''Red Silk Ribbon''

For the past few days, Mr. Ut has not been happy. He feels constantly frustrated about the incident where thieves broke into the chicken coop and stole the flock of chickens. What's strange is that the coop is located adjacent to his bedroom, where his bedridden younger brother lies. Yet, the chickens still disappeared without a trace. It was a quiet and seamless theft. No noise, no cries. Even Lu, who had sharp hearing, remained silent as if nothing happened.

***

The more Mr. Ut thinks, the angrier he becomes. Could it be his ill-fated fortune that prevents him from having chickens to eat during the three-day Lunar New Year? It has been a long time since both of his parents passed away, leaving behind an unfortunate sibling struggling to survive. Mr. Ut has never tasted the flavor of meat for a long time... Sometimes foxes would come in and devour all the chickens, leaving only a few strands of bloody red feathers scattered in the coop. Some of those feathers would even find their way onto Mr. Ut and his brother's bed. Other times, thieves would sneak into the house when Mr. Ut went to the fields and snatch the chickens away... His brother is truly helpless! Every day, he just stares with his eyes wide open and a twisted smile on his deformed mouth, never uttering a word. And even if he could speak, perhaps the cunning foxes wouldn't dare approach if they were afraid of human voices. Besides, his brother doesn't even know how to walk. Maybe if he heard someone's footsteps, their house wouldn't have been robbed. But to be stolen from in broad daylight!...

But it's not worth blaming him. If anyone should be blamed, it should be Mother Nature for creating such an imperfect creature. Even if it were an animal with arms and legs, it would be redundant if it couldn't use its limbs for eating or personal activities. Those Western-educated doctors, the elders of past years, did they ever mention anything about his condition? What did they say... something about brain degeneration or deterioration... Mr. Ut doesn't know. His life has always been confined to the fields. His parents were the same! How could they understand the complexities of those above them, those who came before...

After pondering calmly for a while, Mr. Ut hurriedly entered the house and took a bamboo strip, splitting it with a knife. The land of Mr. Ca, the landlord, is abundant in bamboo, but poor tenants like Mr. Ut can only request the inner part of the bamboo to use temporarily. Others would use the outer parts to weave baskets, mats, or fishing nets... The wealthy ones with land can make versatile use of bamboo as a commodity. But... for the poor like him, he only knows how to request the inner part to split and weave into walls. The walls of his house are mostly made of split bamboo. 

Wherever it's sturdy, he puts a temporary patch. In weaker areas, he adds two or three pieces to seal against wind, keep the house warm, and protect it from storms... Mr. Ut's skillful hands gently split a bamboo culm into small pieces. He used the knife to separate the heads into thin segments. Then he twisted the culm to flatten it and started stripping it into smaller pieces, weaving them into the unfinished bamboo mat. Afterward, Mr. Ut placed the bamboo mat over a pre-made bamboo frame that he had made a few days ago. Using small nails and string, he began tying them together. By the time the sun set, he had finished making a rectangular door, with a longer vertical slat on one side. And so, he had a door to install in his house without having to go to the market and spend money on hinges. The long pole was inserted deep into the ground, secured with coconut fiber rope, and now he had an operational millstone door that could open and close...

Yesterday, due to the lack of a back door, little Lu sneaked in and ate half a kilogram of meat belonging to his grandfather. Grandfather was quite upset and disappointed about the incident. The people in the village who knew about the theft decided to give him half a kilogram of meat as a gesture of sympathy, considering his recent struggles with animal husbandry. It's strange though... Little Lu has never been bold enough to behave that way. While he could catch mice or chase after birds, he had never touched any food left on the table. I wonder what made that damn dog eat such precious meat that belonged to his grandfather.

Ever since the young boy, Bé, grew up a little, the house became even more desolate and abandoned. The neighboring children didn't like going to his house and witnessing a pitiful yet terrifying person. They were right to fear Bé! His pale face always carried a bizarre smile. His wide-open white eyes stared at the children with an inexplicable longing. That gaze seemed to be directed at no one in particular, as if trying to contain the tiny eyes that kept moving around within the vast whiteness. His mouth looked peculiar too, sometimes twisted or hanging down with a long, red tongue protruding when he smiled at someone. The children in the neighborhood whispered among themselves, "Bé's tongue is so long! Is it longer than a normal person's?" Of course, these things were only whispered secretly among individuals of all ages, afraid that Bé might hear and feel sad. But in life, the more secretive something is, the easier it is to be heard. Út accidentally overheard this and endured it silently. He knew people were right to fear Bé, even though he cared deeply for him...often being frightened by him himself.

Humans have their own fate! Út often said that when he had to take care of his disabled younger brother, isolating themselves from the village. Bé had his own sufferings, and Út had to bear the burden of having blood ties that he couldn't bring himself to discard...

