The Anguished Villagers

The ghost skeletons rapidly approached in a large group towards the open hall.

Everyone immediately screamed a note higher than before as they scrambled to get away in extreme panic and fear. It was utter chaos.

Somehow, all of them managed to get out of the mud hall the moment the group of ghost skeletons set foot inside.

Knees shaking ceaselessly, the unlucky travellers watched as these skeletons sat down inside the open hall and begin to look busy with their hands.

Mouths agape, the people watched as these skeletons enacted another odd behavior. It almost looked as if they were counting something with the way their bony hands moved. But what?

The travellers' eyes were all glued to the anomalous creatures, their shaky legs rooted on the ground, flabbergasted on what to do or where to go.

However, it wasn't for long because these ghost skeletons immediately stood up, their white bones making that weird noise as they walked down steps of the hard mud floor.

And right on cue, the group of travellers screamed in fright as they ran frantically in the opposite direction into a nearby house and banged on the door like their lives depended on it.

They yelled one after another,

"OPEN UP! OPEN UP! YOU WRETCHED PEOPLE!"

"SAVE US! SAVE US!"

"HAVE MERCY WILL YOU?!"

They banged the wooden door with such force that a few more knocks was going to tear down the worn out door any second.

But right before that happen, the door suddenly opened and the whole crowd tumbled inside messily.

The one who stood in the front fell flat on their faces on the cold hard mud floor while the ones in the back topple upon them haphazardly.

Ahanlem and Tomba were among the last row to get inside and while they were struggling to get up, they heard the door behind them slammed shut and bolted right after.

When the crowd finally got up, they saw a wrinkled old woman and a young teenage girl standing before them, with a walking stick and an axe respectively.

The girl looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years of age, plain face but her expression was so fierce it made her seem older. And her gaze directed on them was filled with intense hostility. In contrast, the expression on the old lady's face was of fear and terror. Also, her lithe feeble body was trembling in extreme anxiety.

One of them men piped up, "You heartless wretches! How dare you lock us out with those inhuman creatures walking about?!"

"That's right! Do you want us to die?!"

It was the big burly man with the moustache and the thin man with the long face that spoke up. The rest of the men agreed with them rowdily.

"Hmph. If so, do you think we would open the door? Why don't you people be grateful first?" The teenage girl spat in contempt.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" that angry man shouted.

At this, the old woman hastily said in a panic tone, "No, no. Calm down, child...She is too young.. please forgive her.. we don't mean any harm.."

But the crowd was still driven by fear and yet to come to their senses so they kept accusing the old lady and the young girl. It was to the point that another quarrel was about to spark between them, so Ahanlem said abruptly,

"The ghost skeletons are still here.."

The comment was so sudden but everyone quieted down at once as they listened intently; eyes wide, fears reflected in them.

And sure enough they heard those creepy 'creek creck' noise made by those skeletons walking about right outside.

Everyone stood silent and rigid, holding their breaths for who knows how long until the eerie noises gradually disappeared in the dead of the night.

After that, everyone slumped down instantly and sighed heavily.

To survive such a crazy situation like that, how incredulous!

No one dare to start any argument lest those creatures should come back. And they were too exhausted and hungry to do so.

The teenage girl sat vigilant and unwelcoming on a stool, gripping the axe but the old lady offered them some champak, it was the only snack available in the kitchen which was enough for everyone.

The wearied travellers munched in silence. The same thought were running in everyone's mind, which was when the sun comes up the next day, they were scramming from this place as fast as possible! Never to return!

--

At the first light of dawn however, the entire village came to the old lady and the young girl's house just as they were getting ready to go.

A sixty year old man, who seemed to be chief of the village said,

"Are you all going back home?"

"Of course! We can't possibly stay another minute in this crazy place!" one of the travellers said.

"No shit! This place is cursed or something! How can you all be stand it?!" another added.

The chieftain only replied, "We have no choice.."

Then, looking up, he said suddenly, "Can you help us?"

"...."

The travellers stood silent.

The next moment, they burst out laughing manically.

"Haha! Very funny!"

"That crack me up!"

The angry man wiped his tears and blurted out, "What? You all think we are crazy or something? Why would we want to stay here after witnessing those evil things last night?! I don't know about you people but we are not mad enough to stay!!"

The rest of them hollered, "That's right!"

Ahanlem felt bad. She spoke up, "Why don't you request the King's help? Surely, he will help you."

Tomba piped in too, "Yeah. After all, you live so near the capital. It won't be hard."

The chieftain replied looking ill, "We have done so many times. But every time they send people over, they always come at the wrong timing. And thus, they believed we are making it up and stopped sending help."

"What do you mean wrong timing? This doesn't happen often?" One of them asked.

"No, it does not. These ghost skeletons only come out only on the eve of the full moon night and the full moon night which is tonight." The man beside the chieftain said.

"Why these particular days?" Ahanlem asked.

"We don't know. But it's been going on for years already!" the chieftain said, his face grim and miserable.

"And we can't take it anymore! This is affecting our livelihood! Please help us!" he cried out.

Hearing their dilemma, the travellers felt sorry for them.

The oldest of the travellers sighed pitifully and said,

"It is unfortunate that you are suffering this evil. But you should know we can't help you. How can we do it if even His Majesty's was unable to? We are just travellers, let us go on home. But I advice you that you should still seek his Majesty's guidance, for he is a kind and just ruler. I'm sure he will help you if keep trying. And all of us will pray for you for the bottom of our hearts."

After, the elder said this, the rest of the travellers agreed nodding their heads.

The chieftain looked dejected but he said, "You are right, Elder. We shall follow your advice..." then he raised his head and added,

"Anyway, as the Chief of this village, I feel sorry that we are unable to give our hospitality last night. I assure you, we are all good people. We are just shaken out of our wits by those evil creatures. So, before you go, let us treat you guys to a good meal."

The travellers hesitated to answer but in the end, they were too famished to reject the offer. After all, none of them had eaten a proper meal since yesterday.

And so, the village chief instructed his people to immediately prepare food for the twelve travellers. And to give the best hospitality as they could for the lack of their propriety last night.

The meal was prepared at that run down looking sangoi.

Large banana leaves were laid out and on it were generous amount of cook rice and scrumptious dishes like utti, yongchak eromba, nga atouba, yen thongba, bora, kangou, singju, chamfut and more on the sides. There was even a sweet local wine. It was more qualify to be called a feast.

The travellers ate like they never eaten before. They were very delighted and thank the village head again and again. The burly man who seemed to be always angry was even making joke and laughing along with his thin friend and their wives. Everyone kept smiling happily as they requests for seconds.

Ahanlem and Tomba too were satisfied at the grand meal. But Ahanlem felt something was off. She was trying to put her fingers on what was bothering her. But the sweet wine she had was numbing her senses.

This was odd. She only had a sip for the sake of social manner but she already felt this tipsy? The wine wasn't even that strong too.

As she was thinking, Tomba who was sitting beside her suddenly felt on his face flat on the ground with a thud. Thump!

Eh? Ahanlem crinkled her brows in confusion.

Her hands reached out to him. She was going to shake him awake when she heard one loud thud after another. Thump! Thump! Thump!

She immediately looked up to find that all the travellers had all fallen down and lying on the ground unconscious.

Instantly, her senses tingled in alarm but it was too late, her vision started fading and all she saw were the guilty faces of the village head and his people. They seemed to be saying something,

"..sorry forgive us..."

Ahanlem completely blackout, unable to hear anything else but she realised one thing-

The villagers had tricked them all.