GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 20: Stories from the Past.

Darkness and cold were the first things Darin noticed, the wetness and sogginess at her toes made her look down, only to find she was not in her bedroom. Not even in a building, for that matter. Now, she was standing on muddy ground, her feet slowly sinking into the mud, the more she tried to pull her feet out, the deeper she sank into the mud pit.

“What’s this?” Darin looked around and realized she was in the middle of a dense forest filled with numerous tall trees. It was both familiar and eerie at the same time, “This place is…”

!!!

Darin’s eyes widened when she saw a human-like shadow on the ground as the moonlight shone down. She slowly lifted her head to look up and saw that the shadow belonged to seven people hanging from a tree branch. No matter how much she wanted to scream, no sound came out. When Darin tried to touch her lips, she found they were sewn shut with thread, preventing her from speaking or screaming. Tears slowly flowed from her eyes out of fear, for what was above was not as terrifying as what was now crawling towards her.

A pale-faced woman, her skin tinged with green to dark purple patches, her lips sewn shut with red thread, her eyes hollowed out revealing the flesh inside, purplish within. She drags her twisted body, trying to crawl closer, her face tormented, but as she stops in front of Darin, that expression vanishes, replaced by a cold face. Her hand reaches up to stroke her lips before attempting to tear out the thread, causing blood that shouldn’t exist to start dripping. Her laughter grows louder and louder until Darin’s tears flow down his cheeks in fear.

‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday…’

   The same word repeated in a hoarse voice. Her face dodges a long tongue that flicks out from her wide-ripped lips, stretching to her ears. The dampness on her face makes her tears flow endlessly, her heart pounding, her body trembling.

Gasp!!!

Darin wakes up suddenly, gasping heavily, the dense forest, the seven corpses, and the ghost he encountered all disappear. Left only with the comfort of her bed in her medium-sized condo room, the alarm clock rings again, making Darin jolt. She reaches out to turn it off, then buries her face in both hands. The nightmare haunts her, making sleep almost impossible. Every time she closes her eyes, the ghost of that woman appears, blurring the line between sleep and wakefulness.

“Hello.” Darin picked up the phone.

[Why do you sound so exhausted?]

   “Nightmare.” Darin says.

[Are you coming to the station today?]

   “I’ll come in later, I’m going to the temple first.”

[Why the temple?]

   “I’m serious, Say, aren’t you scared at all after being haunted like that?”

[A little, but you can’t live with fear forever, Rin. If you find the cause of that fear, it’ll go away faster.]

   “Yes, you heartless bunch, go stay with Singha then!”

[If you’re coming, call me so I can ask you to buy coffee.]

   “Why are you going to work so early, man? It’s only…” Darin turns to look at the clock on the headboard again, “It’s only six in the morning!!”

[I didn’t come early, I haven’t left yet. I’ve been here all night checking evidence, not to mention examining that kid who was locked up. Since ’ve switched to being a general physician, come and have another look. I moved him to the infirmary.]

   Sigh “Alright, alright, so you two are really taking on this case, huh?”

[Would we let Singha get haunted alone?]

   “Singha isn’t the one getting haunted, I am, just got haunted again!!” Darin sighed before getting up from bed and heading to the bathroom to wash his face. “I’ll hurry over after making merit. And has Singha left yet?”

[Not yet.]

   “Alright, see you later.”

Darin hangs up, looking at her weary reflection. She’s truly scared of what he encountered, but letting his friend face something dangerous alone seemed too selfish. Sticking with Say would mean not getting haunted alone, right?”

 

In the simply decorated bedroom.

   “At least the wide bed, king-size, which used to accommodate just one person, now feels narrow with two people lying next to each other. Thup, who has the habit of waking up early since childhood, opened his eyes groggily. But what makes his eyes wide open this morning is the tiger tattoo just inches away, not to mention the beautifully tanned, thick chest in front of him. Thup looks up at his older companion with sparkling eyes before smiling to himself, a night where he slept peacefully, a night without encountering anything strange or hearing any noises except for the steady breathing of his companion.”

Thup tried to get out of bed as quietly as possible so as not to wake something up from its rest. When he saw the older guy turn over, he stood still beside the bed immediately, before walking around to tuck him in and then heading downstairs to prepare breakfast. As he stepped down to the lower floor, before Thup could head to the kitchen, he glanced at the front door, the curiosity from the call last night still lingering. It wasn’t a mocking or hoarse voice like he used to hear, but a soft and strangely familiar voice. However, he couldn’t remember where he had heard it before. A pair of beautiful hands opened the curtains, letting sunlight flood onto his face. He didn’t know what he would face today, but one thing was certain, Singha had to go find the next doll.

The ringing phone distracted Thup from the outside sunlight. Hardly anyone called him, so there was no need to guess who it might be.

“Hello, Uncle Chai.”

[How are you doing, kid? Are you well? Don’t come back here often?] The elderly man greeted him in a friendly manner, making Thup smile.

“I’m doing well, and I’ll probably return soon. How about you, Uncle, are you well?”

[Just an old man, you know, aches and pains here and there. But last time you called, was there something wrong? I took the monk to pray at Choy’s house for a funeral.]

   “I wanted to ask you something, Uncle.”

[Go ahead, ask.]

   “Twenty years ago, when the venerable monk had to perform a funeral for a family of seven, do you remember? The monk wouldn’t let me go out to see.”

[Hmm, I think I remember because at that time, Old Sak and Grandma Phum, they cried so hard they collapsed. A few days later, Old Sak went to the hospital and died following his wife and grandchildren.]

   “Do you remember what the deceased looked like at that time?”

[I remember, their eyes were sewn shut, their mouths sewn, and it was a strange coincidence they all were like that. The villagers who came said it was because of black magic or perhaps they were sacrificed.]

   “Sacrificed?”

[Oh, right. At first, some villagers said not to cremate because the death was violent and not good, but the old monk advised to go ahead with the cremation. He had to chant all night, sprinkle holy water, and set up a sacred thread around the hall. It couldn’t be left for long because the death was not peaceful.] Thup listened while taking out ingredients for breakfast from the fridge.

[The villagers think it might be the work of that policeman who lives in the house by the woods, you know, because that house practices black magic.]

   “A policeman?” Thup paused immediately.

[Yeah, his father was a policeman, his mother a nurse, they seemed fine but their two kids were seriously ill. Some villagers who went into the forest for herbs said they heard chanting from the house around two or three in the morning. Then, a few months later, their kids were running to school just fine. So, they believe he might have used black magic to save his children’s lives.] Thup could only listen intently, as the old monk never told him about these matters for reasons of inauspiciousness.

“But maybe they were just chanting normally, right uncle? And perhaps took their kids to see a doctor too. If the mother was a nurse, she would take good care of them, right?”

[Well, I don’t know either, it’s just what the villagers keep saying. But then, about ten years later, they found that house was abandoned. No one lives there. No idea where they moved to.]

   “Ten years… and after that, were there any similar incidents or did the old monk ever handle another funeral like that?”

[I am not sure, around that time the old monk was often sick and in the hospital, didn’t go out much. You should remember that.]

   “Yes, I do remember.” Thup thought back to his late high school days when he had to juggle between school, the temple, and the hospital, encountering wandering spirits everywhere. “Then, uncle, could you ask the villagers for me if about twenty or twenty-five years ago, did anyone have a funeral where the eyes and mouth were sewn shut?”

“I can ask, but it’s been so long, no idea if those who were there are still alive, haha!” Uncle Chai laughed humorously, followed by a cough typical for someone of his age. “But why are you asking about this, kid? The old monk warned you not to mess with these things. The red thread for sewing eyes is to prevent seeing, the red thread on the mouth is to keep from speaking. It means whoever did it was afraid the spirit would find him, curse him, so he had to sew it shut. Doesn’t seem like someone practicing white magic, Thup.”

“There’s a necessary reason, uncle. I’ll tell you about it when I get back.”

“Do as you wish, but if you’re coming, call me so I know. You can stay at my place; your aunt misses you.”

“I miss her too.”

“That’s all for now then, I am going to pay his respects to Buddha.”

“Goodbye, uncle, take care of your health.”

After a long goodbye with Uncle Chai, Thup hung up. He had finished making breakfast and was about to shower and get dressed before starting on the meal. The young man stood in front of his bedroom door for a while, unsure whether to wake the older man or let him sleep. Just as he was about to turn away to go downstairs, the door opened, startling him.

“What are you doing, standing there in front of the room?” Singha walked out, his upper body bare, his hair a mess, yet somehow still looking good.

“Uh, I was about to come wake you up.”

“Yeah, yeah, move aside.” Singha headed towards the bathroom, preparing to brush his teeth. He walked back to the door, brushing his teeth while looking at Thup, “Aar-ahm aew?” [Showered yet?]

“Yes, I’ve showered.”

“Ur-ah-ah-a-ay?” [Why are you up so early?]

“I wake up early anyway. Why don’t you brush your teeth properly?” Singha frowned, took the toothbrush out of his mouth, and pointed it at Thup.

“Got a problem?”

“Who would dare have a problem with you?”

“Good that you know. This morning, we’ll go to the station first. Need to drop off the doll for Say to check, then we’ll head to Khun Orn’s house.”

“Take the Phra Tao Vaisravaṇa with you, so Khun Say can work safely.” Place it in the examination room.

“You go get it, carry it carefully; my mom treasures it.” Singha went back into the bathroom to rinse his mouth.

“Yes, yes.” Thup walked into the room, then raised his hands in a wai to both the Buddha statue and the statue of Thao Vaisravaṇa, before beginning to chant the devotion to the Buddha, then carefully took the statue of Thao Deity down from the shelf. But before he could walk out, his eyes caught sight of a glass cabinet in the corner of the room, filled with certificates, medals, and badges of Singha. However, what caught his eye more than anything was a picture frame standing there, showing a boy and a girl, standing with their arms around each other, smiling broadly. He thought the boy must surely be Singha, but he didn’t know who the girl beside him was. Thup walked out of the room and paused again at the bathroom door. “Phii, I’ve brought it.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Can I ask something, please?”

“Always with the questions, huh? What do you want to ask?” Singha shouted from inside the bathroom.

“Who is the girl in the photo with you, Phii?” The sound of the shower stopped immediately after Thup’s question. Seeing the long silence from inside, the young man started to worry. “Phii Singha, are you okay?”

“Don’t…”

“What did you say, Phii? I didn’t hear you.”

“Don’t meddle!” The harsh shout made Thup slightly startled.

“Phii, I’m sorry.” The sigh from the bathroom made Thup feel even more uneasy because he didn’t know if he had done something to upset his elder.

The bathroom door opened, revealing Singha with only a towel wrapped around his waist, his body wet from head to toe, which made Thup feel anxious. Singha looked up and met the eyes of the young man in front of him. Seeing Thup’s beautiful eyes trembling, all Singha could do was sigh.

“Go wait downstairs.”

Thup had never seen this kind of demeanor from this older guy since they met. He simply walked into the bedroom and picked up a towel to drape over Singha’s jet-black hair, where droplets of water glistened.

“Dry your hair too, please, you might get sick.” Thup walked down to the living room, greeted guests before placing a handsome photo he was holding onto the table in front of the TV, then settled himself onto the sofa, his beautiful eyes with long lashes looking towards the stairs with concern. He had never seen Singha act like that before.

He had never seen such a pained expression like that before.

  

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 19: Do Not Respond

Thup pushes the shopping cart and picks out items, following his older brother. Meanwhile, Singha just casually selects anything edible, not really caring about the type or brand.

“This one will expire in two days, you know.” said Singha.

“That’s not for marinating meat.”

“Phii, that’s a different formula from what I saw at home.”

It’s Thup who has to keep picking up the items the older guy throws into the basket, checking some, replacing others on the shelf. “So picky, Thup, it’s all edible anyway.”

“It’s edible, but it’s better not to eat it.”

“Then you pick everything.” Singha decides, now walking behind with his arms crossed, watching the kid in front of him carefully select items for the cart. “Grab some beer too.”

“How many packs?”

“Two.” Thup, without hesitation, picks the same brand of beer he’s seen in the fridge. “How do you know which brand I drink?”

“It’s in the fridge, isn’t it?” Thup turns back to look at the older guy before reaching out to pull Singha closer by the waist. “You’re about to bump into something.”

“Oops!! Sorry, I didn’t see you there.” a woman apologizes to both of them after nearly crashing her cart into Singha.

“It’s okay.” Thup smiles at her before continuing to walk, still not letting go of the older man’s waist.

“Can you let go now?” Singha says, lightly kicking Thup’s shin.

“Ouch, that hurt.”

“I haven’t even used any force yet. Should you start exercising?”

“Not really.”

“Then you should start.”

“Well, I don’t know how to begin.”

“There’s a gym, but is there a ghost in the gym?”

“No, there isn’t, but there are people instead.”

“Afraid of ghosts, afraid of people. How are you going to live, Thup? Don’t you think about getting a girlfriend or something?” Singha asked before picking up his usual brand of toothpaste and putting it in the shopping cart.

“How can I have a girlfriend, I can’t go out, can’t eat outside, and even if I stay with her, I scare her.” The two continued walking to the fruit section, where Thup started picking apples one by one into a bag, “Do you want anything else, Phii?”

“Just grab whatever.”

“Oh, Phii, the four people who were brought in this morning, the one guy named Bom asked if you could speed up the process. He said the police haven’t done anything yet.”

“Those four YouTubers, right?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, okay.” Singha picked up his phone to make a call to whoever was on duty today, “Hello, Inspector.”

“Who’s handling the case of the four who trespassed into the murder scene?”

“Uh, it should be Lieutenant Kong.”

“Didn’t I tell you to get it done by this morning?”

“Yes, Inspector, but the station today has been chaotic, with power outages lasting hours and the phone signal coming and going.”

“And where are those four now?”

