Smoke rose into the sky, mixing with the wind. The fire took away the last traces of the monk's body, who had lived one hundred and thirty years in service to the monastery. His cremation became an event for the whole community. Men and women gathered to see their teacher on his final journey.
Ash danced in the air, trying to become part of something bigger. At that moment, a tall monk with broad shoulders — Namkhai stepped forward, closer to the fire.
Soot slowly settled on his open hand. He looked at it as if he saw a hidden sign in it. Then his fingers slowly curled, and the ash disappeared in his fist.
"No... I won't end like this!"
_______
A tall man walked out of the monastery gates. His bald head shone in the sun, and his muscular body barely fit into the simple robe.
His friend was running after him in a hurry. Confusion was clearly visible on his face.
"Namkhai!" he breathed out. "Please don't go!"
Namkhai turned around, giving him a firm look over his shoulder.
"The time has come, Agbaan. Yesterday at the teacher's funeral… when I watched him burn in the fire, it hit me… he lived his whole life inside these walls."
"And what's the problem?" Agbaan asked, walking down the steps after his friend. "He lived a calm and worthy life. Everyone in the monastery respected and honored him."
"That's not the point," Namkhai said, ducking so he wouldn't hit a branch. "You and I are almost the same age. Tell me honestly: do you really want to spend your whole life here? There's nothing here. The real fun is outside, in the city."
Agbaan looked confused.
"I don't understand you… This is the meaning of our path. Why do you need the city? A monk doesn't need money or fame - that's our choice."
"I didn't have a choice," Namkhai said, turning to face him. "Born in the monastery so I must die here too!? " He held his friend's gaze for a moment, then turned away and headed for the exit. "That's not a life for me."
Agbaan hesitated, not knowing what to say.
"And what about the others? We're like a family. We see each other every day. We talk, eat, have fun. Will you really leave us?"
"Exactly. Every day. Year after year, the same thing: meditation, cleaning, training, study. It's an endless circle. Doesn't this sameness ever bother you?"
Agbaan stopped and said with disappointment:
"And what's wrong with that?"
Namkhai also stopped and turned around:
"What do you mean?"
Agbaan looked at him seriously:
"What's wrong with what you call sameness? Every day you have food, a roof over your head, friends. You don't worry about anything. It's calm and safe here."
"Sorry if I said something wrong," Namkhai sighed. "But I really need to go." He lifted his eyes to the distance, trying to see what lay beyond the forest and hills. "I'm just… bored to death here."
"And that's all the reasons?" Agbaan asked.
"Well…" Namkhai scratched the back of his head. "I also need money. You can't do anything without it now. With money I can at least feel what real life is like."
"Ah, Namkhai, just listen to me. You don't even know how lucky you are to be here. Not seeing what the outside world is like… how cruel and unfair it is."
"Life is unfair anyway," Namkhai waved him off. "So why be afraid of it?"
"That's easy for you to say now," Agbaan sighed heavily, walking after him. "When you face it for real, you'll take your words back."
"What are you so afraid of out there? My grandpa traveled all over the world and came back."
"Don't compare yourself to him," Agbaan began, but didn't finish.
Both suddenly stopped. At the gates stood a tall monk in glasses. He calmly adjusted the frame, looked at them tiredly, and said:
"Namkhai and Agbaan. What are you planning this time?"
Agbaan immediately pointed at his friend:
"Yugpa, this gra wants to leave the monastery!"
"So what are you trying to stop him for? Let him go," Yugpa answered calmly, adjusting his glasses again.
"What?.. Are you serious?!" Agbaan stared at him.
Yugpa looked at Namkhai, adjusted his glasses once more, and said:
"Namkhai, you'll understand yourself when you see what people in the city do, what they're ready to do for themselves. You'll crawl back here…"
"Got it," Namkhai said. "But since you don't mind…" he took a step forward.
And then Agbaan grabbed his arm:
"Don't be stupid! No one is waiting for you out there! You'll only get into trouble!"
"Let go already," Namkhai shouted, trying to pull his arm back. "If you want, come with me, it'll be more fun!"
