Kinnporsche, Volume 4, page 20
The door swung open, and Nop burst in. “Pete! What are you doing?!”
I stood up from the floor, blood dripping down my wrist. “Nop…please let me go,” I pleaded with him, my voice shaking. My tears hadn’t even dried yet.
Nop stood there, shocked at what he saw.
“Think of it as feeling sorry for me one last time,” I said, biting my lip.
Nop gave me an uneasy look and turned around. “Do what you need to do. Make it quick. I’ll give you one minute, but after that, I need to do my duty.”
At that, I ran to the wardrobe, grabbing a shirt without looking. It was one of Vegas’s white shirts. I threw it on hastily, but I didn’t forget to grab Vegas’s wallet to shamelessly pull out a thousand-baht note. Then I headed straight for the balcony and threw the door wide open.
“Nop…look after him for me,” I said.
I looked left and right before steeling myself and jumping down. I ran toward the back of the house to climb the wall.
When my feet touched the ground outside the property, I scanned my surroundings again. I half walked, half jogged to the main road without a single thought of turning back to look at the house.
I waved down a taxi and jumped in, giving the driver the address to the Major Clan’s house. The driver looked at me strangely—after all, I was dressed in a white shirt stained with blood, and I wasn’t wearing any shoes. I’d run out of there barefoot, without feeling any pain in my feet.
I leaned back against the seat, using my shirt to dab at the blood on my wrist. I still couldn’t deal with my feelings. I finally had the freedom I’d longed for, but right now, the joy of escape was being replaced by worry for Vegas. What would happen to him after this?
I’m sorry, Vegas, but I can’t live like that. I had my family waiting for me. He couldn’t keep me locked up forever, and I didn’t want my feelings to get any deeper. I knew that some fraction of me still felt something for Vegas, but Nop’s words had reminded me of the horrible things Vegas had done to me. That was what woke me up and reminded me that I needed to escape…
“This house right here,” I said, paying the driver and getting out. I felt so relieved to be standing here again, heading for the house I’d been away from for so long.
As I slowly approached the front gate, I started coughing. I didn’t know what they were burning, but a thick blanket of smoke hung in the air. “What the hell is all this smoke?”
I hadn’t been outside in so long. My eyes stung, and I rubbed at my face with my bloodied hand. Shit! I’ve got blood on my face! I’m so fucking stupid.
I started coughing again. “Young Master…”
Argh! I can’t see anything. Is the house going up in flames? Do I have to call the fire department? I slowly made my way forward, straining to see anything through the smoke. I spotted a faint outline of what looked like Mr. Tankhun in the distance, so in my excitement, I called out for him:
“Young Master…”
Chapter 37:
Topsy-Turvy
PORSCHE
“PEEEEETE!” TANKHUN WAILED, loud enough for the whole house to hear as smoke filled the sky.
After Pete’s cremation last night, Tankhun had barely been able to stand. He’d just kept crying and shouting Pete’s name in front of the crematorium. I had felt a twinge of sympathy at the sight; Khun and Pete were close—they’d basically lived together for years—so I could understand how he felt. Of course he’d have a hard time accepting that this was goodbye forever, especially when we just saw Pete’s grandparents off on their plane back to Chumphon last night. Tankhun had already promised to personally bring Pete’s ashes back to their island for the loi angkarn,20 but we’d have to wait to fly over until after the ceremony was completed tomorrow morning.
“I forgot to send you the house and car keys yesterday. Here.”
The metal can was back, set up in front of the house. There was even a second can this time. It was another evening of Khun burning joss-paper offerings for Pete; he was still afraid Pete wouldn’t have everything he needed in the afterlife.
“Why are you burning offerings today too?” Mr. Korn said wearily. “He’s at peace now—why are you still mourning?”
“Well, if he doesn’t have a key, how is he supposed to get inside his house?!” Tankhun snapped back. His father could only shake his head.
By now, only Khun, Arm, and Pol were left standing in front of the fire. Everyone else, including me, was watching from the front door.
Kinn threw his arm over my shoulder. “I’ve sent people to investigate. I don’t believe he’s dead.”
