912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXksNV6jub9
As the start of the semester approached, Khemjira moved his belongings to an apartment that was quite affordable, although it was a fair distance from the university. However, this wasn’t a problem for him, as he preferred walking to driving or taking public transportation, as long as the distance was manageable. It just meant that he had to wake up a little earlier to go to class.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTciNbXWAmS
One might wonder why he came to study in Bangkok alone, without a single friend to accompany him.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xIszhtj5n
The answer was that Khemjira never had any friends due to the curse on his family. Living in the countryside, everyone in the area knew about it, and no one dared to associate with him for fear that bad luck would befall them as well.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOcv7UgN4O
Khemjira understood this well; everyone loved their own lives. If he were in their shoes, he would do the same.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGxL29Cda2
But that didn't mean he was bullied or boycotted by others. They could still talk. They just weren't close enough to call each other friends.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFg5Ss6YuX
This was one of the reasons why Khemjira wanted to study in Bangkok. He wanted to have friends and be in a new environment.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmMdfKU4XM
After settling in, he went out to look for something to eat. Not only was the apartment affordable, but it was also close to a market, so there was no worry about not having anything to eat.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RbanenNVW
Wow, this Pad Thai looks delicious.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxqHuEgwwB
The aroma of Pad Thai wafting through the air made Khemjira stop and make an order.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpK5qm7h7Ne
"A Pad Thai to go, please."
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmRQZANFL6
"Just one, dear?" the salesman asked.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1YRMplAfQ
"Krap."
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLORD2RLsJx
"And your friend there?"
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSP9k2Y30C
Khemjira paused, slowly looking around before asking,
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KSxOA2kQ7
"Who?"
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjh8dfqYUT
Noise!
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKkoy6hEoM
The saleswoman accidentally dropped her spatula, her face turned pale before she forced a weak smile and said:
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBFCUVFRdk
"Oh, my eyes must be playing tricks on me. Never mind. This will cost forty baht."
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmBJXtceRK
Khemjira paid for the Pad Thai and took it with a confused expression.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qpyf40VBd
As he was about to cross the street, he accidentally stepped on his shoelace, tripped on the street, and quickly walked back to the curb. He then bent down to tie his shoelace.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2I4EQCDLKr
Scream!
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm536N1KtD0
Collide!!
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2hRuA9hWi
Before Khemjira could crouch down, a loud crash sounded nearby, forcing him to quickly raise his head. His light brown eyes widened in shock as he saw a sports bike crashing and pinned under a bus that was stopping to pick up passengers...
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyIm5X2LYH
...right in front of him.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqF488QBfoE
It all happened in a split second. If he hadn't bent down to tie his shoelaces...
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBkiE7DYoz
Khemjira's thoughts turned to the curse, but he shook his head, trying to comfort himself with positive thoughts.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVwGrDR9QE
It was just a coincidence. Nothing had happened before.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXymf8i3c1
Without realizing it, his hand was grabbing the takrut hanging around his neck. He retreated from the chaos and immediately ran back to his room.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTKOvYlWoB
The next day, the accident made the news on television. Khemjira, on her way from the apartment lobby to her room, stopped to look at the community TV broadcasting the scene of the accident.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvChstxbCen
'Last night, a tragic accident occurred when a sports bike with license plate กข XXX collided with the rear of a bus waiting to pick up passengers, resulting in the instant death of the rider... The rider was a senior student at XXX University who had just returned from a party with friends.'
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurnbt6ydDV
Khemjira’s heart sank when he heard that the boy had died on the spot. His arms tightly wrapped around a water bottle he had just filled, as if he was going to use it as emotional support. He couldn’t help but think that if his shoelace hadn’t come undone at that moment, there might have been more than one death…
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8thaw7LawA
With just over a week to go before the start of the university semester, Khemjira tried to live normally, despite the haunting images of that accident. It would not do to dwell on it any longer.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdagCu8eYy
He decided that he would have to be more aware and cautious from now on.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQhZj3isLX
“Done,” Khemjira said to himself after he finished buying items to zone his new room and make it more livable. Most of the items were second-hand.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsIEgSzEEK
He wiped the sweat from his forehead. The wall clock showed that it was almost eight o'clock at night.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65ZTiL2q3l
"Time to get the books out," he thought. With just over a week to go before the start of the university semester, Khemjira tried to live normally, despite the haunting images of that accident. It wouldn't do to keep dwelling on it.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu50wDNOHXx
He decided that he would have to be more aware and cautious from now on.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5v2Ac0OVV
“Done,” Khemjira said to himself after he finished buying items to zone his new room and make it more livable. Most of the items were second-hand.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YcZlXwOqN
He wiped the sweat from his forehead. The wall clock showed that it was almost eight o'clock at night. Time to get the books, he thought, quickly sweeping the trash into a trash bag to take downstairs. The trash can was located in a deserted alley near his apartment. The only light in the alley came from a streetlight in the middle, which kept flickering...
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKI8NrTapYz
...like a scene from a horror movie.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQGs09iT0o
The somewhat creepy atmosphere made Khemjira look left and right before hurriedly throwing the trash bag into the trash can. But just as he was turning to leave, something caught his attention from the corner of his eye, making his legs freeze. His brain struggled to process what it was.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDbCSsphoE
Curiosity got the better of him, and Khemjira decided to take a closer look. He saw the figure of a child wearing a dirty, tattered white shirt, crouching with his head down next to the large trash can...
