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.

  

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 26: Yaknongyao

The forensic unit, police, and forensic doctor arrived at the scene after Singha was able to make contact. In less than twenty minutes, the place was crawling with people. Say and Darin had to investigate themselves, leading to widespread complaints and groans, reducing the eerie atmosphere significantly.

“How the hell did you find this car, man? King’s team has been looking for days and still hasn’t found it.”

“A ghost told me.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, the ghost of Thup told me.” Say looked towards a young man being treated by the medical team. “Found anything?”

“Fingerprints and drug paraphernalia.” Say held up the evidence bag for Singha to see. “We can definitely identify who it belongs to.”

“Alright, keep me updated. I need to find the last remaining doll.”

“Just looking for a doll gets you this battered. If you had to find a criminal, you’d probably die on the spot.”

Singha didn’t respond; he just watched Thup thanking the nurse.

“I think I’ll visit mom.”

“Today?”

“Yeah.”

“Should I tell you that last night when Rin was sleeping, she was sleep-talking?” Singha turned his gaze to his friend who was looking at Darin.

“What did she say?” Singha then looked at Darin, who was taking photos around the site. Say didn’t answer the question; he just took out his phone and handed it to the person next to him.

‘Ji, Jerunee, Chiittang… Nibbhanang… Akachami’

   Preennnn!!

The sound of a car horn echoed loudly around the area, making everyone look around for the source, but they couldn’t find which car it came from. Say and Singha looked at each other before silencing the recording on the phone.

“She was sleep-talking two or three times around 3 AM, so if you do anything or can carry something for protection, get something for Rin too.”

“And what else happened?”

“Nothing, but when I heard it, I was near her, with the handsome figure of Thao Vaisravaṇa and Suwannak too. If that’s what you wanted to know.”

“After finding the last doll, I’ll be away for a couple of days.”

“Where are you going?”

“Sisaket.”

“What for?” Say turned to look at Singha who was digging both hands into his pockets, then looked up at the sky, his sharp face showing a rarely seen seriousness, the last time he saw him like this was probably during the disciplinary hearing.

“To find the root of the problem, I think it started there.”

“Should me and Rin come with you?”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t know what I’ll encounter. It wouldn’t be good to drag you guys into danger.”

“But you can risk yourself like this?”

“Yeah.”

The two close friends chuckled softly; their job already had their lives hanging by a thread. At worst, it’s just death. When they had talked enough, Singha walked over and stopped in front of Thup who was looking at his right hand wrapped in white gauze.

“How’s the wound?”

“The nurse said it’s just a scrape, probably from when I fell.”

“Thanks.” The simple word, yet it made Thup’s eyes sparkle. The young man looked up to meet the older man’s eyes before standing up to his full height.

“Why are you thanking me, sir?”

“For pulling me back earlier.”

“Thank you too, Phii.”

“For what?”

“…for being safe.” Thup smiled widely until his eyes nearly closed. In his life, he had never managed to protect anyone because he was always too scared. This was the first time he didn’t just stand still, cry, or run away after seeing a ghost, but instead, he turned, faced it, and stepped forward to protect someone.

“I’m going to find the last doll.” Singha placed his hand on Thup’s soft hair. His deep black eyes met Thup’s brown eyes of different shades. “Want to come with me?”

“Yes, I’ll go.” Thup replied with a firm voice, without any hesitation.

It was almost noon before they could leave the first location. Singha stopped by a small roadside eatery to get something to eat; an empty stomach would be quite irritating, especially when being chased by ghosts.

“Order whatever you want.” Thup nodded vigorously and turned to order food from the staff. Once done, the young man started asking about the case, “Now that we’ve found Kun Meen’s car like this, what do we do next?”

“From the condition of Khun Meen’s house and her neighbors’ accounts, she doesn’t seem like someone who would use drugs. Otherwise, there would’ve been some evidence left at home. I guess the stuff we found might belong to the perpetrator who wanted to destroy evidence.”

“So, does that mean Khun Meen might have disappeared at the temple too?”

“It’s possible. Right now, the most suspicious place is that temple, and the most suspicious person would be the abbot.”

“Instead of being a true spiritual refuge.”

“And it’s also a good hiding place.”

“Each victim has their own troubles and worries.” Thup sighed before sipping some soup.

“Hmm.” Within Singha’s file, he had just added reports about what they found at the houses, various things. Each victim had life problems. It’s unclear what they did to become victims because it doesn’t seem like they just went into the temple and vanished. There were several days of coming and going before anything happened.

James is worried about the university entrance exam. When his older sister suggested he try praying, he might go to the only temple around there.

Jom has financial problems.

Orn has issues with pregnancy but hasn’t told her parents.

Meen probably has life problems too.

Nai likely has issues with the family of the staff here and his own parents, from what’s been told.

Thee is probably still grieving his deceased wife, but what about Kaew, a fourteen-year-old, what problems could she have when her family seems perfectly fine? There are no apparent issues.

“After finishing things here, I’ll go to Sisaket. Are you coming?”

“Are we going to investigate that policeman’s house and the murder case?”

“Yeah.”

“So, how are we getting there?”

“By train maybe, I’m too lazy to drive.”

“Then, can I ask my uncle to pick us up at the train station? He said we could stay at his place.”

“I’d feel bad. Let’s just rent a car and book a hotel.”

“But there aren’t many hotels around there, you know.”

“Let’s talk about it later. For now, hurry up and eat so we can move on to the next place.” Both of them managed to finish off the chicken rice in their hands and started their journey to the next victim’s garden home.

Singha’s car parked in front of the fence of the garden home, which spanned several square meters. The elevated wooden house inside made the atmosphere here seem eerie, sending chills down their spines.

“Should we just go in, sir?”

“Hmm, I’ve already called and asked his kids. They’ll arrive in Thailand tomorrow morning, but this matter is urgent, so we can’t wait.”

“Uh… then let’s go in, I guess.”

“If you see anything, call out. Don’t go wandering off on your own.”

“Yes.” The two entered the house without needing to pick the lock as before, because Thee’s children had told them where their father usually kept the keys.

The cool atmosphere after the rain, combined with the shade of the trees, made Thup rub his arms for warmth. After scanning the area, he didn’t see any ghosts, spirits, or wandering souls around, probably because this place hadn’t seen many deaths. It wasn’t a crossroads or a junction.

The underfloor area was nicely tiled, with a hammock and a storage cabinet for gardening tools neatly arranged. From the decorative flower pots and the thriving garden vegetables, it was clear the homeowner was quite diligent.

The creaking of the stairs with each step made Thup reach out to grab the hem of the older man’s shirt.

“What’s the head on a Friday?” Singha started a conversation to break the silence, knowing the kid behind him was trembling.

“It’s an ox head, named Yaknangyao, the Mae Sue for Fridays.”

“What else do you know?”

“I know the general legends about these guardian spirits, from tales and myths. They’re just deities protecting infants. Why someone would use this for evil, I don’t know.”

“You’re saying these spirits protect newborns, right?”

“Yes.” Thup replied while watching the older man unlock the house door.

“One Mae Sue for a specific day, how much can she take care of all the kids born on that day alone?” And if there are seven Mae Sue…

“Yes?” Singha hadn’t responded yet when the wooden door slowly opened. Inside, the room was neat with furniture and appliances well-organized. Light streamed in through an open window, probably left open by Uncle Thee before he went to the temple every day, but who would’ve thought he wouldn’t return.

“Let’s search slowly.” said Singha before he started looking around, just like Thup who walked towards the cabinet beside the television. A family photo full of happiness made Thup smile, but then he remembered the two sitting in the photo would never see their children again. His smile faded; after all, he himself had neither father nor mother.

