[T/N] I apologize for grammar mistakes and incoherencies
Chapter 9:
Khem felt as though he had drifted into a vast, empty void. Everything around him was pitch black, with only a dense white mist and smoke swirling in the air, obscuring all visibility.
Where is this place...Khem could only ponder to himself, the uncertainty making him too scared to even move.
Khem was certain he was dreaming, but the unfamiliar situation filled him with fear.
Please wake up, Khem, I beg you.
Time passed slowly. Khem felt like he had been standing there for hours. Just as he was about to reach the peak of his anxiety, he suddenly heard a voice:
'Khem...come this way, my child.' In the distance, a woman in a white blouse and a traditional Thai skirt was standing, waving him over.
“Mom...is it really you, Mom?” Khem bit his lip, holding back tears, his heart beating rapidly out of fear that it might not truly be his mother.
'It's me, my son. Don't be afraid, I'll take you out of here.' Her voice was warm, something telling him that it was indeed his mother.
“Mom!” Overwhelmed by his longing for his mother, Khem quickly wiped his tears and ran towards her with joy.
“Mom, I missed you so much.” Khem embraced his mother, but he could not feel her warmth, as if he was hugging emptiness itself.
This only confirmed that she was no longer alive in the real world, merely a spirit appearing in his dream...
His mother nodded and smiled at Khem, then took his hand and led him forward.
Not long after, Khem saw a light, and suddenly his mother stopped walking. She turned to him with a smile and said:
“Khem, follow that light, my child.” Khem looked at his mother with concern, his heart aching so much he almost cried.
“And...what about you, Mom?”
“I can't go, dear. Hurry up, don't worry about me.”
“But...” Khem was about to argue when another voice intruded into this dimension.
“Khem, can you hear me, Khem?” It was Jett's voice, sounding very urgent.
Khem bit his lip to hold back tears, gently squeezing his mother's cold hands.
“Mom, come find me again, okay? I'll wait for you, Mom.”
His mother smiled and nodded.
“Go quickly.” After his mother agreed, Khem reluctantly turned and ran towards the white light that was not far away, which was growing larger and larger until...
Gasp!
Khem jolted awake, his heart pounding so fast he was breathing heavily, then he saw Jett's face sitting by the bed.
“Jett...”
“Yeah, you finally woke up.” Jett looked greatly relieved. Khem slowly sat up, gently rubbing his face.
“I dreamt I was somewhere unknown, it was so dark, full of fog and smoke...At first, I was really scared, but then suddenly Mom came to me, Jett. Since she passed away, I've never felt her presence until now. What happened...?” Before Khem could finish speaking, he noticed how weary Jett looked, with dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn't slept at all.
“Jett, what happened last night?” Khem asked, his large eyes flickering with curiosity.
Jett had already told Khem about the incident on the tour bus before they went to sleep, how he had nearly put everyone in danger.
He hadn't realized that it wasn't over yet...
Looking at Khem, Jett felt pity for his friend. He didn't want to tell him, but Khem needed to know because it was Pharan and the other village shamans who had saved him.
“Khem. You need to calm down and listen to me...” Jett recounted everything he knew. From hearing the loud screeches of the owls on the roof, which are considered an ill omen since owls are believed to be ghost birds, to many people with magical abilities coming to this place. Jett heard the master chanting the Assembly of Deities spell, which the master had once used to subdue numerous spirits during the incident of the forest breaking five years ago when he was still a monk.
Last night was the second time Jett heard the master chant this spell, indicating that a large number of spirits were approaching, which turned out to be true. After that, Jett heard the high-pitched shrieks of the pretas, similar to what he heard on the tour bus, along with the stench of decay like that of corpses, and the foul smell of ghosts carried by the wind.
Jett thought they must have come for Khem.
“Five years ago, after the master finished invoking the deities, the spirits retreated back into the deep forest. They didn't bother the villagers again, but last night, I heard the sound of rain and thunder multiple times consecutively. After that, the sun rose, and everything returned to normal. It was amazing, but I regret not going out to see it.”
Khem bit his lip tightly.
“I'm sorry, Jett.”
“Hey, I didn't say it to make you feel bad, I just wanted you to know that last night, the master and the villagers saved you. Go take a shower and then go see the master. Thank him properly.” Khem nodded in agreement, although his eyes were still somewhat downcast.
It was now only half past six, with half an hour to spare. After showering and dressing, Khem followed Jett to the central area used for ceremonies. The master, in a long-sleeved black shirt and matching trousers, was still sitting on a raised wooden platform.
Jett crawled forward, stopped at a respectful distance, and bowed, then looked up to pay respects with his hands clasped, smiling shyly. Khem followed suit, but after bowing, he kept his eyes down, unable to meet the master's gaze, who looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes far worse than Jett's, feeling guilty.
Pharan looked at Jett with a gaze as sharp as a knife before turning to the other boy who was sitting small beside him.
“You, are you Khem?”
“Yes, that's me, sir.”
“Come closer.” Khem gave a small start, looked up, blinking as if unsure whether he heard correctly.
“Go ahead.” Jett, still with his hands clasped, leaned in to whisper. Khem opened his mouth slightly and then closed it, quickly crawling forward to kneel and clasp his hands before the master who was seated higher, but he didn't dare to look up at the master's face.
After taking a shower earlier, before meeting the master, Jett had told Khem not to make eye contact with the master for more than three seconds, but he didn't explain why. If Jett didn't tell him, Khem wouldn't ask; he always followed what Jett said without question.
Pharan wasn't concerned with how Khem reacted to him. What he was curious about and had been pondering since last night were the words of the ghost Madam Ramphueng, the nemesis of Khem.
“But I'll tell you this, your grandfather's magic can't do anything to me...”
Madam Ramphueng knew Pharan's grandfather, no doubt they had met before, and he felt very familiar with Khem's real name, so he wanted to verify something to put his mind at ease.
