that night.
To his horror, he saw the face of another woman in the reflection of the mirror, smiling eerily at him. He almost fainted, but he pulls his last courage and phone for some help. Uncle Tan was the security guard on duty that night, he knows a Taoist well and so he calls the Taoist to come down for a look. The Taoist says that the ghost had die tragic and she was wearing a red dress when she die, so it was too powerful for him to subdue. The only thing they can do is wait for sunrise. The Taoist reflects the sunlight from outside the chalet pointed to the wife while Uncle Tan smash the mirror into pieces. Mirror was never restore in that same Chalet ever again.
“Maybe the middle age guy was the rich man, maybe it was the husband, or maybe it was just some other guy who had strange encounter in that same Chalet, no one will ever knew.” Uncle Tan said as he ended his story. We never did tell our classmates about it, some people just couldn’t take the fear and shock that come with the story. Those two nights, everybody sleep well except AK and me. There are going to be more sleepless nights, as there are going to be more ghost stories. If you like it, just enjoy the pleasure of reading it, do not try to find out where, when or how it all happen. It is just a story, and you are just another reader in a sleepless night like this.
It happen a very long time ago, during my Secondary School time, with my friend AK again. But this time we were not alone, but instead we were having a Class Chalet with all our Secondary School Classmates. It was a good day, we moved into the chalet and start the basic cleaning up before we settle down. We are having a Barbeque that night; as usual I am supposed to be the Fire Starter for the Barbeque Pit. A man got to do what a man got to do.
Every thing was set and all of us were gathering around the Barbeque Pit in front of our Chalet. I don’t know why do I have to always be the one that stew the chicken wings for them, why do people afraid to get their hands dirty? We were sitting there eating our chicken wings, chatting and having a good time. Just then, something happen so suddenly that it shock every one of us.
A middle aged man came out of no where and start burning incense and making offering right in front of our eyes right in front of our Chalet. Even our neighbors were shock when they saw this thing happen right in front of their eyes. We try to chase him away, but he just ignores us and continues with what he is doing.
“I think we better get the security people to come and settle this.” I suggested. “I will go with you.” AK said. We went to the security office to get one of the security guards to follow us back to our Chalet. “Where did that guy went?” I asked as I realized that he was not there any more. “He just left after he had finish what he come here to do.” DT said. “Never mind then, I will clear the stuff for you all and you all just continue with your Barbeque.” The security guard said.
“Maybe he was just praying and making offering to some Gods?” DT said. “See the Joss Sticks he use? The handle is green in color, not red, that is not for gods offering, that is only use during the Hungry Ghost Festive to make offering to the ghosts.” I pointed out what worries me most. “You really know those stuff well.” The security guard was surprise with my knowledge. “Maybe you should speak to Uncle Tan, he been working here for quiet a long time, maybe he will know something.” The security guard suggested. AK and me went with the security guard to see Uncle Tan, and we heard the most amazing story about the Chalet that we are going to stay for the next two days!
“Did you realize that there are no mirror at the dressing table?” Uncle Tan said. “Now that you tell me that, I think that is so, don’t you think so? AK.” “Yes.” AK agrees. “It happens quiet a few years back.” Uncle Tan signed as he begins his story.
A rich man was having an affair with his mistress at the Chalet. The mistress wanted him to divorce with his wife so that they can be legally together instead of hiding in Hotels or Chalets. The rich man disagrees and the mistress threatens to expose their affair to his wife. In the fit of anger, he kills the mistress by accident, banging her head against the mirror.
The management clears up the Chalet, restore the mirror with a new one and continue to rent it out to the public. Everything was fine until a newly wedded couple rented the Chalet for their Honey Moon. They went for a swim that afternoon at the seaside; the husband let the wife use the bathroom to take a shower first. After the wife is done she sat down in front of the dressing table to comb her hair. After the husband finish his shower, he lay on the bed to wait for his wife to finish with her hair.
He was very tired and fell asleep. By the time he wakes up again, it was already way pass midnight. He saw his wife still sitting in front of the dressing table combing her hair. He was puzzle and went behind her, wanting to pull her to his side so that they could have some romance for that night.
