The disappearance of the hospital psychiatrist triggers panic, with owl calls causing alarm.

In folklore, there is often mention of eerie sounds described with metaphors such as wolf howls, ghostly screams, or the laughter of night owls. However, the hoots of owls frequently emanate from the "Serlonia" Hospital, located to the north of Shitai Street.

This comprehensive hospital, known as "Serlonia," specializes in psychiatry and was built with foreign aid before the liberation. It comprises a four-story gray-brick main building and a two-story annex, giving it an appearance somewhat reminiscent of a church. Behind the medical building within the large courtyard, there are over a dozen old elm trees, home to owls all year round. These birds, along with the hospital building, are protected by the relevant authorities, so the cries of the night owls no longer surprise the people living in and around the hospital.

The hospital sees a large number of patients, most of whom are suffering from mental or psychological illnesses. During the day, the scene in front of the hospital on Shitai Street is bustling with activity.

One day at Serlonia Hospital, a family member of a patient told the doctor that his wife, who was being treated there, had gone missing, and despite extensive inquiries by the medical staff, there was no progress in the case, and the whereabouts of the missing person remained unknown. Eventually, even after specifically asking the hospital's security guards, no clue about the missing person could be found.

Thus, the mysteriously disappeared female patient never returned. Dr. Conding, who was in charge of her treatment, informed the family that she had a mild psychological disorder and the hospital did not place her under any special surveillance. She stayed in a regular ward just like any other patient and was entitled to move around freely. Therefore, the hospital did not take responsibility for her disappearance. However, out of sympathy for the patient's family, the hospital waived some of her hospitalization and treatment costs.

Not long after this incident, a rumor inexplicably spread from within the inpatient area, claiming that the missing female patient was taken away by an owl from the trees in the back courtyard. This absurdity was naturally not believed by anyone, especially since it supposedly originated from a few patients with mental disorders.

However, another strange occurrence soon led to some people within the hospital, including Gan Yongnian, who worked there as a janitor, to become concerned about the hooting of the owls.

The story picks up a week after the disappearance of the female patient. One morning, as Gan Yongnian was cleaning behind the building, he heard the sound of an owl hooting from above - a hum followed by a "hoo". Looking up, he saw an owl flying out of a room on the fourth floor, which puzzled him: How could an owl have gotten into the room? After carefully identifying the room, it seemed to be a place frequently visited by the head of the Psychiatry Department.

That evening, the hospital's president, Su, noticed that the department head had not been seen all day. When Su called his home to inquire, his family mentioned that someone had called him out the night before and he hadn't returned home since.

President Su was aware that the department head had been working on an independent research project on psychiatric pathology and often visited other professional hospitals for in-depth understanding and consultation. His family was also aware of his busy schedule, visiting various places for work, and thought he might not have had the chance to contact either the hospital or his home, so they did not pay much attention to his absence at first.

However, after a day passed with no news from him and his office on the fourth floor remained locked, President Su felt that something was amiss. He led a team to inspect the department head's office and found the room in disarray, with drawers and file cabinets opened and their contents either scattered or missing. The specific number and content of the missing research materials were not well known to President Su. Oddly, owl feathers were found inside the room. Upon hearing of this, Gan Yongnian, who was cleaning upstairs, shared the incident of the owl flying out of the department head's room, prompting a mix of suspicion and indifference among the listeners. Faced with the complex situation, the hospital first notified the family of the department head and inquired further before the two parties jointly filed a police report. However, even after a police investigation, there was no progress, and the missing person remained unaccounted for.

A few days later, patients living near the air raid shelter at the end of the inpatient area complained about strange owl noises at night - a continuous "hum-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo", which was disturbingly incessant and made it difficult for them to sleep.

Although owls were not uncommon in the area, such disruptive behavior had never been observed before. The families of the patients hoped the hospital could take some measures, but since the owls were protected, they could not be chased away or hunted, and the hospital could only change the patients' rooms when possible, with no better solution at hand.

