Kung Fu Kellie and Sonam's Prophecy

by A. H. Shinn

  Wondering what he and Jake were doing, Kellie began to crave onion rings and a milk shake like the ones they’d had at the restaurant Jake’s mother worked at.

  Hot French fries fresh out of the fryer also sounded heavenly.

  Kellie picked up a broken branch and drew circles in the mud. She listened to the torrential rain, which only seemed to worsen with each passing second. Waiting until it settled would be the wisest option.

  Kellie startled awake and found the stick on her lap. She must have fallen asleep, but she didn’t know for how long. One thing she was sure of, though, it had stopped pouring.

  Besides the scurrying of small feet, it was silent. Just as quickly as the weather had become treacherous, it had become still. Kellie came out of the hole and saw a small furry tail disappear into a bush.

  Stretching her arms and legs, she bent her neck up to the sky. She recognized a new dilemma: the sun was setting. Hesitant to leave her shelter, she threw her damp clothes and slippers into her knapsack. She opened her bag of bread and shoveled it down with a few sips of water. Using the food bag as a marker, she carefully examined her location and punctured the plastic onto a branch.

  The new pair of shoes provided better protection from the terrain. The thicker soles prevented the rocks and sticks from stabbing into her feet.

  “Simi really did think of everything.”

  Kellie memorized her path, looking for unique features of the forest. She passed a tilting tree, a moss-covered boulder, and an odd-looking, cone-shaped green plant that sprouted from the ground.

  The sky was darkening, and Kellie’s heart began to race again.

  I don’t think I’m going to find my way down the mountain tonight.

  Instinct and fear took over, and she turned around. She sighted her markers and followed her path back until she spotted the plastic bag.

  Crouching back into the hole in the rock, she seated herself into the same snug position. She nibbled on a carrot and stared into the darkness. The air was cool after the rain, but since it was summer, the temperature didn’t drop too low. She bent her knees under the poncho; the plastic served as a good insulator.

  Kellie thought about building a fire. Would rubbing two sticks or rocks together work? Would it attract the wild animals or keep them away? She needed to ask Jory these questions if—when she got home.

  Then a familiar and unpleasant scent wafted through her nostrils. She scrunched her nose; it smelled like a wet dog. The odor reminded her of the time when Jake’s neighbor’s pet was getting a bath. The full-grown Golden Retriever had hopped out of the tub, ran to Kellie, and jumped all over her. Jake and Jory couldn’t stop laughing.

  Kellie then heard a twig snap nearby. She held her breath as she listened to a four-footed animal’s light footsteps. It didn’t sound large, but small wild animals were still potentially dangerous.

  Holding up the broken branch as a weapon, Kellie exhaled as the treads became more distant.

  Her hyperactive senses came and went. At times they were a nuisance; other times, like today, they were beneficial.

  It was a long night. Kellie listened as the animals scurried up and down the trees and across nature’s floor. The forest came alive in the darkness as the piercing bird calls overlapped distant howling.

  Initially, the sounds made her nervous, but as each hour passed, it comforted her. Kellie didn’t feel like she was alone, and it was like being in Shenmi Forest. Although she knew how dangerous the wild could be, she felt connected to it. Perhaps it was because she had been found in the woods, or because she had explored Shenmi Forest almost daily with Shifu Lau when she was younger.

  Kellie’s eyelids drooped, and she nodded off periodically. As soon as she heard leaves rustling or crackling, her head popped up.

  Her legs tingled from being in the same huddled position for so long. She stretched her arms and legs, one at a time in front of her. She started to hum, but stopped herself when she heard fluttering in the trees. The animals either didn’t know she was there or were ignoring her. She didn’t want to pique their curiosity.

  Eventually, the darkness began to fade, and Kellie smiled when she saw a ray of sun appear by her toes. She had roughly twelve hours to get to the road at the side of the mountain, and the sooner she got going, the better.

