Goddess Bless You From Death

Case File 26.

The forensics unit, evidence team, and police arrived at the scene shortly after Singha made a call. In less than twenty minutes, the area was bustling with people. Sei and Darin had to go on-site themselves, leading to a chorus of complaints that significantly alleviated the spine-chilling atmosphere.

"How did you find this car? King's team searched for days and couldn't find it."

"A ghost told me."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, Thup's ghost told me." Sei glanced at the young man being treated by the medical team. "What did you find?"

"Fingerprints and drug paraphernalia." Sei held up an evidence bag for Singha to see. "We can definitely identify who it belonged to."

"Alright, let me know once you have something. I need to find the last remaining doll."

"Just searching for a doll has beaten you up this much. Won't you be near death finding the culprit?"

Singha didn't respond, only looking at Thup, who was thanking a nurse.

"I'm going to visit my mom."

"Today?"

"Yeah."

"I should tell you that last night, when Rin was asleep, she was talking in her sleep."

Singha turned to look at his friend, who was glancing at Darin.

"What did she talk about?" Singha looked at Darin, who was taking pictures around the area. Sei didn't answer, just pulled out his phone and handed it to Singha.

"Ji Jeruni Jittang. Nippanang. Akajchami" Hoooonk!!

The loud honking of a car reverberated through the area, causing everyone to look around, but they couldn't pinpoint the source. Sei and Singha looked at each other before turning off the phone's recording.

"She was sleep-talking a couple of times around 3 AM. So if you find any talisman to carry, give it to Rin too."

"Did anything else happen?"

"No, but when I heard it, I was near her too. A statue of Lord Wessuwan was also there. If that's what you wanted to know."

"Once I find the last doll, I'll be gone for a few days."

"Where are you going?"

"Sisaket."

"What for?" Sei turned to look at Singha, who had both hands in his pockets, looking up at the sky. His handsome face showed a rare serious expression; the last time Sei had seen it was when Singha was under disciplinary investigation.

"To find the root of this. I think it all started there."

"Should Rin and I come with you?"

"No, I don't know what I'll encounter. Dragging you guys along wouldn't be good."

"But it's okay to risk yourself?"

"Yeah." The two friends laughed lightly together. Their work was already in jeopardy, and the worst that could happen was death.

After their brief conversation, Singha walked up to Thup, who was sitting, looking at his right hand wrapped in white gauze.

"How's the wound?"

"The nurse said it's just a scrape, probably from the fall."

"Thanks." The simple word made Thup's eyes sparkle. The young man looked up at his big brother and stood up straight.

"What are you thanking me for?"

"For pulling me back earlier."

"Thanks to you, too."

"For what?"

"For being safe." Thup smiled so wide that his eyes almost closed. He had never been able to protect anyone because he was always scared. This was the first time he didn't freeze, cry, or run after seeing a ghost. He turned his back on it and moved forward to protect someone instead.

"I'm going to find the last doll." Singha placed a hand on Thup's soft hair. His dark eyes met Thup's brown ones. "Wanna come?"

"Yes," Thup replied firmly without hesitation.

By the time they left the first site, it was almost noon. Singha stopped at a small roadside eatery to get something to fill their stomachs. Being chased by ghosts on an empty belly would be quite annoying.

"Order whatever you want."

Thup nodded eagerly and ordered food. Once done, he began asking about the case.

"Now that we've found Ms Meen's car, what's the next step?"

"Judging by her house and the neighbours' accounts, she doesn't seem like someone who uses drugs. If she did, there would be evidence at home. I guess the items found belong to the culprit trying to destroy evidence."

"So, Ms Meen might have disappeared in the temple, too?"

"Possibly. Right now, the temple is the most suspicious place, and the prime suspect is likely the abbot."

"The temple is supposed to be a place for spiritual refuge."

"And also a good hiding place."

"Each victim had troubles and worries." Thup sighed before taking a sip of soup.

"Yeah." Singha had recently added reports found from various homes to the file. 

Each victim had life problems. It was unclear how they ended up as victims since they didn't just disappear after entering the temple. There were multiple visits before James was worried about university entrance exams. After his sister suggested making a vow, he likely went to the only temple in the area where Jom had financial problems. Orn had pregnancy issues she hadn't told her parents about. Meen probably had life problems, too. Nai possibly had family issues, according to his parents and the employees here. Tee was still grieving his wife's death. But what about Kaew?

What could a fourteen-year-old girl be worried about when her family seemed normal with no apparent problems?

"After dealing with this, I'll go to Sisaket. Want to tag along?"

"To investigate that police officer's house and the murder case?"

"Yeah."

"So, how are we getting there?"

"Train, maybe. I don't feel like driving."

"I can ask my uncle to pick us up at the train station. He said we could stay at his place."

"I'd feel bad. We can rent a car and book a hotel."

"But there aren't many hotels around there."

"We'll figure it out later. Let's eat for now so we can head to the next place." They finished their chicken rice and set off for the next victim's garden house.

Singha parked his car in front of a large fence enclosing the country house. The elevated wooden house created an eerie atmosphere, sending shivers down their spines.

"Is it okay to just go in?"