“The thing you're wearing around your neck, show it to me.” He said calmly. The other boy trembled slightly before pretending to take off the necklace.
“Just show it, no need to take it off.” Khem swallowed, slightly startled by the stern tone of the master, but complied by pulling out the sacred thread necklace over his shirt, then placed his hands on his lap and tilted his head back, closing his eyes for the master to see clearly.
“Here it is.” The master's face was expressionless, while Jett tried hard not to laugh. He had never seen anyone so scared of the master yet look so funny in their fear.
Pharan, who was sitting in meditation, unfolded his legs and placed his feet on the ground, picking up a betel leaf from a brass tray, using it to lift Khem's talisman. He leaned in close to examine it. Khem caught a faint pleasant scent from the master and closed his eyes tightly, not daring to breathe deeply.
Pharan narrowed his eyes. This was a genuine tiger-hide talisman, one of only three in the world, blessed by his grandfather. One was in the possession of his grandfather's close friend, a well-known monk who now lived as a forest-dwelling monk; Pharan hadn't heard from him in years.
The second was his, as he was his grandson.
The last one, he never thought, would belong to this boy who had no apparent connection to his grandfather.
Pharan remembered now. This was about sixteen years ago. At that time, he was in middle school, and his grandfather often traveled to various provinces to exorcize ghosts as requested, accompanied by three disciples: Uncle Chaiya, Uncle Lah, and Uncle Mek, the three most powerful shamans in this village.
That day, Grandpa came to visit him at home. At that time, he was still with his father. Grandpa brought snacks and local souvenirs from the provinces he had visited, and as usual, he shared stories about his work.
Grandpa had met a family in Kanchanaburi; it was a family of three - father, mother, and child...
“The parents aren't the issue, but the three-year-old child has a bad fate, cursed by a spirit with a vendetta against his life. No matter how many times they tried to ward off the curse, it didn't get better. Every time the child gets sick, he's on the brink of death. At this rate, he probably won't live to see five...”
“Oh, the child's name is Khemjira, it's quite fitting, but the bearer of the name is a boy, you know...”
Seeing the child's adorable face, Grandpa took a liking to him. So, he gave him a tiger claw amulet. “Haha.” Grandpa laughed merrily, but at that time, Pharan, not quite understanding, frowned and asked:
“Grandpa…Didn't you say we shouldn't interfere with others' karmic debts?”
Grandpa nodded.
“Well, yes, but when I saw his face, I couldn't help but feel pity for him. Once you help, you help.”
After that, ten years passed, and Grandpa died of old age, but before passing, he suffered greatly and was in excruciating pain. The image of Grandpa vomiting black blood, writhing in pain, and deliriously seeking death every night was still vivid in Pharan's memory, especially Grandpa's dying wish that he would remember forever:
“Be a white magician, not a black one, and don't meddle in others' karmic affairs. Unless you want to suffer like me.”
Pharan let go of the amulet and moved back to his original position after receiving the answer. What he was about to tell the boy in front of him was this:
A pottery jar inscribed with runes to bind a spirit was placed in front of Khem. The master said:
“The spirit in this jar is your mother's.” Upon hearing this, Khem's heart sank, his eyes widened in disbelief, staring at the pottery jar as if he couldn't believe it.
“Ma...Mom?” Pharan nodded slightly, not caring whether Khem believed it or not.
“Your mother has been with you all this time. She's a spirit with little power, but she's managed to stay because of her pure intention to protect her child.”
“...”
“Her accumulated merit from when she was alive, combined with the protective amulet you've worn since childhood, has kept her from being taken by other spirits to become their servant.”
“...”
“But now, the magic in the talisman has completely faded. Your mother only survived because someone has been sending her merit and loving-kindness...” Khem's eyes burned with emotion. The person referred to must have been the father abbot, as Khem hadn't had time to make merit for his mother in recent months.
Pharan watched Khem's face, which was beginning to tear up, without any intention of sparing his feelings.
“Your mother isn't a protected spirit; last night, if I hadn't sheltered her in this pot, she would likely have been destroyed by the stray magic.”
Remembering the dream he had this morning, Khem couldn't hold back his tears. He believed every word the master said, so he bowed down to the floor.
“Thank you so much, masterer, thank you for saving my mother.” Pharan looked at Khem without acknowledging the thanks, then continued,
“From now on, the ghost that's your nemesis will grow even more powerful. If your mother continues to linger around to protect you like this, it won't be long before that ghost takes her.” Khem shook his head in refusal, tears streaming down his face, his large eyes pleading as he looked at the master's face.
“Then...what should I do, master?” Pharan placed the magical pot in front.
“Take it to the temple, perform the rites to send her spirit to the reincarnation where it should be.”
“Huh.” Khem nodded, wiping his tears with his sleeve before embracing the pot.
“Can I do it tomorrow, master? I...I want to spend one more night with my mother.” Pharan watched Khem, who was crying with a runny nose. Not wanting to admit he felt sorry for him, he pretended to sip his black coffee and replied softly,
“Do whatever you want.”
“Thank you, master.” Khem bowed again with joy, it was almost time to meet with the club members. He quickly took the pot containing his mother to his bedroom.
Khem placed his mother's pot on the head of the bed, before leaving he gently stroked the lid and spoke to his mother's spirit,
“I have so much I want to talk to you about, Mom. I'll come back soon.”
As for Jett, as soon as Khem waddled off with his mother's pot, he quickly crawled closer to the master.
“Master, was it the vengeful spirit after Khem last night?” Pharan looked at Jett with a reprimanding gaze before answering curtly:
“Yes.” Jett gave a strained smile.
“Thank you for protecting Khem, Master. You're truly amazing!” Jett exclaimed, but then yelped as the master tapped his head with the edge of a stainless steel tray, causing tears from the pain.
“Just this once. If anything happens again, I won't help. You deal with it yourself.”
