It was the last night of the group of students who went out to participate in this difficult volunteer camp. They travel to a famous street market that serves as a gathering place for the locals. There are even local legends telling of scary things that often happen to visitors from far away. Regarding the number of tourists, one always disappears before leaving this market.

No matter how much I try to avoid or beg, There will be new visitors who will be lost in this nighttime light forever.

A green pickup truck drives down a road surrounded by a sparse forest. On both sides of this road there are only rubber plantations, so that you can't see the other side of the ground. This car has only two doors. On the long, open trunk of the car sat several people. The clothes on their bodies fluttered like flags blown by the wind.

Everyone had tired and absent-minded expressions on their faces. Everyone looked out at the rubber plantation that seemed to spread out without end. The face of a friend sitting on the opposite side of the narrow pickup truck can be seen, as well as the trees along the roadside in the background. They quickly passed by this car like a replayed image.

and refused to change to another image There were a few cars driving past the garden.

until the forest began to disappear Houses have become rooftops and showrooms have popped up in their place. It is a sign of traveling into the community.

Four men and seven women

Their condition looked weary and covered in dust stains. The shirt worn is of a similar style, that is, it is a short-sleeved shirt. The neck is V-shaped and has no collar. There are several pockets on the left chest and on the left and right waist. Some people also have small holes in the sleeves.

These shirts are called 'scrub shirts' and these people are students who come to participate in rural development volunteer camp activities. They wore scrub shirts and jeans. Sandals with heels and sneakers, whichever is more comfortable.

When he saw that he had entered the community area and began to smell the smell of food floating on the wind. One of the group then nudged his friend sitting next to him to turn his attention to the road outside the pickup truck.

“This is about to arrive at the market.”

“Where?”

“Sleepy,” she said, smoothing the unkempt hair that was covering her face.

"this ! Sit properly, your head is sticking out and you'll get hit by a car!”

A friend next to him nudged Pound to wake up. But the sound of the strong wind filling the ears made it difficult to hear anything clearly.

“Huh?”

“Hey!”

It's not yet time to set up. Pound was grabbed by the collar of his shirt and his body pulled into the pickup truck. The timing was just right as the motorcycle quickly sped past. A strong wind tore her hair back. Everyone heard the sound of a small horn honking past their ears.

“The reverse is too ugly!”

“The provinces are like this. Drive as you please.”

“It's like this everywhere, they backtrack. Not just other provinces Can you not generalize?”

“Alright, but when you go back and honk at him, it really should be jumping and kicking.”

“Fuck Pound. If you want to take a nap, just move your head inside the car!”

The sounds of his friends complaining loudly, but Pond, who had just woken up and was choking on his saliva, still couldn't hear anything. He coughed until tears flowed. The body was covered with sweat stains from working all day.

Pound is a young man with white and yellow skin. I have smooth, straight, black hair. The sea blue scrubs made his throat even brighter. His body was dirty and ragged from his hair to his ankles.

The young man was tired from the heavy workload and the hot weather. Dust particles and dry dirt were still flying everywhere, causing us to sneeze from time to time. He moved his legs around to change his sitting position. But in the back of a pickup truck with eleven people crammed together, it was not easy to change positions. There's nothing you can do but keep pushing and enduring.

“It smells so good,” said one female friend.

"That smell of grilled chicken. Oh, I'm hungry."

“Is it really chicken?”

“Huh? What is it? Is it really a chicken?”

“Oh, don't you know what kind of meat they like to eat in this part? Just saying this is enough...”

“Oh, you really are serious about the Northeastern region. I really want you to eat that meat, you bastard.”

Another friend sitting in the corner of the pickup responded impatiently.

“What kind of meat is it?”

“Don't worry about that guy. It's...”

“Dog meat!”

Pong turned to shout in front of Kaew who was confused. Pound sat and watched his friends teasing and insulting each other with ease.

The pickup truck they were riding in slowed down as it entered a community area. There were many cars driving past each other. Meanwhile, Pond noticed that the gatepost in front of a temple had moved past. He looked at the clean white temple wall that stretched across the road. His eyes were vacant because he hadn't been focused on the sights he had grown accustomed to seeing during the two weeks of volunteer camping. Whether it is a temple, a pavilion, a molam stage

Or on the side of the road that is a barren forest and straw huts.

But while floating He glanced over and stumbled upon something.

Something is not normal. It rose from a pointed fence above the white temple wall that looked similar. Pound noticed that in the split second the car passed. A strong wind blew in just a flash. What he had seen had disappeared.

But it was just a brief blink of an eye that made him flinch and give goosebumps all over his body.

black

That thing is black. But not animals like black cats or crows. to perch on the temple wall

But it is a human trait. Its appearance is like that of a person.

He was a person who wore no clothes, a large person with elongated limbs and a head that was unusually large and out of proportion. It poked its head out from behind the temple wall. Acting like he was about to climb over a wall. It stared at him, who was sitting vacantly in the back of a pickup truck.

Those eyes shook him out of his absent-minded state. The eyes were frightening, an unnaturally bloodshot red. Eerily staring at him.

Pound himself was blinded by the shock he saw. He was so startled that he accidentally swung his leg and kicked several friends who were sitting huddled together. The timing was just right as a pickup truck crossed onto another lane of the road. Strong winds toss dust particles into the air. Then what he saw just now disappeared before his eyes.

“Oh! What?!”

“What is it?”

Many friends greeted me. But Pound still didn't answer. He turned his head and looked back at the road that was quickly passing behind him. His eyes widened and he didn't blink. Your back straightened without realizing it. Both panting loudly and still trying to find what they saw. Even though he was shocked and goosebumps spread all over his body.

before the boundary of the temple wall ended and left them out of sight. Pound continued to look back at that temple. He could hear the temple bells ringing behind him until he was too far away to hear or see anything from the temple grounds.

“What's wrong with Pond?” one friend asked. Soon, others began to notice his unnatural expression. From sun-drunk people who sat asleep with their necks folded all the way. Now he sat with his back straight, his face wide open, as if he had heard some bad news.

“Why are you making that face?”

“Did you forget something?”

“Good, good!”

After saying that, everyone started paying attention to the whole car. Pound, who regained consciousness, quickly refused because he didn't want his friends to worry. Because the last village where they had volunteered was only fifty kilometers away.

“No! Nothing, just like seeing someone climbing a temple wall. I saw something like…”

“An undertaker?”

“What kind of undertaker is climbing the temple wall?”

"I don't know, I saw something strange so I was shocked. It's nothing. Never mind." Pound ruffled his hair and shook his head.

“What time is it? How long have you been asleep?” Pound asked further, and the friend sitting next to him turned to answer.

“We left that district at 2 p.m. It's now five and ten minutes.”

