by B. L. Sauder
After a few moments, they came to the end of the stalls. They were now on a wide, busy sidewalk. Between them and the other side of Nathan Road were four lanes of traffic. There were people in every direction. Some loitered in front of shop windows and others rushed around. Music blared, hawkers called out their wares and there was the steady sound of car horns. Blasts of exhaust spewed out of taxis, motorbikes and double-decker buses, covering everything with a black film of diesel.
“Look,” Alex said. “There’s a phone booth. Let’s see if we can call Yeye’s place.”
“Right,” Ryan said, “but how do we get the number?”
“Call the operator,” said Alex.
Ryan picked up the receiver and pushed 0.
He stood listening for a moment, then frowned. Ryan said, “Hello? My Cantonese is not very good. Can you speak English?”
Alex watched him listening again.
“I need a telephone number for my grandfather, Mr. Wong. He lives on Hong Kong Island. Could you please look it up for me?”
Another moment passed.
“I don’t know,” Ryan said. “I only know his English name.” He groaned. “Please,” he said, “you’ve got to help us. We’re lost and we don’t know what to do.”
After a second or two, Ryan smiled. “Oh, that would be great.” He nodded at Alex, whispering, “He’s going to put us through to the Tourist Police.” Then, into the receiver he said, “Thank you. Thank you so –”
Ryan stopped talking and looked over Alex’s shoulder. His smile vanished.
What had Ryan seen? Alex peered back behind him. He didn’t see anything except vehicles and pedestrians. When he looked back at Ryan, his brother’s face looked strange. He was touching his left temple and seemed surprised. When he took his hand away, his fingers were smeared with blood.
“Ryan. You’re bleeding!”
Alex turned to look across the street again. A man with large sunglasses was climbing over the guard rail. Without bothering to look left or right, he leapt over the barrier and into traffic. He ignored the cars and other vehicles as if they didn’t exist, snaking his way toward them without harm.
How can he do that?
Ryan grabbed him and said, “Run!”
They ran together as best they could on the crowded sidewalk, Ryan looking frantically around all the time.
Alex turned around for a moment and saw the man with the sunglasses was following them. He had a horrible grin on his face.
“Who is that?” gasped Alex as Ryan pulled him toward a wide set of stairs in the middle of the sidewalk.
“The guy from the airport,” Ryan said. “Quick! Down here!” They bounded down the steps two at a time.
There was a row of turnstiles at the bottom with people lined up in front of several machines. The boys watched as a woman pushed a card into a slot and a metal barrier turned, allowing her to walk through.
“We need a ticket!” Alex said, tugging at Ryan’s sleeve and pulling him toward one of the ticket dispensers.
Ryan glanced behind them toward the stairs. His face blanched. “No time,” he said, crouching down and crawling under a turnstile. “Follow me. There!” Ryan shouted, pointing at a packed subway train. “Hurry, Alex! We’ve got to get on board!”
Halfway across the platform, Alex heard a voice speaking in Cantonese over a loudspeaker. The announcement followed in English. This train is about to depart. Mind the doors, please. A horn sounded, and the steel doors began to close. A woman stood just inside the compartment the boys were racing toward. When she saw Alex and Ryan trying to catch the train, she jammed her umbrella between the closing doors. They automatically opened again, just long enough for the boys to squeeze through.
“Thank you!” they breathed.
The doors sealed tight, and the train began to move away.
Just outside the window, Alex saw the man. He had removed his sunglasses and was staring at the box Alex held gripped in his hand. The subway picked up speed. The last thing he saw was the man shaking his fists. His head was tilted back and his mouth was wide open. He looked like he was howling.
Chapter 13
Advice from an Ancient Advisor
Hong Mei landed with a thud. She lay on her side, half-frozen. Her black hair stood on end, and her pretty freckled face was covered in frost. Just above her blue lips were beads of moisture. Gripped in her hands were all three pieces of jade, still perfectly joined together as one circular disc.
