KHEMJIRA, Chapter 4:
In the silence of the night, inside the monk’s quarters of Phra Pinto, in his dream, there appeared the figure of a young woman wearing a white blouse and a traditional Thai skirt, sitting with her hands clasped in prayer at the foot of the stairs to his hut. Phra Pinto stood at the top, looking down at her.
“It’s been a long time since we last met, Mae Khae.” Phra Pinto spoke, and the woman bowed three times before looking up with a faint smile, her once beautiful eyes now showing signs of fatigue and sorrow.
“Paying respects, reverend brother.” Said “Khae.” or “Khaekhai.” Phra
Pinto’s deceased wife who had passed away over seven years ago. Yet she still lingered by their child out of concern, occasionally entering dreams to convey messages.
“What brings you here this time?”
“Reverend brother, please prevent Khem from returning here.”
“Why?” asked Phra Pinto, and Khae Khai proceeded to explain what had happened to Khem.
“The protective powers in the amulet blessed by the master have faded. Khem’s luck has started to wane, and he’s been having accidents frequently. But after meeting a friend, he has found something to protect him, keeping spirits at bay…including myself.” She added in a quiet voice at the end. She, too, was considered a spirit.
“…”
“The boy’s name is Jett, he’s a disciple of a master, with a much stronger spirit than Khem’s, and he’s been helping him all along.”
“…”
“If Khem is away from Jett during this break, I fear that this time, they might really take our son away.” Khae Khai said with tears before bowing again to the ground.
“…”
“Please help our child once more.” After that, everything in the dream slowly faded, and Phra Pinto woke up.
After Khem had the handkerchief with the talisman from Pharan, Jett’s master, things returned to normal for him. Accidents, whether small or large, ceased to occur frequently. And the recurring dreams of the old Thai house from two different eras no longer came.
As for seeing spirits, Khem still had the ability, but because they weren’t aggressive towards him, and with the monk’s talisman on him, he wasn’t as scared anymore.
However, since that day, Khem hadn’t dared to draw his mother’s portrait again. Now, nearly six months have passed.
The old portrait, which Jett had crumpled and discarded, was taken by Khem to be burned at the temple, where he then offered merit to appease the spirits as suggested by Monk Pharan.
This period was the time for final exams, and soon Khem’s university would be closing for the term.
While Khem was hanging out laundry on the balcony, his phone rang. Without needing to look at the screen, he knew who it was.
“What’s up, Jett?”
[Khem, got any plans for the term break?]
“Well, my abbot is unwell. I was planning to go visit him. Why?”
[I wanted to invite you to join our volunteer camp. At first, the seniors planned to go to Ubon Ratchathani, which is my hometown. I suggested we go to the village where my monk lives, there’s a lot of development needed there.
Plus, you’ll get activity credits, and I figured it’s a chance to take you to see the monk.]
The club Khem and Jett were part of was a volunteer club. Usually, every year they held camps in nearby provinces, but this year the university had provided a larger budget, allowing them to go as far as Ubon Ratchathani.
For Jett, he had initially planned to bring Khem to see the monk during the term break. But since the club was organizing a volunteer camp in his hometown area, it was a perfect opportunity to do some good deeds together. He proposed they go to Monk Pharan’s rather remote village, which would allow him to bring Khem directly to the monk.
At first, there were objections because people were worried it would be too tough, but Jett convinced his father to sponsor the event, and the seniors agreed to it.
[So, what do you say? Want to join? I really want you to come.] Jett asked, and Khem hesitated for a moment before responding.
“Let me call and ask the abbot first.”
[Okay, let me know.]
“Alright.” After Jett hung up, it wasn’t long before the abbot, Khem’s father, called. Khem hadn’t even had the chance to call him yet.
“Paying respects, father abbot. How are you feeling?” Khem asked first, then furrowed his brow slightly when the abbot replied:
[I am well. No need for concern. During the break, you don’t need to come back to visit.]
“Oh, is that so?”
[Yes, if there’s somewhere else for you to go, go there. It might be for the better.] Khem’s heart skipped a beat.
“father abbot, do you know where I plan to go?”
[I’m just saying, follow your heart. Take care of yourself while you’re away.] Khem bit his lip gently before nodding and responding, agreeing to whatever the abbot suggested.
“Alright, father abbot. Please take care of your health too.”
That night, Khem called Jett back to confirm and asked him to sign up with the club on his behalf. The travel was set for the following week after the exams, with a mix of excitement and apprehension.
Before the departure day, Jett stayed over at Khem’s place. They planned to go to the university together to catch the bus the next day.
“Khem, pack more clothes.” Jett said, lying on the bed, watching Khem pack.
“Why? It’s just a four-day trip, isn’t it? I’ve already packed two extra sets.” Khem replied without turning around.
“I don’t know, you might end up staying with the master until the term starts.”
“What? Are you crazy?”
“Not crazy, I just don’t want you to come back and be alone. I might have to stay home to help with family business during the whole break.” Khem considered this, wanting to reassure Jett not to worry, but honestly, he was scared too about being alone, so he asked:
“Then…can’t I just stay at Jett’s house?”
“It’s possible, but how can I help you there? Being with the master is the safest place for you.”
Khem’s face showed concern.
“Will it bother the monk…?” Khem felt hesitant; after all, Monk Pharan didn’t even know him, unlike Jett who was his friend.
“You don’t have to worry about that. The monk’s house is as big as a temple, a small guy like you won’t take up much space.”
