Skills future

[big wood]

its been a while still waiting

[sexcision]

Originally Posted by big wood

its been a while still waiting

ILock will be updating on 6th Aug. 10 more days.

[robertphone]

Originally Posted by sexcision

ILock will be updating on 6th Aug. 10 more days.

Can start to countdown

[FlatTop]

Originally Posted by sexcision

ILock will be updating on 6th Aug. 10 more days.

Only a week more to go. I'm sure it will be well worth the wait.

[Bittersweet Guy]

20 mins to end of 6 Aug... still logging in every day and patiently checking for updates.

[ilikeoldchangke]

Dripping wet from the downpour, I wiped my face with my hands as Daphne drove away from the market. Looking at the side mirror, I could not wrap my mind around leaving Hock Chuan like this.

“I can’t believe we just… we just left him there.” I said. “perhaps we should have..”

“Jerry I’m going to drive this van right up to the door step of Accident and emergency…How do you expect me to explain away a dead body ? “ Daphne replied, interrupting me from my thoughts.

“What about the guys behind ? What are you going to say ? “

“Don’t worry about them, I’ll lie my way through if I have to. Are you hurt ? “ Daphne asked while throwing me a sideway glance.

“I’m fine.”

“I’m, I’m going straight to the hospital now....” Daphne said while trying to peer through the downpour. “You…ermm… want to drop off somewhere.?”

Turning to Daphne, it’s like she could read my mind.

“That would be good.”

What happened next was a period of uncomfortable silence.

I decided to break it by asking Daphne about her work.

“So you’re a…social worker eh…?” I said.” How did you end up in that mess?”

It’s not difficult to see that Daphne is trying to think on her feet.

“ermm.. I was looking for one of my client who has gone missing…and then erm..i started poking around.” She shared.

The next thing she knew, she finds herself being held hostage.

“There’s something shady going on definitely.” Daphne said. “I’ll notify the police to check it out later…. And you ? ”

“Ermm.. I’m err, sort of ermm… in the wrong place at the wrong time..”

We exchanged a look and the expression on our faces could not be more obvious that we are both lying.

As the van cruised along Nicoll highway, both of us are avoiding the biggest elephant in the room.
Any logical citizen would notify the authorities right away, yet both of us seemed determined to be out of the limelight in this situation.

“so you ermm.. want to tag along to A&E ? “

“No. No. there’s no need to. I’m ok.” I quickly said. “just drop me off somewhere up front will do.”

I asked her how she is going to explain herself when she call the cops.

“I’m just going to make an anonymous report.” Daphne said a little too quickly.

“What ? “

We exchanged another awkward look before she says she will find a quiet carpark to abandon the van after that.

“Actually, I…erm… I’m not supposed to be out looking for erm…my client tonight…so…ermm… I’m actually supposed to be on another case…my boss will kill me if he knows how much trouble I got into.”

That is hardly convincing at all, but I just nodded.

Seeing that I’m the one asking all the questions, Daphne asked how did I end up playing a blind man.

“ermmmm..i..errr… need some extra bucks and I heard from a friend I can do delivery for some fast cash if I pretend to be blind.” That was a pathetic lie.

What made it even more pathetic was that Daphne could see right through my excuse, the same way I saw through hers. And yet, both of us decided to take it at face value, refusing to call out on the bluff.

Daphne nodded and asked if it’s ok she drops me off by the train station coming up.
I could see City hall coming into view.

“Yeah, yeah.. that’ll do.” I said.

This feels weird. I just rescued a bunch of people, why am I behaving like a fugitive?
Turning to the rear, I asked if someone could pass me the bag of my stuff.
No one answered me. I forgot they can’t see.

Daphne pulled up by city hall and i asked her to give me a second. Opening the side door, I grabbed my stuff and shut it. Daphne was panting hard like she is still trying to recover from the shock. We stared at each other, unsure of what to say.

