...a stranger in the kitchen...

Since we are still in the month of the hungry ghost, I have this story to tell that was related to me by a friend. Gosh, how I love ghost stories!!!

It happened two years ago, during the seventh month in the Chinese calendar, in one of those apartments in Greenlane. Hmmm...I have been sworn to secrecy not to reveal which apartment is that (as it may scare some of my other friends who stay there).

It was late in the evening, when Mrs Lim came back from office. She was greeted at the door by her teenage daughter, Yina. In Mrs Lim's hands were plastic bags full of groceries she bought during her lunch that day. Her husband, as usual, was resting in his favourite couch with legs up on the wooden coffee table, exercising his fingers and thumbs with the television remote. After a few words of casual greetings, Mrs Lim went straight in to the kitchen. As the kitchen is adjacent to the living room, she was muttering away to Mr Lim about her day at work. Blah blah blah she went. She cleaned the chicken from the bag, heated the wok, diced some garlics, etc. (not going into details, as this is not about any recipe). As she was stir frying, from her corner of her eye, she could see Yina standing near the dining table behind her. So she motioned her finger to Yina, indicating to come over to help her. After a few moments, Yina did not budge from the spot.

Giving her teenage daughter the benefit of the doubt, that she didn't see her motion, she turned around. Alas, much to her surprise there was no one there. She stretched her neck to see if Yina was anywhere around, but all she could see is Mr Lim watching his television diligently. She then asked her husband the whereabouts of Yina and was told that their daughter is in her room, since greeted her mum at the door. Without giving any thoughts, she went back to her cooking. That was when she felt someone was standing next to her. Hoping it was Yina, she turned her head again and there was no one there, but this time she was adament but kept it to herself. As she went on cooking, she heard a very faint whisper in her ear..."Eow" (aiyoh...hungy in hokkien lah!!!). She brushed it off with some silent prayer.

After dinner and washing up, she carried on her usual night errands. Then off to bed. At about 1.00am, she was awaken by sounds in her kitchen. Sensing something is amiss, she opened her bedroom door and went out to check. She could hear the sound of her rice cooker lid being opened. Mrs Lim turned on the lights in her living room that beamed into the kitchen. She could see no one there...so, she thought it was either a lizard scavaging for midnite snack. She switched on the kitchen lights and walked toward the rice cooker. That was when she heard "Eow" again. She summed up all the courage that she had and shouted for her husband. She told Mr Lim of what happened.

The next morning, she met her neighbour, the old Mdm Liang and told her about the strange happenings last night. Mdm Liang told her, never to have left over cooked rice in her cooker during the seventh month...you will never know who will be paying you a visit!!! Hehehe :)

Stay tune for more...