"Wow, driving across the province?" Pound's eyes widened in disbelief.

“No, the province is big. The whole city of Bangkok can be compared to just some sub-districts here,” a female friend said.

“Wow, is that really that much?”

“Don't be surprised. Turn around and look around, there are only mountains. There's always been only grass and wide forests. It's been two weeks and you're still not used to it?”

"That's true," Pound swallowed before continuing.

“We're good at it too. How many hours have you been sitting together like this?”

“I ate four rounds already. It should be close to the fifth round.”

“It's almost there. You'll be able to get off soon," said a male friend sitting across from Pound.

"Uh... where are we going?" Pound asked innocently as usual.

"We're going to the market." He tilted his head and replied slowly, his voice sounding exhausted. After saying that, he opened his mouth and yawned heavily.

“Oh, do you remember the flea market that sells the best products of this province, right?” Pound said. The friend heard that and nodded yes.

“Oh, Ton, you are from this area. The market has a lot of cool stuff, right? I hope it's worth asking his uncle to bring here today.”

“Well, let's go down and take a look. The market is very big, the products are cheap, and after the work is done we will return. I want to bring you to open your eyes and ears.”

“Huh, just selling things. Having your hometown in a remote province like this, you probably want to show off something nice that is pleasing to the ears and eyes. Otherwise, your friends will only have bad memories of being a wild country and a barbarian city, right?”

Pong spoke loudly. His voice sounded mocking and satisfied that he had just said it. This caused many friends to turn around and look at him with dissatisfied expressions. Ton, who had just finished speaking a moment ago, sighed and rolled his eyes, looking at the road.

“Then you can wait outside if you don't want to go into the market. No one forced me,” Ton said.

“No one forced me? But sitting in the car for half a day, am I really willing? I told you from the time I finished doing business with that last house that I wanted to return to the center. Just because you want to show off the province's dog meat source, does it have to be done to such an extent?” Pong snarled even louder. To the sound of the wind blowing in your ears

“I'm sorry! It's my fault, but since everything was forced upon me, can I force you to do something else? Just shut up!” Ton laughed briefly before replying.

“Er! It's better to stop the car and go down and fight each other until the end,” said a friend sitting in the middle.

“As much as I don't want to listen to this nonsense. The weather is hot enough. My head will still be hot!” Kaew said.

“Ton, please tell me the story you told me that day…” a female friend greeted.

"What's the matter?"

“This is about the flea market. What you said came in odd pairs. Wave your hand and call, don't cross. There's something like that..."

“Uh, I heard you guys talking too. Sounds interesting. Please tell me!”

And the topic of conversation quickly changed. It was as if what she said had aroused the curiosity of other friends who were from very different areas.

“Oh, then I can tell you. It should be more interesting to listen to than anything that comes out of this bastard's mouth...”

“Oh buffalo...” Pong cursed, but Ton heard this and turned his head away to look at his other friends and tried to ignore Pong.

“Tell me”

Pound sat quietly in the corner of the pickup truck next to the rear window. He shifted his position slightly while listening to his friend's story. The sunlight dimmed in intensity just as a cool breeze fanned around my face.

“My province, no, just the district I live in is better. Just as you guys saw. It is a very large district, and there are many strange places that no one has ever seen. Strange stories from each village Each subdistrict has more. But like here, there are stories told about this market that...

If people come to the market Traveling in even numbers On the return trip, you will return to an odd number. Because there will be one person who will not go back together again…”

“Oh, why is that?!”

“It's a story here. I don't understand clearly. But have you ever heard anything about the successors?” Ton asked.

“It's like looking for someone to take your place. Then you yourself will be free, right?” one friend replied.

“Yes, the elders say that if it's your first time coming to this market, Don't be an even number. If you don't come alone, go. Three or five people came. Or how many people can be an odd number? Because they don't like seeing people happy or matching up. People who come as a couple often do not return together. And then we'll never see each other again, that's what they say."

“These are ?”

“Ghosts.”

“What is this?”

“It's scary too!”

“And if it's true, why are you taking us away?”

“Is Ton planning to make someone disappear?”

After saying that, the friend turned to defend and used his elbow to jab him to make him feel it.

“No, I just wonder if ghosts have the power to do that much?”

“That's it, right? If you were so good, why did you die in the first place?”

“I wonder this every time I listen to ghost stories on the radio. Instead of being haunted, it makes me irritated.”

The friends sitting around him stirred and spoke up. So Ton had to raise his hand and cut in, saying,

“It's just something I used to listen to when I was a kid. The adults told me again, that's it. When I was a child, I was afraid. I was so afraid that I didn't dare invite my girlfriend to go to the market just the two of us. But when I thought about it again, I realized that In fact, it's a way to trick children in order to prevent kids who have boyfriends from taking their boyfriends on long trips.

Preventing pregnancy and having to drop out of school. When you get pregnant and have an abortion, the spirit of the child follows you for the rest of your life, something like that,” Ton explained.

“Ah, let's do it in a random way and not take responsibility. If they get pregnant and give birth to offspring, they are a burden on society like a stray dog. This is the way of life. It's something that people in this region are good at. It's appropriate for a stupid strategy to trick foolish people into believing.”

Cupp said in a disdainful tone. The eyes rolling back and forth looked very irritating.

“Well, you don't have to go to the market, what the heck. Kick her out of the car right here!”

"That's enough. Let it be. When this job is finished, you don't have to worry about anything anymore. Once it's over," Ton continued in a bad mood.

“It was a good grouping. Everyone is nice except you,” a female friend said.

"So, is it finished yet? Is there more to come?"

“The one who said that? If you see someone beckoning you not to cross, what is that?”

“Tell me”

Other friends remain interested in the local legends of Ton's hometown. When that happened, Ton chose to continue telling the story. As for Pond, he sat with his shoulders wrapped and listened quietly, without voting as usual. The back of the pickup truck bounced several times as it passed the turtle's back in the community area. Everyone in the seat had their head bobbing back and forth with the momentum of the car.

“It's a matter of the market. Well, if you come as a couple and someone has already been chosen. The chosen person will encounter strange things all the time. It is said that before that person disappeared, He would see people wearing Phi Ta Khon masks waving at the flea market across the street.”

Ton paused before taking a breath and then nodding, making a sound of "Um."

"look for ?"

“Don't you have any more?”

"Oh, that's it. What else do you want?"

“It's like, in case there's a way to avoid something like this. The customs of ghost legends and local stories must have a way to survive!”

“Yes, like Japanese ghosts. That if you encounter something like this, what must you say in order to survive? What should I carry with me to protect myself? Something like that.”

When friends urged him to continue listening and refused to stop. Ton then took a deep breath and rolled his eyes, looking up at the sky. He sighed loudly and continued to tell the story:

“If you really see someone waving at you across the street, don't cross the street to see them. That's all.

