Junjao woke up screaming.
The nightmare clung to her like wet cloth. She'd been drowning. No, not drowning. Sinking. Into earth. Into a burial site. Hands pulling her down, nails digging into her skin. A voice whispering in old Thai, words she couldn't understand but felt in her bones. Anger. Rage. Something wanted her dead.
Her door burst open. Kiet stood there looking panicked, with Kasidetch right behind him.
"What happened? Are you okay? We heard you screaming!" Kiet rushed in.
"Nightmare." Junjao's hands shook. "Just a nightmare."
"That didn't sound like just a nightmare," Kasidetch said, sitting on the edge of her bed. "That sounded like you were being murdered."
"I was. In the dream. I think." She took a breath. "There was someone. Or something. Pulling me into the ground. At a burial site."
Kiet and Kasidetch exchanged looks.
"We should tell Khun Pratya," Kiet said.
"It's four in the morning."
"He doesn't sleep. Come on."
They found Pratya in his office, watching what looked like security footage on multiple screens. He turned when they entered.
"Junjao! You look terrible. What happened?"
She explained the nightmare. Pratya's expression grew more serious with each detail.
"That's not just a nightmare. That's spiritual interference. Something is trying to reach you through your dreams." He pulled up a new screen. "This confirms what I've been researching. The curse is active. It's targeting you specifically."
"Can it kill me? Like, actually kill me?"
"Your body is in a hospital. Protected by medical equipment and your family's presence. But your soul is vulnerable here. If the curse is strong enough..." He trailed off. "We need to move faster. Good thing you have that meeting today."
"What meeting?"
"With the Holy Spirits Department. They're sending representatives from Ayutthaya. They know about historical curses better than anyone." Pratya checked his watch. "They'll be here at ten. Until then, you're going with Ruj on his rounds. Safety in numbers."
"I thought I was safe in the office?"
"You are. Mostly. But someone got through your defenses while you slept. That shouldn't be possible unless they're very powerful or very determined." He looked at her seriously. "Stay close to Ruj today. He can protect you better than anyone."
Junjao left with Kiet and Kasidetch. The office was quieter at this hour. A few early souls waiting for processing. The coffee bar wasn't open yet.
"Want company until Khun Ruj gets here?" Kasidetch asked.
"Please."
They sat in the waiting area. Kasidetch conjured a deck of cards from somewhere.
"Where did you get those?" Junjao asked.
"Found them in the break room. Apparently souls play a lot of card games. Not much else to do while waiting for judgment." He shuffled. "Know how to play Pok Deng?"
"I'm terrible at it."
"Perfect. I'll teach you wrong on purpose and we'll both be confused."
They played cards until Ruj appeared at six thirty, looking as composed as ever.
"You're early," he said to Junjao.
"Couldn't sleep. Nightmare."
His expression shifted slightly. "Pratya told me. Stay close today. We're going to areas with high spiritual activity. It's not safe for you to wander."
"I don't plan on wandering."
"Good. Let's go."
They left through the front door. Bangkok was just waking up. Street vendors setting up. Early commuters heading to work. The spirit layer was busier than yesterday. More souls moving around, more spirits at their posts.
"Why are there more spirits in the morning?" Junjao asked.
"Offerings. Morning is when most people visit spirit houses and temples. The spirits come out to receive energy." Ruj pointed to a spirit house on the corner. Three Joa Tee stood around it, all looking stronger than yesterday. "See? They're solid now. Yesterday they were translucent."
"So they get stronger after eating?"
"Essentially, yes. Spiritual energy works like food for humans. They consume it, they get stronger. They don't, they fade."
They walked through the morning streets. Ruj's watch buzzed twice. Two pickups. Both elderly. Both in hospitals. Routine work.
The third pickup was different.
"Construction accident," Ruj said, reading his watch. "Rama IV Road. Worker fell from scaffolding. Twenty-nine years old."
They arrived at the construction site. Ambulances, police, workers standing around looking shaken. The soul sat on the curb, staring at his hands.