To his horror, he saw the face of another woman in the reflection of the mirror, smiling eerily at him. He almost fainted, but he pulls his last courage and phone for some help. Uncle Tan was the security guard on duty that night, he knows a Taoist well and so he calls the Taoist to come down for a look. The Taoist says that the ghost had die tragic and she was wearing a red dress when she die, so it was too powerful for him to subdue. The only thing they can do is wait for sunrise. The Taoist reflects the sunlight from outside the chalet pointed to the wife while Uncle Tan smash the mirror into pieces. Mirror was never restore in that same Chalet ever again.
“Maybe the middle age guy was the rich man, maybe it was the husband, or maybe it was just some other guy who had strange encounter in that same Chalet, no one will ever knew.” Uncle Tan said as he ended his story. We never did tell our classmates about it, some people just couldn’t take the fear and shock that come with the story. Those two nights, everybody sleep well except AK and me. There are going to be more sleepless nights, as there are going to be more ghost stories. If you like it, just enjoy the pleasure of reading it, do not try to find out where, when or how it all happen. It is just a story, and you are just another reader in a sleepless night like this.
My Pulau Ubin Ghost Stories
I have told this story to many people, some believe, some just thought it was faked. Well, whether you want to believe or not is your own problem, not mine. This story is just to warn you about the danger present at an island call Pulau Ubin. Do not wander there alone, especially during the moonless night. A lot of news was reported about people drowning at abandon quarry, fishpond and mangroves swamp even at broad daylight especially during a certain month, which we call the Hungry Ghost Festival. The whole story is broken into three parts, The Beginning which was an encounter by my friend, which led me to the Actual Event and the Grand Finale. Just be patient with me, as all good stories seem to be extremely long winded. Once there was a short story competition, the contestants have to include Religion, Sex, Royalty and Mystery in their story. In the end, the winning entry was: “Oh my God! I am pregnant.” The Queen said, “I wonder who did it?” Get the joke? I don’t think you would like to read a story like that, right? So bear with me, if you want to read a good story, you must have the patient. It takes time for me to type the whole story out, especially when I have to do it in the middle of the night when I can’t seem to get any sleep.
How it all begins? It happen long time ago, it all started with a friend named AK. AK was an Officer Cadet of the NPCC during our Secondary School time; we become the best of friends due to our interest in adventure sports. During the third year of our study, he was responsible for the planning of a Recruits Training Camp at their NPCC Camp Site at Kg Mamam, Pulau Ubin. As usual, the itinerary for the first night is the famous Night Walk around the island without any source of light; it is to test the courage of the new recruits, if you can over come your fear, you can over come anything in your life.
Before they set off from the Camp Site, AK already gives specific instruction to the recruits to wear T-Shirt, Short and Running Shoe, no source of light in any form were allow. They set off from the Camp Site as the sun set to the west and the darkness of the night slowly covers the environment that surround them. They head south toward the mangrove swamp, after walking for some distance they head west. They continue their Night Walk in that direction for some distance before they head north to enter a rubber plantation at Kg Bahru. Just east of that plantation is their Camp Site; every thing will be over in a couple of minutes.
Just then, AK heard the noise of some one walking on a pair of slipper, he stop the whole group. Piss off by the fact that one of the recruits had defied his direct orders; he on his flashlight checking on every pair of feet determines to find the culprit. He manage to locate it after some time, he shine his flashlight upward and found that the recruit was wearing Singlet instead of T-Shirt. He got even more piss off and was prepare to give harsh punishment to that recruit for disobeying his orders. As he shines his flashlight upward to see the face, he realized that he could not shout out the name of that recruit.
He pauses to think what was the reason for his doubt. Just as he blinks his eyes, that guy was gone right before his eyes. He then realized that that guy actually didn’t have any head above his shoulder. He was shock, but that was not the end. He saw two green fireballs heading at high speed coming their way at a distance not far from them. He shouted: “Take cover!” and all of them dash flat to the ground. The two fireballs went pass them and he immediately shout for all the recruits to run back to the Camp Site.
AK could not believe what had happen that night; he doesn’t dare to ask any of the recruits whether anyone of them saw the same thing as what he saw. They might think that he is crazy, so it is better for them to think that as part of the training plans. He went back to the rubber plantation at Kg Bahru the next morning. There he met up with the owner of the plantation, the owner was burning some garbage that he had collected all over the plantation. AK approach the owner, trying to start a conversation so that he can find out some information that will help him understand his encounter last night. He didn’t find out much about his encounter, but to his surprise he manage to hear another weird incident that happen in this plantation few years back.
