Pi Prai

A short dart story, set in Thailand

'I’M SO EXCITED; I can't wait to see the river,' Libby said. The Thai school term was breaking up. Inexperienced teachers were looking forward to the first holiday together.

'We've still got classes to teach. Then we can relax and enjoy the trip,' answered Libby's boyfriend, Pan.

'Have you ever fancied teaching in England?' she said.

'Would they employ a Thai teacher to teach English? I doubt it?'

'Here come Nin and Noo. Ready to go, girls?' asked Libby.

'Yeah, it would be great to get away from my parents,' said Noo.

'What about you, Nin? You've already escaped your parents' grip?' asked Pan.

'We are keen to get moving.'

'We, as in, you and Jim?' They all laughed at her discomfort.

'Where are Jim and Jules?' asked Pan.

'They are coaching the school's first team. They won't be long, then we can have a pre-trip beer before the big off in the morning,' said Noo.

They all sat in their favourite restaurant near the school.

'Are we all going to swim in the river?' asked Libby.

'Not me; snakes and monitor lizards are in there,' answered Jules.

'Me neither,' the Thai girls said together.

'You are a load of chickens. I'll swim with you, Libby,' said Jim.

'Because your team won tonight doesn't make you a swimmer,' said Jules.

Nin cringed at her boyfriend's harsh, snappy comment.

They split the bill and headed home, ready for an early start.

It was agreed that the minibus would collect them all at the school gates at 7 a.m. After his mother dropped off Pan, Libby ran up to him and kissed his cheek.

'Do you think Noo stayed with Jules last night?' Libby asked him.

'I doubt it, and I'm surprised her father let her come at all. But, of course, it was only because she told him she was sharing a cabin with Nin.'

They laughed as Noo skipped around the corner. 'I'm not last,' she said.

A taxi door opened as Jules dropped his backpack in the street. He repacked the burst bag by stuffing his clothes back in any way, paid the fare, and ambled across the road.

'Who'd believe it, the two living together are late?' said Jules.

A motorbike taxi dropped Jim off.

'Where is Nin?' asked Noo.

‘She is unwell. She may join us tomorrow.'

Noo immediately tried calling her friend. 'No answer.'

'No, she is still sleeping,' said Jim.

The chatter was lively, 'Who is driving the boat?' asked Libby.

'It is not a boat. It's a barge,' Jim snapped. 'And a boat, or barge, has a pilot, not a driver.'

'Has anybody got experience as a "pilot"?' she asked with a sneer.

'I'm happy to take a turn,' offered Pan, 'I'm used to various types of craft; my dad sails. It is easy enough, and I can show you.'

'That's set then. We have a captain,' said Jim. He winked at Libby.

The barge owner gave them a guided tour of the craft, limited instruction about the rules of the river, and an explanation of how the engine worked. His lesson was in Thai; Jim and Jules didn't understand a word but agreed it all seemed straightforward. The others nodded.

They set off. The cloudy and cool weather was perfect for the trip. After an hour, they moored, hooking up to trees overhanging the river. Out came the picnic packs. All but Jim opened their goodies. 'Sorry, guys, Nin was arranging the snacks. I guess I forgot to pick them up.'

'Never mind, dig in, share mine. You can buy the first round later.' They all laughed.

The females sorted the cabins, and Jim would be alone until Nin arrived.

'Is Nin coming?' asked Noo.

'I'll call her again,’ said Jim as he walked to the bow. 'Yes, darling, we are having fun. Are you well enough to join us?'

'That's funny, she didn't answer her phone when I called her a few minutes ago,' said Libby in Noo's ear.

Jim rejoined the group as Libby excused herself and went to the head.

She returned and tapped Noo's leg and shook her head.

'Is Nin okay?' she asked Jim.

'Yeah, fine, all better now. She'll join us tomorrow,' answered Jim.

'That's funny. She didn't answer my call.'

'Maybe she only answers if she sees my name?' said Jim.

Later, they moored again and went ashore to stock up on food and beer. Pan secured the craft. Jim moved and sat next to Libby, leaning across, he whispered in her ear. Libby stood and moved next to Noo. The evening party began. Spicy dishes were shared, and beer bottles clinked. The karaoke system warmed up, and Thai and English songs wailed across the water. By one am, the singers were losing their voices. Couple by couple, they sloped off to bed. Leaving Jim alone, he went to sit at the bow and stared down at the gentle waves.

An hour later, Pan needed the toilet; as he closed the door, he glanced out at Jim through the cabin window. Jim had his arm around Nin.

'How could that be?' Looking and staring harder, Pan saw their friend. 'But, why is she sitting in a puddle? Don't tell me she swam across?'

He rushed off to tell Libby what he had seen.

'Are you sure it was Nin?'

'Well, no, I only saw her from the back. She has long black hair and is of a size.'

They both went and looked.

'Hilarious, great prank! You woke me to look at a splash of water?' she said, pointing down at a wet patch on the deck.

'No, I mean it. '

He then ran to Jim's cabin.

'Where is he? And where is she?'

They searched the barge, waking the others. But there was no sign of Jim or Nin.

'Oh God, maybe they fell in?'

'He was pretty drunk.'

'What shall we do?'

Jules tried calling Jim's mobile, but there was no answer. Noo tried Nin's number. Again, there was no answer.

The boys looked up and down the river; the girls then phoned the authorities for help.

Soon, a rescue craft arrived, questions were asked and answered, and then a diver slipped under the barge.

Noo jumped as her phone trilled, 'Thank god,' she breathed, 'It's Nin.'

But it wasn't. It was the police. 'You were the last person to call this number. Can you tell me why?'

The police were in Jim and Nin's rented apartment. Neighbours had called complaining about the noise of breaking glass and screams.

Inside, they had discovered the body of a young Thai lady, battered with a blunt instrument, breaking bones. The body was stuffed inside a large suitcase.

Divers found no dead body in the river.

Pan called the minibus driver to pick them up and take them home. On the trip back, he told the passengers the Thai folklore tale of Pi Prai.

'Pi Prai is a ghostly woman who lives underwater. She was pregnant when murdered by a lover and comes alive to avenge any female who a male has wronged. The drowned victim will appear days later.'

The END

Pi Prai (ปีศาจผีพราย) is a malevolent female spirit from Thai folklore, often depicted as a beautiful woman with inverted feet (heel-toe reversal) who lures men to their doom. Pi Prai appears as a stunning woman, usually near water (rivers, swamps) or forests. Her true form is revealed by her backward-facing feet—a sign she’s not human.

Some legends say she was a jilted lover who died by suicide or murder, now doomed to seduce and punish men.

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