[T/N] I apologize for grammar mistakes and incoherencies
Case File 16: Wannanongkran
King’s car stopped in front of a small house. Though not in perfect condition, with the house covered in corrugated iron and various wires holding it together, it was still a home.
“Hello.” King greeted.
“Hel...Hello.” an elderly woman, around eighty years old, opened the door, looking weary.
“I’m a police officer.”
“Is this about Jom?” Just mentioning the name of her recently deceased grandson made her voice tremble.
“Yes. I’m here to check on a few things. Here’s my warrant.”
“I can’t see well, young man, but come on in, though it’s a bit messy.” She walked out and sat on a wooden chair at the front, gazing aimlessly at the sky. Her life and her grandson’s had been very hard. She never thought heaven would still torment them like this.
“The forensic team couldn’t work, so be careful, wear gloves, and don’t rummage through things randomly.”
“Understood.” After instructing his team to go inside, King sat down beside the old woman, who at this moment looked extremely weak.
“Grandma, can I ask you a few more questions?”
“Go ahead.”
“Before the day Jom disappeared, did he mention anything strange or tell you any stories?”
“Hmmm... Normally, Jom didn’t talk much; he just did things. He was a good kid. Even though his parents left him, he said he’d survive, take care of me until the day we die, but, sob...” The elderly woman raised her wrinkled hand to cover her face, hiding her tears. She had only her grandson as an anchor to keep living, but now he was gone. She saw no more beauty in this world. “Jom said, sob, Jom would go sell garlands and be right back. Even when he was sick, that boy, sob, that boy still had to work, couldn’t take a break. He didn’t live like other kids because he had to earn money for school. I, sob, saved this money hoping to give it to him on his upcoming birthday.”
She reached into her faded, patched shirt pocket and pulled out a clear plastic bag with some money in it.
“Every month, I saved my elderly allowance for Jom’s tuition. Any money left, he worked for and gave it all to me, sob, oh my poor grandson.” King had to console her, helping her to ease from her grief, while his team inside the house continued searching for anything unusual.
“It smells like the last house, man.”
“Yeah, I thought so too.”
“Just bottles, boxes, and cans everywhere.”
“What did the chief say we’re looking for?”
“A clay doll with a lion head.”
“Nothing here.”
“Nothing here either.”
“Shall we leave?”
Thud!
A sound of something hitting the zinc roof from outside made all three turn to look. They sent one officer to check before turning to look around again for anything unusual.
The young policeman walked out from the back of the house; behind was a cleared ground where grass had been cut, now planted with kitchen vegetables, and further was an abandoned water well. He walked out to where the sound had come from but only found emptiness.
“Doesn’t seem like there’s anything.” he muttered as he was about to walk back, when the sound of something hitting the water made him turn to look at the puddle, where ripples spread out despite no wind or object floating. He slowly approached to look closer, and when he peered down, he only saw his own shadow. But then something floated up, making the water ripple in circles, “What the heck?”
What floated up was a clay doll face down. The young policeman tried his best to reach out and grab it, every time he missed, his hand splashed into the chilling water of the well, sending shivers up his spine. Just as he was about to grab the doll, a pale, bloodless hand with dark, torn nails grabbed his wrist first. His eyes trembled as he looked at the doll lying face down; instead of just murky water filled with mud at the bottom, there appeared the face of a woman, her eyes hollow, flesh visible inside, smiling grotesquely at him from under the water, before yanking him down with force.
“Hey!!!” The last shout before the sound of splashing water followed, his body struggling to climb above water but it seemed the more he struggled, the deeper he was pulled into the well. His body turned cold, numb all over, his ankle felt the pain as if something sharp was piercing it. The water was so dark he couldn’t tell how deep he had sunk. His breath slowly faded as his body was being constricted. No way out, unless...
!!!
The sound of water bursting was the last he heard along with a faint light before his consciousness slowly slipped away.
“Phii Singha!!!”
“Singha!!!”
Everyone on the pavement was shocked by the actions of the young inspector, who, without hesitation, jumped into the water to save his subordinate. He swam down, sweeping his arms around to search for the body of the person who had fallen in earlier.
Meanwhile, those on the shore could only wait anxiously, trying to spot their colleague with concern. Suddenly, what emerged from the water wasn’t what they expected; it was a woman with hollowed eyes, her pale, torn lips stretched into a grin, all the way to her ears, smiling unabashedly at Thup. The young man froze, unable to move, sweat pouring from his forehead as his heart pounded wildly. The closer she got, the more he felt compelled to stay still. Just as she was about to reach him, the smile faded, replaced by an angry, furious expression.
‘Ghosts who are like you, shouldn’t mess around!!!’
Thup felt a chill down his spine and turned around. What he saw was the ghost of a woman he had seen in his childhood, her eyes and lips still sewn with red thread as before, only now showing signs of wear. She looked ahead with a flat but darkly displeased expression, not bending to notice him as usual, but instead staring at the hollow-eyed ghost in front of her. No one moved, including Thup, until the sound of splashing water caught his attention, turning to see Singha emerging from the water. When he looked back, both female ghosts had vanished.
“Phii Singha!”
“Singha!”
Both Thup and King called out Singha’s name simultaneously, but it was King who reached Singha first.
“Are you okay? Let me see, are you hurt anywhere?” King touched the face and eyes of the man who just came out of the water with concern, but his hand was brushed away carelessly.
“No need to search anymore.” Singha said, holding up a clay doll for everyone waiting on the pavement to see. “King, take your subordinate to the hospital for another check. Let’s call it a day here, and meet back at the station.”
Someone ran up to him, placing the coat that Singha had thrown before jumping into the water onto his broad shoulders. His beautiful eyes glanced at the object in Singha’s hand, realizing it was a horse-head doll.
“I’ll give you a ride.” King grabbed Singha’s arm.
“No need, I have places to go.”
“In this condition, where else can you go?”
“I just went for a swim. I’m not dying.” Singha shook off the arm with annoyance, then walked ahead to the car, with Thup following close behind.