NCC girls have conducted a Recruit Training Camp at this rubber plantation few years back. A female Sergeant was missing on the second day morning. Police were call in for the investigation. After much questioning, two female recruits who setup their tent near the well have claim that they saw the female Sergeant taking a bath near the well at around midnight. Police suspected that she have fell inside the well by accident, divers were sent down to recover the body. After much search, the body could not be located. The search was call off and the female Sergeant was file as another missing person. The owner claimed that the color of the well water would turn into blood red in color on the same day every year.
AK told me about the two incidents after he came back from Pulau Ubin and I didn’t believe it at all. He challenges me to go there to experience it for myself, so we prepare for everything and went there during our next school holidays. I thought it would be a better idea to see the well during the day just to play it safe. Why me? Because I am the only friend he can trust. That is not the main reason, the main reason is that I have the ability to see some stuff other people couldn’t see. Not directly, but only through the corner of my eyes. Sometimes when I am doing my homework in the hall, I would see someone walking into the kitchen. I thought it was my mom or one of my aunties, but when I went there to fix myself a drink, I realized that I am alone in the house.
Everything was set; we begin our journey into the twilight zone. It was a beautiful morning; we arrived at the jetty at around 1000 hrs. Before noon, we were already there, Kg Bahru rubber plantation, in front of the Haunted Well which the owner had fence up. Nothing seems to be wrong; I could not sense any forces of evil anywhere near the well. I turn my head back, wanted to laugh at AK for his paranoid behaviors. Just then something caught my attention.
There is a Toilet Bathroom beside the well; I saw a white shadow staring at me at the dark corner through the corner of my eyes. I was shock for a moment, AK seem to notice something wrong from my sudden reaction. He ask me what was wrong, I just told him not to ask any more stupid questions and get the hell out of there fast.
We ran out of that rubber plantation, if that thing is able to appear during broad daylight, it must be very powerful indeed. We head east toward Kg Mamam, pass the NPCC Camp Site and continue our way toward Kg Che Jevah. We have know that island very well, as we have been trekking and camping there almost every school holidays since we become friend. Along the way, every household that owns a dog seems to bark fiercely at us. AK was afraid of dogs, he start chopping branches to clear the way in front as we ran. Suddenly he stop, I was unable to hold my pace and bang hard against him. I ask him: “What had happen?” He replies me with another question: “What is the color of latex?” “White!” I answered. “Then can you explain to me why this rubber is dripping with red latex after I made a cut on the bark?” He asked. I look over his shoulder; I saw the red latex dripping from the rubber tree like blood flowing out from a wound!
“We don’t have time for this, we have to get out of here fast!” I said. We were at another rubber plantation around Kg Che Jevah area; there are three roads in front of us. We knew that the middle one will led us back to the jetty, but we end up coming back to that rubber plantation. “Maybe we should take the right track.” Said AK. We still end up back at the same rubber plantation. “Let’s try the left one.” I suggested. In the end, still the same, we couldn’t seem to walk out of that rubber plantation. “According to the map, the center track should led us north toward the Quarry near Tg Balai and further west back to the main road.” I said, “Maybe the road have change, and our map was not updated.”
AK got angry, “Do you know how to read the map properly?” He stretches his hands towards me to snatch the map from me. His middle finger of his right hand was cut by my knife, which I was holding under the map. “Help! I felt something sucking my blood!” He said. I was terrified; I quickly tear a piece of paper from the map and draw a Tai Chi logo with a pen. I place the paper over the wound and tie it up with a nylon string. The feeling of something sucking his blood is gone, and we decide to get out of there as soon as possible.
We manage to find our way to the main road, we were heading our way toward the jetty, and we have to get out of that island fast. AK claim that the feeling came back again when we pass by a cemetery. At last, we found ourselves at the town area near the jetty. We were tired and hungry, so we decided to rest for a while and have dinner at one of the coffee shop there. After dinner, I decided to open up the piece of paper to inspect the wound. The bleeding had stop, but to my horror his blood form on the piece of paper a shape that represent rubber plantation according to the legend of the map. I asked him to keep it inside his wallet; we shall find a temple and burn it after we went back to main land Singapore.
