“Find him! Find the Devil! Burn him!”
Shouts of thousands of men shattered the silence of the cold night. The men’s torches lighted up the night. As the men dispersed, the torches’ fire looked like huge bunch of fireflies, hunting their prey.
Not far from that, a little boy sat in front of a simple house. His huge eyes, still heavy from sleepiness, stared at the torches.
“Han-ji, what are you doing here? Let’s go inside. It’s dangerous here…” A woman in blue dress walked out of the house. Her pretty face paled, her hands shaky, yet she tried her best to conceal her fear.
“Su-bo, you go inside. Let me wait for teacher here and guard the door. I won’t let anyone harm you or A Lian,” the boy answered bravely. The lady sighed. Faintly, a baby’s crying was heard from inside of the house.
Suddenly, the door swung open. Someone walked out limply. His white robe badly tattered and smeared with blood. Seeing this, both the lady and the boy gasped. Their eyes wide opened, seeing past the person’s cold, piercing eyes, past the horrible injuries that criss-crossed his body. Their eyes were fixated to the pink bundle that the man embraced.
“My baby!” The lady gasped. She hurled herself to the man, her hands frantically tried to snatch her baby back. Without a blink, he hit the lady squarely on her head. Blood poured on her face.
“You devil! What are you doing to my wife and my baby?” An angry voice thundered as a thin man ran approaching. On his shoulder hung a small basket filled with medicinal herbs.
“Teacher, that devil kidnaps A Lian. Help her…,” the little boy punched the figure with his small fist fearlessly. His teacher followed suit, hitting that man with his basket. But what could an ordinary man like him do to the greatest fighter in wu-lin? With a single stroke, the thin man collapsed in the mysterious person’s feet, his face turned blue.
“Don’t hurt A Lian! Give A Lian back!” the little boy continued punching the figure. Slowly that man turned his head. His eyes stared at the brave little boy coldly. He began lifting his palm, aiming at the little boy’s head.
Just then…
“Over here! The devil is in Doctor Thio’s house!”
Hearing this, the man’s hand stopped. Seeing the torches now headed to his direction, he retreated.
“A Lian! Give A Lian back!” the little boy kept on tailing him. But the boy’s little feet could not carry him fast. In a blink, the man has disappeared into the darkness.
[ June 17, 2002: Message edited by: WhiteKrane ]
[ July 23, 2002: Message edited by: Floo.. ]
[ September 29, 2002: Message edited by: Floo.. ]