"Yeah, so they can kill both of us? Or something even worse."
"What kind of twisted idea of the city do you have?" Namkhai laughed.
Yugpa just fixed his glasses and waved his hand:
"Why are you clinging to him? Let him go, Agbaan. This isn't a prison. If he wants to leave, let him leave."
"See? Listen to this educated man," Namkhai grinned. "Thanks for the support, Yugpa. When I come back, I'll bring you proper glasses!"
"But… Namkhai should stay here," Agbaan muttered, letting go of his arm.
"The elder said it himself — every person is free to do what they want. Being in the monastery is our choice," Yugpa replied.
He adjusted his glasses again and looked at Namkhai. He had already crossed the monastery border. He stopped for a moment, turned around, and shouted:
"Everything will be fine, guys! Don't worry!"
Yugpa, without looking away, said quietly:
"He just doesn't want to be here."
"I know," Agbaan sighed, "but with his hot temper he won't last long out there."
Yugpa shrugged and adjusted his glasses out of habit:
"Don't worry. He'll be back in a couple of hours. There are soldiers patrolling right past the forest, he won't get far anyway."
"Really?" Agbaan was surprised. "I joined the monastery when I was still a kid. I never thought anyone was even patrolling outside the walls."
"They are. The soldiers will just send him back. So you don't need to worry."
"Well, that's good," Agbaan said, raising his hands up. "Cool that the monastery has soldiers as protection."
"That's not protection at all, Agbaan…"
About two hours passed.
"Damn… how do you even get out of this forest?!" Namkhai grumbled, barely moving his feet through the soft grass. "I was walking along the path… guess I got too excited and missed a turn."
He stopped and looked around. The forest was endless, with only the rustling leaves and the sound of the wind. No road, no tracks, no people. NOTHING.
"Aaaaaaah!!! WHERE DO I GO?!" Namkhai yelled, lifting his head to the sky.
Suddenly, somewhere deep in the forest, a voice answered:
"Who's there?! Come out!"
"Oh! People?!" Namkhai instantly perked up. "Hey, I'm here!"
From behind a mossy boulder, two soldiers in green armor appeared. They exchanged cautious looks before stepping out of cover.
"Hey, hi there!" Namkhai waved at them. "Can you help me? I've been walking forever and can't find a way out of this forest!"
One of the soldiers smirked and nudged his partner with his elbow:
"Look, another outsider trying to get into the monastery."
"Yeah, even made himself a robe to look legit," the second one chuckled.
"What? Outsider? I'm a monk! I just… got a little lost," Namkhai tried to explain.
The first soldier narrowed his eyes:
"Well, we'll see about that. You're coming with us to the checkpoint — we'll figure out who you really are."
They came out of the forest and soon reached the checkpoint. It stood alone among the hills, with only grass, trees, and a couple of army vehicles parked near a concrete barrier. The monastery was at least several dozen kilometers away.
"Oh, finally an exit… but now I have to follow these idiots. Why do they even need me?" flashed through Namkhai's mind.
The soldiers led him inside. The small room had tables, terminals, and several armed guards.
"Put your hand here," one of them said, pulling a strange device from a drawer — it looked like a scanner.
"What, just like that? Okay, if it helps me leave faster."
He pressed his palm to the glass panel. While the device hummed quietly, the second soldier opened a tablet and started asking questions:
"Name?"
"Namkhai."
"Last name?"
"We don't have those."
"Hm, good one. Age?"
"Twenty-one."
The soldier scrolled through something in his list and frowned:
"Hm… not here. What about the fingerprints?"
"Hold on, almost done," the second answered, looking at the screen.
Namkhai sighed tiredly, staring out the window where the wind pushed dust along the road. "Damn, when will this end… I'm already late to the meeting…"
The scanner flashed a message:
>>No matches found
"Also clean," the second soldier said.
"Hm…" the first soldier looked closely at Namkhai. "You say you're a monk? Then why aren't you on the list?"
"How should I know?" Namkhai replied, confused. "I didn't even know the monastery had any lists at all."