As AK and I were getting onto the boat, he trip and fell, his wallet fell into the water. Nothing else was lost, other than the wallet that holds that piece of paper, which had his blood forming a shape of a rubber tree. We never did dare to go back to that island until one year later.
Finally, after the long wait, all good things must come to an end. Maybe some of you might think that the story doesn’t end here, maybe some of you might have something to add on to this encounter in time to come. But to me, it had to end here, because I don’t think I would be able to handle any more of this if it is going to continue haunting me for the rest of my life. Maybe telling the story will prevent others from making the same mistake, maybe it would help to save innocent lives, or maybe it would help me to overcome my fear. Too many maybe, the future is not for us to see, who know?
It’s been one year since the last incident, AK and I thought it’s about time for us to go back to face our greatest fear. If you can’t run away from it, why not turn your back around and fight it? We prepare for our next trip into our darkest fear.
My mom had prepared some baby potatoes for us to barbeque for dinner that night. Yes, we have decided to spend our night there, at the rubber plantation in Kg Bahru, we are going to sleep beside the well, we are going to fight our fear.
We set off in the afternoon, by sunset we have reach the plantation. AK starts setting up our campsite while I bake the potatoes. Two overhead shelters were setup above our hammocks with waterproof ground sheet. By the time AK finish setting it up, my potatoes were ready to eat. I put eight potatoes in each mess tin and pass one of it to AK; we start eating our dinner for that night.
AK was bigger in size than me, he always finish his food much faster than me. After I finished my share, I saw him still struggling with his share. “Why? AK, got sore mouth is it, why are you taking so long to finish your potatoes?” I joked. “You have given me so much, how am I suppose to finish?” He said. “What are you talking about? I only give you eight of them only.” I said. “Eight? I have already ate twelve of them and I still got eight more inside here!” AK said as he shows me his mess tin. Believe me, I really couldn’t believe my eyes too when I saw the eight potatoes still lying inside his mess tin. “I help you finish it.” I said. Do I have a choice? I realized that I have eaten sixteen potatoes before the whole thing come to an end. I didn’t want to ask AK how much more he had ate, he also realized that something is wrong, very wrong. We never say much after that, just want to lie down on our hammocks, get ourselves to sleep and hope that we will be able to forget about the incident the next day morning.
Morning was not as pleasant as we thought. We found ourselves sleeping on the ground; our hammocks had become loose and slide to the ground. “You sure you tie the hammocks properly?” I questioned AK. “You are a light sleeper, you should had felt it and woke up in the middle of the night, right?” AK said. We just pack up everything and get out of there fast.
We brought a package of soft drink each along the way to the jetty; I had finished my drink by the time we reach the mangrove swamp. As you can guess, I had to help AK finish his package of drink. After that incident, I never did go back to that island with AK, not that I never did go back there, just not with AK. I did go back there with other friends or alone, nothing seem to go wrong. Guess the entire incident just surround around AK; everything had come to an end.
Is this an ending? As I have told you before, it is for me at least. If you don’t like the ending, you can always go to that island, that rubber plantation and that well. Maybe you will have some new stories to tell, but never say that I never warn you before, just be very careful when you explore the island, especially on a moonless night.
How it all begins? It happen long time ago, it all started with a friend named AK. AK was an Officer Cadet of the NPCC during our Secondary School time; we become the best of friends due to our interest in adventure sports. During the third year of our study, he was responsible for the planning of a Recruits Training Camp at their NPCC Camp Site at Kg Mamam, Pulau Ubin. As usual, the itinerary for the first night is the famous Night Walk around the island without any source of light; it is to test the courage of the new recruits, if you can over come your fear, you can over come anything in your life.
Before they set off from the Camp Site, AK already gives specific instruction to the recruits to wear T-Shirt, Short and Running Shoe, no source of light in any form were allow. They set off from the Camp Site as the sun set to the west and the darkness of the night slowly covers the environment that surround them. They head south toward the mangrove swamp, after walking for some distance they head west. They continue their Night Walk in that direction for some distance before they head north to enter a rubber plantation at Kg Bahru. Just east of that plantation is their Camp Site; every thing will be over in a couple of minutes.