“You… you’ll be ok ? “ I asked.

“I think so..” She replied.

“Well take care Daphne…”
“You too Jerry.”

A cloud of black smoke pushed it’s way out of the exhaust and I watched the tail light of the vehicle disappear into the night.

The cab driver gave me a weird look when I boarded his taxi totally drenched.
Feeling bad for wetting his ride, I gave him a $20 tip after I got home.

I groaned loudly as the hot shower pelted my tired body.

Dead bodies, criminals, shady underworld. What have I got myself into ?

Collapsing into bed, I knocked out immediately until it was coming to noon the next day.

31st December 2018
New Year’s Eve.
11.30am

I woke up with a headache.
Grabbing a quick meal of yogurt and coffee, I went to the newspaper.
The one with Hock Chuan’s death.

Nothing changed. The article is the same as before
Hock Chuan is dead and the police are looking for the next of kin.

I flipped the papers and noticed nothing has changed. Nothing was mentioned about the bodies at Geylang or the condominium. I’m beginning to wonder if Daphne reported it like she said she will.

Turning on the TV, I was immediately greeted by the scene of reporters on the ground in what was the latest breaking news.

Looking at the news ticker, I cursed under my breath.
“What have you gotten me into Hock Chuan?”

The unit in Geylang has been discovered and cordoned off. Preliminary reports stated that someone has died in there and drugs are found within the unit. The picture showed a burned area with figurines and melted candle wax on the ground.
Someone had tried to set fire to the place but the heavy rain stopped the spread and the fire fighters got there in time. Several body parts that do not belong to the dead victim are also found on the scene.

The camera switched focus onto another reporter and I literally vomited coffee out from my lips as I looked at the woman on the screen.
“bloody hell.” I cursed as I looked at Daphne reporting live at the scene of the incident.

She’s a fucking reporter, social worker my ass.
Daphne spoke of the possibility of a cult on TV with a solemn expression.
Her eyes had no life and I thought she looked rather pissed at having to deliver that piece of news.
News that she doesn’t believe in.
Daphne is giving off a vibe that she was being forced to read off a screen or something.

A cult.
A cult in Singapore. That’s what they are calling it ?

Footages of figurines melted candles and weird symbols are flashed on the screen. Daphne then spoke of body parts wrapped and kept in freezer. Aside from drugs, there is also a stash of tobacco on the scene. Details are scant at the moment, but the news will update the moment they have more information.

‘This incident brings back memories of the Toa Payoh Ritual murders case that took place in 1981… where..’
It was quite obvious she was cut off from live broadcast and the TV resumed at the news room where details of the annual countdown is being shared.
A new year is approaching. No one is interested in murder, everyone wants to know where the party is to welcome 2019.

Crime in Singapore is rare, violent crime such as murder seldom happens. An active cult in the country? It’s practically unbelievable.

The bag of stuff I carried from the condo to Geylang, that tightly wrapped item that felt cold to the touch.
It’s got to be a body part or something.
Going online, I saw that the news only covered the deaths at the Geylang property. Nothing was mentioned of the girls’ body I saw in the condo. The connection has not been made yet. Perhaps the bodies have not been discovered yet.
There is not much information available online and all I can do is wait.

Since I have time on my hands, I decided to find out more about the ritual murder the reporter mentioned on screen.
The Toa Payoh ritual murders happened in 1981, before I was even born. The body of a 9 year old girl was found in a bag next to the lift in a block of flats in Toa Payoh.
Two weeks later, a 10 year old boy was found dead nearby. The children had been killed, supposedly as ritual sacrifice to the Hindu goddess Kali.
The mastermind is a self-styled medium who had women believing he has superpowers. After investigation, the police realized that the murders were but a distraction.
An attempt to distract the police from a rape charge filed against the mastermind.
“what the fuck is wrong with people these days..” I mumbled under my breath. “ murder to cover up rape? This is madness.”