“Just a moment.” Singha waited quietly on the line, but when he turned to see Thup talking to a woman, he immediately took interest. The young woman who approached to greet seemed shy, especially when both looked his way before waving goodbye, making him even more curious, “One is in the holding cell. Two are in the reception room, and one is in the bathroom.”

“Is Lieutenant Khem still there?”

“Lieutenant has gone home.”

“Then, Lieutenant, you handle it properly.”

“Me, sir?!”

“Yes, you know what to do with people who trespass into a crime scene without permission.”

“Understood, Inspector, but… should we send the one in the holding cell to the hospital? He seems… odd, Inspector.”

“Odd how?”

“He vomited all over the cell floor, sir, and he’s mumbling something.”

“Well, go listen to what he’s mumbling.”

“It’s like… it’s like he’s chanting.”

“Chanting?”

“Yes. None of the officers want to go near there now. I think instead of calling a doctor, we should call a monk.”

Singha sighed before walking towards Thup, who was waiting.

“Call Dr. Say to check on him, and get me the background of that kid.”

“Yes, Inspector.”

“I’ll deal with it again in the morning. If you manage to finish before then, you can release them.”

“Yes.”

Singha hung up and sighed, wondering if they were just fooling around with the locals.

“Have you finished your call?”

“Yeah, who was that earlier, someone you know?” These ghosts have nothing better to do.

“No.” Thup shook his head, “She asked for your number… Phii.”

“My number? For what?”

“She said… she likes you, Phii.”

“And where did she go?”

“She left. I told her you were busy with something important and not available, and also that you’re very strict.”

“Right, that’s good. Have you got everything yet? I’m heading back.”

“Yes, I’ve got everything.”

“Then let’s go pay.” Singha led the way to the cashier counter, not noticing the small smile of the young man who was relieved because this older guy didn’t seem to mind what he had said, and he didn’t dare to tell Singha the entire conversation.

“Uh, excuse me, are you with that gentleman?” a young woman asked shyly.

   “Yes.”

   “Is he… does he have a girlfriend yet?” Thup glanced at Singha, who was talking on the phone with a serious demeanor.

   “Seems like he doesn’t yet.”

   “Then… can I have his number?”

   “He’s on a business call right now, might not be the best time.”

   “He’s so cool.”

   “Yes, very cool. Great at work, kind but also very strict.”

   “Huh? Strict?”

   “Yes, extremely strict.” Both turned to look at Singha simultaneously before the woman turned back to Thup, blushing. Thup’s gaze at Singha held more than just admiration, noticeable enough for others to see. “I think I better not get involved with you guys, sorry about that, I really didn’t know.”

   “What?”

   “Sorry. I won’t flirt with your boyfriend anymore.” The woman apologized hastily and ran off.

   The two arrived home at 10 PM, with Thup carrying the purchased items into the house, while Singha carried his own beer.

“Is it finished?”

“It’s finished, uh, but there’s still some in the car…”

“Leave that doll in the car.”

“Does your house have a Buddha shelf, Phii?”

“Yes, it’s upstairs.”

“Can I go up?”

“Go ahead, it’s in the room on the right.”

Thup nodded before walking upstairs. Upon reaching the top, Thup opened the door to the right-hand room as instructed by the older guy. As soon as he entered, he felt a coolness. Not the coolness from an air conditioner, but a comforting and reassuring chill.

Inside the room, there were several cabinets, and a clean white Buddha shelf facing north, mounted on the wall. On the top shelf stood a radiant golden Buddha statue. Below it, slightly to the right, was a green statue of Thao Vaisravaṇa, the Great Guardian, holding a club, looking formidable in the Chatumaharajika pose, facing the same direction.

Thup raised his hands, pressing them together at his chest, then brought his thumbs to his forehead as he recited the words taught by the revered monk:

“Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa… Itipiso Bhagava, Yammarachaano, Thao Vaisravaṇa, Maranang, Sukhang, Ahang, Sukhatho, Namo, Buddhaya, Thao Vaisravaṇa, Chatumaharajika, Yaksa, Pantapatipurito, Wessa, Phusa, Buddhango Ahang, Phuttho, Thao Wessu, Wannano, Namo, Buddhaya.

I humbly bow to the perfectly enlightened Buddha, the Dhamma, and the noble Sangha. I seek the blessings of Grandfather Thao Vaisravaṇa, please protect me and Phii Singha, residing in this house, from all dangers that seek to harm us.”

As the chant ended, there was a loud knock on the front glass. Thup quickly turned to look, his heart pounding.

“What’s that noise, Thup?” Singha’s shout called Thup back to his senses.

“There’s nothing.” Thup turned to look at the Buddha statue and the Thao Vaisravaṇa statue once more with respect before bowing, then walked downstairs with a lighter heart.

“What were you doing up there, making noise?”

“Phii, don’t just call out like that.”

“Well, I heard it.”

“Don’t just call out randomly. At least call my name, and if someone calls at night, don’t respond.”

“What should I do if someone calls me?”

“If you don’t see who’s calling, don’t respond at all.”

“So, what did you go up there for?”

“To pay respects to the Buddha and Thao Vaisravaṇa. I came in with something bad with me, and had to inform them.”

“Alright, go put the stuff in the fridge.”

“And, the Buddha shelf upstairs, do you venerate it, Phii?”

“My mom did, she set it up when we first bought the house.”

“Oh, and your mom doesn’t stay here?”

Thup paused, looking at Singha who had sad eyes. “My mom was ordained as a nun at the temple.”

“My mom’s at the temple.”

“Stop thinking about it, you little rascal.”

“Phew, that’s a relief. I thought I was going to make you think of something bad.” Thup sighed in relief before walking to the fridge to store the purchased items. “What do you want to eat, Phii?”

“Anything, just make something. I’m going to have a beer while waiting.”

“Phii, why don’t you go take a bath and change first? You were soaking in the pond today, you might get sick.”

“Yeah, right. I’ll be back soon.” Singha went upstairs to take a shower, leaving Thup alone to handle things downstairs.

Thup organized the groceries into the refrigerator and shelves until everything was neat, then he decided to cook some rice along with preparing two simple dishes. While he was turning his back to finish the last bit of cooking, a faint call came from the direction of the house fence, making Thup pause.

‘Thup’

   The soft call with a gentle tone made Thup turn around. He put down the ladle and turned down the heat, knowing in one part of his mind that he shouldn’t, but another part felt the voice was too familiar. Thup’s toes walked out of the kitchen, following the call towards the front door.

‘Thup’

   The voice called again, louder this time, prompting him to grab the curtain ready to open it, but then someone spun him around.

“I just told you not to answer.” said Singha, standing in front of Thup, bare-chested with a white towel around his neck, wearing only black sweatpants.

“Did you hear that, Phii?”

“Yeah, so I came down to check.”

“The voice… it sounded familiar.”

“Besides me, who else knows you’re here? Finish eating, take a shower, and go to sleep upstairs.”

“Okay?”

“Or do you want to sleep downstairs and let something call you again?”

Thup shook his head vigorously.

“That’s it then.” Singha said, flicking Thup’s forehead without holding back, “Go check on the food, don’t burn my house down.”

Only now did Thup realize how close his face was to something elusive; it was near enough to see the sharp eyes of his older brother clearly. He thought it might be the heat from the pot or perhaps because he just saw the older man up close. The young man quickly ran back to the stove, his face flushed with heat, unsure of the real cause.

After having dinner together, Thup excused himself to take a shower, then he carried his pillow and blanket upstairs once again.

“Phii.” The door on the left slowly opened quietly, and Thup would have run away if he hadn’t seen the bare back of his elder walking towards the bed. Thup entered with apprehension before standing in front of the door, not moving anywhere.

“How long are you going to stand there? Turn off the light too.”

“Uh… where should I sleep, sir?” Thup asked as he reached out to turn off the light.

“Maybe in the bathroom. You ask such weird questions, come to sleep.”

“I… I’d rather sleep on the floor.”

“I don’t have a mattress for the floor.”

“It’s… it’s okay. I can sleep there.”

“Suit yourself, sleep wherever you want.” Singha dismissed, then turned on the lamp and picked up a case file from the bedside table to read, putting on his black-framed glasses again, which Thup couldn’t take his eyes off. If he could, he’d love to just sit and watch the older man all day.

“Phii Singha.”

“Don’t disturb.”

Thup immediately pressed his lips together. He walked over to sit cross-legged on the floor beside the bed, resting both arms on the bed and placing his chin on them, his beautiful eyes not leaving the older man. If not for Singha, who knows what would have happened to him now; he might have seen ghosts and lost his mind, or been arrested as a scapegoat like in the previous case. “Why are you sitting there staring at me? If you’re going to sleep, then sleep.”

“Phii.”

“What now, you do have so many issues.”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For helping me.”

“Helping with what? I haven’t done anything yet.”

“You’ve helped me a lot. At least by listening to what I say, that’s helping me already. Thank you.” Singha looked at the young man’s face reflecting the soft light, Thup’s different-colored eyes clearer now, his bright and sincere smile something tangible. Truth be told, it was rare to see this kid with a relaxed expression, not scared or worried.

“Get up here and sleep on the bed.”

“Yes?!”

“Come up, don’t make me repeat myself.”

“But…” Thup quickly shut his mouth when he saw the older guy frown. He sighed, picked up his bedding from the floor, walked around to the other side of the bed, and then plopped down on the bed, hugging the edge.

“Sleep, don’t ask too much, I have work to do.”

“Alright.” Thup said softly before looking at the older guy’s face, including the tiger tattoo on his right arm. Tonight, he wouldn’t have to sleep in fear or paranoia, for sure, “Good night, Phii Singha.”

“Yeah.”

 

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 18: Trust

“See, I told you, Say, you said I was just scared for nothing. How’s that for karma!” Darin arrived in her green pajama set with large frog eyes.

“And do you really believe in stuff like this? Think about it carefully.” Say threw a pillow at Darin with an exasperated look.

“That’s why I said, just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there. So, what are you going to do about this thing? Ghosts haunting everywhere like this, are you really going to continue the case?” Darin turned and asked Singha, who was sitting on the opposite sofa.

The reception room of the forensic department was now filled with people involved in various roles in the investigation, including Singha himself, King, Darin, Say, and Thup, who had to get involved out of necessity.

“If we don’t do it, who will?”

“But it’s dangerous, Singha. You’ve seen what each of us has faced, not to mention the forensic team’s car overturning.”

“I’m just here to explain. If you guys aren’t okay with continuing, I won’t stop you.” After everyone was present, Singha started to explain everything, with Thup adding details beside him. At least, those who would work on this with him needed to know what they were up against, “But anyway, I have to drag this serial killer out into the open. Otherwise, it will happen again.”

“Ugh, I want to help, Singha, but from what I’ve faced, I barely survived myself.” Darin said before glancing at the three dolls on the table. Just seeing them from the corner of her eye made her shiver. If she had to examine them closely, she might just die of a heart attack, “I’m outta here, Singha. Call me if there’s anything else, anything that doesn’t involve those dolls.”

Darin stood up and quickly walked out of the room, the images she saw still haunting her to the point where she dared not close her eyes.

“So, what now?” King spoke up amidst the silence.

“Do you believe it?”

“If you’re the one saying it, then I guess I have to believe it.” King looked up, meeting the eyes of the person sitting not far from him, “But how are we going to catch the culprit like this? Can’t take a ghost to court, can we?”

“Thup, you said there has to be a real person behind this, right?”

“Yes, these things are used in rituals; there has to be a living person doing it.”

“And how do we find this person when what we’ve got so far leads nowhere?” King asked, leaning back on the sofa, his sharp eyes looking at the young man sitting too close to his former lover.

“There are some, the CCTV from the grocery store across from the temple captured images of the victims, each one as they went inside. I’ve just checked two people so far, namely, the kid named Jom and Meen. Jom hasn’t come out since he went into the temple, while Meen was seen driving out, so not sure if something happened, where, need to check the footage of the others.”

“Are you saying the people in the temple are suspects?”

“It’s possible, because from the autopsy, it was found that nearly all the deceased had similar types of food in their stomachs, except for some whose food had already been digested by the time they were found.” Say finished speaking, stood up to grab a file with the autopsy report, and tossed it to King before sitting back down. The previous events and all the stories would shock him somewhat, but as someone who has always believed in science over sorcery, for him, these events aren’t something you encounter easily, at least there should be some proof. “Chicken, curry spices, wheat flour used for making these noodles, were found in the stomachs of the deceased, and from when I took Rin to the temple, I noticed there’s a charity kitchen there. The food found might come from there.”

“Food from the temple… Thup, did you bring it here too?”

“It’s on your desk, Phii.”

“Go get it, here’s the key.” Thup took the room key from the older man before walking out to fetch the item as ordered.

“I just asked him to get something.”

“Even though he’s a suspect, a stranger, you took him to your house?”

“Trust him that much?” King asked when only three of them remained in the room. “What are you thinking, Singha?” Singha glanced around as if to scold.

“What?” Singha handed over an evidence bag that inside had…

“Think we should only talk about work.” King sighed.

“Say, check this too.”

“Soil from pottery.” a slightly soiled handkerchief to Say. “I want to know if it’s the same type of soil used for sculpting the dolls.”

“Where did you get this from?”

“Under the abbot’s quarters.”

“The abbot? Don’t tell me you suspect a monk.”

“Uh-huh.”

“So what are you going to do next, got a plan yet?”

“Not yet. Just thinking we need to find all the dolls first.”

“If what that kid said is true, we need to find them according to the days, right? Now we have three, so there are four left.”

“What do you think we’ll get from these dolls?” King asked after a moment of silence. “Fingerprints are probably gone by now.”

“Not necessarily, trying won’t hurt. More importantly, we need to figure out what ritual the killer is performing, and why.”

“Surely it’s not some kind of sacrificial ritual, right?” Say asked, not believing that in today’s world such beliefs still existed.

