Goddess Bless You From Death

Case File 13.

A sleek black car was parked in front of the central prison. Thup stepped out, feeling disoriented, and walked in a circle to find his older companion. Singha grabbed some documents from the leather seat and handed them to the young man standing beside him.

"Hold these and wait over there," Singha pointed to the shaded area near the high-walled entrance.

"Why? Aren't you coming too?"

"I'm going to smoke." Thup nodded and walked over to the entrance.

Singha pulled out a Marlboro cigarette, placed it between his lips, and lit it professionally with a lighter. He took a deep drag and released a plume of smoke. His sharp eyes watched the young man waiting at the gate, deep in thought. If the matter of the dolls, Mae-Sue, or any ghostly phenomena were true, he started to worry. The investigation would become significantly more challenging, as such issues defied empirical proof. Regardless of Thup's assertions, they remained unprovable.

Just as Singha was thinking, the prison gate swung open, and a guard approached the milk-faced man with a confrontational demeanour. Singha dropped the cigarette to the ground and stubbed it out with his shoe.

"What are you doing here?"

"..c-came.."

"Let me search you!" As the officer was about to grab Thup's arm for a body search, Singha intervened, showing his badge with a cold demeanour.

"I'm here to see Warden Sitthichai."

"Uh, right this way, sir. But first, we need to conduct a body search and hold onto any prohibited items before you enter. And.."

"This kid is with me."

"Then welcome, sir."

The two of them walked inside and underwent a thorough item examination, depositing their phones, as well as a body search. After the procedure, they were escorted to the warden's office.

"Hello, Inspector Singha."

"Hello."

"I've read the details. Since the inmate you want to talk to is convicted of a serious offence, you'll need to speak through the visiting room."

"Understood."

"You have a forty-minute limit, and a guard will be present at all times."

"Understood."

"Alright. Follow me, please." The warden smiled warmly and led them through an inner door.

When they reached the visiting room, fenced by thick bars and divided into sections but devoid of people, Singha chose a seat at the far end next to the wall to make the person they were about to meet feel less isolated.

"Just a moment, and he will come out."

"Thank you"

The warden walked outside to handle other matters. This was a central prison for convicts who had already received final sentencing and were serving time for serious offences, ranging from those with decades-long sentences to those on death row. Singha was used to such things, but for Thup, being here for the first time, tension was unavoidable. His delicate hands clung tightly to his big brother's shirt, head bowed to avoid seeing anything distressing.

"P'Singh, why are we here?"

"To question a scapegoat."

"A scapegoat?" Thup tilted his head in confusion but didn't ask further. The door on the other side of the bars opened, and a young man in a blue shirt with an impassive face walked in and sat opposite Singha.

"Hello, Mr Taewich," Singha greeted in a calm, neither offensive nor threatening voice. The other side only glanced at him before turning to look at the wall without responding. "My name is Singha. I'm an investigator here to meet you today. I hope you can cooperate to help us with our investigation."

There was no response... Just as the warden had said, this prisoner remained silent and uncommunicative unless necessary. His apparent reluctance to talk didn't surprise Singha much. If what he suspected was true, it wasn't unusual for the man before him to distrust guys in the khaki uniforms.

"I understand you might not be comfortable talking to me, but staying silent won't be very helpful. Let me explain why I'm here, and perhaps you'll reconsider." 

Singha said, sliding some documents in front of him before holding them up for Taewich to see. "A case of murder has occurred-seven victims, all with their eyes and mouths sewn shut with red thread-"

"Ha!" Taewich scoffed, a disdainful look on his face.

"I guess you're somewhat familiar with this."

Taewich glanced at the photos of the seven victims laid out in front of him before looking at Singha. "You were previously a suspect in a similar case fifteen years ago. A series of similar murders happened in Phuket, and you became a suspect as you were the first to find the bodies. Your DNA was found under the victims' nails and on the rope used in the crimes, leading to your conviction. You were sentenced to life imprisonment. Is that correct?"

The other side remained silent. Singha nodded and collected the documents, handing them to Thup, who took them with a puzzled look. He didn't understand what his big brother hoped to achieve with this silence.

"Never mind. It seems living here without justice doesn't affect you much. I suppose I won't need to go into the rest of the details then. Let's go," Singha said, standing up and heading for the door. Thup hesitated but followed, until...

"Wait," Singha's lips curled into a smile. No one wanted to stay in prison; it wasn't comfortable at all.

"Ready to talk now?"

"I'll only say what I initially told my lawyer."

"That's fine," Singha said as he sat back down and pressed Thup's shoulders to make him follow suit.

"Is the kid next to you a cop too?"

"No, he was the one who found the body at the crime scene."

