In the shady realms

While clearing my storeroom several months ago, I managed to retrieve this newspaper clipping from my early working days, one which I had believed was lost forever. In November 1977, I was already working in Ban Hin Lee Bank. But my writing days were far from being left behind. Here was a story that I contributed to The National Echo, my previous employment, and the piece found its way into print eventually. The sketch came from the newspaper's in-house artist. 

Like most modern women, Ah Kam does not believe that the Chinese seventh lunar month has any sinister implication. It is only from stories told by her forefathers that she vaguely understands that this is the month when Hades opens its doors to allow the spectres to wander among humankind.

True, she knows that it is during this period, when there is a marked increase in ancestral worship to appease these hungry ghosts, that roadside stageshows honouring the God of Hades, otherwise known as the Phor Tor Kong, are held almost nightly.

Facing each stage at the other end is a huge effigy of the God to which all the worshippers will pray to before turning their interests to the stage.

When it comes to seeing such shows, Ah Kam cannot say "no". For the whole month she can patronise the stageshows for hours without end, mesmerised by the antics of the actors and actresses on the stage.

It was nearly the end of the lunar month and as always Ah Kam and her friend would meet at an agreed place before going to one of the many shows around town.

According to her, it was just like any other night. The evening had passed by pleasantly although the show had ended earlier than usual. At the roadside they had taken a light supper and had discussed the evening's programme which although was amateurishly presented, had been entertaining enough. Everybody was happy.

Just before departing, Ah Kam instinctively turned to the altar of the God of Hades and, putting her palms together, made a praying gesture of respect to the God.

"Everything was normal at this point," Ah Kam said. "Under the street lamp we parted after agreeing to meet again the next night for another show elsewhere."

What she recalled next was a picture of incredulity which convinced her that the mysteries of the unknown were not something to be scoffed at.

As she turned the corner of the road leading to her home, she chanced to see in the distance, about a hundred yards away, a crowd of people milling around a huge figure about 10 feet tall which said, 'Come, let us all go home.'

"Although the night had been very clear, I remembered that the roads were well lit. However, when I saw this crowd, I felt that everything about me had suddenly grown dim. The people surrounding me had the vaguest shapes. I could not see their faces, nor could I describe the dresses they wore. It was as if the road had no street lamps at all. But I knew I felt no fear."

The foremost thing on Kam's mind then was to try to catch up with the rest of the crowd. After all, walking the dark streets alone could be quite risky at the late hours.

She continued, "I found that it took me some time to catch up with them. But when I did eventually catch up, I still could not actually see their faces or dresses. Everything was still in the shadows and I could not distinguish one person from another. Still I followed them. The huge figure had a spell-bounding effect on me. At first I though this to be a religious procession, but then I could hear no sound, no talking among the people - not even the tramping of feet on the road. I just kept on moving along."

How long Ah Kam must have followed the crowd, she could not recount but after some time when she rounded a corner she felt a gust of wind blow across her face.

On regaining her composure, she suddenly found herself alone. Nobody else was around her. The crowd had vanished just as mysteriously as it had appeared, and so had the figure. It was still a clear night and she could make out many inanimate objects by the roadside.

"Even the street lamps were there," she recalled. "I could not recognise the road. I just felt no fear although I just couldn't understand what was going on. All I knew was that it was late and I had to be home. Automatically I made a turn and walked aimlessly until I reached a road junction which was familiar to me. From there I traced my way back."

When her story was later related to her friends there was no doubt on their minds that she was a victim of the unknown.

They were certain that she had experienced an encounter with the God of the underworld, and the faceless people around her were the stray ghost - spectres of a past age - being herded together back into the shadow realms.

 © Quah Seng Sun, 2021