Cuatro - (Ghost & Horror Stories Compilation)

Respect The Dead

By: Anonymous Story Submission

*This is a true story which happened to me when I’m in my teens.

During my school days, I’m considered a very mischievous person. I will always remember that day that changed my view of “Paying Due Respects to the Dead”. It was one morning during the 7th month ghost festival and I was late for school. As my school is only a walking distance from my home, I ran across the big field just in front of my home and coming to the end of the field, people often stick incense on the grass near the pavement but I took no notice of it and accidentally stepped onto one of it. Although I realized what I’ve done, I did not bother to say “Sorry” and continued running to school. I couldn’t remember how long but in less than a week, I noticed that both my foot was covered in red patches or spots. It’s not itchy but it did caused a bit swelling. But I’m very happy as it means that I can wear slippers to school.

Even my discipline master noted that my foot is swelling a bit. It lasted for around 2 days and as soon as the red patches starts to disappear from my foot, both my lower legs began covering in red patches. It puzzled me but I did not seek any medical attention as I’m not bothered by it anyway. Soon I start to realize that the red patches come and go in a systematic order… foot, lower legs, thighs, body and head and it seems like I myself is expecting it to come all the way up and as ignorant, I’m waiting for something to happen… When the red patches reached my face, (only my face and neck, didn’t observe if there’s any on my scalp) I start to get a bad fever. My mum then brought me to see a doctor which the doctor could not explain what causes all the red patches. He prescribed me with only paracetamol and I was given medical leave to stay home and rest. That very night, I’m still having my fever. I took my medication and was asleep, It was then I dreamt of “Dua Di Ah Pek” pulling a chain and walking towards me and they wanted to use it to chain me up.

In a panic and but drowsy from sleep, I managed to call out to my mum who happens to be watching t.v. in the living room. She came into the room and I actually sensed that she walked out for a moment and came back into my room later and shoved something in my pillow cover. With that, I slept throughout the night. The next morning, my mum was asking me if I was feeling fine and I told her that my fever is gone but still feeling very weak. She then told me that last night when I called out to her, and when she walked into my room, she suddenly had goosebumps all over and that’s why she walked out of my room and get an amulet to place it under my pillow. I then related my dream to her and after calling my auntie, my mum decided to call in a Taoist to “clean” whatever is bothering me. When the Taoist came, he asked me did I do anything to disturb the “things” and I started to recall the incident which I stepped onto the joss stick. He then calmly explained that I might have offended the “thing” and “Dua Di Ah Pek” came to take away my soul (3 Hun 7 Puo). He then began to use a whip kind of thing and chanted something and whip it on the floor few times and tied it around my neck and ask my mum to shout out my name and ask my soul to come back. After that, I start to recover fully but this shall always serve as a reminder “To Respect The Dead”