Chow-Kah weaves between tables in the hall of Hot Legs Niteclub & Karaoke and steps to the bar counter. “Is my KTV room ready, Lydia? My booking time is from 12 midnight to 3 am.” Garbed in a short-sleeved T-shirt and brown slacks, he smells of Oriflame North soap.
Long-haired Lydia, the Filipina bartender, shrugs her shoulders. “Sorry, Mr Ang, I’m not sure. Mummy’s engaged with a client.”
Leaning against the counter, Chow-Kah makes a three-quarter turn to scan the hall where several tables are occupied by patrons with their female companions and focuses his attention back to Lydia. “Never mind, I’ll go check myself.”
Lydia nods. “Sorry about this.”
He saunters to the end of the hall, down a passageway between rows of KTV rooms and stops at the Diamond Room. The door opens a crack and a busty hostess beckons him inside with one finger. Chow-Kah’s crotch bursts into flames and his eyes widen! Holy cow! She’s so sexy!
Stepping into the KTV room, Chow-Kah extends his hand which she grasps lightly. “Hello, I’m Ang Chow-Kah. You’re?”
“Ginger! Ginger Goh” The hostess leads Chow-Kah to a settee, and they both sit down, their shoulders touching. “This is a big KTV room. You’re expecting some friends?”
“Yup, two more are on the way.”
“While waiting for them, let’s start the fun!” Ginger hands Chow-Kah the karaoke remote control.
Fifteen minutes pass. I step up to the Diamond Room, rap the door with my knuckles and swing it open.
“Hi, Ewe!” Chow-Kah flicks his gaze from the KTV screen to me. “Meet Ginger! She’s new here!”
A cold shiver travels down my spine! I don’t see anybody sitting beside Chow-Kah! And a mike is floating in mid-air near him! Eeeeek! I back-step out of the room, yell “I’ll be back later, buddy” and close the door. I grab a passing waiter by his shoulders with both hands. “Where’s Mummy? Get Mummy for me! I’ll be at the bar!”
I stride to the bar on shaky knees and order an Asahi beer from Lydia.
“Hello, Ewe, is anything the matter?” It’s Mummy Lulu’s voice.
I turn sideways to face the mama-san. “C-Chow-Kah’s in the Diamond Room. He says he’s with Ginger but I can’t see her! All I saw was a karaoke mike floating in mid-air!”
“Ginger? Oh my goodness!” Mummy’s gnarled hands fly to her mouth. “Ginger worked here three years ago. She committed suicide in the Diamond Room after she got pregnant and dumped by our married patron. Shit! Do you know any exorcist?”
“I’ll call Sifu Sabrina.” With trembling hands, I fish out my cell phone and call her number. “Sabrina? Sorry to disturb you! But I need a ghost-buster! Now! The ghost is inside a nightclub! My friend may be in danger. Yes…yes…I’ll text you the address now. Sure, Mummy Lulu will pay your ghost-busting fees!”
Mummy pats the counter top with her fingers a few times. “Lydia, go to the janitor closet and get that NO ENTRY sign. Put it at the passageway.” She cocks her head sideways. “Come, Ewe, let’s not alarm anyone here -- we’ll wait outside the Diamond Room.”
*****
Wati sashays on stilettos past the NO ENTRY sign with Sifu Sabrina following one step behind. They stop a few feet away from Mummy and me.
“Mummy, what’s going on?” Wati asks and adds “This is Sifu Sabrina.”
Mummy Lulu explains and Wati grimaces. “Yes, I remember Ginger. She overdosed on sleeping pills, poor girl.” She angles to face me. “Ewe, you’re sure you saw a floating mike?”
I nod.
“I’m not scared of ghosts.” Wati bites her lower lip. “Let me have a second look. Perhaps you’ve mistaken.”
Sifu Sabrina moves her back towards the door of the Diamond Room and stretches out her arms. “Nobody enters the room! It’s dangerous! The ghost may attack you! This is my job!” From her tote bag, she takes out a Chung Kwei pendant and a coin-sword. “Hold these for me, Ewe. Once I dart inside, you pass them to me, okay? I’ll drive the ghost away with them.” She waves her fingers outward. “Everyone, please take a step back.”
Sifu Sabrina yanks at the door handle but the door refuses to budge. “Odd! It’s stuck! A force is immobilizing it! ” Standing with legs straddled, she holds the door handle with both hands, utters a mantra in a strange language for several beats and pulls again. Viola! The door swings outwards and a gust of cold air whooshes out.
I pass the coin-sword and Chung Kwei pendant to Sifu Sabrina with the speed of a relay runner passing a baton, and we both barge into the room. The Diamond Room is empty!
“Your friend’s in danger!” Sifu Sabrina shrieks. “We must look for him! She’s taking him to Hell! This is the Ghost Month!”
Mummy Lulu rushes to Lydia at the counter and asks, “Did you see Chow-Kah leave?”
“Yes, he walked past earlier while you and Ewe were here chatting.” Lydia gestures with one finger. “He went out through the side door.”
“Basement carpark!” I grab Sifu Sabrina’s wrist for a beat to prompt her to follow me. “The side door has a staircase to the carpark. Quick!”
Striding inside the half-empty basement carpark, I holler, “Chow-Kah! Where’re you? Chow-Kah!” Sweat trickles from my forehead down my cheeks.
Sifu Sabrina and I move to another section and scan around. Holy smoke! Chow Kah is walking towards a bluish paper Mercedes Benz! One arm is draped over the shoulder of someone invisible!
“Chow-Kah! Don’t enter the car!” My heart hammers in my rib-cage.
Too late! Chow-Kah enters the life-sized car!
Faced turned sharp by intense concentration, Sifu Sabrina dashes ahead of me and, like a javelin-thrower, launches the coin-sword at the car. “Return to Hell!” Then she hurls the Chung Kwei pendant. “Here’s a double whammy! Chung Kwei, attack!”
Poof! The paper car disappears in a cloud of smoke!
I run towards Chow-Kah sitting on the floor, a dazed look glazing his eyes. My jaw drops!
He’s holding a pair of paper brassier in his hands!
/end
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