Chapter Nine, The Lost Mouse

In the middle of the night, I groggily saw an old woman standing at the foot of the hospital bed, staring intently at it. I said, "What are you doing? Leave quickly." I sensed that there was something wrong with this old woman. Who would appear in a hospital room at such an hour?

"But I just can't break free," I said

The most amusing part is that my mother initially did not believe it, saying that the old man was useless and afraid of ghosts. One night, she switched places with the old man to sleep. As a result, starting at 2:00 AM, my mother began to curse loudly, cursing ghosts for one or two hours, unable to sleep at all. My mother has quite a temper; one could say that people with a strong temper are not easily oppressed by ghosts. It seems that the ghost that pressed down on the bed that day had gotten used to its usual spot and mistook the target. My mother has quite a temper; one could say that people with a strong temper are not easily oppressed by ghosts. It seems that the ghost that pressed down on the bed that day had gotten used to its usual spot and mistook the target.

The old man's flames were low, and my mother also thought of many methods, such as inviting someone knowledgeable in rituals to draw talismans and stick them on the headboard. Every time a chicken was slaughtered, she would smear a bit of chicken blood on the bedpost, place sharp blades on the bed, and even hang branches of peach wood.

My mind was as clear as a mirror, knowing that it was a ghost pressing down on me. I began to recite the Heart Sutra, which I had been able to recite fluently since my teenage years, over two hundred characters, and I could recite it in one breath without pausing. Therefore, at that moment, while I struggled with my hands and recited the Heart Sutra, they indeed could not overpower me. The more I fought, the stronger I became, striking with my fists and kicking with my feet, and just when I was feeling exhilarated, they suddenly all vanished.

I still remember the first time I was pressed down by the phenomenon of sleep paralysis. It was in the middle of the night when I suddenly found myself half-awake and half-asleep, inexplicably feeling a deep sense of fear. Then I heard the sound of mice scurrying on the ceiling. Suddenly, I felt completely unable to move, as if something had happened, holding me down tightly. That kind of fear is indescribable in words. As a result, the more afraid I became, the less I could move. I couldn't even open my eyes. Later, there was a time when I exerted all my strength to open my eyelids, but my eyes felt as if they were immersed in cooking oil, causing intense pain. That kind of fear is indescribable in words. As a result, the more afraid I became, the less I could move. I couldn't even open my eyes. Later, there was a time when I exerted all my strength to open my eyelids, but my eyes felt as if they were immersed in cooking oil, causing intense pain.

However, none of these methods were effective. The old man continued to be oppressed by ghosts as usual. I remember that from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s, it was at its worst; basically, every two or three days, the old man would say he was being pressed by ghosts. (Damn, as I write this, a cat outside the window is making strange noises.) At that time, my companions would sometimes come to my house to play, and I would lift the pillows and mattress of my parents to show them the family heirlooms on my bed. There was a large axe, the kind used for chopping wood; two pairs of scissors, from Wang Mazi; a watermelon knife; and a cleaver. I would lift the pillows and mattress of my parents to show them the family heirlooms on my bed. There was a large axe, the kind used for chopping wood; two pairs of scissors, from Wang Mazi; a watermelon knife; and a cleaver. Those heavy weapons were all made by the old man with the help of someone in the workshop using a machine tool.

At first, I was hesitant to talk to others about it. Later, I felt overwhelmed, essentially being pressured every day. I shared this matter with my grandmother, who is a relic of feudal superstition and used to be a midwife. She understands these strange occurrences quite well. When I asked her what I should do, my grandmother said: "There isn't really any particularly good solution; you just have to strive and work hard to break free."

I have remembered this sentence

I studied in Shashi and was pressed down once, this cursed thing follows people around

In Yichang, there is no saying about being pressed by a ghost. It is usually referred to as being troubled by mice. This is because every person who feels pressed by a ghost hears the squeaking sound of mice before being pressed, and those who are pressed severely can even hear the sound of mice crawling.

My old man has been oppressed since childhood, being suppressed in Yichang, in Shashi, and even while being a sent-down youth in Dangyang. He got married and even in his sixties, he continues to be oppressed

Originally, I tried to avoid making this post about myself. However, upon seeing Jiu Jiu mention that he has also been pressed down on the bed, I couldn't help but share a few words about my own situation

My classmate said: "Certainly, many patients, when being transported from home to the hospital, do not make it to the hospital and die, of course, they die on the stretcher."