As she regained consciousness, Hong Mei tried to open her eyes, but they felt like they’d been glued shut. She attempted to move, but her body was too stiff. Was she paralyzed? Had her back or neck been broken? Her heart raced. Thankfully, she could feel that.
Hong Mei thought of her gong fu training and the age-old mantra of “mind over matter.” She focused on what her senses told her and felt the warm kiss of the sun on her face. From above there was the cheerful, sweet twittering of birds. When she breathed in, she smelled rich soil and the woodsy scent of pine trees.
Her shoulder began to ache, but despite the throb, she was relieved.
After a few minutes, Hong Mei was able to move her arms, legs and feet. Although every single part of her body was waking up in pain, nothing felt broken.
When she could finally sit up, she once again tried to open her eyes. With a little effort, they came unstuck and she saw that she was outdoors. Off in the distance, she could see a town, or was it was a city? The buildings didn’t seem tall enough for Kowloon or Hong Kong. She heard the birds again and the low whistle of the wind tickling the needles of the trees. There were no sounds of city life. No horns honking, people talking or lorries rushing along roads.
Hong Mei looked down at her raw hands, thawing in the wonderful warmth of the sun. The jade seemed to wink at her, dazzling in its pale beauty. Had the stone brought her here? Why? With tingling hands, she divided the jade where it had once been broken. It snapped apart easily.
Slowly, Hong Mei stood up in the clearing where she’d awoken. There was a dark and thickly wooded forest next to her. What was this place? It was quite lovely, but oddly quiet. She’d never been to a place where there weren’t any people. Closing her eyes again, she tilted her face to catch more of the sun’s healing rays. Unlike most Chinese, Mama always said that a little sunshine was good for a person’s health. As it warmed her aching body, Hong Mei wondered if that old guy with Madam Ching was right about her freckles. Maybe they were from too much sun.
After only a second or two with her eyes closed, the familiar prickling began above her forehead and made its way over her scalp. The sensation lifted the roots of her hair, making its way to the top of her spine. She was about to have a vision.
From behind her closed eyelids, she saw a classic Chinese-style structure. It appeared to be a large building, but she couldn’t tell since most of it was hidden behind a high brown-red wall. She could only make out the top section with its steep, yellow-tiled roof. Several small bronze dragons were fixed along the sharp edge of the rooftop. It reminded her of the Imperial Palace in Beijing.
The vision began to change as it focused in on two black iron doors in the wall. A pair of stone guardian lions sat on either side of the doorway, fiercely facing down intruders. Between the feet of the female statue sat her cub, while her mate on the right side of the door sat with one paw resting on a globe. The dog-like lions seemed to be watching her. This was different. It was like she was not just having a vision, but actually taking part in it.
The heavy doors silently swung inward and an old, white-haired man in a long, dark robe stepped out. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he walked toward her with a gentle smile. Hong Mei felt herself relax a bit. Somehow she knew there was nothing to fear from this man.
When he was in front of her, the man stopped and reached for her hands that still clasped the pieces of jade. Holding her closed fingers, he said in a deep, trombone-like voice, “Dearest child. Long have I waited for this day to arrive.”
Who was this man? He seemed oddly familiar.
“We have not met before, but we are related – from a long way back,” the robed figure said.
Master Chen?
Nodding, he tenderly opened her fingers and put the pieces of jade back together in her open left palm. When it was one complete disc again, it started shining electric green. “Ancient magic has brought you here. This enchanted stone has unearthly powers.”
Hong Mei bowed her head in acknowledgement.
“You look much like my own daughter did at your age. She, too, was intuitive and brave.”
“I am neither intuitive nor brave, honourable Grandfather,” Hong Mei said, keeping her head lowered.
“Oh, but you are. Do not doubt your true self. Your father thinks your insight is the strongest part of your character.”
“Baba? You’ve seen him?”
“Yes,” Master Chen said quietly. “I have seen him many times and he continues to believe in you.”
“But he always said I was weak! He despised me for being a girl and not a boy.”
