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
By late afternoon, with a dose of meditation and my innate healing powers, I was able to get on my feet. The nourishing lunch helped! Much credit to the Colonel’s help with the hospital staff to ensure I get a good diet.The urgency of the task at hand galvanized me to get out of bed. However, while the physical injuries healed and mended, the emotional trauma lingered. Like a leech, it sapped me gradualy of my usual vitality.I thought of the lady spirit in black, her horrendous demeanor, her powerful strokes. What made her unforgettable was the deep sorrow in her. The streaks of dark energy coupled with the soul-shearing howls spoke of a dreadful past that is rooted in tragedy.Who was she?The Colonel had replied with the numbers I asked for. Altogether, there have been four infantry companies who had trekked those forests in the past fortnight. It was a standard military topography exercise in the forest over the past fortnight.
I met ASP Wong at the Singapore General Hospital, my tools of the trade with me. The block was just a stone’s throw from where I was hospitalized. I found the block easily. I realized security was tight. I noticed the policemen at the lobby and on the eighth floor where his room was. What are they guarding him from? The parents had just left, and I entered the room with ASP Wong and one policeman. Chris Chen was awake but was staring into space. From his awkward moves, I could tell something was amiss. I walked up to him and found his lips grey with his eyes devoid of life. I deduced that his life force had been damaged, a sign I always detected in victims who had encounters with spirits. ASP was right. He did not look normal. Afflicted should be the word, but he should recover fast. “Hi, Chris.” The boy did not respond to my greeting. Instead, his eyes rolled over the room like he was looking for som
This time, ASP Wong was next to me. “You passed out.” I smiled sheepishly “You look bad, Dr. Jin?” I brushed her comments aside and sat up. “Is Chris Chen ok?” “He slept.” “Slept?” “They had to give him a tranquilizer shot.” “It will take quite a while before he recovers ASP.” “Call me Shu Wen.” She seemed to have mellowed, “However, I think we should worry about you. What happened back there?” “We are facing a very powerful opponent.” “What do you mean?” “The presence of the spirit lingers.” “Your words raised concerns. This is the first time I am witnessing something like this." "You dont believe me." Shu Wen gave me a stare and shook her head "I dont like to lie. I am honest. I don't. It is hard. There must be a reason why Chris Chen behave that way and maybe he needed psychiatrist counselling?" "I wish he can. There are things that scien
After the terrible loss of my parents, I was brought back home from Japan by my paternal grandfather and raised by a host of uncles and aunties – all siblings of my parents. Uncle Fred was my paternal relative, younger brother of my father. Near seventy, he still ran his mileage on his bike and maintained a deep interest in all things geomancy and artifacts. Though he had two girls of his own and I was the additional responsibility, he treated me like his son. In the early years, he would allow me to sleep with him and my aunt. He would take me to see my favorite movies and act as a parent on the school’s Meet-the-Parents day. He may not have been the sun that I needed from my parents, but he provided an umbrella and raincoat on my rainy days during my growing years. He always remarked that I took after my mother – not just in my innate intelligence and mannerisms, but with the deep affinity I had with the supernatural
“What other weaponry do you have in mind?” “I will stick with my original choice of body armor.” Uncle Fred began to pace up and down the shelves. He was looking for something and finally stopped in the first row. He struggled to reach for the highest level and pulled out a chest with a nifty tiptoe. He placed it on a desk and gingerly brushed the dust away. Within laid a body armor vest that was made up of slender pieces of jade stew. It was not full-bodied and only covered up to the waist. “The Pang Gu armor – a thousand pieces of jade that have been meticulously sewn together by silkworm thread. It covers your torso and, most importantly, your vital organs. “Where did you get this vest? It looked valuable.” “Nobody could tell real jade from fake, and its illustrious nature suggests it is fake. I got it for a steal. Much intensive bargaining.” “Where did you find it?” Uncle Fred winced before exhaling. “Japan.