  She packed her poncho into her knapsack and ate half the porridge for breakfast. Out she came from the hole that had kept her safe throughout the night. Her muscles were tight, and it felt good to stand upright. The air was fresh after the rain, and the smell of dew tickled her nose.

  Luckily, only a few white, scattered clouds hung from above, and it looked as if the monsoon had passed. Kellie took in her surroundings, but still wasn’t sure which way to go. The path she had taken before she retreated didn’t pose any threats. In that direction she went.

  This was the hottest day since Kellie had arrived in Bhutan. She rolled up her sleeves, brushed out her tangled hair with her fingers, and tied her hair up in a bun.

  It was difficult to tell if she was making any progress down the mountain. There were no trails or signs. As far as she knew, the nuns were the only ones nearby, and they stayed confined to their monastery. Although, once they discovered her disappearance, she imagined they would scour the entire mountain. She had to not only find her way, but be careful not to be spotted.

  Kellie’s shirt soaked with sweat as the humidity thickened. A blister began to form on the side of her right foot, and her stomach grumbled angrily. Half a bag of porridge wasn’t enough, and the raw vegetables she chewed on provided no satisfaction. Three-quarters of her water was gone, and she didn’t have much food left.

  Simi most likely had assumed that Kellie would have found the road by now and packed her knapsack with just enough food and water for a short journey. Kellie was able to ration the one meal into several, but by the next day, she wouldn’t have anything left.

  “‘You won’t miss it,’ huh?” said Kellie, repeating Simi’s words. Well, she missed the uprooted trunk and didn’t expect to run into it. She had been hiking for quite a while. By this time, she had hoped to be out of the woods and on a trail to the road. To her dismay, she was entering a denser part of the forest, and finding the road by twilight didn’t seem probable.

  The blister stung with every step, but she couldn’t stop traveling. Only a half a day of sunlight was left, and if she didn’t miraculously find her way, she needed shelter for another night.

  She considered returning to her hole, but that would mean a loss of a whole day. Besides, she wasn’t sure she could find her way back to it.

  Kellie had to keep going. Once dusk settled in, she would camp somewhere until daylight.

  Taking wide strides, she nervously looked around. Her legs never stopped moving, even when she noticed a spot of blood on the side of her shoe. The blister must have popped.

  Her left calf cramped, and although she tried to shake it off, the pain was too much. Kellie took a seat on a rock and massaged her leg. Trying to conserve water was leading her to become dehydrated. After taking a few small sips, Kellie decided to find a place for the night. She wanted to push her body to keep going, but it wasn’t cooperating.

  She scanned the area. There was nothing but trees and plants around. Nothing resembling the protective hole in a rock wall.

  Craning her neck backward, she considered staying up in the trees. Unfortunately, the trees were tall, and all the branches were high up. She imagined dozing off and falling to the ground. Breaking a bone was the last thing she needed. Wild animals inhabited the trees as well, so staying where she sat was as good a place as any.

  She ate the last of her porridge and saved the few radishes she had left. Her scant dinner barely touched her appetite. She needed to take her mind off her stomach.

  Kellie considered building a fire again. The weather was still warm and humid, but s
he expected to be chilly without the protection of a cave.

  “I wonder if animals will be drawn to the fire. Or it could scare them off…”

  After much consideration, the thought of the warmth of a blaze helped to make up her mind. She gathered branches and piled them up away from the trees. She found one large stick she would use as a torch to shoo away animals in case the fire attracted them. She gathered two rocks and smacked them together. Nothing happened. She tried rubbing sticks. Still no fire. She tried with the rocks again.

  Sunshine was waning, and she failed at creating light. The dampness of the wood didn’t help her efforts either. Asking Jory how to build a fire in a wet forest was another question she would ask him if—when she got home.

  She put on her poncho. The temperature was cooling, and the plastic would have to do to keep her protected.

  “What now?” Kellie said as she sat with her knees up to her chest. She couldn’t remember ever being alone for this long. This was only her second day, and she didn’t know how much longer she could last.

  “I can do it. I’m going to make it back home. I’m going to see my house again. I’m going to sleep in my bed. And the first thing I’m going to eat is…”

  Kellie couldn’t decide what she was going to eat first. A burger sounded good, but so did a hot bowl of soup. It could be any soup, even that pho Master Chen had made. Dumplings and bean buns also came to mind. So did lasagna. Jake was becoming an excellent cook, learning his mother’s dishes and creating his own concoctions. He had tweaked his mother’s lasagna recipe and added crumbled nacho-cheese-flavored chips on top. She and Jory had to admit that it was quite tasty.

  “Tiramisu!” Kellie shouted. “Yum!” She salivated while thinking about the heavenly dessert.

  Blackness took over. The moon didn’t offer much light. Kellie was going to try to stay up through the night and be on the lookout. She felt like a sitting duck being in the wild where bears, wolves, and tigers roamed. Hungry animals with sharp claws filled her imagination.

  Then an idea came to her. “Mulin? Zurich?” she said softly. Kellie didn’t quite know if they lived in Shenmi Forest or if they moved about. They were mystical creatures. So would they be able to hear or sense her from afar? Calling for them was a long shot, but it was worth a try. “Mulin? Zurich?” she said a little louder. She didn’t want to draw attention from regular animals and remained silent after the null response.

  I wonder what they’re doing. Would they help her if they knew she was stranded here? The mystical animals’ sole purpose was to train humans to fight. They didn’t get directly involved…so they’d said.

  The quiet forest was coming alive in the dark. Leaning against a tree, she sat rigid, attempting to be invisible. She listened to the exotic whispers of nature as they grew louder.

  I just need to make it to sunup.

  She found herself analyzing the noises around her. A distant howling equaled a wolf. High-pitched screeches were monkeys. Scurrying up and down spelled a squirrel or two. Sudden darting between the leaves and plants was some type of reptile.

  Staying in a rigid position, she hoped she was well camouflaged. The massive tree she was under provided enough blackness to shield her from a hungry predator, she hoped.

  There was rustling in a nearby bush. She heard crackles all around her, but each was short-lived. Her visitors passed through quickly, except the one to her left.

  There was small movement in that area accompanied by a desperate croaking sound. It stopped for a moment, and then continued.

  Curious, Kellie tiptoed to the bush. Pushing away branches and rocks, she saw that a tiny, black bird had its wing intertwined in the dense shrub.

  “I’ll get you free,” said Kellie.

  As she gently pulled out the trapped bird, it croaked louder. “I’m not going to hurt you.” The wing looked injured, but not broken. She carried the bird in the palm of her hand as it eyed her.

  “Can you fly?”

  The bird moved its wings, but didn’t attempt to fly away.

  “Does it hurt? You can rest with me. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”

  Sitting back down on her spot, Kellie laid the little bird on her lap over the poncho. It quickly stopped squirming and seemed to find comfort on the plastic. Kellie found some comfort as well, watching over the little creature, no longer feeling alone on the vast mountain. She understood how her feathery companion must have felt being trapped.

  As she tried not to stir again, but this time so the bird wouldn’t be disturbed, her eyelids slid down.

  Kellie’s head popped up when she heard a stir up in a tree. A furry tail hung from above and then withdrew between the leaves. Satisfied that there was no imminent danger, she leaned against the scaly trunk and watched the bird sleep.

  The next morning, Kellie felt something cool rub her hand. She found herself sprawled across the dirt and leaves. As she pushed herself up, a pair of eyes locked in on her, and a long tongue jetted out of a fallen jaw.

  In an attack position, a cobra hissed with its neck spread. The reptile was a yard away and didn’t look as if it was planning on retreating.

  Kellie froze, hoping not to provoke the venomous snake. Her eyeballs darted around, looking for the bird. Either it had gotten away or the new guest had already had breakfast.

  Her concern now was to get up and run. But should she spring up or move slowly?

  Move slowly.