Meow~

The sound of a cat and a cold touch on his leg made Thup look down.

“Here’s a cat.” The young man crouched down and stroked the black cat that was rubbing against him. “Is this Uncle Thee’s cat?”

The golden eyes sparkled as they stared at Thup before leading him to a room on the right. He got up and followed it, the black paws scratching at the door as if wanting to enter. Thup reached out, turned the doorknob, and pushed in.

“It’s the prayer room.” Thup stepped over the threshold and sat down in front of the altar. The wilted flowers in the vase indicated no one had been here for quite some time. The black cat from before comfortably lay down in front of Thup.

Meanwhile, Singha started by searching the bedroom, as it was the most private place. Often, when you find dolls, it’s in places like this. He carefully inspected the room to avoid damaging anything. A foul stench led him to stop beside the bed before he slowly pulled back the blanket.

The remains of a dried black cat stuck to the mattress made Singha sigh. It didn’t look like what Darin had secretly photographed from the temple; it had either died from starvation or old age.

“Phii?”

“What’s up?”

“I found it.”

“Where did you find it?”

“In the storage room.” he seemed to have died.

“How did you find it?” The boy’s expression at the door made Singha put the blanket back down.

“That cat led me there.” Thup stared at the bed before noticing the spirit of the black cat that was previously weaving around his legs, “The cat was very old. Usually, the old man would feed it, but when he didn’t come back, it went to lie in there… because that place smelled most like him.”

“Hmm, bring it here.” Singha took the broken doll from Thup, put it in a bag, “Let’s go back.”

“Can I bury it? Just a moment is enough.”

“Bring it down, I’ll dig a hole.”

“Thank you.” Singha walked outside but not before glancing back at Thup, who was wrapping the cat’s remains in his arms. The young man was talking to his feet as if speaking to the cat itself. Who knows what he’s been through, but from his expression, though normal, his dull eyes suggested he’s been dealing with death all his life.

Singha used a shovel under the house to dig a small hole under a tree within minutes. Once done, Thup, who was waiting, gently placed the white cloth bundle into the hole. The young man raised his hands in prayer before smiling at the air.

“Next life, be born as a human, there’s lots of fun stuff to do. If you think that it might be a bit tough, then you can go find the old man, there is no need for you to stay here now.” Thup reached out to stroke the adorable cat spirit before it meowed gratefully, licking his hand, then its spirit faded away, “It’s done.”

“Then let’s go back.” Singha watched the young man quietly walk back to the car.

On the way back to the station, Thup seemed more subdued than usual. This time, he was the one to initiate the conversation.

“Do you encounter this often?”

“What?”

“Things like this…”

“…happens often, you know. The first time was probably when I was around six years old. I had a puppy I used to play with regularly at the temple, but one day, it just wasn’t warm anymore. I kept playing with it like that until the old monk told me it was just its spirit because it had been poisoned a month before. It wouldn’t go on to the rebirth cycle because of me. I wouldn’t let it go. After that, I encountered this kind of thing often.” Thup spoke while looking at his own palms; it was something he had experienced many times, but he never quite got used to it. “I guess I’m not that scared of animals.”

“If you’re not comfortable, you don’t have to force a smile. I won’t say anything.” Singha gently ruffled his soft hair.

“I’m really scared, you know. Scared that one day, the spirit I see will be someone I know. I’m more terrified of that than all the ghosts I’ve seen so far.”

“At least you get to say goodbye.”

“Saying goodbye isn’t that easy.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Saying goodbye is really not easy.

  

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 25: Every Suffering

Singha woke up feeling constricted around his torso, not for any other reason but because the kid sharing his bed was hugging his waist tightly. Moreover, the kid’s face was buried in his chest, so he could feel the warm breath indicating both were asleep last night.

“Oi, Thup.” Singha turned to check the clock and saw it was only five in the morning, still dark outside.

“Mmm…” A soft groan came from the kid’s throat, but he didn’t wake up, making Singha sigh. He gently removed the young man’s arm from his waist before getting up to stretch out the stiffness.

“You wake up, and I’ll deal with you for sure.” Singha flicked the sleeping figure on the forehead. The person just frowned slightly before snuggling deeper into the blanket.

The homeowner walked downstairs, looking around his house, which was cleaner than ever before. Upon opening the fridge to grab some water, he noticed ingredients and food neatly organized, unlike before when it only contained beer and frozen meals. Singha took out a chilled beer and sat on the sofa, his sharp eyes glancing at some papers stacked on the table.

The two sheets in his hand were portraits of two women. The first was an older woman with messy hair, white eyes devoid of pupils, her lips torn wide to her ears revealing molar teeth and a long tongue, her face contorted in anger. The other sheet showed a young girl, probably not over ten years old. Both her eyes were missing, leaving only hollow sockets, her face hinted at sorrow, her lips also torn to her ears but not in a smile like the first. Whether it was Thup projecting his emotions into the drawings or these were visions he actually saw was unclear. Another sheet on the table, with just pencil outlines, depicted half a woman’s face; her eyelids seemed stitched with thread-like lines. The lower half was just unfinished pencil strokes.

“Is this the ghost that Thup saw?” Singha muttered softly before taking photos of the three and sending them to Lieutenant Khem for further investigation. At least this should help figure out what happened to these two.

Time passed until six in the morning when the light started to filter through the curtains, and the sound of footsteps on the stairs made Singha turn around.

“Why are you up so early?” Thup approached his older brother on the sofa, still groggy. “Because some kid I don’t know was crowding me in sleep.”

“Hmm? Me?”

“Not you, then who? A ghost?” Singha looked at the disheveled young man sitting on the floor in front of him, his youthful face still not fully awake, making him want to tease, “You hugged me so tight I couldn’t breathe.”

“Wh… what? I hugged you?!” Thup exclaimed in surprise, his face starting to blush, prompting Singha to continue teasing by hugging Thup’s leg, unable to help himself.

“Yeah, you even snuggled into my chest.”

“S… sorry, please don’t be mad. I’ll move to sleep downstairs. On the floor, if that’s okay.” Singha watched as the young man hugged his leg and rested his chin on his knee, noting how increasingly bold he was becoming each day!

“Will you ever get a wife, acting so clingy?”

“I… don’t know.” Thup looked up before having to turn away from the older man, too shy to meet his eyes. “Let’s not talk about this. What do you want for breakfast?”

“Stir-fried pork with basil.”

“Seems like we have some pork mince, but let me check if there’s any basil.” Thup stood up and walked into the kitchen, beginning to prepare breakfast as if he’d been living there for a long time.

Singha watched his broad back for a while. He had lived alone for so long, working every day, eating takeout, sleeping, and then going back to work. Having someone to talk to both before bed and upon waking wasn’t so bad. After breakfast, a shower, and getting dressed, he left the house to go to the station to handle various matters before heading out to find the remaining two dolls.

“Lieutenant Prom, where is Lieutenant Khem?”

“Lieutenant went to eat, Inspector, but Lieutenant left some documents for you, Inspector.” The young policeman handed a document to the station’s inspector.

‘The kid named Song has returned home, but his family reported back that he went out again last evening. I followed the CCTV from home and traffic cameras until here before the car disappeared.’

   The note was written only this much until Singha had to bend down to read all the papers in his hand again. The traffic CCTV footage has the location written on it, indicating where it was, and his instincts told him it would come back here.

“Lieutenant Prom, go get the CCTV footage from the shop in front of Santithamaram Temple.”

“Yes?”

“Urgent. If you get it, come back and check if this car entered.”

“Understood, Inspector.”

As he was about to walk inside, King walked into the station. Beforehand, both stared at each other quietly, similar to how Thup was looking back and forth between the two. King’s face had both bruises and cracks, making him want to know what happened last night between them.