There was no meat to eat. The main food in the house was fish from the nearby river. This sometimes brought some comfort to Út. After all, there were countless fish in the river. With just a few fishing rods, they could quickly have something to eat. But Bé was difficult to please when it came to food! He was born into a farming family but lived as if he belonged to a wealthy one. He needed more than three plain meals a day. Even the simplest salted fish couldn't satisfy him. There was a busy day when Út hurriedly put the unfinished pot of fish aside after scooping out a few pieces for his younger brother. When he returned, he discovered that Bé had finished the whole bowl, even though the fish wasn't fully cooked and still had a strong fishy aroma. Út was astonished by his gaze. It seemed that Bé enjoyed eating raw and odd dishes. 

Normally, Út's preserved fish was delicious, but it didn't suit his brother's taste. Bé ate very little but grew rapidly. The only thing was that he refused to walk like normal people. As he grew older, his body emitted a faint smell of chicken or duck somewhere. Yet, there were no chickens or ducks in the house, as they never lasted long due to constant attacks by thieves and predators. The neighbors also complained about losing their chickens and ducks without understanding the reason. Út realized this too. In the past, the neighbors' chickens and ducks had also come to their house, but each time, they mysteriously disappeared. It seemed like a rampant gang of thieves or malicious spirits, but who knew? Misfortune loves company! Yet, the whispered words became increasingly difficult to hear. The elderly and children said that there were ghosts in Út's garden... This ghost only ate raw meat, so no chicken or duck could survive in that garden.

Mr. Ut pays no attention to vague rumors. He goes to the fields in the morning and returns only when it's pitch dark. Rushing to cook breakfast, he divides it into two portions: one for himself and one for his disabled sibling. This leaves him with relatively leisurely evenings, spent sipping tea or sharing a small glass of wine. Then he lies down to sleep, waiting for the break of dawn.

However, the farmer's heavy slumber becomes disturbed by a rampant invasion of mice in his house. In his drowsy state, he hears them rummaging around the pots and pans, which irritates him. When he wakes up, even the sun-dried perch fish has mysteriously vanished without a trace. What kind of devilish mice are these? They specialize in devouring live fish but never touch the dried ones left under the scorching sun.

Mr. Ut feels sorrowful about the constant losses. Many nights, he stays awake, trying to catch a glimpse of those mischievous mice. It seems like they understand his intentions, as they become strangely silent as if they have never been present. However, whenever he is exhausted and closes his eyes for a moment, they create chaos in the kitchen once again. Sometimes, when the moonlight shines through a crack in the straw wall during the summer nights, the room appears dimly illuminated. In his hazy sleep, Mr. Ut sees a phantom red silk ribbon fluttering inside the empty house. The fuzzy, ethereal ribbon alternates between appearing and disappearing whenever he opens his eyes. Although this happens repeatedly, he believes it's just a dream and dismisses it as an illusion.

One day, a neighbor holds a memorial service, and Mr. Ut is invited to share a meal in observance of the taboo day. On that occasion, he drinks a bit too much and becomes intoxicated. As soon as he returns home, he collapses onto the bed and falls into a deep sleep. The bed, one and a half meters wide, always has enough space for both brothers. In the middle of the night, Mr. Ut suddenly awakens, feeling something soft and damp stroking his face. In his drunken state, he mistakes it for Lu, his disabled brother, jumping on the bed and licking his face. But when he opens his eyes and looks closely, he realizes that it's the very same red ribbon that has haunted him every night, swaying and twisting. The red ribbon, as if teasing and mocking the face of a drunken man, flutters and dances playfully. Mr. Ut tries to grab hold of the ribbon, but his hand fails to obey his command. The hand of a drunken person never follows orders, especially when waking from a deep sleep. The movement startles the ribbon, causing it to vanish as if pulled into a nearby dark place, so close... It feels like it's right next to where he lies... Where the little boy is silently staring at him... Mr. Ut looks at him with confusion. Why is the child awake at this hour, staring at him so intently? And why do his eyes shine a faint green color... No! Not green, they also contain the flickering glow of two bright red marbles...

Startled, Mr. Ut exclaimed in horror:

Looking at it, Mr. Ut suddenly panicked and shouted loudly, "What are you doing, kid!?"

During a rainy night with flashes of lightning, the back door of the house appeared dimly. Unlike usual, Lu didn't run out to celebrate. Who knows which neighbor's dog it chased after this time! The door that Mr. Ut made to keep the foxes away from the chicken coop, just thirty steps away, was greeted by the loud clucking of chickens. It was once again those wretched foxes. Mr. Ut grabbed a stick, pushed open the door, and rushed in. As the door swung on its hinges with a creaking sound, before him appeared a strange strip of red silk from some unknown night. It was different this time, much longer and blood-red amidst the flickering lightning. As soon as he heard the noise, the strip of silk swiftly retreated towards the front of the house. In a fleeting moment, it disappeared without a trace. Mr. Ut looked into the chicken coop and only saw a bunch of bloody red feathers lying there. He quickly walked over to the bedside and saw Little Bé's face, seemingly asleep, but oddly enough, there was a hint of blood on its mouth...

It wasn't the foxes that took the chickens! The chickens died because of that red silk. But what is that red silk? Why is there blood on Little Bé's mouth while it sleeps!?...

