Chapter 12: Clap Clap Clap Ii (1/2)

”Wait, is it really not you? We're certain that the sounds are coming from your unit,” the man said.

I took a few steps back.

Panicking, I left the restaurant.

Something was fishy.

I went straight to the house to look for the landlady.

”Why is the rent so cheap?”

”Isn't that a good thing?”

I pressed on and she finally told me a story.

A couple used to stay in my unit

They were from another part of the country.

”When they first moved in, the house was only semi-finished. They started decorating the place a few days after settling in. They were an extremely loving couple. The sounds you mentioned… I know. I know it because the neighbors next door were complaining.”

”Good things don't last, sadly. The man was a delivery guy and was ran over by a truck one day. It turned out, the accident was caught on camera. He was still alive but the driver rolled over him once again before fleeing the scene. He wanted to avoid taking responsibility. How cruel. He was caught after all and sentenced to seven years in jail.”

Upon hearing this story, I whipped out my phone and started doing a search.

I asked for the street name where the accident had occurred.

She mumbled it to me.

Typing it into the search engine, I was quickly able to verify her story.

The crime scene had been captured very clearly.

The truck driver had knocked down a motorcyclist beside his vehicle.

He paused for over ten seconds before accelerating and going over the victim once more.

Exactly what the landlady had relayed.

I showed her the phone screen.

She pointed at it and nodded. ”That's the one. It was all over the television news that day.”

”What happened after?” I asked.

”Later on, the girl kept crying in her room. The truck driver was a gambling addict who owed tons of money and couldn't pay them off. After some time, the neighbors started complaining. They moved out shortly after. I had no choice. I went up to her unit a month later to collect payment. It was then that I found her dangling from the ceiling pillar above the bed.”

”Wait. Someone died in here and you're renting it to me?” I asked in shock.

”What's the big deal? I'm 63 and haven't seen anything. I'm already renting it out at such a cheap price. Whether you'll stay or not, it's up to you.”

”Give me a refund. I'm leaving.”

”I don't do refunds. Not for down payment, not for rent,” she informed me.

”I've only been staying here for a little over a week. Plus, you're in the wrong for concealing something like this. How can you do this?” I asked, indignant.

”Do you remember the agreement that we signed? It has stated clearly that there won't be any refund. It's so much cheaper here than other rentals. You should take that into consideration,” she spoke righteously.

”But there's a ghost in here!” I raised my voice.

”Ghost? Did she do anything to you? I'll say it again; whether you want to stay or not, it's up to you,” the landlady said firmly and turned her attention back to the television.

I returned to my room.

I no longer had what I had thought would be the start of a stable income.

I was unable to get a refund.

Helpless, I lay on the bed and fell asleep soon after.

I woke up in the middle of the night.

Clap Clap Clap.

I could clearly feel that they were on my bed.

Beside me.

The clip I've watched in the day resurfaced in my mind.

It got me thinking.

They would be a perfectly happy couple if not for that accident.

I landed myself another design job.