Ghost Thefts (鬼偷)

A group of international students enrolled with a language school in Willington, New Zealand to study English language preparatory course to prepare for the following year’s examination. As per norm, lodgings for foreign students are provided so that these students can have a smooth start with their courses. Normally the school administration would look for houses around the city for these students as most schools do not own hostels.

Albert, Ben, Clara, Daniel and Elisa were foreign students arranged to share a house just outskirt of Willington. It is the policy of the language school to mix students of various nations together so that they can appreciate each other’s culture and language. But this is not normally the case. For example: Albert from France and Ben from Germany would not enjoy Clara’s ‘belacan’ (shrimp paste) from Malaysia, and when Daniel prepared his spicy Indian curry; almost everyone would just vacate the house temporarily. Likewise, Elisa from Hong Kong would just overloaded the common fridge with her food stuffs…

One day, Elisa found her gold ring went missing from her room and she suspect one of her house mates might be the culprit. Because of lack of evidence, she chosen to keep quiet. Then it was Clara’s gold necklace that failed to be found after she took a shower in the house common washroom. She could just blame herself as Clara didn’t lock her room door while she was away. Then Daniel misplaced his wallet and he had to lodge a report to the school administration and the authorities. A few days later Albert and Ben started a quarrel between them because Albert suspected Ben to have taken his iPhone; while Ben thought Albert stole his CD player instead. Both of them used to drink in each other’s room.

Gradually the news of thefts spread like wild fire and the school authority wanted to put a stop on thefts in student hostels so that the school reputation is not jeopardised. So, Albert, Ben, Clara, Daniel and Elisa were sent to different student houses right after the short semester break. None of them objected the school’s arrangement of course.

The night before the 5 guys were scheduled to move, Clara woke up around 3am to go to loo. When she passed through the common kitchen, she saw the figure of a man wearing a cowboy hat and a windbreaker through the kitchen glass panel standing by the dining table. Clara could only see the stranger’s back as he tugged his hands into his windbreaker pockets to get something. Then Clara saw the man took out a gold ring, a familiar gold necklace, a man’s wallet, an iPhone and a CD player. He put all the stuffs on the dining table; and as if he noticed Clara was looking at him, the stranger suddenly turned his head and gave Clara a sinister smile…

As soon as Clara looked into the stranger’s face, she gave out a sharp shriek. As recalled by Clara later, she finally saw the face of the stranger and she sworn that it wasn’t the face of a human being she was looking at because the stranger’s face was glowing with green light and he has no eye balls!

Others who heard Clara’s scream immediately came to her aids. At the same time, the stranger with a green glowing face faded into the thin air. Clara told her housemates what she just saw and all of them went into the kitchen dining table to inspect stuffs leftover by that ghostly visitor. Those were the guys’ lost items alright. Everyone was happy to get their items back though someone would suspect Clara of making the story up. Elisa suddenly remembered that she too saw a figure wearing a cowboy hat wearing a windbreaker in her room when she returned from the school library one night before she lost her gold ring. As usual, Elisa must pass through her room window every time she enters or exits the house. So there has no doubt what she saw. Elisa didn’t mention the ghostly figure because her room was still locked when she returned; and she was not so superstitious then.

Since Clara was somewhat became a ‘suspect’, she brought her doubt to me after she returned home one day. Maybe I am as baffled as she is about why the ghostly man stole from the guys and returned all their stuffs. Perhaps it just wants to chase away whoever was staying in that house; or it just want to attract attentions?