If you encounter, see, or hear anything strange that you feel is unnatural. The easiest way to avoid them is to just ignore them, look past them, and walk past them as normal. Act like nothing happened. Don't say hello, don't ask, act like you didn't hear. Didn't know from the beginning

When you're finished, hurry back out and find the others, that's it.”

Ton finished speaking and held out his hand as if it wasn't something difficult to understand.

“And have you ever actually seen them?”

Ton shook his head without thinking, “Never, I have never seen anything like this in my entire life.”

“Then there's nothing to worry about.”

“But there was once an acquaintance of mine who disappeared.”

Then everyone who heard it fell silent together.

“Who?”

“My uncle-in-law. This story started when I was a child. It was school break then. I only lived no more than Grade 1 or Grade 2. The semester ended and I came home. And then we came to this market. But at that time, my aunt brought her boyfriend from Bangkok as well. I saw that he wanted to bring him to adjust to life on my side of the country.

And this market is like a gathering place for the whole district. So I decided to bring him along.

At the time, I didn't exactly remember what was what. It's been a long time. But I remember when I got out of the car and started walking towards the market. For a moment, it was like he walked away and disappeared alone. And then other people started to riot,” Ton recalled.

He frowned, his expression slightly more serious than before.

“At that time my mother told me The two people had a quarrel and the uncle-in-law ran away and went home first. The others were upset and hurried to see the sister-in-law who was crying and upset. When I heard that it was a husband and wife affair. I, who was very young, didn't care. But I could feel from that moment that this was not the case.

…The real reason my uncle-in-law disappeared.”

The pickup truck stopped for a moment because a car turned out of the village alley ahead. When the wind stopped blowing, everyone's voice could be heard more clearly.

"Do you know how he disappeared?"

“No one told me. No one talked about my uncle-in-law's disappearance again. It has become something that cannot be delved into. It's like a wound in the family's heart since then. But even if no one comes to reveal it. But I believe it was definitely not just a normal quarrel.”

“Then why do you think like that?”

“Well, I remember that the car you used to drive your sister-in-law to the market was still parked in the parking lot. And how are you going to escape by yourself?”

Almost immediately after the story was finished. The pickup truck they were sitting in slowed down as if to a stop. Everyone turned their attention from what they were listening to and turned to look at their surroundings. before the car slowly turned off the road. The ground level in both areas from the road and the parking lot is different. The parking lot was a dry gravel floor filled with flying dust.

Finally, the car stopped in its tracks. The engine vibrated several times before finally shutting down.

“We've arrived.”

Ton Cha Ngok looked out of the car. Just like everyone else, they move around and make noises with their gestures.

“I feel so tired.”

“Oh.”

“Uh huh.”

“Oh, taunt!”

“Let me go down and stretch a bit.”

After saying that, everyone climbed out of the back of the pickup truck. The entire car swayed from the weight that dropped so quickly. Dry, powdery dirt splashed between their toes. The uncle driver also opened the door and got out of the car. On the left side of the car door was the uncle's wife who had opened the door as well.

They sat together with the students who were running the camp sitting together in the back of a pickup truck.

“Where is the market?” asked a female friend who was stretching her arms.

“Wait, keep walking this way a little longer. You can walk right away.” Ton pointed his finger back to the roadside above the dirt floor that sloped slightly downwards to serve as this parking lot.

With that, he took out an electronic cigarette from the bag he carried on his person. Three or four other male friends saw this and followed suit without inviting them.

Pound, too.

“You can go with Uncle. I'll take you there. Uncle says he'll go buy food too. Soi kissing all the good blood."

"Uh...Ton?"

“Your uncle said to follow you. I'll take you guys to the market myself. There's a lot of good food,” Ton explained in the local language to his friends.

“Oh, like this.”

The driver's uncle is also a local and has lived in the area since he was born. He therefore only spoke the local language that would be difficult for people from other regions to hear. Ton therefore had to act as the group's interpreter for her friends all along.

“Okay, then let me walk together first. When you guys finish grilling the chicken, come along."

“Let's go, I'm so hungry that I can really smell the grilled chicken. It's coming out of the market, right?!” They said with excited expressions on their faces.

“Yes, let's go, I'll take these guys along.” Ton nodded and turned on the electronic cigarette. ready to smoke

“We'd better walk in over there. so as not to disturb other people.”

Then the group of three male friends walked separately into the deciduous forest next to the parking area. The area behind this forest is a mix of high and low hills.

Pond, Ton, and Guy walked into a quiet area. As for Pong, he didn't follow along. It might be because of his personal habits of not smoking or any type of intoxicant. They also do not like the environment of the forests and grass around them. Moreover, he also likes to talk disdainfully and insult the local culture of Ton's hometown.

It was a good reason for him to separate out and live with his female friends.

It wasn't because they liked what he said. But because they didn't choose to use violence to cut off their annoyance.

“The group organized the group and brought in those bastards.” Ton blew out smoke and complained.

“Seriously, he shouldn't have come to camp at all. You looked at its condition these two weeks, what the hell did it do?!” Guy added in the same way.

It was Pound's turn to speak.

“I don't think he wanted to come, Pong, but he had to collect volunteer hours. And this is almost over. If I didn't choose to come to the camp during the school break with so many hours, there would be no other way.”

“Let it be, whatever problem there is now will be a long-lasting mess. Bear with it a little longer, wait to return to the center, and then go our separate ways. Whoever it is, go.” Ton lowered himself down and squatted on his heels. He let out a long sigh as a long stream of white smoke billowed out from his nose.

"I'm hungry. Really hungry. Do you want to go with me?" Guy asked.

“For a moment, I felt like I had to pee,” Pound told them. And then asked further:

“There are bathrooms in the market, right, friends?”

“Just pee in the grass around here. Don't think too much, just take it easy.” Ton held the e-cigarette in his hand and pointed to the deciduous forest behind him.

“Is that good, friend? Would that be some sort of disrespect?” Pound said in his throat. He looked uncertainly at the trees and overgrown grass.

“Oh, don't think too much. Walk a little deeper into the grass. To pee, just raise your hand and pray for the road god for a bit. That's it. His sprite isn't that big of a deal. Living people must eat, poop, and urinate. Just ask him for a little bit, that's all,” Ton said and pouted for Pound to walk in.

“Be careful of snakes, be careful of centipedes as well. I'm waiting right here.”

When his friend told him so, Pound slowly walked through the grass and dry branches into the forest. The atmosphere throughout the region felt depressingly dry. Even the soil in the forest area was so dry that it crumbled into fine powder under your feet. The rustling of dry branches and leaves was heard with every step he took.

