''Hidden Ghost''

This short horror story talks about not wanting to give up midway, but how to find motivation.

On a Sunday, after finishing work, I had some free time and visited the site to contribute a few lines with everyone.

Previously, when I was a member of a group under a different name, I had some spiritual stories that, if strung together, someone would notice a connection between them. These stories revealed step by step how I walked on the spiritual path. It was a long process, which may have been over 20 years from the time I stumbled into that house until now. I witnessed many strange and eerie stories during that time. The stories I told were just a small part of many stories I experienced. Sometimes I wanted to share some of my favorite stories with others. Through those stories, I wanted to reveal some situations in the realm of the dead that I knew, but after thinking about it, it didn't seem right, so I stopped.

For one reason, it was too strange even for me, let alone an outsider? And if someone didn't believe and asked why, how could I answer? Because sometimes we witness things, but why did they happen, what caused them? I don't know. Our understanding is limited. Not everything can be explained logically, which is why science is needed.

Humans sometimes rely too much on science, which is also a form of superstition. If people believe too much in science, they will have a contemptuous attitude towards spirituality, not believing in God or karma. Gradually, they distance themselves from social moral standards, living for the moment, and when they die, that's it. So they act recklessly, causing society to become unstable and decline.

In many cases, spirituality defies scientific explanation, making it difficult to distinguish between superstition and true spiritual experiences. For example, in 2020, China experienced a sudden increase in unusual phenomena such as disease outbreaks and floods. One such occurrence was a strange sound that echoed through the mountains for a month, attracting crowds of people trying to uncover its source. Even scientists were unable to explain the phenomenon conclusively; some suggested it was the sound of a mysterious creature while others claimed it was just a bird.

While it's essential to consider the role of spirituality in our lives, we must also avoid blindly following superstitions. Blindly following superstitions can be harmful and allow unscrupulous people to take advantage of those seeking spiritual guidance. Instead, we should use our intelligence to distinguish between fact and fiction.

Many religious practices aim to help individuals achieve enlightenment and free themselves from suffering, rather than focusing on miraculous powers. Buddhism, for instance, encourages adherents to attain enlightenment by following the path of righteousness and morality, leading to the development of supernatural abilities over time. Ultimately, the purpose of spiritual practices is to guide us toward living a more fulfilled life.

The ancient organizers were once highly enlightened, but unknown to the world. Enlightenment to them was like a tattered garment that could not be discarded. In the Tham Tổ Sư Thiền (a method of meditation) when reaching a certain level called "a hundred-foot pole," the meditators could attain supernatural powers. They could manifest and enter realms such as hell, heaven, and the Western Pure Land. They knew everything and had no attachment.

However, their ultimate goal was liberation, not supernatural powers.

Now I will tell you a true story that I witnessed over 20 years ago.

Back then, I had just graduated and was assigned to work in a mountainous area that was still wilderness, very different from now. This place is now crossed by the Ho Chi Minh road, and its economy and spirit have thrived.

I met a man whose family originally migrated here; they were Buddhists. However, in this region, 90% of the people are Catholics, almost entirely.

His grandparents were already elderly. Her grandmother was a business executive who came here with her family during the war and stayed to establish herself. The couple made a living selling food since the land was barren, underdeveloped, and their economy was mediocre.

The grandfather was a talented and cheerful man who played the mandolin skillfully. When he had free time, he would often take out his mandolin and play pre-war songs that made people's souls indescribably ecstatic. Now...I wonder where he is...

The teachers used to tell a funny story about him: Some young men came into his restaurant and asked for a bowl of soup each. After serving them, he asked if they wanted some alcohol to warm up. One of them said, "We don't need alcohol. Why ruin our bodies when we can enjoy the food?" The grandfather laughed and said, "You're right! Young men like you shouldn't spoil your health with alcohol. Just enjoy your food, my friends!"

Once, at a gathering, someone asked the old man to pour some wine and warm everyone up. He agreed, saying that young people need to enjoy their drinks to feel happy and warm. Later, on his way home, he asked if anyone had bought the candies his wife made for children as a gift. One of the men replied that it was pointless because they would get damaged along the way. The old man laughed and said that spoiling children never ends well.

One of the men had brought some candies and gave them to the old man to take home. The old man was overjoyed and said that having a small gift for children always made them happy and helped them grow.

Later, the old man fell ill and became paralyzed. When visited by his friend, he expressed his wish to die quickly so as not to burden his children and grandchildren. He asked his friend to tell his grandson Quan that if he were ever too sick to know what was going on, not to take him anywhere and let him die at home.

Unfortunately, when the old man became critically ill, despite his wishes, some of his relatives took him to the hospital by car. On the way, the old man passed away, and his body was immediately removed from the vehicle for cleaning and changing clothes in front of everyone. This shocked the narrator, who felt that such behavior was disrespectful to the deceased.

In the end, the narrator could only imagine the old man's spirit being there, reciting Buddhist phrases alongside him.

After two days of being buried, the narrator's friend's father was finally at rest in his beautiful grave. On the third night, while the narrator was preparing his lesson under the flickering light of a kerosene lamp, he heard a knock on the door.

Early in the morning, the women in town gathered to discuss opening the grave for the man's spirit. One woman brought her five-year-old son along, who wandered outside while they talked. After a while, the boy was nowhere to be found, and everyone searched for him throughout the village under the bright streetlights until late into the night.

The narrator and his friend also searched all night but found no trace of the boy. When he finally returned home, he immediately went to his friend's house where all the townspeople were gathered, looking exhausted and hopeless. The boy's mother cried without tears, and her sobs sounded like a kitten's meow. The narrator lit candles for the man's altar and prayed for his guidance to help find the boy.

After lighting three candles, the narrator walked outside to escape the oppressive atmosphere, and the chilly mountain air refreshed him. As he was about to return inside, he heard a faint moan, which turned out to be the sound of a child. Climbing onto the roof of the porch, the narrator saw the silhouette of a child lying motionless in a rain trough. He shouted, "I found him! The kid!"

The boy was rescued by the narrator's friend and taken down from the rooftop. The child's face was pale, and his mouth was full of dry leaves. Later, when the narrator met the boy again, he asked him how he managed to climb up to the roof.

Innocence at its finest: The kid didn't climb up, the grandfather lifted them to get some candy. So much candy, the kid kept eating and eating, never running out.

I remember its mouth full of leaves from the other day. It was a gift from grandpa. He gave it as a congratulatory present. The bird did not have to climb up, grandpa lifted it up so that it could have plenty of candy and it kept eating without stopping..