“Oh, Master, don't you see how pitiful Khem is? He'd be blown away by a mere breeze. How could he possibly confront such a spirit?” Pharan fixed Jett with a stern look.
“Don't make me repeat myself.” Jett clenched his lips. He usually didn't argue with the master. If the answer was no, then it was no. But he wanted to plead just this one time for Khem.
“Master…if you won't help Khem...I'll leak your phone number to-...ouch!” Pharan kicked Jett, sending him sprawling backwards.
Chapter 10:
Jett thought about getting even with an elbow smack, but this time he feared he'd lose both his elbow and his ground, so he retreated, clasping his hands in apology over his head. When Khem returned, Jett almost carried him away from the house.
Pharan watched the two boys until they were out of sight, then shook his head in mild exasperation.
“Khem is quite cute, isn't he, Master? Won't you help him for real?”
“Yeah, Master, he's really pitiful.”
“Thong” and “Ek.” The twin ghost boys appeared, sitting formally and clasping their hands in supplication. These two ghosts were quite close to Jett; whenever they were together, they got along like peas in a pod, causing trouble since Jett was knee-high to a grasshopper.
“Want to get your heads knocked like Jett?” Both ghosts gaped at each other before quickly crawling away. Ordinary people might not be able to touch spirits, but the master could!
“We're leaving, we're leaving!”
Jett and Khem arrived at the assembly point right on time at seven in the morning for their scheduled meeting. The first thing they had to do was exercise by doing aerobics to stretch their muscles, led by a senior female club staff member. Many villagers also joined in the exercise.
“Oh, I'm hungry.” Jett groaned while rubbing his stomach. After exercising in front of the flagpole, they all gathered at the school cafeteria for breakfast.
“We didn't eat anything last night, and Jett hasn't slept all night. I'll go get some porridge for you, wait here.” Khem said, and Jett nodded while yawning. While waiting for Khem to fetch the food, Jett slumped his face down onto the table to nap.
Chanwit, who was in a similar condition, sat down at the table opposite Jett with some porridge. The events of last night left him curious and sleepless. Uncle Chai, the homeowner, had returned at some unknown time; when he went to take a shower, he saw Uncle Chai sleeping on a bamboo bed behind the house.
Seeing Jett this sleepy only reinforced Chanwit's suspicion that whatever happened last night, Jett and Khem were definitely involved.
Today, he would keep a close eye on these two to find out exactly what happened last night!
Jett devoured two full bowls of pork porridge and a strong cup of black coffee, the bitterness of which woke him up completely, making him ready for the hard work ahead.
Next, they divided into groups to head to different sites: one group to repair the school roof, another to build a library, and another to go to the temple to restore and repair the damaged areas, which were not far from each other, allowing for help if one group needed more people.
The installation of the water filter was scheduled for the next day. After the major Buddhist holiday and the ceremony to honor Indra and Mother Earth, which the village chief had just announced to the volunteer students this morning.
“I heard that the big Buddhist holiday and the ceremony to honor heaven and earth here are usually held in the ninth month, and we're only in the fourth month. Why the rush?” one student remarked to another while they were painting the school fence.
“The villagers might want us to experience their culture. That's good, I brought my camera.” another responded.
“Yeah, that's great. We'll get lots of pictures to post on the university page, which might help us get more funding next year.” They said, laughing cheerfully.
Cut to Jett and Khem, who were part of the temple restoration team. Jett, looking more robust than Khem, was recruited to fix the roof of the pavilion. After helping others scrub and clean the temple walls, Khem was assigned to be the mural painter on the walls, along with five other club members.
“Wow, Khem, you draw really well.” praised Phraemai, a fellow student sitting next to him. Khem's drawing depicted a woman in a white blouse and traditional Thai skirt, kneeling with hands clasped in prayer, with a small boy around three or four years old sitting beside her, and a monk in front giving blessings. The scene captured the early morning atmosphere of a crowded community.
Indeed, Khem had drawn his own family.
“Yours is beautiful too, Phrae. The color balance is great, and the detail on the clothing is excellent.” Khem complimented Phraemai in return. She had drawn a woman in ancient Thai attire floating on a boat in a pond surrounded by lotus flowers.
Phraemai laughed when she saw Khem sincerely admiring her work, “Haha, you're too kind, thanks. Seeing you so focused made me serious too.” Khem blushed at the compliment, slightly easing his tension as he noticed how easily Phraemai got along with others. They chatted a bit more before each returned to their work.
Jett watched Khem from the temple roof, while Chan, who was helping the villagers mix cement below, also kept an eye on both of them. Come lunchtime, they had sticky rice and fried pork wrapped in banana leaves for lunch, courtesy of the villagers. The sweet and salty taste was something Khem especially liked, reminiscent of how his mother used to fry pork for him with stir-fried vegetables when he was a child.
Missing his mom, Khem wanted to finish his work quickly and return to the master's house to be with her.
The temple work finished around three in the afternoon, later than the school project. This was a free time for the students in the club; some went back home to rest, while others hitched a ride on the village chief's truck to the market in the sub-district, as the next day was a major Buddhist holiday with a planned ritual, requiring preparations.
Once Jett came down from the temple roof, he was immediately engaged in conversations by various villagers. Meanwhile, Khem was all over the place, running in and out of village houses.
Jett had told him that last night, many of the village's spirit doctors had to rise and deal with spirits to assist Master Pharan, not getting any sleep, which Khem felt responsible for, even though no one knew this as the master had kept it secret. To make amends, Khem wanted to help the villagers. In some houses, he helped repair water pipes; in others, he cleaned; he helped dig in gardens for planting, and at some places, he assisted in sorting grains.
After Jett finished talking with one of the villagers, he couldn't find Khem. He had seen him heading towards Grandma Si's house, but when he asked her, she said he had finished cleaning her house and then left.