“That is not true. It was only his way of preparing you for your duty. He set about to make you resilient. Why do you think you were named Hong Mei? It was not only for the beauty of that red flower, but also because it continues to bloom even in frost and snow. Your father chose your name so that you, too, would remain strong, even during very difficult circumstances. There will be obstacles to overcome, Hong Mei, but you will endure.”
The stone shimmered as if it agreed with the old man’s words. Master Chen cupped Hong Mei’s hands in his gnarled fingers. “Objects of beauty have always tempted humans, Hong Mei. This lovely pendant is proof of how far humans will go for their desires. You must fight these feelings and think only of returning this jade to Black Dragon.”
Hong Mei lifted her face and peered into Master Chen’s watery eyes. “To Black Dragon?”
“Yes, to Black Dragon. Listen well, Hong Mei. You must make certain that you and the heirs return the jade by midnight – just before the New Year begins. All three of you must meet Black Dragon at the river in the capital city.”
“Pardon me, Grandfather. I am very confused. Madam Ching instructed me to bring the heirs and jade to her, in the capital city.”
“Ching?” Master Chen’s eyes widened.
“Yes, Madam Ching sent me to Hong Kong to meet the royal sons. She told me to bring them and their jade to her. She wants us to use our jade to bring Black Dragon to her.”
Hong Mei felt the man’s grip tighten.
“Do not trust the Ching woman. Treachery and evil make her heart beat. If she told you she wants Black Dragon, this is already a lie. The mighty beast would kill her and use Ching’s bones for chopsticks if he so desired. No, she cannot want to draw Black Dragon close to her.”
Hong Mei felt his hands stay tight as he stared past her.
“Unless…” he mused quietly. “Unless she’s decided to end their feud.” He thought about this for a moment, then said, “Impossible! There must be another reason a woman from that clan has surfaced again.” He snorted. “It is obvious she is frightened by its dark reputation, or she would not have bothered to send for you and the heirs.”
“Dark reputation, Grandfather?”
Focusing back on her, Master Chen continued, “The jade is a reliable judge of character. It brought you safely here, to where Black Dragon and I once lived. If the centre of your heart was not true, the jade would make you suffer, not guide you.”
Hong Mei felt a wave of delight at his words, but immediately after, guilt returned. She wished she was as good as Master Chen seemed to think.
The old man seemed to read her thoughts. “Trust in yourself, Hong Mei, and remember that even with the jade’s assistance, great caution is needed in your quest. It must be passed from you three heirs directly to Black Dragon. That is what was promised.”
“But Grandfather, I met Black Dragon and he was terrifying.” She felt a surge of pain run through her wounded arm.
“Do not fear Black Dragon, Granddaughter. He only wants his precious jade so that humans cannot misuse its powers after he is gone. Black Dragon gave up his chance at immortality for us. He asked only that we return his jade before he dies. We must respect this.”
“Must we give Black Dragon our jade? Can we not just show it to him?”
“No!” Master Chen bellowed. His voice thundered across the ages. “You must not even think this way. The fate of our family and the Emperor’s heirs lies with you. Since this Ching woman has emerged, perhaps even more people will be harmed. Your father told me of your visions and I fear they are not only images of our grisly past. They may be portents of an even more terrible future. Too many will die if the promise is not kept, just as they did so very long ago.”
His voice became quiet again. “There is much to be learned from dragons, Hong Mei. It is so very sad that your generation will live without them. But your peers are fortunate to have you in their midst. You, with your gift of dragon’s blood.”
“Dragon’s blood?”
“Of course,” Master Chen said, his face smiling and frowning at the same time. “Did you not know? It was a gift from the creator goddess Nu Wa. To Black Dragon, she granted everlasting life. And to me, a young scholar and faithful friend of Black Dragon, she gave an infusion of dragon’s blood. Over the generations, this has thinned, of course. But your ability, Granddaughter, to envision the past and the future, proves that you have traces of Nu Wa’s legacy. Ah, child, you have much to learn before tomorrow night. I wish we had more time together.”