“Song has gone missing after returning home. Here’s the footage from the traffic camera. The last known location isn’t far from here, so let’s check the temple.”

“Hmm.” King took the documents from Singha’s hand and walked away with a stiff demeanor as if they didn’t know each other.

Singha walked to the forensic department room and found Darin curled up on the sofa. Say had just walked in behind them. The young forensic doctor looked like he was at home, with a white towel over his head, a t-shirt, and black track pants, good thing he still wore his lab coat over them.

“You’re here?”

“Didn’t you guys go home?”

“Yeah, I’m waiting for lab results. And she’s scared of ghosts.” Say said, nudging the tip of Darin’s foot with his own without any courtesy. “Got anything? About that seven-day birthday thing of yours?”

“I don’t know.”

“Hmm, it’s still just speculation, gotta wait for the answer first.”

“That Rin, always fussing about being born on a Wednesday or whatever.”

“Has the lab result come out yet?”

“It’s out. From the bodies of all seven victims, from the pottery under the monk’s quarters, and from all five dolls.” Say said, locking eyes with his close friend with a serious look, “It’s all the same type of soil. The source of the soil is from all the crime scenes.”

“Cemetery soil. If used in a ritual, it’ll have even more effect.” Thup added after listening for a while.

“I think it’s getting clear, Singha.”

“I need you to watch Rin, Thup, and those three kids. Don’t let them leave the station at all.” Singha was about to turn and leave the room but was grabbed by the wrist.

“You stay here.”

“No way. I’m going with you, Phii.”

“Don’t be stubborn, Thup!!”

“What day were you born?”

“Is now the time? I’m in a hurry!!”

“Tell me what day you were born first!” Thup grabbed both shoulders of Singha, insisting loudly for the first time, making Singha pause.

“Saturday.”

“No… I can’t let you go alone. If we go, we go together.” Thup looked into Singha’s eyes with determination. If the killer was choosing victims, he might be one because the ghost lady mentioned his birthday, and he was genuinely afraid it might shift to Singha instead, “I obey you in everything, but anything that puts you in danger, I won’t have it. Let me come with you, Phii.”

“…Then follow me.” Singha turned to look at Say, and upon seeing his friend nod in understanding, he immediately walked out to the car.

On the bus, there was only silence, no music, no conversation, just like always. Even though Thup felt guilty and uncomfortable, he was relieved that this older guy allowed him to come along. The fact that Singha mentioned the names of the three ghost-hunting gang members, including Darin, clearly indicated they must have gotten some leads.

“Phii Singha.” Thup gathered his courage before calling out to the person driving, but when there was no response, he pursed his lips in frustration. “I know you’re angry because I didn’t listen, but… I have no parents, and even the monk who took care of me has passed away. I just… I just don’t want to lose you too.”

Throughout the journey, there was no response from the young inspector until they arrived at the gate of a warehouse. This place operated as a truck rental company and also had its own large-scale shipping business that required such vehicles. Inside, there were dozens of storage warehouses and trucks, as well as workers’ quarters. Singha stepped out of the car to speak with the guard at the front.

“Hello. I’m a police officer. I’d like to meet Praphat about his son’s disappearance case, and also to inspect something inside the quarters.”

“Oh, they’re not here, officer, neither him nor his wife. After learning about their son’s death, they’ve been working like mad. They said they didn’t want to stay at home because it made them sad and depressed. They left yesterday; they won’t be back until tomorrow.” The elderly man told Singha before opening the gate. “But you can go in, officer. Their house is right at the back, past where the old trucks are stored.”

“Thank you.” After confirming the directions, Singha walked in, with Thup following at a distance, not wanting to intrude.

As they walked deeper, they passed various trucks, some being loaded, others parked and ready to go. The deeper they went, the more dilapidated and old the trucks became. It wouldn’t have been so eerie if the sky hadn’t turned dark with gray shadow, making it gloomy with the threat of rain, the wind gusting like a storm was approaching. Thup quickly looked left and right when he heard intermittent honking but saw no truck that was running or ready to move.

‘Should I crash into it?’

   The faint voice made Thup look up at Singha immediately. Seeing the older man stop, he rushed over, fearing something might happen. In front of them was a small single-story workers’ quarters, just enough for sleeping. The dampness and the chilling atmosphere around the house told Thup that the cursed doll must definitely be inside this house.

Singha shook the door a few times, and it opened easily. Inside, the house had few belongings. There were only two separate rooms, making it easy to search. While the older brother went inside to check, Thup, standing at the door, felt a gentle breeze pass behind him. Turning around, he saw a young woman with red threads sewn at her eyes and mouth, wearing a tattered traditional outfit, her skin pale and starting to decay. She slowly raised her hand and pointed to the right where a wrecked car was parked.

“Found it.” Singha’s voice startled Thup back to reality. Turning back, he saw in Singha’s hand a doll with a deer’s head, severed. But when he looked back for the ghost woman, she had vanished.

“Phii… I saw…”

“What?”

“She pointed over there.” Thup pointed in the same direction the ghost woman had indicated.

“Who?”

“The ghost of the woman I saw as a kid, just now she was standing there and pointed.” Thup said, still in disbelief.

“You believe in ghosts?” Singha raised an eyebrow, looking skeptical.

“I don’t know, but… maybe she wanted to tell us something.” Thup replied. He had nothing but a faint intuition, something he rarely felt. Singha sighed before leading the way into the car graveyard as directed by the young man.

The smell of oil and rust filled the air. This place had both cars parked for dismantling and those already dismantled, waiting to have their scraps removed or sold. They walked down a path lined with cars on both sides as far as the eye could see. Singha frowned deeply, sensing not just the smell of old, rusty cars but also a hint of blood!

Thup grabbed Singha’s hand to stop him, stepping back in horror. What Singha couldn’t see were numerous spirits and wandering souls in various distorted forms. These cars weren’t just abandoned due to age; they were involved in severe accidents or stolen and sold from crime scenes, explaining the twisted, broken forms of the spirits attached to them.

“You asked to come in here.” Singha noted, seeing the trembling fear in Thup’s eyes, immediately understanding that his companion was seeing something supernatural.

“Let’s keep going…” Thup said, holding Singha’s hand before following behind the older man. Because if he gave up now, the promise he made last night to himself and Singha would just be empty words. He didn’t want to be just a burden to anyone anymore.

As they walked further, Singha noticed a familiar car. Upon closer inspection, he found that the color, make, and license plate all matched the target vehicle they were currently searching for.

“Khun Meen’s car.”

“Is… is that Khun Meen’s car?”

“Hmm.” The young inspector took out his phone to call someone at the station immediately.

[Yes, Inspector?]

   “Lieutenant, send the forensic team and evidence collection to Thawirat Company.”

Honk!!

The sound of a car horn made both of them turn around instantly.

[What was that, Inspector?]

   “Send someone to the Thawirat Truck Rental Company.”

Honk!!!

“Damn it.” Singha decided to hang up because talking now wouldn’t be productive. Turning around, he inspected the car’s condition and shone a light inside to check.

Thud!

The sound of something falling and rolling made Thup look down. A round object rolling towards him caught his eye, stopping almost at his feet. A chilling cold gripped his body, preventing him from moving away, because what lay at his feet wasn’t a tire or any car part, but a charred human head, its inner skin visible, with a moaning sound of agony. Its eyes, protruding from their sockets, stared at Thup through a veil of tears.

‘Help… hot… so hot…’

   Thup tightened his grip on Singha’s palm before closing his eyes. Any prayers he could remember were recited to calm his mind. Thup slowly turned towards Singha. No matter how difficult it was, when he opened his eyes, he saw that the older man was looking down through the car window, but what made Thup’s eyes widen was a large iron hook swinging towards him, Thup rushed and before it crashing onto the car roof, he managed to pull Singha into an embrace.

