by Ron Ripley
Bohai was as unfazed by the weapon as he was by the dog, and it was quite obvious the man was dead.
Zhu arrived beside Lau and made a grunt of surprise as he stared at Bohai.
“We have to drive the ghost out,” Lau said, forcing his voice to remain level and without revealing his fear.
“There is no ghost possessing him!” Zhu snapped.
Bohai glanced over at them, his eyes showing nothing but whites. A bloody grin spread across his face.
“No, Little One, there is no him. This farmer here has slain the monk and sent him on,” the ghost said. “I alone remain. And once I am done with this peasant, I shall deal with you.”
Zhu’s face paled and he shuddered as he said in disbelief, “Get out.”
The ghost let out a deep, bitter laugh and replied, “No.”
Jiang lunged at the dead man, but the blade was slapped away.
“Get out!” Zhu shrieked.
Lau reached out a hand, put it on Zhu’s shoulder, and said in a soft voice, “I will deal with this.”
A sense of calm had settled onto Lau, and the sound of the dog and Zhu faded into the background. The ghost grabbed hold of Jiang’s weapon and wrenched it free. As the dead man swung the blade towards the farmer, Lau whispered, “Leave us.”
Bohai stiffened. The weapon dropped to the ground with a thud, and then the dead monk did the same.
A silence filled the farm, broken after only a moment by Jiang’s dog, who let out a whine, and hurried to stand beside the man. Lau glanced at Zhu and found his brother monk staring at him with surprise.
“How?” Zhu asked.
Lau shook his head. “I do not know, but I do know that we have to hurry back to the monastery.”
“I fear it is too late for the monastery,” Jiang said, gesturing behind the men.
Lau turned around, and a moan of despair arose from Zhu’s throat as they stared at their home.
From where they stood, parts of the monastery were illuminated. Not by the light of the rising moon, but by fires that consumed some of the outlying buildings. The flames were tall and bright, the edges tinged with a light blue that reminded Lau of lightening.
The wind shifted, carrying the smell of ash and flame as well as the faint sounds of laughter mingled with screams.
Feng and his kind were butchering the monks.
Lau turned toward the path that would return him to the road.
“Where are you going?” Zhu whispered, his voice raw with fear.
“I am going home,” Lau replied, pausing only for a moment. “Our brethren need us.”
Jiang leaned over, picked up his weapon, and called his dog to him. Several steps carried him to Lau’s side.
“Will you stay here, my friend?” Lau asked. There was no condemnation in his voice. No ridicule in the question.
Zhu hesitated, then he nodded.
“Wait for us, then,” Lau said, “and we will be back for you after the sun rises.”
“How do you know?” Zhu asked, his question barely audible.
“I don’t,” Lau replied, “but that doesn’t matter.”
Lau nodded to Jiang, and the two men and the dog made their way back to the monastery, where Feng and the dead awaited them.
* * *
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: A Night to Remember, September 5th, 1979
Chapter 2: Happy Birthday, September 6th, 1979
Chapter 3: Therapy, August 1st, 2016
Chapter 4: Home on Hill Street, August 2nd, 2016
Chapter 5: Something Feels Wrong, August 25th, 1980
Chapter 6: Knocking on the Side Door, August 2nd, 2016
Chapter 7: Pine Grove and the Dawn, August 3rd, 2016
Chapter 8: Mrs. Lavoie’s House, August 3rd, 2016
Chapter 9: In the Basement, August 3rd, 2016
Chapter 10: News from Beyond the Grave, August 4th, 2016
Chapter 11: Hu and Connor, August 4th, 2016
Chapter 12: A Conversation, August 4th, 2016
Chapter 13: The Priest, June 7th, 1979
Chapter 14: With Hu, August 5th, 2016
Chapt
er 15: Fear in His Heart, August 6th, 2016
Chapter 16: Contemplation, August 7th, 2016
Chapter 17: Somewhere in Connecticut, August 7th, 2016
Chapter 18: Defending Oneself, August 8th, 2016
Chapter 19: Alone in the House, August 8th, 2016
Chapter 20: Magpies in the Window, August 9th, 2016
Chapter 21: A Warning Unheeded, August 20th, 1986
Chapter 22: An Unexpected Conversation, August 9th, 2016
Chapter 23: The Safety of Hu’s Garden, August 9th, 2016
Chapter 24: Pine Grove Cemetery, June 4th, 1987
Chapter 25: The Priest Returns, August 10th, 2016
Chapter 26: Alone in the House, August 10th, 2016
Chapter 27: Ashland Avenue, August 10th, 2016
Chapter 28: Pure Rage, August 10th, 2016
Chapter 29: Seeking Help from Hu, August 11th, 2016
Chapter 30: Henan Province, China, January 3rd, 1988
Chapter 31: The Wrong House, August 11th, 2016
Chapter 32: Protected but Not Safe, August 11th, 2016
Chapter 33: An Investigation, August 12th, 2016
Chapter 34: The Priest Decides, August 12th, 2016
Chapter 35: Questions without Answers, August 12th, 2016
Chapter 36: Quelling the Anger, August 12th, 2016
Chapter 37: A Bike Ride, August 13th, 2016
Chapter 38: The World is Too Much, August 13th, 2016
Chapter 39: A Phone Call is Made, August 13th, 2016
Chapter 40: A Ruckus in Pine Grove, August 14th, 2016
Chapter 41: Investigating Pine Grove, August 14th, 2016
Chapter 42: A Harsh Awakening, August 14th, 2016
Chapter 43: Preparations are Made, August 15th, 2016
Chapter 44: With Silent Fury, August 16th, 2016
Chapter 45: Chinatown, Boston, March 10, 2011
Chapter 46: A Lonely Vigil, August 16th, 2016
Chapter 47: Preparations for the Conflict, August 16th, 2017
Chapter 48: Andrew Smythe’s Grave, August 16th, 2016
Chapter 49: In the Name of the Law, August 16th, 2016
Chapter 50: Defending Themselves, August 16th, 2016
Chapter 51: Explanations, August 16th, 2016
Chapter 52: Detective Rattin and Disbelief, August 16th, 2016
Chapter 53: A Bad Night’s Sleep, August 17th, 2016
Chapter 54: Preparing to Enter the Cemetery, August 17th, 2016
Chapter 55: The Plan Goes South, August 17th, 2016
Chapter 56: An Awakening, August 17th, 2016
Chapter 57: A New Threat, August 17th, 2016
Chapter 58: Alone with the Dead, August 17th, 2016
Chapter 59: Forced to Fight, August 17th, 2016
Chapter 60: Hu and Feng, August 17th, 2016
Chapter 61: Standing at Her Graveside, August 17th, 2016
Chapter 62: Hu’s Garden, August 18th, 2016
Chapter 63: Greenbriar Nursing Home, August 19th, 2016
Bonus Scene Chapter 1: Yunnan Province, 1846
Bonus Scene Chapter 2: Behind the Shrine, Yunnan Province, 1846
Bonus Scene Chapter 3: At the Roadside Shrine, 1846
Bonus Scene Chapter 4: Yunnan Province, 1847
Bonus Scene Chapter 5: A Costly Meal
Bonus Scene Chapter 6: A Traveler Found
Bonus Scene Chapter 7: At the Home of Farmer Jiang
Bonus Scene Chapter 8: A Horrific Event
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