Chapter 16

The main hall of the temple was like any other. It was away from the more decorated building and it had large openings on the left and right for people to easily enter to pray. There was a stage for the large gold statues of Buddha and the monks to be seated so people can pray to them.

Pranee was a little surprised that the interior wasn't all white as well but she quickly dismissed the thought as she remembered the statues of the hands. That building was probably white for another reason.

The monk sat on the stage while Pranee and Shashi sat on the floor with their legs off to one side. The mermaid pose, Pranee was told it was called before.

"It looks like we have an extra visitor today," the monk chuckled.

Pranee didn't know what he had meant until she saw it. A white cat had wandered into the prayer room and was meowing every so often.

"This is Smokey, she likes to visit the temple sometimes and pay respects to Buddha. Isn't that right, Smokey?" The monk asked the cat and she meowed back as if to confirm his statement.

"It's an honour to meet you, Loung Por." Pranee bowed her head towards her pressed hands.

"Thank you for visiting the temple today."

"Are there other people here?" Shashi cut through the formalities with their bluntness. Pranee was taken aback but the monk didn't seem to mind.

"The other monks are feeding the hungry ghosts at the moment. I'm sure your contributions will help exponentially at least."

Shashi seemed to be content with the answer while Pranee was still focused on what the monk had said.

"Ghosts?" She asked nervously. She could only think of the Krasue encounter the two had the other night.

"Yes, this temple is dedicated to caring for ghosts. Only Preta reside here but we had to handle other ghosts on occasion."

"Preta..." She vaguely remembered that word.

She was soon distracted from her thoughts as Smokey meowed and rubbed her head against Shashi's knee. Pranee couldn't help but look at the cat with a smile while Shashi carefully nudged her away.

"Hey, we're busy here," Shashi whispered to the cat.

"Smokey has missed you, Shashi." The monk gave a hearty chuckle.

"I haven't been away for that long." They muttered the words, still preoccupied with the cat.

"How often do you visit?" Pranee asked Shashi and they shrugged, avoiding the question.

"I can take the offerings now. I'll have to leave for my duties soon."

"Ah yes. Shashi, will you be able to help?" Pranee had a bag in her hands and had gotten up from her sitting position so that she could walk with her knees.

Shashi followed her lead and gave a nod. "Yeah."

The monk laid a cloth in front of him on the stage and Pranee lifted a bag onto it. Shashi pressed their shoulder against hers and she bowed her head respectfully. The two of them took their time to repeat the process again and again until all the food was properly offered.

Just as the final offering was being given, Smokey let out a loud hiss before running outside. Pranee suddenly felt a cold wind blow over the hall and she looked outside, wondering if the weather had changed. Her head turned to an entrance as she wondered if the weather was going to change but that was when she saw it.

There was something there. It looked like a large shadow at first glance but the longer Pranee stared at it, the more horrified she got. Its limbs were long and thin and its facial features were barely visible. Its ribs were visible and its skin was actually a grey hue. It took a few steps forward and Pranee realized how tall it actually was. It was probably taller than the building itself.

"What's wrong?"

The monk stared at her with concern and she could only stare back blankly. Shashi followed her gaze and saw the creature standing there.

"Ah, she was staring at the Preta outside." Shashi leaned back to sit on their heels.

"Hmmm." The monk leaned forward to look outside. "I don't recognize that one. It's probably a new soul looking for food."

"This one is very loud."

"Mm, it's probably very hungry."

"It's saying something?" Pranee didn't know if she was supposed to hear anything or if her hearing was failing her.

"It's letting out a very high pitch shriek. It's actually hurting my ears. Why? You can't hear it?" Shashi looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. Was she supposed to hear something?

"Shashi, she's not a magician or a monk. Of course, she doesn't hear it." The monk chastised Shashi causing them to shut their mouth immediately. "Sorry about my child, they've been surrounded by magically inclined people their whole life. They forgot that laymen don't usually hear Pretas."

Pranee was dumbfounded. She was able to hear the Krasue but maybe it was a different case for these kinds of ghosts.

"Don't worry about them hurting you either. They're relatively harmless. Actually, Shashi. Can you go feed the Preta? Use the food you brought too."

Shashi reluctantly stood and grabbed a bag with their teeth, catching Pranee off guard. When they left Pranee's line of vision she turned her attention back to the monk.

"They seemed to have grown up." The monk chuckled. "I had to scold them when they were younger about using their feet at the temple. Took them some time since they didn't like using their mouth to carry things."

"Ah, I see. So, this is them showing etiquette."

"Yes," he smiled. "I assume they still use their feet when no one is looking."

They still used their feet even if people were looking but Pranee refused to say it since she was talking to a monk after all.

"Now, how did you meet Shashi?"

"Ah, we only met recently. We're..." Pranee thought for a moment. If she brought up that they were living together, she may give the wrong impression. "Neighbours."

"Ahhh, I see. I can see that you'll continue to be close."

"Huh? How do you know?" Pranee raised her eyebrows at the monk with surprise.

"Shashi got their magic talent from me after all." He cleared his throat. "It's too bad that the temple wouldn't let them be a monk, they would do a good job."

"Ah, you can see the future?"

"Only parts of it. I can see what kind of lives people have lived as well. Like for Shashi for example." The monk turned his head to look outside before looking at Pranee. "Many of the monks here think that they lived a previous life of being a playboy that broke many girl's hearts and trapped them in a body that they don't identify with."

"Ah..." Pranee knew what the monk was talking about. It was a term that she would hear only when she went out, as rare as that would be. Kathoey. She didn't know that the term would extend to Shashi as well.

"I can see that they never had such a life in the past."

"Ah, really?"

"Like all of us, they had good and bad lives. But the more recent ones have been filled with lots of good karma."

"Loung Por, does it bother you that your child doesn't... you know..."

"They've been living a good life, helping out whenever they can. As long as they're a good person, it's fine. They've been strong enough to survive on their own so far, I trust they have a good head on their shoulders."

"Mm, those are some very wise words."

The monk smiled. "I want to give you something. Come close and hold out your arm. Don't be afraid."

Pranee held out her arm and the monk tied an orange and white threaded bracelet around her wrist. She noticed that there was a piece of metal in the center of the bracelet and couldn't stop staring at it until it was done being tied.

"This bracelet should give you protection and good fortune."

Pranee bowed her head. "Thank you, Loung Por."

"Smokey no!" Shashi's voice echoed through the hall and there was the sound of a loud thump.

"Looks like Shashi needs some help. Would you be a dear and check up on them?" The monk asked and Pranee bit her lip.

"Of course."