"A lot of people and outsiders from the city try to get into the monastery. So we keep a list of everyone who lives there. There's no way you're not on it if you're really a monk… Looks like you've got a problem, kid."
"Guys, let's not jump to conclusions," Namkhai tried to calm things down. "I've lived in the monastery my whole life. You only scanned my palm... I don't know, maybe you need my face too. I heard some places even make you give urine for tests, maybe here it's the same..."
"Don't try to trick us!" the second soldier shouted. "Answer why you want into the monastery!"
"What?" Namkhai was confused.
"You thought you'd sneak in without us noticing?" the first one asked stubbornly.
"No, guys you got it all wrong!" Namkhai answered quickly. "I want to leave the monastery, not enter it. I'm going to the city."
The soldiers exchanged looks.
"Stop lying. We already figured out you're not one of them. So you're coming with us to the police station."
"You're kidding me?" Namkhai thought to himself: "Damn, I just left and I'm already going to the station?.. Guess I'll have to break out with a fight…"
The second soldier glanced at his partner:
"Hey, maybe we should just let him go? I don't want to drive back to the city, it's too far. If we see him again, then we'll deal with it."
"Yes, yes, let's do that! I promise I won't go near the monastery again!" Namkhai exhaled.
The first soldier looked around the room, then waved:
"Go outside."
A minute later, they were standing at the checkpoint gate.
"Listen, 'monk,'" the first soldier said in a low tone, "we'll keep it simple. We'll look the other way this time. But you'll have to thank us."
"You mean with money?" Namkhai asked.
"Well, how else? Or do you want to go to the city and end up in jail right away?" the second one pushed him lightly.
Namkhai paused for a moment, then reluctantly rustled through his robe's pockets, took out a few bundles, and handed them over:
"This is all I have right now."
The soldiers exchanged glances. The first counted it and smirked: "Five thousand? Hm… fine. You're free."
Namkhai clenched his fists, spun around sharply, and marched down the road.
One thought kept spinning in his head:
"Calm down. If you punch them now you'll go straight to jail. You just started a new life… Damn, lost all my money. Good thing I saved some for the bus…"
He let out a heavy sigh.
"Alright. What matters now is getting to the bus stop."
Time passed.
Namkhai was standing at an ordinary, plain bus stop: metal benches, a worn-out roof, and a small stand with the schedule.
Only the passengers looked… unusual, to say the least.
Next to him, a girl with huge hamster like ears was bouncing in place. Fragile and energetic, it seemed like those ears might lift her into the air at any moment. She kept looking down the road, as if she couldn't wait for the bus.
A bit farther stood a lizard on two legs, its scaly skin reflecting different colors under the sun. It barely moved, staring somewhere into the forest.
And in the shade to the side, a tall three meter thin man stood perfectly still, dressed head to toe in black. His figure blended so well with the surroundings that at first glance he looked like part of the landscape.
Namkhai felt his breath slow down. This was his first real encounter with outsiders.
"Uh… okay. I need to figure out which bus I need," he muttered, pretending to study the route map.
The strange passengers turned their heads, as if sensing his discomfort. Under their gaze, the paper in Namkhai's hands trembled.
"So… I think it's the one-eighteen… or five?.. Hm, twenty-five sounds good too," he mumbled whatever came to mind, just to fill the silence.
Then the ground began to shake. A bus appeared from around the bend a massive silver machine. On the display, the number 5 glowed brightly.
"Oh, one of them…" Namkhai perked up. "I'll trust fate. Hope it goes where I need."
The bus stopped, and the doors opened with a hiss. The girl with the hamster ears, still hopping with excitement, stepped forward first.
But as soon as she got close, something metallic shot out from inside with a loud bang. The hit was so strong it threw the girl to the ground.
"Hey!" Namkhai shouted, stepping forward.
The doors slammed shut with a harsh thud. A lifeless voice sounded from the speakers:
"Beings from other worlds are strictly forbidden from boarding. Please wait for the special transport. Thank you for your understanding."
Namkhai knelt beside the girl and held out his hand.
