GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 36: Maravijaya

Inside the car heading back into the city, after a whole day of investigating and a whole night of fleeing from ghosts, Thup was nearly exhausted. The cool air and soft sunlight made him drowsy. Thup slapped his cheek with the back of his hand to stay alert; he couldn’t leave Singha alone.

“If you feel sleepy, then sleep.”

“It’s not safe yet. How can I leave you alone?”

“Nowhere is safe if that damn ghost can appear anywhere like this.”

“Are you okay, Phii?” Thup noticed the fatigue and wounds on Singha, especially around his waist.

“I’m okay. Once we get back, we’ll collect stuff from your uncle’s house. I’ve already arranged the car rental; driving back should be quicker.”

“Take a rest, Phii Singha.”

“Do you think we have time for that?”

Thup bit his lip until it turned pale. It was true. They had no time now.

When they arrived at Uncle Chai’s house, two cars were parked in front. The once dashing young doctor now looked disheveled, his body grimy, his face unwelcoming. The tall, stern-faced young policeman looked even more formidable with his wounds. And the bright young man who arrived full of life was still like a flower, albeit one that had survived a night of ordeal.

“Blimey!! What on earth have you lot been up to? Why do you look like you’ve just come back from a war?” Uncle Chai asked as he stepped away from washing the fighting cock to approach them.

“We just came back from a war, Uncle!!! A war with ghosts!” Charn answered irritably.

“Ghosts? What have you been doing? And why is the kid bleeding?” Uncle Chai approached Thup with concern, his wrinkled hand gently brushing dirt off Thup’s face.

“I’ll tell you later, Uncle. Right now, I need to shower, pack up, and head back to Bangkok.”

“Didn’t you say you were staying for several days?”

“We have urgent matters to attend to, but I’ll come back to visit you.” Thup said, offering a wide smile to the old man, not wanting him to worry more than he already was.

Singha left the uncle and his nephews to talk. He went inside to pack, removing his black leather coat and t-shirt with one arm. His sharp eyes emotionlessly surveyed the scratches on his body before focusing on a stab wound near his waist, caused by falling into a pit and hitting a pile of bones. He hadn’t expected one would pierce him.

Knock, knock.

“Come in.” he thought it might be the little dog that had been following him around, but it was the annoying guy instead. “What do you want?”

“I helped you out there. I got hurt and was haunted by ghosts too.” Charn said, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed.

“Thanks.” Singha replied flatly through the mirror. He took out a portable first aid kit from his bag and started cleaning the wound with alcohol. “Why are you here?”

“To do my duty as a doctor.” Chan walked in with a much larger first aid box than Singha’s. “You can’t just clean that wound haphazardly. If you want to stay well until you reach Bangkok, sit down.”

“Thought you’d be too freaked out to do anything.” Singha said, sitting down on the bed as instructed.

“A little bit. I got tricked by that charred ghost kid. And it even burned my chest.” Chan grumbled like someone who’s easily scared. He poured salt water over it to clean the dirt before assessing the depth and width of the wound, “Looks like it needs stitching.”

“Stitch it then.”

“This is an old man’s house, not a hospital. No anesthesia here.”

“No need for it.”

“How did I end up liking you?” Charn said with a surprised tone before walking to open the window and pouring alcohol over his hands. At this moment, following medical protocols wasn’t feasible. If he forced the police officer behind him to go to the hospital, he’d likely get scolded for wasting time, and the other would just roughly treat the wound himself, it would get infected, and then he’d die. Charn nodded seriously to himself before returning to sit in front of Singha with a needle, “Promise me you’ll go to a doctor to check the wound again.”

“No promises.”

“Then I’ll tell Thup.” Charn raised his eyebrows before putting on gloves and pouring betadine on the wound.

“Okay.” Singha said before rolling his eyes. If Thup found out, he’d probably walk circles around him all day, making it impossible to do anything else.

“I guess you’re pretty tough, but better bite down on this.” Charn glanced at the roll of gauze in the box. Seeing the other man pick it up to bite on it, he started stitching the wound immediately.

The needle piercing the flesh, the tug of the thread slowly moving through the skin, made Singha bite down hard on the gauze. Sweat streamed down from his temple, the pain gradually shooting from his toes to his head. Right now, there was hardly a part of his body that didn’t hurt, but they couldn’t afford to delay any longer. Judging from the silence from the station, things over there must not be going well.

“Ugh!!”

“You moved yourself.” Charn quickly defended himself when he caught the pressuring look from the other.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Phii Singha, what are you doing? Can I come in?” a voice from outside the door asked, causing both people inside the room to look at each other.

“Will you answer or should I?” Charn whispered, seeing the injured person nod towards him, Chan knew his duty immediately, “Don’t come in yet, we’re busy.”

Singha smacked Charn’s shoulder hard when he heard this.

“Ouch! Why did you hit me? There’s a needle in there, remember?”

“Why is Phii Charn allowed in the room, Phii Singha? Open the door for me, please.” Thup’s anxious voice made Singha glare at the person who was stitching his wound.

“Keep stitching.” Singha spat out the roll of bandages before replying to Thup, “I’m talking, dealing with the case stuff. Go… take a shower first.”

Singha tried to speak while suppressing his voice, his forehead creased just like his palm.

“But…” Sweat began to appear.

“Done.” Charn exclaimed before quickly clearing the equipment and putting everything into a plastic bag. “Here are the anti-inflammatory and antibiotics.”

“Thanks.”

“Wow, impressed by me, huh? It’s still not too late for me to woo you now.”

Singha shook his head slightly before grabbing a new t-shirt to wear. The silence from outside the room made him curious enough to go and check. The young man sitting hugging his knees in front of the door quickly stood up and grabbed both of Singha’s shoulders.

“What are you doing, Phii?”

“I’ll be going then, feeling sticky, and this dirt, yuck.” Charn quickly dashed out of the room, fearing his secret might spill.

“Phii…” Thup watched Charn until he was out of sight, then turned back to face Singha, his elegant hands wiping the sweat off Singha’s forehead without any disgust.

“He just came in to ask about the case, whether we need to give a statement. Go take a shower so we can get ready to leave.”

“Phii, go take a shower first, I’ll make breakfast for us to eat. At least eat something before you drive a long distance.” Thup said as he let go of the older man’s hand and walked into the kitchen. His little heart was wilting because of the earlier incident. He didn’t dare to ask, and even if he did, the other probably wouldn’t answer, which wouldn’t be surprising. After all, he was just an outsider, just a kid who happened to be there temporarily.

After showering and changing clothes, both sat down to eat before saying goodbye to the homeowners, the aunt and uncle who kindly let them stay. As for Charn, who should have also said goodbye, he had already fallen asleep right after eating, even taking himself to sleep in the house’s shrine room. They left without saying goodbye.

In the car, there was only silence, different from previous times when Thup would always be the one to start conversations. Less than ten minutes into the drive, they turned into the entrance of a temple they had asked Uncle Chai for directions to. Inside, the temple wasn’t luxurious or grand, but it brought a sense of peace. The trees were shady, gently swaying in the breeze. Soon, they found a chapel made of bare concrete, with wooden doors that, although not intricately carved, had beautiful patterns from the wood’s cracks.

“Why are we here?”

“You said you wanted to pay respects to the old monk.”

“Thank you.” Thup got out of the car and walked into the chapel with reverence. Memories from his childhood came flooding back, making his eyes well up with tears. The Buddha statue in the conquering Maravijaya pose wasn’t coated in gold or crafted by a skilled artisan; it was just an old bronze cast, some parts worn away by time, sitting in meditation with the left hand upturned on the lap and the right hand pointing down.

Thup sat down to pay his respects as the old monk had taught him. He looked forward and saw a picture of the old monk, the only memento left. The monk had instructed that when one comes from the earth, one should return to it, with no need to keep anything that would hold back those still living.

“Reverend, I have come to visit, and I have many stories to tell you, so many you’d complain. But I can’t tell them now; I have to go soon. Thank you for leaving the Buddha statue for me, Reverend. You knew I’d lose the other one, didn’t you? sniff I…” Tears flowed from his beautiful eyes. Thup hastily wiped them away, not wanting to show weakness now, “What you said about what I see not always being bad, I understand now what you meant.”

The young man bowed to the floor, then looked up at the solitary Buddha statue in the chapel, his eyes determined, resolute, and fearless once again. A gentle breeze blew across Thup’s face as if bestowing a blessing.

“Protect everyone facing this bad situation, protect Phii Singha, protect me and keep me safe, please.”

It was considered an auspicious time to pay respects to the Buddha before returning to face the chaos ahead. And the Buddha statue that Thup just paid respects to and prayed at is believed to be…

The Buddha statue in the Maravijaya posture, which is the Buddha for those who don’t remember their birthday.

Also known as the “Conquering Pose” posture.

   Getting back into the car with a calmer heart, whatever happens from now on, I’ll do my best. No matter what happens, he believes there will always be someone by his side. A tissue was handed to him along with a blanket.

“Thank you, Phii Singha.”

“Thanks for what? Are you done? Let’s get going.”

“Yes, let’s go.”

Singha and Thup left Sisaket at seven in the morning. They needed to reach the station before evening. Otherwise, it would be hard to save anyone’s life, even though they knew the father-son killers were waiting, but now there was no other choice but to face them.

On the way, nothing obstructed them. They encountered nothing strange, nothing at all, indicating those people wanted both of them to return, or maybe just Thup alone.

“Here you go, Phii Singha.” Thup, who had just bought some cold clothes, water, and snacks from a convenience store at the gas station, noticed the person behind the wheel was looking pale, so he gently touched his forehead. “You have a fever, Phii. Should we rest first? Just half an hour?”

“I’m fine.”

“If you drive like this and something happens to you, we won’t be able to help anyone.” Thup cautioned before placing his hand on Singha’s shoulder.

“You’re so fussy.” Not that he disagreed. Since it was a weekday, there weren’t many cars on the road, and traffic regulations allowed them to travel faster than expected. However, now the wound on his waist started to ache, causing a slight fever, combined with speeding and not resting at all for two days, his body began to protest.

“Alright, I’ll have a sandwich to fill my stomach first. I’ll go buy some fever medicine for you, there’s a pharmacy right there.”

After the young man went down, Singha started eating the sandwich in his hand before taking the medicine that Charn gave him, then moved to lie down in the back of the car because the front was too windy from the AC. Just as he lay down, dizziness struck, forcing Singha to raise his hand to massage his temples. Not long after, the sound of the car door opening and the sunlight made him curse softly.

“It’s glaring, damn Thup.”

“Let me put this fever-reducing gel patch on you first.”

“Come in.”

“Yes?” Thup looked at his elder, lifting his head slightly just enough to slide himself in and sit down. Once inside, Singha’s head rested on his lap, leaving the young man stiff and unsure of what to do.

“Close the door.”

“Yes… yes.” Thup reached out easily to close the door. “How’s the wound on your hand?”

“Phii Charn redid the dressing for me, but it still hurts a bit.”

“Hmm.”

“Phii Singha, are you comfortable lying like this? Should I move to the front?”

“No need. Stay here.”

“Then… please take the fever reducer first.” Singha opened his eyes to look at the lap’s owner before taking the medicine. Anything that could alleviate his symptoms now was good. He didn’t know what he’d face back home, but he had to keep himself in shape to survive as much as possible. “I’ll put the fever-reducing gel on you.”

“Do what you want. No need to talk, I’m going to sleep. Wake me in half an hour.”

“Ah, okay.” Thup watched as the older man folded his arms and closed his eyes. He brushed aside Singha’s black hair from his forehead before applying the fever-reducing gel. For the next half hour, Thup did nothing but gaze at the face of the man resting on his lap.

The slender hand gently stroked through the soft hair of the older one with familiarity. If only it could stay like this forever, it would be nice. If Phii Singha could stay by his side like this, continuously, that would be quite wonderful. The young man slowly leaned his face down until his nose touched the cool fever gel on Thup’s forehead. When Thup opened his eyes, he saw the person who should have been asleep was now awake, staring back at him.

“Should I ask what you’re doing?”

“Uh, no… nothing. I… I was just checking if there was something on your face.” Thup quickly sat up, denying with a suspicious stutter, his face flushing all the way to his ears, unable to hide anything from the one resting on his lap.

“Oh, really?” Singha said in a flat tone before sitting up. Thup, about to sigh in relief thinking he wasn’t caught, but moments later, Singha moved close, their faces less than a span apart, lips straight, nose sharp, eyes dark reflecting like the night, and eyebrows raised as if teasing, “And is there still something there?”

“Uh… no… no. Nothing there anymore.”

“Oh, really? You haven’t even looked closely.” Thup felt like his face was about to explode from the heat, his hands not knowing where to go, his eyes burning not sure if from the urge to cry or sheer embarrassment, his heart pounding harder than when encountering a ghost. What Thup did to escape this situation was to bury his forehead against the older one’s chest to hide his red face, “Heh, you little pup.”

Singha ruffles Thup’s hair into a mess before stopping the tease and getting out of the car to freshen up. His phone, over half charged, vibrated in his pocket, prompting him to answer it.

“Say.”

[Where are you now?]

   “Nakhon Ratchasima, close to Saraburi.”

[Good, so that’s why I couldn’t reach you.]

   “Yeah.” Singha’s face returned to its usual seriousness because after turning his phone back on, he tried calling Say, Darin, and King, but none answered. The urgency in “no time left” was literal now.

[I couldn’t reach King either. Checked the station only to find out it’s a total mess now… safe though… Say is in the hospital because of a car crash. King and Darin have disappeared, and importantly, the station looks like a battlefield.]

   “How is everyone else doing?”

[Several officers are injured. They’ve all been sent to the hospital now. And hey, Singha, there’s something you should see.] Merk’s worried voice made Singha pause at the car door before opening it to look at the sent picture. I don’t know what it means, but my gut tells me this message was meant for you.

Merk’s intuition was right; the message was intentionally sent to him and to the kid sitting with a flushed face in the car. The message on the wall was written in blood, a vivid red whose origin was unknown:

‘Sacrifice of souls

   For rebirth

   Before your own demise

   Send Saturday to me’

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 35: The Spirit that Got Away

The body fell, hitting something hard, causing Singha to groan softly. The wooden plank covering wasn’t wide enough for him to land properly; it grazed his skin, leaving a long trail of blood. The pain in his back indicated he didn’t just fall on the ground but onto something else too.

“Phii Singha!!! Phii Singha, are you okay? Where does it hurt? Phii, please answer me!”

The loud shouts from above made Singha open his eyes to see Thup peering into the pit with concern. This pit was probably about three meters deep, wide enough to throw a corpse in, whether human or animal.

“I’m fine! Go get that guy to help!” Singha yelled back, grateful that when he was dragged down, he managed to grab a rope along with him. Now, if anyone was unsafe, it would be Thup still up there, with that damned ghost, “Throw down the flashlight, and watch your back!”

“I’ll get Charn to help, just wait here, Phii.” The young man looked like he was about to cry before he ran off.

“Stuck in this hole, where else could I go?” Singha muttered to himself. He picked up the flashlight Thup threw down and turned it on, lighting up the area, “Damn it.”