Bang!!!

The roof caved in down to the seats, all the glass shattered. Luckily, Singha reacted in time and used his leather coat to shield Thup.

“Hey!! Who’s that? I told you not to come here today because they’re wrecking cars!!” A shout came from the side, causing Singha to quickly stand up.

“Stop. I’m a police officer, I order you to cease damaging this important piece of evidence now.”

“Huh!!!” The sound of the engine they should have heard from the start stopped, along with a sigh of relief from both.

The young inspector reached out to pull Thup up from the ground; if the kid hadn’t pulled him back, that iron hook would’ve smashed his head. Thup looked around with a pounding heart, hearing laughter from afar, making him focus his gaze.

‘Almost got you on a Saturday, on a Saturday.’

   A ghost girl with stark white eyes was now standing far away, laughing. Her tongue flicked out, licking her lips hungrily before she vanished among the wandering spirits.

“Are you okay, Phii?” Thup turned back to look at Singha, who had just finished talking heatedly with an employee.

“Yeah, that ghost of yours deserves a good thrashing.”

“No, sir, the ghost doing this is the doll ghost.”

“Then this doll is the troublemaker.” Singha lifted the doll with a head like a deer and a human body, named Kalothuk, a mae Sue for Thursday—

 

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 24: A Meaningless Apology

“Make something to eat yourself.” were Singha’s last words before he walked out the door.

After returning home, both went to take a shower. Thup spent his time cleaning the house to keep his mind off the events of the afternoon. Meanwhile, Singha secluded himself in his study. It wasn’t until evening that the older guy came downstairs, dressed in a fitted black t-shirt and matching jeans.

Once Singha left the house, Thup, unsure of what else to do, decided to pick up his drawing supplies that he had brought from his condo, setting them up on the living room table, and continued sketching from where he left off last time. Now he was certain that there were only three ghosts attached to the doll: one was an older ghost woman with white eyes, her lips torn to her ears. Another was a young girl without eyes, similar to what Darin encountered, and…

A woman with red thread hanging loose at her eyes and mouth, the ghost girl he had seen since childhood. Although he felt some fear, she had never done anything violent to him.

Why was that?

Singha, having just parked his car, lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply, his sharp eyes gazing at the towering condo with a neutral expression before he picked up his phone to his ear.

“I’ve arrived.”

“Coming up, I’ve left the keycard at the counter.” After saying this, King hung up. The thick hand dropped the cigarette on the floor before crushing it with his foot until it was obliterated. The dissatisfaction made Singha arrive at the young detective’s door within minutes. He knocked three times before it opened, revealing a tall man in a white bathrobe.

“Whatever you want to talk about, let’s hear it.”

“Come in first.” King stepped aside to let Singha enter.

“Speak quickly, I need to leave.” Singha sat down on the sofa, propping his feet on the coffee table and leaning back nonchalantly.

“I’ll take a shower first.” a cold beer can was pressed against Singha’s cheek before being placed on his lap.

“How long are you going to stall?” The young inspector picked it up, opened it, and took a calm sip.

“Until you act like you used to when we were together.”

“Something from that long ago, should I remember it?”

“Are you sure you don’t remember?” Singha’s chin was lifted to meet the eyes of the person standing behind the sofa, “Or should we jog your memory?”

“Do you dare?”

“Why wouldn’t I dare?”

They locked eyes, neither yielding. King leaned closer, reducing the distance between them until their noses touched, and Singha warned in a tone that was once again elevated by Khem.

“I asked, do you dare?”

“I miss you.” King said softly, gently stroking Singha’s chin.

“And what am I supposed to do with that statement?”

“Let’s get back together.” Singha chuckled in his throat before pushing King’s face away from his sight.

“We never even dated. So what are you on about?”

“But you like me, and you know how I feel, Singha.”

“What makes you think that?” The man took a sip from his beer, his expression bored. He looked out the long glass window that stretched from the left wall to the right.

“Are you going to say what happened in the past was just casual?” King walked and stopped in front of the visitor, his gaze cold as he looked at Singha.

“And wasn’t it?”

“Then let’s just do it casually today too.” King lunged forward, pressing Singha down onto the sofa, his disappointed eyes not leaving his former lover.

“Are you sure you want to keep acting like this?”

“Mhm.”

“It’s annoying, you know.”

“And isn’t that kid even more annoying, following you around like a puppy?” King bent down, nuzzling the strong neck affectionately, hoping the person beneath him would play along like old times.

“Not really.”

“How long do you plan to keep him around?” King slipped his hand under Singha’s shirt, caressing the well-defined muscles expertly.

“Get to your point.” Singha pulled out a cigarette and a lighter from his pants pocket, lighting up even as the person on top of him continued kissing his neck.

“Dad said he’ll offer you a new position in the Department of Special Investigation.” white smoke floated up into the air.

“In exchange for?”

“This is a big serial case. If you catch the culprit, it’ll be beneficial.”

“Huh, beneficial for who? Me, you, or your dad?” King left love marks on the neck before moving down to Singha’s abdomen.

“We all benefit from this, just let me handle it.”

“Is your business just this, King?”

“Still as hot as ever.” King said, admiring the muscles unabashedly.

“So, do you want it?” The young inspector took a last drag of nicotine before flicking the cigarette butt to the ground, his sharp eyes looking down at the person now at his feet with an emotionless gaze.

“Heh, take it off.”

“I mean, do you want my foot?!?!” A foot slammed into King’s chest without holding back, toppling him off the sofa to the floor, losing balance. Before he could get up, his bathrobe collar was yanked forcefully, and heavy punches landed on his left cheek until it went numb. King could barely see how many times he had been hit.

“Singha!!!” When he found an opening to escape the onslaught, King kicked Singha’s knee joint, pinned him to the floor, and punched his right cheek with full force.

“You’re still the same, only interested in benefits.” Singha countered with a punch, knocking King to the side. “Want to know why an apology today is so worthless?”

Singha straddled King, raining down punches mercilessly. The cheekbone, as broken as the lip, started bleeding. Singha then stopped his hands.

“Because on that day, you never thought to apologize to me.” The thick hand let go of King’s collar before standing up to his full height. He looked down at the man sprawled on the floor with colder eyes than ever.

As Singha was about to step over King’s body, his ankle was grabbed first.

“If I had apologized that day… would I still lose you today?” Singha didn’t answer. He simply freed his foot from the grip and walked forward without looking back.

The sound of the closing door made King slowly close his eyes. He knew what kind of person Singha was. Old memories flooded back, and he could only laugh at himself. If he hadn’t done it then, he might still have the person who just walked out by his side now.

‘King, just tell him I didn’t do it!!!’ Singha was handcuffed to the table after causing a big scene upon learning the truth.

   ‘Yes! He arrested the wrong suspect, so the real culprit got away.’

   ‘King!!!’

   ‘And what about the shooting of the officer?’

   ‘…He missed.’ King dodged the gaze of the person in front of him. It wasn’t a look of anger or vengeance, but one of disappointment.

   Since that day, his relationship with Singha has been severed beyond repair.

Thup took a brief break from drawing. He went to prepare a simple dinner to eat in front of the television. Even though a cooking variety show was on, intensely competitive, he had no mind to watch. His beautiful eyes kept glancing at the clock repeatedly. Now, the short hand was pointing at nine, but there was still no sign of the older man returning.

“Should I call and ask?” Thup muttered softly to himself.

Almost twenty minutes later, while he was washing dishes, the sound of a car in front of the house made his heart beat faster. Thup quickly dried his hands before rushing to the front door, but when the door opened, the smile he had faded away.