Chanwit watched Jett, who seemed restless whenever Khemjira wasn't nearby, and he couldn't help but furrow his brows in suspicion about their relationship. It was unusual for friends to not let the other out of their sight like this.
Or were they more than just friends?
Chanwit was left to ponder this on his own. The world had moved on; even though he might seem like he was from another era, it wasn't as if he didn't understand human rights.
But the look in the eyes of people with romantic interest was not like this. His father had once been entranced by a woman, leading to his divorce from Chanwit's mother. The way his father looked at that woman was filled with love and desire.
But the look in Jett's eyes when he looked at Khemjira was more like how a mother watches her toddler taking his first steps, as if if Khemjira stumbled, Jett's world would end...or so he thought.
Damn it.
Chanwit pinched his temples, not understanding why he was so fixated on Jett and Khemjira.
“Hey, you.” Chanwit lowered his hand, his eyebrow twitching slightly when someone called him “you.” in the rudest way possible, but when he saw who it was, his body tensed up instantly.
Confused, suspicious, and excited, these three feelings clashed in Chanwit's head.
“Khun Jett?” Chanwit accidentally called out, which made Jett raise an eyebrow, wondering how the other knew his name, but then he remembered he was somewhat famous and didn't think much of it. Right now, he had to find Khem.
“Yeah. Have you seen my friend? He's small, big eyes, brown hair, and is wearing a blue t-shirt.” Jett described Khem to Chan, but the answer he got left Jett momentarily speechless.
“My name is Chanwit, you can just call me Chan.” Chan responded with a frown. He was usually polite to others, but being called “you” by someone he wasn't close to was really irritating, especially by Jett.
“Oh, right, okay. Chan, have you seen my friend? Small, big eyes, brown hair, wearing a blue t-shirt.” Jett corrected himself by adding the name, thinking the other just wanted to introduce himself. Chanwit was still annoyed, but it was better than being called “you” earlier.
“Why do you keep following Khem around all the time?” Chan thought it was best to ask directly because he had been observing these two all day without getting any answers, and it was wasting his time.
“Huh?”
“The incident where the bus nearly crashed, and then many villagers walking down the road to the west in the middle of the night, in the same direction Jett and Khem went earlier. What exactly is going on? What are you two up to?” Chanwit fired off questions without giving Jett a chance to respond.
Hearing the accusations, Jett started to get irritated, about to curse out Chan, when Khem's voice rang out from behind:
“Jett, help me, help me!”
“Damn!”
“Watch out!”
Khem was struggling to carry a whole bunch of bananas, his arms laden with bags of food and snacks hanging off them. He stumbled over a stone.
Both Jett and Chan felt like they'd been zapped, their bodies jerking as they rushed to help Khem. Chan, being the largest and strongest, took on the task of carrying the banana bunch, which was quite heavy...
Meanwhile, Jett quickly relieved Khem of the bags of snacks and other food, complaining as he did so:
“Why did you bring back so much stuff? Are you starving or what, Khem?”
“The villagers gave these to me, okay? Keep talking, and I won't share any!” Khem retorted immediately.
In truth, Khem initially didn't want any reward, intending to repay the villagers and atone for the trouble he caused. But the villagers wouldn't take no for an answer. Eventually, Khem couldn't refuse their kindness and accepted everything they gave, including this entire bunch of bananas...
“You've gotten quite bold, huh?” Khem stuck out his tongue at Jett before turning to the man who had come to help carry the bananas. This man was tall, with jet-black hair slicked back and wearing square-framed glasses, giving off a scholarly vibe. Khem vaguely remembered his name was Chanwit.
“Is your name Chanwit? Thank you for helping. Otherwise, I'd have fallen flat on my face. Here, let me take it now.” Khem said, checking his hands and shirt, which were already stained with paint. He then extended his arms to take back the bananas, thinking he could manage now that his arms were free from the other bags.
However, Chan shook his head in refusal. He stole a quick glance at the red mark on Khem's arm before replying.
“I think it's better if I hold it for you.”
“Let me choose one for you to hold.” Jett quickly said, feeling a strong aversion to Chanwit since the earlier incident, wanting to send Chanwit away.
But Khem felt an immediate liking for Chanwit, sensing he was probably a good person. There was something about Chanwit that made him feel safe, and he seemed more mature than both Khem and Jett. If they could be friends, it wouldn't be bad at all.
“Then, how about we go sit and eat some snacks? We've got so much, no way we can finish it all.” Khem suggested with a flushed face. Chanwit looked at him and felt a sense of endearment, so he nodded.
“Sure, there's a small wooden pavilion up ahead where we can sit and rest.”
“No way, Khem, let's just go home. I want to take a shower.” Jett objected with a displeased face, but he was taken aback when Khem turned to look at him with a pout and raised eyes.
“Can't we sit and have some snacks first, Jett? I'm hungry, and if we walk all the way to the master's house, I'll definitely faint.” Jett's mouth opened and closed as he glared at his friend in annoyance.
“Fine, but you turned to stone in front of the master, remember!” Khem put both hands over his ears as if to block out the words, just thinking about the master's face made his legs tremble.
“Alright, alright, Chan, lead the way.”
While eating snacks at the village's central wooden pavilion, Khem eagerly asked Chanwit about himself, his major, and year of study. It turned out Chanwit was studying Social Sciences, majoring in Psychology, and was in the same year as Jett and Khem.
“Wow, you're really smart.”
“It's just okay, ouch.” Jett yelped as Khem pinched his waist. Chan wasn't paying attention to Jett. He nodded to Khem and responded,
“Khun Khem, you are smart too.”
“Ugh, sorry, sorry.”
“Sorry on behalf of Jett, he's just got a foul mouth like this, but he's actually a good person.” Khem apologizes on behalf of his friend while Jett turns his face away, and Chan gives a small smile.
“I don't mind crazy people.” Jett says, turning back with his neck almost snapping.