Sitting back on my chair, my eyes drifted between my laptop and the news on TV.
Wait a minute.

The Toa Payoh Ritual murders isn’t exactly a cult. It’s just murder.
The mastermind used the murder to cover up something else.
No prayers, burning of joss sticks, ringing of bells or any other rituals were conducted during the killing. It was just cold-blooded murder in an attempt to cover up something else.
Daphne said that on TV that this case reminds her of Toa Payoh murder.
Something clicked in me and the fact that she was cut off prematurely made it even more plausible.
Yes, people died.
She’s trying to say something, deliver a cryptic message perhaps based on her hunch.

And if Daphne’s hunch is correct, the dead bodies are but a cover up for something much more sinister. There is also no mention of Edwin, the man we left behind and no one has been arrested. He must have woken up and got away or something. Perhaps Terry and Larry came for him and they decided to burn the place down.

Cleaning up the coffee spill on the floor, I thought to myself.
What can be a more gruesome crime than murder? Something that justifies killing to cover what they are trying to do ?

…………………………………………..

[ilikeoldchangke]

2nd January 2019
Wednesday

I’m done with my year end break and upon my return to office, I could see a truck load of emails waiting to be cleared.
Overwhelmed with work, I did not follow up on the news regarding the incident at Geylang. From the TV playing in the pantry, I could catch snippets of headlines for the day.
A fire broke out at the condominium and the bodies were found. No other details were given. No one made the connection between that and the cult incident in Geylang. It’s either that or the powers to be decided to keep it quiet for fear of inciting panic.

I bought the papers everyday from a news stand, and unlike the ones I used to get from Hock Chuan, the news on my papers are current. I read everything from cover to cover.
On the 5th of January, 2019. I found the article I was waiting for.

“what are the odds..” I mumbled.

The interview was conducted by none other than Daphne.
A woman regained consciousness after being in a coma for many years. She woke in the morning of 31st December 2018, the nursing staff in the community hospital rushed her to Singapore General Hospital in the wee hours of the morning.
Her condition stabilized over the next few days before she was found to be well generally. Her muscles have degraded but with a bit of therapy, she will be back on her feet in a matter of months.
The woman’s memories are a little fuzzy at the moment and she is expected to recover in time.

A photo of her has been published on the papers and with it, is a note asking for next of kin to get in touch. The woman, Xiumei remembers she is married and has a daughter.
This must be Hock Chuan’s wife.

I looked at Daphne’s email at the bottom of the column and I decided to drop her a message.
I want to speak to the lady what just woke up from her coma.

‘Hi Daphne, This is Jerry. So you decided to change job in the middle of the night from a social worker to a reporter?
Can we talk ?
My number is 9724 ****‘

I hit the sent button and read the article again.
It’s a small column tucked beside an advertisement for a cruise liner. My eyes are drawn more to the discounted ticket for the cruise than to the article Daphne wrote.

My phone rang and seeing a foreign number, I immediately knew it’s Daphne.

‘Hello. This is Jerry.’

‘yeah, it’s me.’ Daphne said, without a hint of apology for lying right in my face.

‘Why did you say you are a social worker when you are a reporter ?’ I asked.

‘And how did someone working for Nparks come about playing a blindman for extra cash ? ‘

It struck me then in my anxiousness to email Daphne, I had used my work email instead of a personal one.

‘What do you want ? ‘ Daphne asked over the phone.

‘The woman that just woke up from her coma. I want to talk to her.’

‘what ?’

‘The one you interviewed, who just woke up after a few years.’

Daphne went quiet on the phone.

‘you there?’ I asked.

‘yeah, why ? what do you want to talk to her ?’

‘It’s complicated. Can you bring me to her ? ‘ I asked.

Daphne went silent on the phone again and I had to repeat myself a couple of times.

‘Daphne, you there ?’

‘let’s meet.’ She said without explaining why.

‘not now, I’m at work. How does 7pm sound?’ I suggested.