Singha’s suspicion was correct; this was the only spot in the house with a carpet, which should have been in the living room. A carpet shouldn’t be placed where it would get the dirtiest unless something needed covering, like the dozens of skeletons now under his feet.

Thup looked left and right, conflicted. If he left, those ghosts would surely attack Singha, but staying wouldn’t help either. Just as he was about to open the door to go outside, the ghost of a mother and her child appeared, blocking his way.

‘You all must die here!!’

   “If I’m not there, the ritual won’t succeed! And if the ritual doesn’t succeed, it means you won’t get any offerings at all!! You’ll have to go back to being a low-class ghost, wandering around as before!” Thup, with both hands still clutching his amulets tightly, tries to keep his courage up. He could feel his whole body trembling like a baby bird, but if he were to show fear and do nothing, not only would he be in danger, but Singha would be too.

The door slowly creaked open, and Thup saw Charn sitting clutching the steering wheel inside the car. But he wasn’t alone; the back seat, the hood, and the roof were all covered with spirits clinging on, looking at Charn with hungry eyes.

“Why is Thup taking so long in there, and why is this damn AC so cold? I thought I turned it off already.” Charn complained before rubbing his arms repeatedly. He had been feeling cold and a shiver down his spine for quite some time now. But when he looked around, there was nothing, so he just stared ahead at the abandoned house. “What’s Thup doing standing there and not coming out?”

Charn noticed Thup standing at the door but not stepping out. He decided to open the car door, get out, wave, and call out to Thup.

“Hey, Thup! Why aren’t you coming out?!” Charn yelled, but what he got in return was Thup waving back and saying something he couldn’t hear. “What the heck, come out quickly, I need to get back to work!”

Charn approached closer to call out to the kid in the abandoned house. Just as he was about to step forward, what should have been solid ground under his foot turned soft, causing him to fall into a pile of mud.

“Ouch!! Damn it, what rotten luck layered upon rotten luck!” Chan groaned from below, as he placed his hand on what he thought was the ground, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was something he was familiar with from his days as a medical student. Under his palm, he glanced, “Eek!!!” His dark eyes shook with fear.

The skeletons piled up, indistinguishable from one another, made Chan’s hair stand on end. He quickly got up and made a respectful gesture. Even though he had studied and encountered cadavers before, those were situations where they had paid respects before proceeding with anything. Now, he was standing on someone’s bones, not knowing how he got there, and importantly, he was sure he had just stepped on and broken part of a bone.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to.” Charn tried to climb up from a hole as deep as his height, but because of the falling dirt, every time he tried to grab something, it made climbing out much harder.

‘Fire, fire, fire, fire’

   The small voice in front made Charn’s heart beat like a drum. No one. Had fallen with him. No one was there before, so behind him now… V!… ne…

!!!

Suddenly, he felt heat on the right side of his chest. When he looked down, he saw something burning there. A few seconds later, flames slowly appeared with scorching heat burning through the fabric onto his skin.

“Ow!! Ouch, hot, hot, hot!!”

‘Aah, aah, aaah, aah’

   Chan tried to take off his shirt; he started to smell burnt flesh, the burning sensation made him furious to the point of losing his mind. The nerve-wracking laughter from a girl whose body was charred black like a burnt log made him feel almost as scared as he was mad.

“Phii Charn, reach out your hand!!” Hearing a voice from above, Charn reached out without thinking, but as he was about to be pulled up, a hand grabbed his leg first.

‘Not going!! Burn, burn, burn, get burned!!’

   “Don’t mess with me, you brat! Get away, get away, get away!!” With the pulling force and fear, Charn kicked at the burnt face until that small hand let go. He propelled himself upwards with the help of Thup’s pulling strength, finally. He got out of that dreadful pit, “I’m not staying here, damn it!”

“Wait, Phii Charn. We need to go help Phii Singha!”

“Shouldn’t we help ourselves first? Do you know what I just encountered, Thup!!”

“There’s only one ghost in that hole, but if you go back to the car without me or Phii Singha, you’ll encounter hundreds of ghosts for sure!!”

“Don’t you dare deceive me, you son of a dog!!” Charn looked seriously at Thup’s face, before turning to look at his car. Even though he couldn’t see anything, he felt that the earlier feeling of cold and heat wasn’t because of the car’s air conditioning, “Hey! Wait, is that really you, Thup? Wait up!”

Charn couldn’t help but follow the young man into the house, where he encountered ghosts inside, and outside too, but at least if he stood here, he’d face the ghost alone, without anyone to help. He wouldn’t stand for that!!

Singha used his flashlight to shine on all the skeletons in the pit, trying not to move unless necessary because it would disturb the site. Judging from the skeletons, these people were likely part of a ritual here rather than early victims of a sacrifice, or perhaps it was still in the experimental stage since each skull had cracks from being hit from behind. The killer probably chose victims based on their birthdates, then attacked when they were alone and dragged them back here.

!!!

The sound of something being dragged from above made Singha look up.

“Thup!” No response came back. Just from this, he knew that whatever was up there wasn’t the person he called out to, “Well, let it know that a human will fight a ghost.”

Singha brushed back his black hair, stained with dust and dirt, tore off the end of his shirt, tied one end to a rope and the other to the flashlight. The young inspector stretched his shoulder muscles slightly before starting to swing the rope in a circle, and then threw it upwards. He remembered he had moved the table not far away, and if this rope could hook onto the table leg, he might be able to climb up. Even if it couldn’t support his weight all the way, at least if he could get halfway up, he could probably jump the rest of the way.

The first two attempts ended in failure. Singha breathed out slowly, then inhaled deeply again to focus. On the third try, he used more force than the first two, and when he felt the tension in the rope, a smile crept onto his lips. Without hesitation, he started climbing the rope, using his feet against the dirt wall to lessen the weight as much as he could, until halfway up. As he was about to reach for the rope again, light from above was blocked by a shadow. Looking up, Singha saw that the ghost girl Thup once drew was standing, bending down to look at him, holding a needle and red thread in her hand. Her once blank eyes had turned black, indicating her intense anger. Her face twisted into a grotesque smile as she tried to crawl down into the pit on all fours.

“Damn it!” Singha was caught in the middle of a decision. If he let go, he would fall back down. But if he kept holding on, who knew what that ghost could do.

Suddenly, there was the voice of Thup calling out, his tone firm, before the sacred necklace floated from his hand towards the increasingly powerful spirit girl. He didn’t want to think about what ritual the person controlling her was performing.

Scream!!!

Singha saw the ghost in front of him disappear along with the items about to fall into the pit, including the shirt he had tied to the flashlight and the rope, which was about to break. He had to take the risk! As the fabric tore apart, Singha used the force from his feet, still planted on the dirt, to propel himself up, almost reaching the edge of the pit, but not quite.

“Damn it!”

!!!

“Got you!” Phii Charn grabbed Singha’s other arm quickly. Thup caught Singha’s hand, saving him before he could fall.

“What the hell is this! There are skeletons here, whose house is this, Jason from Friday the 13th?” Charn exclaimed loudly when he saw the skeletons below!! Before grabbing Singha’s other arm and pulling him up with force.

Singha was lying on top of Thup, the rapid heartbeat from the young man’s rising and falling chest made him sigh in relief, preferring to be with the living at least.

Thup was panting from both fear and exhaustion, mixed together, but he was relieved to have saved Singha in time.

“Not bad.” said the person lying on his chest, making Thup open his eyes to look, and he realized how close they were, their faces not even an inch apart.

“Ph…Phii, are you okay?”

“Got saved by a puppy just in time.” Singha ruffled Thup’s soft hair into an even messier state before standing up to his full height. “Let’s get out of here; we’ll deal with the rest later.”

“Agreed!” Chan quickly responded and was the first to run outside.

“You’re hurt, Phii.” Thup quickly stood up, noticing blood seeping from Singha’s abdomen onto his shirt.

“You won’t die.” Singha said as he grabbed a picture frame from the kitchen shelf, then led Thup by the hand out of the house.

As soon as their feet stepped outside, the brilliant sunlight filtered through the gaps in the tree branches. The warmth of the sun replaced the darkness and cold that gradually faded away. When they reached the car, Thup turned back to look at the house once more.

“I’ll be back.”

Singha didn’t object when the young man said that, because, after all, he too would have to return here to deal with the various pieces of evidence they found. This case wouldn’t conclude with a report of paranormal hauntings but would involve catching the murderous father and son to face justice in prison.

The picture frame, now thrown into the back of the car, reflected the sunlight. It was a family photo with parents, a daughter, and a son, all smiling happily. No one would imagine that behind those smiles lay madness and bloodshed, all because of the word ‘belief.’

An abandoned mill not far from the city’s graveyard stood unused and ownerless for quite some time. No one would think that it was currently being used for human sacrificial rituals.

The lifeless bodies of two were hanging from the beams, similar to Dear, Jump, Darin, Lieutenant Khem, and King, who were still alive but barely breathing. Darin, fully conscious, was also hung by her wrists. In the wide space in front, there was a yantra drawn in blood, with seven animal head effigies placed at various points around it, connected by sacred threads to the people sitting there. An elderly hand was counting a rosary made from human teeth until it stopped as the sunlight began to pour in.

“Go!” The commanding shout made all the wandering spirits and ghosts disappear in the blink of an eye. Blood from the mouth was spat onto a skull in front, with frustration. Angry eyes glanced up at the many animals whose throats had been slit for the spirits he had summoned. Blood slowly flowed to the ground, pooling at his toes.

“Where’s the effect you promised, father?”

“Prepare the ritual ground; that kid will definitely come back today.” he said with droplets of sweat.

“And if he doesn’t make it in time for the start of the ritual, what then? We could still find another Saturday, right?” Bom, sharpening a knife, glanced at his father who stood up. The orange robe had turned red from the thickness of blood. Gone was the man in the yellow cloth, now there was only a man soaked in the act of taking lives.

“He must come back.”

“What’s so special about that kid? Just because he’s some ghost-seeing brat. Nothing special about him.”

“I don’t just want him. I want something else too.”

“What is it?”

“The spirit that got away, is now haunting me.” Blood was wiped from the palm of a revered figure. Now, the smile and the look of kindness were gone from his face, leaving only a cruelty devoid of humanity.

“His mother’s spirit.”

 

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 34: Secrets from Below

Darin’s body collapsed to the ground at the same moment Bom stepped out. He shook his head, looking at Darin gasping heavily with empty, emotionless eyes. No pity. No sympathy. Only emptiness and a lack of emotion in his gaze.

“Darin!” King rushed over, knelt down, and pressed his suit jacket onto Darin’s abdominal wound to stop the bleeding.

“Th-, ugh, it…”

“What? What are you trying to say?” King was anxious seeing blood seeping from the corner of Darin’s mouth.

“It… is, ugh”

“Ah, I think he wants to say I’m the murderer.” Bom’s words made the young detective instantly aim his gun at him. “Gonna shoot again? Oh, you might end up randomly hitting someone else.”

“Step back.” King laid Darin down before aiming at the seemingly innocent young man, who raised his hands above his head as if surrendering. But the smile on his face showed no sign of guilt.

“You’re under arrest for murder, assault on an officer.”

“Huh, do you know what’s the most fun?” Bom smiled at King, without a trace of fear despite the gun pointed at him. “When everything goes according to plan.”

“I don’t care what you say, and I’m not scared of your ghost nonsense either. Now, turn your back to the wall, hands behind your head, don’t try anything funny.”

“Not scared? If you really weren’t scared, that bullet wouldn’t have missed and hit… who was it again?”

“Told you to turn around!!” King glanced at Darin, who was lying on the floor. Bom chuckled as if it was all a big joke. He followed the police officer’s instructions in front of him, turning his back against the wall.

“People born on Fridays, they say, are tough, brave, level-headed. Seems like the old man before was just like you.” King, about to handcuff him, paused.

The previous victim was born on a Friday… was Thee.

“But just seeing his dead wife made him crawl like a dog. You should’ve seen him raving like a madman, begging to bring his wife back, haha, ha!”

“Shut up.” One handcuff was securely fastened, but as he was about to secure the other, a voice behind made King stop.

‘King’

   “For that old man, his wife seemed to be what he longed for the most. And you, what about you? Job, money, position, power… or love?”

‘…Singha.’

    Singha stood before him, holding a gun. His tone was devoid of anger, disappointment, or coldness. It was Singha, who still loved and obeyed him, like in the past. Yes… it was in the past. Their relationship ended long ago. King locked the other handcuff on Bom’s wrist before turning back to look, “Go play with the ghosts in prison then.”

“Hahaha, not falling for it, huh? And do you think the others won’t fall for this too?”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you know where the first sacrifice took place? Summoning spirits is very hard, especially vengeful ones, so a lot of offerings are needed. My father almost didn’t make it because that place was full of evil spirits. Anyone who accidentally steps in would be in trouble, quite a sight.” Bom turned his face to look at the person behind, his eyes sparkling again with the joy of toying with others’ emotions, “I’ll give you a hint… Sisaket.”

King’s eyes widened as he realized the hint pointed to Singha. By the time he was thinking about how to contact his former lover, it was already too late.

!!!A shadow passed behind, making him turn around.

The sound of metal hitting flesh echoed around, followed by the sound of a middle-aged man falling to the ground, with red liquid flowing from his head, spreading across the floor. Lower-tier ghosts eagerly rushed in to lap it up greedily.

“Heh, dad you are still as strong as ever, aren’t you?”

“Enough playing around. Finish this quickly, the ceremony is tomorrow.”

“I know, I know, we still have to wait for that kid anyway.” A wrinkled hand picked up the handcuff key from King’s pocket before unlocking it for his son, “Why not use someone else, there are plenty of people born on Saturday.”

“That kid… he has a spirit following him. I want it.”

“It’s just a kid who can see ghosts.”

“It can extend your life, then.”

“This time, it wasn’t me at all.” Bom said, using his tongue to push against his cheek before dragging the unconscious Darin and King towards the exit leading to the parking lot, “This time, it’s about extending my father’s life.”

Thup was sitting in the car, anxious. He squinted at the road ahead, fearful of what he might see along the way but still eager to see how far he was from his destination.

“Why are you so tense, just sit still.”

“Can you drive faster, Phii?”

“There are no street lights, the road is unfamiliar, we might end up flying off a curve and sleeping outside the road.” Chan replied before slightly increasing his speed, seeing how the kid next to him couldn’t sit still all the way, “So you’re saying, that cop is in danger, danger from what?”

“From…” Thup paused, if he said that those ghosts would trick Singha into killing himself, the guy next to him would probably turn the car around and call him crazy, “A killer, there’s a killer in that house.”

“Huh!? And how do you know that?”

“I just know, turn quickly here.” along the way there were spirits everywhere, but once they turned into the forest, everything was eerily quiet. He saw no spirits or ghosts, even though this was graveyard territory. If it wasn’t because it was a peaceful place, it must be because something scarier was keeping the ghosts away, and people too.

When the car stopped in front of the house, both felt the same chilling sensation, a cold shiver down their spines, a feeling telling them to retreat and never return.

“Why the hell is it scarier than before?” Charn said, rubbing his arms.

“That’s Phii Singha’s car.” Thup pointed at the car parked in front before swallowing hard. Before he could even step out of the car, he saw white eyes staring at him with a creepy smile. It was waiting for him, it really was, “Phii, you can wait here.”