Just then, AK heard the noise of some one walking on a pair of slipper, he stop the whole group. Piss off by the fact that one of the recruits had defied his direct orders; he on his flashlight checking on every pair of feet determines to find the culprit. He manage to locate it after some time, he shine his flashlight upward and found that the recruit was wearing Singlet instead of T-Shirt. He got even more piss off and was prepare to give harsh punishment to that recruit for disobeying his orders. As he shines his flashlight upward to see the face, he realized that he could not shout out the name of that recruit.
He pauses to think what was the reason for his doubt. Just as he blinks his eyes, that guy was gone right before his eyes. He then realized that that guy actually didn’t have any head above his shoulder. He was shock, but that was not the end. He saw two green fireballs heading at high speed coming their way at a distance not far from them. He shouted: “Take cover!” and all of them dash flat to the ground. The two fireballs went pass them and he immediately shout for all the recruits to run back to the Camp Site.
AK could not believe what had happen that night; he doesn’t dare to ask any of the recruits whether anyone of them saw the same thing as what he saw. They might think that he is crazy, so it is better for them to think that as part of the training plans. He went back to the rubber plantation at Kg Bahru the next morning. There he met up with the owner of the plantation, the owner was burning some garbage that he had collected all over the plantation. AK approach the owner, trying to start a conversation so that he can find out some information that will help him understand his encounter last night. He didn’t find out much about his encounter, but to his surprise he manage to hear another weird incident that happen in this plantation few years back.
NCC girls have conducted a Recruit Training Camp at this rubber plantation few years back. A female Sergeant was missing on the second day morning. Police were call in for the investigation. After much questioning, two female recruits who setup their tent near the well have claim that they saw the female Sergeant taking a bath near the well at around midnight. Police suspected that she have fell inside the well by accident, divers were sent down to recover the body. After much search, the body could not be located. The search was call off and the female Sergeant was file as another missing person. The owner claimed that the color of the well water would turn into blood red in color on the same day every year.
AK told me about the two incidents after he came back from Pulau Ubin and I didn’t believe it at all. He challenges me to go there to experience it for myself, so we prepare for everything and went there during our next school holidays. I thought it would be a better idea to see the well during the day just to play it safe. Why me? Because I am the only friend he can trust. That is not the main reason, the main reason is that I have the ability to see some stuff other people couldn’t see. Not directly, but only through the corner of my eyes. Sometimes when I am doing my homework in the hall, I would see someone walking into the kitchen. I thought it was my mom or one of my aunties, but when I went there to fix myself a drink, I realized that I am alone in the house.
Everything was set; we begin our journey into the twilight zone. It was a beautiful morning; we arrived at the jetty at around 1000 hrs. Before noon, we were already there, Kg Bahru rubber plantation, in front of the Haunted Well which the owner had fence up. Nothing seems to be wrong; I could not sense any forces of evil anywhere near the well. I turn my head back, wanted to laugh at AK for his paranoid behaviors. Just then something caught my attention.
There is a Toilet Bathroom beside the well; I saw a white shadow staring at me at the dark corner through the corner of my eyes. I was shock for a moment, AK seem to notice something wrong from my sudden reaction. He ask me what was wrong, I just told him not to ask any more stupid questions and get the hell out of there fast.
We ran out of that rubber plantation, if that thing is able to appear during broad daylight, it must be very powerful indeed. We head east toward Kg Mamam, pass the NPCC Camp Site and continue our way toward Kg Che Jevah. We have know that island very well, as we have been trekking and camping there almost every school holidays since we become friend. Along the way, every household that owns a dog seems to bark fiercely at us. AK was afraid of dogs, he start chopping branches to clear the way in front as we ran. Suddenly he stop, I was unable to hold my pace and bang hard against him. I ask him: “What had happen?” He replies me with another question: “What is the color of latex?” “White!” I answered. “Then can you explain to me why this rubber is dripping with red latex after I made a cut on the bark?” He asked. I look over his shoulder; I saw the red latex dripping from the rubber tree like blood flowing out from a wound!
“We don’t have time for this, we have to get out of here fast!” I said. We were at another rubber plantation around Kg Che Jevah area; there are three roads in front of us. We knew that the middle one will led us back to the jetty, but we end up coming back to that rubber plantation. “Maybe we should take the right track.” Said AK. We still end up back at the same rubber plantation. “Let’s try the left one.” I suggested. In the end, still the same, we couldn’t seem to walk out of that rubber plantation. “According to the map, the center track should led us north toward the Quarry near Tg Balai and further west back to the main road.” I said, “Maybe the road have change, and our map was not updated.”