"Are you okay?"
"Y-yeah… thanks…" she said softly, looking away. "I'm so stupid… I totally forgot about that…"
They didn't get the chance to say more the doors opened again. The same voice spoke, but now much gentler:
"Young man, you may board. You are human."
Namkhai froze for a moment, trying to make a choice.
"So that's how it is…"
The situation felt wrong. But after a heavy sigh, he finally stepped toward the bus.
"Sorry…" he whispered, barely moving his lips, "…but I can't wait. I've already lost too much time."
He climbed inside. The doors closed instantly, and the bus started moving. Namkhai sat by the window. Through the glass, he saw the girl with the ears still standing at the stop, surrounded by the other creatures.
A sharp, unpleasant feeling hit his chest.
For the first time in a long while, Namkhai felt like he had done something wrong.
The world outside the window slowly began to change. First the colors became brighter, then real buildings appeared instead of the hills by the road, and soon whole blocks — offices, shops, and neon diners.
Different kinds of beings walked the streets: cat like people, mutants with a dozen eyes, tall reptiloids, humans with skin of every possible shade. A pair of riders in armor rushed by and even a dragon flew past, leaving a shimmering trail of light behind.
"People see this every day?.." Namkhai thought, amazed, staring out the window. "That's so cool!
The bus passed a checkpoint and smoothly stopped. The doors opened, and a flat mechanical voice came from the speakers:
"Dear passengers, we have arrived at Sector Thirteen. Please be careful when exiting. Have a nice day."
Namkhai stepped onto the solid platform and froze.
A city of the future spread out before him: tall skyscrapers of pale glass reached into the sky, reflecting the light of many holographic screens. Elegant cars with tinted windows moved along the roads, and drones flew overhead, lighting the streets.
But something broke the harmony of the scene. Patrols in black uniforms and masks with built-in scanners moved slowly through the streets; beside them walked figures in heavy green armor, looking more like walking tanks than police. Heavy rifles were attached to their backs.
Namkhai could barely hold back his emotions.
"Everything looks so modern…" he muttered. "No trees, no hills, no bugs. Man, I'd love to eat something… but I should find a phone booth first."
He walked down the sidewalk. People stopped and glanced at him, some whispering:
"Look, a monk is walking by."
"He's huge."
"What a strange outfit."
"No way, a real monk?"
Such reactions made him uneasy, but didn't surprise him. He was used to being the center of attention just in a different way.
After a few blocks, he noticed a phone booth.
"Oh, finally!" he said and almost ran toward it.
Namkhai pulled the door open, got inside, took out a crumpled piece of paper from his robe, and with shaking fingers dialed a number. He brought the receiver to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Hello, good afternoon! This is Namkhai. I just arrived in the city… where should I go now?"
"Oh, you're Namkhai! Finally… hello. Yes, just go to…"
He thanked the person, hung up, and headed to the address.
The building turned out to be old, with peeling paint and cloudy windows. A couple a man and a woman stood by the entrance, watching his every step with concern.
They met Namkhai as soon as he approached.
"Hello," the man said nervously. "Thank you for coming. This is the house. You need to… drive out everything that's inside."
The woman nodded, her fingers gripping her bag tightly.
"As we agreed, we will pay after… a-after the cleansing. Please do something we haven't been able to move in for months. They just won't let us inside…"
Namkhai nodded and said seriously:
"I understand. Don't be afraid, girl, I'll handle everything."
The woman blinked and looked at her husband in confusion. "Girl?.." But she said nothing.
Her husband frowned and asked:
"Are you sure you know what to do? When we talked to you at the monastery, you answered our questions… a bit vaguely."
"Of course," Namkhai lifted his chin. "Monks speak to ghosts and cursed spirits like they're old friends. I've met them many times."
The man sighed in relief.
"I see. Good."
"We're counting on you," the wife added.
"It will be fine," Namkhai said cheerfully, giving a thumbs-up before confidently stepping inside.
The truth was much less heroic: he had never exorcised spirits. Monks didn't do that at all. But one thing he said was true....