“You don’t have to tell me. I had no intention of getting out in the first place!”

Thup took a deep breath to muster his courage, though there was little left. No matter what he would face or see, his goal here was for Singha. Before Thup could open the door, Chan grabbed his shoulder.

“Well… I don’t really know what this is about, but Uncle-Chai told me to give it to you, so here you go.” A Buddha amulet was handed to Thup. It was just an ordinary amulet, with a jet-black string. No silver frame, no gold frame. Nothing expensive, just a clay Buddha in a clear frame, but Thup recognized it well because it was just like the one he always wore before it disappeared. “Uncle said that the old monk left it for you, and said you had to get it on a holy day. You forgot when you left home, so he asked me to deliver it.”

“Thank you.” Thup said, taking the Buddha amulet, reciting a chant to invite the Buddha’s presence, and then he wore it around his neck.

“All the Buddhas, all the Dhamma, all the Sangha,

Achieve enlightenment, for the lonely ones, by their own power,

For the Arahants, with their pure victory, unbind the chains, all of them

I place my faith in the Buddha, I place my faith in the Dhamma, I place my faith in the Sangha.”

Thup stepped out of the car and walked firmly into the house. Even though his heart was pounding, he couldn’t back down now. Because if he retreated this time, he would be the next ghost.

The house was quiet and filled with dust floating everywhere because no one had lived there for a long time. Thup used the light from Charn’s car to see, as he had nothing with him now.

“Phii Singha, where are you?” The young man called out to his elder, scanning around. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a ghostly woman with white, blank eyes smiling at him. “What have you done, what have you done to him?”

‘Dead, the giant must die.’

   “Because you can’t touch him, you want him to kill himself like that, right?”

‘Saturday.’

   “No, the Saturday you want is me. Not him.”

‘Hee Yii Sii.’

   “You’re not Mae Sue. You’re not Chaba, you’re just a vengeful ghost that was summoned. Just taking other people’s lives won’t make you a god, nor will it make you master.”

‘Screaaaaaaaam!’

   The scream was so loud that the house shook, causing Thup to cover his ears. His playful demeanor vanished, replaced by pure anger. Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and the face of the middle-aged woman twisted grotesquely. A slash appeared on her face, dripping with bright red blood onto the floor, her limbs twisted unnaturally, everything was so terrifying that Thup dared not look.

‘I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you!’

   She lunged at Thup immediately, at the same moment he started to run away, up the stairs. The sound of crawling followed him, forcing him to look back. Her hand, bending unnaturally, grabbed his ankle; her sharp nails dug into his flesh making the young man bite his lip from the pain. He tried to crawl up to the top floor but was held back, unable to move. He recited every prayer he knew to exorcize the ghost from her, but to no avail.

‘Mommy… can I eat now?’

   Thup looked up to see a girl sitting and swinging her feet at the top step. Her body was charred from head to toe, skin cracked revealing red flesh contrasting with the burnt black skin. Her eyes were still hollow as he remembered, but in her hand, she was tossing an eyeball like a toy.

That face leaned down to look at Thup before laughing out loud. Now, it seemed he would truly die here.

“Help, ugh, help me.” if he didn’t get free.

The pain at his ankle vanished, giving Thup freedom once more. He turned back to see another female ghost intervening between him and the ghost below.

“Th-thank you.” Thup turned to look upstairs, seeing emptiness, he quickly crawled up. “Phii Singha! Phii Singha!”

The young man tried to stand up and walked to open the nearest door, the pain in his ankle and the seeping blood from his bandaged hands made Thup want to cry out loud. He had never been hurt like this before. He had never faced a ghost like this, nor had he ever confronted her, that one, like this.

“Phii Si-, Phii Singha!” Thup hobbled to the innermost room. He saw Singha sitting on the floor, holding a rope in his hand, his sharp face expressionless, unreadable. “Phii Singha, are you okay?”

“I once had a sister.”

“Yes?”

“I once had a sister named Mesa.”

“Whatever you see, it’s not real, it doesn’t exist, Phii, do you hear me?” Thup held the older man’s face, trying to bring Singha back to his senses. Until now, Singha was not someone afraid of ghosts or the afterlife, but this time what he encountered wasn’t a ghost or a spirit, but a confrontation with memories and inner conflicts. No, it was strange for the older man to be this disoriented, “Phii Singha. We need to get out of here, can you stand up?”

“My sister died because of me.”

Thup rubbed his thumb along the sharp jawline before he remembered something. He took off his amulet from his neck and carefully put it on the person in front of him.

“If she were your sister, she wouldn’t blame you like that. She would help you, support you whether she’s alive or not.” Singha looked up into the brown eyes of the kid in front of him, from a scared child always ready to cry to someone with such determined eyes, when did that happen?

Bang!! Bang!! Bang!!

The sound of doors and windows inside the house slammed open and shut loudly, even though the iron that should have held the windows should have rusted to the point of immobility long ago.

“Why are you here?”

“If not for you, who would save me from ghosts?” Thup said before smiling, seeing that Singha’s eyes had regained their spark.

“Will you stay with me or go wait in the car? I have something to check.” Singha stood up, rolling a thick rope over his shoulder.

“Stay with you.” Thup looked at the older man before reaching out to hold his hand. Even though it hurt a bit, it was better than letting one of them disappear again.

As both stepped out of the room, the noise and screams inside the house quieted down. Thup turned to look at something before tightening his grip on the older man’s hand.

“The ghost I saw wasn’t Chaba and her daughter.”

“What do you mean? The picture you drew…”

“She and her daughter were the first victims here, killed by her husband to summon the spirit of the ghost to possess her.”

“Since she’s already a spirit, why does she need to summon another spirit?” Singha said before shining his flashlight up the stairs, where bloodstains made him look down at the wound on Thup’s leg before firmly gripping the young man’s hand.

“She has been a lingering ghost for a long time, consuming offerings and the lives of those who practice black magic. When the practitioner dies, she waits for someone to perform the ritual again, calling spirits like this repeatedly. And the reason she needs someone to summon her spirit is because she’s a ghost, a Cambodian one, where they don’t collect bones for further rituals after cremation. Without a ghost’s summoning, she wouldn’t have this much power.” Kruanoy said.

“So what now?” Once they reached the ground floor, Singha led the way to a room with a dining table set with four wooden chairs, shaking his head slightly, thinking it should have been a normal happy family.

“When investigating the shaman’s case, Aisuen must have been involved too, right? He probably touched something he shouldn’t have, and that’s why those ghosts followed him. Have you ever heard the elders say that when someone does something strange or commits murder without any prior indication or history, they say it’s because a ghost instructed them? I think those two ghosts might have ordered him to start worshiping and sacrificing to them. That’s why he started acting strangely.”

“If those were the first two bodies, it makes sense.” Singha said, pushing the dining table aside to clear the way before bending down to pull up the rug, sending dust flying all over the house.

“After that, he began studying black magic and probably came across the story of Mae Suea combined with human sacrifice, thinking it would work.” Thup looked at the floor, his lips pressed together, where red talismans were plastered all over as if to keep something from coming out. Seven victims equaled a full seven-day tribute to Mae Suea to look after her own child, but actually, he was only sacrificing to his wife and child ghosts. As time passed, their demands grew, forcing them to find a new victim every five years.”

“Sacrifice.”

“That’s crazy.” Singha walked over to open a cabinet under the sink, pulling out a hammer. “Are those wounds what you got from the cursed shaman’s house?”

Thup quickly hid his hands behind his back, though it was pointless since the older man had already seen those wounds.

“Don’t do it again. There’s no need to get hurt; there are other ways to investigate.” Singha glanced slightly at the person beside him before scanning around the house once more. “And how did you get here?”

“I had Charn drop me off; he’s waiting outside.” Thup looked outside, then back at Singha. “We’re out of time, Phii Singha, it’s just me now…”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m the last victim.” Singha looked up at Thup before using his tongue to push against his cheek in frustration.

“Stand back, far away.” Singha ordered the young man before starting to hammer down on the wooden floor in front of him. Each strike was followed by screams and the house shaking, indicating whatever was here was not pleased.

‘You all mock me!!’

   “Phii, we need to hurry.” Thup warned Singha as the ghost of the woman who had disappeared was now standing before them.

A vase flew towards them, crashing into the wall, scattering glass shards everywhere, luckily not injuring Singha.

“Damn it!!” Singha hammered down on the wood, which started to crack, revealing that beneath was not soil as one would expect. “Thup, go wait in the car!!”

“No way, how can I let you stay here alone!!” His words and actions contradicted each other, leading Singha to curse profusely. Thup stood sweating profusely, blood seeping through the bandage on his hand. Singha stopped hammering, took off his amulet, and went to put it back on the young man. “No, you need to wear it.”

“You wear it, don’t take it off, this is an order!! No matter what you see, don’t run off, stay here, get it?” Seeing Thup nod reluctantly, he returned to the floor. The wooden planks slowly broke apart, revealing a wide hole, and he was sure whatever was underneath was definitely not good.

!!!

The sound of wood scraping against each other made Thup look up, his beautiful eyes widening as he saw the wooden table moving towards Singha. Before he could help, a pale hand emerged from the hole and pulled Singha down.

“Phii Singha!!!”

 

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 33: Lord of Friday

Singha drove along a road lined with dense forest, with no houses in sight. Even the street lights flickered annoyingly, and the rugged road made his head shake, indicating that not many people come here often.

[Singha, are you still there?]

   “Yes, I am.”

[The officer, Aisuen, has served for forty years, initially stationed at Sisaket Police Station, later married Khun Panneepa, and they moved to Kantharalak District. He had two children there, a son named Anuphap, and a daughter named Phonpraphat.]

“Anuphap?”

[Yeah, the son had a frequent treatment history at the district hospital, but after age five, there’s no record anymore. It’s like the data disappeared twenty years ago, especially strange for his wife and daughter. No financial records, medical treatments, or educational history at all.]

   Singha’s car stopped in front of a house; the headlights were the only source of light now. The tall trees covered the area so much that even moonlight couldn’t reach down. The old wooden house was covered in vines, no lights, no signs of life, but it felt like someone was watching all the time.

[No, it’s weird that after Aisuen resigned, there’s no record of his family anymore. It’s like… they just vanished.]

   “Or were erased.”

[What do you mean?]

   “Before that cop disappeared, he erased his own data from the Kantharalak Police Station’s records.” Singha turned off the engine before stepping out, opening the trunk to grab a flashlight he bought from a convenience store. “Contact the local police here for me, tell them to come to the address I sent.”

[What the hell were you doing in there?]

   “This must be where it all started.”

[Singha… but that place is in a graveyard area.] His friend’s warning made Singha pause, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

“Not that surprising.”

[I think there’s something you need to know, and I haven’t been able to contact anyone at the station at all. I think m-]

   Now I can’t reach Say either, honestly.

Suddenly the line cut off, Singha looked down at his phone to find it had shut down, the red battery symbol from before was probably its last warning.

“Great.” Singha tossed the phone onto the car’s hood, his tall figure scanning the area with a flashlight to ensure no one was around. The only sounds were his footsteps crushing grass and leaves, so quiet he could almost hear his own breathing. It was too silent to be a normal situation right now.

As one of his feet stepped onto the decaying wooden porch of the house, the once calm atmosphere shifted. A sudden gust of wind whipped around as if a storm was approaching, crows and other animals started making noise, the rustling leaves sound like screams. Singha pulled out his gun, holding it at the ready. Even though he knew the real killer wouldn’t be here, something else that had been obstructing this case all along couldn’t be far.

The creaking of the wooden planks followed every step he took. Singha pushed open the ill-fitted wooden door, dust scattering everywhere, forcing him to cover his nose with his arm. The flashlight beam swept across various points in the house; it was almost a perfectly normal house, just missing occupants. Furniture was still there, even electrical appliances. Singha stepped over the threshold, the creaking floor made him think this place wasn’t built to standard. The musty smell made him frown. He explored the house cautiously, fearing he might destroy evidence if this was indeed a crime scene.

Thud, thud, thud!!

Sounds of running from the kitchen made Singha quickly turn his flashlight, but he found only emptiness.

“Good thing that kid didn’t come.” Singha muttered to himself, thinking if Thup had come, the kid would be making a fuss by now.

This was a two-story wooden house, and no matter where you walked, the creaking of wood always followed. Singha approached a glass cabinet near the television. Shining his light inside, he saw a photo of a boy and a girl. The boy sat in a wheelchair. The girl, in sports attire, held a track relay trophy, her face beaming with a smile full of joy from that moment. Unlike the boy, who looked weak and utterly displeased.

The next level down is a collection of several academic achievement certificates.

“Boy Anuphap, named like…”

‘Phii Singha’

   Singha immediately turned towards the calling voice, a voice of a girl still etched in his memory. Even though he knew it was impossible, his legs were moving towards that voice without a second thought.

‘Phii, sob’

   The calling voice and sobbing came from the house’s staircase. Following the sound, Singha lowered his gun and walked, shining his flashlight up each step until he reached the top. The sound of running made him raise his flashlight to scan around, but there was nothing but emptiness.

‘Phii, I’m scared, huh’

   Upstairs, there were four doors, only one of which was slightly ajar. Singha walked in without fear, and as his thick hand pushed the door wide open, he encountered something he never expected to see.

A musty and bloody smell assaulted him, making him wrinkle his nose. On the floor in the middle of the room, there were Khmer script carvings on the wooden floor. Blood splatters covered the floor and walls. Skulls, both animal and human, were piled up on the side. On an altar, there were offerings full of dried remains of some creatures, various clay dolls, and a bundle wrapped in red cloth with spells written on it. There was no distinction between sacred and divine here; this altar was specifically for ghost worship.

“Damn it.” Singha muttered as he shone his light to the top of the altar and saw a human skull with patches of long hair indicating the gender.

‘Because of you… I died.’

   The voice from behind made Singha press his lips together. From the moment he stepped in here, the young inspector had touched the unholy, entering the realm where the local spirit reigns supreme.

“Mesa.” What’s scattered in this room isn’t just dust but also bone ash from the red cloth bundle, floating everywhere, drifting into the sharp eyes like the intrusion of an outsider.

Singha saw a small girl, only as tall as his thigh, standing in front of the door. She was looking down at the floor, her whole body from head to toe soaked, water dripping from her hair. Her white dress made Singha’s hand tremble.

‘Phii, can you stay with me… please stay with me?’

   Her pleading voice, so pitiful, made Singha bite his lower lip hard. It was the same tone his sister used with him that day.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Mesa.”

‘Let’s stay together…let’s die together.’

   A rope dropped from the beam, falling right in front of Singha as if on purpose.

Intending for the young inspector to sacrifice himself.

“Phii Singha!” Thup jolted awake in the hospital room, drenched in sweat from the dream he had, but what made Thup hastily pull out the IV, ignoring the pain, was because he wasn’t sure. He wasn’t sure if it was just a dream.

The young man got off the patient bed and looked around. He tried to compose himself and picked up his phone to call the older man.

[The number you have called is currently unavailable, please-]

   Anxious, but before he could go anywhere, his shoulder was grabbed.