After that night, Mr. Ut began to notice many strange incidents happening in the house. Farmers working in the fields getting bitten by insects and bleeding was normal. Others who got bitten would recover by the second day. However, the insect bite on Mr. Ut's foot didn't heal; it remained swollen, oozing yellowish liquid and pus. Sometimes, it would persist for a week or even a month without improvement. Finally, he had no choice but to seek medical treatment. Could it be because of that red silk?! He immediately dismissed the thought as too bizarre... But... what could it really be? So, he devised a plan to make everything clear...

...In January, when the fields were dry and the grass burned, people would go to the fields to catch mice and capture birds. Mr. Ut caught many birds, brought them home, and grilled them until they became fragrant. Yet, Little Bé refused to eat. Recently, it had become noticeably thin. Looking at it made him feel pity, knowing the agony of internal bleeding...

In the afternoon, the neighboring house slaughtered a pig and gave Mr. Ut some meat. He threw the piece of meat onto the hook hanging on the kitchen rack and hurriedly went to set his fishing net for the evening. After walking three or four steps into the garden, he suddenly remembered the red silk and decided to turn back...

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The door with its rusty hinges always creaked, so Mr. Ut added some mud to dampen the sound, allowing him to open it quietly. Amidst the fierce competition, Mr. Ut noticed a silk ribbon dancing in the kitchen, seemingly enjoying itself, unaware of the presence of a stranger...

Cautiously... Step by step... Mr. Ut approached the ribbon... The January night sky shimmered brightly. Starlight pierced through the holes in the roof, illuminating the silent kitchen like a sheet... Mr. Ut widened his eyes to observe that peculiar object. It haunted him in his dreams for many nights, causing the death of chickens and ducks. Moreover, he hadn't tasted meat in five years because of it!... Resentment... Hatred... Fury... All directed at that wicked ribbon...

Suddenly, he froze... His body felt as cold as if he had been submerged in water for a long time. The ribbon resembled a tongue, with small sensory buds protruding from its stem. These tiny filaments trembled, twisted, and scratched against the piece of meat on the stove. Then it vanished towards the front of the house, only to reappear moments later... The motion repeated with regular sounds reminiscent of a contented child eating... Mr. Ut's mind spun with thoughts: A human tongue? That couldn't be possible! A tongue can't be that long, right? If estimated within the confines of the kitchen, it must be over three meters long, not to mention its origin... But it clearly was a tongue, not a ribbon... That tongue was licking the remaining bloody flesh lying there. And with every lick, the meat diminished before his eyes...

Mr. Ut suddenly remembered the rumors and panic gripped him. His own tongue stiffened, while the red ribbon continued its exuberant dance around the piece of meat. Trembling hands groped in the darkness, searching for something. Anything clenched in his hand would provide additional courage to someone consumed by fear. The empty kitchen yielded nothing within reach. His shaking hand accidentally touched a warm spot. It was the ember of the evening's roasting fire. The warmth of the charcoal did not calm Mr. Ut; instead, it intensified his despair. Running away was not an option! Because his child was still inside... So, he lunged forward, tightly grasping that abominable ribbon. The tongue of the demon had survived by feeding on the flesh inside his house...

The wicked tongue thrashed violently with terrifying power. Its slippery and slimy surface made it difficult to grasp. Mr. Ut was pushed into the fiery abyss filled with hot ashes. No matter what, he refused to let go. A sudden idea flashed in his mind during this critical moment. He quickly grabbed some ashes and tightly squeezed the frenzied silk strip. Inside the room, the cries of little Be mingled with the horrifying howl of the wolf. The dog's bark was broken, trembling, and fearful. Mr. Ut ignored it all because now he had the tongue firmly in his hands, covered in ash. But... it was strong... It pushed him south, then north, pulling him into the bedroom. Little Be became more confused and terrified, flailing his arms and legs on the bed. 

The light from thousands of stars shone through the tattered curtain on the porch, illuminating Be's face. As soon as Mr. Ut saw it, he screamed in horror. Oh God! He was no longer his sibling. He was a monstrous demon with a long, disgusting tongue, attempting to strangle his own brother. The tongue that was initially retracting now extended forward, coiling several times around Mr. Ut's neck. The tip of the tongue was covered in sticky saliva, dripping and touching his face. Terrified by the unfolding events, Mr. Ut grabbed the club by the headboard and swung it...

In the quiet night, the sound of knocking and screaming echoed through the empty village. People living nearby rushed out of their houses, shouting and calling for help to extinguish the fire. The fierce flames burned fiercely in the dry season, illuminating the tranquil countryside. When they arrived, Mr. Ut's house had already been reduced to ashes in an instant. The young people used coconut leaves to put out the fire, searching for anyone unlucky, but found nothing except a club and some fragments of pottery. 

Speculations and discussions filled the air, but no one knew what had happened to the unfortunate brothers. Among the many suspicions, there was always one person who remained silent. That person was Old Tam, the elder from the neighboring village. He kept his silence not because he knew nothing. And we shouldn't blame an old man close to the earth and sky for being reserved... Because, if one day he doesn't reveal the truth, then... how could this horrifying story exist...

I recall a tale that brings to mind the essence of my inner self - a story recounted by my grand father.