“Who did you send? You’re sending them to their deaths,” I half joked. Even though I still had a lot to think about when it came to Kinn, I tried to act as normal as I could.
This afternoon, I’d talked to Uncle Thee, and the things he told me made me doubt everything I thought I knew.
“I had P’Chan pick someone,” Kinn said, gently petting my hair. “He’s been checking the security cameras along Pete’s route to recover their data.”
I wasn’t fully convinced the body was Pete’s, not until the DNA results came back, but…
“Your brother’s really going overboard. If Pete’s really alive, then…I can’t imagine it. Heh.” I glanced at Tankhun’s tearstained face. He was still burning joss paper; worse still, he’d gathered over fifty bodyguards to stand vigil in a row next to the metal cans.
“Here… Southern curry paste. I had Auntie Prik make some this morning. I know you like her cooking. Here!”
Whoosh! The fire grew, and the fumes from the chili, garlic, and other assorted spices stung our eyes and noses. Kinn, Kim, Chay, and I—even Mr. Korn, P’Chan, and the other gathered guards—all hacked and wheezed and had to cover our noses and mouths with our black shirts, bending down to try to escape the smoke. Bastard! Who the hell burns spices for the dead?! Fucking Tankhun!
Khun coughed and squeezed his eyes shut, waving the smoke away as he shouted, “Enjoy your Southern curry…! And here’s gas for your car…”
“Wait, wait, Khun! You can’t burn gasoline!” Mr. Korn immediately protested.
“Whyyy?” Khun asked, still coughing. “Why, Father? How will Pete drive his car, huh?”
And before Mr. Korn could reply, Khun threw the gasoline onto the fire.
Foom! The flames exploded, nearly scorching the house. We all dashed inside to put the front door between us and the smoke, which was much thicker than before. Damn it, Tankhun, you asshat! Were you planning on cremating us with Pete?
“Somebody remove him from my house!” Mr. Korn snapped in exasperation. Smoke hung thickly in the air; from the look of things, it wouldn’t be long until we all choked to death.
“What’s that? What else are you trying to do?!” Kim shouted, his hand coming up to cradle Chay’s head against his shirt. My little brother was coughing so much that it looked like he was going to puke.
Khun walked up to the other metal can. “Hah! I’ll have my revenge,” he said, coughing. “The Minor Clan…I’ll make them all pay!”
Both Arm and Pol were covered in black soot, tasked with fanning the flames.
“Two pounds of chili peppers…and salt, pour it all in… Are you guys ready?” Tankhun turned to the sneezing and coughing guards. It finally clicked for me when he lit the fire in the other metal can to burn the salt and chili peppers21—he’d specifically set the second fire to curse the Minor Clan. Argh! I can’t believe you!
“Porsche, can we go wait upstairs in our room?” Kinn pulled me toward his chest and tried to use his shirt to cover my face. “There’s so much smoke.”
Fucking hell! Am I going to die?
“Throw the chilis in. I’ll curse the Minor Clan so hard, they won’t be able to escape hell to be reborn. More, Arm, more!”
I felt so sorry for Arm and Pol. They had tears streaming down their faces from the fumes, but what could they do? Khun was their boss, and they had to follow orders.
Tankhun glared with a vengeance at the chili peppers being poured into the can. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, looking like a soap-opera villain. “All right, all of you—all together now!” What? What’s he doing now?
Khun turned to the bodyguards behind him, who hesitantly raised their fists and started shouting in unison:
“Curse the Minor Clan! Destroy the Minor Clan!”
The booming chorus left me, Kinn, Kim, and Chay completely speechless. Even Mr. Korn, P’Chan, and the maids were shocked. I had no words.
“Louder! I said louder…! Pol, more salt!” Tankhun encouraged his men between his coughing fits.
“Curse the Minor Clan! Destroy the Minor Clan!”
“I need to lie down,” Mr. Korn muttered in disbelief. He rubbed at his temples, then turned around and disappeared inside. P’Chan followed after him expressionlessly but made sure to tell the maids to clean up the ashes and soot.
“Good! Just like that… Ack,” Tankhun coughed.
“Curse the Minor Clan! Destroy the Minor Clan!”