  She crept onto her feet and was in a crouched position when the cobra lunged at her face. Trapped between the tree and the predator, all Kellie could do was scream!

  As its jaw widened, Kellie stared right into the reptile’s eyes, which were an inch from her nose.

  Suddenly, the snake’s orbitals enlarged as its head was pulled away from her. Its long body flew in an S-shape into the air and hit the ground with a slap, dirt flying everywhere. It quickly recoiled and locked its gaze on a new enemy.

  A small, brown creature faced the cobra and revealed its vicious teeth. It was a mongoose. Kellie remembered learning about them when she was in the third grade.

  How underestimated these animals were. This one was cute and furry, but its appearance was quite deceptive. It hissed at the snake, and Kellie wasn’t sure which one to be more frightened of.

  She scrambled to her feet and grabbed her knapsack as she watched the battle between the two arch enemies.

  The cobra lunged and snapped at its adversary, but the mongoose pulled back with its lightning-fast reflexes. The mammal danced around the reptile and even allowed it to coil around its fur. The mongoose rolled around the dirt with its rival, twisting its body, never letting the sharp, poisonous fangs sink in.

  Kellie observed safely from behind a tree.

  The mongoose clearly had the upper hand, and the frustrated snake eventually withdrew. The mongoose let it slither away when it could have easily been a meal.

  After seeing its opponent leave, the mongoose turned to Kellie and cocked its head. She stayed behind the wide trunk, but was ready to run if the animal decided to approach. It gazed at her momentarily, then darted between two bushes and vanished out of sight.

  “That was interesting…” said Kellie, her breath still ragged from the near tragedy.

  What now? Assessing the area, she decided that continuing on the same course was as good as going in any other direction. Anyway, after encountering a cobra, things couldn’t get any worse.

  Or could they?

  Kellie heard footsteps. With her erratic senses, she wasn’t quite sure how distant they were. Closing her eyes, she focused on her hearing. The footfalls belonged to a two-legged animal.

  She flicked open her eyes. The tracker!

  Kellie quickly kicked at the ground covering to clear any evidence that she was here, then shuddered at the sight of the gigantic pile of wood. Grabbing handfuls
of sticks, she scattered them around and threw them into the bushes.

  The footsteps became louder.

  Her head flung from right to left to find a place to hide. Looking behind her, Kellie couldn’t see anyone, but her footprints in the mud were like breadcrumbs leading straight to her. She wiped her soles in the grass and treaded over tree roots and rocks to hide her tracks.

  The footsteps were quickening.

  If Kellie ran, she would be heard, so she climbed up a tree and wedged herself in a groove between the trunk and a branch.

  The steps slowed and seemed to be roaming around below her. The person came into Kellie’s view in a crack between leaves. It was Bodhi, and she was examining the area carefully.

  The tracker stood under the tree Kellie was in. Kellie held her breath. Bodhi stared down at the ground for some time, and then looked up.

  Kellie didn’t move a muscle. She was well hidden from where Bodhi stood. But if the nun walked to the other side of the tree, she would be spotted.

  Kellie heard Bodhi’s footsteps and bit her lower lip. Suddenly, she heard a scream. Leaning over slightly, she saw a black bird pecking at Bodhi’s head. A few more birds flew around the nun. Bodhi flailed her arms to shoo them away, but more winged creatures appeared. She couldn’t escape the mobbing and darted away, but before she disappeared from sight, Kellie saw her plastic bag tucked in Bodhi’s belt along with some tools. Kellie had inadvertently left a clue, making it easy to be followed.

  Kellie waited in the tree until she no longer heard the tracker’s footfalls. She climbed down and trekked in a different direction from where Bodhi had fled.

  After a few hours, Kellie was officially out of water. The good news was that it appeared as if it was going to rain again—and wash away her tracks. The bad news was that it appeared as if it was going to rain again—and soak her to the bone. The branches began to sway, and the clouds moved in. She planned to fill her bottle with rainwater, but she also needed to find shelter.