Can lingering ghosts offer us wisdom? Or do these spirits remain in the earthly realm to wreak havoc? As the Hungry Ghost Festival comes to a close, we feature alumnus Goh Sin Tub’s (Dept. of English Language and Literature) short story, ‘Suicide Street’, from his book Mass Possession (1994). The street in ‘Suicide street’ refers to an infamous location in Singapore where multiple individuals tooktheir own lives. Spooked by the unfortunate events, the building undergoes an upgrading exercise but not without a preceding inter-religious exorcism ritual. Despite the necessary precautions, the building remains a stronghold for the ghosts.

The supernatural tale isn’t all chills and rigors. Instead Goh’s story is a didactic one. ‘Suicide Street’ wants its readers to learn from the unfulfilled and unhappy lives led by the ghosts. Perhaps it is the faults we find in others and our disappointments with them which drive them over the edge. Instead of only appeasing lingering spirits out of fear, the chilling tale suggests we learn from their frailties and amend our lives while we can.

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