“Damn, do you want a punch, Khem? My waist is all bruised now!”
“Jett, calm down!”
For the sake of Khem, both Chan and Jett temporarily stop their bickering and focus on eating, with some small talk about tomorrow's plans. After eating, they helped clean up the trash, but Khem had set aside some food for himself, his mother, and the priest. Khem hadn't properly thanked the priest for the events of the previous night.
Then, Chan walked Khem and Jett to the end of the concrete road, flanked by banana trees, with a rubber plantation ahead where a narrow dirt road cuts through.
Earlier, Chan found out that Jett and Khem were staying at the house of Master Pharan, a respected shaman in the village. Khem explained that Jett was also a disciple of Master Pharan, which is why they were staying there since Jett's real home was far away in the district.
“Just drop us here, you can go back.” Jett quickly grabs a bunch of bananas from Chan, while Khem stands waiting not far away.
“About what you asked me, don't go asking Khem about it, got it?” Jett warns as a final note. Even though Chan didn't mention it to Khem earlier, one can never be too sure in the future.
Chan shrugs.
“Next time, if I ask you and you don't give me a good answer, I'll ask Khun Khem.”
Jett glared at him.
“Damn, you'll get it from me.” Khem shouts, hearing something about getting 'it'.
“Jett, what are you saying!” Jett immediately gets annoyed.
“Ugh, you're really annoying, you know that!”
Chapter 11:
After arriving home, having taken turns to shower and change clothes, Jett told Khem to go prepare the meal for the priest in the kitchen. Meanwhile, Jett would go invite the priest downstairs for dinner.
The villagers had provided both savory and sweet dishes, along with homegrown brown rice, so Khem didn't need to spend time cooking rice.
The master came downstairs alone. Where Jett had gone, nobody knew. Khem stole a glance and noticed that the other man seemed to have just woken up. His hair was slightly messy, but he still looked very handsome.
Khem shook his head to clear his irrelevant thoughts before quickly pulling out a chair from the fine wooden table for the priest to sit down, where the table was laden with food.
Pharan sat down, immediately started serving himself some food, and then quietly said to Khem, who was standing awkwardly behind him:
“You can go find your mother if you wish.” Khem pressed his lips together before nodding quickly.
“Thank you, Master.” After saying this, he went into the kitchen, grabbed the trays of food for his mother and himself, and headed straight up the stairs to the bedroom.
Pharan looked at the abundance of food on the table and sighed to himself, as he had actually already eaten dinner before these two young men returned.
It was quite a commotion.
“Tonight, you stay with your mother, I'll sleep outside.”
Khem nodded, “Thank you, Jett.”
“Easy, just call me if you need anything.” Jett ruffled Khem's hair gently before taking his pillow and blanket outside.
Khem placed his mother's food tray on the floor, separated his own plate from the tray, got up to open the pot lid on the bed's headboard, then sat back down on his knees to light an incense stick as per tradition, closed his eyes and said:
“Mother, I've brought the food. There's your favorite green curry too. Come out and eat with me, Mother.” A warm breeze passed through, and Khem slowly opened his eyes to see his mother's face, which, though slightly pale, was still as beautiful as ever.
“I am here.” Khem held back his tears as best he could and nodded, giving his mother a sweet smile.
“Let's eat, mom, there's nothing but delicious food here.” Kekai nodded, looking at her child's plate which only has an omelet over white rice because the child gave her the best and tastiest food.
Her eyes felt hot, her heart ached with unbearable pain. She wanted to scoop some of everything onto her child's plate so they could eat together, just like when she was still alive.
But now, she couldn't do that.
Because she had passed away.
She was no longer in the same world as her child.
Therefore, the food offered to the dead, the living can't eat together.
“Thank you, my child.” between us, mother and child, there was an incense pot barrier. Kekai, swallowing hard, forced herself to eat the food with tears in her eyes.
“Mom, please don't cry, I'm very happy to be able to eat with you again.” Khem said with a smile, though tears streamed down his cheeks as he ate, wiping his tears because he couldn't stop crying.
Kekai nodded.
“Okay, dear, you shouldn't cry either.”
The two both ate until we finished, then Khem took the dishes downstairs to wash and brushed his teeth before bed.
“I'll run up quickly, mom.”
Kekai shook her head, “No running, dear, be considerate of the spirits of the house.”
Khem smiled and nodded, “Okay, mom, I won't run.”
Meanwhile, Jett leaned a wooden ladder against the house by Khem's bedroom window, with a shoulder bag containing a hammer and nails, and in one hand, he carried a solid wooden rod about a meter long or so. He placed nails into the wood to block the window, preventing anyone inside from opening it and jumping out.
After the day Khem almost jumped from the balcony, Jett didn't trust him to sleep alone anymore, and even when sleeping together, he tied Khem's leg to himself. Today, not sleeping together, he couldn't help but be wary, fearing Khem might have strange dreams and open the window.
Once done, he put the tools away and returned to the house, setting up the mosquito net and laying out the bed near the door.
At this time, Pharan was meditating to enter a trance as usual when he heard the sound of someone hammering something, and he immediately guessed who it was.
That Jett...
Khem came back upstairs once more, passing by Jett who was lying guard near the door. His mother was still sitting on the bed, waiting, so he quickly climbed onto the bed to be close to her.
“Mother, can I sleep in your lap?”
Kekai smiled, “Of course, my child.”
Khem lay down with his head in his mother's lap and told her about what he had done that day. Her pale hands gently stroked his hair to lull him to sleep, as she often did when he was asleep.
She didn't dare to appear in front of her son, fearing he might become too attached and worried, so she had always just watched from a distance.
Khem looked up at his mother, taking her cold hands and holding them to his chest.
“Mother...tomorrow, I...I'll take you to the temple, okay mother?” Kekai pressed her lips together, tears in her eyes, nodding slightly, though it was hard for her to let go, but ultimately, she had to allow her son to face his destiny alone.
