The Haunting of 3/F, Lai Tak Street

The sun had barely risen over Victoria Harbour when the faintest of whispers filled the air. The residents of 3/F, Lai Tak Street had grown accustomed to the peculiar sounds that seemed to emanate from the apartment, but today, something was different. The whispers were louder, more insistent, as if the spirit within was reaching out, desperate for attention.

It all began when the new tenant moved in, a young woman named Mei, who worked as an archivist at the Hong Kong Museum of History. She was quiet, reserved, and seemed to have a distant look in her eyes. Her neighbors were initially indifferent to her, but that changed when the disturbances started.

One evening, after a particularly long day at work, Mei returned to her apartment to find the door ajar. The kitchen light was on, but the living room was dark. Her heart raced as she stepped inside. She called out her name, but the only response was a faint whisper, almost inaudible over the hum of the city.

Mei checked the living room, then the bedrooms, and finally the bathroom. The toilet was running, a stream of water spilling onto the floor. She turned the handle, but it wouldn't stop. Frustrated, she yanked it, only to find that the toilet was completely blocked. The sink was also overflowing, water gushing out of the taps.

Her neighbor, Mr. Ho, who lived on the same floor, heard her cries for help and came running. He found Mei standing in the bathroom, her eyes wide with fear. "What happened?" he asked.

"I don't know," Mei replied, her voice trembling. "The water started running by itself, and I can't stop it."

Mr. Ho tried to help, but the water continued to pour out of the taps and down the drain. It was then that they noticed the faintest of whispers, coming from the direction of Mei's bedroom. They followed the sound and found the door slightly ajar. Inside, the room was in disarray, clothes strewn about, drawers open, and the bed unmade.

"What's going on here?" Mr. Ho demanded, his voice a mix of fear and confusion.

Mei had no answer. She had never experienced anything like this before. The next day, she visited the museum, hoping to find some information about the apartment's history. She spoke with an elderly archivist who had been at the museum for decades.

"Do you know anything about the apartment on Lai Tak Street?" Mei asked.

The archivist's eyes widened. "3/F, Lai Tak Street? Yes, that place has a reputation. It was built in the 1940s, during the Japanese occupation. Many of the workers who built it were killed during the construction, and it's said that their spirits still haunt the place."

Mei's heart sank. "Are you saying there's a ghost?"

The archivist nodded. "It's said that the tenant before you was a young woman who drowned in the apartment's bathtub. Her spirit is trapped here, and she's searching for her lost lover."

Mei's mind raced. She had heard whispers of a lost lover, but she had never met anyone who fit the description. She decided to stay in the apartment, determined to uncover the truth.

Over the next few weeks, Mei began to experience more strange occurrences. The temperature in her apartment would suddenly drop, and she would hear the sound of footsteps on the stairs, even when no one was there. She would find notes left on her desk, written in an elegant hand, that seemed to be from the ghost of the young woman.

One night, as Mei was reading one of the notes, she heard a knock at the door. She opened it to find an elderly woman standing on the doorstep. She was dressed in period-appropriate clothing, her hair tied back in a bun, and her eyes filled with sorrow.

"Are you the new tenant?" the woman asked, her voice trembling.

"Yes," Mei replied, surprised by the woman's appearance.

"I am the spirit of the young woman who once lived here," she said. "My name is Liang. I have been searching for my lover for so many years, and I believe you may be able to help me."

Mei listened intently as Liang told her the story of her love. She was a young woman named Liang, who had fallen in love with a soldier during the Japanese occupation. When the war ended, she learned that he had been killed in battle. Devastated, she drowned herself in the bathtub of her apartment, hoping to reunite with him in the afterlife.

Mei felt a wave of empathy for Liang. She knew that she couldn't bring back the past, but she wanted to help Liang find peace. She began to research the soldier Liang had loved, hoping to find a way to bring him back to her.

Weeks turned into months, and Mei's investigation led her to an old military archive. There, she discovered the soldier's name and a photograph of him. It was him, without a doubt. Mei knew that she had to bring him back to Liang.

She returned to the apartment, where she found Liang waiting for her. "I have found him," Mei said, showing her the photograph.

Liang's eyes filled with tears. "Is this really him?"

Mei nodded. "Yes, this is him."

Liang reached out and touched the photograph. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you for finding him."

Suddenly, the apartment seemed to come alive. The temperature rose, and the whispers grew louder. Mei and Liang turned to see a figure standing in the doorway. It was the soldier, alive and well, looking surprised but grateful.

"Liang," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I'm so glad to see you."

The spirit of the soldier stepped forward and embraced Liang. Mei watched in awe as the two of them seemed to merge, their spirits finally finding peace. The whispers faded, and the apartment returned to its normal state.

Mei knew that she had played a part in a mysterious and beautiful story. She had helped a lost soul find its way home, and in doing so, she had discovered the true power of love.

The Haunting of 3/F, Lai Tak Street would be spoken of for years to come, a tale of love, loss, and redemption that would forever be etched in the memories of those who had lived there.