"I was just welding," he said when Ruj approached. "Normal work. Then the scaffolding shifted and I fell. That's it. That's all it took."
"I'm sorry," Ruj said. "I'm here to help you."
"Help me what? I'm dead. My wife is pregnant. Our first kid. I was going to be a father in three months." The man's voice broke. "How do I help her now?"
Ruj sat down next to him. "You can't. Not in the way you want. But you can move forward. Process your death. Eventually reach judgment and move on to whatever comes next."
"What if there's nothing next? What if this is it?"
"There's always something next. That's the whole point of The After."
Junjao watched Ruj talk with the man for twenty minutes. Patient. Calm. Eventually the man agreed to come with them. Ruj opened a portal. The man walked through, still looking lost.
"That was hard," Junjao said after the portal closed.
"Young deaths always are. They have so much left undone." Ruj checked his watch. "Two more pickups nearby. Stay close."
They walked down Rama IV. The spirit layer here was different. Darker. More crowded with spirits that looked wrong.
"This area has a lot of accidents," Ruj explained. "Traffic deaths mostly. The spiritual energy is polluted. Attracts hungry ghosts."
"Should we be here?"
"I'm here every day. It's part of my territory." He stopped walking. "But you need to stay within sight. Don't wander off. Understand?"
"I understand."
They collected the next soul. Motorcycle accident. The rider was confused but cooperative. Easy pickup.
The third soul was different.
Ruj's watch showed the location. An alley off Rama IV. The soul had died from a drug overdose. When they arrived, the soul wasn't there.
"That's unusual," Ruj said, scanning the area. "Souls don't usually move far from their death site."
"Maybe he wandered off?"
"Maybe." Ruj looked down the alley. It was long, dark, lined with dumpsters and boxes. "Wait here. I'll check."
"Are you sure that's safe?"
"I'll be fine. Just don't move from this spot."
He walked into the alley. Junjao waited. The living world bustled around her. Cars passing. People walking. None of them could see her standing there, translucent and anxious.
A sound came from deeper in the alley. Not where Ruj went. The opposite direction.
Junjao turned. A figure stood at the far end. A soul, she thought at first. But no. The shape was wrong. Too thin. Too hungry-looking.
The figure moved closer. Junjao's instincts screamed at her to run.
But where? Ruj said don't move.
The figure came closer. She could see its face now. Sunken. Desperate. Its mouth opened too wide.
A hungry ghost.
"Ruj!" Junjao called out.
The ghost lunged.
Junjao stumbled backward into the street, into the living world layer. The ghost followed. It couldn't fully manifest there but she could see it flickering, reaching for her.
Her mind raced. What did she know about hungry ghosts? Her thesis had covered them briefly. Spirits that died with extreme desire. They craved life energy. They hunted vulnerable souls.
What made them retreat?
Sacred ground. Temples. Offerings.
She looked around frantically. There. Across the street. A small spirit house with fresh offerings. Incense still burning.
She ran.
The ghost followed, faster than she expected.
Junjao reached the spirit house and a figure materialized in front of her. A Joa Tee, wearing old-fashioned clothes and looking extremely annoyed.
"Excuse me, do you have an appointment?" the Joa Tee said. "You can't just run into someone's jurisdiction without proper introduction. Very rude."
The hungry ghost lunged. The Joa Tee raised his hand and the ghost bounced back like it hit a wall.
"And YOU." The Joa Tee pointed at the hungry ghost. "I've told you three times this month. Stay out of my territory. Do I need to file a complaint with Containment?"
The ghost hissed and fled.
The Joa Tee turned back to Junjao. "Now. Who are you and why are you bringing trouble to my spirit house? I just got new offerings this morning. Very nice sticky rice. I was about to enjoy it."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... there was a hungry ghost and I..."
"Obviously there was a hungry ghost. I have eyes." He crossed his arms. "You're that half-alive girl everyone's gossiping about. The unprecedented case."
"News travels fast."
