NO ONE IN THE NIGHT

Chapter 1

Vu pedaled hard, eager to get home quickly before dark. You might wonder—why ride a bicycle instead of a motorbike? Well, in those days, owning a bicycle was a mark of status, something to be truly proud of. What’s more, only government officials and civil servants could afford one. Ordinary folk simply had no money for such things.

He should have been heading home to his family hours ago—if only those old men hadn’t droned on and on with their empty, rambling speeches that went nowhere. They never spared a thought for people like him, who had far to travel.

Watching the sky turn from deep red to bruised purple, he felt a prickle of worry: would he make it back before half-past ten? The journey from the provincial town took more than three hours, no short trip at all. Vu pushed harder on the pedals, desperate to go just a little faster, to be with his family again.

But fate seemed determined to tease him—he had barely gone a short way when his tire went flat. He swore under his breath:

“Damn it, of course this happens now.”

He stopped and rummaged in his bag for his repair kit. He searched and searched, only to realize with a sinking heart—he’d left it at home.

“Damnation! I’ve gone and left it behind.”

He looked up at the darkening sky, sighed, and tried to comfort himself.

“All right then… I’ll just have to find somewhere nearby to stay the night.”

Yet as far as the eye could see stretched empty fields, not a soul in sight, let alone a house. He glanced around, hoping against hope to spot someone, anyone, or a cottage where he might ask for shelter. The further he went, the heavier his disappointment. There was nothing for it—he would just keep walking, wherever the road led.

Night had fully fallen now, and the world grew quiet and shadowed. The only sounds were the endless chirping of insects and the rustle of leaves. A strange unease crept into Vu’s chest. Suddenly, from behind him, a man’s voice called out:

“Hey there! Off somewhere so late? Why aren’t you riding your bike?”

At first he was about to answer, but then he remembered the old saying: “If you hear someone call your name in the dark, never answer—for it may be a spirit come to steal your soul.” So he kept his mouth firmly shut, and walked faster, praying silently that whatever it was wouldn’t follow. But the stranger wouldn’t give up—he called out again:

“Hey! I’m talking to you! Why won’t you answer?”

The voice rang out once more, and Vu hurried on, almost running, half-minded to abandon his bicycle and flee altogether.

Try as he might, he couldn’t shake the man—he caught up in no time at all, and clapped a hand heavily on Vu’s shoulder. Vu jumped so violently he nearly dropped his bike. But the hand was warm. That single, solid warmth told him: this was a living person, not a ghost. Only then did he dare turn and look at the one behind him.

In the moonlight stood a man with pale, sallow skin, sunken eyes, and prominent cheekbones—at a glance, he looked scarcely different from a corpse. Vu nearly cried out in terror; in the dim light, he looked so very much like a spirit. Truth be told, he was terrified, his legs turning to water beneath him, his teeth chattering so hard he could barely speak. The man seemed to notice his fear, and smiled:

“Now then—why wouldn’t you answer me? Thought I was a ghost, did you?”

Vu said nothing, just nodded faintly. The man laughed aloud.

“I’m flesh and blood, look! Feel my hand yourself!”

Gathering his courage, Vu took the offered hand—sure enough, it was warm. He breathed easier, and found his voice at last.

“At first I… I thought you were something unholy. That’s why I didn’t dare reply. The elders always say: ‘If you hear a voice calling you on the road at night, never answer, and never turn your head.’ So I just kept walking as fast as I could.”

The man laughed and clapped him on the shoulder again.

“Old wives’ tales, that’s all! There’s no such thing as ghosts—never was. You’re easily spooked, aren’t you?”

Vu flushed, embarrassed at being laughed at by a stranger.

“Better to believe they exist than to take the risk. After all, there are things that happen no one can ever explain.”

The man laughed louder still.

“You look like a government official—surely you don’t believe in such nonsense?”

“I do. When I was small, I saw one with my own eyes.”

“Truly? Tell me about it! I’ve never seen a ghost in my life.”

“Well… it happened like this.”

Vu fell quiet, drifting back in thought to his childhood, to those days long past.

Twice when he was little, Vu had seen something—something he was certain was a ghost. His parents had told him it was just his imagination, or that his eyes had played tricks on him. But deep down, he knew what he had seen was real.

The first time happened one summer, when he was four years old. There was a blackout that day, so the whole neighbourhood gathered at the cooperative, chatting and passing the time, while the children played every game they knew—board games, blind man’s bluff… When they’d grown tired of those, someone suggested hide-and-seek. They drew lots to decide who would be the seeker, and Vu lost. He pressed his face to the wall and began to count:

“Five… Ten… Fifteen… Twenty… Ready or not, here I come!”

He searched everywhere, yet not a single playmate was to be seen. Strange, he thought to himself. They’ve hidden so well today… I hope I haven’t lost them all. I won’t give up—I’ll find them.

Glancing around, he caught sight of a pale white shape lingering beneath an old chinaberry tree beside the cooperative’s storehouse. His heart leapt with delight—Found one! He raced forward, shouting: