GHOST CABIN ☆ EARTHMIX AU

Part two: serial killers & ghosts

"Just try new things. Don't be afraid. Step out of your comfort zones and soar, all right?"

- Michelle Obama

"When are you leaving?" Khaotung asked Mix over a large XXL Pepperoni pizza in front of them.

Mix called Kahotung early in the morning, inviting him to hang out—their last hang out for a long time. Mix didn't know when he will be back, or if he will be back at all.

The shopping centre was especially crowded that day. People were shuffling through the corridors and escalators, entering every store even if they didn't have interest in what the store was selling. It's a habit, everyone does it unconsciously. And to be honest, it annoyed the living heck out of Mix. If you don't want to buy anything from a certain store then move away and stop wasting time and space of other people who actually would like to look around and spend their hard-earned money on something they need or not but they will still buy it.

Before Mix met with his best friend Khaotung in the pizzeria on the first floor of the shopping centre, he spend a good thirty minutes in Yves Rocher just because the group of teens decided to enter the small space of the shop, making it hard to move around. They were there standing, moving around, but not actually picking up anything. One would think they are about to steal. But they didn't even do that.

Mix sighed and rolled his eyes at them as they finally left empty-handed, making the store spacy once again for Mix to comfortably buy an excessive amount of shower gels, creams, face masks and anything else he would need for the indefinite stay in the cabin. His mother told him that he could buy all those things once they were in Canada, but hey...he didn't have those discount coupons for nothing. He had to spend them then and there or they would be useless.

Mix put down the half-eaten piece of pizza, finished down the can of Coca-Cola, leaned comfortably in his seat and looked into Khaotung's curious eyes, "the funeral is on Friday but we are flying tomorrow so we will have time to get over the jet lag."

"If you don't mind me asking, why did your grandmother wanted to be buried in Canada?" Khaotung took another bite of pizza, curious eyes still locked on his best friend.

Mix shrugged, "from what I know, she always felt more at home in Canada than here. She even met my grandfather there."

"Have you ever wondered how your life would look if your grandfather hadn't died so young? Maybe you would be Candian and Thailand would be just a far distant foreign country for you."

"Yeah and we would never know each other, who knows, maybe I would have a way better best friend by my side all those years," Mix laughed seeing Kahotung pouting. "For real, Khao, things that happened before I was born are nothing I wanna waste my time on. I wouldn't be able to change them anyway. What happened in the past stays in the past," Mix shrugged.

Khaotung nodded, "you are right, don't mind my philosophical nonsense."

"It's okay, I'm used to it, mister philosopher." Mix picked up his unfinished piece of pizza, savouring the mild spice of the pepperoni.

"What about your parents?" Khaotung suddenly asked, pulling Mix out of his pizza heaven.

"What about them?" Mix furrowed his forehead in confusion.

"I mean, are they happy with you moving to Canada? Especially in the middle of nowhere?"

"See, this is interesting," Mix said, leaning over the table closer to his friend, "when we got the sad news of my granny passing, the first thing my parents told me was—they asked me if I remember what my granny always wanted from me. What was her wish, that's how my father called it."

Khaotung furrowed his eyebrows, "I thought they would say some—I don't know—some comforting words or something? I know you don't actually remember meeting your grandmother, but still..."

"Right?" Mix's voice was high—happy he wasn't the only one who thought that his parents' behaviour was at best a little bit odd. "I was surprised too. I mean, I don't mind moving to Canada. And being alone doesn't stress me either, and in a way, I think that a change of scenery would be beneficial to me. I need some spiritual healing," Mix laughed a little, trying to take in only the positive aspects of his moving. "But, my parents, they...they have been so persisting about it. It's strange."

"What do you mean?"

"Even before I could tell them that I have decided to go. It was granny's last wish so why not? They started pushing at me with things like 'your granny wished for this since you were born' or 'you need to go, Mix. It's important that you go.' But when I asked them, why it is so important, my mom only shook her head and said nothing. And my dad? He didn't even look at me," Mix opened the second can of Coca-Cola, taking a few gulps.

"Mix, this is weird. Something doesn't seem right. There may be serial killers in forests like that or some wild animals," Khaotung said, biting his lips, looking worried.

Mix chuckled, "you forget to mention ghosts."

"I'm serious, Mix."

"You think that my family wants to kill me or something? Come on, Khao, I guarantee you I won't come across any serial killer or ghost," Mix took another bite of his pizza, "but you may be right with the wild animals. It's Canadian wilderness, after all. Some bear or wolf can appear once in a while."

"I'll miss you," Khaotung said after a minute or two of them focusing on their pizza that was almost cold at this point.

Mix raised his eyes at Khaotung—seeing his best friend's sad face pulled on his heart more than he had expected. "I'll miss you too, Khao. I promise I'll try to send you letters as frequently as possible."

"Letters?" Khaotung asked surprised.

"Apparently, there isn't the best internet connection or electricity sometimes and especially during autumn and winter, which in the Canadian wilderness is a looong period of time," Mix explained.

"Oh, that sounds...well...won't you be bored?"

A huge grin appeared on Mix's face, "once I'm in Canada, I'm planning a trip to a bookstore and buy as many books as I can carry. I will have so much time for reading. Can you imagine?" Mix's eyes got all wide and sparkly, "that's what I call heaven. Plus I wanna get better at English and what's the better way than reading English books?"

Khaotung smiled, "sometimes I forget how much of a bookworm you are and then every time you remind me of it, it throws me off."

"Books are life," Mix grinned, eyeing the bookstore right across the pizzeria where they were sitting.

"Can I ask one last question?" Khaotung said, finishing his portion of the pizza.

Mix nodded, "sure go on."

"Why are you willing to leave everything behind and go live in the middle of nowhere? I mean is it really only because it was the wish of your grandmother?"

This caught Mix off guard. He wished he would know why, but...he didn't, or at least he couldn't comprehend the reason why. Not yet. All he knew was that he must go there. It was like something was luring him in. Something was out there waiting for him and Mix was too curious to say no.

To be continued...