"I know seventeen other Joa Tee just in this district. We talk. Not much else to do between offerings." He looked her up and down. "You're lucky I'm territorial. Most Joa Tee would've let the hungry ghost have you just to avoid paperwork."
"Thank you?"
"You're welcome. Now please leave. You're disrupting my energy flow."
"Junjao!" Ruj appeared, running. He saw the Joa Tee and stopped. "Khun Thongchai."
"Ruj. Your trainee has terrible survival instincts." Thongchai sniffed. "Running toward my spirit house without even a wai of greeting. What are they teaching at The After these days?"
"I apologize. We were in the middle of a collection and things went wrong."
"Things always go wrong with you, Ruj. Forty years I've known you and it's always drama." But Thongchai's expression softened. "The girl is clever though. Knew to run to sacred ground. That's good instinct even if her manners are lacking."
"I really am sorry," Junjao said, properly giving a wai this time. "Thank you for saving me, Khun Thongchai."
"Better. Now go away. Both of you. And Ruj? Control your hungry ghost problem. They're getting bold."
Ruj nodded. "I'll file a report."
"You better. I don't want to have to handle this myself. I'm a guardian spirit, not pest control."
After they left, Ruj said, "That could have been worse. Thongchai is prickly but fair."
"He called me rude."
"You ran into his territory without permission while being chased. That is rude by spirit etiquette."
"There were extenuating circumstances!"
"Spirits don't care about circumstances. They care about protocol." Ruj looked at her seriously. "You're lucky he likes me. Otherwise he would've let the hungry ghost take you just to teach you a lesson."
"That's terrifying."
"That's spirit politics." He opened a portal. "We're going back. You've had enough field training for today."
Back at the office, Pratya was waiting with two visitors.
They were clearly Holy Spirits. The air around them hummed with power. Both wore traditional Thai clothing but styled differently.
The first was tall and stern-faced, standing perfectly straight. Everything about him screamed authority and formality.
The second was shorter, rounder, smiling widely at everyone.
"Junjao!" The friendly one rushed forward. "Finally! We've heard so much about you! I'm Somdet. This is Phra Anong. We're from the Holy Spirits Department, Ayutthaya division. We're so excited to meet you!"
"Excited is unprofessional," Phra Anong said flatly. "We are here for assessment purposes."
"We're here because this is fascinating," Somdet corrected cheerfully. "A living soul trapped between worlds? That's unprecedented! I told everyone at the office and they didn't believe me! But here you are! Amazing!"
Phra Anong ignored him. "You experienced a nightmare this morning. Describe it in detail."
Junjao explained. Somdet listened with wide eyes. Phra Anong's expression never changed.
"Spiritual attack," Phra Anong said when she finished. "Targeted. Deliberate. Someone is trying to drag your soul to a specific location. Most likely a burial site."
"Why?"
"Binding ritual. If they can get your soul to the burial ground, they can trap you there. Replace someone who wants to be free." Phra Anong looked at Pratya. "You mentioned historical research?"
"Yes. Ayutthaya period. Around 1762. Corruption case involving a concubine." Pratya pulled up his files.
"Oh!" Somdet's eyes lit up. "I know that one! Well, I don't know it directly, I wasn't assigned to Ayutthaya until 1805, but I heard the stories! All the spirits talked about it for decades!"
"What stories?" Junjao asked.
"The concubine who was accused of stealing from the royal treasury! Papang was her name. Very beautiful. Very controversial. Half the court thought she was innocent, half thought she was guilty. Then she died suddenly before judgment. Suspected suicide." Somdet leaned in conspiratorially. "But here's the thing. Her soul never came through processing. Not in Ayutthaya. Not anywhere. She just vanished."
"Her family bound her," Phra Anong stated. "To preserve her reputation. They performed a binding ritual, attached her soul to her burial site. Prevented her from facing judgment in the afterlife."
"That's illegal," Pratya said.