“Phii, what—”

“Why aren’t you in bed yet?”

“Why do you have a wound?” Unconsciously, Thup raised his hand to cup Singha’s face. The bruise and cut on the right corner of his mouth caused him to gently brush it with his thumb.

“Just a small matter.” Singha gently pushed Thup’s hand away before heading upstairs without another word. As he was about to take off his shirt to change into pajamas, the bedroom door opened, and the young man poked his head in.

“Phii, can I come in?”

“Yeah.” Singha replied, removing his shirt and wrapping a towel around his waist to change his pants. “What’s that you’re holding?”

“…Let me apply some medicine, please.” said Thup, standing at the doorway, averting his eyes towards the bed until Singha finished changing. He still wasn’t used to seeing the older man’s bare upper body.

“Why such fuss over this small wound?” Thup said as he saw the homeowner sit down on the bed. He then approached and sat on the floor in front of the young inspector.

“Even a small wound is still a wound.” Thup said while squeezing ointment onto his finger, preparing to apply it. He glanced and noticed a faint red mark on Singha’s neck. His face brightened slightly, but his eyes dimmed, mirroring his feelings. “Didn’t you understand when talking to Khun King?”

“Yeah.” Singha replied nonchalantly, allowing the kid in front of him to apply the ointment to the corner of his mouth. He then picked up his glasses and documents from the bedside table to continue reading.

“I should have gone with you.”

“What would you have done there? Take care of yourself first.” Singha glanced up and then lightly tapped Thup’s head with the rolled paper. “Will you train me, Phii? So I can help you with something.”

“Train? Someone as soft as you?” Thup sat cross-legged on the floor, massaging Singha’s legs as they talked.

“I work out too, you know. Not that soft.”

“Wouldn’t you be better off fighting ghosts?” Thup quickly shook his head like a rattle. “You’re not ready for that yet.”

“Hmph, then how do you plan to help me?”

“Even if I can’t help much, I still want to help. At least, I can break down the door for myself today.” Thup said softly, looking up at the person sitting on the bed. He hugged the older one’s legs and rested his chin on the knee under the black sweatpants.

“Want to help?”

“Yes.”

“Then come up here and give me a proper massage, I’m going to sleep.” Singha removed his glasses, placed everything on the table, and lay face down on the bed. He had exhausted both his mind and body today and didn’t feel like doing anything more.

“I’m really good at massages, even the old monk praised me.” Thup eagerly climbed up to sit beside him, boasting about his skills to the older man with an excited tone.

“Yeah, yeah.”

“May I?” the young man said, his eyes sparkling. His heart was pounding so hard he had to raise his hand to hold it, taking a deep breath to calm himself. Once he settled down, he placed his hands on the tanned back, beautiful, and started to press down gently along the muscles.

“A bit harder.” Thup increased the pressure as requested by the older guy. He looked at the scattered wounds on Singha’s body, gently running his fingers over them.

“Let me know where you’re sore, okay?”

“Just keep massaging.”

“Phii Singh”

“Hmm?”

“Why did you decide to become a policeman?”

“…Because of my mom.”

“Did your mom want you to be one?”

“No. Just wanted to help.” Thup didn’t press further, sensing that this older guy was avoiding a direct answer.

“Is your job hard? What do you usually do?”

“Like what you’ve seen, just dealing with cases all day. Difficulty varies with time. Harder there.”

Thup looked down at where he was massaging, his beautiful eyes blinking rapidly before he glanced away at the room’s wall… Phii Singha’s waist was quite stunning.

“So… Do you get any time to relax with all this work? I see you working all the time.”

“Relax where? Every day there’s something.”

“You must be very tired.”

“Hmm.”

“Rest now.” Thup stopped the conversation to let the older guy relax as he should. He continued massaging for almost another hour until he heard the steady breathing from the person lying face down. Once sure that Singha was asleep, Thup stopped his hands and covered him with a blanket properly. “Good night, Phii Singha.”

The young man went downstairs to tidy up a bit before taking a shower, turning off the lights, and getting ready for bed. Seeing the older guy sleeping soundly, a smile spread across his lips. He had observed Singha’s daily work. Even though this older guy never complained about being tired, there were many times when he noticed Singha stretching or massaging his temples. It wasn’t expressed in words but through physical actions that often showed his fatigue.

Thup collapsed onto the bed, turning to face the older guy with a concerned look. He could easily not care, could just leave him be, but this person in front of him still brought him along, and even knowing he saw ghosts, tried to shield him from it. Despite often scolding him, he never once neglected his fears. His slender hand reached out to gently brush away the jet-black hair from Singha’s handsome face.

“I’ll try harder on my part, okay?” So you won’t have to be so tired, Thup placed his hand over Singha’s, slowly closing his eyes to fall asleep. “I promise.”

After twenty minutes, the sharp eyes that had been tightly closed opened. Singha looked at Thup’s clear face, well-shaped eyebrows matching his long eyelashes, a high nose bridge, and small lips. No matter how you looked at him, this kid seemed like he was of mixed heritage, either from his father or mother. A pity there was no background information. Singha glanced at the hand resting on his own before gently moving it away without waking the boy in front of him. He stared at the ceiling for nearly ten minutes before turning to lie on his back, contemplating what the kid had said – he heard all of it, and strangely, it kept echoing in his mind.

Singha decided to get up from the bed and walked out to the balcony. He picked up a menthol cigarette, lit it, and at the same time, pulled out his phone to call his close friend, wondering if he had gone back to sleep yet.

[Hello.]

   “Where are you?”

[At the lab, why? You want me to come collect King’s body?]

   “A wound like that won’t kill him.”

[So, what did he want to talk to you about?]

   “He wants to take this case for himself.” Singha exhaled white smoke into the sky. “To make a name for his father too.”

[Damn, why not let him try then? And throw in some ghosts too, would be great, // Say said not to speak!!!] Darin’s voice shouted into the phone, making Singha chuckle in his throat.

“Isn’t Rin going home?”

[Yeah, she said she absolutely won’t stay alone. So now she’s making herself a burden to me // how about some ghost ripping out your chest too?!]

   “Be careful then.”

[And where are you now?]

   “Home.”

[Wow, Khun Singha is getting domestic, but not sure if you are really into the house or someone in it.]

   “More like attached to the spot here, let me talk to him for a bit.” The back-and-forth bickering was nothing new to Singha.

[What’s up, Inspector? Because all they ever do is fight like this.]

   “Do you know any good places selling sacred items?”

[Don’t tell me you’re scared of ghosts now. How’s that? I told you not to disrespect them.]

   “Not for me, it’s for Thup.”

[Why give it to the kid? You said he doesn’t see ghosts when he’s close.]

   “Can’t have him clinging to me like this forever, it happened once today already.”

[Why, what happened?] Singha began recounting the day’s events to the person on the other end, while extinguishing his cigarette in a glass tray. [Shit, so many tricks and traps, why are they so keen on getting Nong Thup?]

   “Don’t know.” Singha paused, then turned to look at the boy sleeping on the bed. “Thup mentioned once there was a female ghost following him, like she wanted something.”

[Singha… what ghosts want now might be lives, right?]

   “Tuesday, Wednesday.” Singha murmured to himself.

[What’s that about then?]

   “Thup was born on a Saturday.”

[So what?]

   “And the remaining days, have they been chosen or are they dead already?”

[What are you talking about, Singha, that’s creepy.]

   “Rin, go ask the kid in the nurse’s room what days those two were born.”

[Now?]

   “Yeah, let me know when you get the info.”

[Say, get up, let’s go together.]

   After hanging up, Singha walked back into the room. He approached the bedside and flicked Thup’s front hair lightly.