Master Pharan had told her. That if she continued to follow her son like this, it would only make Khem's life harder.
The more spirits that followed him, the weaker he would become.
Because she was a spirit with very little power, unable to contend with anyone, if one day her spirit were to vanish or be taken as a servant by another, her son would surely suffer and blame himself.
“I will go with you.”
Khem reached up to wipe his mother's tears, then gave her a faint smile.
“Mother doesn't need to worry about me, I'll get through it, I'll live until I'm old, believe in me, mother.” Kekai nodded again.
“I believe in you...It's very late now. Go to sleep, my child, you have to wake up early tomorrow.”
Khem shook his head from side to side.
“But I still want to talk to you, mom.” Khem tried to keep the conversation going with various topics, but soon, his body couldn't resist fatigue, especially with his mother's hand combing through his hair and her lullaby soothing him to sleep. Khem slowly sank into a deep slumber.
Sleep now, my dear, I'll sing you to sleep,
Gently rocking, my lullaby deep,
Golden mother, don't cry and weep,
Your love, my dear, forever to keep...
The lullaby was melodious, carried by the breeze, echoing eerily, mixed with the chirping of crickets and interspersed with intermittent sobs that would touch anyone's heart. Some villagers, half-awake, even got up to chant prayers out of compassion, not knowing who the singer of this child's lullaby was...
When Khem was soundly asleep with a slight smile of contentment on his face, Kekai gently placed his head on the pillow, covered him with a blanket, and stroked his head one last time before whispering softly,
“Sweet dreams, my child.”
Kekai stepped out of the bedroom, seeing Jett sleeping in the mosquito net near the door, she smiled with affection, knelt down, and gently stroked the young man's head.
“Thank you very much for always taking care of Khem, may blessings protect you from now on, may you be safe, my child.”
Jett felt a cool touch on his head, but being too sleepy, he didn't open his eyes. He just took note of it in his heart...
Pharan, who was meditating, slowly opened his eyes. The light from the large candle helped him see who had come to visit, though not very clearly.
“Hello, master.” Kekai said before bowing to the ground. Pharan felt reluctant to have her bow to him but didn't interrupt her faith, so he just nodded in acknowledgment.
“Thank you for helping me and my child.” She looked up with a beautiful smile, and Pharan's expression softened slightly.
“I just did what I could, it's not a favor.” Kekai nodded.
“Master, Khem is a good boy.”
Pharan listened silently, not quite understanding why she brought this up.
“He speaks well, studies well, draws beautifully, cooks well, and does all the household chores competently.”
“...”
“If in the future, Master, should you wish to have someone by your side, please consider my son too, okay?” Pharan believed that if he had taken a sip of the tea next to him a moment ago, he would have scalded his mouth. Thong and Ekk spirits sitting in the corner of the room even raised their hands to stifle their laughter, while sending teasing glances his way.
Pharan didn't know how to react facially, but he nodded in acknowledgment to the young spirit before him and replied:
“Yes, Auntie.”
Kekai smiled. She didn't know why, but she felt that this man would help Khem survive safely, especially after what had happened before. She felt confident about this.
“Please take care of Khem, Master.” She bowed again. Even though Master Pharan didn't explicitly promise, his eyes softened, which reassured her a lot, and then her body gradually faded into the air.
Kekai appeared again in front of Phra Pinto's cabin, her former husband. This time, Phra Pinto wasn't standing on the steps anymore. He walked down and stopped in front of her, where she sat cross-legged on the ground, the distance neither too close nor too far.
Kekai clasped her hands in prayer and bowed three times, then looked up with a faint smile.
“I've come to say goodbye, my dear monk.” A tear streamed down from her beautiful eyes, even though her lips were still smiling.
A sudden pang of emptiness filled her heart, but Phra Pinto remained composed, then spoke to his former wife's spirit:
“Goodbye, Kai, do not worry, do not be anxious anymore.”
Kekai nodded through her tears.
“Thank you so much for everything, my dear monk.”
“...”
“If I hadn't met you in this life, I wouldn't know how much I would have suffered.”
“...”
“If there is a next life, I hope we can meet again.” Kekai said, then bowed at Phra Pinto's feet, her tears dropping onto the ground, making it damp. Her ears caught the sound of chanting, and her pale body suddenly glowed with a bright golden light.
“Sabbeputta, sabbedhamma, sabbesangha, palappatta, paccekaanam, jayang palang...
Chapter 12:
Khem woke up at four in the morning, looked around the room, didn't see anyone, so he quickly sat up. Glancing at the clay pot, he saw it was tightly closed, realizing his mother had returned inside it.
Knock knock
“Khem, are you awake?” Jett's voice called out, waking him. Khem replied that he was awake, then got up to tidy his bed before hurrying out.
Master Pharan was waiting on a bamboo platform not far from the kitchen, with a cup of black coffee beside him, and a dog named Ai Dang was lying guard underneath.
“Go wash your face and come help prepare things.” Master Pharan said quietly without turning to look. At that moment, he was wrapping tobacco, betel nut, and miang into bite-sized portions on a tray with banana leaves.
Jett and Khem took turns washing up and brushing their teeth before rushing into the kitchen. Jett had steamed the sticky rice in a pot since three in the morning before going back to sleep. Now, with the rice cooked, he took it out of the pot, flipped it onto a tray, and used a clean stick to spread it out, letting the steam escape.
Khem took charge of preparing the savory dishes, which included fried pork and fried fish, simple meals as instructed by Jett.
Once done, they both carried the food out to Master Pharan's bamboo platform, then found low stools to sit on below while Master Pharan sat alone on the platform.
“Oh, damn, I forgot I asked the village chief to buy some sweets.” Jett said as he remembered, scratching his head, putting down the banana leaf, and standing up. Khem was also startled.
“Should I go with you, Jett?”
