Whispers of Kanya

Praew tossed and turned in her bed that night, the glow of the symbol from Room 13 burned into her mind. Her dreams were filled with haunting images—Kanya standing amidst flames, her face twisted in anguish, her hands reaching out as if begging for salvation. Each time Praew tried to help her, the flames would grow, consuming everything.

When she woke, drenched in sweat and clutching the porcelain doll, her resolve had hardened. "Kanya's pain won't end until we uncover the truth," she whispered to herself.

At school, the group reconvened in the library. The usually comforting space now felt oppressive, as though it too carried the weight of the secrets buried within its walls. Pim glanced nervously over her shoulder every few minutes, while Tan leaned back in his chair, trying to mask his unease with a nonchalant expression.

"We need to figure out who betrayed Kanya," Praew began, spreading the diary and a few old yearbooks across the table. "If we can find the names of the students or teachers involved in her death, maybe we can give her peace."

Meen tapped her pen against the table thoughtfully. "The diary mentioned a group of students, right? The ones who performed the ritual with her. There has to be a record of them somewhere."

Praew nodded. "And we need to know why they performed the ritual in the first place. The diary hinted at... revenge. But it wasn't clear who or what they were trying to punish."

As the group sifted through the dusty pages of old school records, a pattern began to emerge. Praew pointed to a faded black-and-white photograph from decades ago. "Look," she said, tracing the faces of a group of students. "That's Kanya."

The girl in the photograph looked eerily similar to the figure they'd seen in Room 13. She stood at the center of the group, her expression distant and solemn. Around her were five other students, their faces blurred with age.

"There's no mention of their names," Tan muttered, squinting at the caption beneath the photograph. "Just 'The Drama Club, 1975.'"

Meen frowned. "Drama Club? Do you think the ritual was some kind of twisted performance?"

Before anyone could respond, the overhead lights flickered. A chill swept through the library, and the faint sound of footsteps echoed through the aisles. Pim gasped, clutching Tan's arm. "We're not alone," she whispered.

Praew stood, clutching the diary tightly. "Who's there?" she called, her voice steady despite the pounding of her heart.

From the shadows, a figure emerged. It was the school's watchman, Mr. Boonsong Kraithong. His weathered face was lined with suspicion as he stared at the group. "What are you kids doing in here?" he demanded.

"We're researching," Praew said quickly, hiding the diary behind her back.

Mr. Mr. Boonsong Kraithong's eyes narrowed. "You shouldn't be digging into old ghosts. This school has seen enough tragedy."

As he turned to leave, he paused, his voice softer. "If you're looking for answers, talk to the principal. He knows more than he lets on."

---

The group hesitated but decided to follow Mr. Mr. Boonsong Kraithong's advice. That afternoon, they approached Principal Sombat Anantrakul in his office. The principal was a stern man with a sharp gaze, but there was an undeniable weariness in his demeanor.

When Praew mentioned Kanya's name, his expression darkened. "That name hasn't been spoken in years," he said, his voice low.

"We think she's still here," Praew said cautiously. "Her spirit is trapped, and we need to know what happened to her."

Principal Sombat Anantrakul sighed heavily, running a hand through his thinning hair. "Kanya was a bright girl, full of potential. But she... she got mixed up in something dark. The Drama Club was her escape, but it became her downfall."

"What happened to the other members of the club?" Meen asked.

"They all left the school shortly after the fire," he replied. "But rumors spread. People said they were cursed, that anyone involved with Kanya's death would meet a tragic end. I never believed it... until I started hearing about their fates."

"What fates?" Pim asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Principal Sombat Anantrakul leaned forward, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "Accidents. Illnesses. Disappearances. One by one, they were gone. And every time, people said they could hear her laughter, faint but unmistakable."

The room fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in.

"What about the fire?" Praew asked. "Was it really an accident?"

The principal hesitated. "I don't know. But I do know that Kanya's death wasn't natural. And if her spirit is still here... it's not at peace."

As they left the office, the group was more determined than ever. Praew clutched the doll tightly, feeling its presence grow heavier with each step.

---

That night, they returned to the abandoned wing, armed with candles and chalk to replicate the symbol from Room 13. Praew hoped that recreating the ritual would reveal more of Kanya's story.

The atmosphere in the room was oppressive, the air thick with tension. As Praew began to trace the symbol, the others lit the candles, their flickering flames casting eerie shadows on the walls.

The moment the symbol was complete, the room plunged into darkness. The candles extinguished simultaneously, and the sound of footsteps echoed around them.

"Kanya?" Praew called, her voice trembling.

A faint laugh echoed through the room, sending chills down their spines. The glowing figure of Kanya appeared once more, her expression a mixture of sorrow and fury.

"You want the truth?" she asked, her voice cold. "Then suffer as I did."

The walls began to tremble, and the air filled with the acrid smell of smoke. Flames erupted around them, licking at the edges of the room as if the fire from decades ago had returned.

Praew fell to her knees, the doll clutched tightly to her chest. "We're not here to hurt you!" she shouted. "We're here to help!"

Kanya's gaze softened, and for a brief moment, the flames flickered and dimmed. "Help me?" she whispered. "Then find them. Make them answer for what they did."

As quickly as it began, the chaos subsided. Kanya's figure disappeared, leaving only the faint glow of the symbol behind.

Praew looked around at her friends, their faces pale and shaken. "We need to find the surviving members of the Drama Club," she said, her voice firm. "They hold the key to all of this."

---

As they stepped out into the night, the shadows seemed to follow them, whispering a single warning: *The truth comes at a price.*