“Ugh.”

“Troublemaker.” The phone in his hand vibrated, drawing his attention. He opened to check the message, and Singha had to sigh upon seeing the information received.

DARIN: The kid named Bom was born on a Friday, Dear was born on a Monday.

   DARIN: Song, born on Sunday.

   SINGHA:What about the other one, the one who went home already?

   SINGHA:Have Lieutenant Khem contact to check if the kid made it home yet.

   Sunday, Two.

   Monday, Dear

   Tuesday, Jump

   Wednesday, Darin

   Friday, Bom

   Saturday, Thup

   Just one more day until Thursday, if this were a new selection, it means the killer has almost got all his victims. Just needs to act, or maybe… he might have already started.

 

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 23: Samolthat

“Who’s that kid?” the older man’s eyes turned to look as a deep voice came from behind, causing Thup to turn.

“Hello.”

“Back already? He’s a policeman.” Thup wanted to deny it almost to death, but if he said he wasn’t, he wasn’t sure if it would cause trouble for Singha.

“Police?”

“Yes, here about Orn.” as the father mentioned his daughter’s name, his eyes immediately darkened.

“Have you caught the culprit yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Then why are you here!!! Instead of catching the bastard who did this to my daughter!!!.” he shouted angrily and lunged forward to grab Thup by the collar, startling him.

“I… I…”

“We are doing our job, and it would be better if you cooperated, starting by letting go of my man.” a cold voice rang out before the wrist of the man in front of Thup was gripped tightly. Singha looked at Orn’s father impassively. He understood the anger, revenge, dissatisfaction, and grief, but lashing out at others like this would only lead to more trouble.

“Running around like headless chickens, yet haven’t seen the head of the culprit, and you still have the face to come to my house?!!”

“Calm down, dear, the police are trying to help.” The mother tried to soothe the situation with calming words.

“We are doing everything we can. If you have any clues about her behavior before she disappeared, or anything about Orn, it would be very helpful.”

“Huh.” The hot-tempered man released Thup’s collar, coinciding with Singha stepping in to shield him, “Clues? Isn’t that the police’s job?”

“Well, recently my child was sick. She vomited often, barely ate, and she lost a lot of weight in the last few days before she disappeared. Sob, I told her to come back early that day because I was going to make her favorite dish, but…” She covered her face and wept bitterly.

“I told you to stop her from hanging out with those friends, they’ll only spoil her, I was afraid one day she might lose her way.” The father’s mocking tone made Thup press his lips together. Was it because of this kind of attitude that Phii Singha…

“Would Orn go out with her friends often?” Singha continued to inquire, “Before this, she would go once or twice a week, but this month, Orn went to her friend’s house frequently, sometimes even staying overnight.”

“Was there anything else unusual?”

“She didn’t say much, but some nights when I come out to use the bathroom, I can hear murmuring from her room.”

“Is it… a chant or something?” Thup asked when he found a gap in the conversation.

“Probably, yes. I couldn’t hear it clearly.”

“That’s all I have to ask for now. If I find out anything more, I’ll let you know.” Singha gave a slight bow before walking back to his car.

“Phii, aren’t you going to tell them?” Thup asked once it was just the two of them.

“Let’s wait until the case is closed to tell them. Telling them now would just make them blame themselves for nothing.” Singha tossed two evidence bags on Thup’s lap; one contained a damaged doll, its head shattered, and the other had Orn’s notebook… and a pregnancy test.

“Phii Singha, I have something to tell you.”

“About?”

“I called my uncle back in my hometown.”

“Go on.” Thup started recounting everything he had heard from the beginning to the end, with Singha occasionally interrupting with questions, but mostly just nodding.

“That’s everything.”

“A policeman?”

“Yes, that’s what my uncle said.”

“We’ll need to check with the police again about where he was transferred to twenty years ago. Without a full name, we can’t really verify anything clearly.” Singha looked ahead with a blank expression. It seemed he needed to find these dolls as quickly as possible, so he could move on to investigate other matters.

Singha’s car stopped in front of the same townhouse they had visited before. Even though they had a search warrant, with no homeowner present, there was no need to present it to anyone. Singha opened the gate and walked inside, with Thup clinging to his shirt’s edge, still haunted by the memory of seeing the ghost girl there when he first opened the house door. A foul, rotting smell immediately wafted out from inside, forcing both of them to cover their noses.

“Go wait in the car.” Thup immediately shook his head when he saw his older brother turning to send him off.

“I can help you find the doll, you know.”

“Next time you see a ghost, don’t come crying for my help.”

“Well then…” Thup switched from clinging to the older man’s shirt to clasping hands with Singha, “This way, I won’t get haunted by ghosts anymore.”

“But it’s in the way.” Singha lifted their joined hands, swinging them back and forth with an annoyed look.

“Just for a moment, until we find the doll, please?” Thup squeezed the older man’s hand gently to emphasize, smiling until his eyes closed.

“If you become a burden, I’ll shake you off for sure.” Singha sighed before yanking the arm of the kid beside him to follow into the house.

The house was clean, all furniture intact, but there was an awful, rotting smell from somewhere. Both scanned the surroundings cautiously. No matter where Singha went, he dragged the kid behind him. Singha turned.

A creaking sound from above made them both look up. They exchanged looks before heading up the stairs step by step, the foul, decaying and musty smell intensifying, forcing them to grimace. As soon as they stepped onto the last stair, the previously closed door slowly opened as if inviting them in.

“Stay here.” Singha released Thup’s hand and walked straight towards the open door on the right.

Inside what should have been the coziest bedroom, there were talismans, dolls, and bloodstains on the floor. Singha took out his phone to photograph everything, including the blood patterns drawn on a pin.

“Thup, come here for a second.” Singha turned back to the door, but as Thup was about to enter, the door slammed shut abruptly. “Thup!! Hey, Thup!!!”

Singha kicked the door hard, but it showed no sign of opening. On Thup’s side, he tried banging on the door to help , unaware the older guy that a pair of eyes was watching him from the stairs slowly every time.

The sound of nails scratching against the wooden floor and laughter made Thup turn to see the figure of a woman with stark white eyes, smiling widely to her ears, her long tongue licking the stairs as she tried to crawl up. Thup felt fear gripping his heart.

“Thup!! Hey, Thup!!” The voice of his older guy and the sound of knocking on the door made Thup hesitate; he let go of the doorknob. It wasn’t just him who was of concern; just before the door closed, his eyes caught a glimpse of a talisman and blood stains on the floor. It wasn’t just any ordinary talisman.

It was a ghost-summoning talisman!

Hee-hee-hee.

The sound of nails scratching against the stairs grew louder, closer and closer, the ghost girl crawling towards him until she was almost upon him.

“Thup!!”

‘Saturday, Saturday, Saturday…’

   The taunting voice that pierced his eardrums forced Thup to cover one ear with his hand, shutting his eyes immediately because he didn’t want to see anything else.

‘You see this, you see it, right?’

   ‘Help me, please help.’

   ‘Think… of… think of dad.’

   ‘Heh, heh, full of ghosts, just full of ghosts.’

   “Get out, please get out.”

The presence of more than one voice made Thup’s hands shake uncontrollably. Right now, in front of him, there was more than one ghost; perhaps they were even staring at him. The stench, the oppressive atmosphere making it hard to breathe, the nausea he was feeling, the chilling cold reaching his spine, and the goosebumps all over his body – this was not good. Not good at all.

Bang!!!

Thup startled and inadvertently opened his eyes. In front of him was a woman, very familiar, one of her eyes sewn shut with red thread. The other eye, though still connected by some thread, allowed a peek at the eyeball inside. Her lips were also held by thread, looking like they could tear at any moment. She was standing in front of him, using herself as a shield between Thup and the dozens of ghosts.