“Not sure.” Singha leaned back against the sofa, casually sweeping his jet-black hair. “You guys don’t need to look for the dolls anymore. I’ll handle it myself. Say, you check for fingerprints and examine the type of soil, see if it’s the same. Inform me if you find anything. And you, King, check the CCTV for entries and exits at the temple, and track where Meen’s car went.”

“Checking these dolls is no issue for me, the point is, will something like this happen again?” Say said before looking at the dolls with the heads of a tiger, lion, and a horse.

“You might as well bring some amulets with you.”

“Which amulets?”

“How would I know? Just find some.”

“Then I’ll ask Rin about it. Let’s leave it for today; I need to recover from this ghost nonsense first.”

“I’ll take these back home for now, I’ll bring them back tomorrow.” The young inspector stood up, stretching slightly to relieve his fatigue.

“Isn’t this going to be dangerous?” King asked as he stood up to follow Singha.

“So what? Do you want to take it back or what?” Singha asked with a mocking tone, sneering when he saw the other didn’t respond. He chuckled in his throat, “Wait for me, come on. If Thup comes, have him check those foods too. I got them from the charity kitchen. Tell him to wait here, I’ll be right back.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Singha said, grabbing the three dolls from the evidence bag and walking out of the forensic department room.

Thup arrived at Singha’s office, quickly unlocked the door to grab something, then locked it back up. As he walked back towards the forensic department, his steps halted when the once brightly lit corridor turned completely dark. The young man recoiled. He knew he couldn’t easily pass through here. Just as he was about to turn away, the lights along the corridor began to flicker rapidly before turning back on. However, at the end of the corridor, there wasn’t just the connecting door; there was also a woman with a grotesquely twisted body blocking the way. Thup’s legs felt nailed to the spot, unable to move at will, his hands clenching tightly. Each time the ghost tried to approach, the lights would go out, leaving only her white eyes and a terrifying smile visible.

‘Heh, heh, the Giant isn’t here. Who’s going to save you now?’

   No need to guess who the ‘giant’ refers to. Thup knew he’d face dangers if he strayed from Singha, but he couldn’t cling to him forever. Even if not now, in the future, Singha probably wouldn’t want him meddling in his life much.

“I… I don’t know what you… want.”

‘Eaten seven. Will eat again!’

   Eaten seven? Did that mean the dead?

“By doing this, you’re only creating more karma for yourself. Please stop.” Thup said, for the first time daring to do something like this, hoping Singha would definitely be able to help, whether he lived or died.

‘Ghost’

   !!!

Thup frowned slightly upon hearing this, then jolted in surprise as a hand landed on his shoulder.

“Are you okay? I saw you standing here trembling for a while.”

“No.” Thup shook his head vigorously before turning back to look at the path, then started walking again.

The ghost had already disappeared.

“Then, I’ll excuse myself.”

“You… there were four of you, right? This morning?”

“Ah, yes. Our case isn’t settled yet because the police are too busy with something else, so we’re still here.”

“Ah.” Thup nodded lightly. “Thank you, you are…”

“I’m Bom, nice to meet you.”

“I’m Thup, nice to meet you too.”

“You seem quite close with the police. Could you ask them to finish up our case? I’m really fed up with this place.”

“Ah. I’ll try to ask them for you.” They exchanged brief farewells before parting ways. Thup glanced back at the path once more and then hurried back to find Singha.

As he neared the forensic room, he heard voices talking along with white cigarette smoke billowing out. Listening closely, he immediately recognized whose voice it was.

“Are you going to be mad like this forever?” King exhaled cigarette smoke, staring off into the sky beside Singha, who was standing with him.

“If you want to talk, go back inside. It’s annoying.” The young inspector frowned, annoyed, as he inhaled nicotine.

“I came to apologize, didn’t I, Singha?”

“Your apology means I should just get over it, huh, King? Thinking shallow like always.”

“So, what do you want? To spite me by hanging out with that kid all day and night?”

“And how does this involve Thup?”

“How many years have we been together? You think I don’t know what you’re thinking, Singha?”

“Heh, how many years have we been together?” Singha repeated with a mocking tone, “Three years, maybe, three years you secretly betrayed me, Say, Rin, three years I was stupid enough to be fooled by you for so long.”

“Sorry.” King grabbed the wrist of the person in front of him, before speaking in a softer voice.

“Taking my work achievements wasn’t enough, you also blamed me for your mistakes, and now you come back to say a simple ‘sorry’?” Singha dropped his cigarette butt on the ground and stomped it into the dirt. He shook off King’s hand and pushed his chest, making him stumble back into the wall, “Before asking others to forgive you, maybe think about whose heads you stepped on to get where you are today.” as Singha was about to walk back inside, his feet paused, and he chuckled deep in his throat.

“And even if I and that kid have something going on or not, it’s none of your business.”

Thup, who had now taken a seat in the forensic department’s waiting room, just sat quietly, the recent conversation still swirling in his head.

“Is this what Singha wanted to be checked?” Say asked, eyeing the items on the table, but upon hearing no response, he looked up at the kid who was zoning out again, “Hey, kid seeing ghosts, Thup!”

“Yes?”

“What are you spacing out for? Did you hear what I asked?”

“Oh, yes, yes, this is it.”

“Just this?”

“Khun Say. Can I… ask you something?”

“Ask quickly, I need to get to work.”

“Phii Singha and King… were they ever a couple?”

“Yeah. Well, not exactly a couple. They didn’t have a status, just that kind of unspoken understanding, you know?”

“I see.”

“But there was some drama, so those two are now like parallel lines, never to meet again.”

“What’s up with those two?”

“I guess you’ve heard some rumors by now. To tell the whole story would take a while, just know that King almost got Singha kicked out of the service and thrown in jail.”

“Phii Singha must be really angry, huh?”

“Yeah, Singha is the type who gives you everything if he trusts you, but if you break that trust, he won’t keep you around.”

“Got it.” Thup pressed his lips together with a determined look. He was determined not to disappoint Phii Singha.

“Why ask? Are you trying to flirt with him?”

“N-no! I… I just saw you guys talking outside just now… not trying to flirt!”

“Then why are you getting so worked up? I was just joking.”

“I was afraid you’d get the wrong idea… I wouldn’t dare flirt with Phii Singha.” The last sentence was said quietly by Thup.

“Thup.” a voice called out along with the sound of the door opening, making Thup jump.

“Yes!!!”

“Why are you yelling? Just wanted to say we’re heading home.”

“Oh, Singha is back? This kid here just—”

“Let’s go, let’s go home. We’re heading home now, Phii Singha, Khun Say, goodbye.” Thup quickly interrupted and pushed the older man out of the room, fearing Say might reveal what he had just asked.

“What’s with you?”

“Are you hungry, Phii? Can we stop by the supermarket to buy some stuff first? There’s nothing fresh in your fridge at home.” Thup linked arms with the older man, chatting away nervously.

“What have you done wrong?”

“Uh… no, really.”

“Thup.”

“No, honestly.” Thup quickly turned to look at his older brother with innocent eyes, but when he met the fierce gaze of Singha, he had to press his lips together immediately. “I heard you talking with Khun King when I was outside.”

“And?”

“So I asked Khun Say what you guys were arguing about.” Thup looked up again, worried. It was a delicate matter between two people. He didn’t want to be seen as meddling. “Are you angry?”

“Nonsense. Where should we stop? Don’t dawdle, I want to sleep.” Seeing this older guy walk towards the car with his usual demeanor, not angry or annoyed, the young man let out a smile before running to cling to his arm again.

“Near my place is fine… but, are you really going to take those dolls back home? Don’t bring them into the house.”

“Do you want to leave them here to cause more trouble?”

“Then keep them in the car, please.”

“Fine, fine.”

“I also have something to tell you.”

“What?”

“I just saw the ghost of the woman we met at Khun Meen’s house again.” As soon as Thup finished speaking, Singha turned to look at him immediately, because this time, the young man hadn’t gone with him.

“Did anything happen?”

“Phii Singha… I heard her speaking Khmer.”

 

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 17: Do Not Greet

“Hey Thup, if you’re going to stick this close, why not just ride on my back?”

“It’s getting cold.” Thup clung to Singha’s arm before walking with his head down, not looking up. The sun was about to set completely, but instead of heading back to the police station, what the older guy did was walk into the temple.

“Or should you just wait in the car?”

“If something happens to you, what then?”

“You look worse off than me, Thup.” he said, wearily nudging beside him, Singha rolled his eyes at the kid walking.

The atmosphere inside the temple during twilight seems peaceful but also eerie. The sky, a blend of orange and faint purple, is the time Thup dislikes the most, hating both the ambiance and the name of this period.

This is the time known as “ghost drying clothes.” believed to be a connecting time, making sleep a bad idea during this period, because there is a free flowing of spirits between the human world and other realms potentially allowing spirits, ghosts, deities, and humans to coexist at the same time. It’s believed that spirits might leave the body, and wandering spirits could take their place.

The sound of a coconut broom sweeping the ground came from behind the crematorium. The closer Thup got, the more his heart trembled.

“Hello, Uncle Khuen.”

“Oh, it’s you, the policeman from last time. What brings you here?” Uncle Khuen stopped sweeping the leaves and approached them with a smile, “Here for dinner?”

“No, I have some questions.”

“About another case, young man?”

“Yes.”

“Go ahead, if I can help, I will.”

“I wanted to ask if on Monday, there was a fifteen-year-old boy, about 160 cm tall, wearing a white T-shirt and black pants. He came to the temple around five to six in the evening and didn’t leave. Did you happen to see him?”

“Monday, huh? Let me think… No, there wasn’t anyone like that. On Monday, the villagers invited the monks for a funeral chant at a house. The only one here would’ve been the abbot, who was unwell and stayed in his quarters for several days.”

“Can I meet him then?”

“Sure, I’ll take you there.” Uncle Khuen leaned the broom against a nearby tree, then led both of them towards the abbot’s quarters. Along the way, there were many trees, both big and small, creating an ambiance that was both serene and eerie. This area was quiet and quite isolated, suitable for relaxation and prayer. As they approached the raised traditional Thai house, Thup gripped Singha’s arm tighter, prompting the older man to look at him.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just some wandering spirits.” Even though being near Singha keeps ghosts away, it doesn’t mean they’re completely out of sight. He still sees spirits and ghosts from afar; some look on with interest, others lament their own passing, murmuring about their lives, their loved ones, their families, or even those who can’t let go of worldly attachments, regretting the loss of external things.

“Turn your face here.” Singha said, stopping. He took out his sunglasses from his collar and put them on Thup, covering his beautiful eyes.

“Why are you giving me these, Phii? It’s dark.”

“Can you still see clearly?”

“Huh?” Thup looked around; although he could still see, the details were obscured by the dark lenses of the sunglasses. “Not very clearly anymore.”

“Good, now just walk, don’t fuss.” Singha followed Uncle Kheun again, with the boy beside him following with a grateful smile.

“Phii Singha, thank you.”

“Yeah, now shut up.”

The two walked up the stairs to the wooden door painted in dark’s color. Uncle Kheun knocked on the door three or four times before calling out to the abbot.

“Abbot, there are people here to see you.”

“Just a moment, Khun Kheun.” The shuffling sounds inside indicated that the abbot was not quite ready for visitors just yet.

“These days, the abbot’s been a bit sick, not really leaving the temple.”

“Have you tried taking him to a doctor?”

“We did, the doctor said it’s probably just old age. You know, they say you can escape anything, but you can’t escape old age, sickness, and death.” Uncle Kheun spoke with a resigned tone, while Singha just listened quietly.

Not long after, the wooden door opened, and a monk walked out with a weary expression. He sat down on a chair on the balcony before greeting Singha, and Thup in a friendly manner.

“What brings you to see me, my devotees?”

“Greetings, Reverend. I’m here to inquire about a missing child.”

“A missing child? Who this time?”

“He came here last Monday, around five to six in the evening. Did you happen to see him, Reverend?”

“I didn’t see him, my child. I believe I was ill at that time and was resting inside my quarters, and didn’t go anywhere. But I think I heard some noises outside a bit after five.”

“What kind of noises can you describe?”

“Maybe the sound of something being dragged? I’m not quite sure, I thought it might be the novices doing their evening prayers.”

“Is there any CCTV at the temple that might have caught something?”

“There is, but it’s been broken for over a month now. Since there haven’t been any big events at the temple, we haven’t gotten around to fixing it yet.” Singha merely nodded in acknowledgment.

“And what about others, Reverend? Thee, who comes here often, was here for merit-making on Thursday morning, but the neighbors say he didn’t return home. Do you know what he might have been doing here?”

“Thee, he often comes to make merit, help out at the temple, and change the flowers at his wife’s urn site daily. Some days he stays to listen to sermons, others he rushes back to tend to his garden.” The abbot explained, interspersed with bouts of coughing.

“But that day, he told me he was coming to see you, Reverend. I told him you were resting in your quarters, and I saw him walking towards you. Did you not meet him?”

“I heard someone calling, but I came out and told him I was unwell and not up for conversation, then it seemed like he left.”

Singha glanced at his watch before standing up to excuse himself, mentioning there might be some more questions another day.

“Of course, my child, feel free to come by anytime.”

“Thank you, I’ll be heading back first.” said Singha as he began to walk down the stairs without waiting for Thup, who was still bowing to the abbot. Singha glanced over and noticed a pottery wheel set up under the stilt area. Upon reaching the bottom, he immediately went to inspect it. Seeing no one around, he used his handkerchief to collect some dried clay fragments, wrapped them up, and tucked them into his coat pocket. Hearing footsteps descending the stairs, he returned to stand at the foot of the staircase as if nothing had happened.

“Let’s go, let’s go, I’ll walk you out. Will you have some food? There should still be some left at the communal kitchen. Want to take some back?”

“No, thank you, Uncle, I don’t want to impose on you.” Thup replied, his face streaked with grimness.