“No need, you stay here to help Master Pharan. I'll go quickly and come back. Master, may I borrow your bike, please?” When Master Pharan nodded, Jett ran to grab the master's bike with a front basket, pulled it from under the house, and cycled off immediately.
Khem could only watch with drooping eyes as he was abandoned by his friends, before he made up his mind and slowly turned back to look at Master Pharan, who was wrapping sticky rice and fried pork in banana leaves. He watched Master Pharan's slender, veined hands, observing his movements and trying to mimic them.
But the oppressive atmosphere emanating from Master Pharan made Khem feel like he couldn't breathe properly, so he gathered his courage to strike up a conversation, figuring if he got scolded, he'd just stay quiet.
“Uh, what is this called, Master?” Pharan glanced at Khem's face for just a moment before answering calmly:
“Small rice packets.” Seeing that Master Pharan was willing to respond, Khem's spirits lifted, and he immediately asked another question.
“What are they for?”
“They're placed at the base of trees around a few temples, as an offering for the spirits.” Pharan, seeing Khem listening intently with wide eyes, continued to explain when, where, why, and how, until Jett returned on his bicycle with a bag of sweets. Then Master Pharan stopped his explanation and focused back on wrapping the rice in banana leaves.
Khem understood from what Master Pharan had explained that this tradition is also known as “The Merit-making Ceremony of Decorating the Earth with Rice.” a long-standing practice in the Northeastern part of Thailand.
On the fourteenth day of the waning moon in the ninth month of every year, villagers would bring various foods, both savory and sweet, fruits, betel nuts, and cigarettes, wrap them in banana leaves, and place them under large trees, on the ground near the temple area, around the stupa, or the ordination hall, to make merit for the spirits of deceased relatives or ancestors, as well as for wandering spirits, those without kin, and hungry ghosts.
Jett handed a bag of sweets to Khem to wrap in banana leaves, then went to cut a banana bunch that Khem had received from the villagers the day before into small pieces to be placed in bowls.
Once everything was prepared, Jett and Khem followed Master Pharan into the woods behind the house. Not far into the woods, Master Pharan placed nine small rice packets at the base of a Bodhi tree, lit one candle and one incense stick, chanted an invocation for the spirits in the area to come and receive the food, and then planted the incense into the ground.
“Stay here.” Master Pharan turned to say briefly before, carrying a bag of small rice packets, he walked further into the woods.
Once alone with Jett, Khem quietly asked:
“Jett, Master said this tradition is held in the ninth month, but it's only the fourth month now. Why are we doing it so early?” Jett scratched his head, having completely forgotten to tell Khem about this.
“It's about the incident where the spirits invaded the village two days ago. Today is the Buddhist holy day, so Master Pharan suggested to the other shamans who came that day that we should hold this ceremony now, rather than waiting for the ninth month when the spirits might come out to cause trouble again.” Khem said with a nod of understanding, pursing his lips.
“I'm sorry.” Jett shook Khem's head back and forth.
“Don't overthink it, it's over now. No one wanted it to happen. Better to spend your time thinking about how to deal with the spirits or karmic debts.” Khem nodded, and Jett was right again.
After a while, Master Pharan returned. Jett explained that Master Pharan had gone alone because he was worried about their safety, as there were not only many spirits but also potentially harmful animals in there.
Then Master Pharan went back inside the house. Meanwhile, Jett and Khem cycled around on Master Pharan's bike, placing offerings at various locations from the rubber plantation, banana grove, the village's three-way junction, to the temple area. Several volunteer students who were interested in local culture also joined in. Although it was done quietly, the atmosphere was quite lively.
Wherever Jett and Khem cycled, they were greeted and called to by villagers all along the way. When they met Chan, Khem quickly pulled Jett's shirt collar to make him stop the bike.
“Ack, let me go, Khem!”
Khem ignored Jett's whining and greeted Chan.
“Chan, you're out too?”
Chan had just finished watering the plants by the roadside and stood up with a polite smile.
“Hello, Khun Khem, where are you heading?” Jett was about to curse, but Khem covered his mouth.
“We're going to the temple. Want to join, Chan?” At first, Chan was going to decline, as he had already done his merit-making, but seeing Jett's glare, he nodded in agreement. Khem immediately jumped off the bike to walk with Chan, forcing Jett to get off and push the bike, restraining himself from cursing the thick-skinned Chan since they were now near a sacred area.
The three of us arrived at the area beside the temple's ordination hall and sat next to Grandma Si, a seventy-year-old woman lighting incense, clasping her hands together, calling out for her relatives and ancestors to come and receive the merit.
“Come, dear parents and siblings, grandparents, today we offer food and alms. There's plenty to eat, a big fish cake, rice, water, sweets, bananas, sugarcane. May all suffering be relieved, may all karmic debts be resolved, may you ascend to heaven. Amen.”
As Grandma Si said “Amen.” Jett, Khem, and Chan followed suit, then helped her up from the ground.
“Oh, thank you very much, boys. Go, go get the sweets from home, there are plenty.”
After receiving the sweets, Chan parted ways with Khem and Jett at Grandma Si's house. Each went back home to bathe and get dressed, preparing to return to the temple to offer food to the monks and listen to the sermon at eight in the morning.
After Khem had bathed and dressed, he prepared food in a lacquered food container while waiting for Jett. The food had been set aside earlier for offering to the monks.
“Khem, are you done?” Jett, dressed in a white round-neck shirt and baggy jeans styled like the 90s, asked while putting on his sneakers at the bottom of the stairs. Khem nodded after neatly stacking the food containers.
“Done, just wait a moment. I need to get my mother's pot first.” After saying this, Khem ran past Jett upstairs to the bedroom to get his mother's pot, wrapped it in white cloth, tied it up, and placed it in a yellow shoulder bag.
“Here we go.” Khem said after slinging the bag over his shoulder and picking up the food container. Jett went to fetch the priest's bicycle again.
