Kung Fu Kellie and Sonam's Prophecy

by A. H. Shinn

  “You snooped in my room?” Master Chen asked as his eyes opened.

  Kellie straightened. “You’re awake? What can I do for you?” She looked around helplessly for another pillow or something to make him more comfortable.

  “Doing fine,” Master Chen said as he sat up and leaned against the wall. “It was all act.”

  “It was all act?” she repeated, confused. “It was all act?” she said again. “It was all an act?”

  “Shh,” he said, patting his hands in the air to quiet her down. “It was trick so I can stay here with you. I am good actor.”

  Kellie stood on her feet and rubbed her face with her hands. She didn’t know if she should be angry with him or elated. “How could you lead me on for so long?”

  “Fell asleep. Stretcher felt like hammock. Haven’t slept good in long time.”

  Kellie sighed in relief. “I thought you had a heart attack. Suddenly, I realized I wouldn’t know what to do without you. You’ve done everything for me, and I’ve never really thanked you. So, thank you.” Tears began to build in her eyes again.

  “Eh. You teenager. ’S okay.”

  Cracking a smile, Kellie said, “That was some good acting. Everyone fell for it.”

  “When I was young monk, we used to put on performance in village—”

  A hard knock startled Kellie, and before she could turn her head to face the door, it flew open. Her neck snapped back toward Master Chen, afraid that their deceit was exposed.

  He was down on the bed, sprawled out, with his eyes closed and mouth open. He even had a little bit of drool hanging from the corner of his mouth.

  Impressive, thought Kellie. Now it’s my turn. Taking advantage of the tears suspending on her lower eyelids, she squeezed her eyes shut and started wailing. “I can’t believe this! Is he going to die? What am I going to do?”

  Lin, at the doorway holding a steaming cup, appeared aghast. Kellie dramatically grabbed onto the nun’s arm and shook it vigorously. “Can you help him? Please, help him!”

  Lin grimaced as she made an effort to keep the hot drink from spilling. “Give him this.” She handed off the cup and rushed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

  “That wasn’t such a bad performance, if I may say so myself,” said Kellie.

  “Overacting,” said Master Chen as he scooted himself up. He put out his hand to accept the drink.

  “Was it really?” she asked.

  “Eh. We work on it…”

  “What can’t you do?”

  “I am like Renaissance man. But now, we have more important matter. We have to get out of here. Bhikkhunı−s have terrible reputation. They will stop at nothing for their beliefs.”

  “But even if I get out of here, won’t they come after me again until I give them what they want?”

  Master Chen nodded, silent in thought.

  Kellie gazed down at the slippers on her feet. She worried she would be wearing them for the rest of her life.

  Master Chen sighed loudly. “You do not believe yourself.”

  “What?”

  “You afraid you could be Teacher.”

  “No, I don’t…Do you think I could be?”

  “No,” he said quickly.

  “But Sonam, their founder, described someone pretty similar to me. What if I am the One?”

  “You are not. And your fate is your choice. You do not have to do anything you do not want.”

  “What are we going to do then?”

  Still holding the cup, Master Chen took a whiff and scrunched his face. “Foxglove.” He poured out the fluid into a potted plant. “Has digitalis. Can be poison on healthy heart.”

  He really does know everything.

  “I have plan,” said Master Chen.

  Kellie shut the door behind her and saw the wooden plank leaning against the wall. She kicked it over and pushed it with her toes behind a cluster of plants.

  No one was standing guard, which surprised her.

  Ah, she thought. Master Chen’s strategy was brilliant. Since they believed he was debilitated, they must have presumed he and Kellie were not currently a threat. Strangely, though, not a single person was around.

  She wanted to check up on Jake and Jory and say good-bye to Lia. Kellie had begun to make her way back to her friends when she heard yelling. The commotion came from another direction. As she took slow steps toward the dining hall, the outcries elevated in intensity. Many voices, male and female, were shouting from a distance. Her gut told her to turn and run toward the uproar.