"It was 1762. Many things were illegal. Didn't stop people from doing them." Phra Anong's gaze fixed on Junjao. "If Papang is still bound after two hundred fifty years, she would be very powerful. Very angry. Binding rituals cause immense suffering. She would want release."
"And she thinks I can give that to her?"
"No. She wants to take your place. Put you in the burial ground, free herself." Somdet's cheerful expression turned serious. "That's what the nightmare meant. She's trying to pull you there."
"But I disturbed her by researching her story. Why would she want to replace me specifically?"
The two Holy Spirits exchanged looks.
"There may be more to it," Phra Anong said carefully. "Family connections. Historical grudges. We need more time to investigate."
"How much time?"
"Unknown."
"That's not helpful."
"Truth rarely is." Phra Anong stood. "In the meantime, avoid sleeping alone. Stay in areas with strong spiritual protection. And do not, under any circumstances, visit any Ayutthaya-period burial sites."
"I'm stuck in the afterlife. Where would I even go?"
"Your soul can travel in dreams. Papang knows this. She will try again." Phra Anong moved toward the door. "We will return with more information."
"Wait!" Junjao called. "Is there a way to stop her? To break the binding?"
"Several ways," Somdet said. "But they all require going to the burial site, which is exactly what she wants. It's a trap either way."
"So I'm just... trapped?"
"You're safe here," Phra Anong said. "As long as you stay in The After's protection. Don't give her any opportunities."
After they left, Junjao sat down heavily.
"That was terrifying," she said.
"They're intense," Pratya agreed. "But they're the best at what they do. If anyone can figure this out, it's them." His phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and his whole demeanor changed. "Oh. Um. I should... I need to take this. In private. Excuse me."
He practically fled to his office, closing the door.
Kiet appeared beside Junjao. "That was weird. Khun Pratya never gets flustered."
"Who's calling him?"
"Probably Khun Siripan from Containment Bureau. She's coming by today for a consultation. Khun Pratya gets super awkward around her. It's hilarious."
"Why?"
"Because he has a massive crush on her and everyone knows it except maybe her." Kiet grinned. "You'll see. It's very entertaining."
An hour later, a woman entered the office. She was maybe forty, dressed professionally, carrying a tablet. She had the air of someone who solved problems efficiently and didn't tolerate nonsense.
Pratya emerged from his office. He'd changed his Hawaiian shirt. This one had tiny palm trees instead of pineapples.
"Siripan! Hi! Hello! Welcome! Thanks for coming! Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea? We have excellent tea! Or coffee! Both! Either!"
"Just the files, Pratya," Siripan said, amused. "You mentioned a binding case?"
"Yes! Right! Files!" He fumbled with his tablet, nearly dropped it, caught it. "Sorry. Here. The files. All of them. Everything we have."
Kiet whispered to Junjao. "See? Completely awkward. It's amazing."
Siripan reviewed the information. "This is complicated. Binding rituals from that era were powerful. Breaking them requires either the original caster's permission or a counter-ritual at the burial site itself."
"The original caster is probably dead," Pratya said.
"Then counter-ritual. Which means someone needs to go to the burial site." Siripan looked at Junjao. "That would be dangerous for you specifically."
"I gathered that."
"Containment Bureau can help, but we'd need more information. Location of the burial site. Details about the original ritual. Any living descendants of the family who performed it." She made notes. "I'll open a case file. This is priority level given the threat to a living soul."
"Thank you," Pratya said. "Really. Thank you so much. You're amazing. I mean, at your job. Very professional. And amazing. Did I already say that?"
"Twice." Siripan smiled slightly. "I'll be in touch."
After she left, Pratya stood there for a moment, then groaned. "I'm a disaster."
"You really are," Kiet agreed cheerfully.
"She must think I'm completely incompetent."
"She thinks you're cute," Junjao said. "In an awkward sort of way."
"Really?"
"I've known her for five minutes and I can tell she's amused by you. That's a good sign."
Pratya looked hopeful. "You think?"
"Definitely."
The rest of the day was quieter. Junjao helped Kiet with some administrative tasks. Filing. Data entry. Boring but normal.