Upon reaching the car, he grabbed a towel from the back to wipe his hair roughly until no more water dripped onto his face.
“Phii, can you drive? Are you hurt anywhere?”
“If I can’t drive, would you take over?”
“I... can’t drive, Phii.”
“Thought so.” Singha tossed the doll on Thup’s lap again. The young man, still not used to it, startled, then bowed respectfully, muttering prayers as he placed it in the evidence bag. “What day is it this time?”
“It has a horse head, named Wannanongkran, a Mae Sue for Monday.” After the second time, Thup knew what to do next. He reached back for the folder to automatically check the list of victims. “Jom, Jom was born on a Monday and disappeared on a Monday, too.”
Singha glanced at the doll on Thup’s lap before cursing softly. This wasn’t a revenge killing or something from past stories, or life’s knots, but a killing for some kind of ritual. And if he didn’t catch the killer this time, soon enough, another case like this would happen.
“Phii.” Thup, who hadn’t taken his eyes off Singha since getting in the car, called to the older man in a soft voice after they’d been driving for a while.
“What?”
“Your arm...” A slender hand gently touched Singha’s arm where there was a long scratch down to the elbow. Though not deep and not bleeding, it looked like it stung quite a bit.
“Wonder if the teacher hit a branch underwater?”
“Does it hurt?”
“No.”
“Even so, we need to treat the wound, can’t leave it like that.”
“Yeah, I know, a wound this small won’t kill me, and can you take your hand off my arm now?”
“Sorry.” Thup immediately pulled his hand back but still kept his eyes on. “So, where are we heading?”
“The kid named Jom didn’t disappear from home but vanished after he went to work selling garlands at a shop near the temple. If we’re going to investigate how he disappeared, we should start there.” Thup nodded in understanding, “And have you contacted that friend of yours who knows about these things?”
“...Not yet.”
“Contact them quickly, so we can figure out what’s going on.”
“It’s just that... if I say something, can you promise not to get angry?”
“Can I just curse you out in advance?” Singha glanced at the kid sitting next to him, seeing a pleading face, he had to look away, “Go on, say it.”
“He’s not here. He’s in Sisaket.”
“Then call him.”
“Can’t call.”
“Why?”
“...Because he’s not a human anymore.”
“Are you messing with me, Thup?”
“I once followed the venerable monk on his alms round and passed by an old house, which was an abandoned wooden house with no one living in it. But the monk always stopped at that house before continuing on. One day, I asked him about it, and he said... the owner of that house practiced dark arts. When he grew old, he released something before he died, but... his spirit didn’t move on; it was stuck in that house until it's karma was resolved.”
“Are you telling me to go ask a ghost?”
“If not this person, I wouldn’t know who else could tell us.”
“You’re really...” Singha pushed his tongue against his cheek in frustration. In his mind, he had never had to deal with a case this troubling before. Not just headaches about the culprit, but now also about nonsensical things. He wondered if what Darin said about being cursed at twenty-five was true, and if so, it was fitting for his age of thirty-five because he truly felt unlucky.
The two arrived at a flower and garland shop not far from the temple. Singha was slightly irritated with his still-soaked clothes; thankfully, his car seats were leather, so a car wash would not be a problem.
“Hello. I’m a police officer investigating the disappearance of Jom.” he wanted to ask about...
“H...Hello, officer.” a woman around sixty years old came out, looking rather unwell.
“Is this a good time?”
“Y...Yes, it is, but I really don’t know anything about Jom’s death.”
“On the day he came to work, did he behave strangely or tell you anything?”
“Not at all. Usually, I hire Jom to sell garlands two days before the holy day. That day, he was quiet, didn’t talk to anyone, but he was stringing the garlands haphazardly, so I... I accidentally scolded him. Suddenly, he glared at me and ran off into the temple. I haven’t seen him since, and... but I’m not involved, officer. I didn’t do anything to him.” she hurriedly explained, fearing she might be blamed.
“What time was this?”
“Around just past six.”
“He ran into the temple, you say? And you didn’t see him come back out?”
“I’m not sure. I wasn’t watching all the time because I had to string the garlands myself.”
“So, has anyone seen Jom walking out of the temple? It might help us know where he went before disappearing again.”
“Try asking at that convenience store; they have CCTV.” Singha looked where she pointed, and indeed, the store was right across from the temple.
“Thank you.”
The two walked to the mentioned store and found a man in his fifties lying on a hammock, fanning himself.
“Hello. I’m a police officer. I’d like to ask a few questions and also check your CCTV, if possible.”
“Hey, I haven’t done anything wrong, officer.”
“Yes, sir, then please cooperate with the investigation.”
“Oh, alright, come on in.”
“Last Monday, did you see a kid entering the temple around six to seven PM?”
“Didn’t see him, I was busy watching boxing.”
“Can I check the camera then?”
“My daughter’s not here, and I can’t do it myself.”
“I can do it.”
The store owner as he got up and led them to the back of the store where the house was.
“Here’s the computer, you go ahead.” Singha nodded and sat down on the chair, “Kid, you’re all wet and messy.”
“Sorry.” Singha was about to stand up, but the store owner stopped him, “Never mind.” He went to get a cloth from the cabinet and handed it to Thup instead, “I sell these for fifty each, pay for it when you come out.”
“Y...Yes, thank you.” Thup replied, placing the bright orange cloth on Singha’s shoulder, “I’ll go pay for this, Phii, you stay here.”
“Okay, okay, go out first, I’ll return it later.” When Thup walked out, he searched through the files, the CCTV footage. From the angle, it should be visible, right up to the front of the temple. He looked for the file with the date he wanted, found it, and immediately opened it to watch. The clip showed a boy walking into the temple from six until six-thirty, but until ten in the evening, there was no sign of him coming out. “He didn’t come out.”
Singha muttered, feeling a hunch, so he clicked to check the clips from Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday as well. In the morning, noon, and five in the evening, more people walked in and out of the temple, probably because it was the time when free meals were distributed. But what was strange was that after that, there were hardly any people going in or out. The Saturday clip, which was the same day the child disappeared, showed a car entering and leaving around seven. So where did it go next? Singha clicked back to Jom’s clip to make sure, just as Thup returned to stand behind him.