Pound could clearly hear all the footsteps and movements.

Until they found a mound with a large tree. Below was a slope filled with branches piled up. Pound looked for the spot he thought was safest. before raising your hands to ask the sacred permission to urinate in an unknown area This is the custom of ordinary people, not limited to any region.

“I would like permission. Please pee a little.”

He closed his eyes and folded his hands together and spoke in his heart. But before he could open his eyes, he heard loud footsteps coming from the forest.

Pound was startled and immediately opened his eyes. He still held his hands together in the same position. His mouth was closed, not daring to make a sound. He looked around to find the source of the sound but couldn't find anyone.

In my mind I thought it was just an animal. And once permission has been granted, there probably isn't much to worry about. The young man slowly unzipped his pants in order to finish his business.

Pound felt rather shiver down his spine when he heard the sound of his peeing all over the place. It broke the silence of the surrounding forest. Once you've decided to pee, you have to finish peeing because you probably can't hold it in any longer. The urine flowed down and hit the dry ground until bits of dust stained with the water bounced back around both ankles.

“Did you come alone?”

He heard a loud voice speaking from somewhere in the forest. The loud noise sounded clear as if someone was hiding behind the grass. When the wind is still, it makes every sound clearer and doubly eerie.

“Come alone”

"alone"

“No, many people came together.”

Surprisingly, the sounds of people interacting and interacting with each other throughout the forest. Pound squinted in confusion because he couldn't see anyone.

“Come in pairs. All new faces.”

He tried to figure out whose voice he heard. At first glance, he felt that it sounded similar to the voices of the other two friends. The voices spoke in a dialect that he himself could not understand.

With the condition of standing with legs spread apart to pee Plus there was a lot of water stored because it had been holding back all the way. Pound couldn't move anywhere. The only thing I could do was try to finish peeing on the pile of leaves and walk away from this place.

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Strangers all don't know what they're talking about.”

“At first we were strangers. But now that's not the case.”

The voices alternated back and forth as if there were many people talking to each other. Both speak loudly and softly, can't hear clearly. But Pound felt like someone was really staring at him and not far away.

“No one is a stranger anymore.”

“Everyone is here.”

“Say the same thing. Eat too.”

“Come, let's be together.”

“Come, let's live together.”

It was at this moment that he heard some movement besides mysterious voices. Plus, I started to smell some fishy smell floating into my nose.

He heard a noise in the pile of dry branches and leaves. It sounded like someone was stepping on those desolate grounds.

“Let's be together. Then you will know.”

“Let's be together. Then we can talk about it.”

The voices and footsteps were getting closer and closer. Pound turned left and right in fear. I had goosebumps all over my body, but I still couldn't finish peeing. He began to feel the sound of his urine hitting the leaves on the ground becoming louder and louder.

He thought paranoidly that this sound was attracting the attention of things hidden in the forest.

"You don't have to go back. You're here."

“No one can help you.”

"Even your friends don't know. No one knows."

Pound gasped. Even if you don't understand a language that you can't quite understand But it was enough to use intuition to predict the situation.

“At first I thought I knew. But if I knew, it wouldn't end up like this.”

“At that time there were five of us. My friend brought me to the market. It tells you to be an odd number.”

“It's all been forgotten!”

Laughing and yelling at each other like drunks on the corner of a building. Especially when the light drops quickly. The atmosphere became even more frightening.

Pound didn't listen to the sound he heard. He couldn't concentrate on it. And I didn't want to know about anything that didn't concern me either. Now he was terrified of the sound of approaching footsteps until they were just standing there staring at each other. But he still couldn't see anyone. Even though I heard this unnatural noise, I couldn't hear anything.

“He has forgotten that he has ever been to this market. They are not new people.”

“People who have seen it before, they don't want it. He took the new guys.”

“These new guys come in pairs. It must be separated from the pair.”

“The couple must go back alone. Those new faces.”

“Yes, the new guys.”

"Here's a new face."

“New face, yes new face.”

Pound held onto the pieces from his body tightly. He finally finished peeing. His body trembled due to both the temperature dropping and the fear of the mysterious event in front of him.

At the same time, the voice that could be heard sounded like a terrifying yelling. The pile of branches and grass made a loud noise as if something was rushing towards it!

“Where are you going?!”

“That's you, standing there pissing!”

“You got my face!”

“Yes, you took my face!”

“Here you are peeing on my face!”

There was a loud shouting sound. Everything was quiet in the blink of an eye. Pound gasped for breath. Sweat wet my entire neck. My heart was pounding so hard my hands were shaking. He bent down to unzip his pants and prepare to run away from here.

But at the moment of bending down He was startled when he discovered the spot where he had peed just moments before. He didn't pee on branches, grass, or even rocks.

Instead, it was a large mask lying in the middle of the grass. There were stains of his urine everywhere.

The appearance of this mask is carved into a pattern in the style of ancient Thai art. It had a large, curved nose, hollow eyes, and a mouth that grinned with jagged lines like waves and had many sharp fangs.

It's a Phi Ta Khon mask.

Suddenly the wind started blowing again. Dust particles and leaves were blown out of the forest. Pound trembled and his breath caught for a moment as he stared face-to-face with the black Phi Ta Khon mask that had fallen into a pile of burnt leaves under the mound in front of him. The spot he had just urinated in fit right in.

His eyes trembled, as did his lips. Pound didn't know what to do other than hold up his hands and apologize for whatever he had done. Then he turned and immediately ran back out into the parking lot.

His mind was not thinking of the market right now. He could only think of running away from this place. A feeling of fear was buried deep in my heart. If you can escape He would tell all his friends the whole story. No matter how many times I have to tell it, I will tell it all. But the first thing you have to do is escape.

Pound opened his eyes wide, trying to find two friends who were probably waiting outside. He will ask both Guy and Ton if they have heard people talking and shouting like just now. Where is the sound of footsteps coming towards you?

Suddenly everything went quiet. Then he found a Phi Ta Khon mask lying on the floor. Found himself peeing on a mysterious mask that fell in the forest. Even though I hadn't seen it before at first. That big black mask There was no way he would accidentally pee on it blindly.

He had a hunch that something bad must happen, but he prayed that it wouldn't happen to himself. For a moment I tried to think only of the good things I had done. Hopefully, those things will help him get out of this horrible situation.

The more I thought about it, the more upset I became. I'm trembling with fear. He hurriedly ran, wanting to shout out to his friends to help him out.

But until I ran back out to the smoking spot a moment ago. But I didn't find anyone standing there waiting.

The two friends had disappeared. But even then, Pound hurriedly walked back to the parking spot. No matter what, he had to hurry and get himself as far away from the forest as possible.