‘ok 7pm, text me your office. I’m going over.’ Daphne said and she hung up on me.

I simply told Daphne to meet at a café at Cluny court. I’m not bringing her to my office. What would Alvin think if I suddenly bring a reporter in?


7pm

I saw Daphne walking towards the café and I gestured to her. She took a seat and immediately opened up her laptop. Instead of placing her order for a drink with the staff, she placed an order with me.

“Get me a ice coffee, thanks.” She said while logging into her laptop.

I just stared at her and she stared back at me.
“What ? you have something to ask of me. Shouldn’t you at least buy me a coffee?”

I got up and got Daphne her coffee.

The moment I sat down, she turned her laptop towards me.
On her screen, is an article dated several years ago.

It was a piece about spousal abuse that she did.

“I covered the news about Xiumei and her family 6 years ago.” Daphne said.

“what…?” I took over the laptop and started reading while Daphne spoke.

“after Xiumei went into a coma, she was sent to a community hospital.” She said. “ I visited every month because this piece left a huge impression on me. It’s one of my very first article when I started work.”

“and ? “

“Something happened 2 months ago.” She said.

“what happened ?” I asked.

“Xiumei woke up for a while when I was there.”

“what!”


Daphne explained that she got a shock. She was doing her usual chat with Xiumei, telling her about her life, her career when she suddenly opened her eyes.

“I immediately went to get a nurse but when I came back, her eyes shut again.” Daphne said.

“Could it be your eyes playing tricks on you?”

“Impossible. Xiumei woke up, she spoke to me.” Daphne said as she sipped her coffee.

“What did she say?”

“She thanked me for visiting her all these while, and that she could hear everything I shared with her.”

“and ?”

Daphne hesitated

“go on.” I urged.” Tell me.”

“She asked me to go to a hawker centre.”

“Hawker centre ? what are the exact words she say?” I asked.

“Is the Irish man still standing at the carpark of Bukit Timah Hawker centre.” That was what Xiumei said.

I felt a rush of cold air hit me as goosebumps populated my skin.
Daphne could see the change in my expression, and I immediately asked her the date.

“Date… the date…what date was that ? “ I asked

“4th of November”

That was the date I first met Conor and Bobby.

“I called the nurses in and they checked Xiumei. The doctor came in too and they are certain it’s just my mind playing tricks on me. Brain activities show she is still in a coma. There’s no way she can wake up like this, much less talk to me.”

“Did you… go to the carpark on the 4th of November?”

Daphne nodded.

“I took a taxi there after I left Xiumei. I arrived at 8.15pm”

Sitting back on my seat, I waited for Daphne to tell me the rest.

“And I saw an Irish man talking and laughing to another man.”

“and..?”

Daphne went back to Xiumei the next day.
She told her about what she saw even though she appears to be still in a coma.

“I told her the Irish man is still standing.” Daphne said.” She did not wake up, but I could see her smile for a brief moment.”

Swallowing a gulp of saliva, I could see there is more.
This cannot be just it.
4th of November is the first time I saved someone using information given to me by Hock Chuan.

“What did you do after that?”

“I increased the frequency of my visit to Xiumei.”

“Did she wake up again?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“And you did not notify the nurses this time round.” I said it in a tone that Daphne did not take well.

“Something is going on, I can sniff it. And if Xiumei wants to share it with me and me alone, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

“what else did she tell you? Where else did she send you to ? “

“Your turn.” Daphne said. “Why am I the only one sharing ?”

After a short staring match, I told Daphne that I was there at the carpark with Conor on the 4th of November. I must have left before she arrived.
She did not look convinced until I asked if she is in Hougang on the 26th of December.
Her coffee paused midway between the table and her lips as she looked at me.

[ilikeoldchangke]

“Were you there, when the car accident happened?.. Between the BMW , and the kid running across the road ?”

Daphne set her coffee down on the table with a loud thud.

