Ghost stories for the soul

EVERY time I watched horror films like those of Shake, Rattle and Roll, I asked myself if these were just products of imagination of the scriptwriters/authors or if they actually happened in real life.

But from time to time, I heard some stories from people themselves telling me that the incidents really took place. These stories are shared during certain occasions, like All Saints' Day - from one generation to another that they later on became part of the family's tradition.

Now, here's a true story that happened to my friend Miguel, who grew up in Mati, Davao Oriental. It was summer vacation and he brought along his friends in a farm far from the town proper. Although he was still a teenager when it occurred, he could remember it well.

"It was a day just like any other day, when my friends and I were just doing our usual routines. In those days, we had nothing much to do except ran around and pretended to shoot each other with imaginary guns and fireballs," he recalled.

When it was already getting dark, the group went home, ate their dinner and watched some weekend cartoons together. As the hour grew late, they retired to their rooms. Then, at two in the morning, the group decided to wake up early to do some adventures.

"We were far from supervision of our parents," Miguel said. Despite being surrounded by darkness, they ventured off deep into the heart of the woods; armed with nothing but their wits, a couple flashlights and the moon as their guide.

"We threaded a dark path leading out onto the main road, a one-kilometer stretch which served as the entrance in and out of the farm," Miguel said. "We carried on despite a lingering uneasiness."

The main road was completely desolated when they reached it. There was no sign of life, except for a singular lamp post, which was located in front of the local church and was constantly flickering.

Being the only source of light in the entire patch of land, they made their way to the light, as weak as it was. Coincidentally, this was also the way to a nearby village. The group then decided to buy some snacks at the village but as they were about to leave the lamp post, something odd happened.

An old lady "dressed in white, fragile in walk" appeared and started making her way past the group, coming from the direction they were about to go to. Initially perplexed about whether or not to say something to cut the tension, one of them decided to greet her a pleasant morning.

There was silence.

"As we were about to leave, the white lady started to speak," Miguel recalled. "Her voice cut through the darkness with an ominous sound, speaking in a dual tone - in a language none of us could understand. We were well versed in English, Tagalog, Bisaya and Mandaya and none of those languages were spoken by her."

The teenagers' minds could not fathom what was happening so they ran towards the village. Looking back after a short sprint, they found the white lady had completely disappeared and the light from the lamp post had also died.

If that story scared you, here's another one.

George Booke, a disc jockey, used to work in a media company where several radio stations are located. Most of those working in the radio stations take their lunch during the time when students would come and visit one of the radio stations.

One day, George and his companion, Dennis, also a DJ, were in the office eating their lunch. Dennis was reading a book and sit at the manager's seat. George was across him reading that day's newspaper.

"It was just the two of us in the office," George said.

As they were busy reading, the doorknob was moving, as if someone from the other side of the door was trying to open it. The door was very near to George. "Whoever is outside please come in; the door is not locked," he said.

Dennis observed it, too. They stopped reading and waited for few seconds if someone would come in. But there was none. They thought the guests might be shy and so they returned reading.

But after a minute or two, the doorknob was again moving. This time, it was moving fast and longer. Dennis, who has a bigger voice, said from his seat: "Please come in; don't be too shy."

Again, the two DJs stopped reading, looked at the door and waited for the guests to come in. The same thing happened. "It might just be a kid playing with the doorknob," George told Dennis.

So, the two went back reading. Then it happened again. Both irritated, the two invited the guest once more to come in. "Both of us were looking at the door expecting someone or perhaps a group of students embarrassed by what they did," George recalled.

For about twenty seconds, the two were just looking at the door. Feeling that no one would come in, they looked at each and feeling annoyed at the disturbance. As they were about to read again, the doorknob was gently turned on and held open.

Slowly, the door was open wide enough for someone to enter. But there was none.

No one was outside the door. The two looked at each other trying to make sense of the situation that was unfolding before them. Again for the second time, they looked at the opened door as if still expecting someone to go in.

For few seconds, which seemed like eternity, the door was just open. Then, quicker than they thought, the door slammed back close.

Was it a ghost wanting to go inside the office?

Your answer is as good as mine.