“Phii Singha.”
“What?”
“He didn’t walk in alone.”
“What do you mean? I saw it right here, he di—” Singha suddenly stopped talking when he saw Thup staring at the screen without blinking. “What do you see?”
“The ghost I saw at the well today... she was leading him by the hand inside.
Case File 17: Do Not Greet
“Hey Thup, if you’re going to stick this close, why not just ride on my back?”
“It’s getting cold.” Thup clung to Singha’s arm before walking with his head down, not looking up. The sun was about to set completely, but instead of heading back to the police station, what the older guy did was walk into the temple.
“Or should you just wait in the car?”
“If something happens to you, what then?”
“You look worse off than me, Thup.” he said, wearily nudging beside him, Singha rolled his eyes at the kid walking.
The atmosphere inside the temple during twilight seems peaceful but also eerie. The sky, a blend of orange and faint purple, is the time Thup dislikes the most, hating both the ambiance and the name of this period.
This is the time known as “ghost drying clothes.” believed to be a connecting time, making sleep a bad idea during this period, because there is a free flowing of spirits between the human world and other realms potentially allowing spirits, ghosts, deities, and humans to coexist at the same time. It’s believed that spirits might leave the body, and wandering spirits could take their place.
The sound of a coconut broom sweeping the ground came from behind the crematorium. The closer Thup got, the more his heart trembled.
“Hello, Uncle Khuen.”
“Oh, it’s you, the policeman from last time. What brings you here?” Uncle Khuen stopped sweeping the leaves and approached them with a smile, “Here for dinner?”
“No, I have some questions.”
“About another case, young man?”
“Yes.”
“Go ahead, if I can help, I will.”
“I wanted to ask if on Monday, there was a fifteen-year-old boy, about 160 cm tall, wearing a white T-shirt and black pants. He came to the temple around five to six in the evening and didn’t leave. Did you happen to see him?”
“Monday, huh? Let me think... No, there wasn’t anyone like that. On Monday, the villagers invited the monks for a funeral chant at a house. The only one here would’ve been the abbot, who was unwell and stayed in his quarters for several days.”
“Can I meet him then?”
“Sure, I’ll take you there.” Uncle Khuen leaned the broom against a nearby tree, then led both of them towards the abbot’s quarters. Along the way, there were many trees, both big and small, creating an ambiance that was both serene and eerie. This area was quiet and quite isolated, suitable for relaxation and prayer. As they approached the raised traditional Thai house, Thup gripped Singha’s arm tighter, prompting the older man to look at him.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just some wandering spirits.” Even though being near Singha keeps ghosts away, it doesn’t mean they’re completely out of sight. He still sees spirits and ghosts from afar; some look on with interest, others lament their own passing, murmuring about their lives, their loved ones, their families, or even those who can’t let go of worldly attachments, regretting the loss of external things.
“Turn your face here.” Singha said, stopping. He took out his sunglasses from his collar and put them on Thup, covering his beautiful eyes.
“Why are you giving me these, Phii? It’s dark.”
“Can you still see clearly?”
“Huh?” Thup looked around; although he could still see, the details were obscured by the dark lenses of the sunglasses. “Not very clearly anymore.”
“Good, now just walk, don’t fuss.” Singha followed Uncle Kheun again, with the boy beside him following with a grateful smile.
“Phii Singha, thank you.”
“Yeah, now shut up.”
The two walked up the stairs to the wooden door painted in dark’s color. Uncle Kheun knocked on the door three or four times before calling out to the abbot.
“Abbot, there are people here to see you.”
“Just a moment, Khun Kheun.” The shuffling sounds inside indicated that the abbot was not quite ready for visitors just yet.
“These days, the abbot’s been a bit sick, not really leaving the temple.”
“Have you tried taking him to a doctor?”
“We did, the doctor said it’s probably just old age. You know, they say you can escape anything, but you can’t escape old age, sickness, and death.” Uncle Kheun spoke with a resigned tone, while Singha just listened quietly.
Not long after, the wooden door opened, and a monk walked out with a weary expression. He sat down on a chair on the balcony before greeting Singha, and Thup in a friendly manner.
“What brings you to see me, my devotees?”
“Greetings, Reverend. I’m here to inquire about a missing child.”
“A missing child? Who this time?”
“He came here last Monday, around five to six in the evening. Did you happen to see him, Reverend?”
“I didn’t see him, my child. I believe I was ill at that time and was resting inside my quarters, and didn't go anywhere. But I think I heard some noises outside a bit after five.”
“What kind of noises can you describe?”
“Maybe the sound of something being dragged? I’m not quite sure, I thought it might be the novices doing their evening prayers.”
“Is there any CCTV at the temple that might have caught something?”
“There is, but it’s been broken for over a month now. Since there haven’t been any big events at the temple, we haven’t gotten around to fixing it yet.” Singha merely nodded in acknowledgment.
“And what about others, Reverend? Thee, who comes here often, was here for merit-making on Thursday morning, but the neighbors say he didn’t return home. Do you know what he might have been doing here?”
“Thee, he often comes to make merit, help out at the temple, and change the flowers at his wife’s urn site daily. Some days he stays to listen to sermons, others he rushes back to tend to his garden.” The abbot explained, interspersed with bouts of coughing.
“But that day, he told me he was coming to see you, Reverend. I told him you were resting in your quarters, and I saw him walking towards you. Did you not meet him?”
“I heard someone calling, but I came out and told him I was unwell and not up for conversation, then it seemed like he left.”
Singha glanced at his watch before standing up to excuse himself, mentioning there might be some more questions another day.
“Of course, my child, feel free to come by anytime.”