  What was happening? She maneuvered around buildings and scampered on the trails, following what sounded like a revolt. She was nearby, but unable to get a visual due to the dense area of trees pocketing the monastery.

  Deciding she could probably cut through the forest, she darted between the trees and continued to follow with her ears. Closer and closer she came, until finally she emerged from the woods and saw the armed villagers. They were hollering at the nuns, who had congregated as a troupe to face the angry mob.

  Sarna stepped forward and frantically scanned the crowd of women. “Where is she? Where is my daughter? I will not leave until she is with me!”

  “She is fine,” one of the nuns said soothingly. “She is being brought over.” Simi appeared and approached Sarna. “Please, settle your people down. You will soon have your daughter.”

  Sarna hesitated, her features momentarily relaxed. A scowl then formed on her face. “We are also not leaving without Kellie.” She raised the spear she held in her hands, and the people behind her followed suit. They roared, waving their weapons around.

  As two men moved forward, Tashi sprung at them with her fists. Sarna reacted by pointing out her spear. It caught the nun’s shirt, tearing the side as she pulled away. Sarna froze when she saw the tattoo inked underneath the ripped garment.

  This changed Tashi’s target of attack. She advanced toward Sarna as the other nuns poised to fight the men.

  Kellie sprinted ahead. The villagers were outnumbered three to one. “Stop!” she screamed.

  Sarna’s eyes brightened when she spotted Kellie, though she quickly turned her attention back to the threat.

  Both sides halted but remained in crouched positions.

  “Please, stop,” Kellie said. “Lia is fine and so am I. I’ll be staying here.” She saw Sarna’s expression change to concern. “Take her home and don’t turn back. I’ll be all right.”

  Sarna opened her mouth, undoubtedly to protest, but before words came out, she heard her daughter’s voice.

  “Mommy!”

  “Lia,” she breathed, her child’s name rolling off her tongue.

  The young girl ran up to her and threw her arms around her mother. Jake and Jory trotted along, never taking their eyes off Lia.

  With her hand firmly grasping her daughter’s shoulder, Sarna said, “Kellie, please come back with us.”

  Tashi snarled, and the other nuns grumbled.

  “I promise you, I’ll be fine,” Kellie said calmly. “I don’t want anyone to get hurt. My friends are here with me. Please, take Lia and go.”

  Sarna gave Jake and Jory an odd look, most likely wondering how these two boys were here. “If you’re certain you want to stay?”

  “I’m certain.”

  Sarna appeared torn. After loosening her hold on her spear, she said, “You know where we are.” She turned to her people and spoke to them. With reluctance, one by one, the men and women lowered their weapons and turned to leave. One of the men muttered as he threw one last glower at the nuns.

  Sarna was the last to depart. She gripped Lia’s hand tightly as she forced a good-bye smile at Kellie. Lia also took one last peek as her mother tugged her arm, but she wasn’t looking at Kellie. She was staring at the nuns.

  The nuns retreated,
too, and as the crowd thinned, Kellie caught a glimpse of Simi. She looked terrible. Her vibrancy was gone, and she walked away with slumped shoulders.

  “Kel,” said Jake, tapping her arm. “How’s Master Chen?”

  “Fine—er, better,” Kellie said. She noticed some of the nuns who had not yet dispersed. “He’s doing a little better but still needs his rest. It may be days until he is well enough to make the trip back to America.”

  “Days?” asked Jory. “But he should see a doctor now. We should see if we could take him to town, so he—”

  “That can be arranged,” said a rough voice behind Kellie. She turned to see Choden approaching them.

  “No, that won’t be necessary,” said Kellie. “He just needs to be lying down.”

  “But if he had a heart attack,” said Jory, “he should receive immediate care at a hospital. My uncle had a heart attack and he didn’t know it for weeks. If he had gone to the doctor early, he would’ve done better.”