“HOW DID you know that!” She demanded.

“What did Xiumei say when she send you there?”

Daphne now looked a little confused, unsure of what to make of the information. She revealed that Xiumei woke up again on the 21st December.
I mentally recalled that was the day I bought the next batch of newspaper from Hock Chuan.

“She told me something will be happening on the 26th at Hougang. People will die.” Daphne said, her voice getting softer and she got lost in her thoughts.

She admitted that she was thinking about being first on the scene so she could get exclusive news and footages.

“I asked her for details.” She added.” Xiumei couldn’t give any.”

Like the 1st instance, Xiumei asked Daphne a question.

“What was the question?”

“Who died in Hougang on the 26th December.” Daphne said while looking at me. “the thing is, 26th was not here yet back then. So on that day itself, I went down to Hougang. I wandered around the whole neighbourhood, going from Hougang Mall, to Hougang Green, to Kovan.”

“You were there the whole day?”

“Yes of course.”

“What time were you at Kovan?”

“Coming to the evening, I went to Heartland mall for dinner.” She said.

“Where?”

“Fast food, on the ground floor. Why ? “

I told her I was on level 2 the whole evening in the Korean restaurant.

“No way.”she mumbled.

Daphne then wandered around and was one street away when she heard the crash. She was the first on the scene. The pictures and videos she got firsthand earned her into the good books of her editor.

“You were the one who covered that accident too.”

Daphne nodded.

“I wrote the article”

I asked her what happened after she told Xiumei who died that day.

“she smiled with her eyes closed, but she never wake up that day. I didn’t get to talk to her.”

“Chua and Spencer died that day.” I said.

“yes, Spencer was hit and Chua was not wearing a safety belt. I can’t make sense of all this. What is happening?”

“It’s complicated.” I said

“Then explain.”

“You won’t understand.”

“Try me.”

“Where is Xiumei now?” I asked.

“Oh no you don’t, you’re not cutting me out of this. I can smell a front page story from a mile away.” She said excitedly. “ This is going to launch my career!”

“you have no idea what is going on, people are dying and you are concerned about the news!”

Daphne raised her voice at the café.

“YES, I have no fucking idea what is going on!” She said before lowering her voice to a harsh whisper. “that is why I’m trying to find out.”

“I want to know why i am not allowed to cover the story of what happened in Geylang properly. I want to know why I have to give up the story, one that I discovered to someone else. And I want to know why my boss made me say it’s a cult when I have seen nothing of the sort on site.”

I ignored Daphne and tried to leave.

“I know Xiumei sent me to a place where she knew people are going to die on the 26th. Then she sent me again to a place in Geylang where people are getting kidnapped! And i…ended up getting caught!”

Grabbing my arm, Daphne wants me to tell her what I know or she will make sure I never get to speak to Xiumei.

“I can always go to the hospital and ask for her.”

“Haha, you can try.” Daphne said smugly.” She has been transferred to a community hospital. A different one from the one she was staying at. And I happen to know where it is.”

“Let me guess.” I replied calmly. “It’s along serangoon road.”

The change in Daphne’s expression told me I hit the nail on the head. Of course, Suwen will have made sure her mother is transferred to her.

“How the fuck can you possibly know that ?”

“where was the last time you spoke to Xiumei?” I asked.

“yesterday..” Daphne said, still trying to figure out how I could guess which community hospital Xiumei was sent to.

“Did she tell you why she sent you to Geylang?”

Daphne hesitated, she appeared unwilling to share more seeing that she is getting the short end of the stick when it comes to information trading.

I stood up and thank Daphne for the help.

“Thank you for your help. Enjoy the coffee.”

“HEY!.. HEY! JERRY!”

Daphne grabbed her stuff and started following me.

“Wait, wait, wait, I haven told you everything. “ She said. “Jerry ! Wait..!”

I stopped and turned to look at her. Her attitude has changed and there’s this overly friendly smile on her face as she gave me that wide eye look.

