Kung Fu Kellie and Sonam's Prophecy

by A. H. Shinn

  “This place can be used for meditation,” said Simi. She walked up another set of steps and onto the third level, which was quite expansive. This room had a ceiling, and was separated by low dividers and heavy columns. The same beautifully hand-painted tiles embellished the floors.

  “Or you can pray in here,” she said. “Wherever you are in the temple, you can see the sky.”

  The same chest-high wall bordered the cliff. With just a turn of the head, Mother Nature was in perfect view.

  Kellie followed Simi up the stairs to the top. The last level was another open, flat area, but it was floored with concrete. The chest-high wall continued to frame the edge of the mountain, except at the highest point. A few steep steps led up to a small, round platform.

  Kellie put her toes on the first step, and Simi quickly grabbed the back of her shirt.

  “That drop is thousands of feet,” said Simi.

  Kellie peered over. Two steps past the stairs and she would have never seen her family and friends again.

  “Why is this here?” asked Kellie, moving away from the unassuming ledge of death.

  “It tests our skills during the time of fear,” Simi said. “Fear can hinder our trained bodies and cloud our minds. It questions our judgment and is the root of failure. It makes us falter when we should be fierce. When we are ready, each one of us stands on the platform and holds a pose. If we can do it without the terror of falling, we should be able to prevent fear from ever holding us back.”

  “Has anyone ever fallen?”

  Simi smiled. “No. We are well trained and we only go out there when we are ready.”

  “Have you done it?”

  “No.”

  Kellie thought their fear test was absurd and an unnecessary, life-threatening risk.

  “This section of the temple,” said Simi, “is where we go through our forms. It is supposed to help us feel our inner peace by being one with the sky. That is why it was built at the top.”

  Noticing that they were the only ones there, Kellie asked, “When do the others visit here?”

  “Whenever they wish. Though, the others do not utilize it as much as I do. They’d rather train with each other. I’m often here alone. Sometimes a group of them comes out when someone is ready to put their fear to the challenge.” She smiled. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to meditate for a moment before we leave.”

  “Not at all,” said Kellie.

  “I’ll be down below,” Simi said.

  Simi seemed to trust leaving Kellie alone, though there wasn’t anywhere to run. The only place she could go was down. She leaned against the wall with her hands, taking in the picturesque scenery. Master Chen would love this view, she thought.

  She had never felt this homesick.

  There was one thing that helped Kellie take her mind off her troubles. She glanced down toward the stairs; her tour guide was out of view. She walked to the middle of the floor and began the white crane form Master Chen had taught her.

  She inhaled deeply through her nose, allowing her lungs to inflate. Then her abdomen fell in as she exhaled. Clearing her mind of the predicament she was in, she shut out everything and visualized crane moves. She expanded her arms as if they were wings and glided from one foot to the other. It felt as if she was floating on air. Remembering Zurich’s graceful movements, Kellie mimicked his steps as if she was doing the waltz.

  Her imaginary opponents were no match for her crane attacks. She threw strikes with the tips of her fingers that resembled a crane’s beak above their noses. She also didn’t spare them of her eye spear and simultaneous knife-edge kick. They came one, then two at a time. The attackers couldn’t lay a hand on her. She shifted out of the way, but just near enough for her to feel them graze by.

  A primary rule was keeping the opponents in her center, but staying out of theirs. Maneuvering around them, she struck them with her arms as if they were powerful wings. They fell to the ground from the ridge-hand strikes to their necks. Kellie defeated them all. Zurich would have been proud.

  She opened her eyes to the sound of applause.

  “That was amazing,” said Simi. “You demonstrate beauty and grace, but at the same time move with such power. You truly have a special gift.”

  Gift? Did the nuns know about the Emotive Chi?

  “What is this gift you are talking about?” asked Kellie.

  Simi turned pink and remained quiet.

  “Please, Simi,” said Kellie. “I was brought here against my will because all of you seem to believe I’m the Teacher. Yes, I have things in common with this person”—the similarities were still eerie for Kellie—“but, that doesn’t mean I’m her. So, I have the right to have my questions answered.”

  The nun looked out into the mountains. Her face was solemn.

  “I’m sorry that you were taken from your home,” she said. “That was the decision of the bhikkhunı−s. There are only a handful of them, including Choden, and they make most of the big decisions for us. The rest of us don’t have much say once a decision has been made. We also don’t know the details of how you were brought here, but we understand that necessary steps had to be taken. Their explanation was that it was difficult finding you and if we tried to approach you with the truth, you would have been taken away from us. The bhikkhunı−s said that the Taiping monks wrongfully had you in their midst and we were saving you whether you knew it or not.”

  Kellie shook her head in frustration. “The Taiping monks took me in and raised me as their own when no one else did. They are my family and have given me everything. They have never done anything to me against my will.”

  “I heard that one of the monks suddenly took you away to America. Was that your choice?”

  Kellie’s mouth dropped. “Not exactly, but they were protecting me,” she said defensively. “You didn’t answer my question.” Her voice was rising. “What do you know about this ‘gift’?”