“Louder, so that their karma catches up to them and the curse can work faster! Louder!”
“Curse the Minor Clan! Destroy the Minor Clan!”
Kinn couldn’t take it anymore. “En…enough! Stop!” he raised his voice above the racket and pulled me behind him, gearing up to scold every man looking at him dejectedly.
“Curse—”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Kinn snarled at the bodyguards. “What’s this nonsense?! Don’t you all have anything better to do?”
One of them spoke up hesitantly: “Th-the young master ordered it, Mr. Kinn.”
“And you, Khun, instead of helping sort things out at the company—which, by the way, is in complete chaos—what the fuck have you been doing?”
“I’m helping the family, Kinn!” Khun shouted. “You shut up!”
“Can’t you find another way? Are you crazy?” Kinn put his hands on his hips in exasperation. He probably couldn’t stand to see his older brother acting so stupid.
“You really have to ask?” I said, still dazed from the smoke.
“Well, if we can’t get the Minor Clan with evidence, doing it this way is our only choice!” Khun insisted. “Haven’t you heard the saying? ‘If you can’t get it with cunning, get it with tricks.’”
I just wanted to give Pol and Arm a bath. They looked particularly sooty and scruffy, like they’d just rolled around in the dirt. I couldn’t bear to look at them.
“You’ve been ruminating over him too much. If you’re not careful, he’s going to come haunt you,” said Kim. He used his shirt to dab at Chay’s face, which had begun to drip tears and snot. The smoke and fumes really did sting.
“I already said that if Pete wants to visit, then he can go visit Pol and Arm over there… He’ll tell them what he wants, and I’ll sort it out for him.”
Pol and Arm quickly shook their heads. I was starting to get annoyed too. If Khun wasn’t Kinn’s brother, I would’ve punched him right in his stupid face.
A distinctively burnt smell still clung to the house; I had no idea how we were all going to sleep tonight. And think of the environment! I’m going to call the Ministry of Natural Resources on you for contributing to climate change, bastard!
“You should be careful,” Kim warned his brother. “Ghosts come back to the people who miss them. And the first seven days after death is when they retrace their steps, so he’ll return to the places he feels attached to! Especially people who died unnatural deaths—those kinds of ghosts are especially fierce. Maybe Pete doesn’t even realize he’s dead. He’ll go about his daily routine like…” He trailed off, lowering his voice.
As I followed his train of thought, I reached out to grab Kinn’s shirt. Fuck! I’m scared of ghosts! Why does he have to bring that up?!
“He usually comes and goes by your room, so right now, his ghost might be walking around there… He’ll head to the bathroom, then prepare your pajamas… Then around ten p.m., he’ll watch a TV series with you…” Kim giggled. “Then, the routine will repeat.”
“Enough, Kim! You’ve been listening to too many spooky podcasts!” Chay elbowed Kim, but his face was starting to go as pale as mine was, and he kept looking around nervously.
However, the person who looked the most frightened was Tankhun. “Is that true…?”
“Of course it’s true. You don’t have to worry about Pete having enough to eat or drink in the afterlife because, as long as his death is still a mystery, he’ll still be wandering our mortal realm. Ha ha ha!” Kim burst out laughing.
I hugged Kinn’s waist. The more I thought about it, the more clearly I could picture it. The house had been quiet for the last few days as our grief lingered; everything was shrouded in an eerie silence. With the wispy smoke and the sound of dogs barking in the distance, I was starting to get goosebumps.
“Kim, stop talking.” Kinn turned to scold his younger brother. “Look at Porsche, you’ve scared him enough.” But Kim just kept laughing uproariously.
“Fine, fine, we can do this again tomorrow when it’s light out,” Khun conceded. “Pack it up. Arm, you’re sleeping in my room tonight.”
Arm, who was putting out the fires in the metal cans, looked uneasy, like he wanted to refuse the order. We helped clear away the smoke and were about to go back inside, when we heard a sniffling voice:
“Young Master…”
“What?” Khun turned to Pol, who was putting away the bag of coals.
“Yes?” Pol asked, perplexed.
The rest of us were confused too. Pol hadn’t said anything. What’s wrong with Tankhun? Is he spooked? High on the smoke? Crazy? Well, he’s already crazy…
“You called for me,” Khun said.