“Phii Singha, where are you?” Thup rushed out of the room with urgency.

“How did you get out?!”

“Where is Phii, have you seen him?”

“Phii, Phii Chan, have you seen Phii Singha?”

“That inspector? He said he had some business to attend to, but before he left, he took a map with him.”

“A map to where?!”

“To that abandoned house in the forest.” It felt like ice gripped his heart; Thup brushed off Chan’s hand and ran off without direction.

“Hey, Thup, wait, where are you going, you just woke up!”

“Phii, do you have a car?”

“What?”

“I asked if you have a car!!”

“Yes… yes, you damn kid, you’ve got me all worried now.”

“Take me, take me to Phii Singha, take me to that house.”

“Wait, wait, we can’t go now, you need to get a medical checkup first.”

“There’s no time, we need to go now, right now, Phii Singha is in danger!!”

“Alright, alright, then walk carefully to the fire escape, meet me at the parking lot, to the right, a black Mazda, don’t let any staff see you. Otherwise, they’ll carry you back here for sure.”

Thup nodded vigorously and followed the instructions by running to the fire escape. At this point, even if he saw a ghostly woman with a severed arm standing at the staircase corner or an old man at the end of the exit, he couldn’t stop.

He now understood it wasn’t a dream; what he saw of Phii Singha about to hang himself wasn’t a dream!!

The police station today looked different, the lights that should be bright were completely dark, missing the usual hustle and bustle.

King parked his car in front of the fence because it was locked. It shouldn’t be like this; the young man jumped over the side wall to get into the station area. He pulled out his shiny silver gun and held it in a standard stance. He cautiously entered, the silence and the smell of blood making King more alert. When he reached the officers’ desks, he found two policemen lying unconscious on the floor, with sharp object wounds at their legs, blood pooling around, but both were still breathing. At this late hour, there weren’t many officers on duty, and with an incident requiring a manhunt, he had called out enough men to block Uncle Khuean’s car at various points, leaving this place unguarded.

The young detective walked towards the holding cells, his flashlight sweeping the area until it landed on one cell. Inside, there was a man wearing an orange robe sitting calmly. Hadn’t Darin said the abbot escaped?

“Abbot.”

“Devotee, what’s happening here, why is it so quiet, the lights are out, devotee.”

“Show both hands above your head, let me see, now!” The abbot sighed before raising both hands as instructed.

“I heard a woman’s scream from somewhere, not to mention all the clattering, should we go check it out?”

“Stay here.” King immediately walked towards the forensic room. On his way, he saw Lieutenant Prom, unconscious and breathing heavily on the floor beside Darin, the phones here were out of order, cut off, and his mobile phone was lost when he helped Say onto the ambulance!

‘Four, four, four, now it’s Friday, Friday has come.’

   King halted abruptly upon hearing the shrill, ear-piercing laugh. He was just about to pass through the corridor leading to the forensic room, but first, he had to get past the ghost of a woman standing in the middle of the path.

Bang!!

‘Four, four, four, again, again, shoot again, ha!’

   Bang! Bang!

Two consecutive gunshots rang out, and the targets were all aimed at the ghost, the woman who was sneering with her long tongue visible to him. King wasn’t as much a believer in the supernatural as Singha.

‘Shoot again, go on, shoot!’

   Bang! Bang!

Darin jumped at the sound of gunfire from outside. She stood up, then ran to look through the small glass pane in the door but only saw an empty corridor.

“It might be King.”

“Don’t go out, it’s dangerous.” Bom grabbed Darin’s wrist, “What should we do now? We don’t know whose gun that was.”

“…I’ll go out and check for myself.”

“Wait, wait a moment. I’ll try calling him.” Darin picked up the phone and dialed the latest number, but no matter what, it seemed the other party wouldn’t answer, “Why aren’t you picking up!”

“Then, I’ll sneak out to check myself.” Bom said and immediately opened the door and left without listening to any objections.

Darin could only pace back and forth with anxiety. She looked outside repeatedly until she heard two consecutive gunshots. The room’s door was opened again with Bom panting heavily.

“Let’s, huff, let’s go, it’s really Khun King.”

“Really?”

“He, huff. He shot the abbot. We’re safe now.”

Darin felt relieved instantly. She hurried out of the room, unaware that the person once panting behind her now made no sound.

“If we can leave here, we’re safe, meaning he failed.” No one got caught then.

“The Friday guy has arrived. Just missing one day.” Darin stopped abruptly upon hearing the words from behind her, her spine chilled, and her calmed heart started pounding again.

“Wh…what do you mean?”

“It’s Khun King.” The deep voice moved closer until it was almost in her ear, “Born on a Friday, right?”

‘Ghost’

   ‘Ghost’

   ‘Ghost’

   From the corner of her eye, Darin saw a spirit slowly appearing behind Bom, its terrifying smile made her pull away and start running for her life, except…

‘Uh… uh… uh… shoot dear sister, close your eyes and shoot to hit.’

   Bang!!

The howling sound of a lullaby followed by the final gunshot, the smoke from the gun barrel slowly dissipating. The scene before me gradually became clear: the ghost tilting its head with a smile at King, revealing its teeth, one by one. When it left, what remained was a drop of blood from the last bullet.

“Darin!!!!”

 

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 32: The Help That Never Arrived

Singha was sitting beside the bed of a patient who had just come out of the emergency room minutes before. His sharp eyes watched Thup’s pale face before he sighed. After leaving that house, he came straight to the hospital, right when the young man was wheeled into the ER. He could only curse himself because he knew this would happen, yet he let it occur anyway. Singha stepped outside the hospital to smoke one of the three remaining cigarettes in his pack, nicotine filling his lungs like it was the only stress relief with no side effects. After handling various matters, he secured a recovery room for Thup and didn’t leave the patient’s bedside thereafter.

Singha quietly looked at Thup’s palms before diverting his gaze to the charming face of the sleeping man. He took out his phone and called Say, but there was no answer after a long wait.

“Why aren’t you picking up?” Singha decided to call Darin instead, thinking the two might be in contact. Not long after, the call was answered with a worried voice.

“Hello?”

“Is Say with you?”

“He said he had to check out a crime scene because they found Song’s body.”

“Where?”

“At the temple, right in his residence.”

“And where are you now, with whom?”

[Uh… I’m in the nurse’s office with the kids from before, Singha… The kid named Bom has disappeared. That kid is gone now.]

Uh… but…

“Is there a police officer guarding the front of the room?”

[Yes, there is.]

“Then stay in there, I’ll find a way to contact Say myself.”

[Uh huh.]

Before hanging up, Singha was sure he heard a knock on the door, but if he was still at the station with an officer guarding, he could feel somewhat at ease.

The situation was getting tenser by the moment. From the information he had, Song born on Sunday was dead, Dear, who was just rescued, was born on a Monday, Jump, born on Tuesday, was still locked in the nurse’s office, Darin, born on Wednesday, was also there, Lieutenant Khem who had disappeared seemed to be the Thursday victim, Bom, born on Friday, had vanished, for now. And Thup was still with him here. If the killer wasn’t looking for a new Saturday victim, there’s no way he could get to this kid if he stayed put.

The abbot who was initially a suspect was still detained in a cell. Meanwhile, Uncle-Khuean had become the main suspect because the evidence pointed clearly at him. King was chasing Uncle-Khuean, Say had disappeared, and he was stuck here without any further progress.

“Damn it!” Singha cursed as he thought about this. The young inspector stood up to his full height before walking out of the room. He walked outside, past the hospital area, pulled out a cardboard box from his pants pocket along with a lighter, but threw them on the ground because he remembered the last cigarette was used less than an hour ago.

“Would you like one of mine?” A cigarette box of the same brand but a different blend was offered to Singha. At this moment, his frustration was greater than his annoyance with the person in front of him, so he took it in his hand.

“Thanks.” Singha lit the end before inhaling the cool nicotine. White smoke drifted up into the pitch-black sky, mingling in the cool air. “Thought doctors were supposed to be health-conscious.”

Singha glanced at the person smoking next to him. His annoyance towards Thup’s companion lessened partly because Charn was in charge of the case.

“You wouldn’t want to see doctors lose their minds and do everything they tell patients not to.”

“It’s enough to drive anyone mad.”

“That kid just went into shock and lost some blood; the wound wasn’t deep. But what I want to know is what happened to that kid.”

“As you see it.”

“I think your skills that got you to this position should tell you that the wounds are unusual.” Chan said, taking a drag of her cigarette as well.

It’s not that he couldn’t see it; he noticed it from the scars on Thup’s palms at the front of the house, even then. The direction of the knife was odd; it didn’t come from someone else. The wounds were self-inflicted by that kid.

“Hmm.”

“Should I tell Uncle about this?”

“He’ll find out anyway, so you might as well tell him.”

“I heard you’re investigating a murder case from decades ago.”

“Hmm.”

“I think I have some information you’d want to know.”

Singha glanced at the person beside him.

“That house, the one in the middle of the forest.”

“Know it?”

“I’m somewhat familiar with it. As a kid, I was the curious type, I guess. I went to that house at night thinking I might see a ghost like the villagers said, but what I encountered was stranger than that.”

“What did you see?”

“I’m not sure, even now I’m not certain if what I saw was real or not.” Charn spoke with a flat tone before stubbing out her cigarette in the sand. “Someone dragged something into the house… something I’m sure looked human-like.”

“And why didn’t you say anything back then?”

“I saw a man.”

“Because when I went to look inside the house, it was gone. I only saw him playing with his son.”

“What about the others?”

“I’m not trying to mislead you, Inspector.” Charn turned to face Singha with a serious look, “But I watched there for half an hour, and I only saw the father and son. I didn’t see anyone else.” Singha returned to the room again, the tall figure stopping beside the bed, his dark eyes on Thup reflecting the bright full moon from outside. His strong hand gently stroked the soft hair, his fingers trailing down to the temple and smooth cheek, whispering close to the ear once more with a calm expression.

“It took you long enough to call, your case has been a damn headache.”

“Merk, I’ve got some information for you to look up.”

“Didn’t King already catch the culprit?”

“He did, but I’m not sure if he caught the right one.”

“Alright, tell me.” The phone was lifted.

“Before, at the Kantharalak Police Station, there was an officer named Aisuan. I need all his information, and I also want to know his son’s name, and if there’s any record of name changes.”

“Where are you?”

“Sisaket.”

“Why not just ask there?”

“It’s slow, and I have urgent things to do.”

“Hold on then.” The sound of keyboard typing came from the other end. Meanwhile, Singha gently stroked Thup’s head; waiting for Thup to wake up would take too much time for this investigation. Plus, he didn’t have much time left.

Singha left the room, got into his car, and drove towards the route given by Dr. Charn. The well-lit roads with traffic lights gradually turned into dense forest on both sides. The further he drove, the scarcer the lights became, with only the moonlight providing illumination now. And if Thup were here, he would’ve kept his eyes shut the whole way due to the road Singha was driving on, filled with wandering spirits watching the car with hungry faces.

Inside the police station’s infirmary, Darin was sitting, taking a breath…she sat on the sofa. She looked tiredly towards the doors of the two recovery rooms. The first room housed a young girl who had escaped the clutches of a murderer, just moments ago, while the other room was for a young man who had been unconscious for quite some time. Three people in one room, or in other words, three victims, were now together to survive this ordeal.

“Ugh.” Darin sighed again before leaning back on the sofa, her beautiful eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. Currently, everyone was doing their own duty. She should do the same. As she was about to get up to check on the two children in the room again, the lights in the room flickered on and off before returning to normal, which was enough to make Darin’s heart race.

“Scream!!” The sudden ringing of the phone made Darin scream in shock. When she picked it up, she saw the name displayed on the screen was one of her close friends.

The conversation with Singha lasted for quite a while until they were about to hang up.

Knock, knock, knock.

The knocking on the front door made Darin turn around. She placed the phone on the table and walked over to open it immediately, thinking it might be something important.

“What’s the matter?”

“Ah, Dr. Rin, here’s some rice and water for you. It’s late, I thought you might be hungry.”

“Thank you, officer.” Darin said as she took the box of rice and the glass of water. Having someone looking after her like this made her feel relieved. “How is everything at the front? Earlier, I heard some commotion.”

“Oh, villagers are protesting at the station. Right now, all the officers are out there dealing with them and should sort this out soon.”

“And… What about the abbot?”

“He’s still in the cell. He seems very calm, like he’s truly innocent. Also, I heard that King’s investigation team is close to locating the temple’s caretaker. They might have to interrogate everyone again.”

“Ah, okay then. And any progress on the children who disappeared with Lieutenant Khem?”

“Nope, still haven’t found either of them.”

Darin nodded in understanding, “Thanks again.”

“If you need anything, just call me.”

Darin gave the officer a friendly smile before returning inside. But as she turned back, she was so startled that she accidentally dropped the box of rice on the floor.

“Dear! You’re awake? Why are you walking around like this? How do you feel?” Darin hurried over to support the young girl who was standing with her head bowed at her room’s door. She led Dear to sit on the sofa before quickly fetching a glass of water, “How do you feel? Does it hurt anywhere? I’ll get the scanner, wait here.”

Before she could go anywhere, Darin’s wrist was grabbed, a shaky grip that made her look down at the girl who had been bowing her head all this time.

“Will…”

“What did you say?”

“Monday.”

“Dear… I’ll go call-”

“Wednesday.”

Darin recoiled. She tried to free her wrist but couldn’t; despite being smaller and just recovering from medication, where did the girl get such strength? Darin took a deep breath before shaking off Dear’s hand. She stepped back, not taking her eyes off the girl in front of her, but instead of emptiness, Darin bumped into a warm chest that shouldn’t be there.

“Ac…ka.” Dear’s voice continued. The once bright light bulbs flickered and went dark again, accompanied by a deep voice that made Darin’s legs weak.

“Tuesday.”

The lights, now completely out, started to flicker rapidly, just enough for Darin to see that in Dear’s hand was a statue of Phra Vaisravaṇa, and she was about to throw it out the window. Those lifeless eyes on that face made Darin collapse in tears; it wasn’t an expression a normal human should have, it was too vacant, like there was no soul left.

Without the deity idol to protect the station, it was as if the night of hell had broken loose at this police station. The lights throughout the station flashed briefly, giving a clear view one last time. They were so bright that Darin saw Jump standing behind her, who shouldn’t have been free from his handcuffs. Then, all light was snatched away, leaving only darkness… both in the atmosphere and in the hearts of people.

‘Ghost’

   ‘Ghost’

   ‘Heeheehee’

   ‘Ghost’

   ‘Ghost’

   ‘Heeheehee’

   The voices speaking in a language Darin didn’t understand, and the laughter made her scramble towards the front door, hoping to get out. If she could make it out, she would find the sergeant waiting there.

“Ouch!!! Ugh.” as she was about to escape, her ankle was grabbed by someone’s hand. The pain from the sharp nails digging into her flesh caused tears to stream down both her cheeks. Darin scrambled to grab her phone from the sofa, turned on the flashlight, and shone it on her leg.

