Khemjira's Rescue

Prologue

In the dead of night, in a small house located in a slum, the small figure of Khemjira or Khem, an eighteen-year-old high school senior, was intently staring at the screen of an old computer as it was slowly downloading the results of his university entrance exams.

To his left was a desk clock striking midnight, and to his right, a small cake with a candle providing a flicker of light in the otherwise pitch-dark room.

The 'ticktock' of the clock's second hand echoed in his head, amplifying the stress within his head until his lips were pressed tightly together.

Finally, the results came up, reading that he'd been accepted into the university and faculty of his choice.

"Yeeees!" Khemjira exclaimed with joy, clasping his hands in prayer, hoping for a smooth journey through university life, before leaning down to blow out the candle.

Indeed, today was Khemjira's nineteenth birthday.

In the dark room illuminated only by the computer screen's glow, the young man sat eating his cake while browsing through images of the university campus he'd been accepted to. He ate, looked at those pictures, and smiled contentedly until he glanced at the clock and jumped in surprise.

"It's two o'clock already?"

Tomorrow, Khemjira had to hurry to inform Luang Por[1] at the temple about this good news. With that thought, he quickly finished his cake, shut down the computer, washed the dishes, brushed his teeth, and went to bed.

In his slumber, Khemjira dreamt of something he'd never dreamt before.

His dream unfolded like an old film, showing a traditional Thai house from an era when there were still slaves.

Khemjira saw a young girl running in the house, with several servants trying to catch her in vain. The girl laughed with delight and joy.

Then the scene shifted to an eggshell-colored wooden house, set in a time when cars were already in use, the atmosphere soft and reminiscent of the eighties.

Khemjira was standing in front of this wooden house, rudely peering into the home through the window.

He saw a couple sitting together at the dining table, sharing a meal and smiling at each other. Khemjira's brow furrowed as he watched the scene, feeling a slight pain in his heart, prompting him to clutch his chest.

"What are you looking at?" A cold, chilling voice came from behind him.

Khemjira's heart pounded with surprise, his body freezing as he felt the breath of the person who'd appeared behind him.

He tried to turn around, but his body wouldn't move. The warm atmosphere around him gradually cooled, sending shivers down his spine as the eggshell-colored wooden house in front of him transformed into an eerie, abandoned house.

Khemjira gritted his teeth, trying to wake up.

What the heck is this? Wake up! Wake up!

"Do you want to stay here together?"

Khemjira jolted as he felt a faint breath move closer. His fear inundated his heart, causing his body to tremble.

"Just the two of us."

"..."

"How about it?"

For a split second, he considered agreeing just to escape the discomfort, but then he heard someone's voice.