  “I can get transportation to the closest hospital,” said Choden. She raised her hand and was about to wave someone over.

  “NO!” yelled Kellie. The three of them looked surprised at her outburst. “I want him to stay here.”

  She shot Jory a please-stop-talking glare. It worked, although he stared at her with a puzzled look.

  “I agree with Jory,” said Jake.

  Kellie wanted to slap her forehead. “He’s sleeping. If he wants to go, I will let it be arranged, but for now, he’ll be perfectly fine here. He was given an herbal that helps the heart.”

  “Herbal?” asked Jory. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. My grandfather is a pharmacist and he says that they’re not—”

  “That’s enough, Jory!” said Kellie firmly. “I command that he stays,” she said, turning to Choden. She wasn’t sure how much she could get away with her orders, but she had to try. “Have someone by his door to make sure he gets what he asks for. While he rests, I will show my friends around, since I may never see them again.”

  This is a great idea, thought Kellie. Since I’m the one having someone watch Master Chen’s room, Choden won’t suspect me of any funny business.

  Choden narrowed her eyes at Kellie. “Very well. I will station someone at his door. Do not stray too far.”

  Choden was the last nun to leave the grassy area, and after she was out of earshot, Kellie moved in close to her friends. Jory’s eyes rounded like two bottle caps, and Jake had one corner of his mouth raised.

  “Kellie, you have to hear yourself,” Jake said gently. “I understand you’re worried about Master Chen, but he can’t stay here. You can’t stay here.”

  “I know,” said Kellie. “I was lying. And I’m sorry I snapped at you, Jory.”

  Both of her friends wrinkled their brows.

  With her voice low, she began to explain. “Master Chen didn’t have a heart attack. He’s not sick at all.”

  Jory scratched his head, and Jake’s brow furrowed even deeper.

  “It was all an act. He faked a heart attack, so he could stay here with me; otherwise, they would’ve made him and the both of you leave today. He has some plan, but if it doesn’t work, I’ll stay here until you find a way to get me out.”

  Jake let out a breath. “I thought your head wasn’t on straight when you refused to get Master Chen medical care.”

  “I thought you were being brainwashed,” said Jory. “It wouldn’t be surprising with an isolated group like this.”

  “I thought nuns were supposed to be peaceful and meditate all day,” said Jake. “Anyway, it’s a relief that it was all a show.”

  “And thankfully, Master Chen is all right,” said Jory. “I almost ruined your story.”

  “You can help me with another one,” said Kellie, “but I don’t know how I’m going to prove it.”

  “Prove what?” asked Jake.

  “I need to prove to the nuns that I’m not their Teacher. If they don’t believe I’m the One, they’ll let me go. If I escape without changing their minds, they will keep coming after me.”

  Jory stood quiet, rubbing his chin.

  “Why do they think you’re their Teacher, anyway?” asked Jake.

  Kellie told them about Sonam and her prophecy. She described the book she had found in the shrine and the symbol the nuns inked on their backs. She explained the characteristics of the Teacher who Sonam had foretold and the special energy this person had.

  “So, you see,” said Kellie, “I have to make them believe they have the wrong person.”

  Neither Jake nor Jory offered a word.

  “So, what do you think?” Kellie asked, breaking the awkward silence.

  “It would be hard to argue all the similarities you have to the Teacher,” said Jory. “Being a baby from the forest. Having Hagos’s Emotive Chi. What are the odds?”

  That wasn’t what Kellie wanted to hear but it didn’t surprise her. “I know,” she admitted. “What am I supposed to do?”

  “I have an idea,” said Jake.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Challenge

  What’s your idea?” asked Kellie.

  “Take me to Sarna’s shrine,” Jake said with a mischievous smile.

  Jory traded a curious glance with Kellie.

  “Okay,” she said as she shrugged her shoulders. With her hand blocking the sun from her eyes, she scanned the area. “It should be this way.”