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIusoMJre1
Khemjira was sure it wasn't a human because he hadn't seen anyone there when he arrived.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQHPX8bIKz
The cold was gradually taking over his skin.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQccXlHxEtB
What kind of person would be sitting next to a trash can in a dark, deserted alley at night?
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqCmdQucmM
He swallowed hard before looking away and taking a hurried step forward, practically running.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MzvNdvci6
"So it was a ghost?"
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRXVMxyPWu
In his nineteen years of life, Khemjira had never seen one until now.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rpMQWqWM4
Just as Khemjira was about to run away, that thing slowly raised its head.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HAzSOApXY
His mouth slowly spread into a smile before he stood up and staggered after the young man.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XHNQbMBIo
After that day, Khemjira began to experience more and more strange occurrences.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkvmvslMG7
The first thing was that he had three accidents in one week, which had never happened to him before. For example, he was just walking and suddenly tripped and fell. The worst was when he almost fell down nearly twenty steps. Fortunately, that day, he managed to grab the railing in time. Otherwise, it wouldn't have happened.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIcpHQmxQ1
Secondly, Khemjira started seeing spirits more frequently...
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUekYYLkPX
In fact, he was seeing one right now.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gwHH17BZM
Khemjira took a deep breath, pretending not to see the feeble spirit of a woman in work uniform, standing with her head bowed in front of the door next to his.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobnf7gxE1e
She had been there for three days.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoi9GJBv1Sx
The owner of the room next to hers was a man who lived alone with his son. When Khemjira first saw her, he almost asked her if she needed help or why she didn’t want to go into the room. But when he saw that she had no feet… he quickly opened his own door and went in.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOO0rAmW87
Khemjira thought she might be the wife of the man who lived there; she must still be worried about him and not ready to move on...
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfVF9dP99W
"Don't... Hurt... My... Son..."
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gHKb8lwa4
Her voice was shaky and chilled to the bone. Khemjira’s heart dropped, and his hands shook uncontrollably as he fumbled with his keys. It took forever to open the door, and he nearly wet himself in the process.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡerg3Odli4H
His legs gave way and he fell to the ground, his eyes burning with heat.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39N3qLZQLf
Did she just say, "Don't hurt my son"?
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0g3iMhxwZu
Is something happening to her son?
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNN8ywAMI6
That night, Khemjira could barely sleep, haunted by what the spirit had said. Part of him didn't want to get involved, as he had enough problems already, but another part was worried that something bad might happen to the boy.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcN3hgzZcW
The next morning, around eight o'clock, after the man next door had left for work, Khemjira stood in front of his neighbor's door, hesitating for a long time before deciding to knock.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqyTYbOnOi
The lady's spirit was still there, right beside him, but this time, she was so close that their shoulders almost touched.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNAszgUlVG
The door slowly creaked open, revealing the small figure of a six or seven year old boy. However, because of the door’s chain, it only opened enough to see the boy’s face.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnRJRUunxq
“Hello,” Khemjira said with a smile, crouching down to be eye level with the boy. “My name is Khem. I just moved in next door.” The boy didn’t respond, but nodded in acknowledgement.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQbqarmvCI
Khemjira peeked furtively through the crack and saw several beer bottles lined up and a general disarray of belongings.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASQDOpOIhc
What the hell...
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdAU6fdbG3Q
"Have you eaten anything yet?"
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Si4rXL0V8
This time the boy shook his head, and Khemjira felt his eyelid twitch.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUSv6ui4HY
Did the father go to work without making sure his son had eaten?
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1bYtV9NrL
This time the boy shook his head, and Khemjira felt his eyelid twitch.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6z1MMZu1V
Did the father go to work without making sure his son had eaten?
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdRGnVrxbb
At the same time, a shiver ran down his spine, causing an uncomfortable pressure.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNqMTi0574
"How about you come eat with me? It's on me. After we eat, I'll bring you back," Khemjira offered. The boy shook his head more vigorously than before.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoD4sgJOfe
It was then that Khemjira noticed the chain tightly wrapped around the boy's ankle, the skin beneath it badly bruised.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq25huYRLah
He slowly forced a smile as he said to the boy:
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDhgd8wxFw
"Wait here for me a moment, okay?"
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3OfuMnsVTw
Khemjira went down, bought rice soup, water and snacks and brought everything for the boy to eat.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxi0LdGYe5
The boy hesitated, but eventually his hunger won out and he reached out for the food.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxI8WiMY1k4
“P… Please don’t tell my father that I ate your food,” the boy begged with a desperate face. This made Khemjira feel both hurt and angry, but he nodded in agreement.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpsV81HdIb
"Okay, I won't."
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzbgPz5sir
That night, after Khemjira reported the situation to the landlord, police raided the premises and arrested the man next door, who was drunk and beating his son.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SjEyDy55B
Upon questioning, it was revealed that the boy was the son of the man's girlfriend, who had died in an accident a month earlier. The man was now burdened with a
huge debt. With his girlfriend dead, there was no one to help pay it off, leaving him with the responsibility and stress that he took out on the boy.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjjzDLk9b1
Khemjira did not know what kind of punishment the man had received. He only knew that the boy was now safely in the care of his maternal relatives.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcolq1sqvM
I hoped he could live a happy life.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8af6rhVon
Just as he was about to fall asleep, he heard a whisper in his ear. But because he was too sleepy, he didn't open his eyes.
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMmVU05GE6
"Thanks."
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKPgh9aApi
"...."
912Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsl2eyKjk0y
"And be careful."
ns3.17.129.242da2