"Yeah, I called his children. They'll arrive in Thailand tomorrow morning. This matter is urgent, so we can't wait."

"Okay... Let's go then."

"If you find anything, call out. Don't wander off alone."

"Got it."

They entered the house without needing to pick the lock, as they had done before. Tee's children had already told them where their father kept the key.

The cool atmosphere after the rain and the soothing shade of the trees made Thup rub his arms. As he scanned the area, he didn't see any ghosts, spirits, or wandering souls, likely because there hadn't been many deaths here, and it wasn't a crossroads or a place where spirits would typically gather.

The ground floor was nicely tiled, with a hammock and a gardening tool cabinet neatly arranged. Judging by the well-maintained flower pots and the bountiful kitchen garden, it is clear that the homeowner was quite diligent. The creaking stairs underfoot made Thup reach out and grab his older companion's shirt.

"What's Friday's head?" Singha struck up a conversation to break the silence, knowing the kid behind him was trembling.

"A cow-headed, named Yaknongyao, Mae Seu of Friday."

"What else do you know?"

"Just the general legend of Mae Seu, both from old tales and legends. Mae Seu are deities that protect infants. Why the person behind this used them for something bad is beyond my understanding."

"You said Mae Seu look after newborns, right?"

"Yes," Thup answered while watching Singha unlock the house door.

"If one Mae Seu is supposed to protect one child, how much can seven Mae Seus look after a single child?"

"Sorry?" Before Singha could respond, the wooden door slowly opened. Inside, everything was neatly arranged, with sunlight streaming through open windows. It seemed Uncle Tee had left them open daily before going to the temple, not knowing he wouldn't return.

"Let's search carefully," Singha said, beginning to survey the surroundings. Thup approached a cabinet next to the TV. Seeing a family photo full of happy faces made him smile, but realising the two people in the picture would never see their children again, that smile faded. Actually, he himself also had no parents.

Meow~ A cat's meow and a chill at his thigh made Thup look down.

"A cat?" He crouched and petted the black cat as it rubbed against him. "You must be Uncle Tee's cat."

The cat's golden eyes glinted as it stared at Thup, then it led him to a room on the right. He stood up and followed. The cat's black paw scratched at the door, wanting to get in. Thup reached out, turned the knob, and pushed the door open.

"It's a prayer room," Thup noted, stepping over the threshold and sitting before the altar. The dried flowers in the vases indicated no one had been here for some time. The black cat lay comfortably in front of him.

Meanwhile, Singha started searching the bedroom first, as it was the most private space and where such dolls were often found. The stench of decay led him to stop beside the bed and cautiously lift the blanket.

A dried corpse of a black cat lay on the bed, making Singha sigh. It didn't look like the ones Darin had secretly photographed at the temple. It seemed to have died of starvation or old age.

"P'Singh."

"Yeah?"

"I found it."

"Where?"

"The storage room."

"How'd you find it?" Seeing the expression on the boy's face at the door, Singha put the blanket back the way it was.

"The cat led me to it," Thup said, staring at the bed. Then he saw the ghost of the black cat that had nuzzled his legs along the way. "She was very old. Normally, Uncle Tee would feed her, but as he didn't come back, she went to sleep in there... where his scent was strongest."

"Alright, give it here." Singha took the cow-headed Sia-Kaban doll from Thup and placed it in a bag. "Let's go."

"Can I... bury her? It won't take long."

"Bring her down. I'll dig a hole."

"Thank you."

Singha walked outside but couldn't help glancing back at Thup, who was gently wrapping the cat's remains in a blanket. The young man spoke softly to the ground, as if talking to a cat, his face showing calm, but his gloomy eyes revealing a lifetime of unescapable encounters with death.

Using a shovel stored under the house, Singha dug a small hole beneath a tree. In a few minutes, it was ready, and Thup, who had been waiting, gently placed the wrapped bundle into the hole. The young man raised his hands in prayer before smiling at the empty air.

"In your next life, be born as a human, okay? There are many enjoyable things to do, even when life can be tough. And you can go find your owner now; you don't need to stay here anymore." Thup reached out to pet the spirit of the beloved cat that meowed affectionately and licked his hand in gratitude before vanishing. "It's done."

"Alright, let's go back," Singha said, watching the young man quietly get into the car.

On the way back to the station, Thup seemed more subdued than usual. This time, it was Singha who had to initiate the conversation.

"Do you encounter this often?"

"What?"

"Things like this."

"..Quite often. The first was probably when I was six. I had a puppy I used to play with at the temple, but one day he wasn't warm anymore. I still played with him until the abbot told me he was just a spirit because he had been poisoned the month before. He stayed because I wouldn't let him go. Since then, I've had many similar encounters," Thup explained, looking at his hands. He'd experienced it many times but never got used to it. "It's probably just animals that I'm not too scared of."

"You don't have to force yourself to smile if you're not feeling well. I won't mind," Singha said, ruffling Thup's hair gently.

"I'm very scared. I'm scared that one day the spirit I see will be someone I know. That frightens me more than any ghost I've ever seen."

"At least you'd get to say goodbye."

"Goodbyes aren't that simple."

"Yeah, I guess not."

Saying goodbye is never easy.