“Thank you, I’ll be heading back first.” said Singha as he began to walk down the stairs without waiting for Thup, who was still bowing to the abbot. Singha glanced over and noticed a pottery wheel set up under the stilt area. Upon reaching the bottom, he immediately went to inspect it. Seeing no one around, he used his handkerchief to collect some dried clay fragments, wrapped them up, and tucked them into his coat pocket. Hearing footsteps descending the stairs, he returned to stand at the foot of the staircase as if nothing had happened.
“Let’s go, let’s go, I’ll walk you out. Will you have some food? There should still be some left at the communal kitchen. Want to take some back?”
“No, thank you, Uncle, I don't want to impose on you.” Thup replied, his face streaked with grimness.
“What’s there to feel bad about? Wait for me, I’ll go get some from the aunties for you.” The three walked back out to the temple grounds once more, but this time, Singha was quieter and more composed than usual, prompting Thup to ask with concern, “Is something wrong?”
“No.”
“Are you feeling unwell? I told you to change out of those wet clothes.” Thup, concerned, touched the older guy’s cheek. “You feel a bit warm.”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m sick, happy now? Get in the car.” Singha pushed Thup towards the car before pulling out his phone to call his close friend.
[What?]
“Are you at the station?”
[Yeah, I’m checking the dolls now. What’s up?]
“Is it the tiger head?”
[Yeah, it’s the only one here.]
“And is Rin there with you?”
[No, she asked to be dropped home. Said she wouldn’t come in if the dolls were still here.]
“Hmm, I’ll come.”
[...]
“Hey, Say.”
[...]
“Hey, Say, can you hear me?”
[...]
“Say.”
“Come on, young man, take this—green chicken curry, stir-fried yellow noodles, and soy milk.” Uncle Kheun said as he returned with a large bag of food.
“Thank you, Uncle.”
“Safe travels.”
Singha got in the car and headed back to the station immediately, feeling something was off from the earlier call because he had a premonition.
“What the heck is with this guy? He doesn’t even talk when spoken to.” Say hung up when there was no response from the other end, thinking it might be a signal issue since this room was always bad for reception.
Say was at the forensic examination table in the lab, surrounded by various tools and equipment, including a broken doll with a tiger head. He shone his flashlight and used a magnifying glass on the clay doll in front of him. Earlier, he had only done a brief examination before being called to inspect the victim’s house. He knew it was a doll made from clay, shaped into a woman holding a child. There was a twist mark at the neck, likely from when it was molded, and damage on the head from four teenagers who had broken it before. The head was crudely shaped like a tiger but still recognizable.
“What’s this?” Say muttered as he used the magnifying glass along the body to the back, noticing some tiny marks that made him focus intently, “A... Ka... Lai?”
!!!
Suddenly, the lights in the room started flickering without any apparent reason, causing Say to stop what he was doing with his doll and look up at the light switch. He reached out to turn it off and on again; the lights returned to normal. But as Say was about to sit back down, a noise came from the adjacent autopsy room.
“What the heck?” he muttered with curiosity, unaware that in this world, there’s a belief passed down that if you hear a noise at night:
Don’t Greet.
Don’t Respond.
Don’t Answer.
Entering the autopsy room, Say noticed one of the morgue cabinet doors was open, even though he was sure it had been closed before since it wasn’t in use. He approached without fear, intending to close it, but then the lights began to flicker once more.
“Power surge, maybe?” Say mumbled, looking up at the bulb. When he looked back into the cabinet, he saw a dark shadow inside, where it should have been empty. He leaned closer, amidst increasingly frequent light flickering. When the light was on, he saw only the empty cabinet, but when it went dark, what he saw were a pair of stark white eyes staring back at him.
‘Cut the thread, cut the thread, cut the thread...’
The repeated phrase made Say frown before he instinctively let go of the cabinet door. He slowly backed away, not trusting his eyes, because every time the light was on, the cabinet was empty, but when it darkened, those eyes and a sinister smile appeared.
‘Cut death, cut death, cut death...’
!!!
The lights, which had been flickering rapidly, went completely dark, leaving only the faint light from outside filtering through the door. Say kept his eyes fixed forward, his heart pounding as never before. The sound of the morgue cabinet door slammed shut with a loud bang, followed by what sounded like several bones breaking and the eerie noise of skin dragging across the floor.
‘Heh, heh, heh, cut it, cut it, cut the thread now, so it can see.’
“Damn it!!!” Within a split second, Say’s ankle was grabbed before he was yanked to the ground and dragged towards the morgue cabinet. The more it tried to pull him inside, the more Say felt a growing sense of fear inside him, terrified that if he were to come out, he would be as a lifeless body.
Just as he was struggling to escape from the invisible grip, the room’s door swung open with light flooding in. The force on his leg, the foul stench, and the chilling atmosphere vanished, and the lights that had been off came back on.
Singha rushed in to support his friend, whose lower half was already inside the morgue cabinet, pulling him out. They looked at each other without a word before collapsing exhausted on the floor.
“We need to talk.” Singha initiated the conversation first. “Let’s start with that incident just now.” Say lay flat on the floor, trying to steady his rapid breathing.
“Call Darin, tell her to come here. I’ll go get King.”
“Don’t tell me it’s really about that ghost nonsense.”
“And what do you think just happened to you?”
“Damn it! My head’s killing me.”
“Yeah, mine too.”
Thup watched these two older guys lamenting on the autopsy room floor, then glanced up at the still-open morgue cabinet. What he saw were eyes and a smile slowly disappearing into the darkness at the back of the cabinet.
Case File 18: Trust
“See, I told you, Say, you said I was just scared for nothing. How’s that for karma!” Darin arrived in her green pajama set with large frog eyes.
“And do you really believe in stuff like this? Think about it carefully.” Say threw a pillow at Darin with an exasperated look.
“That’s why I said, just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there. So, what are you going to do about this thing? Ghosts haunting everywhere like this, are you really going to continue the case?” Darin turned and asked Singha, who was sitting on the opposite sofa.
The reception room of the forensic department was now filled with people involved in various roles in the investigation, including Singha himself, King, Darin, Say, and Thup, who had to get involved out of necessity.
“If we don’t do it, who will?”