Chapter 7 After parting ways with Uncle Fred, I headed back to the office. As I drove, I was hit by a dose of sentimentalism. I thought about the childhood I spent with Uncle Fred. The days when he brought me on treks through the Central Catchment Area - MacRitchie Reservoir and Pulau Ubin. The photographs of our outings donned the walls of our homes. Not to mention those secret beer outings where he taught me about the courtship of girls. I always wonder what would I be without his guidance and protection. I am an oddball, an unusual child with that glimpses of my gifts in my early years. My utterings of unusual sightings would freak a relative out. I may have ended up in an orphanage but did not. I felt, deep in my heart, his love and care contributed to my growth. I nurtured my powers into a potent, and positive, force thanks to him. I was hauled from nostalgia when the handphone buzzed. It was the Colonel, who briefed me on th
“Your father’s generosity will always be well remembered by Singapore.” “You know, when I was a child, we spent a lot of time playing in those fields. There was something different about those forests. There were a lot of streams and plenty of animals. Unlike other forests in Singapore, you can actually see a lot of flowers.” “I love flowers. My mother loves them.” I said. “People who love flowers are lovers of the finer things of life. They are lovers of life. Does your mother grow many flowers?” I nodded. “I am sure she would if she were alive.” Dorothy Kwek was disconcerted. “Boy, I am truly sorry.” “Don’t be. It has been a long time. Anyway, it was a pleasure to hear you spent your childhood there.” She stared into space and reminisced, “I truly miss those forests.” “I can feel it. The trees and biodiversity.” Dorothy Kwek nodded. “It is a changed place now.” “Changed
Back home, I felt a fatigue in my system -that sort of exhaustion that originated from a mixture of frustration and anxiety. The two soldiers are still missing and there is a rumor on social media that they could be dead. It had disturbed the Colonel and his superiors that he communicated he would intensify the search round the jungle. Alone, I had squashed that thought and sat down in deep meditation for an hour to keep the monster called anxiety in check. After my mind is de-toxified, I made a simple dinner out of instant noodles and eggs and quickly settled myself in front of my laptop. I searched about the history and sources of the Kwek family and its related logos and symbols. The results were a revelation. I sieved through the results and was pleasantly surprised to find public sources of information on the evolution of the family emblem. Some sites were defunct, but there was one particular site owned by JJ Wong that seemed active.
As I drove on the Sentosa Gateway, heading out of the island, I turned to the right where the Tanjong Pagar Port is. There is a neat row of containers handling equipment standing proud like a family of giraffes - a perfect picture of hustle that made up one of the busiest ports in Asia.As I marveled at the sight, my handphone buzzed. It was Leng and she is on WhatsApp call.“Hey, Dr. Ant, find somewhere to park. I have something to show you.”“Is it that earthshaking that I need to park my car first? I am getting thrilled.” I said lamely.“It’ll be worth your time,” She assured me. “Call me when you’re nicely parked.”I drove over to the nearby Tanjong Beach car park, and quickly called back Leng.“What is it?”“We found a lot of things from the Kaleidoscope App. In the past two weeks, there were three thousand items posted for sale. I had them sorted by th
“Nai Nai is asking if you want more tea.” I returned to my seat. “I’m sorry. I just happen to like black and white photos.” Dorothy smiled nervously. “Who is the-” Dorothy coughed hard unexpectedly and then rested her head on her right hand. “Are you feeling alright, Nai Nai?” Josephine asked and threw a slight glance of reproach, which made me felt bad. I decided I had to brave the displeasure and voice my question. “I have a request that may offend you.” “Do you mind if we stop this meeting, Dr. Ant?” Josephine cut in. Before I could reply, Dorothy Kwek raised her hand. “Go ahead, Anthony.” “Can I invite you to visit the jungle again?” I knew I had touched a raw nerve when I got a glare in response. Her hands were tightly clasped. For a moment, she stayed wide-eyed and I was worried she may get a heart attack “It could help us in our investigation,” I added and she rega
Dorothy has shut her eyes in deep recollection. She projected such serenity that for a moment, I thought she was asleep. When I was about to interrupt her, I saw Josephine Kwek shaking her head gently. I got the hint and kept silent.Dorothy finally spoke with a genteel voice “You’re right I do know quite a bit about Bukit Pandan. It was my playground. My family's playground." She beamed "We would go for a picnic there every once in a while. In the 1960s, my father had a factory further down the road at the Dairy Farm. Whenever he was free, he and mum would drive us to the jungle for some trekking." ”My envy." I said "The landscape is conducive for walks. Earlier planters had cleared some trees and there is a nice piece of flat land by the stream. It is ideal for picnic." "I love the trees." I added "Ah, yes the trees. Those trees were huge, and there was always shade for a good camp-out. They are like guardians of o
After the call has ended, we lapsed into a long and uneasy silence. We were all trying to come to terms with the fact. It was Raja who broke the silence "Now, at least we know, Major's death is linked to an illicit affair." "Who is the other party in the relationship? Who is the lady?" "The family that travels to England to meet Christina's mother must be related to this lady." Shu Wen said. "Do you think if this family has something to do with the Major's death." I asked, with a tinge of provocation in my voice." "Think they may be angry with what the Major did to their daughter?" Raja added "I think the key is who is this lady?" I asked in deep deliberation. Shu Wen scratched her head "How can we be sure this is related to the lady spirit and the three missing boys." "I will need more information before I can answer you Madam. I need to know the identity of the missing persons."