“Screech!!!” Dozens of spirits were fighting to lick the blood from the wound on her leg in a horrifying manner. The clanging noises in the room came from Jump and Dear, who were hurting themselves, banging their heads against the wall until blood flowed, stabbing their hands with a knife until the flesh opened, but neither showed any sign of pain. Instead, they were smiling as if they felt nothing at all, “Namo, hic, Namo Tassa, sob, Na-mo Tassa Bhagavato Namo Namo.”

Darin prayed with mistakes while crawling her heavy, numb body towards the door. The chilling cold she could feel made her cry until her vision was blurred by tears.

‘You are chanting wrong, I’ll help chant, Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Aamma, Sambuddhasa’

   ‘Chant it’

   The mocking voice recited the chant emphasizing every syllable fearlessly. Darin bit her lip hard before trying to stand up to reach the doorknob, with spirits and ghosts still clinging to her leg like a delicious meal.

Knock, knock, knock

The rapid knocking on the door gave her the strength to pull herself up with all her might, and finally, the door opened. Darin quickly pushed herself out of the room. Once past the door, all sounds fell silent.

…too quiet

She turned around to see that all the ghosts had vanished. Both Jump and Dear were unconscious on the floor. Darin tried to move away from that room as far as possible, but the wet feeling on her palm made her stop. Her breath, which had calmed down, became rapid once again. The light from her phone slowly moved to reveal a figure lying on the floor, tracing from the feet upwards to the torso, covered in a red fluid. The smell of blood was overwhelming. When the light finally reached the softly breathing face, Darin burst into tears immediately.

“Lie… Lieutenant, hic, Lieutenant Prom.” Lieutenant Prom, his face and head drenched in blood, was breathing faintly. Fear gripped Darin’s heart until she nearly lost consciousness. Stricken by fear, Darin tried calling Say, Singha, anyone who could help, but all calls were futile, unanswered, no help forthcoming. Her chances of survival were nearly gone.

‘Hee, hee, hee, heeheehee’

   The mocking laughter from behind made Darin slowly close her eyes before angrily throwing her phone in that direction. Since she wouldn’t survive, she no longer needed to fear anything.

“What do you want!!!! What do you want, you damned ghost! You shouldn’t have been reborn!! You’re just one ghost!!” Darin yelled furiously. The ghost girl, once cheerful with a broad smile, now let her smile fade, “Angry, huh! Good!! Be angry. If I die, I’ll become a ghost, I’ll curse you!!!! Do you hear the anger in my words?!!”

“Doctor Darin!!!” A voice called from behind along with a force that supported her up, making Darin feel like she had been doused with water on her heart once more.

“Bom!”

“Get up quickly. We have to run, we must escape now!!”

“Y…You, why…”

“I went out to buy some supplies, and when I came back, the station was completely dark, with police officers lying in pools of blood out front. What on earth happened here?!!!” Bom said while helping Darin run away through the connecting path.

“The monk! Is the abbot still in the cell?”

“I didn’t see anyone there.”

“I…I need to call, need to tell someone that the killer is the abbot!” Darin muttered to himself, as her fleeting anger caused her to throw her only communication device at the ghost earlier, “A phone, I need a phone!”

“Use mine for now?” Bom offered his phone before quickly helping Darin to continue walking with a worried look, “Call Khun King right now!!”

They took shelter in the forensic department room. Bom placed Darin on the couch and then locked the front door, also hurriedly pushing a table to block it. Meanwhile, Darin was waiting for King to pick up.

[Hello]

   “King!! There’s trouble at the station, sigh, the killer got out…and there are injured officers” and…the abbot

[What? Where are you now!]

   “I…I’m at the forensic room with Bom.”

[Bom?]

   “Y…yes, come quickly, come right now.”

[I’ll hurry there.]

   “What about Say, bring Say too, there are injured officers”

[…Can’t do that]

   “What do you mean?”

[On the way back, I saw Say’s car overturned on the road. Officers are prying the car open to get him out.]

   “No… no, that can’t be true…”

[I’m on my way, stay there.] Darin was in shock, unable to do anything.

“What the hell is happening here? Where’s my friend?! Where is my friend!!”

“…We’re all going to die.”

Darin has no idea how she’s going to survive this.

   And at the same time, the thing itself was about to face something equally terrifying–

  

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 31: The Price to Pay

“Which one?” Once they were in the car, Singha immediately asked the question that was on his mind. Thup kept looking at the photo he had taken with his phone.

“Hey, Thup, which woman in this photo is the ghost you saw?”

“The one… with the stark white eyes, torn lips, the ghost full of vengeance, that’s her, but…”

“But what?”

“In this picture, she doesn’t look like when she was a ghost at all.” Thup looked up at the hospital again. The bright and cheerful face of the woman in the picture, how did it turn into that?

Singha drove following Thup’s directions until they reached a secluded house far from people. A single-story wooden house raised slightly above the ground, covered with vines and grass all around. Even though there was a faded, dilapidated white fence, it seemed like no one would want to break in. The sign at the gate had Thai letters that were starting to peel off, unreadable. The parts that could be read were not auspicious at all:

‘Ha… Ghost, Ho… l’

   The cloudy sky at four in the evening did not make the atmosphere feel any lighter. Before reaching out to open the car door, Thup looked into the house.

Both stood in front of the wooden fence; the key once there had rusted and fallen to the ground. Singha was about to walk in to open the gate but was pulled back by another hand.

“What’s with you, Thup? Let’s hurry up so we can get back soon.”

“Phii, can I ask you something? Please listen to me.”

“Go ahead, what?”

Thup looked towards the front porch with trembling eyes. His hand gripping Singha’s tightened slightly. The older man noticed when he saw an elderly man with a composed demeanor, wearing red trousers, his upper body bare, revealing various tattoo yantras clearly. He was looking at both of them with a stern face. His white mustache and hair indicated his advanced age before he would soon depart this world. He tapped a cane rhythmically on the house post, consistently. Singha, who was in a hurry, was about to step into the house again, and as his white sneaker touched the boundary of the fence, the cane’s tapping accelerated, loud and echoing throughout the area, forcing Thup to pull the older man back.

“Listen to me… I need to go in alone.”

“What? Are you mad, Thup? Are you so haunted that you’ve lost your mind?” Singha stared at the young man in front of him as if what Thup just said was completely absurd.

“He won’t let you in, so it’s only me who can go inside.”

“What the hell are you thinking? Who would let you go in there alone? If something happens, what am I supposed to say!”

“Phii, listen to me first.”

“If I’m not going in, then you’re not going in either!!” Thup, seeing that Singha was upset, quickly grabbed the older man’s shoulder to make him face him. He himself wasn’t particularly brave; in fact, he was so scared his legs were shaking.

“Phii Singha. It’s not just because he could help with your case, but I also want to know. I feel like there’s something related to me in this, so… let me go in.”

“How can you be sure you’ll come back out?” Singha asked with a serious tone. Even though he couldn’t see what the kid in front of him saw, from all that had happened, it was clear the ghost Thup encountered wasn’t just there for a scare but was out for blood.

“How could I not come back out? Otherwise, you’d be really mad at me.”

“Not funny, Thup.”

“Wait for me here, okay?” Thup smiled until his eyes nearly closed before stepping forward, passing through the gate into the house’s yard. Every step was filled with the oppressive feeling from the sharp eyes watching him, the sound of a wooden cane tapping rhythmically with his steps, sweat beads forming on his temples just like on his palms. Thup clenched his trembling hands together until he reached the stairs of the house. He turned to look at Singha, who was still standing outside the fence, watching him. Seeing the older man still there calmed his previously fearful heart.

“Ten minutes.” Singha shouted into the house, “If you’re not out, I’m coming in for sure.”

Thup nodded lightly with a smile, his little heart pounding so fast he could feel it. He took a deep breath until his lungs were full, then exhaled slowly to calm himself as much as possible. He followed the spirit of an old man dressed in red loincloth across the threshold into the house. Suddenly, a chilling cold hit him, making Thup rub his arms. Inside, the house was covered with thick dust on the remaining furniture, dark and gloomy with no light except from the doorway. Thup glanced and saw a wooden bench in the middle of the house, biting his lips together.

“Uh… hello.”

Thud!!!

Thup jolted and looked behind the slightly ajar door that was now firmly shut. He stepped back and tried to open it, but to no avail. No matter how he pushed or pulled, there was no sign it would open. A dark shadow passed behind him, making Thup slowly turn his face around. Now, he was not alone with the old shaman. Around him, sitting on wooden stools, were numerous spirits, some appearing as they did in life, others in the state of their death, both humans and animals making a cacophony of noises until Thup had to cover his ears and collapse to the ground.

‘Silence!’

   With that command, everything returned to calm. Thup slowly lifted his head, looking around fearfully. What was once an ordinary wooden stool had transformed into a ceremonial altar. Behind the shaman was a tall shelf above his head, filled not with Buddha statues or sacred items commonly seen in temples, but with offerings, enchanted dolls, and skulls whose authenticity Thup didn’t dare to ponder. The smell wafted over, making the young man press his hands tightly against his pants.

‘Why have you come here?’

   “I… I have something I need help with.” Thup never thought he’d find himself talking to ghosts and spirits like this for help.

‘Hmm, I’ve lived here for decades, and no one dared to step in here. Those who tried ended up with their heads spinning. You are quite brave.’

   The deep, hoarse voice echoed around.

‘You think bringing that young giant with you will keep you safe, huh?’

   “I… I didn’t come to mock or test. I’m just seeking answers for what I’m facing.”

‘Answers… not every question in your life needs an answer.’

   Thup bit his lip tightly; he was the one who suggested to Singha that they come here. Giving up out of fear now wasn’t an option.

“The broken-headed doll…”

‘Hmm?’

   “Someone performed a ritual… a human sacrifice ritual, with a broken-headed doll made to resemble a lion’s head according to his Mae Sue’s daily beliefs… I want to know why. What’s the purpose of this?”

As he finished speaking, the surrounding spirits shrank back behind the shaman, seeking reasons from those who chose to perform such a ritual.

The fierce eyes looked down at Thup.

‘The broken-headed doll is believed to be a substitute for taking on the ill fate of the living, whether it be misfortune, sickness, or death. It’s believed if you perform the ritual, those fates would transfer to the doll.’

   Suddenly, a clay doll rolled slowly until it bumped against Thup’s knee. Observing where it came from, he saw a pale, wet ghost child under the wooden stool, giggling at his own play.

‘As for Mae Sue, she’s believed to be either a ghost or a deity summoned to protect the child, to shield them from other spirits that might snatch the newborn’s soul. So it’s considered as a representative too.’

   “But… the murder that took seven lives doesn’t seem like protection at all, destroying others’ lives like that.”

‘That’s true. Sacrifice isn’t meant to benefit others. It’s all for personal gain. Seems like the one who did this might start again soon.’

   The old shaman spoke while stroking the head of the ghost child who had only his upper body.

“Yes.”

‘Long ago, there was a belief passed from Cambodia about a way to extend one’s life span that was effective. People tried, but all ended up dying horrifically. Do you know why?’

   “Because… the spirits didn’t accept the offerings?”

‘Because what was offered was insufficient. Welcoming a spirit, especially an ancient one, means they’re more powerful and hungrier for offerings. At first, they might trick the host into thinking their wishes are granted, but then their demands grow, and if not met, only death awaits. I’ve heard of such rituals, but there was no need for me to perform them. It’s believed that sacrificing humans to the Mae Sue spirit would be like giving her the sacrifice to extend the conjurer’s life, any ailment or misfortune would vanish, from near-death to full recovery. Do you think that’s true?’

   “Whether we live or die, we can’t escape it, right?”

‘That’s not wrong, but the person you’re looking for survived because of these rituals, didn’t they?’

   “Thank you for your help.” Thup said as he crawled backward to the door, nearly ten minutes having passed as Singha had advised. He should leave now. If he let his older brother barge in, it would surely displease the spirits here.

‘I never help anyone for free.’

   The cold voice made Thup pause. The door that should have opened remained firmly shut. The feeling of a hand gripping his ankle made Thup press his lips together briefly.

‘Everything has a price.’

   A knife fell in front of Thup, clattering to the ground. He already knew that coming here meant he wouldn’t be able to leave easily, but everything requires compensation.

‘Make a little offering. After all, you’re already marked. Saturday, right?’

   “Can I ask one more question, please?” he said, holding onto it.

‘Huh, you want to know the whole story and what’s about to happen, don’t you?’

   “If the price isn’t too high.” Thup picked up the knife by his feet before turning to face the old shaman. “I’m willing to pay.”

Outside the house, Singha was pacing back and forth like a caged rat. He cursed almost every word in the world, yet there was no sign of Thup coming out. He wondered if by now Thup had been scared to death by ghosts.

“Why hasn’t he come out yet?” Singha pulled out his phone to check the time. Less than two minutes left until the deadline, and he wouldn’t hesitate to storm into the house. His phone rang, diverting his attention from the house. “Yeah?”

[Got anything yet?] Say asked with a weary voice.

“Got it. Now we have preliminary info on the suspect, Uncle-Khuean is also on the list. The ghost Thup encountered is named Chaba, wife of one of the suspects, same name Aisuan.”

[Aisuen? Why does that name sound so familiar?]

   “Get Lieutenant Khem to check that out, and how’s it going over there?”

[Chaotic.]

   “The villagers are in uproar because they arrested the abbot, right?”

[Yeah. King made a big scene arresting the abbot right in front of the whole village still gathered at the temple.]

   “And where is he now?”

[Back at the temple, after finishing the interrogation of the abbot, we found out that before this, Uncle Khuean had been in jail. When he got out, he had to stay at the temple because his wife didn’t want him, his children didn’t want him, he had no family. Combined with the information you gave before, they went back to check on Uncle Khuean at the temple again.]

   “And what about the abbot?”

[In the holding cell. By the way, Singha, we can’t contact Lieutenant Khem at all.]

   “Have you asked Lieutenant Prom?”

[Singha, no one has seen the lieutenant since yesterday afternoon. Asked at his house, they said he didn’t return,I thought he was stuck at the station.]

   “Send people to find Lieutenant Khem, I should be able to return tomorrow, because things are getting really chaotic.”

[Okay, okay, that’s it for now. I’ll go check on the kid named Dear.]

   “Wait. Do you remember what day the lieutenant was born?”

[Huh? Can’t remember, I’ll ask Lieutenant Prom.]

   Singha waits on the line while looking into the house again; the door opens, and Thup walks out, which eases him, but as Thup gets closer, his relaxed brows furrow again, tight. Thup’s face is pale, both palms covered in bright red blood, dripping all the way down as he walks, a stark contrast from when Thup entered.

[Hey Singha, are you listening? Lieutenant Khem was born on a Thursday, Singha, Singha, it’s been seven days now!!]

   “Watch the target, I’ll rush back. That’s all for now.” Singha hangs up before throwing the phone into the car, just as the young man reaches him, his face pale as if bloodless, slowly forcing a smile.

“Sorry to come out late…” Before he can finish, Thup’s consciousness fades. He collapses into Singha’s waiting arms, his sharp face resting on the broad shoulder.

“Thup! Hey, Thup!” Singha helped the young man into the car before driving straight to the hospital. During the ride, he took Thup’s hand and noticed long cuts on both palms, with blood slowly oozing out, indicating the cuts were quite deep. He had no idea what had happened inside there. Nor did he know what Thup had just encountered.