“Damn it, what the hell are these ghosts? Thup, dodge!” Singha’s voice brought Thup back to his senses. He quickly moved away from the door as instructed.

Bang!

Bang!!

Bang!!!

Soon enough, the previously shut door was kicked open so hard it swung wide.

“Annoying.” Singha muttered as he emerged from the room, then walked over to pull Thup up by the hand, urging him to get up, and they both rushed downstairs. They exited the house immediately; staying inside for even one more minute wasn’t a good idea.

“Pee.”

“Let’s head home; we’ll find another time for the other two.” Singha suddenly stopped walking and speaking when the kid in front of him collapsed to the ground and hugged his leg.

“Thank… thank you.”

“Are you going to sit here or go home?” Singha squatted in front of Thup, lifting his chin with his hand to make him look up.

“Go… go home.”

“Then get up, I’ll take you back.”

Thup didn’t immediately comply; his legs were numb to the point of feeling nothing. He just rested his forehead on the knee of the older man.

“Just a moment, please. Just for a second.” His voice carried the same irritation as before, but Singha’s big hand simply rested on his soft hair, not pushing him away but gently stroking.

The previous events shouldn’t have happened. There wasn’t even a breeze, yet the door shut so tightly it wouldn’t budge no matter how they tried to open it. The shaky voice at the door made Singha try over and over to open it, and what made him even more anxious was the shadow under the door that suggested there was no one else in the room with Thup, just one shadow as it should be.

After comforting each other until they felt better, Singha drove out of the village immediately. If he had come alone, finding the next doll wouldn’t be difficult, but dragging along the kid who was still trembling in the passenger seat wasn’t exactly ideal.

“Phii?”

“Yes?”

“What about… the doll at Meen’s house?”

Singha glanced slightly at Thup. Despite being scared by a ghost, he was still worried about that haunted doll. Singha pulled out an evidence bag from his coat and tossed it onto Thup’s lap.

“Is this the one? Meen had several, but I wasn’t sure which.”

The young man looked down at the item on his lap for a while before nodding softly. His beautiful eyes gazed at the doll with a human body, an elephant head with a long trunk, and magnificent tusks, its head twisted backward.

“Yes, it’s an elephant head, named Samolthat, a Mae Sue for Wednesday.”

“And the talismans and scripts on the floor?”

“The talismans are for summoning spirits. I’ve seen the old monk put them in a chest after villagers asked for help. As for the scripts on the floor… I think they’re similar.”

“Why would Meen do this?”

“I think… they might not know.”

“What do you mean?”

“All the victims might not know what they’re worshiping. They don’t realize what they think they’re bowing to asking for peace of mind… is waiting to devour them.”

Singha stopped by the station again to hand over the two dolls to Say for examination, along with a notebook, a pregnancy test from Orn’s house, and photos, as well as bloodstains from Min’s house.

“Get out.” This time, Singha didn’t tell Thup to wait in the car. The events had proven that even a split second and less than a meter could nearly get this kid’s chest ripped open by a ghost.

“Hey Say, hey Rin, I brought you some stuff.”

“Three items aren’t enough, now you’re bringing more, Singha!!” Darin exclaimed as soon as he saw his friend carrying in four new evidence bags.

“Yeah.” Singha replied lazily, not wanting to argue, just a simple acknowledgement.

“Yeah, what do you mean ‘yeah’!!! And what have you been doing, looking exhausted like you’ve run eighty laps?”

“Yeah. I was running from a ghost.”

“Huh?!”

“Trying out a new experience?” Say asked, not too seriously. “We’ll talk later, I’m taking Thup home first. This case is the heaviest.”

“Wait up, Singha, King came looking for you, told me to tell you when you come back I should remind you.”

“Remind me?”

“Meeting this evening, at the condo, with him.”

“The condo? What the hell, can’t he meet somewhere else?”

“That’s why it’s messed up, that’s why you’re meeting there. Just be careful.”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t just get hurt lightly; you can’t afford to get your ears chewed off, or you’ll be interrogated again.” Say warned, before placing all the evidence on the table.

“If I call you, it means it’s serious. See ya.” Singha said, and he and Thup walked out of the forensic department room without haste, but not far along, the younger one tugged at the older man’s shirt.

“Are you really going, Phii?”

“Going where?”

“To… meet Khun King.”

“Uh, right.”

“But then…”

“Didn’t you say you could not stay at home, even if there’s a monk?”

“I’m not worried about that…” Thup muttered to himself, “I’ll be back in a flash.”

“Yes.”

From both their statuses, Thup felt a slight unease in his heart, not knowing what it was, but one thing was certain: he didn’t want this older man to go. He didn’t want him to meet you, King. He didn’t want them to be alone together.

   He really didn’t want to see things if he went back to that person…

  

GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH CHAPTERS HOME

  

   GODDESSBLESSYOUFROMDEATH, Case File 22: Yakbrisut

Darin sat among the three young men, all staring at the laptop screen with intense expressions. She still remembered the chilling spine-tingling, numbing feeling when she saw those animal carcasses. Just seeing them, she could tell it wasn’t a natural death. The scattered incense sticks around indicated it wasn’t just once or twice.

“Here’s the abbot’s background.” King placed documents in front of Singha, “Anupab, aged sixty-two, ordained for fifteen years with the monastic name Phra Aum Rom, became the abbot at Santithamarat Temple five years ago.”

“Five years ago?”

“Hmm, according to history, it’s like that.”

“It matches the time frame of the murder incident before that.”

“Before that, he was a wandering monk, in one of the northern provinces.”

“Northern?”

Was there ever a medical treatment history there?

“Yes, it matches the location of the previous incident, right?” King looked at the object, not taking his eyes off it.

“Hmm.”

“But that is a monk.” Darin said with a trembling voice.

“Monks are humans too. Just because they wear yellow robes doesn’t mean they can’t do wrong.” Singha said with a calm face. “Right now, we don’t have evidence linking him to the murder. These clips alone aren’t enough; we need more solid evidence.”

“Uh… Singha, I have something else to tell you.” Darin called Singha with a worried tone, “Before going to the temple, I had a dream, uh… I saw a female ghost, and she kept saying Wednesday, Wednesday, do… Do you think I might die? Will I end up like the previous seven victims?”

Singha gently rubbed Darin’s head to calm him down. He knew how scared his friend was of ghosts, and he couldn’t assure her nothing would happen because even he didn’t know what exactly was going on.

“For now, don’t go anywhere alone. Either stay with me or Say for the time being. Meanwhile, I’ll have someone spy at the temple, Say will check the soil from the doll properly, and King, have you checked the CCTV yet?”

“It’s done. I’ll write up a report, but what’s clear is that out of six or seven people who went in at different times, none came out, except for Meen. It’s pretty clear it’s the work of someone from the temple.”

“Keep tracking where Meen’s car went. As for the doll, the ghost stuff, and other matters, I’ll handle it myself.”

“Singha.” King interjected with a flat expression.

“I need to visit the next victim’s house. Darin, take care of the kid in the infirmary.”

“B…but isn’t that kid also marked by the ghost?” Darin clung to Say’s arm despite being shaken off repeatedly.

“Thup said that kid mentioned Tuesday.”

“See?!?

“If these ghosts keep causing trouble, our investigation won’t get far.” Say complained before leaning back on the sofa, “I don’t know much about this, I’ll ask Thup later.”

“I have an idea!!” Darin shouted as she stood up, walked to her bag, and placed it heavily on the table. The loud thud made everyone look at each other, “Buddha statues! Amulets! Holy threads, holy water! Charms! I’ve brought everything!”

