Shadows and Whispers: A Haunting Encounter in the Heart of Shanghai

In April 2002, a tragedy struck my family when my aunt succumbed to gas poisoning. The house where it happened was bought by my uncle's mother-in-law, who had set strict conditions: my uncle could live there but not sell or rent it, and he was not to remarry within a certain period. The idea of marrying in a house with such a dark past seemed unthinkable to anyone with common sense.

By September 2004, despite the home's grim history, we were all invited to my uncle's place. The layout was simple: entering the house led you to the dining area, with the kitchen and bathroom directly accessible. The master bedroom was to the left, and a children’s room to the right, totaling a modest sixty square meters. Despite my aunt's passing over two years prior, her room remained untouched, her belongings still in place as if time had stood still.

My uncle, now living alone, chose to sleep in the very room they once shared, unbothered by the sorrow that room held. His indifference to the spectral possibility of his late wife's presence was as shocking as it was intriguing.

Then came my personal encounter with the paranormal, taking place in the cramped bathroom of less than 1.5 square meters, lacking even a sink. As I was about to finish, the door jammed shut on me. Despite my calls for help and the sound of footsteps outside, no one came to my aid. Then, an overpowering stench of gas filled the air, and a spectral figure in red, perhaps my late aunt, materialized before me. Her menacing gestures drove me to the brink, almost out the window of the fifth floor.

This standoff lasted what felt like an eternity, marked by the foul smell of gas and the ghost's verbal assaults. Then, suddenly, a series of high-pitched, childlike screeches sent the apparition fleeing, freeing me from this terror.

The family, gathered in different parts of the apartment, had their share of peculiar experiences that day. Some heard the unmistakable smell of gas, others phone rings with no one on the other end to answer. The consensus was that something otherworldly was amiss, attributed to the vengeful spirit of my deceased aunt.

This episode, occurring on a seemingly ordinary day in September 2004, remains a vivid memory. The house, located in Huangpu District near the Nanpu Bridge, stands as a chilling reminder of the past. It was not until 2019 that my uncle, now remarried, decided to renovate the place, transforming it into a technological haven, yet the shadows of that day linger in the corners of our minds.