Poem for the Ink Lotus // 墨荷的诗

C5 - Spirit | 灵魂

- Spirit | 灵魂 -

Two weeks had passed.

Even though Dan Xi returned to feed Bao Zi and admire the lotuses, he never once tried to look at the forest beyond nor the bridge.

It wasn't because he feared it or feared what he saw that day. It was because he knew his curiousness would lead him over the bridge, into the dark embrace of the forest and straight into the mouth of whatever creature the red eyes belonged to. His father would not be happy to see him abandon culture and arts to become a forest boy.

Dan Xi let out a sigh as he walked back home. The familiar street lights along the path in the distance made Dan Xi's heart settle down, and a warm hug of home washed away his worries. By this time, the sun was almost eaten up by the black night, and only a small amount of vibrant orange could be seen. 

He had expected to be greeted by some of his customers or the passersby, since everyone knew who he was and were (rather) friendly with him. But instead of a smile and a "good evening", he was met with a chubby man, with sweat dripping down his forehead and bloodshot eyes staring back at him. Dan Xi recognised that man instantly. He was Wong Chuan, one of the merchants in the town, and also one of the people who went into the forest with Dan Xi two weeks ago.

「Y-You came back from the forest?」The man asked, his voice strained. 

The man stinks, his sweat awful, his eyes scary. Wong Chuan being a merchant meant that he was rather wealthy, so what did he go through to become like this. . . 

Dan Xi tried to stay polite by giving a smile.「No, Mr Wong. I came back from the river.」  

At the mention of "river", Wong Chuan stilled, his chubby fingers clasped onto Dan Xi's shoulders.「Listen, young man. Do not go there ever again. Not the river, not the forest, not anywhere close to that area!」

The younger man took a staggering step back. Your breath stinks, Dan Xi thought.「Why?」

Wong Chuan's body began to shake, his eyes wide as he leaned closer to Dan Xi and muttered.「There's an evil lurking there.」Dan Xi raised an eyebrow and grinned. No there isn't, he thought, I was the one who cared for the lotuses for months, and I haven't been struck with bad luck.「Ever since the bridge was built, more than 60 people went into the forest. And four days ago, the Lei family all died from an unknown disease!」

At the mention of death, Dan Xi ceased all playful thoughts. He focused his amber eyes at Wong Chuan. 

「Let's think of it this way, Mr Wong,」Dan Xi spoke, unclasping the fingers of the older man had around his shoulders. He brought the older man to a nearby stool and sat the man as he continued.「The forest has not been occupied by human civilisation for a very long time, yes? So surely, there must be plants and animals inside that we seldom see. Perhaps the Lei family just so happens to smell in some pollens and their immune system could not handle it. After all, the Lei family are well known to be easily sick.」

Despite Dan Xi's careful choice of words and smart reasoning, Wong Chuan does not seem comforted in any way.「It isn't just the Lei family who got this weird. . . disease. The Xu family, the Ing family, the Leong family! Not all of them got sick, b-but they did have awful nightmares a-and they dreamed of a pair of eyes!」