Darin took everything out and set them down before sighing in relief. She had brought everything from home to ward off ghosts and unseen entities. She wasn’t sure if they would work, but it was better than nothing, at least for peace of mind.

“Phii Singha.” a voice called from inside the room, drawing the attention of Singha and King.

“Told you to rest.”

“I can’t sleep.” Thup walked out and sat next to the older guy, looking curiously at the items on the table, “What are these?”

“Hey, kid Thup, these are my sacred amulets. Check quickly if they’ll work.” Darin pointed excitedly at the items she had worshiped many times, hoping they would be effective.

“I can’t tell, Phii Darin.”

“Oh?”

“Otherwise, would I still be getting haunted like this?” Thup said, shrugging slightly, which made Singha chuckle softly.

Singha stood up to his full height, gently ruffling Thup’s soft hair before walking into the inner room where a twenty-four-year-old man lay still on a bed by the window after receiving treatment. One of his wrists was handcuffed to the bed, and beside the bed, two people sat sleeping, unable to go home yet.

“Where’s the lieutenant?” Singha picked up his phone to call his trusted subordinate immediately.

[He’s out front, inspector, contacting the relatives of the kid named Jump.]

   “Have you reached them?”

[We’ve made contact. They’re in Satun and will return tomorrow.]

   “Hmm, okay, inform me when they arrive.”

[Understood, uh, and what about the other two kids, inspector?]

   “I’ll ask first.”

[Yes, inspector, and there’s one more thing, about Lieutenant Moo and Lieutenant EM today.]

   “Why?”

[Lieutenant Moo had an accident with his bike and is in the hospital. I don’t know what’s with the station these days, there’s always something going on. As for Lieutenant EM, he’s sick, but now he’s not…]

   Singha ran his fingers through his shiny black hair in frustration. If this were before, he would’ve dismissed it as normal or called it nonsense. But now, was he sure it was still normal?

“Tell everyone to be careful for now.”

[Acknowledged.]

   Singha hung up and walked over to check on the person lying on the bed, glancing at both Bom and Dear. These kids received an email from someone, and what did the sender want by revealing the case details and crime scene to outsiders, when it should’ve been kept quiet? The young inspector walked back to the reception room, where Say and Darin were no longer present. Only King and Thup remained.

“Thup, get up, I’m taking you home.”

“Huh?” the older man didn’t repeat himself. He just walked towards the door, but before he could reach it, his wrist was grabbed.

“Let’s talk first.” King said in a flat tone, “Just the two of us.”

“Even if it’s just the two of us.” Despite the non-threatening tone, the words carried the same weight.

“I’ll wait outside.” Thup stood up, ready to leave so as not to inconvenience them.

“No need.” The older man’s voice halted his long legs, “Say what you have to say. I need to go to work.”

“There’s nothing now.” King sighed, releasing his grip from the person in front of him, “But there will be tonight. I’ll send you the location. If you don’t show up, expect a call from the police commander.”

King walked past Singha, bumping into Thup’s shoulder with displeasure.

“Damn it.” Singha muttered, pressing his tongue against his cheek in irritation.

“Phii.” Thup came up, holding onto the back hem of the older man’s shirt. He heard everything from earlier… tonight… They will meet tonight.

“Let’s go, I’ll drop you home first.”

“Let me go with you, let me go with you, Phii.”

“Are you still going even with that injury?”

“I don’t want you to go alone. At least, I might be able to warn you about something. Please, let me come with you.” Singha turned to look at the young man behind him, who was looking at him with hopeful eyes. Seeing the bruise on his neck, he sighed resignedly.

“Fine, come along, but don’t go wandering off alone again. I won’t care then.” otherwise, if a ghost drags you off, I won’t.

“Yes, sir!” Thup smiled broadly before clinging to the older man’s arm, heading towards the car.

The two headed towards Orn’s next home, because according to King’s investigation at the house where Orn last stayed with a friend, nothing was found. Moreover, the friend Orn stayed with before disappearing said that Orn had gone back home. Because of that, the doll must be at the house.

The luxury car stopped in front of a silver iron fence. Inside was a single-story house of medium size but with ample space around it. As Singha and Thup stepped out of the car, two black and white dogs ran out from the house, barking ferociously at them before starting to howl.

“I… I don’t see anything.” Thup said anxiously because he couldn’t see any ghosts or spirits here. He had no idea what the two dogs were seeing.

“Shh, shh, Samlee, Sinil, stop barking.” a woman in her forties walked out and shooed the dogs back to the house, “Sorry about that, those two don’t like strangers. Who are you looking for?”

“I’m a police officer. We have some matters to investigate and questions about Orn’s case. Here’s the search warrant.” She looked saddened before opening the gate for Singha and Thup.

“Sorry about the hospitality, my husband isn’t here today, so I can’t welcome you properly.”

“It’s okay.”

“My daughter, sob, how is she? When, sob, when can we bring her body back?”

“The autopsy is now complete. We will return the body for the ceremony again.” Singha said with a calmer tone than ever before, “Which room is Orn’s?”

“Over there.” she pointed to the room at the very end of the hallway, “I… haven’t been able to accept it yet, so nothing has been moved.”

“May I go in then?”

“Please, go ahead.”

Singha opened the door to the inside, with Thup following not far behind. Here. There wasn’t anything particularly special, just an ordinary bedroom with everything in place. Singha walked around inspecting; his face was expressionless, unlike Thup who still stood in the same spot.

“All these things are still in their original places, right? No one has moved anything, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Then why is this here?” Singha pointed to a notebook, placed on the bed where it shouldn’t be.

“It wasn’t there at first. I just brought some water to set in the room. At that time, it wasn’t there yet.”

Singha looked up at Thup, before putting on gloves and picking it up. Inside, there were only red pen marks, not forming any letters, just random scribbles. Thup stepped beside the older man and whispered softly into his ear:

“I don’t see any ghosts at all.”

“So?”

“That means the doll isn’t here.” Thup shook his head to confirm and looked around the room again.

“I’d like to take this notebook with me.” Singha turned to speak to Orn’s mother, who was standing at the doorway, tears streaming down her face. She nodded slowly.

“Is there a shrine here?” Thup asked in a softer tone. Losing a child was painful enough. Adding more distressing news wouldn’t be good.

“Ye… yes, there is one next door.”

“May I go take a look?” Upon receiving permission, Thup immediately walked to the neighboring house.

A clean white spirit house was located in the northeast corner relative to the house, free from any shadows. The shrine was elevated one cubit above the ground, with a small roof, figures of men and women, horse and elephant figurines, and a dancer, all set with flowers and various offerings. Thup raised his hands in a wai before peering inside the shrine.

“With a spirit house like this, that ghost surely can’t enter.” Thup looked outside the fence until he spotted a lone large tree. The treetop, with sparse leaves, had branches that seemed eerie as they pointed here and there. The trunk was withered. Thup’s eyes widened when a dark shadow appeared from behind the tree.

White eyes stared back at Thup with displeasure, the once wide-smiling lips now firmly closed. At her bare feet lay a doll, its head broken off and separated.

“Thup.” Singha called out immediately when he saw the boy he came with standing still, staring at one spot for a long time as if seeing something.

“The doll… it’s over there.” Thup pointed at the large tree. Singha followed his finger and saw it.

“Wait here.” Singha walked out from the fence with Thup’s eyes following him closely.

Singha walked the path until he reached the large, withered tree. He bent down to pick up both the body and the head of the doll.

   A gentle breeze blew past him, leaves fluttering past his eyes. Once they passed, he saw Thup watching him with concern. How long had it been since he last saw such a look? Singha looked down at the broken doll in his hand once more.

   The body of a human, the head of a buffalo, named Yakbrisut, Mae Sue for Tuesday.

  

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