.....he had met ghosts.
_______
Two years ago. Namkhai got up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet and suddenly saw an old monk floating in the hallway. He thought the man was just practicing some strange meditation and didn't worry about it. But when he lifted the toilet lid… the same old man's head popped up from inside.
Terrified, Namkhai sprayed everything around, including the ghost and then, acting purely on instinct, kicked him in the face with all his strength. The ghost, just as shocked as he was, faded away and never came back. But the important part was clear: he could touch spirits. Which meant his fists could too.
_______
"Hm… I don't like the second floor," Namkhai muttered, glancing up.
A staircase covered in a thick layer of dust led to the upper floor. He started climbing, the boards quietly creaking under his steps.
One of the rooms felt like it was calling to him. As soon as he crossed the threshold, the house exploded with sound a heartbreaking scream cut through the darkness. The air thick and from a shadow where nothing had been moments ago, a figure stepped forward.
The ghost, twisted and half-deformed, stared straight at him. A cold shiver ran down Namkhai's back, and he stepped back on instinct, tensing his hands.
"You bastard…" he growled, clenching his fist, ready to strike.
But the ghost suddenly raised his hands.
"Wait! Listen! I didn't want to scare you… I'm sorry!"
"What? Then why were you screaming like someone was cutting you open?"
"I thought it was them again…" the ghost slowly floated higher.
"Them? The owners? This is their house! Why are you scaring them?"
"No!" His voice shook. "I lived here long before them…"
"Well you're dead now, let other people live here."
"I can't. I'm here with my family…"
At that moment, a soft quiet voice came from the corner:
"Dear?"
Namkhai spun around. Three more ghosts stepped out of the shadows: a woman holding two small children. Their faces were transparent and twisted.
"Who are they?!" Namkhai asked.
"My family," the man-ghost answered. "It was… during the war. We were looking for shelter. Then… a shell hit the house. And it all ended."
"Daddy?" a tiny voice cut through the air.
Cold sweat ran down Namkhai's back.
The ghost reached out a hand to him.
"We can't leave. This place is full of pain, but it was our home. Please… don't take our last refuge away from us."
Namkhai looked at them in silence. His heart was pounding but not from pity.
"Damn… a whole family. And those two outside lied to me, saying there was just 'some evil spirit' here. This is a whole crowd! And for such small pay… I really undersold myself."
His eyes moved to the woman and the children, and irritation flared in his chest.
"But that's not even what annoys me the most…"
The male ghost noticed the pause and gave a soft smile.
"I see… he's thinking. Of course, he won't drive us out… he's a monk. A kind man…"
He saw Namkhai raise his hand and almost brightened, thinking it was a sign of agreement.
But that joy lasted only a moment.
An uppercut cut through the air. The ghost's body jerked sharply, bending into an unnatural shape.
"You fck bustard!" Namkhai roared. "Why the hell are you forcing your family to stay in this rotten house instead of resting peacefully in heaven?!"
He didn't hold back. Taking a sharp step forward, Namkhai kicked the children's silhouettes with a low kick, sending them flying. At the same time he grabbed the ghost-wife and threw her with a twisting motion of his body, slamming her into the floor.
Long moans filled the room as their shapes blurred and melted into smoke.
"Lucky. One good hit was enough… So the idea about peeing on them first didn't matter, thank god. There are kids here… even if they're dead. Damn, that's even worse…"
While Namkhai was lost in thought, the male ghost shrieked in horror and rage. His twisted shape launched forward to attack. The room filled with thick fog, his figure trembling and unstable.
"What have you done, monster!?" his broken voice thundered.
Namkhai didn't waste a second on pity. He stepped forward and, gritting his teeth, said firmly:
"I'm just freeing you from a useless existence."
He plunged his hand into the fog, punched straight through, and landed a clean hit right in the ghost's face. The shape scattered and vanished.
Namkhai exhaled, straightened up, and looked at the empty room.
"You died a horrible death. I'm sorry. But now let the living have their life. Rest in peace."
He turned around and calmly walked out of the room.