Thailand's drag racing scene is unique and vibrant. Unlike drag racing in other countries, which usually showcases sleek, aerodynamic sports cars, Thailand's drag racing scene welcomes a wider variety of vehicles. This can include everything from pickup trucks to motorcycles and even, yes, ambulances! These modified ambulances aren't actual emergency vehicles; instead, they are shells transformed into high-performance dragsters.
In the big stadium, the night car race was about to begin. The cars were lined up at the starting line, ready to race. The stadium was huge, with bright lights shining down on the track. The crowd was excited, cheering and clapping as they waited for the race to start.
Ava, Lalana, and Tanin sat in the very last row of the stadium. As usual Ava had her black mask pulled up.
Lalana clapped her hands with enthusiasm. "This is going to be amazing todayyyyy! Woohoo!! Come on, Phanom! You can do it!"
Tanin snorted with laughter. "Yeah, right," he teased. "Last time Phanom came in third place, and you know it! No way he'll snag first this time."
"Don't be a hater, Tanin! Just because your favorite racer is lagging behind doesn't mean Phanom can't pull off an upset! At least Phanom has some skill." Lalana replied.
"Skill?" Tanin countered, feigning shock. "Since when did fancy paint jobs win races, Lalana? It's all about pure speed, baby!"
Ava couldn't help but chuckle at their banter. She might not know much about cars or racing, but watching Tanin and Lalana argue was entertaining. This was her first time experiencing a car race live.
The starting lights blazed red, then green, and with a roar the race was on! The crowd screamed and cheered for their favorite racers, filling the surrounding with noise and energy.
But after three rounds of intense racing, Lalana's favorite racer, Phanom, couldn't manage to come in first. Lalana's face fell with disappointment as she watched the leaderboard, hoping to see Phanom's name at the top.
And Tanin couldn't resist a jab, "Looks like your boy Phanom's luck hasn't changed, eh, Lalana?"
"Shut up, Tanin! There's still one round left. Maybe this is his lucky one!"
A fifteen-minute break was announced, giving the crew time to check the track and the cars time to cool down. With a sigh, Lalana rose from her seat, "I'm going to hit the restroom."
Ava offered, "Do you want me to come with you?"
"Nah, I'll be quick," Lalana replied, disappearing into the throng of people.
Thirty minutes crawled by. The roar of the engines announced the start of the final round.
Ava kept craning her neck, searching the crowd for a glimpse of her purple-haired friend, but Lalana remained frustratingly absent.
Tanin was engrossed in the race, cheering wildy for his favourite car. Ava finally tapped him on the shoulder, "Tanin, Why hasn't Lalana come back yet?"
He finally tore his gaze away from the track and furrowed his brow. "Eh? Where'd the little firecracker go?" he replied, using his favorite nickname for Lalana. "Maybe she got lost in the crowd, forgot where our seats are."
"I don't think so," She said firmly. "It's been too long. I'm going to look for her."
Tanin shot up from his seat. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. You gonna vanish into thin air too, Ava? We will go together. Come on, let's go find her together. What if some aliens decide to abduct you while searching for Lalana? I wouldn't want to take that risk."
Together, they hurried down the steps. The stadium's energy seemed to dissipate the further they got from the roaring crowd. They reached the end of the seating area, where the ladies' restroom stood, almost hidden in a secluded corner away from the prime race-viewing spots.
"Check the ladies restroom," instructed Tanin, "See if Lalana's there."
Ava nodded and pushed open the door and stepped into the washroom. One by one, she checked each stall while calling out Lalana's name.
But no answer.
Finally, after checking the last one, she emerged from the restroom, "She's not here, Ta....."
But her voice died a lonely death. Where Tanin had been standing just moments ago, there was only emptiness and silence. Fear gripped her heart as she realized she was alone in this deserted corner of the stadium.
"Tanin?!" she called out. But amidst the chaos, her words seemed to vanish into thin air, unanswered. Where had he gone? Had something happened?
Her gaze landed on the stadium exit, a single gatekeeper standing guard. It was her only hope.
Mustering all her courage, she approached the gatekeeper. "Have you seen anyone leave? A young man, maybe… He was tall, with short hair..." She struggled to speak.
The gatekeeper stared back at her with a blank expression. He spoke something in rapid Thai which Ava couldn't understand.
She tried pointing at Tanin's empty spot, then at the exit. But the gatekeeper remained impassive, his limited English failing to grasp the urgency of her situation.
Defeat gnawed at her as she turned away from the unhelpful gatekeeper. While leaving the entrance, she reached into her jeans pocket for her phone to call Tanin or Somchai anyone who can help. Pulling it out of her pocket, a flicker of hope ignited… only to be extinguished as quickly as it arose.
The "battery low" icon flashed on the screen. No way to contact anyone, "Why now? Why does my phone never have charge when I need it? How can I contact anyone now?"
She surveyed her surroundings. It was eerily quiet, with no signs of life apart from the stadium behind her. The street stretched out before her, devoid of any activity or movement.
She began to walk along the right side of the footpath. She stuck to the well-lit sidewalk. She was now alone, lost, and utterly terrified.
Suddenly, a glint of light caught Ava's eye. She stopped and bent down to pick up the object. It was an anklet, a chain adorned with a cluster of tiny flowers. She recognized it instantly. It was the same anklet Lalana had been wearing. She couldn't be wrong. It was the same. If she had found Lalana's anklet, it meant something terrible had happened.
"No, no, no," she chanted under her breath, "Everything should be fine. Everything is alright."
Looking around once more, Ava's gaze fell upon a wooden cottage in the distance. It was shrouded in darkness, barely visible against the night sky. Only a faint glimmer of light from a nearby street lamp illuminated the area. It was difficult to tell if anyone was inside or not.
But the alternative - being alone on this empty street - terrified her even more. If someone inside the cottage she could take help atleast.
Ava began to make her way towards the cottage. With a trembling hand, she rapped her knuckles against the rough surface.
No answer.
Then, something unexpected happened. Just as she was about to knock again. Hesitantly, she peeked inside.
Darkness.
An inky blackness greeted her.
She couldn't see a single thing, not even the faintest outline of furniture. Nervously, she called out, "Excuse me? Is anyone there?"
Silence again.
No answer, only the faint hum of her own heartbeat. Ava strained her eyes, searching for any sign of movement, any glint of light in the impenetrable blackness.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of the door locking behind her. Ava's head snapped around.
Then, light. Sudden, harsh light that flooded the room, momentarily blinding her. She squeezed her eyes shut, blinking furiously until the world around her came into focus.
And then she saw him.
Tall, imposing, with a dark suit that clung to his muscular build, stood Ibrahim Rahman.
Her husband. Her captor. Her nightmare.....
"Welcome back to the gang, baby girl."