  Simi visibly withdrew from Kellie.

  “I won’t tell anyone you told me,” Kellie said softly, taking a gentler approach. “Please, you have to help me understand why I’m here. What is the energy that Sonam spoke of?”

  Simi’s brows furrowed, and her lips set in a hard line. Kellie thought she looked like she was having an inner debate with herself.

  “Well, the tracker saw you move things without touching them,” Simi finally answered. “Bodhi said it was first with a monkey and then a pot. Sonam prophesied that our Teacher possessed a powerful force…and that would bring us to the next level.”

  Kellie now understood why these women took such great lengths to bring her here. They wanted her to teach them how to use their chi.

  “And we know you were found in the woods as a baby,” she continued. “So, you see, you fit the description perfectly. You are from the forest, and great power comes from your hands.”

  “And Sonam didn’t say where this power came from?” asked Kellie.

  Simi wrinkled her forehead. “I do not believe so. You were born with it, I guess.”

  It didn’t appear that the nuns were aware of the Emotive Chi. That was a relief. Kellie didn’t want anyone to know that it was something that could be extracted. Her nightmares of the night Hagos had tried to take it back hadn’t completely gone away.

  There was another important bit of information Kellie needed. “Did Sonam say why this baby was from the forest or how I—she got there?”

  Simi scratched her bald head. “I don’t believe her prophecy mentions that, but I think I know why.”

  Kellie straightened, eager to hear the answer.

  “The forest is a symbolic place. It is filled with so many different living organisms that cannot survive without the other. Insects, plants, and animals work in harmony in the circle of life. Nothing is purer than the existence of wildlife. To be one with nature is to be one with onesel
f. That is why I believe the Teacher would be from the forest. From no other place could the child with the special energy be from.”

  The description was poetic, but it didn’t provide the answer to Kellie’s conundrum. Simi must have noticed her disappointment.

  “We should make our way back,” Simi said.

  She politely put out her hand for Kellie to go ahead of her. They made their way down the steps and through the rooms.

  Kellie was about to open a closed door when Simi called to her.

  “This way.”

  Kellie turned to the right to see the steps that led up to the path from which they came.

  Turning back toward the door, she asked, “Where does this lead?”

  “Down the mountain.”

  Down the mountain? This was the door that could get her out of this place. She stared hard at the exit, wondering how far the hike would be to a town.

  “Choden may be willing to tell you more about Sonam,” Simi said, blinking nervously.

  Kellie’s focus moved away from the egress.

  “Is there more about the prophecy?”

  “Choden can give you answers. I—I have said more than enough.”

  Kellie took another look at the outlet. The door wasn’t going anywhere. She turned around and went up the stairs.

  CHAPTER NINE

  The Test

  As Kellie and Simi made their way back, a monotonous beat of the drums began.

  “They’ve started training,” said Simi. “We’re here just in time.”

  The area that was used for the demonstration the night before was also the place they trained. All of the nuns were present, either on the floor or around it.

  They moved through their warm-ups as if it were a performance. The lead instructor stood in front of them (she was the tall woman who had visited Kellie in her room). She didn’t call out anything, but just stood there with a stoic expression. She watched as the women went through their memorized series of repetitive blocks, punches, and kicks to the humming of the drums. As the pounding beat sped up, so did their movements.

  Their kicks were high and acrobatic. All of them seemed to have mastered the various spinning kicks.

  The ones on the floor walked off as the ones observing took their place. After everyone except Simi had her turn, the center was cleared.

  The drums stopped. The instructor turned to where Kellie was standing and called, “Rinzen, may we have the privilege of having you on the floor?”

  Kellie’s heart beat louder than the drums had pounded. She’d anticipated being summoned. They believed she had a special power and they wanted to see it.

  All eyes fell on her. How could she say no? Too many faces waited for her response. Her legs made up her mind for her as they began to shuffle toward the concrete square. This was her opportunity to show them that she had nothing special to share.

  The crowd stepped aside as Kellie nervously passed.

  Kellie faced the tall, Asian nun and examined the woman peering down at her. Her dark eyes squinted over her cheekbones.

  “Rinzen, I am Tsering. We are aware of the special gift that you possess. Please,” she said as she turned and raised her hand up toward her sisters, “we would be honored if you could demonstrate.”

  They didn’t waste time. A table was already set up and someone brought over a large melon, placed it down, and scurried away.

  “I’m sorry, Tsering,” said Kellie. “I can’t. I don’t have any special gifts.” She hadn’t been able to tap into the Emotive Chi for some time now.

  “Do not hide it,” said Tsering, rather abruptly. “Bodhi reported to us what she saw. She does not lie. She saw you use your power. Now show us.”

  Kellie blinked at the harshness of Tsering’s tone as the nun stepped away, leaving Kellie alone on the floor. The spectators didn’t make a sound, looking as if they were waiting to witness a miracle. Even Choden, who stood nearby, was frozen in place.

  Turning around to face the melon, Kellie moved closer to it and took a deep breath. Here goes. She circled both arms and threw a heel palm with her right hand.

  Nothing happened, as she’d expected.