“What’s there to feel bad about? Wait for me, I’ll go get some from the aunties for you.” The three walked back out to the temple grounds once more, but this time, Singha was quieter and more composed than usual, prompting Thup to ask with concern, “Is something wrong?”

“No.”

“Are you feeling unwell? I told you to change out of those wet clothes.” Thup, concerned, touched the older guy’s cheek. “You feel a bit warm.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m sick, happy now? Get in the car.” Singha pushed Thup towards the car before pulling out his phone to call his close friend.

[What?]

   “Are you at the station?”

[Yeah, I’m checking the dolls now. What’s up?]

   “Is it the tiger head?”

[Yeah, it’s the only one here.]

   “And is Rin there with you?”

[No, she asked to be dropped home. Said she wouldn’t come in if the dolls were still here.]

   “Hmm, I’ll come.”

[…]

   “Hey, Say.”

[…]

   “Hey, Say, can you hear me?”

[…]

   “Say.”

“Come on, young man, take this—green chicken curry, stir-fried yellow noodles, and soy milk.” Uncle Kheun said as he returned with a large bag of food.

“Thank you, Uncle.”

“Safe travels.”

Singha got in the car and headed back to the station immediately, feeling something was off from the earlier call because he had a premonition.

“What the heck is with this guy? He doesn’t even talk when spoken to.” Say hung up when there was no response from the other end, thinking it might be a signal issue since this room was always bad for reception.

Say was at the forensic examination table in the lab, surrounded by various tools and equipment, including a broken doll with a tiger head. He shone his flashlight and used a magnifying glass on the clay doll in front of him. Earlier, he had only done a brief examination before being called to inspect the victim’s house. He knew it was a doll made from clay, shaped into a woman holding a child. There was a twist mark at the neck, likely from when it was molded, and damage on the head from four teenagers who had broken it before. The head was crudely shaped like a tiger but still recognizable.

“What’s this?” Say muttered as he used the magnifying glass along the body to the back, noticing some tiny marks that made him focus intently, “A… Ka… Lai?”

!!!

Suddenly, the lights in the room started flickering without any apparent reason, causing Say to stop what he was doing with his doll and look up at the light switch. He reached out to turn it off and on again; the lights returned to normal. But as Say was about to sit back down, a noise came from the adjacent autopsy room.

“What the heck?” he muttered with curiosity, unaware that in this world, there’s a belief passed down that if you hear a noise at night:

Don’t Greet.

   Don’t Respond.

   Don’t Answer.

   Entering the autopsy room, Say noticed one of the morgue cabinet doors was open, even though he was sure it had been closed before since it wasn’t in use. He approached without fear, intending to close it, but then the lights began to flicker once more.

“Power surge, maybe?” Say mumbled, looking up at the bulb. When he looked back into the cabinet, he saw a dark shadow inside, where it should have been empty. He leaned closer, amidst increasingly frequent light flickering. When the light was on, he saw only the empty cabinet, but when it went dark, what he saw were a pair of stark white eyes staring back at him.

‘Cut the thread, cut the thread, cut the thread…’

   The repeated phrase made Say frown before he instinctively let go of the cabinet door. He slowly backed away, not trusting his eyes, because every time the light was on, the cabinet was empty, but when it darkened, those eyes and a sinister smile appeared.

‘Cut death, cut death, cut death…’

   !!!

The lights, which had been flickering rapidly, went completely dark, leaving only the faint light from outside filtering through the door. Say kept his eyes fixed forward, his heart pounding as never before. The sound of the morgue cabinet door slammed shut with a loud bang, followed by what sounded like several bones breaking and the eerie noise of skin dragging across the floor.

‘Heh, heh, heh, cut it, cut it, cut the thread now, so it can see.’

   “Damn it!!!” Within a split second, Say’s ankle was grabbed before he was yanked to the ground and dragged towards the morgue cabinet. The more it tried to pull him inside, the more Say felt a growing sense of fear inside him, terrified that if he were to come out, he would be as a lifeless body.

Just as he was struggling to escape from the invisible grip, the room’s door swung open with light flooding in. The force on his leg, the foul stench, and the chilling atmosphere vanished, and the lights that had been off came back on.

Singha rushed in to support his friend, whose lower half was already inside the morgue cabinet, pulling him out. They looked at each other without a word before collapsing exhausted on the floor.

“We need to talk.” Singha initiated the conversation first. “Let’s start with that incident just now.” Say lay flat on the floor, trying to steady his rapid breathing.

“Call Darin, tell her to come here. I’ll go get King.”

“Don’t tell me it’s really about that ghost nonsense.”

“And what do you think just happened to you?”

“Damn it! My head’s killing me.”

“Yeah, mine too.”

Thup watched these two older guys lamenting on the autopsy room floor, then glanced up at the still-open morgue cabinet. What he saw were eyes and a smile slowly disappearing into the darkness at the back of the cabinet.

  

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 16: Wannanongkran

King’s car stopped in front of a small house. Though not in perfect condition, with the house covered in corrugated iron and various wires holding it together, it was still a home.

“Hello.” King greeted.

“Hel…Hello.” an elderly woman, around eighty years old, opened the door, looking weary.

“I’m a police officer.”

“Is this about Jom?” Just mentioning the name of her recently deceased grandson made her voice tremble.

“Yes. I’m here to check on a few things. Here’s my warrant.”

“I can’t see well, young man, but come on in, though it’s a bit messy.” She walked out and sat on a wooden chair at the front, gazing aimlessly at the sky. Her life and her grandson’s had been very hard. She never thought heaven would still torment them like this.

“The forensic team couldn’t work, so be careful, wear gloves, and don’t rummage through things randomly.”

“Understood.” After instructing his team to go inside, King sat down beside the old woman, who at this moment looked extremely weak.

“Grandma, can I ask you a few more questions?”

“Go ahead.”

“Before the day Jom disappeared, did he mention anything strange or tell you any stories?”

“Hmmm… Normally, Jom didn’t talk much; he just did things. He was a good kid. Even though his parents left him, he said he’d survive, take care of me until the day we die, but, sob…” The elderly woman raised her wrinkled hand to cover her face, hiding her tears. She had only her grandson as an anchor to keep living, but now he was gone. She saw no more beauty in this world. “Jom said, sob, Jom would go sell garlands and be right back. Even when he was sick, that boy, sob, that boy still had to work, couldn’t take a break. He didn’t live like other kids because he had to earn money for school. I, sob, saved this money hoping to give it to him on his upcoming birthday.”

She reached into her faded, patched shirt pocket and pulled out a clear plastic bag with some money in it.

“Every month, I saved my elderly allowance for Jom’s tuition. Any money left, he worked for and gave it all to me, sob, oh my poor grandson.” King had to console her, helping her to ease from her grief, while his team inside the house continued searching for anything unusual.

“It smells like the last house, man.”

“Yeah, I thought so too.”

“Just bottles, boxes, and cans everywhere.”

“What did the chief say we’re looking for?”

“A clay doll with a lion head.”

“Nothing here.”

“Nothing here either.”

“Shall we leave?”

Thud!

A sound of something hitting the zinc roof from outside made all three turn to look. They sent one officer to check before turning to look around again for anything unusual.

The young policeman walked out from the back of the house; behind was a cleared ground where grass had been cut, now planted with kitchen vegetables, and further was an abandoned water well. He walked out to where the sound had come from but only found emptiness.

“Doesn’t seem like there’s anything.” he muttered as he was about to walk back, when the sound of something hitting the water made him turn to look at the puddle, where ripples spread out despite no wind or object floating. He slowly approached to look closer, and when he peered down, he only saw his own shadow. But then something floated up, making the water ripple in circles, “What the heck?”

What floated up was a clay doll face down. The young policeman tried his best to reach out and grab it, every time he missed, his hand splashed into the chilling water of the well, sending shivers up his spine. Just as he was about to grab the doll, a pale, bloodless hand with dark, torn nails grabbed his wrist first. His eyes trembled as he looked at the doll lying face down; instead of just murky water filled with mud at the bottom, there appeared the face of a woman, her eyes hollow, flesh visible inside, smiling grotesquely at him from under the water, before yanking him down with force.

“Hey!!!” The last shout before the sound of splashing water followed, his body struggling to climb above water but it seemed the more he struggled, the deeper he was pulled into the well. His body turned cold, numb all over, his ankle felt the pain as if something sharp was piercing it. The water was so dark he couldn’t tell how deep he had sunk. His breath slowly faded as his body was being constricted. No way out, unless…

!!!

The sound of water bursting was the last he heard along with a faint light before his consciousness slowly slipped away.

“Phii Singha!!!”

“Singha!!!”

Everyone on the pavement was shocked by the actions of the young inspector, who, without hesitation, jumped into the water to save his subordinate. He swam down, sweeping his arms around to search for the body of the person who had fallen in earlier.

Meanwhile, those on the shore could only wait anxiously, trying to spot their colleague with concern. Suddenly, what emerged from the water wasn’t what they expected; it was a woman with hollowed eyes, her pale, torn lips stretched into a grin, all the way to her ears, smiling unabashedly at Thup. The young man froze, unable to move, sweat pouring from his forehead as his heart pounded wildly. The closer she got, the more he felt compelled to stay still. Just as she was about to reach him, the smile faded, replaced by an angry, furious expression.

‘Ghosts who are like you, shouldn’t mess around!!!’

   Thup felt a chill down his spine and turned around. What he saw was the ghost of a woman he had seen in his childhood, her eyes and lips still sewn with red thread as before, only now showing signs of wear. She looked ahead with a flat but darkly displeased expression, not bending to notice him as usual, but instead staring at the hollow-eyed ghost in front of her. No one moved, including Thup, until the sound of splashing water caught his attention, turning to see Singha emerging from the water. When he looked back, both female ghosts had vanished.

“Phii Singha!”

“Singha!”

Both Thup and King called out Singha’s name simultaneously, but it was King who reached Singha first.

“Are you okay? Let me see, are you hurt anywhere?” King touched the face and eyes of the man who just came out of the water with concern, but his hand was brushed away carelessly.

“No need to search anymore.” Singha said, holding up a clay doll for everyone waiting on the pavement to see. “King, take your subordinate to the hospital for another check. Let’s call it a day here, and meet back at the station.”

Someone ran up to him, placing the coat that Singha had thrown before jumping into the water onto his broad shoulders. His beautiful eyes glanced at the object in Singha’s hand, realizing it was a horse-head doll.

“I’ll give you a ride.” King grabbed Singha’s arm.

“No need, I have places to go.”

“In this condition, where else can you go?”

“I just went for a swim. I’m not dying.” Singha shook off the arm with annoyance, then walked ahead to the car, with Thup following close behind.

Upon reaching the car, he grabbed a towel from the back to wipe his hair roughly until no more water dripped onto his face.

“Phii, can you drive? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“If I can’t drive, would you take over?”

“I… can’t drive, Phii.”

“Thought so.” Singha tossed the doll on Thup’s lap again. The young man, still not used to it, startled, then bowed respectfully, muttering prayers as he placed it in the evidence bag. “What day is it this time?”

“It has a horse head, named Wannanongkran, a Mae Sue for Monday.” After the second time, Thup knew what to do next. He reached back for the folder to automatically check the list of victims. “Jom, Jom was born on a Monday and disappeared on a Monday, too.”

Singha glanced at the doll on Thup’s lap before cursing softly. This wasn’t a revenge killing or something from past stories, or life’s knots, but a killing for some kind of ritual. And if he didn’t catch the killer this time, soon enough, another case like this would happen.

“Phii.” Thup, who hadn’t taken his eyes off Singha since getting in the car, called to the older man in a soft voice after they’d been driving for a while.

“What?”

“Your arm…” A slender hand gently touched Singha’s arm where there was a long scratch down to the elbow. Though not deep and not bleeding, it looked like it stung quite a bit.

“Wonder if the teacher hit a branch underwater?”

“Does it hurt?”

“No.”

“Even so, we need to treat the wound, can’t leave it like that.”

“Yeah, I know, a wound this small won’t kill me, and can you take your hand off my arm now?”

“Sorry.” Thup immediately pulled his hand back but still kept his eyes on. “So, where are we heading?”

“The kid named Jom didn’t disappear from home but vanished after he went to work selling garlands at a shop near the temple. If we’re going to investigate how he disappeared, we should start there.” Thup nodded in understanding, “And have you contacted that friend of yours who knows about these things?”

“…Not yet.”

“Contact them quickly, so we can figure out what’s going on.”

“It’s just that… if I say something, can you promise not to get angry?”

“Can I just curse you out in advance?” Singha glanced at the kid sitting next to him, seeing a pleading face, he had to look away, “Go on, say it.”

“He’s not here. He’s in Sisaket.”

“Then call him.”

“Can’t call.”

“Why?”

“…Because he’s not a human anymore.”

“Are you messing with me, Thup?”

“I once followed the venerable monk on his alms round and passed by an old house, which was an abandoned wooden house with no one living in it. But the monk always stopped at that house before continuing on. One day, I asked him about it, and he said… the owner of that house practiced dark arts. When he grew old, he released something before he died, but… his spirit didn’t move on; it was stuck in that house until it’s karma was resolved.”

“Are you telling me to go ask a ghost?”

“If not this person, I wouldn’t know who else could tell us.”

“You’re really…” Singha pushed his tongue against his cheek in frustration. In his mind, he had never had to deal with a case this troubling before. Not just headaches about the culprit, but now also about nonsensical things. He wondered if what Darin said about being cursed at twenty-five was true, and if so, it was fitting for his age of thirty-five because he truly felt unlucky.

The two arrived at a flower and garland shop not far from the temple. Singha was slightly irritated with his still-soaked clothes; thankfully, his car seats were leather, so a car wash would not be a problem.

“Hello. I’m a police officer investigating the disappearance of Jom.” he wanted to ask about…

“H…Hello, officer.” a woman around sixty years old came out, looking rather unwell.

“Is this a good time?”

“Y…Yes, it is, but I really don’t know anything about Jom’s death.”

“On the day he came to work, did he behave strangely or tell you anything?”

“Not at all. Usually, I hire Jom to sell garlands two days before the holy day. That day, he was quiet, didn’t talk to anyone, but he was stringing the garlands haphazardly, so I… I accidentally scolded him. Suddenly, he glared at me and ran off into the temple. I haven’t seen him since, and… but I’m not involved, officer. I didn’t do anything to him.” she hurriedly explained, fearing she might be blamed.

“What time was this?”

“Around just past six.”

“He ran into the temple, you say? And you didn’t see him come back out?”

“I’m not sure. I wasn’t watching all the time because I had to string the garlands myself.”

“So, has anyone seen Jom walking out of the temple? It might help us know where he went before disappearing again.”

“Try asking at that convenience store; they have CCTV.” Singha looked where she pointed, and indeed, the store was right across from the temple.

“Thank you.”

The two walked to the mentioned store and found a man in his fifties lying on a hammock, fanning himself.

“Hello. I’m a police officer. I’d like to ask a few questions and also check your CCTV, if possible.”

“Hey, I haven’t done anything wrong, officer.”

“Yes, sir, then please cooperate with the investigation.”

“Oh, alright, come on in.”

“Last Monday, did you see a kid entering the temple around six to seven PM?”

“Didn’t see him, I was busy watching boxing.”

“Can I check the camera then?”

“My daughter’s not here, and I can’t do it myself.”

“I can do it.”

The store owner as he got up and led them to the back of the store where the house was.

“Here’s the computer, you go ahead.” Singha nodded and sat down on the chair, “Kid, you’re all wet and messy.”

“Sorry.” Singha was about to stand up, but the store owner stopped him, “Never mind.” He went to get a cloth from the cabinet and handed it to Thup instead, “I sell these for fifty each, pay for it when you come out.”

“Y…Yes, thank you.” Thup replied, placing the bright orange cloth on Singha’s shoulder, “I’ll go pay for this, Phii, you stay here.”

“Okay, okay, go out first, I’ll return it later.” When Thup walked out, he searched through the files, the CCTV footage. From the angle, it should be visible, right up to the front of the temple. He looked for the file with the date he wanted, found it, and immediately opened it to watch. The clip showed a boy walking into the temple from six until six-thirty, but until ten in the evening, there was no sign of him coming out. “He didn’t come out.”

Singha muttered, feeling a hunch, so he clicked to check the clips from Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday as well. In the morning, noon, and five in the evening, more people walked in and out of the temple, probably because it was the time when free meals were distributed. But what was strange was that after that, there were hardly any people going in or out. The Saturday clip, which was the same day the child disappeared, showed a car entering and leaving around seven. So where did it go next? Singha clicked back to Jom’s clip to make sure, just as Thup returned to stand behind him.

“Phii Singha.”

“What?”

“He didn’t walk in alone.”

“What do you mean? I saw it right here, he di—” Singha suddenly stopped talking when he saw Thup staring at the screen without blinking. “What do you see?”

“The ghost I saw at the well today… she was leading him by the hand inside.

 

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 15: Vijitmawan

“Are you hungry yet?”

The figure turned to look at his companion who was still looking at the road ahead, but that question was definitely for him.

“Not yet.”

“But I’m hungry.” Singha said and immediately turned into a roadside noodle shop.

After parking the car, they both got out and walked into the shop.

“What would you like?”

“Thin noodles with clear water pork.” Singha ordered without looking at the menu, “Dry egg noodles with Tom Yum.” Thup scanned the menu and then ordered from the staff, before getting up to fetch some ice for both himself and Singha, “Phii, what would you like to drink?”

“Water.” Thup nodded before he took out bottled water from the fridge and walked back, sitting opposite the older man. He efficiently poured the water, inserted straws, picked up spoons, wiped them, and prepared chopsticks.

“Do you do this often?”

“Huh? Oh, I used to do it for the old monk, so it became a habit.”

“Hmm.”

“What are you going to do next, Phii?”

“We have to wait and see what the team searching the victim’s house finds out.”

“Did you tell them not to go empty-handed and to carry amulets?”

“Not yet.” As soon as he finished speaking, Singha’s phone rang, “Speak.”

[Where are you?]

   “Get to the point.” Singha received his noodle bowl from the staff while clamping the phone to his shoulder nonchalantly.

[The forensic team’s vehicle crashed.] The hand that was about to sprinkle chili powder into the bowl paused before properly holding the phone again.

“Where, when?”

[On the way to the next victim’s house. The guys in it got away with few scratches but all safe.]

   “Why did the car suddenly flip?” Now taking everyone to the hospital.

[I don’t know either. I wasn’t there, but after checking the first victim’s house, I was informed.]

   “Did you find anything at that house?”

[No traces, but found the doll we were looking for.]

   “What does the doll look like?”

[A clay doll, the head is of a lion.]

Singha frowned tightly.

“And where is that doll now?”

[Say left it with the forensic vehicle.] The sharp eyes look up at Thup who is eating noodles.

“We are heading back.” Singha hangs up before calling the staff to pay immediately.

“Are you in a hurry, Phii?” Thup looked up with a worried face, “Keep eating.” The young inspector pays and walks to the car, immediately. Thup, watching him go, hurries to eat, unsure what’s urgent from the call just now.

Singha returns to the table, handing a file to Thup, while with the other hand, he dials his close friend from forensics. The young man takes the file with a confused look, tilts his head as he opens it, seeing what the older man is gesturing at.

“What day is Mae Sue with a lion head?”

“Pardon?” Thup asked.

‘What day does Mae Sue with a lion head’ first sentence was to the kid in front of him, the other end just answered. “So where is Say?” The next sentence is directed to:

“Sunday, Phii. Mae Sue with a lion head is named Wijitmawan.”

“Find out who was born on a Sunday, when they died, and when they disappeared.”

[Who are you talking to Singha?]

   “Where are you?”

[On the car, heading to the hospital.]

   “Where did the doll you left with the forensics go?”

[It should be at the hospital, I’m going to check//Singha, I got haunted by a ghost!!!] Darin’s voice came through the line, [Noisy]

“Haunted by a ghost?”

[Yeah. When I was at the deceased’s house, she said she saw a ghost holding a doll under the bed. She was crying so much I had to take her to the temple to pay respects, now just as we’re heading to the next victim’s house, the hospital called about the accident first.]

   “You go check out the situation first then, I’ll follow later.”

[Yeah, yeah, and where are you now?]

   “Heading back.”

[And what did you find out from the investigation at the prison?]

   “Seems like fifteen years ago there were several cops who framed a person to get promotions, we’ll deal with it after closing this case.”

[Alright then, that’s it.]

   “Hey, Say…” Singha looks at Thup again, “If you find the doll, don’t go anywhere, I’ll come to get it.”

[Why?]

   “I’ll tell you later.” After a few more sentences, they both hang up and return to their duties.

“That doll…” Thup didn’t dare to continue, judging by Singha’s serious expression, it probably wasn’t anything good.

“So, did you find the information I asked for?”

“I found it.” Thup hands back the opened folder to his colleague, “James. He was born on a Sunday, he is the one to disappear first, and… also disappeared on a Sunday. I guess the perpetrator might be choosing people based on their birthday.”

Singha can read the information while listening, but he knits his brows together.

“We still need to check everyone’s house first. If that doll really matches the birthday, we’ll know what the killer is selecting victims based on, and how they might be getting that information.” Then, with a bored expression, Singha props his chin on his hand and drains his glass of water.

“Aren’t you going to eat, Phii? The noodles are getting soggy.”

“Not hungry anymore. Hurry up and eat.”

“We can go now, so you don’t waste time.”

“Eat up, you. You’d blow away with just a little touch.”

“You’re exaggerating. I’m not that small at all.”

Singha flicked his straw, splashing water onto the kid in front of him. It’s true, the kid isn’t that small; he’s actually slightly taller than him but thinner since he doesn’t work out as much. If taken to the gym, he could easily sculpt a nice physique.

“Actually, about that doll… I think you should check it out yourself.”

“Why?”

“I heard you talking on the phone with Khun King about the car flipping after you got the doll, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I think the person who can retrieve that doll without getting hurt… might be you.”

“Because?”

“Did you… pray to Thao Vessavan or something?”

“No.” Thup tilted his head slightly, “But my mom did.”

“I knew it.” Thup mutters quietly to himself. He knew he wasn’t seeing things.

“Why do you see ghosts then?”

“I’m not sure, the old monk didn’t say. He just said in the future, I’ll understand. He just told me to wear this amulet until that time comes.”

“I don’t know when, or what time.”

“But your necklace with the Buddha amulet just disappeared like this, you know? Do you want to see ghosts until you die? Why not try renting an amulet from somewhere else?”

“I’ve tried that… but I still see them.”

“If I keep a doll with me, does that mean you’ll encounter more ghosts? Want that?”

“…True.” Thup’s face fell, “But keeping it with someone else might put them in danger like this again. This time might not be life-threatening, but those ghosts… they don’t seem like the type who want to move on.”

“Let’s think about it later. Right now, we need to handle the hospital situation quickly before eating.”

“I’ll be right back.” Thup stood up and walked to the counter, leaving Singha to poke at his soggy noodles, now completely drained of water.

“Let’s go.”

“What’s that?”

“Steamed buns, for you to eat something light. You haven’t eaten anything yet, you can eat these in the car.”

“Alright, alright.” Both returned to the car to head to the hospital.

Say, who had just arrived, immediately went to check on his subordinates. One of the three who were in the van during the accident, a doctor, was now sitting in front of the emergency room with a bandage around his head.

“Hey, Pai, where are the others?”

“They’re getting treated inside.” he looked up to answer his boss, “Why did the van suddenly overturn?”

“I wasn’t driving, boss. Joke was.”

“And what happened before that?”

“I was sitting next to him, talking about dolls. Suddenly, he tensed up, said someone was in front of the car, and then swerved to avoid them, causing the van to lose control and flip.” Pai turned to face Say with trembling eyes, “But when he said someone cut in front of the car, I didn’t see anyone at all.”

“Do you see now? I told you that the doll really is haunted!” Darin said, shaking Say’s arm until his head wobbled.

“The doll from the victim’s house, right?”

“Yes, yes, where is it now? You didn’t bring it with you, did you?” Darin turned to nod at the injured person sitting on the other side of Say.

“Oh, here it is.” Joke picked up an evidence bag containing the doll with Singha’s head and showed it to them. Upon seeing it, Darin immediately hid behind her friend. “Don was holding onto it in the car. The nurse just took it out for me because he wouldn’t let go, even if his fingers might get severed.”

“See, Say? I told you there’s something really there.”

“You this guy.”

“You guys.” a newcomer’s voice made all three turn around, “Hello, Inspector.”

“Yeah, sit down.” Singha gestured lightly to Ko who was about to stand up, “How’s everyone doing?”

“I just got a head wound. Joke got a dislocated shoulder and cut his lip on glass, needed stitches. And Don lost his fingers, they’re probably stitching them back now.”

While letting the older guy talk to the others, Thup glanced at the clay doll with Singha’s head on Joke’s lap. He tried to be brave and look around but saw no sign of the ghost lady he had seen before, only the wandering spirits in the hospital, those newly dead and unaware, and those still clinging to life.

“Give it here.” Singha reached out for the evidence bag, “And where’s the one I gave you?”

“In the room.” Say replied with a serious face. With all three of his men in the hospital, this case would make him work three times as hard.

“Why?”

“You don’t need to examine it yet. Wait to do it with me.”

“Tell me later.”

“Later? You’ve got a lot of stories, don’t you?”

“Yeah, yeah. And where’s King now?”

“By now, we should be at the second victim’s house already.”

“Alright, see you at the station then.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Phii Darin.” Thup suddenly spoke up.

“What’s up?”

“What you saw… was it a woman, right?”

“Huh! Ye… Yes, don’t tell me… don’t tell me she followed us!!! I’ve already done the holy water ritual, why didn’t it work!” Darin quickly grabbed her close friend Say’s arm out of fear.

“No, Phii, can you describe her to me?”

“Ugh. I don’t even want to talk about it, it’s like, it’s super scary, a female ghost, no eyeballs, and she still looks young, it’s freaking terrifying, mouth torn, no eyes, and then there’s that doll too, this case isn’t normal anymore, Singha.” Darin took the chance to switch from grabbing Say’s arm to shaking Singha’s.

“Different entity.”

“What do you mean?” Singha didn’t pay much attention to his friend but turned to focus on the kid in the back who had just spoken.

“She’s a different entity from what I saw.”

“Why is this getting so complicated?” Singha cursed, annoyed, “I’m going to get King to deal with this.”

“Yeah.” Singha walked back to his car, and once inside, he tossed the doll from a bag on Thup’s lap. The young man tensed up before cautiously looking around the car.

“Check if this is the doll you saw.” The young inspector said as he backed the car out of the parking spot, heading towards the next victim’s house.

Thup picked up the evidence bag to examine it. The young boy held his breath, staring intently to ensure that this doll was the same as the one he saw vomiting in the gym. The body of the doll was typical, but the top was the head of a lion, with the face turned to the back. It seemed clear that whoever did this must have crafted it themselves.

“The body is correct, but the head isn’t,” said the boy.

“What do you mean by different ghosts?”

“The ghost I saw when I was with Khun Meen had eyes, just white eyes. But the one Phii Darin saw had no eyeballs at all, which means they are different entities.”

“Have you ever talked about black magic?”

“Yes.”

“So what does the bastard who did this want? Why did they do it?”

“I don’t know yet. But for sure, the ghosts attached to these dolls must belong to him.”

“Do you know anyone who understands these things?”

“…Yes, I do have someone.” Thup slightly pursed his lips with a worried look.