A few people I did not know came over to me, surrounding me. I could clearly see their body shapes; there were four of them: an old man in his 50s, a teenager, and two middle-aged men. One of the middle-aged men had only one hand. These four people pressed me down onto a stretcher, and I fought back while sitting on the stretcher. However, there were too many of them; after a while, my hands were pinned down and unable to move. Then the old man sat on my stomach, and my legs were also pinned down.

Then I woke up, panting wearily on the stretcher

Another family member accompanying a patient in the ward asked me if I had just had a nightmare, mumbling and twisting their body. Looking at that person's expression, they seemed even more frightened than I was

Later, my body became strong and robust. When I was pressed down, I struggled desperately, initially unable to break free. Then one time, I exerted all my strength and kicked out, and lo and behold, I truly broke free. It felt as if I had kicked a monster off my bed. After that, I was not as afraid anymore; each time I was pressed down, I could escape. Although it was a hard struggle, I succeeded, unlike when I was a child, when I was at the mercy of the mischievous mouse. Subsequently, I was not as afraid anymore; each time I was pressed down, I could escape. Although it was a hard struggle, I succeeded, unlike when I was a child, when I was at the mercy of the mischievous mouse.

The next day, I asked that classmate of mine whether the stretcher was carrying a dead person

Grandmother said: "If you believe you cannot break free, then you truly cannot break free"

The old man felt the most pressure during the nights when his mother worked overtime, which prevented him from sleeping. He mentioned that one night, sensing something was amiss and anticipating the pressure, he decided not to sleep. Instead, he lay in bed reading, with the television on, but even while reading, he found himself succumbing to the pressure.

At that time, I and Wang Ba were idling away our days at school, following him to study some nonsensical feudal remnants, which of course are now referred to as traditional culture. We researched texts like the "I Ching," "Plum Blossom," and "River Diagram." I specifically calculated my Ba Zi (Eight Characters) and found that my Ba Zi has five elements of Fire Virtue. Such a Ba Zi is rare; when I usually read Ba Zi for others, it is uncommon for any single virtue to occupy more than three positions in the Five Elements. It is also rare to lack one element, yet I lack two. My Ba Zi is a typical case of strong Fire Virtue. This kind of Ba Zi is not often seen; I usually find that any single virtue occupying more than three positions is rare. Lacking one element is also uncommon, yet I lack two. My Ba Zi is a typical case of strong Fire Virtue. It should be said that this fate is quite strong (fortunately, it is Fire Virtue; if it were Metal Virtue occupying five positions, it would harm my relatives). My eyebrows are also thick, which should be a means to ward off ghosts and spirits, yet I happen to be oppressed by ghosts. I discussed this with Wang Ba, and he said it could be that the flames are too strong, leading to an extreme reversal that attracts ghosts.

The last time I was under pressure was in 2008. Before that, I had not been overwhelmed for many years. At that time, I was in the hospital taking care of a family member, and the hospital beds were very limited. I often found it difficult to sit up at night, struggling to cope. Fortunately, a very close classmate of mine worked at that hospital. He arranged a stretcher for me so that I could rest at night. At night, I placed the stretcher between two chairs, and whenever I felt tired, I would lie down on the stretcher to sleep. Fortunately, a very close classmate of mine worked at that hospital. He arranged a stretcher for me so that I could rest at night. At night, I placed the stretcher between two chairs, and whenever I felt tired, I would lie down on the stretcher to sleep.

I still cannot sleep on my back, as sleeping in that position makes one most susceptible to being pressed down. Even when I do lie on my back, I do not place my hands on my chest, because this sleeping posture is one hundred percent likely to attract a ghostly pressure.

But the old woman just smiled at me and continued to look at the hospital bed. I became anxious and started to scold her, telling her to get lost quickly. Then the old woman disappeared.

I thought about it, and I estimate that I slept in their final resting place, which displeased them, so they might come to settle the score with me. Tonight, I will no longer sleep on the stretcher and will place it in the corner. I will sleep lying down instead.

I asked my classmate if they had carried someone. I described the appearances of the four ghosts I fought with last night one by one. My classmate said they didn't remember much else, but there was indeed a middle-aged man who had a car accident and had a broken arm; it was he who was picked up using this stretcher.

When I was a child, I was very weak and often fell ill. Around the age of ten, I suffered from several serious illnesses in succession. Those who are physically weak are also easily captivated by the allure of the mouse spirit.