“But it’s dangerous, Singha. You’ve seen what each of us has faced, not to mention the forensic team’s car overturning.”
“I’m just here to explain. If you guys aren’t okay with continuing, I won’t stop you.” After everyone was present, Singha started to explain everything, with Thup adding details beside him. At least, those who would work on this with him needed to know what they were up against, “But anyway, I have to drag this serial killer out into the open. Otherwise, it will happen again.”
“Ugh, I want to help, Singha, but from what I’ve faced, I barely survived myself.” Darin said before glancing at the three dolls on the table. Just seeing them from the corner of her eye made her shiver. If she had to examine them closely, she might just die of a heart attack, “I’m outta here, Singha. Call me if there’s anything else, anything that doesn’t involve those dolls.”
Darin stood up and quickly walked out of the room, the images she saw still haunting her to the point where she dared not close her eyes.
“So, what now?” King spoke up amidst the silence.
“Do you believe it?”
“If you’re the one saying it, then I guess I have to believe it.” King looked up, meeting the eyes of the person sitting not far from him, “But how are we going to catch the culprit like this? Can’t take a ghost to court, can we?”
“Thup, you said there has to be a real person behind this, right?”
“Yes, these things are used in rituals; there has to be a living person doing it.”
“And how do we find this person when what we’ve got so far leads nowhere?” King asked, leaning back on the sofa, his sharp eyes looking at the young man sitting too close to his former lover.
“There are some, the CCTV from the grocery store across from the temple captured images of the victims, each one as they went inside. I’ve just checked two people so far, namely, the kid named Jom and Meen. Jom hasn’t come out since he went into the temple, while Meen was seen driving out, so not sure if something happened, where, need to check the footage of the others.”
“Are you saying the people in the temple are suspects?”
“It’s possible, because from the autopsy, it was found that nearly all the deceased had similar types of food in their stomachs, except for some whose food had already been digested by the time they were found.” Say finished speaking, stood up to grab a file with the autopsy report, and tossed it to King before sitting back down. The previous events and all the stories would shock him somewhat, but as someone who has always believed in science over sorcery, for him, these events aren’t something you encounter easily, at least there should be some proof. “Chicken, curry spices, wheat flour used for making these noodles, were found in the stomachs of the deceased, and from when I took Rin to the temple, I noticed there’s a charity kitchen there. The food found might come from there.”
“Food from the temple... Thup, did you bring it here too?”
“It’s on your desk, Phii.”
“Go get it, here’s the key.” Thup took the room key from the older man before walking out to fetch the item as ordered.
“I just asked him to get something.”
“Even though he’s a suspect, a stranger, you took him to your house?”
“Trust him that much?” King asked when only three of them remained in the room. “What are you thinking, Singha?” Singha glanced around as if to scold.
“What?” Singha handed over an evidence bag that inside had...
“Think we should only talk about work.” King sighed.
“Say, check this too.”
“Soil from pottery.” a slightly soiled handkerchief to Say. “I want to know if it’s the same type of soil used for sculpting the dolls.”
“Where did you get this from?”
“Under the abbot’s quarters.”
“The abbot? Don’t tell me you suspect a monk.”
“Uh-huh.”
“So what are you going to do next, got a plan yet?”
“Not yet. Just thinking we need to find all the dolls first.”
“If what that kid said is true, we need to find them according to the days, right? Now we have three, so there are four left.”
“What do you think we’ll get from these dolls?” King asked after a moment of silence. “Fingerprints are probably gone by now.”
“Not necessarily, trying won’t hurt. More importantly, we need to figure out what ritual the killer is performing, and why.”
“Surely it’s not some kind of sacrificial ritual, right?” Say asked, not believing that in today’s world such beliefs still existed.
“Not sure.” Singha leaned back against the sofa, casually sweeping his jet-black hair. “You guys don’t need to look for the dolls anymore. I’ll handle it myself. Say, you check for fingerprints and examine the type of soil, see if it’s the same. Inform me if you find anything. And you, King, check the CCTV for entries and exits at the temple, and track where Meen’s car went.”
“Checking these dolls is no issue for me, the point is, will something like this happen again?” Say said before looking at the dolls with the heads of a tiger, lion, and a horse.
“You might as well bring some amulets with you.”
“Which amulets?”
“How would I know? Just find some.”
“Then I’ll ask Rin about it. Let’s leave it for today; I need to recover from this ghost nonsense first.”
“I’ll take these back home for now, I’ll bring them back tomorrow.” The young inspector stood up, stretching slightly to relieve his fatigue.
“Isn’t this going to be dangerous?” King asked as he stood up to follow Singha.
“So what? Do you want to take it back or what?” Singha asked with a mocking tone, sneering when he saw the other didn’t respond. He chuckled in his throat, “Wait for me, come on. If Thup comes, have him check those foods too. I got them from the charity kitchen. Tell him to wait here, I’ll be right back.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Singha said, grabbing the three dolls from the evidence bag and walking out of the forensic department room.
Thup arrived at Singha’s office, quickly unlocked the door to grab something, then locked it back up. As he walked back towards the forensic department, his steps halted when the once brightly lit corridor turned completely dark. The young man recoiled. He knew he couldn’t easily pass through here. Just as he was about to turn away, the lights along the corridor began to flicker rapidly before turning back on. However, at the end of the corridor, there wasn’t just the connecting door; there was also a woman with a grotesquely twisted body blocking the way. Thup’s legs felt nailed to the spot, unable to move at will, his hands clenching tightly. Each time the ghost tried to approach, the lights would go out, leaving only her white eyes and a terrifying smile visible.
‘Heh, heh, the Giant isn’t here. Who’s going to save you now?’
No need to guess who the ‘giant’ refers to. Thup knew he’d face dangers if he strayed from Singha, but he couldn’t cling to him forever. Even if not now, in the future, Singha probably wouldn’t want him meddling in his life much.
“I... I don’t know what you... want.”
‘Eaten seven. Will eat again!’
Eaten seven? Did that mean the dead?