He headed back to the green pickup truck to see if anyone was still alive. The driver's seat was empty and the car door was locked. So he leaned over and looked behind him. Then he met Pong who was sleeping alone in the back of a pickup truck.

“Protect!”

Pound clawed at the edge of the pickup truck until it made a loud noise. He was relieved and full of hope when he saw his teammates nearby. Pong turned around at the sound of the call and saw Pound looking startled and looking back with puzzled eyes. He raised his eyebrows at Pound without asking a single word what was going on.

“Pong, where have all the others gone? Into the market?!” Pond asked in a breathless but flustered voice.

“Do you see any of them around here?”

Pong turned to answer without emotion. Then quickly turned away. He plugged the headphones into the phone and into both ears. Pound saw this and picked up his phone to call someone else. But when I tried calling, I found that there was no signal at all.

“Uh, Pong, where did you get the signal?”

Pong turned to look at Pound again. This time, his eyes looked more annoyed than before. He made an annoyed sound and replied casually,

“You don't need a signal to listen to music. Think about how I did it.”

“How?”

Pound asked with innocence. Even though he thought of the answer himself almost immediately. But it wasn't too late.

“Oh, no wonder I don't know. In a situation like having a phone to use, it's a blessing. Go to a spot with a signal and search to see how Spotify can download songs for use.”

Upon hearing this, Pond didn't think to ask anything to protect him. He sighed heavily before looking at the road that led everyone to this market. He still doesn't know where the market is. But I think that if we continue walking along this road, it should be easy to find. From Ton's statement that this is a big market in the district. Then he decided to walk along the shoulder of the road. It travels along a dirt road that is slightly lower than the road.

It was around five o'clock, almost six o'clock.

The sky began to turn dark. Street lights are more visible from a distance. Pound saw the lights of a flea market just down the road. No more than five hundred meters from the parking line.

He had found that flea market.

Pound walked towards a large market with rows of restaurants lined up. The market area is a climb down from the roadside that continues ahead. The atmosphere was different from the markets he was used to in the city.

There is no sign indicating the name of the market at the entrance. He couldn't even see the official entrance. The arrangement of the stalls is such that you can walk in anywhere. The sound of many people walking together. Talk and have fun The light from each store's bulbs shines brightly against the fading darkness.

Rappelling down to cover the sight

The first thing he did was walk into the market without talking to anyone. His only hope was to find a group of friends or the uncle who drove him. The people around him talked in a dialect that he could not understand. Pound continued walking, trying to find a friend wearing the same scrubs.

The number of people in the market was much larger than he expected. Pound has to walk left and right to avoid running into anyone. Adults, men and women, children and the elderly all socialize and run around having fun. Inside the market, there was also a lot of music playing from the speakers of many shops all competing with each other. Even though I couldn't quite understand what the song was, it helped make the atmosphere much more lively while walking.

There is a wide variety of products sold on the market stalls. Most of the time, it's food that emits a smell all over the place. There are skewers of meat and meatballs for sale on grilling racks everywhere, red meat coated with oil until it's greasy. The meat is brown and burned to perfection and has small burn marks along the edges of the meat.

Why is the sound of somtam being pounded in many mortars being heard all around? That shop was Somtam. This restaurant is Somtam. Crab after crab was picked up and placed in a mortar and pounded until it made a crunching sound. Followed by dozens of bright red chilies. The vendors used their hands to take large handfuls of it out of the jars and toss them into the mortar. You could hear the sound of lots of chili seeds being pounded as if they were being deliciously chewed.

Along with the nose-burning spicy smell that rose up like smoke.

Some restaurants have seating for locals passing by to stop and eat. He tried to look for any friends who might be sitting at the table drinking papaya salad. But still haven't been able to find it.

Pound continued walking and as he saw many shops, he began to hear his own stomach rumbling because he couldn't stand the smell. His favorite food, grilled pork neck, was displayed in many storefronts. Large pieces of oil-soaked pork that were neatly chopped. Stacked together beautifully.

Just the smell of the saliva filled your throat until you could hardly swallow it.

Still worried and missing each of his friends, Pound tried to walk out of the area of ​​the store that sold food first. He headed into a shop selling souvenirs such as basketry, leather goods, and old bags that looked pretty and useful. Some shops have antiques like lanterns. Jewelry from ancient times

There were gold chains and small statues that looked like they were for display.

The area selling antiques and antiques like these is quiet and almost no one walks in. But it's normal like any other flea market. Nothing seems out of the ordinary.

Until Pond came across a store that had a lot of jada displayed. The shop also has many dance costumes displayed in front of the shop.

It may not sound surprising that dancers' clothes and accessories are on the market. Especially if it's a local market in a remote area like this. This is a new thing in the market that has never been seen before for Pound.

If it weren't for the fact that those golden crowns were mounted on white skulls lined up on the floor in front of the shop. The appearance of the skull is not the plaster used to decorate aquariums.

But it was white mixed with yellow. There are cracks along the eye socket frame and the teeth are chipped and bent, looking unattractive. Moreover, some of the pieces are not the same size. Their shapes are asymmetrical. Some heads don't have all their teeth. Some of their heads had cracks all over them as if they had been drilled.

The condition looks like a real human skull.

The enjoyment came to a halt. Becoming suspicious and a little paranoid starting to creep in

Pound tried to look for the seller until he bumped into the person sitting behind the stall.

Then he was more shocked than before. When it was discovered that the person was wearing a black robe all over from head to toe.

And on that mysterious face There was a large Phi Ta Khon mask being worn.

Pound suddenly had trouble breathing when he found the Phi Ta Khon mask again. He stood still and his legs did not move for a moment.

His eyes widened and he stared at that person. Not daring to utter a single word.

And at the same time The shop owner who was wearing a Phi Ta Khon mask slowly turned his head to look at him. It was as if he knew he was being watched.

From the side view of the mask's curved nose, it slowly turned back until the entire, large, intricately carved face was visible.

It was exactly like the mask seen in the forest back then.

But the way he turned his neck to look was very strange.

The person did not move any other part of his body that was covered. It also moves in an unnaturally slow manner. It's not like the way humans look when they turn to look at others. Pound felt that the music he had heard all along the way suddenly became softer. The surrounding atmosphere was uncomfortably tense. The entire time he had made eye contact with the masked person in front of him.

Even if you can't see the eyes under the mask But he clearly felt that the Phi Ta Khon mask was staring back at him with hostile, mysterious and frightening eyes. For the first time, he no longer felt that the carved patterns on the mask were beautiful.

Especially when looking at the curve of the lips. On the curved teeth like a candle flame blown by the wind.

He felt even more shiver up his spine because he seemed blinded by the fact that they could move. It's like a person moving their mouth to speak.

It was as if those crooked teeth had grown longer. Both pointed and lengthened And his lips seemed to widen as if he were baring his teeth.

