The very idea of haunted houses has intrigued many paranormal enthusiasts. Whether it is a story about victims of suicide, or murder in the residence, haunted houses have satiated the curiosity of many.

For starters, there is the Red House near the Pasir Ris chalet, frequented by inquisitive youngsters in the area. The Red House is a longstanding haunted spot in Singapore, yet the story behind why it is haunted remains unknown. Some have speculated over the heads of the two stone lions at the front of the gate which come alive when explorers walk pass them at night. There is also a belief that before you enter the house, you have to “feed” the lions cigarette butts. The Red House is not accessible, but some have managed to break their way in.

The Bedok Flat, like the Red House, is just as widely reputed. While the Red House remains mysterious, the Bedok Flat at Avenue 4, Block 99, is well known for an infamous suicide case, which was the talk of town for a period of time when the incident occurred. A woman had thrown her sleeping three-year-old son down from the 25th storey and jumped after him. She was wearing a red wedding gown, and the Chinese believe that when person commits suicide in a red outfit, the deceased will return as a vengeful spirit. It is not all untrue. She had left a note, written in her own blood, to her husband, a philanderer and gambling-addict, that read, “It is not over, darling”.

After his wife died, the husband had hoped to sell the flat but to no surprise, there were no interested buyers. So he and his mistress moved in. Three years later, with a son and a maid added into the picture, a fatal incident took place. A little earlier to the misfortune, the maid had told her employers that their son had been playing and laughing in his room with his “elder brother”. The boy’s parents dismissed her concerns, believing their child to be young and imaginative.

One night, the boy had gone into his parents’ bedroom because his “elder brother” had bullied him. The father woke up harassed by being woken up suddenly, reprimanded his son to stop making up stories. Too afraid to return to his room, the boy insisted on sleeping with his parents, which they had little choice but to give in to his whims.

In the middle of the night, banging noises coming from the cupboard and crying was heard from the boy’s room. The father found the crying to resemble that of his dead son and decided to check out the situation only to find nothing in the boy’s room. It was then that the maid screamed and the father rushed back to his room to find his son standing on the window edge, waving and laughing to his parents. It is not understood how the window grilles was opened. With a final goodbye kiss, he said he was going to fly with his “elder brother” like Superman, before he took the plunge down.

When the police arrived, the parents were too distraught to speak. What was eerier were the Chinese words scribbled on the wall of the parents’ room, saying “This is for mummy”. It was believed the day this unfortunate incident took place was also the birthday of the young boy’s brother who was previously thrown down the flat by his mother.

The house remains vacant till today. Neighbours would still hear the cries of a lady at night, believed to belong to the deceased first wife. Other times, they would hear a boy and a woman laughing together.

What a tragedy! But at least this Bedok flat remains vacant because of its well-circulated rumour. The same can’t be said for the Changi Old Beach houses which are available for lease. Families looking for a short vacation by the sea over the weekend would book these vacation chalets. Instead of having a retreat, a few unlucky ones would find the stay more disturbing than relaxing. Most people have reported the feeling of being stared at, while some would hear scary noises in the middle of the night. In more extreme cases, others have reported slaps by unknown forces while bathing, while others have said they were possessed by spirits.

Perhaps it’s the thrill of exploring the unknown or the opportunity to encounter the supernatural that has many trooping to these haunted houses. Because you may never know what is in store…