At the police station, there was chaos due to both a protest in front demanding the release of the abbot and the disappearance of Lieutenant Khem, causing people to run around frantically. Say rushed into the medical room and sighed in relief when he saw Darin still sitting beside Dear’s bed.

“What’s going on?” she asked, noticing her friend was out of breath. “Lieutenant Khem has disappeared.”

“Huh?! Maybe he’s just taking a break with his family?”

“No one has seen him since after noon yesterday. Importantly, Lieutenant Khem was born on a Thursday.”

“It’s complete… seven days are up, right?” Darin said with a trembling voice. “Now it’s just a matter of when I’ll disappear, right, Say?” from his bed.

“Stay here, lock the room, and don’t let anyone in, get it?” Say said before he walked to open the door of another room to check on Jump, who was still sound asleep with both arms still locked as before. If the abbot was the culprit, he couldn’t commit any crimes now as he was also detained, unless the police were holding the wrong person. “I’m going to check on the kid named Bom, who should be in the resting room. Be right back.”

Say quickly left the medical room, making sure to lock it from the inside. Now, all the targets were accounted for; the only thing left was for the culprit to act. No, the culprit had already acted.

Upon reaching the temporary quarters of Bom, Say immediately opened the door to find the room in disarray, with no sign of its occupant. A piece of paper was written on with fresh red liquid, prompting him to curse before he picked up his phone to call the person handling this case second to Singha. While waiting for the call to connect, Say looked at the paper in his hand:

‘Friday, Friday’

   [What’s up?]

   “LieutenantKhem has vanished, and so has the kid named Bom.”

[That kid was a target, wasn’t he?]

   “Uh, I’m about to check the CCTV, so I hurried back.”

[Uncle-Khuean disappeared.]

   “Huh?!”

[We found some money in the wardrobe, there’s embezzlement from the temple because Uncle-Khuean was in charge of the accounts. It’s suspected he transferred money to a kid named Nai to hire him to take a car out and destroy it at the cemetery. Nai, who wanted money to buy drugs, accepted. Moreover…]

   “What moreover!”

[Song’s body was found in the bathroom, in the same condition as the first seven. Also, all seven dolls were placed in the storage room. That guy must be here.]

   …

“Damn it!” Say swore before pushing his cheek with his tongue to ease his frustration. His red hair was roughly swept up before he prepared his equipment and walked back to the infirmary. “Darin, open the door, it’s me.”

The tightly closed door opened quickly. Darin looked at his close friend through tears, making Say hesitant to inform him about finding Song’s body among the seven victims.

“Wh… where are you going?”

“King called me to check the site again. Stay here, don’t open the door for anyone. I’ll have an officer guard you, understand?”

“And… What about the kid named Bom?”

“He’s probably around here. I’ll be back soon.” Say lightly patted his friend’s head to comfort him.

After settling things with Darin, he immediately went to the station’s IT department to review the CCTV footage. Yesterday’s footage showed only Lieutenant Khem working at his desk in the morning, going out for lunch with other officers, but not returning. Today’s footage showed Bom coming to see Dear, then collapsing in the hallway before returning to his room worried. When he entered his room, the camera suddenly went off. Everything happening here made Say utterly annoyed.

“Lieutenant Prom, Singha told me to tell you to guard the front of the infirmary. No one unknown is allowed in.”

“Understood.”

Say took care of everything before driving alone to the temple. He handled everything for everyone to the point where he forgot that it’s not just living and breathing murdering people one should worry about.

While driving, Say picked up a bottle of pills. It wasn’t labeled, but by examining the shape of the pills, he might know what type they were. With one hand steering, he used the other to open the pill bottle, and a laugh began to grow louder from the back seat. Say paused and glanced at the rearview mirror. He had forgotten…

Forgotten that once he drove out of the hospital room with the statue of the deity Vaisravaṇa, the ghost would return…

Crash!!!!

  

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 29: Digging into the Past

The infirmary door burst open in a rush, both Say and King ran inside the special room only to find Jump still asleep on the patient bed.

“I’ll check the lounge.” King said when he didn’t see the two friends of the boy on the bed with him, but before he could move, the door opened again in haste, the newcomer panting heavily with a worried look, prompting King to ask:

“Where are your friends!”

“Mr… Dear, ugh, is Dear here, sir?” Bom spoke out with an anxious demeanor before coughing violently.

“Calm down.” Say, seeing the young man in distress, quickly checked on him, “Where is Dear?”

“I… I don’t know. When I woke up, I went to call her in his room, but the door was open, and… and then she was gone. I’ve searched everywhere and couldn’t find him.”

“I’m heading to the temple.” King said and immediately rushed out to gather men to head to the temple. Meanwhile, Say stayed, gently patting Bom’s back before letting the young man rest, his heavy breathing making Say walk over to get some water for him. Just then, the phone in his pants pocket rang, and he answered it.

“Hello?”

[I’m in Sisaket now. Currently at the police station here.]

   “Hurry up, Singha.”

[Why?]

   “We’ve got a situation here.”

King was driving at nearly illegal speeds towards the temple with several of his men. This time, they might just catch the killer.

Two police cars drove into the temple area, with seven officers disembarking to begin their search as instructed. King approached a group of villagers who seemed startled by the large police presence.

“Uh, he… hello, officer, is there something wrong? You’ve come in such numbers, or are you here for the food at the temple’s kitchen?” A tall, middle-aged woman greeted them with a friendly yet fearful attitude.

“Hello. I would like to ask if anyone has seen this girl. She entered the temple around eight in the morning.” King showed a picture of Dear, one of the four children who trespassed into the murder scene, to the charity kitchen cook.

“Um. I haven’t seen her, dear. I’ve been here since five because I had to prepare, and when the kitchen opened, I didn’t see anyone, just the monks doing their morning chanting.”

“Can I see the abbot, please?”

“This morning he was out chanting at the chapel, dear. I just brought him breakfast at seven-thirty.”

King glanced at the others who were starting to take notice, trying to keep a normal expression. The shocking news from before had spread widely, making everyone think the police were still chasing the murderer, better than them knowing the killer might strike again causing chaos here.

“Is there something wrong?”

“I’m just checking the temple again. Anyway, I’ll excuse myself to talk to the abbot.” After looking inside the charity kitchen and not finding Dear, King quickly walked out to head directly to the abbot’s quarters.

The sound of something hard hitting the ground made King pause; his hand swiftly grabbed the gun at his waist, holding it in a standard defensive stance. His hurried steps turned into cautious heel-to-toe walking until the dense trees disappeared from his line of sight, replaced by the image of a man in bright robes holding a hoe, digging beside a wooden hut. Next to him was a large, tightly tied black bag, which wouldn’t have caught King’s eye much if it weren’t for the wide pool of blood slowly seeping into the ground.

“Stop!! This is the police, put down what’s in your hands and raise your hands above your head, now!!”

“Wha… what’s happening here, sir?”

“Send someone to the abbot’s quarters, urgently.” King radioed his team before turning back to the abbot, who still held the hoe above his head without any intention of putting it down. Moreover, he started approaching, prompting King to raise his hand to stop him, “Put the hoe down.”

“Sir, I don’t understand at all, have I done something wrong?”

King informed the abbot of the rights he should receive according to his duties, then proceeded to use a pocket knife to slit open a black bag in front of everyone.

A foul, bloody stench spread throughout the area as the carcasses of dozens of cats and dogs spilled out onto the floor. The bodies were so mangled that it was impossible to tell which parts belonged to which animal. Some of the newer police officers at the scene froze in their tracks.

“Search this place thoroughly.”

“Yes, sir!” Upon the command, the officers began to urgently investigate the area. Given the situation, the suspect was likely not far.

“Layman, if I have done any wrong, I have no intention of fleeing. But could you tell me what I am accused of?”

“Based on the current circumstantial evidence, you’re a suspect in a recent mass murder case, and possibly in the kidnapping or confinement of this woman who has just disappeared.”

“B…but I am a monk, I uphold the precepts, and live under the robe of a monk. I would not think to harm any life, layman.”

“W…what’s happening here!!! Reverend Father! What are you all doing!!” Uncle Khuean, who ran over breathlessly, immediately went to support the abbot. “This is the abbot. How can you treat him like this!”

“Then how do you explain that?” King pointed towards the remains of the dogs and cats spilling out from the bag.

“It… it…”

“Boss!!! We found the victim, unconscious in a storage room under the monk’s quarters, with no external wounds.”

“Secure the area, call in the forensics team and the medical examiner. As for the suspect.” King turned back to face the abbot, “Take him back for questioning at the station.”

“Yes.”

Singha had just stepped into the Kantharalak Police Station, his face tense after ending a call from Say. Although most of the information came from the Sisaket Police Station, if something happened around here, the local police would have to handle it first, so he needed to gather information from here.

“What can I help you with?” asked the plump, honey-skinned police officer in a friendly manner.

“I’m an officer here to inquire about a case.” Singha said, showing his ID to the person in front of him. Upon seeing the position, the officer immediately saluted respectfully, “No worries, take it easy. Who can I speak with here, or is the station chief in?”

“The chief isn’t in yet, shall I call and ask for you?”

“How many years has he been in charge here?”

“Fifteen years.”

“May I speak with an officer who’s worked here for more than twenty years?”

“Uh… then it would have to be Lieutenant Khet, he’s been working here a long time. He’s out for lunch but should be back soon.”

“Then I’ll wait.”

“Let me invite you to wait in the reception room for now.”

Singha and Thup walked into the inner reception room. Once alone, Thup started a conversation with the older guy.

“Phii.”

“What?”

“I know Uncle Khet, but I thought he would have retired by now.”

“I think he must know something about the case that happened. Let’s just wait and see his reaction.” Thup nodded in understanding.

Half an hour later, an elderly plainclothes officer hurried into the room. His black hair streaked with white and his face beginning to show wrinkles indicated he was nearing retirement age.

“Hello, Inspector, sorry to keep you waiting.”

“It’s alright, you must be Lieutenant Khett, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I don’t have much time, so let’s get straight to the point. I’m here about a case from twenty years ago; I presume you were stationed here at that time.”

“Yes, but which case are you referring to that requires such a revival?”

“The case of the group murder where all the victims were killed and had their eyes and mouths sewn shut with red thread.” The startled and frightened expression of the policeman in front of him made the detective lean back and cross his arms to test the waters, “I guess you remember it, right?”

“I… I remember, but…”

“I need all the information you can provide, can you help me?”

“But that case has been closed.”

“If the case was truly closed, this wouldn’t be happening, would it?” A case file was placed on the table, with pictures and information displayed clearly, making the senior policeman’s face turn pale, “The same type of case has been recurring every five years after the incident here. The latest occurred in my area, five and ten years ago it happened in the north, the culprit hasn’t been caught. Fifteen years ago, it happened in the south, but the person arrested was a scapegoat. Now the case is being reopened, and the officers there are under investigation. What do you think happened twenty, twenty-five years ago, and what will happen to those involved back then that let the culprit escape to repeat this so many times?”

The words were flat, the tone calm, yet they exerted immense pressure, even Thup dared not move. Singha now resembled a tiger carefully stalking its prey into its clutches. Not so aggressive that the prey would panic and bolt, but not gentle enough for the prey to feel safe. His sharp eyes fixed on the policeman in front of him were enough to make anyone under that gaze feel uneasy.

“You have only one year left before retirement, correct?”

“I… I…”

“If the culprit escapes again this time, who knows where they’ll strike next, perhaps not even waiting another five years. Are you sure you want to let them remain free like this?” The sweat on the lieutenant’s hands and temples made Thup feel the tension too; if he was truly innocent, Singha’s questions should have seemed harmless, unless…

“Back then!! Back then, I was just a sergeant, you know. When the case of the director happened, the previous one, he sent the police to investigate, but because there was another bigger case at the time, he redirected the manpower to that case instead…”

“So, this case was just done haphazardly because they thought it was just a commoner’s death, right?” The tone was flat but cutting, making Lieutenant Khett bow his head looking at his own toes.

“It wasn’t just that, but the more we investigated this murder case, the more strange things happened. The officers working on the case either met with accidents or were so frightened they either withdrew or resigned.”

“How many officers resigned back then?”

“Three.”

“Can I have their names, please?”

“There were two officers from here, and one from Sisaket who came to help. The first one was Lieutenant Narong, but he passed away five years ago. The other one was Lieutenant Aisuen, who suddenly disappeared. The third one is Lieutenant Montat. He resigned due to health issues.”

“Which parts of the case did Lieutenant Montat work on?” Singha asked for more information about Uncle Khuean, only basic official details because that’s all he had.

“He was the one who went to examine the body and inspect the crime scene.”

“And he just suddenly resigned?”

“Yes.”

“And the other one named Aisuan, do you know any more about him?”

“I worked with him. He was a good senior, kind-hearted, and liked to help others, but during this case, he said he encountered something strange, became very quiet, and not long after, he withdrew.”

“I’d like to have all their additional information as well.”

If possible, I’d like photos too.

“It might take some time, because the registration here wasn’t done by computer back then, we might need to dig through a lot of documents.”

“Okay, and what about the case? Did you find any information, anything different from this data?”

“Uhmm, yes. When we found the victim’s body, it was in a scattered state in the graveyard, not hanged like this.”

“How many incidents were there in total?”

“Two.”

“Phii… I saw that ghost woman before that.” Thup whispered to the person.

“Is it possible that this case might have happened before, but it was the first time the killer acted so there were still mistakes?”

“I’m not sure myself because we’ve only encountered a body like that twice, five years apart as you, inspector, mentioned.”

“And what about the rumors among the villagers, about the policeman living in the house behind the forest with his wife and two children?”

“Well… nobody wants to talk about it because they’re afraid of attracting bad spirits.”

“Spirits?”

“If you’ve heard some stories, inspector, you’d know about the chants, the foul smell, and the wailing sounds coming from that house, right? That’s why they say that that house is involved in dark magic, so no one dares to mess with it.”

“But I heard the owner is a policeman, with a nurse for a wife, right? How could it be that no one knows who they are? No neighbors at all?”

“Nobody goes to live there anymore, it used to be an old shaman’s place.”

“A shaman’s place?” There’s only that one house because

“Yes, but after the shaman there died, the house was left on the market. Ordinary villagers wouldn’t think of living there but… but the one who bought it was Lieutenant Aisuan. He started his service here and wanted to buy a house to settle down with his wife. He saw that the house was cheap so he bought it, despite many people warning him not to live there, saying it would only bring gloom. His wife was pregnant at the time too.”

“Did he ever tell you anything?”

“At first, he said it was just an ordinary house, you know, fixed up and decorated until it was comfortable. He even invited us over for dinner, but none of us dared to go. He mentioned it was good that no one lived nearby; he could make noise without arguing with anyone.”

“I need the information on Lieutenant Aisuan as quickly as possible, and also on Lieutenant Montat, please.” Singha furrowed his brows tightly because he felt this matter was somehow connected, but where was the link? Suddenly, his phone rang, drawing his attention. Seeing the number made him even more uneasy, “Lieutenant, go handle it.”

“Yes.”

After the room was left with just the two of them, Singha immediately answered the call from King.