The Phi Ta Khon mask moved like a picture of it swaying behind the hot steam of the flames.

He took a step back and then heard the snapping sound of a branch being stepped on. That sound startled Pound out of his trance of fear for a moment.

The stall was the only thing separating him from the Phi Ta Khon mask in front of him.

But what was being sold on the stall was no less frightening.

In addition to the golden crown that was worn on those skulls, Pound just noticed that Next, inside this same shop. There are also dancers in full costumes from head to toe.

It was worn on the body of a full-body skeleton. It was tied to a thin wooden pole.

There were several skeletons in front of that store. all standing in line Let your arms hang down at your sides. His arms and legs were nothing but pale yellow bones. He had gold jewelry all over his body.

The Phi Ta Khon mask was still staring at Pound as usual. No one uttered a single sound.

Pound took two more steps. Although he was trembling with fear, he couldn't take his eyes off the strange mannequin. His eyes followed each skeleton figure. Until I looked at the last one on the far left of the stall in front of the store.

The young man's eyes widened and he raised his hand to cover his mouth.

Because the body that was bound to the pole still had some flesh left. But it's in the picture that isn't swollen, bloated, or smelly. But it had pale gray skin. The body is rigid like a mannequin.

On his head was a crown. He could see the face of a person who was skinny and had only skin on his bones. His eyes widened and he stared straight ahead. The eye sockets were so deep that both eyeballs nearly fell out. Cheekbones are prominent because the dry, withered skin is close to disappearing. His lips were so thin that bulging teeth could be seen almost piercing the skin.

Her hair that had been covered by Jada was as dry as the roots of a banyan tree hanging from the trunk!

The cold wind blew in big waves. It made Pound's body shiver until he could hardly stand it. Then the quiet music sounded again.

However, this time it was not the cheerful song that I had heard when I walked into the market.

Instead, it was a cymbal instrument that played gently together, and there were several wind instruments that made a long, high-pitched sound, all competing with each other. The atmosphere changed suddenly.

Suddenly, many lights in the market began to flicker on and off, alternating with each other. Now goosebumps spread uncontrollably all over. He hurriedly turned and walked away, returning to the same path he had just walked past.

Even though he was scared, he tried to control himself so as not to freak out. His feet hurriedly walked back along the path they had walked before without starting to run. But then he noticed something strange in front of another antique shop in the same area.

This shop has many car license plates for sale. But its condition is not the same as the red license plates that people bidding against each other. The numbers don't look anything special that they need to be put up for sale. Those letters and numbers looked like common car license plates, and the condition of those license plates was distorted.

Some sheets are twisted into spirals. Some sheets were squeezed until they became wrinkled like paper. Some had the paint peeling off. Some numbers have disappeared. Some sheets had dark stains all over them.

But then Pound suddenly thought of something. When he looked, he saw other items for sale on the shelves inside the store. That's not just a license plate.

But there was still the front bumper panel of the car that was completely destroyed. The car's side mirror was shattered until only a bare glass frame remained. The steering wheel was so burnt that the leather was peeling off. and a car seat that was so torn and perforated that the steel frame inside could be seen

This shop feels like an accident-prone trading place. Especially when you see dark stains all over those seats. Pound wasted no more time standing and staring at them.

But before he walked away from the storefront, He saw a vendor who had gotten up and was walking out of his stall.

A person dressed in black who covered his whole body in a veil. A figure covered in cloth slowly walked out. On the face was also a large Phi Ta Khon mask. This time, it didn't just sit there and stare at Pound.

But it was getting up and slowly walking out towards him in front of the store!

Without waiting, Pound hurriedly ran along the path he had come in. Then he found that everything on the storefront had changed. Whether it's a zone selling antiques that looks completely different from before

The items for sale in front of the store turned out to be things that looked like black magic. Both mannequins and dolls look strange. A clay statue with strange characters written all over it. Some shops have statues of zebras and roosters that can be found at royal shrines. There were also remnants of the royal shrine that had been smashed into pieces along with puppets of grandparents for sale all over the place. Some are broken into powder.

Headless and missing arms look creepy.

Pound kept running without stopping his pace. The sellers all wore black robes and had Phi Ta Khon masks on their heads. Their faces became more and more frightening. He had to hurry and get out of here before they all stood in the middle of the walkway!

The young man then succeeded in running away from the relic zone. He returned to the place full of food again.

before encountering the fact that now

Everyone in the market is wearing a Phi Ta Khon mask.

Pound stood with a pale face and trembling legs. His hands were shaking all over. My heart was so frightened that I didn't know what to do next. Those Phi Ta Khon people walked around as if nothing had happened. Some turned to look at him, but they still hadn't walked in to do anything.

The young man looked towards the nearest exit. He thought about running through the gaps between the shops on the edge of the market. But outside there was only forest and darkness. There is no way of knowing what else you will encounter if you run out.

Once again, he began to look for an escape route. The Phi Ta Khon people standing nearby would all turn to look at him at the same time. Pound had no choice but to hurriedly walk back along the path he had first come in as fast as he could.

The further you walk back, The more he found that everything had completely changed. From the smell of food that once exuded a mouth-watering aroma Now it had turned into a horrible stench. It was the smell of blood and putrid stench that permeated everywhere.

He tried to keep his composure. Even though more and more of them began to look around him, Pound continued walking and acting as if everything was normal. The putrid smell became so strong that he had to cover his nose with his hand. Tears flowed because I couldn't stand the pungent smell like these many rotting corpses.

Street food stalls filled with fresh meat were hung like billboards. The meat was hung on iron hooks and swayed in the wind. Someone wearing a Phi Ta Khon mask walked up and stood looking while rubbing and sniffing with their nose. Some stood still, letting the blood drip down their faces. Pound closed his nose tightly because of the terrible fishy stench.

The shop next to it was no less similar. There were many animal heads placed in front of the shop, including pig heads, cow heads, crocodile heads, and the most terrifying thing, a dog's head. Their faces were open-mouthed and wide-eyed. His teeth bared sharply, his tongue clenched his mouth miserably.

Looking high up on the pillars of the vendor booth, there were many animal corpses with their legs hanging and their heads hanging downwards. Including duck and chicken carcasses, cat carcasses, or even dog carcasses that still have fresh skin and fur.

Pound saw the Phi Ta Khon people standing and looking at those swaying corpses. He raised his black hand and pointed at the remains of a brown dog that was hanging with its head stuck in its mouth. Then the vendor wearing a Phi Ta Khon mask cut the rope that tied the animal's legs. Before the dog's body fell and hit the dusty ground.

He dragged its body onto the cutting board placed in front of the store. Then he started using a large knife to pierce the center of his chest and began skinning!