“What is it ? “

“Xiumei told me I was there to meet someone.”

“who?”

“I… I’m beginning to think it’s you.” She added.

“Bullshit, you just want to tag along for the news.” I said as I brush her hands away.

“Look I’ve been right inside the mouth of the tiger. I’ve seen these people. There are violent criminals. Something is definitely happening here and I want to know what is it.” She said.
“I promise I won’t get in the way of whatever you are doing, I just want the story.”

Daphne dug into her bag and pulled out a crumpled red packet. It’s sealed and she waved it in front of my face.

“This” She said.” Xiumei gave me this yesterday.”

“What ? a red packet ? “I shook my head and turned to leave but Daphne pulled onto my arm.

“Jerry, Jerry! Wait, wait. Listen.” Daphne stepped in front of me and thrust the red packet into my hand.
“I asked Xiumei…how will I know who I am supposed to meet.”

“and ? “

“She told me the man that opened the red packet will grant her a wish. Any wish.” Daphne said. “ Can you believe she actually said that ? “

“You’re mad. “ I said while looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

I tried to give the red packet back to her but she backed away.

“It’s for you Jerry, I know you are on to something, I just know it. I want to tag along. Please. That’s my wish.”

I rolled my eyes and handed the red packet back to her.

“Don’t be childish.” I remarked.

Daphne pushed the red packet back into my hand.

“What are you afraid of ? “ She taunted. “black magic ? a spell ? a curse ? hahaha… go on. Open it. I too want to see if Xiumei is really capable of predicting the future, or she is just fooling around.”

“alright, I’ll proof it to you.” I said as I tore open the packet. “This means nothing.”

I don’t believe in granting wishes to girls who are interested in poking their noses everywhere. Especially not a overly zealous reporter.
From inside the red packet, I pulled out a piece of paper and I felt my heart go cold. I recognized the piece of paper. It’s a normal piece of writing paper but the last time I saw one folded into 2 in that manner was when Suwen tried to give me one.

“what does it say?” Daphne asked.

Opening the piece of paper, I took a look and immediately shut it. My heart started beating really fast.

“What is it ? Is it working ? did she cast a spell on you?” Daphne asked with a hopeful voice.

I said nothing and just looked at the eager reporter in front of me.

Looking at me with a curious look, Daphne tried to take the piece of paper from me. I quickly tore it up and crushed it before putting it in my pocket.

“what was that?” She said.

“you ok Jerry ? “ she asked.

I nodded, looking at Daphne in her eyes.

On the piece of paper, Daphne’s name was written.
And below that name, is a date.

It’s a date one week from that day.
She’s going to die in one week’s time.

“Jerry. Hey !...” she waved her hands in front of me. “ Looks like it’s working dude… so ok ? you going to tell me everything I want to know ? let me tag along for my exclusive scoop?”

I nodded slowly and Daphne punched her fist into the air.
“YES!” she yelped.

She waved her fingers in front of my face like she is casting a spell on me.

“Tell me something that will absolutely blow my mind Jerry…abracadebbra..~!”
Daphne started laughing at her silly act, drawing the looks of passerby.

I was not laughing though. There is nothing funny about this.
“Hock Chuan, the body we left by the carpark…. He is Xiumei’s Husband.”

Daphne stopped waving her fingers and she stopped laughing.

“fuck…”

………………………………..

[ilikeoldchangke]

Sorry for the long hiatus.

[kforkun]

i love camping

[Seowkao]

Solid follow ILock. But that means another long break before the next update!

[Crysta]

Camping is love

[keano]

Goosebumps mate... U nv failed to give me that. Hope all good.. Take care bro. Waiting for ur next one!!

[water_boi]

Originally Posted by ilikeoldchangke

Sorry for the long hiatus.

Welcome back bro ilock!

[verytiredguy]

Great story!!! Camping here for more!!