Poltegeist

Maryanne and Shufen were on a school trip to Malacca, a historical geographical trip to be specific. But as it is with all school trips, to the girls, it was an opportunity to get away from one's parents for four days and do things with your friends that you would never do with your parents around. It was half past eleven at night when they were with two other girls, Meiling and Filza in their room. It was the first night of the trip and they had checked into the hotel at one in the afternoon that morning. After a bit of sightseeing and bus trips past what seemed like a million rubber plantations to thirteen years old, they were finally free.

'Did you see the tombstone?' gasped Filza to the rest of them. 'Yah man! Did you see Weifen when we passed them? It was so funny!' This sent them into fits of hysterical giggles. They had passed the infamous graveyard that lay adjacent to the hotel just as they had been driven into the car park. Their teacher had already told them in Singapore that if there was anyone among them who was going to be melodramatic about staying next to the cemetery, they were advised not to come. She was not going to put up with 'adolescent whining' about strange noises and things happening in the night. The hysterical giggles eventually evolved into imitations of Weifen's face (she had not believed her teacher about the cemetery and its solidity had obviously shocked her into silence). the imitations then evolved slowly into short stifled laughs and hitching breathes. It was then that the noises started. A long scratchy sound reverberated throughout the whole room.

'What is that?' Maryanne said all of a sudden, her ears perking up immediately. 'What?' said Shufen. 'LISTEN!' whispered Maryanne forcefully. 'Oh my...' Said Meiling, when she finally heard. 'It's coming from OUR ROOM!' said Filza in a panicky voice. Filza and Meiling were sleeping next door to Maryanne and Meiling. All of them got off the bed, and plastered their ears to the wall, listening intently. The noise was much clearer now. Furniture was being dragged around their room. Meiling could not think of anything except not wanting to be there. Shufen just could not believe what was happening. Filza wanted to see what was going on. It was Maryanne who was having the most practical and yet the most terrifying thought. She looked around the room. The floor was parquet and everything was made of wood. Filza soon followed her gaze, wondering what she was thinking.

'Mary' She started as the others took their ears off the wall and looked at her as well. 'What is it?' It's the bed,' she replied. 'It's the only thing heavy enough to make the noise.' Her voice was one of rehearsed calmness. 'Who would be able to move the bed?' She kept it that way so she would not burst into delirious, scared laughter. 'Hey, let's give the person a call,' Maryanne suggested. All of them looked at each other and nodded. Meiling picked up the phone and dialed her room number. In the same silence of their room, they could hear their room's phone ringing through the thin hotel walls. The dragging noises stopped as someone answered the phone. 'Hello?' Meiling spoke nervously. 'I know who you are,; and the person on the other line hung up.

it was a woman's voice, but sounded much older than all of them. Meiling dropped the phone unknowingly, as the others gathered around her. She told them what happened. Filza was breathing rapidly as she stood up and grabbed hold of Meiling's arm. 'What do you think we are doing?' Meiling yelled. 'Duh. Going to see who is moving our bed!' 'WHAT?!' 'Erm... we are going to have to go back there tomorrow to change anyway right?' 'But...' 'We'll go with you Mei. Don't worry,' Maryanne said, getting off the bed, pulling a very reluctant Shufen with her. The corridor seemed too quiet and the light too stagnant as they stood outside the room next door, unlocking the door. Meiling held onto Filza's arm as she unlocked the door. The moment the door was unlocked, Filza charged into the room, only to stop short after two steps, causing the others behind to crash into her back. Their eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.

The single bed was blocking the narrow corridor that led to their room. It was impossible. Someone had forcefully rammed the bed into that corridor. The wallpaper at the corners was scraped away by the two edges of the bed. Wood splinters were strewn on the floor and the wall in front of them. The bed was pushed halfway into the corridor. A meter longer and they would have to break the door down to get in. However, the damage was already done. long deep scratches in the parquet flooring stretched out behind the bed. They looked up in time to see a black figure leaving through the balcony.They clambered across the bed to get into the room, not caring that they were dirtying the sheets. When Filza pulled the curtains to the balcony, she realized that the balcony doors were closed and locked. Stunned, they looked at each other, not trusting themselves to speak properly. They could only look at the mess the room was in. Meiling saw it first, the lipstick markings on the television screen. The television was left on.

Against the static filled screen, what was written in Chinese chilled their blood. What you did to me, I'm merely returning the favor. You disturb me; I disturb you. The four girls went to their teacher immediately. They got into trouble for vandalizing the hotel property. However, even their cynical teacher doubted that they were responsible, especially after what he saw on their television screen. 'I don't care what you girls have to say,' he told them. 'But tomorrow morning, you'd better bring some flowers and fruits to her grave and apologize.'