“Get on.” Khem hesitated, not daring to move forward, secretly looking up to the balcony to see if anyone was watching.
“Uh, is it okay to take the priest's bicycle, Jett?”
“It's fine. At this time, the priest is asleep and not going anywhere. Don't worry.” Khem made a doubtful face but then agreed to sit on the back of the bicycle.
“Wait, isn't the priest coming to the temple?”
“No, he usually doesn't go to the temple much, only when there's something important. But later in the morning, there will be a spirit worship ceremony, I'll come back to pick him up.”
Khem nodded in agreement to whatever Jett said.
Once they arrived at the temple, the first thing to do was to deliver his mother's pot to one of the senior monks.
“You wait here, I'll go invite the abbot.” Jett said, leaving Khem standing under a tree while he went to the monk's quarters. Soon, a monk returned with Jett. Seeing the monk, Khem quickly knelt down, placed his mother's wrapped pot beside him, and bowed three times on the ground.
“Paying respects, father abbot.”
“Blessings to you, benefactor.”
Jett came around to sit beside Khem after paying respects with his hands over his head and introduced the monk to his close friend.
“Khem, this is Luang Por Sua, the abbot of this temple.” Khem's eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly bowed again, not expecting his friend to bring such an esteemed monk.
“Na...Namaste, Luang Por Sua. My name is Khem.”
“Hmm. No need for too much formality. Your mother is in there, right? Bring her here; I will perform the rites.” The abbot said, his eyes softening with compassion, knowing this child's karma was unusually heavy.
“Here, thank you very much, father abbot.” Khem said after handing over the pot. He stepped back and bowed three more times.
“You don't need to worry. Your mother's spirit is a good one; her path ahead is certainly not one of hardship.” Hearing this, Khem felt relieved, quickly wiping away his tears and smiling.
“Understood, father abbot, thank you for your trouble.”
After that, Khem and Jett joined the other villagers and students in the temple's pavilion. They began the ceremony of offering alms for the morning meal to the monks and novices. After the offering, Khem returned to the same Bodhi tree to perform the water pouring ritual to transfer merit to his mother.
“I wish for my mother to have only happiness, to become an angel in heaven, and for us to be mother and child again in the next life, mom.” With delicate hands, he poured water from a brass vessel onto the ground, unaware that behind him appeared the figure of his mother, waiting to receive the merit.
Kekai's beautiful face smiled brightly, her body glowing with a golden radiance. Her hand gently stroked her son's hair as he performed the ritual, though Khem could neither see nor feel it.
“Thank you, my child.” Then, Kekai's spirit slowly dispersed into golden particles that floated up into the sky, leaving only a warm breeze to embrace her beloved son before departing forever...
…
Pharan woke up again in the morning, about an hour before the scheduled ceremony.
Today, he dressed in a long-sleeved white shirt, black well-fitted slacks, matching leather shoes, and sunglasses to shield his eyes. Once properly dressed, he walked to the area designated for parking bicycles.
However, there was nothing...
Pharan looked up at a window of a bedroom, made of fine golden teak wood, which had been blocked off with decayed wooden shutters without permission, and at the bicycle parking spot that was now empty, he could only close his eyes to suppress his feelings, and decided to walk into the village like this...
In the center of the village, where the ceremony to worship the heavens and earth was taking place, the square table, formed by connecting four tables, was now laden with offerings. There were the Brahmin and the Hindu celestial offerings, five kinds of savory dishes, nine types of auspicious sweets, including boiled pig's head, boiled duck, boiled chicken, and steamed snakehead fish, each one, nine types of fruits and various grains in one bowl, two bouquets of flowers in vases, betel nuts, tobacco, two garlands of marigolds, popped rice, and incense with four incense holders at the corners, all in adherence to the twelve traditional items.
Jett and Khem were so busy helping the villagers set up for the ceremony that they completely forgot something important, and by the time they remembered, it was too late.
Khem's jaw dropped when someone appeared, while Jett slapped his forehead loudly.
“Damn it, I forgot to pick up the master!”
After this event, it was expected that Jett would certainly be cut out of the inheritance by the priest...
The atmosphere at the worship ceremony changed immediately when Master Pharan appeared. His handsome face, though partially hidden by sunglasses, and his strong, confident demeanor made it impossible for onlookers to look away, especially the women. Some even tried to position themselves closer to the priest, but they were pushed back by his disciples.
Master Pharan, accustomed to ignoring his surroundings, was only focused on fulfilling his duties so he could return home to sleep early.
“Jett, why do the women in the village seem so excited?” Khem asked upon seeing the slight commotion at the front, while he was holding his hands in prayer, watching Master Pharan light nine incense sticks to worship the Triple Gem from afar.
Jett, also with his hands in prayer, replied:
“I could tell you about this all day and still not finish. Let's just say the priest usually keeps to himself at home, he rarely comes out among people like this.” Khem nodded in understanding, the vibe was like when a friend who rarely comes to class shows up, and everyone gets excited to see him.
Pharan performed his duty as the master of ceremonies, his large hands holding sixteen lit incense sticks at chest level, his lips moving in chants to invite and praise the gods and deities.
“I invoke the gods and deities, the sacred Phra Pirun and Mother Earth, to protect and safeguard the lives of the villagers here from all inauspicious things...”
The villagers all clasped their hands in prayer while Master Pharan conducted the ceremony step by step. Those close to the ritual area sat cross-legged on the mats, while those further away stood with hands clasped in prayer, mostly the volunteer student members.
Suddenly, it began to rain, amidst the sound of traditional Thai music being played and the dancers performing to honor the gods.
Master Pharan stood tall in front of the altar, his white shirt soaked by the rain, clinging to his body, revealing the intricate tattoos by a renowned monk covering his back. Despite the rain, the incense and candles still burned. No one moved to seek shelter; instead, they all raised their hands in reverence, covering their heads in respect.