“What’s up?”

[We’ve got the culprit.]

   “What?!”

[The culprit is the abbot.]

“How can you be sure?”

[The kid named Dear was found locked in a storage room under the monk’s quarters. I caught him trying to hide the bodies of some dogs and cats.]

   “And how is Dear now?”

[Still unconscious, probably drugged with a sedative. Say and Darin are watching him before sending him to the hospital.]

   “The abbot?”

[Yeah, he’s been brought back. We’ll proceed with the legal process.]

   “And the second case?”

[We haven’t found them yet. Might be locked up somewhere in the temple too. We’re mobilizing officers to search.]

   “And where is the abbot now?”

[Taken to the station already.]

   “I need to check something first, then I’ll hurry back.”

[What else do you want to check?]

   “Something. That’s all.” Singha hung up before hastily packing his things, “Hey, Thup, get up.”

“Where are we going, sir?”

“To the hospital.”

“Why, sir?”

“To find out who that nurse is.”

And more importantly, to find out who this Aisuan is, why does he seem so familiar

  

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 28: The Beginning of a Disaster

The train staff’s announcement slowly woke Singha up. He grabbed his phone from under the pillow to check the time, seeing it was now past four in the morning. They were nearing the final station, hence the call to make the bedding. The pressure on his waist and the warm breath on his neck made him turn to look. The noise from outside grew louder as people awoke, just like Thup, who started to groan softly in his throat before waking up.

“Get up if you’re awake. They’re coming to collect the beds.”

“Are we almost there?”

“Yeah.” Singha got out of bed and stood on the floor, just as the doctor from the upper bunk opened his curtain.

“Did you sleep well?” Singha didn’t answer immediately, but instead, a kid poked his head out from the bed.

“Phii, my back hurts.”

“I told you to sleep in your own bed.” Thup stood up to his full height before glancing at the person sitting above, “Go back to your seat, I’ll walk over when we’re close.”

Thup nodded and smiled at Singha, then walked back to his own seat, simple as that. The actions of both prompted a playful smile from an onlooker.

“So, there’s really no space for me to flirt here.”

“If you’re just going to keep talking, you can come down now, so the staff can collect the bedding.” Singha ran his fingers through his jet-black hair before grabbing his toiletries from his bag and heading to the train car’s bathroom, “Hey, Thup, coming to wash up?”

“Yes.”

The young inspector looked as he greeted Thup, who was talking to an old lady in the lower berth, “Here you go, grandma. If it doesn’t open again, let me know.”

“Thank you, young man.” Thup smiled at her before following Singha to the sink, “The darling of the elderly, huh?”

“Not at all.” Thup squeezed toothpaste onto his brush, “That’s you.”

“Why me?”

“You’re everyone’s darling.” Thup mumbled to himself before stuffing the toothbrush into his mouth.

“Tell your uncle he doesn’t need to pick us up, I’ve arranged a car rental. All set, don’t want to trouble him, but we might need to crash at his place for a bit.” Thup nodded, his face contorted, “I need to check on several things. Are you going anywhere?”

“I… want to pay respects to Grand Abbott.”

“Then we’ll find time to go.”

Both finished their personal business and returned to their seats, the bunk beds now converted back to regular seats. Thup craned his neck, watching his older brother with concern until the old woman opposite couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

“Separated from your brother, it must be tough for you.”

“Ah, yes.”

“And you’re heading home? I just visited my daughter in Bangkok. Come on, she just had a baby boy, and he’s really cute. Look, I took a picture.”

“So cute.” Thup shifted his gaze from Singha to the grandma in front of him, who was showing off her grandson’s picture with a wide smile.

“Right? I told her to perform a ritual to appease Mae Sue’s spirits because the kid was crying a lot, but my daughter said nowadays people don’t believe in that anymore, so she didn’t do it. Sigh, I just can’t understand.”

“People still do that ritual these days?”

“Well, only old folks like me still do. The new generation doesn’t believe in it anymore.”

“Where do you live, Grandma?”

“I’m in Chantaburi. And where do you live? Are you here for a visit?”

“I live in Chantaburi too. I’m just back for some business for a few days.” Thup smiled friendly before he remembered something that was still on his mind. “Grandma, can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead, young man.”

“Well, have you ever heard about… extending life through black magic?” As soon as he finished speaking, the smile on the wrinkled face slowly faded, replaced by a look of concern and confusion. “No… I mean, don’t get me wrong, Grandma. I just… just heard ghost stories, and someone mentioned this, so I got curious.”

“I almost thought you were into dark magic or something. People these days, you can’t trust appearances. And these things, you can’t play around with; they’re dangerous.”

Thup nodded in understanding; people around here knew well that these mystical arts weren’t just tales. “Actually, back in my younger days, I did hear about it, but that was a long time ago.”

“Can you tell me about it?”

“As much as I remember, it was tales about dark magic. It’s a cursed art; good today, but the rest of your days are doomed. It slowly consumes the practitioner and the user until the day they die. As for extending life, I’m not sure, but if it’s about stealing life force, then maybe.”

“Can someone try to steal life span or what?”

“Young man, have you ever seen healthy, vibrant young people suddenly become thin, weak, and their faces gloomy?” Thup nodded in understanding, because his current situation was just like that, “That’s right, because they’ve been cursed, whether they know it or not, the results aren’t much different. The curse released will slowly eat away from the inside, making us feel hopeless, our luck falls, and we rely on it more. The more we rely on it, the more it consumes our life, spiraling until eventually, we die one way or another. Where else would our remaining lifespan and life energy go if not into those cursed tickets that then reverse back to the sorcerer?”

“Is there a way to prevent or cure it?”

“Even I don’t know how it is elsewhere, but at my place, we plant galangal around the house. Every month or two, we grind it, mix it with holy water from the temple, and sprinkle it all around. It’s a belief passed down through generations.” The old woman sipped her water slightly before continuing, “But tell me, young man, why do you ask? You’re asking quite deeply.”

“I’m just interested.” Thup said with a slight smile, looking out the window.

“Don’t even think about trying it.”

Asking regular villagers would yield no real answers; you inevitably need someone from this field.

Soon, the train came to a stop at the platform, the bustling noise of people in the early morning as the sun just rose above the horizon. Both Thup and Singha got off the train and immediately stretched to relieve their fatigue.

The sound of people.

“Do we need to wait for the car your brother rented?” Thup asked, coming to stand beside.

“He said to wait at the front if we arrived.”

“Hello, yes uncle, but you said you’d pick me up, so how am I supposed to get home like this?” The conversation from nearby made the two standing there turn to look, “Try to find someone named Thup? How am I supposed to know who that is? This is a train, not a bus.”

Thup quickly turned to Singha upon hearing his name in the conversation of a stranger.

“Do you know him?”

“I’m not familiar at all. He might be referring to someone else.”

“Should I try calling? Then, uncle, please give me the number.” The young doctor shook his head slowly; his journey had gone completely off-plan because the person supposed to pick him up had a car breakdown on the way. After he dialed the newly given number, a ringtone not far away caught his attention, and his eyes met those of Thup slowly before the tall young man answered the call.

“Hel… Hello.”

“Clear as day.” The thick hand ended the call that was against his ear before walking towards the pair, “Hello, do you know Uncle Chai?”

“Y… Yes.”

“My name’s Charn, I’m his nephew.”

“Hello.”

“What a coincidence.” Although the words seemed directed at Thup, Charn’s gaze was on Singha, “If it’s not too much trouble. Can I hitch a ride to uncle’s house too? It looks like we’ll be spending quite some time together.”

“Trouble.” Singha finished speaking and walked away, leaving his sentence unfinished, leaving Charn with a frozen smile.

“Uh… he’s just joking, Phii. You can come with us; I’m staying at Uncle Chai’s too.” A sleek black Toyota waited for both of them, with a driver who was smoking by the open window, looking bored.

“He doesn’t look very welcoming, does he?” Charn teased Singha, noting the reluctance in having to take him along.

“Thup, get in the car.” Thup nodded and took his seat next to the driver. The only option left for the additional passenger was to sit in the back.

The atmosphere inside the car wasn’t as silent as usual because of the ongoing conversation between Thup and Charn.

“No wonder you looked familiar; you’re the kid from the temple.”

“Sorry, I don’t really remember you, Phii.”

“It’s okay. At that time, you were probably just six years old, so it’s not strange if you don’t remember.”

“Why did you come back here, Phii?”

“I came to help with a special case here. Once I recover, I’ll go back. Besides, Uncle was complaining a lot, so I came back to check on things.” Charn answered casually after learning that Thup was the kid from the temple that the old monk had taken in. Given their ages and the times they met, it was rare for them to recognize each other, “And what about you, what are you back for?” which wasn’t surprising.

Thup glanced at Singha before turning back to Charn, hesitant to discuss the case.

“I’m back for some errands, and to pick up something from Uncle.”

“And this guy next to you, is he here for the same reason or just volunteering?” Charn looked in the rearview mirror and met sharp eyes looking back.

“Phii Singha is here for errands too.” After that, the conversation slowly faded, leaving only silence once again.

After nearly forty minutes, they stopped in front of a raised single-story wooden house. Around the house were vegetable patches and trees, making the atmosphere quite pleasant. Waving his hand to fan himself and beat the heat, Thup had to…

“Hey, you’re here! Come on in.” a hoarse voice called out as soon as the gate opened. “Oh my, haven’t seen you in a while, look how grown up you are.”

“Hello, Uncle.” Thup greeted Uncle Chai with a smile before they hugged tightly.

“You’ve become handsome, my nephew.”

“Looks like you’ve forgotten me.” a voice from behind brought laughter to the old man.

“What’s up, my beloved nephew? You are a doctor in Bangkok now, and you are really handsome. Let’s get inside, it’s hot out here.”

Even though it was a single-story house, the inside was spacious, clearly divided into a living room, kitchen, and bedrooms. The four of them walked in and sat on the wooden sofa, drinking water to relieve the fatigue from the journey.

“Uncle, this is Phii Singha, whom I told you about.”

“Hello, Uncle. Could I bother you for a couple of days?”

“Go ahead, young man, think of it as your own home. Usually, I’m not even here much. I’m mostly out helping at the temple or with the villagers.” Uncle Chai, with a white cloth draped over his shoulder, set down a box of chilled fruits on the table to welcome his guests, “Charn, you’ll sleep in the room next to mine. As for Thup and your friend, you’ll sleep in the room across. Auntie has arranged everything. There’s food on the table; she made it this morning before she left for her friend’s place.”

“Thank you, Uncle.” Singha bowed respectfully with his hands pressed together, “Then I’ll go fix the car first. If there’s anything else, just let me know.”

“Phii, shall I take your bag in for you? Do you want to take a shower first?”

“Let’s put the stuff away first, then we’ll see.” Both walked towards the room that had been prepared. It wasn’t luxurious, lacking even a proper bed, just a five-foot mattress and brightly colored floral bed sheets. Singha dropped his bag by the door before collapsing onto the doomed mattress.

“It’s hot.”

“Do you want to shower?” Thup, who had taken on the duty of organizing the older man’s things, asked in a flat tone.

“I’ll shower later; I was thinking of helping uncle with the car. Since we’re staying here.”

“Can you fix cars?”

“I know a bit about it.” Singha got up and took off his shirt, revealing well-toned muscles, “Hand me a tank top.”

“Here.” Thup handed him a black tank top without looking.

“You go shower and change. I’ll head to the police station later.”

“Are you going to get information on Uncle Khuean?”

“Uh-huh.”

“And where will you go after?”

“I’ll see. And that shaman’s house you mentioned, is anyone living there now?”

“Probably not, because back then, it was already abandoned. But I’ll check…”

Singha changed into something more practical before coming out to the front of the house and asking Uncle Chai again.

“Well, if we manage things quickly, then we can go.” Thup paused before nodding slightly in agreement and the two followed the sound of clanking followed until they found a silver pickup truck that looked well-used. The hood was open, with Uncle-Chai holding a screwdriver with a serious look on his face.

“Anything I can help with?”

“Oh, young man, do you know how to fix cars?”

“I can fix some things.”

“This truck of mine suddenly started jerking and then just died. It’s good that it still moved a bit, not far though, so I had it towed back. If it can’t be fixed, I’ll have to take it to a garage in town.” Singha nodded in understanding before going over to help, under the watchful eyes of both Thup and a young doctor standing not far away.

“It looks like the spark plug might be loose, Uncle.”

Singha worked on the car while answering some of Uncle-Chai’s questions. Although he wasn’t much for idle chatter, he wasn’t rude enough to completely ignore the conversation. After a while, the once motionless truck was up and running again, making Uncle-Chai shout with joy.

“Wow! Kids these days are really skilled. Come on, let’s wash up and have some dinner.”

“I was thinking of heading into town.” Singha said, wiping engine oil off his hands.

“And where will you go next?”

“I’ll see. And that witch doctor’s house you mentioned, is anyone living there now?”

“Probably not, it was already abandoned back then. But I’ll ask Uncle again for you.”

“Well, if you manage things quickly, then you can go.” Thup paused before nodding slightly in agreement.

Singha changed into something more practical before coming out to the front of the house, following the continuous clanking sound until he encountered a silver pickup truck, well-worn from use, with its hood open and Uncle-Chai holding a screwdriver, looking serious.

“Can I help you with anything?”

“Oh, it’s you, young man. Can you fix cars?”

“I can fix them a bit.”

“My car suddenly started jerking and then just died. It’s good that it still moved, but not far. I had to get Mai to tow it back. If you can’t fix it, I’ll have to take it to a garage in the city.” Singha nodded in understanding and went over to help, watched by both Thup and the young doctor standing not far away.

“Looks like the spark plug came loose, uncle.”

Singha worked on the car while occasionally responding to Uncle Chai’s questions. Though not much of a talker, he wasn’t rude enough to completely ignore the conversation. After a while, the car that had been completely still was working again, making Uncle Chai shout with joy.

“Wow! Kids these days are really skilled. Go wash up so we can eat.”

“I was thinking about going into town.” said Singha as he wiped engine oil from his hands.

“Is it about the case? Thup told me about it.”

“Yes, I don’t have much time, so I need to hurry.”

“I don’t know how much I can help, but maybe I can be of some use. Thup himself still doesn’t know this.” Uncle Chai sat down on a wooden chair in front of the house, sighed, “There used to be a shaman here, dabbling in dark magic, Khmer black magic. He started performing rituals for the villagers, causing trouble for many. People got possessed, had bad things in their stomachs, wrongdoings against children and wives. The old abbott warned him that this magic would backfire. He didn’t listen, until one day he fell ill, but it seemed he still believed in this path…”

“And then what?”

“He thought about extending his life by taking the life force of others.”

“How?” Singha frowned deeply.

“Thup told you about the cop from the house behind the forest being rumored to practice magic, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, that’s what the villagers are wondering about; it’s because something like this has happened before, only back then it didn’t succeed. That shaman killed all the dogs and cats in the area until there were none left, but it still wasn’t enough, and in the end, he died too.”

“So, it should have ended there, right?”

“The day he died was a holy day, the sky was overcast, the wind was howling, birds filled the sky. Do you know what that means, young man?” Singha shook his head slowly, “It means he released something from himself.”