“By doing this, you’re only creating more karma for yourself. Please stop.” Thup said, for the first time daring to do something like this, hoping Singha would definitely be able to help, whether he lived or died.
‘Ghost’
!!!
Thup frowned slightly upon hearing this, then jolted in surprise as a hand landed on his shoulder.
“Are you okay? I saw you standing here trembling for a while.”
“No.” Thup shook his head vigorously before turning back to look at the path, then started walking again.
The ghost had already disappeared.
“Then, I’ll excuse myself.”
“You... there were four of you, right? This morning?”
“Ah, yes. Our case isn’t settled yet because the police are too busy with something else, so we’re still here.”
“Ah.” Thup nodded lightly. “Thank you, you are...”
“I’m Bom, nice to meet you.”
“I’m Thup, nice to meet you too.”
“You seem quite close with the police. Could you ask them to finish up our case? I’m really fed up with this place.”
“Ah. I’ll try to ask them for you.” They exchanged brief farewells before parting ways. Thup glanced back at the path once more and then hurried back to find Singha.
As he neared the forensic room, he heard voices talking along with white cigarette smoke billowing out. Listening closely, he immediately recognized whose voice it was.
“Are you going to be mad like this forever?” King exhaled cigarette smoke, staring off into the sky beside Singha, who was standing with him.
“If you want to talk, go back inside. It’s annoying.” The young inspector frowned, annoyed, as he inhaled nicotine.
“I came to apologize, didn’t I, Singha?”
“Your apology means I should just get over it, huh, King? Thinking shallow like always.”
“So, what do you want? To spite me by hanging out with that kid all day and night?”
“And how does this involve Thup?”
“How many years have we been together? You think I don’t know what you’re thinking, Singha?”
“Heh, how many years have we been together?” Singha repeated with a mocking tone, “Three years, maybe, three years you secretly betrayed me, Say, Rin, three years I was stupid enough to be fooled by you for so long.”
“Sorry.” King grabbed the wrist of the person in front of him, before speaking in a softer voice.
“Taking my work achievements wasn’t enough, you also blamed me for your mistakes, and now you come back to say a simple ‘sorry’?” Singha dropped his cigarette butt on the ground and stomped it into the dirt. He shook off King’s hand and pushed his chest, making him stumble back into the wall, “Before asking others to forgive you, maybe think about whose heads you stepped on to get where you are today.” as Singha was about to walk back inside, his feet paused, and he chuckled deep in his throat.
“And even if I and that kid have something going on or not, it’s none of your business.”
Thup, who had now taken a seat in the forensic department’s waiting room, just sat quietly, the recent conversation still swirling in his head.
“Is this what Singha wanted to be checked?” Say asked, eyeing the items on the table, but upon hearing no response, he looked up at the kid who was zoning out again, “Hey, kid seeing ghosts, Thup!”
“Yes?”
“What are you spacing out for? Did you hear what I asked?”
“Oh, yes, yes, this is it.”
“Just this?”
“Khun Say. Can I... ask you something?”
“Ask quickly, I need to get to work.”
“Phii Singha and King... were they ever a couple?”
“Yeah. Well, not exactly a couple. They didn’t have a status, just that kind of unspoken understanding, you know?”
“I see.”
“But there was some drama, so those two are now like parallel lines, never to meet again.”
“What’s up with those two?”
“I guess you’ve heard some rumors by now. To tell the whole story would take a while, just know that King almost got Singha kicked out of the service and thrown in jail.”
“Phii Singha must be really angry, huh?”
“Yeah, Singha is the type who gives you everything if he trusts you, but if you break that trust, he won’t keep you around.”
“Got it.” Thup pressed his lips together with a determined look. He was determined not to disappoint Phii Singha.
“Why ask? Are you trying to flirt with him?”
“N-no! I... I just saw you guys talking outside just now... not trying to flirt!”
“Then why are you getting so worked up? I was just joking.”
“I was afraid you’d get the wrong idea... I wouldn’t dare flirt with Phii Singha.” The last sentence was said quietly by Thup.
“Thup.” a voice called out along with the sound of the door opening, making Thup jump.
“Yes!!!”
“Why are you yelling? Just wanted to say we’re heading home.”
“Oh, Singha is back? This kid here just—”
“Let’s go, let’s go home. We’re heading home now, Phii Singha, Khun Say, goodbye.” Thup quickly interrupted and pushed the older man out of the room, fearing Say might reveal what he had just asked.
“What’s with you?”
“Are you hungry, Phii? Can we stop by the supermarket to buy some stuff first? There’s nothing fresh in your fridge at home.” Thup linked arms with the older man, chatting away nervously.
“What have you done wrong?”
“Uh... no, really.”
“Thup.”
“No, honestly.” Thup quickly turned to look at his older brother with innocent eyes, but when he met the fierce gaze of Singha, he had to press his lips together immediately. “I heard you talking with Khun King when I was outside.”
“And?”
“So I asked Khun Say what you guys were arguing about.” Thup looked up again, worried. It was a delicate matter between two people. He didn’t want to be seen as meddling. “Are you angry?”
“Nonsense. Where should we stop? Don’t dawdle, I want to sleep.” Seeing this older guy walk towards the car with his usual demeanor, not angry or annoyed, the young man let out a smile before running to cling to his arm again.
“Near my place is fine... but, are you really going to take those dolls back home? Don’t bring them into the house.”
“Do you want to leave them here to cause more trouble?”
“Then keep them in the car, please.”
“Fine, fine.”
“I also have something to tell you.”
“What?”
“I just saw the ghost of the woman we met at Khun Meen’s house again.” As soon as Thup finished speaking, Singha turned to look at him immediately, because this time, the young man hadn’t gone with him.
“Did anything happen?”
“Phii Singha... I heard her speaking Khmer.”
Case File 19: Do Not Respond
Thup pushes the shopping cart and picks out items, following his older brother. Meanwhile, Singha just casually selects anything edible, not really caring about the type or brand.
“This one will expire in two days, you know.” said Singha.
“That’s not for marinating meat.”
“Phii, that’s a different formula from what I saw at home.”