Kasidetch found her in the break room around five.
"Heard you almost got eaten by a hungry ghost," he said, sitting down.
"News travels fast."
"It's a small office. Well, not small. But everyone talks." He opened a bag of chips. Materialized ones. "You okay?"
"Physically yes. Mentally I'm questioning every life choice that led me to this point."
"That's fair. Being cursed and almost eaten by a hungry ghost would make anyone reflective." He offered her the bag. "Chip?"
"Sure."
They sat in comfortable silence, eating chips that weren't real but tasted real enough.
"Can I ask you something?" Kasidetch said eventually.
"Okay."
"Do you think you'll make it back? To your body?"
Junjao thought about it. "I don't know. Some days I think yes, this is temporary. Other days I think this is it, I'm stuck here until my body dies and then I'm just... dead."
"For what it's worth, I think you'll make it. You're smart. You figured out the sacred ground thing today. You're learning fast."
"Or I'm just lucky."
"Luck is a skill." He grinned. "Trust me. I worked in marketing. Half of success is just being lucky at the right time."
Ruj appeared in the doorway. "Junjao. Pratya wants you. The Holy Spirits are still here."
She followed him back to Pratya's office. Somdet and Phra Anong were arguing about something.
"I'm just saying, if the family binding was done correctly, there should be residual energy signatures," Somdet said enthusiastically.
"Residual energy fades after two centuries," Phra Anong replied flatly.
"Not if it's being actively maintained!"
"No one maintains a binding for two hundred fifty years."
"Someone might! People are dedicated! I knew a spirit who maintained a garden for three hundred years because he promised his wife he would!"
"That's flowers. This is dark magic. Completely different."
Pratya looked relieved when Junjao entered. "Ah, good. They have a theory."
"We have different theories," Phra Anong corrected. "Somdet believes someone is actively maintaining Papang's binding. I believe it's simply a strong initial ritual that hasn't degraded yet."
"Both are bad for you," Somdet added cheerfully. "If I'm right, someone alive is feeding energy into the curse. If Phra Anong is right, the original binding was so powerful it's self-sustaining. Either way, breaking it will be complicated!"
"How complicated?" Junjao asked.
"Very," Phra Anong said.
"Extremely!" Somdet agreed. "But not impossible! We love a challenge!"
"You love a challenge," Phra Anong corrected. "I tolerate them professionally."
"See, this is why we work well together! Balance!" Somdet beamed. "Anyway, we're going back to Ayutthaya to consult with our archives. We'll return in a few days with more information."
"Try not to get pulled into any more burial grounds while we're gone," Phra Anong said to Junjao.
"I'll do my best."
"Your best should include not sleeping alone," Somdet added seriously. "The dreams are how she reaches you. Stay near strong spiritual presences. Like Ruj! He's very spiritually strong. Very protective energy."
Ruj, who had been standing silently by the door, looked uncomfortable. "I have my own room."
"So does she! But proximity helps! Just saying!" Somdet was already heading for the door. "We'll be in touch! Don't die! Well, don't die more than you already are! You know what I mean!"
After they left, Pratya sighed. "They're exhausting."
"They're helpful," Ruj said.
"Those things aren't mutually exclusive." Pratya looked at Junjao. "Get some rest. Tomorrow we're doing research. Lots of boring document review. You'll hate it."
"Looking forward to it," Junjao said dryly.
She went back to her room. Her phone showed new messages but she didn't read them. She was too tired.
She lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
Somewhere out there, a concubine named Papang was trapped in a burial ground. Suffering. Angry. Wanting freedom badly enough to try to take Junjao's place.
It should have been terrifying. And it was. But it was also sad.
Two hundred fifty years of being trapped. Unable to move on. Unable to rest.
What would that do to someone?
Junjao closed her eyes. She didn't want to sleep. Didn't want to risk another nightmare. But exhaustion pulled her down anyway.
This time, she didn't dream.
Or if she did, she didn't remember.
Small mercies.