“And what about Thup?”

“The old monk described the features of two spirits.” Uncle Chai made a troubled face because before this, during a phone call on the train, Thup had told him everything to help with the investigation as much as possible. “One is an elderly woman with completely white eyes, looking furious, her lips torn to her ears. The other is a young girl with hollow eyes, her face pale, lips torn. Do you recognize them?”

“The ghosts Thup saw…”

“Five years later, a tragic event occurred in the village…”

“….It started here.”

“Be careful, young man.”

“Is the house of that policeman who disappeared with his family still there?”

“It’s still in the same place. No one dares to go near it because as the sun sets, people hear screams, crying. The monks have performed rituals to cleanse it, made merit, but to no avail. They’ve strung up sacred threads to keep villagers out.”

“Can you give me the coordinates, uncle?”

“I can tell you, but don’t go. At least, don’t go today or tomorrow.”

“Why not?”

“Today, by the time you get everything sorted, it’ll be late. And tomorrow is a holy day, so going into an area like that wouldn’t be good.”

“I don’t have that much time.” said Singha, unsure of what made him feel so anxious to conclude this case, but what was certain was that he was eager to return to the station because his gut feeling told him something was about to happen.

Something that would make this case even worse.

[Chief, I’ve received a report from the patrol that someone has entered the temple.]

   “Who?” King, who was reviewing documents at his desk, stood up immediately when his subordinate called to report the update.

[Uh, I’m not sure, sir, but it seems to be a woman.]

   “Follow her in. I’m on my way.”

[Understood.]

   King felt uneasy and had to walk over to the forensic department. Upon opening the door, he saw a young man with flaming red hair just leaving the lab.

“What are you doing here?”

“Where’s Darin?”

“He went back to shower at his condo.”

“Alone?”

“Yeah, because I’m stuck with work here.” a piece of paper was tossed carelessly towards King.

“Drugs?”

Say slumped onto the sofa before grabbing the coffee on the table and downing it in one gulp.

“The drug paraphernalia found in Khun Meen’s car, the test results show the owner is the kid named Nai.”

“The kid from the car rental company?”

“Yeah.”

“So, that means that kid drove Khun Meen’s car out of the temple and left it there.”

“The question is, who ordered it, and why did they do it?”

Say rolled his eyes at the person who had just rushed out of the room, picked up his phone, and called Darin. Before this, she had told him she was going back to shower and pack essentials, even saying she could go by herself so he could finish his work. After a long wait, the other end picked up with a tired voice.

“Where are you?”

[I’m about to leave, what’s up?]

   “Shall I come pick you up?”

[It’s fine, I can take a taxi. It’s still early.]

   “Don’t stop anywhere, okay?”

[Got it. That’s all, I’m about to get in the car.]

   After Darin hung up, the room door opened again in a hurry.

“I asked your friends during the interrogation. They all admitted to using ice together, but you were the heaviest user, to the point of gambling to fund your addiction.”

“And?”

“There was a call to Nai’s phone before he disappeared, then a sum of money was transferred into his personal account.” King showed the documents in his hand to the seated person, “Where from?”

“…From the temple, it’s the account of Santi Thamaram Temple.”

King’s expression grew more serious, making Say tense up too, “The report said a woman went into the temple. Doesn’t look like a local, where’s Darin!”

“It’s not her. Not Rin.” Say met King’s gaze meaningfully, then both spoke a name simultaneously.

“Dear.”

“Dear.”

 

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 27: Train Heading to Sisaket

Say and Darin stood watching.

Seven dolls were placed on the table in the forensic room, with Singha, Thup, “These are the dolls from the case?” Say asked, pointing at the items on the table. Darin, seeing this, quickly slapped his hand.

“Mhm.”

“So, what are you going to do next? You’ve found all the dolls now.”

“The dolls are just one part to prove the killer’s victim selection method.”

“So, the killer chose victims based on their birth dates, right?”

“Yeah. From what we can see, the events from five years ago, yes, ten years ago, yes, and fifteen years ago, also yes.” Singha massaged his temples out of habit.

“The information I have now only narrows down the search. We might need to wait for the rest of the data.”

“So now all we can do is wait, huh? I’m scared, Singha.” Darin said before sighing.

“Wait, but not just sit around. I’ll go investigate the first case. Might find some new leads.”

“Where?”

“Sisaket, probably takes about three days.”

“You sure, man?”

“Uh-huh.” Singha looked up at Thup before lowering his gaze to the seven dolls on the table. “I want to check something out too.”

“Sigh, why couldn’t it just be a normal person?” Then he asked to keep an eye on the situation of the kid named

“Say, and I need you to watch Rin too, and Jump at the station. I’ll be quick.”

“Yeah, yeah, go. Jump’s condition is stable, but he can’t be released yet. What about the other two?”

“I’ve approved for them to stay in the spare rooms. Handle it.”

“Alright, alright.”

After delegating tasks to his subordinates and wrapping up other cases, Singha brought Thup back home to pack for the trip.

“Phii Singha.”

“Yeah?”

“Are we really going?”

“Do you think I was joking?”

“If… if this is bigger than we thought, what then?”

“What do you mean by ‘big’? Is it bigger than more people dying?” Thup pressed his lips together before zipping up his bag. “We need to find someone who can help with this damn occult stuff, and investigate that police house further.”

“Further? So you already have some info, Phii?”

“Uh.” Singha closed his bag before tossing it onto the sofa, then handed the documents on the table to Thup.

“Mantatch. Who’s that?”

“Uncle Khuean.”

“Sisaket Police Station, huh?!”

“Yeah, Uncle Khuean used to be a cop at Sisaket station. He resigned twenty years ago. Ring any bells?”

“That’s…” Thup frowned, this information matched what he got from Uncle Chai.

“This is also why we need to investigate.” Singha picked up both his and Thup’s bags and walked out of the house, leaving the young man with papers in hand and doubts, “We need to stop somewhere first.”

“Where to?”

“A meditation center.”

A jet-black car drove through the wooden gates of a meditation center, parked under a tree, and they got out to breathe in the fresh air. There wasn’t a large building or many amenities here, just the shade of trees and tranquility.

“Here?”

“Uh.” Thup quietly followed the older man, not far behind, as the sky was turning orange. It wasn’t the best time to be in such a place for him.

After walking for a while, they came across a row of small single-story wooden houses. Thup looked around; there were meditation bases, walking meditation lanes. It seemed to have been here for a long time. He followed the older man until they stopped in front of one house. Thup watched as Singha knocked gently on the door, which soon opened.

“How did you get here?” an elderly woman greeted with a gentle smile, her head shaved and dressed in clean white, indicating she had renounced worldly desires.

“Visiting, how are you, mom?” Thup blinked at the older man. “Shall we walk and talk then?” Singha’s mother smiled at her son before turning to smile at Thup standing behind.

The breeze blew softly, making the leaves flutter. Thup watched a mother and son chatting leisurely, their calm and serene demeanor making him feel at ease too.

“How have you been lately? Are you eating on time?”

“More or less, but I’ve been busy with a case recently, so I haven’t been able to visit. How about you, mom?”

“I’m just going with the flow.” she smiled before turning to her son, “Singha, is there something bothering you?”

“It’s just the anniversary coming up. I might not be able to make it this time.” Singha’s tone and darkened gaze made Thup pause. He didn’t think it was his place to delve into such personal matters.

“Whether you come or not, if your intentions are good, I’ll know. Don’t worry.” she gazed at the sky turning purple as night approached, “Singha… take care of yourself during this time.”

“Yes?”

“Your heart is yours, your body is yours, so believe in yourself, in your thoughts, and in your actions.” Singha looked at his mother with a puzzled look, “That young man who came with you…

“Thup?” Turning back, Singha found the boy who had been trailing them had disappeared. His brows furrowed immediately; trouble seemed to follow whenever they parted, “Where did he go?”

“He’ll be fine here.” Singha’s mother smiled faintly before sitting under a large tree, “You don’t see, but he does. You don’t hear, but he does. So, try listening to him.”

“I am listening… really listening, unlike him.”

“Mesa doesn’t blame you, and neither do I. The one you should forgive the most is yourself. It’s over, Singha, those things are over.”

Thup sat hugging his knees in front of the young inspector’s mother’s house. Strangely, he didn’t feel scared or nervous being alone in the dark. There was just a gentle breeze soothing his mind.

“Sitting here, aren’t the mosquitoes biting you?” A hoarse voice from behind startled Thup, “Ha ha, I’ve scared the boy.”

“Ex…excuse me.” Thup turned to wai an elderly monk, his face adorned with a kind smile, clad in a robe the color of ripe jackfruit made Thup kneel down, bowing just like he used to with his granduncle.

“Sigh, I’m too old for this, teasing kids isn’t fun anymore. But what are you doing here all alone, layman?”

“I’m waiting for someone.”

“Hmm, while you’re waiting for someone, someone else is waiting for you.”

“Really? What… what do you mean?”

“Sigh, life, oh life. Alright, I’ll bless you then.”

“Iti Sukato Arahang Puttho Nama Putthaya PathaviKongka Phra Phummate Wa Khamamihang.”

Thup touched between his eyebrows, bowing to receive the blessing. As the chanting ceased, the monk’s hand pressed on his head, a cool, comforting warmth spread through him, and his eyes slowly closed, the feeling gradually fading.

“What are you doing, Thup?”

“I was… paying respects to the monk.” Now, there was just empty ground before him. “Which monk?”

“Well…”

“If he came to bless you, it’s a good thing.” Singha’s mother remarked. “Aren’t you supposed to catch the train, Singha?”

“Yes, I’ll go now. I’ll visit when I’m back, mom.” She gazed at her son for a long moment before resting her hand on his soft hair.

“Go safely, return unharmed.”

Singha and Thup walked to the vehicle, preparing to board the train scheduled to depart in an hour and a half. As the vehicle moved towards the wooden gate, Thup caught sight of an image on a stone slab.

“Phii Singha, hold on a moment.” He squinted, biting his lips. The monk he encountered earlier was the one who restored this temple here, and importantly…

That monk had been deceased for nearly twenty years.

“Is there something wrong?” Singha asked, noticing the child beside him had gone silent. “I…” Thup turned to his elder brother and smiled, his face relaxing.

“I just received a blessing for a safe journey,” said Thup.

The sound of machinery resonated throughout the station, filled with people almost ready to depart from the platform. The noise of voices, the hustle of boarding, farewells, and even vendors selling goods made the atmosphere far from quiet. Singha and Thup boarded the special sleeper train heading directly from Bangkok to Sisaket. They searched for their seats and found them, but what caught Thup off guard was that their seats were five places apart.

“It’s okay, we’ll be sleeping soon.” Singha gently ruffled the young man’s soft hair. “If you need anything, just walk over.”

“Alright.” Thup reluctantly walked to his seat, just as the train’s whistle blew, signaling departure.

The station lights transitioned into the dimmer trackside lights, the slight rocking and sound of the train moving along the rails excited Thup. He didn’t know what awaited them, but returning home after a long time warmed his heart.

“Is he your brother?”

“Hmm? Oh, no.” Singha replied to the man sitting opposite him. “Would you like some water?”

“No, thank you.” Singha answered, picking up some documents as if to end the conversation with the robust young man, whose sharp features contrasted with his delicate white skin and square glasses.

“Going home or traveling?”

“Business.” The young inspector glanced up, sensing the other’s eagerness for conversation.

“Judging by your constant serious demeanor… I’d guess you’re a policeman, right?”

“Are you a policeman too?”

“No, I’m actually a doctor. Do I really look the part?” The young man across the table chuckled softly before resting his arms on the table.

“I thought you were when you started interrogating me.” came the soft yet incisive reply, making the other laugh lightly in amusement. Just as he was about to continue the conversation, a water bottle was thrust towards the young inspector.

“Phii, I can’t open it.” Singha took the bottle and opened it, and upon receiving it, Thup returned to his seat without a word. It wouldn’t be strange if it weren’t for…

“Phii, I’m going to brush my teeth, but I forgot my toothpaste. Can I borrow some?”

“Phii, shall we go wash our faces?”

“Phii, can you help me open this?”

“Phii…”

“Phii…”

“Phii…”

The young doctor’s conversation was interrupted almost every time, until the officials came to set up the beds, signaling the end of his chance to bond.

“If you need anything, just call me.” said the upper bunk owner, opening the curtain to speak to Singha, who was preparing to sleep on the lower bunk.

“I doubt I’ll need anything.”

“Do you reject me because you don’t like me, or for some other reason?”

“I dislike anything annoying, and if you don’t shut up and go to sleep, I’ll throw you into the supply closet to sleep.”

The young doctor gaped as he saw the fierce look from the corner of the inspector’s eye. He chose to close the curtain, giving up on wooing the policeman.

As Singha was packing up, time passed until 9 PM. He was about to put his documents in his bag to go to sleep when he felt someone standing in front of his bed’s curtain. Upon opening it, he found the kid who had been pestering him all evening.

“What now?” Singha glanced at the pillow Thup was clutching, “I heard some strange noises.”

“It’s a train, of course, it’s noisy.”

…”The top bunk is small, my legs are too long to fit.” Thup crouched down on the floor in front of Singha’s bed.

“The lower and upper bunks are the same size.”

“I’m scared of ghosts.”

“You’re using that excuse now?”

“Well, there is an old man who is walking back and forth.” Thup pointed to an empty aisle, Singha didn’t see anything but in Thup’s view, there was an old man with a cane walking through the door, only to reappear a few minutes later to walk back and forth as usual.

“If you can point him out that clearly, you’re not scared, Thup, you little brat.”

“…but usually, I sleep with you.” Thup said quietly, yet clearly enough for Singha to hear, making the older sigh.

“It’s small here too, and now I have to squeeze in with you? Move inside!”

Thup grinned widely, almost closing his eyes as the older man allowed him to join him.

A space comfortable for one was now tightly packed with two men lying on their backs, barely able to move.

“I’m going crazy.” Singha turned to his side facing the aisle, unable to bear the crowding.

“Phii?”

“What now? You’re so problematic, I might kick you to the floor.”

“That gentleman above… is he hitting on you?” Thup poked towards the upper bunk.

“Just asking?”

“Well… it’s nothing.”

Singha rolled his eyes before turning back towards Thup, “Yeah, he is, we just started dating.”

“What!!” Thud!!

“Ouch!” Everything happened so quickly, Thup was startled by the older man’s words. He jolted up, banging his head loudly against the upper bunk, then collapsed onto Singha’s stomach with a groan.

“Serves you right, always making a fuss.”

“It hurts.”

“Your head’s not broken. You’re not dead, so go to sleep.” Singha turned back to his original position, closing his eyes, ignoring Thup, who was left rubbing his head repeatedly and looking at the older man with a hurt expression.

Almost two hours had passed, past midnight into a new day. Singha slowly opened his eyes and turned towards the boy who was breathing steadily behind him. His thick hand caressed Thup’s head where he had bumped it earlier, finding it slightly swollen but with no serious injury.

“You’re quite the troublemaker, aren’t you?”

“Mmm.” Thup mumbled in his throat before turning to hug Singha’s waist, as he usually did.

And strangely, the young inspector felt accustomed to this action too.

  

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