  “Try again,” said Tsering.

  The sun’s heat hammered on Kellie’s back as she stared at the big fruit. She made a chopping motion with her left hand as she stepped with her left foot. Again, nothing.

  Kellie turned back to face the demanding nun, and Tsering didn’t look pleased.

  “Maybe you need incentive from our toxophilite,” she said.

  “Toxophilite?” said Kellie. “What’s a—”

  Tsering raised her right arm and flicked her wrist. A woman carrying a bow and arrow came forward and raised her weapon at Kellie.

  Kellie stumbled backward. “What are you doing?” she screamed. “You have the wrong person!” She looked around, hoping that someone would step up and stop the lunacy. Choden said nothing, and Simi bit her nail.

  They’re going to kill me, thought Kellie. She was never going to see Master Chen, Jake, Jory, or any of the Taiping monks again. And to think, her last meal had been the disgusting porridge.

  Taking the energy from her anger and fear, she compressed it into a ball and threw a heel palm at the lady with the bow and arrow. Nothing happened. Kellie didn’t have a choice but to try again. Thinking about Hagos’s Emotive Chi, she shuddered, but was desperate enough to reach inside for it.

  The nun stood firmly on two feet as she pulled back on the bowstring. Her hand let the arrow loose, and Kellie gasped as she dodged it. It flew several inches past her. The archer didn’t seem to be aiming for vital points.

  Why can’t they use air blasters?

  Another arrow targeted Kellie, but she was able to sidestep the sharp point. How long would she have to do this? Her heart beat ferociously as she avoided a few more arrows. She was surely proving her point of not possessing a power, but what good was that going to do if it killed her in the process?

  This time, the archer closed one eye and took more care aiming the weapon at Kellie. As Kellie twisted her shoulders to elude the arrow, the sharp metal tore through her shirt and ripped the flesh of her upper arm. Blood immediately soaked through her sleeve.

  Another arrow went flying, and Kellie fell to the floor. It had been aimed at the middle of her chest, but instead pierced the melon.

  Tsering flicked her hand, and a couple of women ran out to help Kellie up and started tending to her wound. The rest of the nuns began to scatter. The show was over.

  Tsering approached them while Kellie’s arm was being wrapped. “You are so stubborn as to risk your life?”

  “Risk my life?” yelled Kellie. “You were trying to kill me!”

  “Not kill…motivate.”

  “Well, are you satisfied?” asked Kellie.

  “You will eventually reveal your secret, Rinzen,” she said and turned around and left.

  Kellie lay on her uninjured side on her bed. Food had been brought to her room, and her dressings had been changed a couple of times. She didn’t know how many hours had ticked by, but the sun was probably no longer out.

  Showing the nuns that she didn’t hold a power hadn’t worked, so the only other option was to escape. The next chance she had at the temple, she was going to flee through the door that led down the mountain. That was her only hope to get home.

  But what if I am the One from the prophecy? The thought had sneaked in, and she couldn’t deny the possibility. Oh, that’s ridiculous!

  But was it?

  Kellie rolled to the flat of her back. She thought about her conversation with Simi; she hated the idea that the people who’d forcibly taken her could possibly provide her with answers about who she is. Simi would not provide her with more information, but she’d hinted that Choden might.

  Kellie hadn’t spoke
n to Choden all day and wanted to confront her. She didn’t like her, but compared to Tsering, Choden was the lesser of two evils.

  Kellie’s new plan was confirmed. She was going to slip away from the temple with the next opportunity, but in the meantime, she was going to seek answers.

  One of Master Chen’s sayings popped into her head: “Must open eyes to truth for progress. Take off blindfold of denial.”

  What she learns will either confirm she is not the one they believe her to be…or she will have to accept the truth.

  She carefully pushed herself off the bed. Her arm stung, but the injury was superficial. She slipped on her shoes, pushed on the door and, as expected, it was locked. She knocked on it firmly and immediately heard a clank. The door opened.

  Kellie was disappointed to see Lin.

  “What do you need?” asked the unfriendly nun, blocking the doorway.

  “Where’s Simi?” asked Kellie.

  “Not here…what do you need?”

  “I—uh—need to use the bathroom.”

  Lin wrinkled her forehead for a moment, then hesitantly moved out of the way. “Go.”

  Kellie stepped out and took in a deep breath. The fresh air of the mountain cut through her lungs, but it was invigorating. She had been in her room far longer than she had thought: the crescent moon hung brightly in the dark sky with clouds encroaching in. The evening was cooler than the night before. The temperature was perfect: neither cold nor hot.

  Lin shut the door and motioned to Kellie to proceed. They walked toward the bathroom. After Kellie used the outhouse, Lin said, “Time to go back.”

  “Can I wash my hands?”

  Lin tapped her foot as Kellie turned on a faucet by the side of the shower. She washed her hands with a soap bar and cleansed her face as well. When she turned off the water, Lin tossed her a small towel.

  “Ready?” Lin asked.

  “I’m thirsty,” said Kellie.

  Lin really appeared irritated now. It was clear she didn’t like babysitting. “There’s tea in your room.”