He definitely knew someone, but whether he would dare to involve them was another matter.

  

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 14: The Sixth Sense of Wednesday Night

The young detective stood in front of James’s house, the first victim of the disappearances in this case. The sound of sobbing echoed from the front occasionally. It was a modest townhouse, and the neighbors had gathered to watch, so he had his subordinates hold them back.

“Chief, we’re ready.”

“Hmm.” King entered the house, scanning everything meticulously. Suddenly, someone bumped into his shoulder hard. Who would dare?

“Get out of the way.” said Say, passing through, “If you’re just going to stand there, do it outside.” Followed by Darin.

“Don’t let anyone into the house until the forensic team finishes their work.” King said, shaking his head slightly in dismissal before beginning to direct the others.

“Understood.”

“Also, find a clay doll shaped like an animal head. If anyone finds it, report immediately.”

“Yes.” King followed Darin and Say upstairs. After questioning James’s parents, it was clear that no one had entered their son’s bedroom, so all evidence should still be intact.

Say opened the left door. As soon as the door cracked open slightly, a putrid smell wafted out, forcing all three to turn away. The door was opened wider for a preliminary inspection inside. As the stench slowly dissipated, he turned to Darin, who was clinging to his arm, signaling him to let go. But because of their long friendship, the only woman there gave her friend’s arm a firm hit, not holding back.

“I’m not letting go until we go in and make sure there’s nothing there.”

“And how am I supposed to investigate, ma’am?”

“You walk in first, then we’ll talk.”

“Still scared of ghosts?” King asked, “Why not worry about your own business, detective?”

“Calling it out like that, isn’t that a bit harsh?” Say feigned a voice of surprise before entering the victim’s bedroom, ignoring King’s chuckles from behind.

The bedroom seemed like that of any ordinary teenager. Nothing particularly special. Darin released Say’s arm and looked around while rubbing her own arm.

“Don’t you feel goosebumps or a bit cold?” She asked, turning to Say who was opening the curtains. Despite the room appearing normal, it was devoid of light, stuffy, and too damp to breathe comfortably.

“If the deceased had left the house before disappearing, there probably wouldn’t be many traces here.” King remarked as he picked up a book from the shelf.

“Did Singha mention anything about the doll?”

“Clay dolls, huh?”

“Uh-huh.”

“It was sent for inspection.”

“What kind of doll?” Darin looked back and forth between King and Say, each doing their own thing without making eye contact.

“A clay doll, with the head of a tiger.” The young detective elaborated, “A clay doll?”

“They said to try looking in each victim’s house. If you find one, bring it back to the station.”

“What kind of doll is this?” Inside the room, she walked over to Darin’s bed, muttering as she checked for anything unusual, but then she had to cover her nose quickly when she turned towards the headboard too late. The foul smell of waste made her try to trace its source, while Darin was lifting pillows and blankets. Suddenly, she felt like someone was watching her find something. So she started picking up the decorative cushions one by one.

‘Heh, heh’

   The laughter echoed from the direction of the headboard, making Darin pause, his hand still lifting a pillow, and he slowly turned to look again. She was sure she hadn’t misheard, but when she looked, there was no one there. Yelling out now would only get her scolded by Say.

“Di…did you hear anything just now?”

“Hear what?”

“Oh, never mind.” Darin pressed her lips together tightly before turning back to look at the bed again, “Bless me. I am not here for harm but to help, please don’t scare or haunt us.”

Darin murmured softly to herself, hands clasped to her forehead. She took a deep breath to muster courage before switching from searching on the bed to under it. The flashlight was turned on, shining underneath, the light slowly moving from the headboard to the middle of the bed, until it reached the foot of the bed where her eyes met with a clay doll, positioned facing her, its body twisted and its head…

“Lion head?”

Bang!!!

The lights in the room went out simultaneously with the loud slamming of the door; the curtains also closed, plunging the room into darkness once again. Only the light from her flashlight and Say’s remained on. Darin, startled, looked around as the situation grew increasingly strange. She turned back to look under the bed to grab something and leave quickly, but when she turned around, what was under the bed was no longer just the clay doll. Instead, there was the face of a woman right in front of her, a young woman with a deathly pale face, hollow eyes that seemed to see through to the inside, and a smile creeping on her thin, pale lips. From lips of normal human size, there appeared a tear, stretching all the way to her ears. This face was now less than a hand’s breadth from Darin and was tilting its head, looking at her.

‘Take it, if you want it, take it.’

   The clay doll was pushed towards Darin by a pale hand and she felt as if she couldn’t breathe. She felt like screaming but no sound came out; tears streamed down her cheeks, yet she couldn’t lift her hand to wipe them away.

‘Heh, heh, take it, take me with you.’

   Just as that terrifying face was about to move closer, her ankle was grabbed, pulling her out into the light again.

“Why the hell are you crying?” Say asked in shock. He had just reopened the curtains and noticed Darin had been under the bed for too long, not moving, so he decided to pull her out by the leg.

Darin felt the weight of her body lighten. She quickly got up and ran out of the room in panic, ignoring any protests from the two behind her.

“What’s with her?” Say bent down to look under the bed, shining his flashlight. He found a doll with a lion’s head, picked it up, and put it into an evidence bag. After retrieving it, he left the room, thinking there wouldn’t be any more evidence to collect.

“That’s the doll Singha wanted us to find.”

“Yeah.”

“Then it means the other victims’ houses might have them too.”

Both walked out of the house before King separated to talk with the victim’s family. Meanwhile, Say headed to the car where he saw his friend sitting inside, looking traumatized.

“What’s wrong with you, woman?”

“Get it out.” Darin said before glancing at the evidence bag in Say’s hand, “Take it out, Say, get that doll out of here. Otherwise, I’ll leave myself.”

“What’s up with you?”

“If I told you I saw a ghost, would you believe me? If I said this doll is weird, what would you say? So, I’m serious, Say, take it out. Leave it with the forensics car, and then take me to a temple.”

Normally, Say would curse back if a friend brought up such matters, but this time, Darin seemed more frightened than ever, his face showing clear paranoia.

“Alright, wait a sec.” Say got out of the car to take the doll head and place it with the separate forensics vehicle. After he had arranged for it to be placed on a table and sent ahead from the next victim’s house, Say returned to the car, showing both hands to Darin, “It’s gone now. Happy? Which temple are we going to, at this hour?”

“Yeah, any nearby temple will do, just for a brief visit.”

“Okay, okay, as you wish.” Say drove out from the village heading towards a temple he remembered passing by, if he recalled correctly, it was called Santitham Wararam Temple.

Meanwhile, King was questioning James’s parents and older sister about the doll, how it got there, and where it came from.

“Sniff, did you find anything else, officer?” James’s mother sobbed, her eyes red and swollen from the loss of her son.

“We didn’t find anything unusual except for the doll under the bed.”

“A doll? What kind of doll?” asked James’s father, who was supporting his wife, with curiosity.

“A clay doll with a lion head. Can you tell me if you’ve seen that doll before or know where he might have gotten it?”

“I don’t know, but before he disappeared, he was acting strange, kept locking himself in his room, barely eating, and when he did, he’d vomit. My wife and I thought it was stress from university entrance exams, so we tried leaving soft food outside his door.”

“And before that, did he show any strange behavior or encounter anyone unusual?” Both James’s parents shook their heads while hugging each other tightly, but his older sister, standing with them, seemed like she wanted to say something, “Do you have something to tell me?”

“Well… before this, James complained to me about being scared he wouldn’t pass the entrance exam for the faculty he wanted, and he said he might try making a wish. I didn’t know if he was serious, so I didn’t object. One night, when I came down late, I saw James standing facing the wall, mumbling something. When I got closer to listen, it was… a chant.”

“A chant?” King asked again for confirmation.

“What chant, dear?” James’s father asked.

“I don’t remember it all, but I remember the beginning.”

“How does it go?” King took out his notebook, ready to write, “Ji Jeruni Chittang Jetasikan Rupang, that’s what I heard.” King wrote it down as James’s sister described. As he finished writing, a gust of wind made him look towards the second-floor window, where a thin white curtain fluttered, revealing for a moment the shadow of a woman standing there, but she disappeared when the curtain fluttered again.

“Thank you for your cooperation. If there are any updates, I’ll let you know.” King said his goodbyes and ordered his team to prepare to leave for the next house. Despite feeling uneasy about all the events unfolding in this case.

A luxurious white car parked in front of the temple’s main hall at Santitham Wararam Temple. Once Say turned off the engine, Darin hurriedly opened the door and stepped out without delay, walking in to kneel and worship the large, golden Buddha statue. She chanted and bowed with urgency, causing Say, who followed him in, to remark:

“You’re mumbling so much, do you think the Buddha can understand?”

“I don’t know, I just need something to hold onto right now, Namo Tassa Bhagavato…”

“Are you here to make merit?” A deep voice from behind made them both turn, “Abbot! Yes, to make merit, please. I just saw a ghost, what should I do? Is there a ghost following me? Can you bless me with holy water, please?” Darin spoke anxiously. A monk, around sixty years old, entered the hall with a smile, sitting down on a seat in front of them.

“Calm down, my child. Ghosts are just spirits, spirits are people who have passed away. The dead are inanimate, so how can they follow anyone?”

“I really saw it, Lord Abbott… a very scary female ghost.”

“Alright then, I’ll sprinkle holy water for you to calm your spirit. No matter what you’ve encountered, fold your hands in prayer.” Darin quickly folded her hands, touched her forehead immediately, then bowed her head to receive the holy water. The cool water on her skin helped cool down Darin’s feverish mind. She sighed before bowing to the monk once again. “By the way, where are you from?”

“A nearby village, Reverend Father.”

“Do you live there?”

“No, Reverend. We are forensic investigators here for a case, Reverend.”

“I see.”

“Have you been here long, Reverend?”

“Many years now, I am the abbot here.”

“Ah, that’s good, Reverend. Then I can come often for blessings these days; I keep encountering things, I don’t know what.”

“Keep making merit, child. When free, come sit, walk in meditation here at the temple to calm your mind.”

“Yes, Reverend.” Darin chatted a bit more before excusing herself. Meanwhile, she glanced and saw a Buddha statue for her birthday positioned not far in the pavilion. She decided to make merit by dropping all her coins into the alms bowl in front of it. Darin took out all her coins and dropped them into the silver alms bowl in front of the Wednesday night Buddha statue, then raised her hands in a slight bow, “Amen, may I not see anything like that again. May my life be smooth without disturbances, please.”

After finishing, she walked back to the car with a calmer heart. Although still a bit scared, she thought that making merit and praying might improve things, but who knows if everything can be solved just by making merit…

  

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 13: Testimony from the scapegoat, Singha picked up

A completely black car parked in front of the central prison. Thup got out of the car, looking confused, before walking around to meet the older guy. The documents came out from the leather seat before being handed to the kid who came to stand beside him.

“Hold this, and go wait over there.” Singha pointed to the front gate with the high wall, to get some shade.

“Why, Phii, aren’t you coming with me?”

“I’m going to smoke.” Thup nodded hesitantly before walking to the entrance gate.

Singha grabbed a Marlboro cigarette, held it in his mouth, and lit the end with a practiced flick of his lighter. He took a deep drag of nicotine before exhaling, the white smoke billowing out. His sharp eyes watched the young man waiting at the front gate, lost in thought. If the matter of the dolls, whether Mae Sue or involving spirits, or whatever, was true, he was starting to worry that the case would be hard to investigate because it’s something that couldn’t be proven. No matter what Thup would say, it remained unprovable. While the young man was thinking, suddenly the prison door opened, and an officer approached the naive-looking kid with an aggressive demeanor. Singha dropped his cigarette to the ground and crushed it under his foot and extinguished it.

“What are you doing here?”

“I…I came-”

“Let me search for you!” As the officer was about to grab Thup’s arm to conduct a body search, Singha stepped in, blocking him with a cold demeanor and showing his badge.

“I’m here to see Warden Sittichai.”

“Uh, please come in, but we need to conduct a body search and check your belongings, nothing is allowed inside, and…”

“This kid is with me.”

“Then please, come in.”

Both of them walked inside before allowing the staff to check their belongings, deposit their phones, and perform a body search. After that, they were led to the office of the prison warden.

“Hello, Inspector Singha.”

“Hello.”

“I’ve read through the details. Since the prisoner you want to talk to is involved in a serious case, the conversation must take place in the visitation room.”

“Okay.”

“You have forty minutes, and a guard will be present the whole time.”

“Okay.”

“Then I’ll take you there.” The warden smiled brightly and stood up, leading both to an inner door. When they reached the visitation room, which was separated by thick bars with individual sections but no people, Singha chose to sit at the far end next to the wall so the person they were to meet wouldn’t feel too isolated.

“He’ll be out in a moment.”

“Thank you.” The warden walked outside to handle other matters. This was a central prison for convicts with finalized sentences, particularly those with severe crimes, ranging from decades in prison to death row. Singha was used to this, but for Thup, who was here for the first time, he couldn’t help but feel tense, gripping the hem of his companion’s shirt and looking down, avoiding anything he shouldn’t see.

“Phii, why are we here?”

“To question a scapegoat.”

“A scapegoat?” Thup tilted his head slightly, not understanding, but before he could ask more, a young man with an expressionless face wearing a blue shirt walked over and sat opposite them.

“Hello, Khun Tevich.” The door on the other side of the bars opened as Singha greeted with a neutral, non-threatening, and non-pressuring tone. However, the other party only glanced at him before turning away, staring at the wall without responding.

“My name is Singha, an investigating officer. I’ve come to meet you today hoping for your cooperation in the investigation.”

There was no response… Just as the warden had said, this prisoner was silent and would not speak unless necessary. His demeanor, suggesting he was forced into this conversation, didn’t surprise Singha much. If what he thought was true, it wouldn’t be odd for the man in front of him to dislike those in uniform.