Taewich looked surprised and stared at Thup intently. "Shall we begin?"

"How are you any different from other cops? They do everything just for their promotion and kiss up to their superiors. No matter if it's true or false, they don't care about their citizens," a voice filled with both bitterness and contempt came from the man sitting inside the glass-walled room.

"The difference is that I have this kid to help me make decisions."

"Me?" Thup pointed to himself.

"This kid might be the key to unfolding the similar murders that happened even fifteen years ago. If we can prove a connection to the current case, you might be exonerated and cleared of all charges."

"R-Really?"

"Yes, if you cooperate."

"I'll cooperate."

"You are a fisherman with your own boat and nets, so it's not surprising that your fingerprints are on the ropes and tools you use for your work. But could you tell me how you came across the victims' bodies that night?"

"I remember the night it happened. My father and I decided not to go fishing. But suddenly someone called in the middle of the night, saying my net had drifted away from the boat. I told my father I'd go check it out myself. I rode my motorcycle out and had to pass through that forest on my way. I saw a light coming from the forest, so I went to check because the villagers often crashed their cars or got lost in that area. As I walked deeper, I heard a sound..."

"What sound?"

"It sounded like someone was using a pulley."

Singha nodded, understanding that the culprit used a pulley system to help them with the current murders as well.

"What happened next?"

"I went to check and saw... seven people hanging from the trees. I called the police, but when they came, they arrested me instead! I tried to explain and show them evidence, but they just wanted to impress their superiors by catching the killer. No matter what I did, I was just an ordinary citizen, powerless against those who claimed to uphold the law." Taewich's pent-up frustration poured out uncontrollably.

"I understand. Did you see anyone before that or know any of the

victims personally?"

"I knew three or four of them because they were from the same neighbourhood," Taewich tried to calm himself and returned to answering Singha's questions.

"Do you remember where you last saw them?"

"It was a long time ago, so I'm not sure. Maybe at the temple. There was an event before."

"What event?"

"The Tenth Lunar Month festival."

"That was the period of the waning moon," Thup murmured to himself, but both Singha and Taewich heard him.

"Do you usually go fishing during the waning moon phase?"

"Yes. The moon is dark, so it's easier to catch fish."

"What do you mean, Thup?"

"Luang Pu once told me that certain rituals are connected to the moon phases. The waning moon... has a strong association with black magic. The doll might be related to this."

"Black magic?" Taewich asked in surprise.

"If you last saw them at the temple, it means you heard about their missing shortly after, right?"

"Yes."

"Time's almost up," the guard reminded them.

[The Tenth Lunar Month festival is a traditional Thai celebration deeply rooted in Buddhist and animist beliefs, held to pay respects to deceased ancestors and make merit for wandering spirits. It typically takes place in the southern region of Thailand during the tenth lunar month of the Thai calendar, which usually falls around September or October.]

Singha continued asking additional questions, with Thup listening attentively by his side. When the session ended, Taewich was led away, but he didn't forget to speak one last word to Singha in a softer tone than before.

"I was let down once by an investigation that brought me here. Please don't disappoint me again. I want to go back to my family."

As he watched the prisoner walk away, Singha left the visiting room and headed back to the warden's office without saying a word. Thup, trailing at the back, looked at his big brother with concern, thinking that Singha must be under heavy stress. For someone who had always been sceptical, facing such sudden and unusual circumstances was understandably challenging to accept and process.

"How did it go, Inspector? Did you get any additional information?"

"Yes."

"It's quite unusual that he opened up to the police. Normally, he barely speaks at all."

"Everyone has to choose their own path. Anyway, I must get back to my case now."

"Of course, if you need anything, feel free to call me."

"Thanks for your cooperation."

Singha left the prison with Thup following behind. The sunlight was so intense that Thup had to squint, forcing him to look ahead with a limited range and reduced focus, making everything appear blurry. Just as he was about to call out to Singha, a vision emerged—a towering, imposing figure clad in green with a fierce face and long tusks, standing behind Singha.

The Lord of Ghosts.

One of the four guardian deities of Earth.

The guardian of the human world.

The great Yaksha.

Now he realised what those ghosts saw. This sacred being feared them, 'Lord Wessuwan'?

[Lord Wessuwan is a revered figure in Thai Buddhist tradition, recognised as the Lord of the Giants, as well as of Ghosts, and a protector against evil and misfortune. He is also known as one of the Four Heavenly Kings, guarding the northern direction and ensuring justice and safety. Often depicted with a mace, he symbolises strength and authority in maintaining order and warding off malevolent spirits. Yaksha are not deities but supernatural beings in Hindu and Buddhist mythology.]