Rivers of Fate

Hidden In Plain Sight (part 1)

It had started with the two teenage boys hanging out in front of the video game store by the mall entrance.  When Xia and Wanfeng had approached from around the street corner, the one boy who'd glanced up at them elbowed the other. "What?!" his friend complained, yanking an earbud out of his ear.

The elbower jutted his chin towards Wanfeng.

"Shit, no way!"

Wanfeng came to a wary halt as the boys bounded up to him. "Oh man," one said. "The dragon prince warrior from the Martial Dynasty Shadow Portal game, right?! That guy is so awesome!"

His companion bobbed his head vehemently. "Yeah, the way he can take out The Reaper Master in level 42 is epic!"

Wanfeng was stunned. The two mortal boys recognized what he was? "You can tell that I am a dragon?"

Both boys nodded.  "Yeah, you nailed it, man."

"Hey, take a selfie with us?" Phones were whipped out of back pockets.

Wanfeng threw a confused look at Xia who had her hand over her mouth, trying hard not to laugh. Martial Dynasty was one of the more popular video games at the moment. She'd seen it advertised on the old TV set at the laundromat (when its screen wasn't hissing snow). The boys must have thought Wanfeng was dressed for Halloween as a character from the game. Now that she thought about it, wasn't the main hero some long-haired street fighter type?

"It's ok," she chuckled to Wanfeng.

The boys leaned in to flank Wanfeng, twisting forward with their phones held outstretched at arm's length. Thumbs pressed in conjunction just as one boy threw up peace fingers.

"Thanks, man."

"What are those mirrors of coloured light?" Wanfeng asked as he and Xia resumed walking, leaving the two boys standing heads down, swiping across their screens... no doubt posting to Instagram.

"What? Don't tell me you don't have cellphones where you're from." Xia thought he was kidding.

"Cellphones. Why do so many of the people we pass have cellphones in their hand? Do you have one?" Wanfeng continued.

He's not kidding, is he.

Xia shook her head, "I had one once for a short time. A very short time. Umm... I'm not so good with electronics." Xia sighed then grinned.  "Not having a cellphone is no big deal though.  I've managed just fine without one even in this day and age.  Saves me a hefty monthly bill anyway.  Besides, I think of it as doing my part to stave off the zombie apocalypse,"  she joked wryly.

Wanfeng frowned.

"Zombie. You spoke of zombies this morning. What are zombies?"

He really didn't know? "Zombies, you know, the living dead?  Monsters that try to eat your brains?" Xia raised her arms straight out and moaned with dramatic exaggeration.

"They're really popular at Halloween."

"Halloween?"

"Ugh, nevermind. The department store we want to go to is at the opposite end of the mall." She pulled open one of the heavy glass mall entry doors.

"After you, dragon prince warrior."

_____

Zombies. Eating brains. Monsters? He'd best be on guard.

Wanfeng wished he had his sword.

The mall turned out to be an ornate indoor market, resembling the inner courtyard of a palace almost with its marble-like tiled floors, water fountains, and balconied upper level.  Wanfeng was reminded of the road he'd come upon when carrying Xia last night. There were multitudes of clear glass windows again displaying faceless, vaguely human shaped forms dressed in all manner of odd apparel.  To Wanfeng, most still gave the appearance of being naked.  There were also more of the carved out orange gourds he'd seen in the street windows last night.  Grotesque, toothy smiles greeted him just about every which way he looked.