Horror stories

Sentry duty

It was the weekend, I had to do guard duty at the 2nd Battalion Singapore Guards Unit located remotely at Lim Chu Kang Road, one of the few areas in Singapore left untouched by urbanisation.

There were, if I remember correctly, 14 of us on duty that day. 2 NCOs, 6 sentry guards, and 6 prowlers. There were 2 sentry points and an ammo dump to guard. I guarded the main gate. I considered myself lucky because the NCO post was just 50 meters away from my sentry cubicle; that meant I wasn't going to be bored; the NCOs would come out for their cigarette break every once a while and keep me company.

I'm not easily frightened. In fact, I enjoy being in open foggy nights just like the night in question. The ambience was eerie that night. There was a full moon, and it flooded the fog like a thin white translucent curtain. I couldn't see much through the fog except for some distant dark patches of trees.

The sound of crickets chirping were enough to keep me standing awake all night. If that wasn't enough, there was an adamant owl flapping about and hooting incessantly. Initially, I thought it had come for the sprightly toads and crickets, but I realised later its behaviour was quite peculiar; it flew here and there as if in panic.

The night was getting colder. I felt the smooth soft cold wind brushing lightly against my skin. Even though it was blowing softly, it was cold enough to make me shudder and make my hair stand on ends. Even with the noise of nature's elements all around me, I still felt the serenity of that dark foggy night. I looked up at the moon directly above me. It was in full splendour—huge and glowing white. The fog drifted calmly under the moon, as if alive and holding some kind of suspense. I shuddered once again.

I looked around to see if the NCOs were watching me. They weren't, so I slid a stick of Salem from the hard pack in my pocket and brought it to my lips. Just as I reached into my pocket for a lighter, I heard a sound. it was an irritating sound."Eeeeeee." It sounded human, and yet not. I thought for a moment that the NCOs were playing a spook game on me. My back was then facing the gate where the sound was coming from, and without turning around, I mocked, "Ooooh, I'm so scared." I thought I'd play along. "Huh!" I huffed as I turned around sharply. But there was nothing there! No NCO, no owl, nothing!

I looked in the NCOs' direction. They had had the TV volume so loud that even if a bomb had exploded they wouldn't have heard it.

I turned and looked closely at the gate. I looked out, to the left, right, and into the distance. The only thing I saw were blurred silhouette of trees and a faint light coming from a farm house some distance away, too far for anything less than a scream to be heard from that distance.

Not seeing anything amiss, I lit my cigarette and sucked in hard like it was weed. Oh, that was a breath of fresh air for me. I hid the cigarette from the NCO's line of sight as I watched them closely. I knew I could get my ass kicked for smoking on duty. As I brought the cigarette discreetly up to my lips the second time, I heard it again!

Weeeeeeeeooooooooeeeeeeeee!

That time it was close, much closer, almost like someone was standing right behind me. I recognised the sound—it was a wheezing kind of sound, like someone going through an asthmatic attack and trying to scream or something.

I froze. The wheezing sound had progressed to a wail, and it was getting louder and eerier. It was beginning to really freak me out. I didn't dare move any part of my body. I only could dare move my eyeballs. From the corner of my left eye, I looked to the NCOs, but they were too busy with their Chinese variety show. Damn them! I thought to myself.

I must admit, I prayed that night. The link between me and god had long been broken, but that night, I pled for his forgiveness and protection.

Then, everything went silent. I couldn't hear the TV. I couldn't hear the crickets. No owl hooting too. Nothing, absolutely nothing! I stood frozen and shivering, anticipating some kind of shocking attack.Then, a distinct gust of wind blew against my right ear. Instinctively, I turned.

Dear god! It was real!

I was looking at something I had hitherto only heard of. It was horrible—a floating head with a green face! Its eyes were bloodshot, and entrails with blood dripping were hanging from it! THIS IS NO BULLSHIT! I couldn't control my bladder, so I released right there and then.

I was standing there for what seemed like forever. I remember nearly coming to tears, wanting to scream but couldn't. The 'THING' was looking at me with so much satisfaction I felt humiliated. I was standing there wet in my own piss and wanting desperately to pass out so as to end the horrendous ordeal but I couldn't—it was too shocking.

Thank god one of the NCOs hollered out my name. He had noticed that I was not at my assigned spot and realised something was amiss. When he hollered, that thing backed away and vanished into the fog. All that remained was the slow drifting white fog closing the curtain after the show.

I buckled to the ground and nearly passed out. The NCOs rushed over to me wondering what had happened. They sent me to the medical center and I spent the night there.

I never talked about this in that camp, only when out of it.

Till today, I shiver when I hear the wheezing sound made by anything. Once, I heard a kettle go wheeze, and I screamed like a girl. I didn't realise I was that traumatised.

Jumari Juma'at, 43.
Delivery Driver. 15 Mar 2003