“I know you’re not comfortable talking to me, but staying silent like this isn’t very helpful.” Singha continued. “Let me explain why I’m here today; maybe you’ll change your mind.” Singha slid some documents in front of him and held them up for Tevich to see, “There’s been a murder case now, seven victims, all with their eyes and mouths sewn shut with red thread-”

“Heh.” Tevich chuckled under his breath with a pitiful expression.

“I guess you’re somewhat familiar with this.” Tevich turned to look at the photos of the seven victims laid out in front of him, then looked up at Singha. “Before, you were a suspect in a similar case fifteen years ago. A similar incident occurred in Phuket, and you were implicated because your DNA was found under the victim’s nails and with the rope used. That made you the prime suspect. After the trial, you were sentenced to life imprisonment. Am I correct?”

Still, only silence from the other side. Singha nodded, collected all the documents, and handed them to Thup, who took them with confusion. He couldn’t understand what anyone would gain from this silence. “It’s fine. It seems like living here, even unjustly, hasn’t really affected you much. Then, I guess I don’t need to discuss the next part of the information. Let’s go.” Singha said, standing up and walking towards the door. Thup hesitated to follow until…

“Wait.” The corner of Singha’s mouth lifted in a smile instantly. No one who is innocent would want to stay here; it’s not that comfortable.

“Ready to talk now?”

“I’ll only say what I told my lawyer the first time.”

“Very well.” Singha returned to his seat, signaling Thup to sit as well. “Is the young man next to you also a police officer?”

“No. He was the one who discovered the body at the scene.” Tevich’s expression was quite surprising. He turned to stare at Thup without blinking, “Shall we start?”

“How are you different from the other cops? Those guys do everything just for a promotion, just to lick the boots of their superiors. No matter if it’s right or wrong, they don’t care about the people.” The voice filled with disdain and scorn came from someone inside the glass room, “The difference is that I have this kid to help with my decisions.”

“Me, sir?” Thup pointed at himself.

“This kid might know if there was a murder case like this fifteen years ago. So if we can prove there’s a connection or relation to the current case, you might be cleared of this case and the charges.”

“Really?”

“Yes, if you’re willing to cooperate.”

“I… I am willing.”

“You’re a fisherman, you have your own boat and nets, so it’s not strange to find your fingerprints on the ropes and tools used for your job. But can you tell me what happened before? How did you find all the victims?”

“I remember that night when the incident happened, my dad and I went out fishing, but suddenly in the middle of the night, someone called to say my net had drifted away from the boat. So, I told my dad I’d go check it myself. I rode my motorcycle, and on the way, had to pass through that forest. I saw lights from the forest, so I stopped my bike to check, because usually, there are villagers who crash or get lost there often. As I walked further in, I heard a sound…”

“What sound?”

“It sounded like someone was pulling a winch.” Singha nodded understandingly; this time too, the culprit used a winch to ease the effort.

“And then what happened?”

“I walked in to see and found… the bodies of seven people hanging from a tree. After that, I called the police, but when they arrived, they arrested me instead! I tried explaining, showed evidence, but they just wanted to look good for their bosses by claiming they caught the murderer. No matter what I did, I was just a common man; what could I do against those who shout that they are the keepers of the law?” Tevich’s frustration poured out uncontrollably.

“I understand. Did you see anyone before that, or did you personally know any of the deceased?”

“I knew three or four of the deceased because they were from my neighborhood.” Tevich tried to calm himself down and answered Singha’s question as before.

“Can you remember where you last saw them?”

“It’s been a very long time, I’m not sure, but probably at the temple, before that there was an event.”

“What event?”

“The Satthai festival in the tenth month.”

“The waning moon…” Thup chimed in softly, but both Singha and Tevich heard him, “You usually go fishing during the waning moon, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. The moon is dark, so the fish get caught easily.”

“What do you mean by that, Thup?”

“The abbot once told me about various ceremonies, some of which relate to the moon phases. Especially during the waning moon… it has a significant effect on the occult. Maybe it’s related to that doll issue too.”

“Occult?” Tevich asked in surprise, “If you last saw them at the temple, then does that mean after that, there was news they disappeared, right?”

“Yes.”

“Time’s almost up.” The guard warned Singha to wrap up his inquiries. Thup sat beside, listening, until time was up. Tevich was led away, not forgetting to say his last words to Singha in a softer tone than before.

“I’ve been disappointed once with an investigation that landed me here. Please, don’t let me be disappointed again. I want to return to my family.”

As the back of the prisoner faded away, Singha left the visitation room silently and headed back to the warden’s office. Thup, following behind, looked at the older man with concern, thinking that Singha must be quite stressed now, having to deal with such sudden and hard-to-believe matters.

“How’s it going, inspector? Got any additional info?”

“Yes.”

“It’s strange that he’s willing to talk to the police officer; normally, he hardly says a word.”

“Well, people have to choose their own path, right? Anyway, I must excuse myself; I need to get back to work on the case.”

“Go ahead. If there’s anything else, feel free to call me.”

“Thanks, you too.”

Singha walked out of the prison alongside Thup, who followed behind. The sunlight was so intense that the young man had to squint. He looked ahead with limited visibility and reduced clarity, making things blurry. Just as he was about to call out to Singha, he saw an image, a figure appearing in his sight: a tall, formidable shadow with green skin and clothes, a fierce face with protruding tusks, standing behind Singha.

The Lord of Ghosts.

One of the Four Heavenly Kings.

The guardian and protector of the human world.

The great giant.

He now understood what those ghosts feared; they feared ‘Lord Vaisravaṇa’, the name of the entity they respected and feared.

 

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 12: Akalai

The condition of the four teenagers sitting in the interrogation room varies: boredom, fear, anxiety, and indifference. When the door opens, Singha walks in with an expressionless face, placing a seized digital camera, various items, and a stack of documents on the table.

“You four broke into a murder scene while the case was still open. That’s quite the bold content move.”

“We didn’t do any real damage, right?” Song nudged his senior beside him for an opinion.

“True. We just went in, filmed for a bit, and got out.”

“Just your footprints at the crime scene count as damage. Not to mention fingerprints. You might end up suspects without realizing it.”

“That’s a bit harsh, officer. We just went in to shoot a clip for our channel. Plus, we were live streaming the whole time, so the viewers could vouch for us. Don’t believe me? Ask our channel owner, Jump.” The only woman in the group turned to ask her quiet friend who’d been silent since the police brought them here.

“Anything to add?” Singha asked the spaced-out young man. “Nope.” The guy replied without even looking over, his gaze fixed on the wall.

“And the phone you used for live streaming?” The three teens turned to Jump. “Give the phone to the police, Jump.” Dear insisted, showing signs of anxiety.

“Don’t have it.”

“What the hell, Jump?” Bom looked at his friend, annoyed.

“Phii, we’re all gonna get arrested if you don’t hand it over. You were holding it.” The youngest, Song, shook his friend’s arm in distress.

“I told you, I don’t have it!” Jump shook off Song’s hand forcefully before standing up, leaving the other three bewildered by his sudden change in demeanor.

Singha wasn’t surprised. He just checked his watch, stood up, and pushed the young man back down, his sharp gaze scanning the stained figure before asking,

“Filming a ghost challenge, were you?”

“Yeah.” Bom answered for him. “How long has the channel been up?”

“About a year.”

“Strange, the news hasn’t been published anywhere about this, yet you all know the details.” Singha said as he turned on the big camera, even though he had already glanced at it before, “Where did you hear about this?”

“Via email. Someone sent us an email saying there’s a location and suggesting we should go ghost hunting there.”

“Can I see it?” Two hurriedly pulled out his phone and handed it to Singha. He looked at the email address and realized it wasn’t one used for daily life, before pressing a button to call Lieutenant Khem, who was observing from another room, to come in and take the address.

“Understood.”

“Take it to trace the origin of the email and the IP.”

“As for you four, another officer will come in to take your statements and handle further proceedings.”

“Huh! Proceedings? Are we really going to be charged, officer?”

“Oh no, my mom’s going to kill me for this.”

“Damn it.” curses and laments filled the room, except for one person still sitting quietly in his spot, Jump.

“I have something to ask.”

“The… doll, you mean?” At the scene… Did anyone find any dolls?

“Yes.” The three exchanged puzzled looks before turning to the person sitting at the far end.

“Well, it was me. I found a doll, and Jump said it was a cursed doll.”

“Tell me you didn’t touch it.” Singha furrowed his brows, knowing it could be a clue with the culprit’s fingerprints.

“We did… touch it. Jump picked it up to play and then threw it at Phii Bom, and it fell and broke, but we didn’t bring it back with us.”

“Damn it.” Singha muttered quietly before the interrogation room door opened once again. This time, it was King who walked in with a displeased look, both from the morning’s events and the issue with the suspects sitting outside the interrogation room waiting for Singha, “You handle this, I’ve got stuff to do.”

“Where are you going?” King grabbed Singha’s arm, but he shrugged off anyway. “Do your job and stop being annoying, it’s irritating.”

Thup was sketching the ghost girl from his memories. He had never seen her face, due to his own fear, making it hard to remember her clearly. As he pressed his pencil on the clean, white paper, the door opened, causing him to look up. Seeing it was Singha, about to leave, Thup prepared to stand up. Just as the door was about to close, Thup’s eyes caught sight of a young man sitting at the very edge. Not only that, there was a woman in tattered, ragged clothes; her skin was so pale it seemed bloodless, with purple and nearly black bruises, and occasional green marks all over her body. Importantly, she was sitting astride the young man’s neck, and her head slowly turned backward to stare at Thup with a sinister grin!

“Come, Thup. We have things to do.”

“Phii Singha.”

“What now? You’re not going to pick up that dropped pencil, are you?”

“The man sitting at the very edge…” Singha squinted at the boy in front of him without arguing back, “What did he do?”

“He trespassed on a crime scene.”

“A… murder scene?”

“Yep.”

“And did he bring anything back?”

“Why do you ask?” He brought something back with him.

“I saw… I saw the ghost of the woman which I saw at Meen’s house… riding on his neck.” Singha turned back to look at the interrogation room door again before opening it to go inside.

“You four will have to-” King paused as the person who had just left suddenly burst back through the door, “I thought you said you were going outside.”

“Did you take anything from the crime scene?” Singha walked straight up to Jump and asked in a stern voice, but the young man just stared blankly, still not answering the question. “I asked, did you take anything?!”

“What are you doing, Inspector Singha?” King asked seriously.

Singha yanked the young boy’s collar without holding back, then began to search him swiftly amid the others’ surprise. King, seeing this, was about to intervene, but Singha pulled something out from the boy’s inner coat pocket first.

“Damn! Phii Jump, why did you bring that?” Two exclaimed in shock before backing away to the wall.

“I didn’t take it.” Jump said quietly, “I didn’t take it!!!”

Jump protested before pushing Singha’s chest and running out of the interrogation room, only to collide with Thup who was standing anxiously at the door. Both fell to the ground. As Thup slowly opened his eyes, he saw the ghost girl he noticed earlier clinging to the neck of someone inside the room, now straddling him. Her face was deathly pale, her eyes white and filled with veins, her bright red lips stretched wide to her gums. Her laughter grew louder before her long tongue licked Thup’s face frame.

‘You have a Mae Sue too.’ [1] Mae Sue is a Thai folklore goddess or a female ghost who buys the spirit of born babies to prevent them being attacked by malevolent spirits, but also she is a ghost who causes illness. There are seven forms when she appears and the form she takes depends on the day of the week

   “Are you okay, Thup?” When Singha grabbed Thup’s arm, the ghost in front of him vanished. The young man trembled with fear but still kept his eyes on the person King was restraining.

“He… he got something.”

“A doll.” Singha showed Thup a doll with its head separated from its body, now in an evidence bag.

“Don’t struggle!” King said as he locked Jump firmly, “What now?”

“Lock him up for now. As for the others, process their cases properly, and call their guardians too.” Singha said while helping Thup up, “Damn, it’s getting late!”

“What happened, Inspector?” Lieutenant Khem and the Lieutenant Prom rushed over as soon as they heard the commotion.

“Help handle this, and here’s another piece of evidence, give it to Say for examination as much as he can.”

“Uh, roger that.”

Singha dragged Thup, who was still in shock, to follow him to the car. He had no idea what the kid had seen to be so shocked, but asking now would probably yield no answer. The black car sped along the road at the maximum speed allowed by law. Inside the car, only the sound of the air conditioning was audible because the two men inside weren’t speaking a word to each other.

“Phii.” Thup suddenly spoke up, sounding dazed.

“What?”

“That doll… its head wasn’t human, was it?” Singha furrowed his brows slightly, thinking before he replied.

“Yeah.”

“What shape was it?”

“A tiger.”

“A tiger shape…” Thup mumbled to himself before turning to face Singha, “Akalai.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The doll is a Mae Sue, with a tiger’s head… it’s called Akalai.”

“I don’t get it, what’s Mae Sue, Thup?”

“Phii, can we talk about the ghost story I told you?”

“The ghost you saw over twenty years ago?” Thup shook his head rapidly, even though Singha wasn’t looking.

“No, the ghost I encountered at Meen’s house.”

“And why does that matter?”

“Just now, when I bumped into that man, I saw her, and she mentioned Mae Sue.”

“And?”

“The broken-headed doll you found also has a tiger’s head on a human body, just like the legend of Mae Sue.”

“So, what benefit do I get from knowing this?”

“Well… what if… what if they’re connected? What if the culprit is using this doll for something?”

Singha frowned even tighter than before. He didn’t have much knowledge in this area, and it was quite beyond his understanding.

“Explain this ‘Mae Sue’ thing to me.”