AK got angry, “Do you know how to read the map properly?” He stretches his hands towards me to snatch the map from me. His middle finger of his right hand was cut by my knife, which I was holding under the map. “Help! I felt something sucking my blood!” He said. I was terrified; I quickly tear a piece of paper from the map and draw a Tai Chi logo with a pen. I place the paper over the wound and tie it up with a nylon string. The feeling of something sucking his blood is gone, and we decide to get out of there as soon as possible.
We manage to find our way to the main road, we were heading our way toward the jetty, and we have to get out of that island fast. AK claim that the feeling came back again when we pass by a cemetery. At last, we found ourselves at the town area near the jetty. We were tired and hungry, so we decided to rest for a while and have dinner at one of the coffee shop there. After dinner, I decided to open up the piece of paper to inspect the wound. The bleeding had stop, but to my horror his blood form on the piece of paper a shape that represent rubber plantation according to the legend of the map. I asked him to keep it inside his wallet; we shall find a temple and burn it after we went back to main land Singapore.
As AK and I were getting onto the boat, he trip and fell, his wallet fell into the water. Nothing else was lost, other than the wallet that holds that piece of paper, which had his blood forming a shape of a rubber tree. We never did dare to go back to that island until one year later.
Finally, after the long wait, all good things must come to an end. Maybe some of you might think that the story doesn’t end here, maybe some of you might have something to add on to this encounter in time to come. But to me, it had to end here, because I don’t think I would be able to handle any more of this if it is going to continue haunting me for the rest of my life. Maybe telling the story will prevent others from making the same mistake, maybe it would help to save innocent lives, or maybe it would help me to overcome my fear. Too many maybe, the future is not for us to see, who know?
It’s been one year since the last incident, AK and I thought it’s about time for us to go back to face our greatest fear. If you can’t run away from it, why not turn your back around and fight it? We prepare for our next trip into our darkest fear.
My mom had prepared some baby potatoes for us to barbeque for dinner that night. Yes, we have decided to spend our night there, at the rubber plantation in Kg Bahru, we are going to sleep beside the well, we are going to fight our fear.
We set off in the afternoon, by sunset we have reach the plantation. AK starts setting up our campsite while I bake the potatoes. Two overhead shelters were setup above our hammocks with waterproof ground sheet. By the time AK finish setting it up, my potatoes were ready to eat. I put eight potatoes in each mess tin and pass one of it to AK; we start eating our dinner for that night.
AK was bigger in size than me, he always finish his food much faster than me. After I finished my share, I saw him still struggling with his share. “Why? AK, got sore mouth is it, why are you taking so long to finish your potatoes?” I joked. “You have given me so much, how am I suppose to finish?” He said. “What are you talking about? I only give you eight of them only.” I said. “Eight? I have already ate twelve of them and I still got eight more inside here!” AK said as he shows me his mess tin. Believe me, I really couldn’t believe my eyes too when I saw the eight potatoes still lying inside his mess tin. “I help you finish it.” I said. Do I have a choice? I realized that I have eaten sixteen potatoes before the whole thing come to an end. I didn’t want to ask AK how much more he had ate, he also realized that something is wrong, very wrong. We never say much after that, just want to lie down on our hammocks, get ourselves to sleep and hope that we will be able to forget about the incident the next day morning.
Morning was not as pleasant as we thought. We found ourselves sleeping on the ground; our hammocks had become loose and slide to the ground. “You sure you tie the hammocks properly?” I questioned AK. “You are a light sleeper, you should had felt it and woke up in the middle of the night, right?” AK said. We just pack up everything and get out of there fast.
We brought a package of soft drink each along the way to the jetty; I had finished my drink by the time we reach the mangrove swamp. As you can guess, I had to help AK finish his package of drink. After that incident, I never did go back to that island with AK, not that I never did go back there, just not with AK. I did go back there with other friends or alone, nothing seem to go wrong. Guess the entire incident just surround around AK; everything had come to an end.
Is this an ending? As I have told you before, it is for me at least. If you don’t like the ending, you can always go to that island, that rubber plantation and that well. Maybe you will have some new stories to tell, but never say that I never warn you before, just be very careful when you explore the island, especially on a moonless night.
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