Hong Mei’s hands were released from his firm hold as mist began to swirl at their feet. Her heart sank as Master Chen began to fade. “Please, Grandfather. Don’t go. I still have so many questions. Won’t you please stay a little longer?” Her voice cracked. “Can’t you stay and help me?”
“No, I cannot. It is your task to perform and it is you who must lead the heirs. Remember – listen to your instincts. Be strong and proud, Hong Mei, for you are the chosen one.”
Master Chen walked back toward the door as the vapours grew thick between the two of them. He stopped and turned his head. “Use Black Dragon’s treasure only when you need to, Granddaughter. It will take you where you wish to go, but each time you use the jade, you will become more dependent on it. It is very difficult to give back something so wonderful, is it not, my child?”
Even in her vision, Hong Mei felt herself blushing.
Master Chen stepped over the threshold and through the doorway. She heard him shout a few last words, “Let nothing stand in your way.” The door closed and the building disappeared into the cloud and fog.
Hong Mei’s vision ended and she was once again all alone.
She took a shaky breath and opened her eyes to the same clear, bright day she had awoken in earlier. A shiver ran through her body. She wanted to be strong, but she was so afraid.
Hong Mei looked at her watch. It blinked 35:26:13. Thirty-five and a half hours until New Year’s Eve. The last time she’d checked was in the hotel room in Kowloon. Nearly ten hours had passed since then and she was hundreds of kilometres away. If she had ended up here, in the middle of China, where were Ryan and Alex? What must they have thought when they’d found out she’d disappeared – along with their jade?
Snap! Hong Mei heard a twig break.
The air whistled eerily through the trees. She thought she saw something move. Holding the jade pieces tightly in her hands, she felt herself being drawn toward the forest. As she got closer, she could see a break in the woods.
At the opening, Hong Mei peered in and caught sight of a large brown hare hopping along a trail. That’s what she must have heard. Stepping onto the path and looking up, she could barely see the sky through the thick canopy. The strange quietness made her nervous. Hong Mei turned to go back, but found nothing but dense foliage. The opening was no longer there.
Still holding tightly to the jade pieces i
n her hands, she felt them growing warmer. There was a sudden flash of green light, like a bolt of lightning hitting the ground near her. She jumped and her body tensed, waiting for – what? Another icy journey? The flash quickly changed into a steady stream of fluorescent green light streaking down through the trees. Hong Mei thought of scary movies she’d seen.
A few seconds passed with no change to its intense light. Hong Mei realized she’d been holding her breath and let it out. Thankfully, she still felt the unchanging firmness of the ground beneath her feet.
Something on the ground where the light was focused caught her eye. It was difficult to see since it was also bright green, but she realized that it was a piece of jade. Although similar to Black Dragon’s, the differences were its size and beauty. The disc was larger and it shone even more brightly than Black Dragon’s jade had when it was whole. Could it be for her? Hong Mei’s breathing quickened. Maybe it was to replace the one she’d have to give up!
She was about to step into the soft forest litter to take the jade when she stopped. Wait a minute. What had Master Chen said? Objects of beauty have always tempted humans.
Hong Mei gazed longingly down at the shimmering jade, admiring it from where she stood. “No, I can be strong. I can be stronger than I was before.” Pulling her shoulders back, she turned away from the jade and began walking again.
For a while, Hong Mei felt good. She was confident and her body didn’t hurt anymore. Even her singed arm was less sore now. Making her way along the forest path, she was almost beginning to enjoy herself. Everything around her smelled fresh and green. She walked on a soft carpet of pine needles, on and on.
Then Hong Mei’s legs grew heavy and she started to glance often into the trees, sometimes imagining she’d heard or seen something. Ahead of her, the path stretched as far as she could see, with no end in sight. She was sick now of the smell of dirt and moss. They pressed in on her. She was thirsty. Really thirsty.