“It’s an old belief. I’m not even sure if people still believe in it these days. Each region has its own legend about the ‘Mae Sue’, but from what I’ve heard from the old monk, ‘Mae Sue’ is a deity or spirit who takes care of newborns. They say she plays with the child, helps with healing illnesses, or sometimes teases them to make them cry. When the child grows up a bit, they perform a ceremony to separate the spirit child from the human child, and then the child can no longer see ‘Mae Sue’.”

“Couldn’t the crying just be because the child might have colic?”

“That’s why I said it’s a belief.”

“So what?”

“What I’ve heard is that there are ‘Mae Sues’ for each of the seven days, with different characteristics and names. One of them is Akaai, who has a tiger’s head. She is the ‘Mae Sue’ for Saturdays.”

“Hand me the file from the back.” Singha paused before glancing at the backseat.

“Which one?”

“The black one.” After Thup grabbed the file and placed it on his lap, Singha instructed, “Now, open it and check the list of victims to see who was born on a Saturday.”

Thup nodded and flipped through the file until he found what he was looking for.

“Girl named Kachakorn.” he read out the victim’s information.

“Kaew, huh… Kaew disappeared on a Friday.” Singha murmured to himself, “Open to the autopsy results.”

“Yes.” Thup continued flipping through until he reached photos and autopsy results of each victim. He squinted and turned away slightly out of fear but tried to find Kaew’s name as quickly as possible, “I… I’ve found it.”

“What does it say about when Kaew died?”

“Uh… Saturday.”

“Seriously?” Singha immediately turned into the gas station ahead, and parked the car to check the documents again in case Thup got it wrong. But upon careful reading, he found it was absolutely correct. The young inspector pulled out his phone and made a call; it didn’t take long for the other end to pick up.

“Hey King”

[Where are you?]

   “Not there, go check the houses of the seven victims first, see if there’s a clay doll similar to the one that kid picked up at the crime scene.”

[Why?]

   “I’ll explain later, go do it now, urgently.”

[There hasn’t been a reason since earlier. It’s just a doll.]

   “The doll might tell us how the killer chose the victims. Call me if you find anything.”

[Wait, and where are you now?]

   “Heading to the prison.”

[Why there?]

   “To see how badly the police screwed up before.” Singha hung up before handing the file to Thup and drove away from the gas station towards his next destination. “Hey Thup, check who was born on which day.”

“Yes.” Thup eagerly flipped through the papers because he didn’t want Singha to worry while driving. When he found it, he started listing out:

“James, born on Sunday

Jom, born on Monday

Orn, born on Tuesday

Meen, born on Wednesday

Nai, born on Thursday

Thee, born on Friday”

“Kaew, born on Saturday”

All seven victims were born on different days.

 

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 11: When You Don’t Believe… You Must Ridicule

“Hello everyone, to the 284 viewers with us right now after we received news from fans about a new haunted ghost hunting location. We rushed here by car immediately, and now…” The camera, a phone that was live streaming, panned out to show the area in front of the young YouTuber, revealing a dense forest at night where even moonlight couldn’t penetrate, the atmosphere silent without any signs of life, and yellow police tape torn and lying on the ground fearlessly.

“This is definitely the place, Phii. Look, there are still markers left.” The young man who just walked past the camera pointed to white spray paint marks indicating various positions at the crime scene.

“Move aside, please.” The man holding the camera told his junior colleague, “Here, dear viewers. They say a murder occurred here just a few days ago, with seven victims. And the condition, well, it was quite horrific.”

“Someone’s asking what the condition was like.” The woman in charge of reading viewer comments asked.

“The bodies were found hanged, believed to be from this large tree… up here!!!” The host created an atmosphere by speaking loudly, startling his companion, in the quiet of the forest where only they dared to make noise.

“Scared us with that jump scare.” said the man holding another large camera, kicking his friend without holding back, even though he didn’t actually hit him.

“Jump, someone’s asking if you think we’ll encounter a ghost.”

“Well, not sure, spirits that were murdered must be vengeful, right? We might even see a ghost or something.”

“Hey, guys, guys, come look at this, there’s a doll here!” All four were staring at the same thing, a twisted clay doll. The doll was shaped like a person holding a child to its chest, but the head was that of a tiger, twisted to the back.

“Damn, it looks like a doll that’s lost its mind, everyone, look, we’ve found a doll, see?”

“Don’t touch anything, Jump.” The only woman in the group warned.

“Right. You know, these crazy dolls are usually used for warding off bad luck, everyone. I think someone might have dumped it here, or maybe… it could be from a killer still at large. Could be…” Jump’s voice deepened and stretched out before he laughed and tossed the clay doll to the cameraman.

“Damn you, Jump!” The cameraman didn’t catch it. He just dodged, but that caused the doll to fall to the ground, its neck breaking off from the body. “You beast, when you find ritual items like this, you’re not supposed to touch or mention them.”

“We’re a ghost hunting channel, man. If we don’t do this, will any ghosts show up for you to see? If one appears now, we’ll surely get famous.” His challenging words echoed in the silence of the forest, but suddenly there was a loud cry of an egret all around.

“Jump, let’s go back, let’s just go back.” The anxious girl started looking left and right.

“Yeah, I agree with Phii Dear. I’ve had goosebumps since we got here, Phii, let’s go back. I think this place is not normal.”

“That’s the point, Song.”

“What do you mean?”

“Because the legend here says it was once a burial ground for unclaimed bodies, Bom. Plus, there have been dozens of accidents. If that’s not cursed, then what is?”

Rustling sounds!

“Damn!! What’s that noise, Phii!!” The one named Song was startled, hearing stories from the older man who invited him on this ghost hunting channel.

“Just insects, Song, you’re really jumpy. Come on, let’s keep moving.”

The four continued exploring the site while filming the surroundings. Jump’s voice was the only thing breaking the silence of the forest as he chatted comfortably with the live audience, unlike the other three who followed behind, filled with unease.

“Will we have trouble with the police?” Jump read the question from a viewer on the screen, “Oh. No, there won’t be any. By now, the police probably don’t care about this place anymore. Because all the evidence must have been cleared by now.”

Rustle, rustle, rustle!

The sound from behind the bushes made all four stop abruptly. The flashlight flickered intensely before going out, leaving only darkness and the light from the phone screen.

“Damn!! Phii, let’s go back, I beg you.” Song pleaded with his hands pressed together in a wai.

“Yeah, Jump, let’s go back.” Dear immediately added, fearfully, “If you don’t want to go back, that’s on you, damn Jump. We’ll wait in the car.” Bom turned around and walked away, with Song and Dear quickly following him. Now, only Jump remained, continuing to film with his phone camera alone.

“Those guys are total wimps. No worries, dear viewers, today, I will definitely take you on a tour through this haunted forest. We’ve already started, and now all that’s left is to challenge, and here it is!!” Jump picked up incense, finding a spot to position the camera so viewers could see what he was doing. Once he found the spot, he held up a lighter and explained while preparing, “This, folks, a single Thup is supposedly used to pay respects to corpses, spirits, and more. Especially when done like this…”

Jump lit the tip of incense and then blew it out until the flame was completely extinguished, leaving only white smoke floating in the air. He inverted the incense stick, sticking the smoldering end into the ground. Satisfied with the result, he approached the camera again to communicate with his audience at home.

“Inverting incense like this is said to summon spirits. If I meet a ghost, I’ll ask right away who the killer is because these damn cops are useless, can’t solve this case, huh?”

Crack!

The sound like footsteps on leaves behind him made Jump turn around.

“What’s that?” he muttered quietly to himself before turning back to read the comments again:

: What’s that shadow behind?

   : Looks like a woman.

   : Did anyone just see a dark shadow?

   : Wasn’t it a man’s shadow?

   : Scary, man.

   : More, more, more.

   : Again.

   : Again.

   A flood of comments that he can barely keep up with reading, which only encourages the young YouTuber even more. Previously, his small channel didn’t have many viewers. Mostly, the comments were negative, saying it wasn’t realistic, deceptive, or nonsensical. But suddenly, someone sent an email about a murder case and this location. On the first day he posted it on social media, people started paying attention to his Youtube channel because it was a fresh case that not many knew about. He quickly gathered his team to come here immediately, though he wished they could have come sooner; by the time they prepared everything, it was almost 3 AM.

While Jump was intently reading the comments, he felt an inexplicable chill and a shiver down his spine. His heart was pounding, but he tried to keep his composure because if he showed fear on camera, the viewers would surely stop following.

“I’ll go get that head-dropping doll again. Don’t know where Bom tossed it.” Jump said, steeling himself as he walked towards the area marked by spray paint. He used his phone’s flashlight to search the ground. The stream now showed leaves, grass, mud, but suddenly, there was an image of bare, pale feet, with purple and green bruises indicating that what he saw was definitely not alive. “Shit!!!!”

Jump was so startled he fell backwards. He scrambled away from that area before fearfully pointing his phone forward again.

: What, what are you scared of?

   : Was it a snake?

   : I don’t see anything at all.

   : Are you imagining things?

   : Are you faking it?

   At this moment, Jump no longer paid attention to the comments. He shone his light forward to see what he had encountered, but all he found was emptiness.

‘You called for me, didn’t you? So here I am!’

   The icy tone of the woman behind him made Jump’s hands tremble, even though viewers in the stream might complain or curse at him, he no longer cared.

‘You called for me.’

   ‘You called for me.’

   ‘You called for me.’

   ‘You called for me.’

   ‘You called for me!’

   ‘Then come be with me!!!’

   Jump quickly got up and ran out immediately, not caring about anything else. He only knew he had to survive and get out of there, not realizing he left his phone still streaming, and what he grabbed was… the doll with a broken head that shouldn’t be touched.

…

Singha turned over again with a tight frown; the clattering sound was annoying him due to lack of sleep. The young inspector had to remember to wake up before heading downstairs, his sharp eyes searching for the source of the noise, only to find Thup standing facing the kitchen counter.

“Noisy.”

“Ouch!” The young man jolted and cried out. Singha approached and saw that Thup was chopping pork into pieces, and what he just did was startle the kid into slicing his own finger with the knife.

“If you’re going to be this jumpy, Thup…”

“Did I wake you up, Phii?” Thup asked with a concerned face. He was used to waking up early and didn’t realize he might have woken this older guy

“Yeah.” Singha handed him a tissue before sitting down at the dining table. He glanced at the wound; it wasn’t too deep. This kid should be able to take care of himself.

“Sorry about that.”

“You don’t need to look so down, it’s annoying.” Thup pressed his lips together before walking to the sink to wash the wound. “The first aid kit is in the upper cabinet.”

“Okay.”

“Once you finish, then go take a shower and get dressed.”

“Where are you going, Phii?”

“To work.”

The sound of the doorbell at the front of the house made Singha furrowed his brows. He walked over, opened the curtain at the door to see who it was, and found it was the person he had just hung up on last night.

“Why the hell are you here?” Singha muttered to himself before opening the door, “What the fuck do you want?”

“To pick you up.” said King, leaning against his fancy sports car, now holding onto the fence instead.

“For what?”

“Just felt like coming.”

“And then?”

“To go to work together.”

“Who’s there, Phii Singha?” Thup came to the door with a rice scoop in hand. Upon seeing who was standing at the fence, he paused before nodding respectfully.

“Open the gate, Singha.” Singha didn’t do as told. He just stood there, staring back emotionlessly.

“Thup, go take a shower first, then come eat.”

“Yes.”

“Singha, open the door.”

“You’re not my dad, don’t boss me around. Go back the way you came. I can go by myself.” Singha slid the glass door shut, ignoring the protests from outside.

“You’re really not going to let him in, Phii?”

“My house, my rules.” Singha glanced at the young man who was now removing his apron, “And why are you still holding that scoop?”

“Oh, I’m waiting to serve rice for you, Phii.”

“Serve rice for me?”

“Yes. It’s my first night staying at your house, so I want to do something for you. Come sit down quickly.” Thup gestured to the chair.

“Isn’t cleaning the house this much considered doing something?”

“That was for the house, this is for you, Phii. Do you eat a lot of rice?”

“Just serve it.” Singha replied dismissively, still eager to have it done, but the young man persisted.

“I don’t know what you like or dislike, but if there’s any dish you want, just tell me.” Thup said as he served two scoops of rice into a bowl and placed it in front of Singha.

“Did you cook?”

“Yes.”

“Are you planning to stay here until the case is closed?”

“Well… until I find the Buddha amulet… is that okay?”

“What if I say no?” Singha turned to raise an eyebrow, but all he got in return was a dejected dog-like face.

“Singha!” A shout from outside the house made Singha sigh. He picked up his phone and called the station. It didn’t take long for someone to answer.

[Yes, inspector?]

   “Come get King back.”

[Oh!? Detective King?]

   “Yes, he’s standing outside screaming.”

[He brought documents for you, inspector.]

   “What document?” Singha talked on the phone while seasoning the stir-fried vegetables in front of him, the flavors blending smoothly in his mouth, causing the inspector to move his lips too. The young man glances at Thup again, “Sit down and eat.”

“Shouldn’t I go take a shower first?”

“Eat while it’s still hot.” Thup smiles before sitting down opposite, “So, what document did they bring, Lieutenant?”

[Well, last night four teenagers broke into the crime scene, and after checking, we brought them back to the station.]

   “All four of them, right?” I’m sending someone.

[Yes, all four. They’re waiting for the inspector to interrogate them. They said they found a doll at the scene.]

   “A doll? Like the one with the tiger head, right?”

[Not sure, Inspector.]

   “Then I’ll hurry over, but first, let’s get King back.”

[Sure, sure.]

   Singha hangs up then turns to look at King, who’s sitting on the car hood, smoking, his irritated look not intimidating him at all.

“Should I invite him to eat with us?”

“No need, if he came uninvited, let him stay there.”

“So… am I invited then?” Thup looks at Singha with sparkling eyes.

“You’re clinging to me, you little brat.”

They chuckle lightly because judging from the face, the older one doesn’t seem to seriously scold him, and what’s even better is that the food he made seems to please Singha, which is no small feat.

  

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