Forest of Lost Souls III

[Sukhumvit]

From that day the mysterious woman barely left Somchai's home for some three weeks. He noticed that he also saw less of the villagers when he travelled about his land. That however did not concern him so much as his mind was fixated upon the woman in his house. He was terrified of frightening his new house guest away and took pains to cater for her every need. He would cook for her and by trial and error discovered the special meals that she liked. So he spent considerable time preparing meals, far more elaborate than the staple fare that he had previously allowed himself. She seemed to appreciate this and whilst she had still not spoken he was often aware of her staring at him curiously whilst he prepared food. Sometimes when he thought that she was asleep at night he would read one of his books only to become aware that she was looking at him.

 

 

During the day his routine continued unaltered. He would collect firewood. Sometimes he would fish for small fish or spread out nets to catch freshwater shrimp. The only thing that changed was the speed at which he worked. He felt himself to be energised and he speedily dealt with his chores, rapidly shinning up trees to collect fruit despite his deformity, and eagerly rushing home to see his exotic visitor.

 

 

Sometimes the house would be empty when he returned. His disappointment was obvious as his shoulders visibly sagged when he found the house still. The place would be meticulously clean and often there would be a simple gift of a flower left out for him but he was still terrified that she would not return. It was on those days when he found the house empty that he would have had strange feelings of being watched whilst he worked in the forest. He would involuntarily glance over his shoulder but always there was nobody there. So when he returned to an empty house he became more and more certain that she had been out there, somewhere, observing him. It unnerved him at first but then, when he had experienced the same feeling several times, he actually began to find it comforting to think that she was out there with him. He eventually began to expect her to be absent upon his return after such a day. Somchai knew that it would only be a matter of minutes before she would climb stealthily up the ladder onto the balcony and appear quietly before him.

 

During her absences in the forest he never knew for sure what she did or where she went during the day. He suspected that she used the opportunity to bathe in private as she was always pristine in her appearance. He had also discovered what he thought was her special place to go. His land contained a beautiful, sheltered pool surrounded by palm oil trees. Some days he would wander over there and find a large circular flattened patch of grass down near the water's edge. As if some animal had nestled there to bask in the sun. This phenomenon had only become apparent after her arrival and he realised that it was obviously connected with her. Somchai meant to warn her to be careful. Whilst he rarely came across snakes during the day he knew that they did like to hunt and live near a water source. He was going to mention this to her but he was afraid that he would scare her away as she would think that he was trying to follow her or spy upon her.

 

 

It was some three weeks after she arrived in Somchai's life that she became his lover. It had happened quite unexpectedly. He had been in the habit of sleeping on the floor of his meagre house whilst she lay under the mosquito net on his cot. The day that matters changed, he had been in the forest as usual. He had discovered an injured snake by the roadside leading to his land. It looked like it had been partly crushed by a vehicle and moved painfully slowly. He had taken his machete and killed the snake ,putting it out of its misery. He had thought that she was out there somewhere but as usual whenever he turned to look she was nowhere to be seen. When he returned home again she was absent although she returned breathlessly several minutes later. There was a sparkle in her eyes and she smiled at him unprompted. That night as he lay wrapped in a thin cotton sheet on the bamboo floor, his eyes clasped tightly closed listening to the night insects, he became aware of her slipping out of the bed and onto the floor, crawling underneath the sheet next to him. From then on they were inseparable.

 

 

When he now left the house in the morning she would accompany him and travel around the forest collecting fruit and wood together. They would tend to the vegetables and set traps for fish and frogs. She was particularly fond of both. Sometimes he would become engrossed in his work and would suddenly glance around to see that she had slipped off soundlessly. She would reappear several hours later with no explanation. He never knew where she went or why. He was, however, certain that she continued to watch him. But it was more than just watch him. It felt as if she were guarding him. She would return to him with an enigmatic smile as if she knew exactly all that he had done that day. She had still not spoken but her smiles and glances of longing were enough for him.

 

 

Although he was unaware of what the villagers were doing in the forest the night his visitor appeared and although he suspected that they were out to do her harm he still had dealings with them. He would walk over to the village but she would never accompany him and always turn back before they left the safety of his forest. He noticed that the villagers responded towards him differently. The village elder that he had spotted in the forest carrying the machete had previously been quite forward and chatty almost. Now, whenever the man saw Somchai approach he would drift away to his work in the fields or busy himself indoors. Often it felt as though he had interrupted something important as the villagers would stop their conversations almost mid-sentence upon his approach and go about their business away from Somchai. His presence obviously made some of them feel uncomfortable. Several of the older ladies of the village were however quite receptive. They would smile gently at him and one even gave him a Buddha amulet for "good luck". He thought that they seemed to have some sort of hidden knowledge of his lonely suffering and as such had sympathy for him despite the fact that many of the other villagers shunned him.

