Gift — Supernatural Thailand 13

Time tripped over itself at the house in which she had grown up, and her mind reached in through the gap that opened, retrieving snap shots of her childhood.

The quality of the pictures were poor but the emotion powdered on them were strong, bringing to the surface the deep loneliness of an only child, and the absence of ownership over her life as her mother exerted proprietorship over her every decision and action.

Yet when there had been a phone call late at night, she had promptly packed her bags and taken the long flight back to Chiang Mai from London.

Her mother had decided to renounce her world of attachments and would spend the rest of her life as an ordained nun in the temple. She had donated all her money away, but had left what she claimed was far more precious than wealth for her, something that would give her joy, luck and prosperity if given a home and nourishment, and was treated with love and care.

It was this ‘child angel’ doll that had been gifted to her, the one that was sitting across on the brown teak chair with its unblinking black eyes, lips curved in a smile, brown hair neatly combed and pink dress perfectly ironed.

Was she expected to simply give in to this superstition, the kind that had kept her country of birth from progress?