  The boys followed her on the footpaths. She had located the sacred place by happenstance last time and wasn’t exactly sure how to get there again.

  “Are you lost?” asked Jake.

  “This monastery is big,” she answered. “Much more so than Taiping Monastery. It’s like a maze.”

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” he said.

  “I’ll have to ask someone,” she said as she spotted the living quarters. As requested, a nun was standing by Master Chen’s door. After Kellie learned that Master Chen was still “resting,” she got the directions to the shrine and led the way.

  “There it is,” she said, pointing to the decorative building.

  “It doesn’t look like any of their other buildings,” said Jory.

  “You should see their temple,” said Kellie.

  “I read that Bhutanese fort-monasteries are built without any planning or drawings,” said Jory. “They don’t even use nails.”

  “Let’s talk architecture later,” Jake said sarcastically, throwing his hands in the air.

  They entered Sonam’s shrine and, before Kellie could ask about Jake’s plan, he and Jory scattered to either side of the room.

  Jake was drawn to the weapons. “That looks like it could do some damage.” He pointed to a long whip with an arrow at the tip.

  Jory examined the paintings on the wall and the outfits in the glass cases. “How old is this monastery?”

  “I think it’s about three hundred years old,” said Kellie.

  “Isn’t that how old Taiping Monastery is?” he asked.

  “You’re right…and I think Sonam and Grand Master Jing knew each other,” said Kellie. “They both have the same drawing of two hands holding each other.”

  “Do you think they dated?” asked Jory, almost knocking over a mannequin.

  “I don’t think monks and nuns are allowed to date,” said Jake, playing with a dagger.

  “And here is her art book,” said Kellie, picking up the delicate artifact. She reexamined the pages as Jake and Jory came over.

  “Are those pictures of the tiger and crane the animals we know?” asked Jory.

  Kellie couldn’t hide her excitement. She hadn’t told them how Sonam was trained by the mystical animals, and she filled them in on the story Desta had shared with her.

  “You learned from another mystical animal?” asked Jake.

  “Son
am was a chosen one?” asked Jory. He scratched his forehead. “Aren’t they supposed to represent good?”

  “Supposed to…” said Kellie. “She changed, so they stopped teaching her.”

  “I wonder who the next mystical animal will be to train you,” said Jake. “Are we going to get to meet Desta?”

  “Maybe. He’s a little…different.” She clarified when Jake raised an eyebrow. “Not the approachable type. Tougher than Mulin.” He nodded, getting the gist.

  “So, Sonam went to the dark side, like Hagos?” asked Jory.

  “Um…I think it was more like she misunderstood the meaning of kung fu,” said Kellie. “Instead of using it for self-defense and to find inner peace, she used her skills to hurt the men who’d attacked unsuspecting nuns in the forest.”

  “What’s the difference?” asked Jake. “Didn’t they deserve it?”

  “It sounded to me like she took it a step too far and taught the other nuns to do the same. She passed on brutality, and that’s not what kung fu is all about.”

  “And that’s clearly evident with these nuns,” said Jake.

  Kellie flipped to the pages that contained descriptions on stances, strikes, and blocks through illustration and text.

  “This is sorta like Grand Master Jing’s art book,” said Jory. “Except hers is also a kung fu instruction manual.”

  “At first,” said Kellie. Then she turned the pages and they looked through the sketches of natural scenery.

  As Kellie examined the pictures a second time, she realized the change in the theme of Sonam’s art. The initial drawings of caves and wilting plants were dark and dreary. Then the following pictures of the stars, flowers, and water were bright and joyful.

  I think Sonam went through a change herself, thought Kellie.

  “So, where are the drawings of you?” asked Jake.

  “Allegedly me,” she reminded him. “It’s at the end.”

  They flipped through the sketches of the baby in the forest. The last page was the illustration of what the nuns revered as their founder’s final message. Kellie couldn’t help cringing at the energy ball materializing from the edge of a palm.