 

 

Then, one day, some nine months after he had first set eyes on her he set off to work in the forest one morning as usual. That day she did not accompany him on his chores. During the day he was not aware of her watching him which felt stranger than when he thought she was there. When he returned to the house that evening he discovered that she had gone. He was worried that something terrible may have befallen her but he had no idea of knowing what or how. He had no idea of where she went during her disappearances save for the pool. He had been there during that same day and had not noticed any flattened grass. There was nowhere for him to go to check and all he could do was remain at home. That night he did not sleep. He paced the floor of his house. From time to time he would go and stand on the balcony, oblivious to the mosquitoes, as he scanned the impenetrable forest. The night passed slowly and he was still on the balcony staring at the trees as the first grey streaks of dawn appeared in the sky.

 

 

That first day of her leaving he did not go out to work. He remained in the house. Waiting. And the next day. Each night he repeated the same ritual of preparing her favourite meals, touching nothing himself. He watched and waited but still she did not come. For one week he stayed around the house, not eating himself, and venturing only steps into the forest. The green jungle vegetation that had been his home was now a prison to him. He wanted to get away but could not take it upon himself to leave in case she should return.

 

 

Somchai resumed his work reluctantly. Through necessity. He had to live if he wanted to see her again. Sometimes he was sure that she was out there. Watching. He would feel a sense of excitement and would be certain that that would be the day she would return. When he returned home he would expect to find her there or sit patiently expecting her to come up the ladder into the house. She never appeared.

 

 

He stopped going to the village to barter. He no longer felt the need. Even leaving the vegetable patch, which had previously been his pride, untended. None of what he had to do to survive appealed anymore. All he could do was think of her.

 

 

One day, some three months after she had gone, he found himself wandering aimlessly near the pool surrounded by palms. It was late afternoon, almost dusk. As he approached he heard a strange sound. Singing. Like no other singing that he had ever heard before. Creeping stealthily through the trees he approached the water's edge. He could not believe it. There she was. Bathing. As soon as he had spotted her she turned her head towards him and looked in his direction. Despite the fact that he was hidden he knew that she had seen him. He settled down to watch her, lying in the grass. The same spot where he had previously found the grass flattened down. He watched and waited.

 

 

It must have been almost one week later when the same village elder that Somchai had seen in the forest with the machete was out foraging on Somchai's land. He passed near to the pool and found Somchai lying in the grass by the water's edge. On his neck was a single snake bite. On his face a smile of rapture. Next to him lay a large female King Cobra, her tail partly curled around Somchai's legs. As the villager approached the snake made no move to escape. It turned to look at him but waited meekly as the villager raised his machete and beheaded it. When the rest of the villagers heard they burnt Somchai's body together with that of the snake in his house till it was all ashes.

 

 

The villagers never venture into the forest near Somchai's home now if they can help it. Some, the brave, or curious drunken ones, have reported hearing strange singing and seeing him strolling hand in hand with the most beautiful woman.

[Guest]

well done. :applause:

[Singhaman]

Legendary! Loved it! Well done. Singhaman

[sayjann]

[Sukhumvit]

Cheers guys, Nor, Sing and Say,

 

you're too kind.

 

[Guest]

Suk........... great tale.... thanks.

 

But this adled old brain believes he has read this tale before on the net. Just can't remember where. ???????

 

But worth a reread just the same.

[Sukhumvit]

No, it's an original. Only wrote it last week. Had the idea on a boring Cambo visa run. Unless of course somebody's done something similar.

[Guest]

ok, no prob. just is a strangely very familiar tale.

 

please lets us have more tales in the near future.

[Sukhumvit]

Got a few ideas about Pattaya that are fermenting but will probably save it till back in the SFZ.

[Central Scrutinizer]

Sukhumvit,

 

Thanks for that. Well done and an interesting read. Very "Thai" story. Sounds like an old Thai folktale. Nice stuff. I enjoyed it a lot, and hope you send us more to read when you get the chance. Thanks again.

 

Cent