part0016

The wind ruffled Paul’s hair as the fishing boat picked up speed, bouncing across the waves of the choppy sea. Chakrit sat cross-legged on the deck rolling a cigarette. He finished and handed it to Paul, who carefully lifted the pug from his lap and took the cigarette. Grub grumbled in frustration and toddled off to rest his belly elsewhere.

‘Thanks,’ said Paul. He found some boxes in the shade and sat down, lighting up.

‘Not a good place to sit,’ said Chakrit.

Paul held the lighter an inch from the tip of the cigarette. He depressed the button and the flame vanished. ‘Why not?’

Chakrit smiled broadly and pointed at the wooden crates. ‘You’re sitting on dynamite.’

‘Fuck,’ yelped Paul, leaping to his feet and moving to the other side of the boat. ‘You could have told me.’

‘Yeah, but…fuck.’

The old man laughed from on top of the boat, a throaty cackle that was surprisingly infectious. Paul shook his head. Daft Thai bastards .

‘Dynamite, huh? I thought blast-fishing was illegal?’

Chakrit finished rolling his own cigarette and lit it unhurriedly. He puffed and looked at Paul. ‘Nobody around,’ he said, gesturing with his hands, spilling ash onto the deck. ‘Quick way to catch fish.’

‘Yeah, but doesn’t it damage the, umm, coral or something?’

Chakrit said something to the old man and they both laughed. Paul didn’t bother asking for a translation. He sat down next to the pug again and lit up. ‘Sorry pal,’ he said, stroking the snuffling dog’s spine. He checked his phone and noticed the battery was low. No problem there. He pulled a power pack from his pocket and plugged it in, giving him another twelve hours of battery, or so the packaging promised. It would be enough time to find Rachel, anyway. He opened the tracker app, the dot flashing either on or next to the island. He had a sudden fear that she had been kidnapped and taken to this remote island. But by whom and for what purpose? He wanted to rescue her, but not at the cost of his own safety.

‘Hey, Chakrit,’ he said. ‘This island, the one we’re headed to. Are there any, y’know, pirates there?’

He expected another laugh and was disappointed when there was none. It meant the question was not as absurd as he hoped.

‘No pirates, no.’

That seemed to be the end of the discussion, so Paul tried a different tactic.

‘That old guy your dad, huh?’

‘Uncle. My parents died many years ago. My uncle looks after me, gave me a job on the fishing boat. Feeds me.’ He patted his belly and grinned. ‘Good food.’

Paul leaned back, enjoying the cigarette. He had to admit, it wasn’t an unpleasant way to spend the day after the Full Moon Party. Some tourists pay good money for this sort of thing. Then he remembered how much he had paid them and inwardly grimaced. He jerked a thumb in the old man’s direction.

‘What’s he so afraid of? What’s this “old story” you were talking about?’

Chakrit wiped the sweat from his eyes and moved into the shade next to Paul and the pug. ‘Today’s too hot, even for Thai,’ he said. He flicked his burnt out cigarette butt overboard and started to roll another. Paul waited.

‘My uncle thinks island is, you know, cursed.’

Chakrit nodded, a wry grin etched onto his features. Paul wondered how old he was. He looked young, with babyish features and kind eyes, but working at sea can prematurely age a man, and his skin was tough. He carried numerous scars on his body and arms. Paul’s only scar was on his inner thigh from when he had chickenpox as a baby.

‘Yes. Cursed. Many old Thai believe this. And some young ones too.’

‘Do you believe it?’

Chakrit smiled again. ‘I hear legends. There is some truth, I think.’

‘You will think I’m crazy.’

‘You’re smoking next to dynamite. I already think you’re crazy.’

Chakrit laughed. ‘I like you, Mr Paul. So I’ll be honest with you. This place we’re going…it’s dangerous.’

‘People don’t come back. Thirty years ago, the island was bought by a big construction company to open a hotel, luxury stuff, a real tourist place, understand?’

‘They took over the whole island, many men living together, building the hotel. Then one day, something went wrong. A hole opened in the ground and bam! Men disappear.’ Chakrit laughed. Paul realised he was clenching his jaw. ‘So they say, anyway. The men who made it back. You see, something happened and panic! Everyone ran away. But there were not enough boats, you see? So many men were left there. The men who make it back, they told the police, but no one believed them. Everyone just laughed. So they sent a boat out to bring the men back. That boat never came back. They sent out another boat, full of army men, to find the men from first boat. And guess what?’

‘They’re never seen again.’

‘That’s right! You sure you never heard this story?’ asked Chakrit, still smiling. ‘Anyway, no one ever came back from the island. Others try, land there, but they do not come back either. Afterwards, Thai government make decision. They take the island off the map. They say it’s not there anymore, gone. They say bye-bye, island. Bye-bye.’

‘It’s on my map,’ said Paul.

‘Yes, satellite map show it. Can’t hide that. But Thai map?’ Chakrit shook his head. ‘No more. Gone.’

‘So the men who were left behind…are still there?’

‘Yes. Or, they were killed by monsters.’

‘I don’t believe in monsters,’ grunted Paul.

‘Neither did they,’ said Chakrit. Paul dragged deeply on his cigarette, suddenly wishing he was back at the hostel.

‘You don’t believe that shit, do you?’

‘In monsters? No, that’s kid stuff. But I know people don’t come back from island. Only the ones who make it off first time. The lucky ones.’

Paul ran his hand down the soft fur of the happily snoring pug.

‘So tell me, Chakrit. If you think that no one returns from this island, then why are you taking me there?’

For the first time Chakrit’s smile faltered. His features darkened as if covered by a black veil. His kind eyes grew smaller. ‘I want to go, but Uncle would never let me. He only understands one thing; money. To him, money is stronger than family.’ Chakrit smiled again, but this time it was forced and uneasy. ‘You see my friend, my grandfather was foreman on the island.’

‘Oh shit,’ said Paul.

‘He’s one of the few who made it back. What he told us, my family…no one believe. He was a good man, old Prachya. Strong man. When he came back, he had changed.’ Chakrit tapped a finger to his temple. ‘Up here. What could do that to a man, Mr Paul? What happened on that island that broke my grandfather’s mind?’