Hello everyone! This is my second ghost story, and this time the topic is school toilets. Just hearing those two words still gives me goosebumps. I have always hated school toilets — they were usually small, dark, damp, and dirty. Even in broad daylight, they could feel unsettling.
Back in the 1980s and 1990s, girls’ toilets in Singapore usually had two types of toilet bowls. One was the traditional squatting toilet, while the other was the more common seated toilet. Even today, you can still find one or two squatting toilets in some shopping malls in Singapore. Many people prefer them because they are considered more hygienic than sharing a toilet seat. But anyway, back to the story.
This happened in 1996 when I was preparing for my O-Level examinations. Some schools offered cheap evening tuition classes for students who wanted extra help before the exams. I signed up for Maths, Science, and English Language lessons. Amazingly, each subject only cost $4 a month — far cheaper than attending a tuition centre or hiring a private tutor.
The school offering the tuition classes was only one bus stop away from my home. Thankfully, it was not my own secondary school. Otherwise, I honestly don’t know how I would have survived the rest of the year after what happened there.
One of the rumours surrounding the school was that a coffin had once been discovered buried beneath the playground. The school had supposedly been built on an old cemetery, and some people believed the land had not been properly cleared before construction began. During later expansion work, workers allegedly uncovered a coffin buried in the field. According to the rumours, the incident was even reported in the newspapers.
One evening, I arrived at the school around 6:30pm, but my lesson did not start until 7pm. The school grounds were unusually quiet. The only person I saw was the school caretaker uncle walking around downstairs.
As I sat alone in the classroom waiting for class to begin, I suddenly developed a terrible stomachache. I have always hated using public toilets, even now. But when the enemy is at the gates, you really have no choice.
I headed to the girls’ toilet on the ground floor since it was closest to my classroom. Inside were five cubicles. I chose the middle one, which happened to be one of the squatting toilets. Back then, squatting toilets were far more common than seated ones.
I rushed in and tried to finish my business as quickly as possible.
Then, within a minute or two, I suddenly heard music playing.
It was the Singapore national anthem — *Majulah Singapura*.
The sound was faint, but loud enough to make me freeze. Then I heard another voice singing along… except it did not sound like it was coming from the recording itself.
My heart immediately started pounding.
I quickly finished up and reached for the cubicle door. The moment I pulled it open, everything stopped.
No music.
No singing.
Nothing.
The entire toilet was completely silent.
For a few seconds, I just stood there frozen. It honestly felt as though I had stepped into another world while I was inside that cubicle.
I hurried to the sink, quickly splashed some water on my hands without daring to look into the large mirror, and ran straight out of the toilet.
To this day, I still believe *they* wanted me to leave their toilet because it was getting late.
And after that night, I never went back again.
Want to know what you shouldn’t do during this month? Read my article about the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival and the taboos believed to keep you safe.