“But I feel bad about imposing, and besides, the monk already said he doesn’t want to get involved with my issues.” Jett slapped the bed with a loud thud, making Khem jump.
“This! This is the face! Remember this expression, when you see the monk, just make this face, guaranteed to soften his heart a hundred percent!” Khem’s eyebrows twitched, almost throwing his deodorant at Jett, “You talk too much, how do you know the monk will soften up?” Jett shook his head, recalling his days from when he first became the monk’s disciple up until now, then he gave a sly smile and answered.
“You’re exactly his type.”
“Cough!” Khem choked on his own saliva, then grabbed something to throw at Jett, who easily dodged it.
“What are you talking about? That’s a monk master.”
“My master, not yours. Trust me. If you want to save your little life, do what I say.”
Khem glared at him, “If I do what you say and it still doesn’t work. I’ll be the first ghost to haunt you, Jett.” Jett laughed heartily.
“Yeah, I’ll even tear up the monk’s talisman and throw it away for you.”
When it was time for bed, Jett laid out a mattress on the floor next to Khem’s bed, just like he always did when staying over here because his sleeping habits were like clockwork, always waking up with his head at the foot of the bed, fearing that one good night he might accidentally kick his small friend off.
“Sweet dreams, Khem.”
“Sweet dreams, Jett.” Jett chuckled at Khem’s sarcastic reply; his friend’s reactions were what made him enjoy teasing him.
After turning off the light, silence enveloped the room, and soon both Jett and Khem fell into a deep sleep.
Khem was dreaming again…
He dreamed of an old, large Thai-style house by the river. Khem saw the lifestyle of the people in the house, a young girl of about eight or nine playing mischievously with the servants, and a noblewoman in traditional Thai attire, weaving flower garlands. This time, the dream seemed clearer than before. Khem looked at the face of the young woman and softly exclaimed,
“Mother?” The young woman had pricked her finger with the needle while stringing flowers. The maid, who was sitting and weaving garlands below, quickly crawled over to check her wound. Khem, with concern, intended to go to her, but as if pulled back by an unseen force, he was transported to the eggshell-colored house from a different era.
As always, when Khem dreamt of the ancient Thai house, he would be brought here without much chance to observe or do anything more than watch, looking through the windows from outside.
Khem often saw a couple, though he could never clearly discern their faces.
Sometimes, he would see only a woman, looking forlorn, eating alone in the house.
And there would always be a chilling male voice from behind asking if he wanted to stay here, but Khem never responded. Not long after, he would wake up.
Lately, he had become somewhat numb to it, until receiving the talisman from Jett’s master, after which he stopped having these dreams until now.
This time, the atmosphere felt strange.
Khem saw no one, not even the lady of the house at the dining table…
A cold shiver ran down Khem’s back again, making him straighten up. He felt someone standing behind him but, as usual, couldn’t turn around to look.
Khem was certain it must be the owner of the mysterious voice that always asked if he wanted to stay, but this time, the other party remained silent, no matter how long he waited.
Usually, Khem would wake up after the voice spoke, but several minutes had passed, and he was still here.
Khem began to feel anxious, to the point where he spoke first.
“Why aren’t you speaking?”
The ruler of this dream dimension was overjoyed to hear a response from Khem for the first time, but it couldn’t voice out to send him back to reality because another malevolent spirit’s pale hands covered its mouth from behind, while its legs wrapped around and tightly clenched its waist, causing pain.
How did it get in here? That was the question echoing in its mind now.
Normally, it was already difficult to deal with this evil spirit. This time, it seemed like its power had grown even stronger than before, to the extent that it could encroach upon others’ territories, which was very dangerous…
Khem didn’t get an answer, even though he could still feel the presence of the mysterious voice behind him, but instead, he heard another voice that felt very familiar.
Khem…
“Mother? Is that you?” Khem’s body trembled with urgency, it was the first time he had heard his mother’s voice so clearly.
‘Help me, I’m in so much pain.’
“Mother, where are you!” Khem shouted in panic upon hearing his mother’s voice in pain, and without thinking about looking back, he rushed out to find her.
The mysterious man who owned this dimension was now wide-eyed, yelling out loud,
‘Don’t go!’
Khem returned to the first Thai house, still hearing his mother’s cries for help in his ears.
“Mother! Where are you!” Khem cried. He ran around the house, now seemingly abandoned, as if it had turned into a desolate place. Then Khem heard another woman’s voice he had never heard before.
‘Come to the pier,’ the voice was slow and cold, showing no emotion, but Khem felt that the speaker was smiling…
He didn’t have time to care, knowing where the pier was, Khem ran out of one of the bedrooms directly to his destination.
Outside, it was pouring heavily like a storm. Khem saw his mother’s figure clinging tightly to the edge of a mooring post on the bridge, her lower half submerged in the swift current.
‘Khem, help me, help me!’ Khem heard his mother’s voice even though he was still far from the spot, and then his eyes widened in horror as his mother could no longer hold onto the post.
She disappeared from sight as if she had never been there.
“Mother!” Khem’s heart was torn in that instant; he shouted for his mother amidst the raging storm, rushing forward intending to jump into the river to save her.
Jett was in deep sleep when suddenly the voice of a woman shouted into his ear:
“Jett!”
Gasp!
Startled awake, he sat up abruptly, pulling off his cartoon-patterned sleep mask. The first thing he saw was the balcony with the light still on, and he noticed his small friend, who should have been asleep on the bed, was up to something.
“Hey, Khem!”