That afternoon, as Gan Yongnian was cleaning up leaves behind the inpatient building, he was startled by a flapping noise as an owl flew past him into the open tunnel of the air raid shelter. Surprised and then puzzled as to why the owl would fly into the tunnel instead of staying in the trees, he set down his broom and approached the entrance of the tunnel. Peering into the tunnel, he could no longer see the owl. With no other clues and recalling the incident of the owl flying out of the department head's room before his subsequent disappearance, Gan Yongnian decided to enter the tunnel to investigate.

Gan Yongnian glanced around and, seeing no one nearby, took out his pocket lighter. With an indescribable feeling in his heart, he boldly ventured into the deep, dark cave.

There were thirty steps leading underground, and Gan Yongnian carefully descended to the bottom where the light was extremely dim. To the right was the interior of an air raid shelter, pitch black inside. Gan Yongnian lit his lighter, and the surrounding area flickered with the light, revealing only nearby objects. Descending two more steps to the right, he entered a larger rectangular space where, by the light of the flame, he could see scattered debris on the ground. As he continued to observe, he began to feel uneasy; different-sized red stains resembling blood intermittently led to the left passage ahead. He sniffed the air, detecting a faint medicinal smell and an indescribable fishy odor, which made Gan Yongnian instantly nervous.

Having been here before, Gan Yongnian knew the left passage ahead led to another exit within the hospital. Carefully, he proceeded, glancing at the narrow, darkened passage where he felt as though he heard movements inside. taking a few steps forward, illuminated by the flame, he spotted a living creature on the ground. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was an owl, hopping weakly forward as if near death. Puzzled, Gan Yongnian cautiously approached with his lighter raised. Suddenly, he stepped back in shock. Goodness! What was that? Not far in front of the owl lay a person, pale and horrifying, face-up on the ground. Gan Yongnian scrutinized closely—Heavens! Wasn't this the missing Director Lian? How could he have died here? Even the seasoned Gan Yongnian, in his fifties and experienced, felt his hair stand on end at that moment.

Hastily, Gan Yongnian turned and briskly walked towards the exit of the passage, emerging quickly. Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he rushed to the hospital security office, recounting what he had just witnessed. Hearing this, Officer Yang immediately reported to Director Su, who then informed Dr. Kang from the psychiatric department. With a team mainly consisting of security personnel and five to six others, they hurried to the damp air raid shelter behind the hospital building.

Inside the tunnel, they found Director Lian's body. Though not yet decomposed, it was evident he had been dead for several days. The director instructed Officer Yang to immediately inform the police of this discovery. The police arrived promptly and conducted a thorough search of the underground passage. Deep within the tunnel, they discovered the body of a woman beside a recently deceased owl. Through identification by the hospital authorities, it was confirmed to be the previously missing female patient.

Oddly, upon examination, the police found surgical marks on the woman's head that were fresh. Their initial assessment suggested both the female patient and Director Lian had been murdered. However, no leads could be found to solve the case. The only suspicious breakthrough point was the recently deceased owl, as not only did it have injuries to its head, but according to Gan Yongnian, he had entered the cave upon seeing this owl.

Subsequently, Gan Yongnian seemed to have developed a lingering phobia. At the sound of an owl, he would become agitated, fearing something untoward. The case remained unsolved, becoming an enigmatic mystery.

Several months later, the area around Shitai Street was included in the city's redevelopment plan, requiring relocation of buildings on both sides of the street. Before long, the hospital was also relocated. Gradually, many buildings along Shitai Street were cleared and demolished, leaving only a few old residential homes and the "Selonia" Hospital.

In less than a year, the once lively street became desolate, with most areas flattened; isolated buildings stood amidst the emptiness, creating a discordant scene. Rust had formed on the iron locks of the "Selonia" Hospital's gates, and pedestrians, peeking through the gaps, could see the gray building surrounded by overgrown weeds. Occasionally, birds would suddenly fly out from the thickets, instilling a sense of unease in observers as if something unexpected lurked amid those weed patches.

Originally posted 2024-04-08 14:54:14.