Christina stood up and walked off. My heart sank and Shu Wen lept to her feet in pleas "Madam! Madam?" Officer Daniels was at a loss but soon ran off presumably to invite Christina Holmes back to the interview. "We probably hit a raw nerve." I mumbled. "Let me try." Shu Wen spoke into the mic "Madam Christina we are sorry if we had been insensitive. However, the information you provide may save lives. Please." The emotions in her voice resonated in my mind and struck a chord. She is so genuine. No response. In the corner of the screen, we saw the figure of Officer Daniels that offered little clue to what is happening off-screen. Just when we were about to give up, Christina Holmes returned. Her eyes were red from the weeping and she was sniffing into a tissue. I felt guilty “Thanks for returning, Madam. We are very sorry if our approach has offended you." Christina waved off the comment w
The arrival of certain news interrupted our conversation. It has that Senior Station Inspector Rajagopal who was tasked to manage the follow-up on the John Wilkins case, has made progress. ASP Wong has earlier requested an investigation to obtain more information from the Wilkins family. After 60 years, the case has gone dead cold. It may be a futile attempt but Raja decided to try and breath life into it. As he mentioned, you never know how useful a tiny lead may be. Through Raja's efforts, the Singapore Police had managed to contact the descendants of Major John Wilkins. It was not easy but possible as the Singapore Police had a longstanding relationship with their British counterpart thanks to their Commonwealth network. It took a few calls between our Home Affairs, their Home Office, and the Ministry of Defense before they found the living descendant of John Wilkins. He was survived by his daughter, Christina Holmes, who presetnly re
As we waited for the Colonel to return, our dialogue drifted along. "Has your cases always been this tough?" “To be honest, the last 24 hours were challenging for me. I have never seen such a case.” ASP Wong added, "Initially we were clueless, then you came along, then we save someone and in less than a day, that someone is ...gone." Shu Wen blew a sigh and leaned back on the chair. "It is the same for me, Shu Wen. My past cases have been more straightforward. There was spiritual disturbances and I pacify the soul. This Bukit Pandan episode is a lot more complicated." "Three missing soldiers and one of them dead. In this age, every son counts and loss of one is devastating." Shu Wen observed I grimaced. Again the loss of Chris Chen stun my heart. “Ahhh, it was so emotional. I just hate deaths. The spirit in this case is also much more ominous and a lot more powerful. I once told myself with my powers I must achieve two th
Both of us found ASP Wong conducting a briefing in the tentage. She saw us and put two fingers. Two minutes. She sat on the table cross-legged in a pose of confidence and listened intently to the updates about the investigation. It seemed progress has been made. I was expectant when she wrapped up the session and sauntered over. We quickly pulled chairs and sat in a corner like children hungry for a story. Shu Wen looked fresh since we met at the hospital. She had her hair let down and wore a dark purplish shirt with black pants. Professional and beautiful. “Dr Ant, you are doing ok?” she asked before I could utter a word. I nodded, “I had a good sleep but dreamt about the lady spirit. I can only say any lead will be important for me now” “After you left, my men at the hospital found this, just beneath the bed. They had taken a picture. We left this out when you deployed the Mugwort powder. Take a look?” “What may that be” I was