It’s Thup who has to keep picking up the items the older guy throws into the basket, checking some, replacing others on the shelf. “So picky, Thup, it’s all edible anyway.”
“It’s edible, but it’s better not to eat it.”
“Then you pick everything.” Singha decides, now walking behind with his arms crossed, watching the kid in front of him carefully select items for the cart. “Grab some beer too.”
“How many packs?”
“Two.” Thup, without hesitation, picks the same brand of beer he’s seen in the fridge. “How do you know which brand I drink?”
“It’s in the fridge, isn’t it?” Thup turns back to look at the older guy before reaching out to pull Singha closer by the waist. “You’re about to bump into something.”
“Oops!! Sorry, I didn’t see you there.” a woman apologizes to both of them after nearly crashing her cart into Singha.
“It’s okay.” Thup smiles at her before continuing to walk, still not letting go of the older man’s waist.
“Can you let go now?” Singha says, lightly kicking Thup’s shin.
“Ouch, that hurt.”
“I haven’t even used any force yet. Should you start exercising?”
“Not really.”
“Then you should start.”
“Well, I don’t know how to begin.”
“There’s a gym, but is there a ghost in the gym?”
“No, there isn’t, but there are people instead.”
“Afraid of ghosts, afraid of people. How are you going to live, Thup? Don’t you think about getting a girlfriend or something?” Singha asked before picking up his usual brand of toothpaste and putting it in the shopping cart.
“How can I have a girlfriend, I can’t go out, can’t eat outside, and even if I stay with her, I scare her.” The two continued walking to the fruit section, where Thup started picking apples one by one into a bag, “Do you want anything else, Phii?”
“Just grab whatever.”
“Oh, Phii, the four people who were brought in this morning, the one guy named Bom asked if you could speed up the process. He said the police haven’t done anything yet.”
“Those four YouTubers, right?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, okay.” Singha picked up his phone to make a call to whoever was on duty today, “Hello, Inspector.”
“Who’s handling the case of the four who trespassed into the murder scene?”
“Uh, it should be Lieutenant Kong.”
“Didn’t I tell you to get it done by this morning?”
“Yes, Inspector, but the station today has been chaotic, with power outages lasting hours and the phone signal coming and going.”
“And where are those four now?”
“Just a moment.” Singha waited quietly on the line, but when he turned to see Thup talking to a woman, he immediately took interest. The young woman who approached to greet seemed shy, especially when both looked his way before waving goodbye, making him even more curious, “One is in the holding cell. Two are in the reception room, and one is in the bathroom.”
“Is Lieutenant Khem still there?”
“Lieutenant has gone home.”
“Then, Lieutenant, you handle it properly.”
“Me, sir?!”
“Yes, you know what to do with people who trespass into a crime scene without permission.”
“Understood, Inspector, but... should we send the one in the holding cell to the hospital? He seems... odd, Inspector.”
“Odd how?”
“He vomited all over the cell floor, sir, and he’s mumbling something.”
“Well, go listen to what he’s mumbling.”
“It’s like... it’s like he’s chanting.”
“Chanting?”
“Yes. None of the officers want to go near there now. I think instead of calling a doctor, we should call a monk.”
Singha sighed before walking towards Thup, who was waiting.
“Call Dr. Say to check on him, and get me the background of that kid.”
“Yes, Inspector.”
“I’ll deal with it again in the morning. If you manage to finish before then, you can release them.”
“Yes.”
Singha hung up and sighed, wondering if they were just fooling around with the locals.
“Have you finished your call?”
“Yeah, who was that earlier, someone you know?” These ghosts have nothing better to do.
“No.” Thup shook his head, “She asked for your number... Phii.”
“My number? For what?”
“She said... she likes you, Phii.”
“And where did she go?”
“She left. I told her you were busy with something important and not available, and also that you’re very strict.”
“Right, that’s good. Have you got everything yet? I’m heading back.”
“Yes, I’ve got everything.”
“Then let’s go pay.” Singha led the way to the cashier counter, not noticing the small smile of the young man who was relieved because this older guy didn’t seem to mind what he had said, and he didn’t dare to tell Singha the entire conversation.
“Uh, excuse me, are you with that gentleman?” a young woman asked shyly.
“Yes.”
“Is he... does he have a girlfriend yet?” Thup glanced at Singha, who was talking on the phone with a serious demeanor.
“Seems like he doesn’t yet.”
“Then... can I have his number?”
“He’s on a business call right now, might not be the best time.”
“He’s so cool.”
“Yes, very cool. Great at work, kind but also very strict.”
“Huh? Strict?”
“Yes, extremely strict.” Both turned to look at Singha simultaneously before the woman turned back to Thup, blushing. Thup’s gaze at Singha held more than just admiration, noticeable enough for others to see. “I think I better not get involved with you guys, sorry about that, I really didn’t know.”
“What?”
“Sorry. I won’t flirt with your boyfriend anymore.” The woman apologized hastily and ran off.
The two arrived home at 10 PM, with Thup carrying the purchased items into the house, while Singha carried his own beer.
“Is it finished?”
“It’s finished, uh, but there’s still some in the car...”
“Leave that doll in the car.”
“Does your house have a Buddha shelf, Phii?”
“Yes, it’s upstairs.”
“Can I go up?”
“Go ahead, it’s in the room on the right.”
Thup nodded before walking upstairs. Upon reaching the top, Thup opened the door to the right-hand room as instructed by the older guy. As soon as he entered, he felt a coolness. Not the coolness from an air conditioner, but a comforting and reassuring chill.
Inside the room, there were several cabinets, and a clean white Buddha shelf facing north, mounted on the wall. On the top shelf stood a radiant golden Buddha statue. Below it, slightly to the right, was a green statue of Thao Vaisravaṇa, the Great Guardian, holding a club, looking formidable in the Chatumaharajika pose, facing the same direction.