Everything that happened was more than Pound could bear. He shivered and the goosebumps flashed until his pores turned into large bumps. Tears welled up in both corners of his eyes in fear.

The further I walked, the more depressing animal heads I saw lying around. Both the one with all the skin removed and the one that still has all the flesh and blood.

A fried insect stall that used to sell crispy, fragrant fried insects. It was now a large pond filled with hundreds of fresh insects. There are crickets, giant worms, grasshoppers, millipedes, centipedes, spiders, and scorpions running around at the bottom of the pond and Trying to climb out Pound heard the most eerie sound of their jointed legs and wings moving back and forth.

There are those Phi Ta Khon people standing around the pond and using their hands to reach down and pick up those insects to eat fresh!

The sound of those wind instruments is still loud and long, making you nervous. Loud, along with the sound of cymbals and drums, all overlapping each other rhythmically. He was desperately looking for a way out of this market. But no matter where you looked, you could only find people in black robes wearing Phi Ta Khon masks. The surrounding shops were all filled with scary pictures.

After a while, he heard a loud scream.

It's not a human voice. But it was the sound of an animal. The loud noise sounded extremely painful and torturous.

He mingled among the Phi Ta Khon circle. Then he encountered a terrifying scene unfolding in front of him.

It was a large white cow lying on its side on the ground. The smell of blood hit his nostrils from a distance. He could feel the moisture evaporating from his enormous blood that was all over the market floor.

That cow wasn't dead yet. It still lives to let out shrill screams. Meanwhile, many black-robed ghosts were rushing in to tear and devour their flesh alive!

They gutted the hollow pipes and used their nails to tear them apart. Green stool from the intestines came out mixed with scarlet blood. before being greedily eaten by the Phi Ta Khon people using spoons to eat into the mouth of the mask. They used their hands to break the cow's ribs and pull them out in pieces.

Tear off a large piece of meat and drag out a bunch of cow stomachs and pile them on the ground.

The cow's stomach had been punctured by a sharp object, causing streaks to form. A lot of dark water flowed in and mixed with blood all over the place. A horrible crunching sound was heard. It was like a herd of animals swarming and eating the remains of their prey. The big white cow stretched its neck and screamed for help. Tears streamed down and stained the dust on the floor. Try to shake your legs even though all four legs have been cut off.

Many more Phi Ta Khon people gradually joined in the brutal killings. Pound used this chaos to run away from the scene in front of him. He no longer cares who sees himself. Right now, he just wanted to get out of this market!

The young man ran without thinking for his life. He also accidentally glanced behind him at the place where the cow had fallen. But as soon as I turned around He ran into a figure standing in the middle of the walkway.

The force of the impact was so great that he himself lost his footing and fell to the ground. A loud sound like glass shattering was heard almost immediately. But even then, Pound quickly got up again.

He hurriedly inspected what he had run into. Then he saw a tall Phi Ta Khon figure dressed in a pitch black robe. He wore a red mask with carved patterns, black eyes and lips. was staring down at him menacingly.

and on the floor There was a loud shattering of broken glass. But there were also extensive water stains. Pound turned pale when he found that he had run into this Phi Ta Khon's jar and it broke.

But at that same moment His eyes suddenly caught sight of a bright light from across the street.

There is another flea market on the opposite side of the road.

Pound gave me goosebumps until my neck spasmed. He only realized the truth that all this time, He's always walked on the wrong side of the market!

Haven't been able to be happy for more than a fraction of a second. He heard a hissing sound that sounded like the sound of a large predator. It rang out from the mask of the Phi Ta Khon standing in front of him. The sound was very scary. It intimidated him until his legs were stiff and he was shaking. The Phi Ta Khon slowly moved and walked towards Pound. His expression was angry, unlike any other ghost.

that is greatly seen in the market

Pound glanced down at the ground. Look at the place where broken glass and liquid from jars are piled up.

Among the mysterious water stains that were wet He found the almost intact body of a baby. He was hugging a long, dark piece of meat growing out of his stomach.

That's the umbilical cord.

Suddenly, the Phi Ta Khon standing in front of Pound bared his masked fangs and let out a terrifying roar. There was a lot of blood flowing from its mouth. The previously dark pupils flashed brightly. He stepped closer to Pound and raised his hand. His hand was withered like the skin of an old man who was about to fall off.

Long, sharp nails covered in blood stains spread out like they were about to pounce on Pound's face!

Without waiting, Pound gathered up all the courage he had and ran out behind the giant Phi Ta Khon figure. A huge gust of wind blew behind him, accompanied by many shrieks and screams. He ran back up onto the dirt road that was the shoulder of the road. Then he scrambled to run for his life in order to cross the road and reach the real flea market on the other side of the road.

Pound ran straight across the road without looking back at the flea market on the other side a moment ago.

The young man stood, panting from exhaustion. Even after escaping, his heart was still pounding in his chest. Pound staggered and staggered, his eyes slowly drifting towards the new market he had just discovered had been across the street all along. Everything here seemed normal and safe, unlike the madness that had been witnessed just moments before.

There were only friendly-looking people walking and buying food in peace.

Pound stood there for a moment, enough to let himself recover. He slowly stood up straighter again. He looked back at the nightmare on the opposite side of the road he had just escaped from.

At the flea market on the opposite side of the road Pound looked back and saw a group of black cloaked figures staring this way. The figures all wore Phi Ta Khon masks covering their heads. They stood looking at Pound, who was also standing looking across the street. It could be said that both sides were staring at each other at the flea market on the opposite side of this road.

“Hey! friend"

Pound was startled when he heard a voice calling from behind. Before he could turn to look, a hand came and placed it on his right shoulder. He turned around and saw Ton. His friend who persuaded everyone to come to this market.

"plant ! friend ! Where have you been?” Pound shrieked with joy. before hugging Ton, who could only stand confused

"disappear ? Where have you gone?” Ton asked.

“At first I just asked to pee for a moment. When I came back, all of you were gone, both you and your body..."

I haven't finished speaking yet. Pound also noticed that Guy Another friend who was standing there smoking an e-cigarette with him at that time walked out of the market. Guy also looked at the two of them with shocked eyes.

“We haven't gone anywhere, so here we are.” Ton pointed a finger at the other friends who had followed him out of the market. Both Kaew and the other friends wearing scrubs followed in front of him. Market entrance Everyone looked at Pound with the same eyes.

“Is that so? But..." Pound couldn't keep his doubts in check so he asked. But then he was interrupted by Ton.

“Did you find any of them?” he asked, lifting his chin to look across the street.

“Found the uh…” Pound glanced back in that direction again.

You can still see the Phi Ta Khon group in black robes. Standing and looking back this way as always.