Kinn stroked my arm. “It’s probably nothing…”
“I didn’t say anything,” Pol said.
“Huh… What did you want, Arm?” Khun switched targets.
Arm quickly shook his head. “Nothing. I’m putting out the fire over here.”
“Then, you guys…” Before Khun could finish asking, the other bodyguards all waved their arms as if to say it wasn’t them. In that moment, the voice spoke up again:
“Young Master…”
This time, we all went still—everyone had heard the voice. I plastered myself against Kinn’s back. My legs went stiff, and my heart skipped a beat. No, no… I must’ve misheard.
“What? Who’s calling for me?!” Tankhun yelled. I saw him gulp in fear, but he kept his head high as he looked left and right, searching for the source of the voice.
“Young Master, i-it’s…me,” came a faint, shaky voice, echoing.
This time, I hugged Kinn tightly. I didn’t care if anyone saw. Kinn hugged me back, his eyes darting around. He’d gone pale now too.
“Kiiiim…did you hear that?!” Chay burrowed his head into Kim’s shirt, his hands clasped in a fearful wai.
“Who is it?! Who’s calling for me?” Tankhun was still acting brave, the crazy motherfucker. He craned his neck. “Who’s over there?”
Khun held one hand over his eyes and squinted at the front gate. The bodyguards, including Pol and Arm, retreated into a huddle on the front steps, staring at the gates in fear.
“Young Master…can you see me?” There was a faint shadow there, waving at us. The figure and voice made my breath catch. “Over here.”
Kinn, Kim, Chay, and I backed away, ready to run.
“Nont, is that you? What the hell are you doing over there?” Khun said.
I don’t know if Khun’s worldview is so optimistic that he isn’t afraid, or if he’s so damn crazy that his brain can’t process anything.
“I’m over here!” Nont raised his hand, moving to stand behind Kim.
“Argh, then is that Jess? Oh, you all really love me, huh? What’s everyone so afraid of? That’s Jess,” Khun insisted, hands on his hips as he scolded the bodyguards backing away from him.
“P’Jess has been on sick leave since this afternoon, Young Master,” Pol told him, starting to back away as well.
“Young Master…” came the faraway voice.
“Who’s there?! Come out!”
“Why did you have to call him over?” Kim held on to Chay, face twisting as he looked around.
“Young Master, help me…”
No matter how scared everyone was, we stared at the scene in front of us, all eyes locking onto the source of the voice. Even if I was so terrified that my legs shook, I still wanted to know who it was.
When the tall, shadowy figure came closer, we were all shaken to the core: That’s definitely Pete! He slowly inched forward, step by step, blood covering his face and the white shirt he wore. My mind went blank, a chill went down my spine, and…
“Aaaaahh!”
We all scrambled to get inside. I shrieked and jumped onto Kinn, hooking my legs around his waist.
“Wah! Pete! Sabbe satta, all the creatures of this earth22—HELP!” Tankhun stood, shaking, with his hands clasped, all alone in front of the house as the rest of us ran for our lives. I was still clinging to Kinn.
“Get inside!” Kim shouted at Khun, hugging Chay tight.
Tankhun didn’t move a muscle, still rambling, “Help…m-me, my legs won’t move! Help! Sabbe sa— What’s the rest of the chant?!” He glanced over at the slowly approaching Pete and shuddered.
“Khun! Porsche, get off of me. I’ll go drag him in.” Kinn tried to peel my legs off of his body, but I quickly shook my head.
“No! Don’t go! What if Pete haunts you to death? What’ll I do?” I buried my face into Kinn’s shoulder and held on tighter. He carried me on his back and tried to bend down to deposit me on the floor.
“Pete! Go someplace else you like, and I promise I’ll make merit for you!” Kim shouted at the gate. Both he and Chay had their hands clasped together.
“But I like it here… Ouch…it hurts!” Pete looked down at his wrist, which had been dripping blood the entire way. “Young Master? Why are you so afraid? What’s wrong with everyone?”
“Don’t scare me like this! Help! I’m gonna piss my pants!” Khun shouted at the top of his lungs.