Thup raised his hands, pressing them together at his chest, then brought his thumbs to his forehead as he recited the words taught by the revered monk:
“Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Samma Sambuddhassa... Itipiso Bhagava, Yammarachaano, Thao Vaisravaṇa, Maranang, Sukhang, Ahang, Sukhatho, Namo, Buddhaya, Thao Vaisravaṇa, Chatumaharajika, Yaksa, Pantapatipurito, Wessa, Phusa, Buddhango Ahang, Phuttho, Thao Wessu, Wannano, Namo, Buddhaya.
I humbly bow to the perfectly enlightened Buddha, the Dhamma, and the noble Sangha. I seek the blessings of Grandfather Thao Vaisravaṇa, please protect me and Phii Singha, residing in this house, from all dangers that seek to harm us.”
As the chant ended, there was a loud knock on the front glass. Thup quickly turned to look, his heart pounding.
“What’s that noise, Thup?” Singha’s shout called Thup back to his senses.
“There’s nothing.” Thup turned to look at the Buddha statue and the Thao Vaisravaṇa statue once more with respect before bowing, then walked downstairs with a lighter heart.
“What were you doing up there, making noise?”
“Phii, don’t just call out like that.”
“Well, I heard it.”
“Don’t just call out randomly. At least call my name, and if someone calls at night, don’t respond.”
“What should I do if someone calls me?”
“If you don’t see who’s calling, don’t respond at all.”
“So, what did you go up there for?”
“To pay respects to the Buddha and Thao Vaisravaṇa. I came in with something bad with me, and had to inform them.”
“Alright, go put the stuff in the fridge.”
“And, the Buddha shelf upstairs, do you venerate it, Phii?”
“My mom did, she set it up when we first bought the house.”
“Oh, and your mom doesn’t stay here?”
Thup paused, looking at Singha who had sad eyes. “My mom was ordained as a nun at the temple.”
“My mom’s at the temple.”
“Stop thinking about it, you little rascal.”
“Phew, that’s a relief. I thought I was going to make you think of something bad.” Thup sighed in relief before walking to the fridge to store the purchased items. “What do you want to eat, Phii?”
“Anything, just make something. I’m going to have a beer while waiting.”
“Phii, why don’t you go take a bath and change first? You were soaking in the pond today, you might get sick.”
“Yeah, right. I’ll be back soon.” Singha went upstairs to take a shower, leaving Thup alone to handle things downstairs.
Thup organized the groceries into the refrigerator and shelves until everything was neat, then he decided to cook some rice along with preparing two simple dishes. While he was turning his back to finish the last bit of cooking, a faint call came from the direction of the house fence, making Thup pause.
‘Thup’
The soft call with a gentle tone made Thup turn around. He put down the ladle and turned down the heat, knowing in one part of his mind that he shouldn’t, but another part felt the voice was too familiar. Thup’s toes walked out of the kitchen, following the call towards the front door.
‘Thup’
The voice called again, louder this time, prompting him to grab the curtain ready to open it, but then someone spun him around.
“I just told you not to answer.” said Singha, standing in front of Thup, bare-chested with a white towel around his neck, wearing only black sweatpants.
“Did you hear that, Phii?”
“Yeah, so I came down to check.”
“The voice... it sounded familiar.”
“Besides me, who else knows you’re here? Finish eating, take a shower, and go to sleep upstairs.”
“Okay?”
“Or do you want to sleep downstairs and let something call you again?”
Thup shook his head vigorously.
“That’s it then.” Singha said, flicking Thup’s forehead without holding back, “Go check on the food, don’t burn my house down.”
Only now did Thup realize how close his face was to something elusive; it was near enough to see the sharp eyes of his older brother clearly. He thought it might be the heat from the pot or perhaps because he just saw the older man up close. The young man quickly ran back to the stove, his face flushed with heat, unsure of the real cause.
After having dinner together, Thup excused himself to take a shower, then he carried his pillow and blanket upstairs once again.
“Phii.” The door on the left slowly opened quietly, and Thup would have run away if he hadn’t seen the bare back of his elder walking towards the bed. Thup entered with apprehension before standing in front of the door, not moving anywhere.
“How long are you going to stand there? Turn off the light too.”
“Uh... where should I sleep, sir?” Thup asked as he reached out to turn off the light.
“Maybe in the bathroom. You ask such weird questions, come to sleep.”
“I... I’d rather sleep on the floor.”
“I don’t have a mattress for the floor.”
“It’s... it’s okay. I can sleep there.”
“Suit yourself, sleep wherever you want.” Singha dismissed, then turned on the lamp and picked up a case file from the bedside table to read, putting on his black-framed glasses again, which Thup couldn’t take his eyes off. If he could, he’d love to just sit and watch the older man all day.
“Phii Singha.”
“Don’t disturb.”
Thup immediately pressed his lips together. He walked over to sit cross-legged on the floor beside the bed, resting both arms on the bed and placing his chin on them, his beautiful eyes not leaving the older man. If not for Singha, who knows what would have happened to him now; he might have seen ghosts and lost his mind, or been arrested as a scapegoat like in the previous case. “Why are you sitting there staring at me? If you’re going to sleep, then sleep.”
“Phii.”
“What now, you do have so many issues.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For helping me.”
“Helping with what? I haven’t done anything yet.”
“You’ve helped me a lot. At least by listening to what I say, that’s helping me already. Thank you.” Singha looked at the young man’s face reflecting the soft light, Thup’s different-colored eyes clearer now, his bright and sincere smile something tangible. Truth be told, it was rare to see this kid with a relaxed expression, not scared or worried.
“Get up here and sleep on the bed.”
“Yes?!”
“Come up, don’t make me repeat myself.”
“But...” Thup quickly shut his mouth when he saw the older guy frown. He sighed, picked up his bedding from the floor, walked around to the other side of the bed, and then plopped down on the bed, hugging the edge.
“Sleep, don’t ask too much, I have work to do.”
“Alright.” Thup said softly before looking at the older guy’s face, including the tiger tattoo on his right arm. Tonight, he wouldn’t have to sleep in fear or paranoia, for sure, “Good night, Phii Singha.”
“Yeah.”