“You're very talented, Pound, for escaping. I'm sorry I made you go through something like this.” Ton wrapped his arms around Pound's shoulder and said. Pound swallowed with trepidation and asked further,

“So what should I do now? Am I safe now?” He tried to look at Ton's face. Hoping to hear an answer that will give him some peace of mind.

“It's safe. You've crossed over. As I said, friend,” Ton continued.

“Alright Pound, let's beckon to them.”

“beckoning? Why would we do that?!” Pound asked in a shocked tone.

“Like I told you. That if you can escape and survive The best way to separate from each other is to not have any problems with each other. That is, beckoning to them like this…” After saying that, Ton slowly raised his hand and beckoned.

“Hey! Do that and they won't come across the river to you?!” Pound hurriedly protested, looking suspiciously back at the Phi Ta Khon group standing on the opposite side of the road.

“You can't come. No one has been able to cross the border. Even though I can see it, I can't do anything anymore,” Ton said.

“Do that and they'll disappear?” Pound asked.

“Yes, you raise your hand and beckon to them. Beckoning like he was calling them across the river. And then they will gradually disappear on their own. Because no one can cross anymore,” Ton said, waving his hand to continue calling.

“If you do that They won't follow me anywhere, right?”

“No, no one follows anyone anywhere. Everyone is here.”

“Phi Ta Khon is a twisted version of a ghost following people. But these days, they stopped following people a long time ago.”

Pound heard what Ton said and saw what Ton was doing, so he believed it and decided to follow along. He raised his hands above his head and beckoned the ghost dancers across the street to see him.

They stood still in a large group, refusing to move. Pound continued to wave and call for a while until he started to feel tired, then asked Ton,

“But why do I still see them? You saw them too, right? You too?” Pound turned to ask the other friends in the group who slowly walked up to stand next to each other on the roadside.

“See, we all see it,” Guy said. before the others started talking in turn.

“I see it too. feel the same We are together.”

“Yes, I see that too. I heard it too. I understand it too.”

“Stay together, all speak the same.”

“Come, let's be together.”

“Let's be together. We will talk to each other about it.”

Meanwhile At the flea market on the opposite side of that road The market still has many food stalls and music playing, creating a lively atmosphere. A group of nine men and women in scrubs were standing on the side of the road. His eyes looked straight at the opposite street.

“Do you all see the same thing?” Ton turned to ask the remaining eight friends.

“You see, he's waving his hand to call us, right?” Kaew said, his voice shaking in his throat.

“Yes, don't cross the road to look for it,” Ton cautioned.

“Damn, seeing that, who would dare to cross…”

“So, has anyone seen Pond yet?” one friend in the group asked. Others continued to ask,

“At first he went to smoke electronic cigarettes with you guys, didn't he, Ai Ton Ai Guy?”

“Yes, we were originally going to come back. But it says it hurts to pee. So I let him go pee in the forest for a while. and stood waiting for it But after waiting for a long time, I didn't see him walk back to the same place,” Guy replied.

“So, you haven't met your friends yet? So why don't you call for it? Did you guys walk back to the market?” a female friend protested.

“He didn't walk back to where the two of us were waiting. But it walked out of the forest in another direction. Then walked straight to the market,” Guy explained.

"look for !"

“Yes, Ton and I heard someone walking out of the forest. Walked very quickly as if he knew the way. As I looked in the direction of the sound, I saw what looked like a Pond behind me. He was leading us to the market. I'm confused as to why it doesn't return to the same spot. I don't know if I'm angry or not." Guy said.

“And has anyone else seen Pound? Someone!”

“No, what about you?” They stood looking at each other in confusion. At the same time, he looked across the street.

There were people in black robes from head to toe. He raised his hand high above his head and beckoned them to walk across the river to him. The figure wore a large Phi Ta Khon mask on its head. A large black mask with white patterns around the eyes and twisted lips. At first, each side just stood there staring at each other without anyone doing anything.

But then suddenly the Phi Ta Khon ghosts who were standing on the opposite side staring at each other started waving their hands eerily. The figure stood alone against the background of a dark forest. You can see it because of the light from the market across the street that shines through faintly.

“This is another point outside the signal. Can't call Pound. What should I do?”

“Is your friend shopping in the market? Maybe business isn't finished yet, there's all sorts of good stuff.”

“Look, Ton, are you sure this isn't related to the story you told me before getting off the bus?” she asked him, but Ton replied confidently.

“It's not related. Don't think too much. And then it's about…” Ton sighed as he looked at the Phi Ta Khon across the road.

“Even though it's really about the story I told, we don't have anything to worry about, right? Because we all come to this market in odd numbers, is that right?”

“But Pong argued with us and walked back to the car alone. If so, from the original plan there would be a total of eleven people entering the market. There are only ten people left…” Kaew hurriedly argued.

“Don't think too much. When walking into the market, it doesn't matter. If we really want to count the number of people, they've already counted them since the time they arrived. There were eleven of us in the back of a pickup truck. The driver's uncle and his wife sitting next to each other in front were thirteen people. It is considered to have traveled an odd number from the beginning. Not an even number at all. Don't think too much.”

Ton tried to tell many of her female friends to stop being worried.

But at the same time He also began to feel strange, like something was not right. Because right now there is still no sign of Pound. Another group member who hasn't talked since the time he asked to go out to pee. He couldn't understand why Pound didn't just walk back to the same place where they were waiting.

He also hurriedly walked away until they couldn't follow him.

When Ton and Guy walked out of the parking lot and onto the side of the road. They didn't see Pound there anymore. Ton felt many abnormalities, from the fact that Pound walked in the lead like someone who knew where the market was. Moreover, he quickly disappeared from their sight. Even though the dirt floor on the shoulder of the road was an open area, there was no place to hide.

“Have you gone back yet?”

“Finished yet? There's a friend of yours waiting behind the car."

The husband and wife drivers shouted questions to the group of students. Ton, who was from the same area as Uncle and Auntie, shouted back,

“I'll follow you! Missing another friend I don't know where he went right now, I can't find him anywhere.”

The three of them communicated in the local language, making it difficult for the others to hear them. As for the friend waiting in the car, it probably means Pong, who has gone back to being stretched out in the back of the pickup truck alone for a long time.

Both Ton, Khun Lang, and Uncle's wife All three were locals and had visited the market before. So this was not the first time they had ever traveled to this place. Everyone had heard the legend of this huge market before.

But it's surprising. Ton still couldn't comfortably let go of the Phi Ta Khon that was waving at him on the opposite side of the road. That was because he felt a strange premonition that was hard to explain.

Before that, a huge icy wind blew and a mysterious laugh came from the darkness of the forest.

Then the figure in a black robe wearing a Phi Ta Khon mask finally disappeared into the darkness.

finish