The Red Lands 1
Page 34
The story continued on as the boy finally understood what living in the Slums really entailed. But he persisted in his beliefs.
Only one outcome would have been possible after this scenario.
The boy would finally succumb to the harsh life and die. The reduced income would cause the family to give up on the young daughter who had no real future. The family would have grown into despair and slowly died out.
Another family who faced poverty in the town would have arrived to the village and the cycle restarted. The flow of social standings moved both ways after all.
***
Presently old man Song and his family were sitting around the table of the kitchen. There were no signs of worry of any social or economic problems.
The family had enough money to tide them over the hard times of winter. They sported a healthy complexion of people used to wholesome meals and frugal lifestyle. They even had a few extra children the majority who were girls.
It was now nighttime. Chu had spent some time in the evening with John ironing out some of the details and had gotten everything worked out. He had already mentioned this opportunity to his parents so it should not come as too much of a shock.
He did not expect his mother to still faint upon hearing the news.
She had now recovered and was sitting on a chair with Sakura giving her a massage.
In a fortnight, they would leave with the caravan from the Trading Post. This would provide them with protection until they arrived at Karst. Griz would have made the arrangements for them there to live a new life.
Once they were settled and comfortable he told his father to return to the village during the summer to report on their living conditions. He told Yin to send a letter to the Trading Post for him when she learned to write fluently.
Yin was Chu's sister who was forced to suffer in the winter educational drive along with the others.
The house in the village was to remain for their use. Chu would handle the taxes and upkeep. With money, food and a better life to look forward to, the family broke down in tears.
The tears continued to flow even more when Chu insisted that he had to remain in the village.
Even though Chu was not of this world and he bore no special connection to these people he still cried. As a grown man it might have been embarrassing but only he could know how he truly felt.
The previous owner had been willing to sacrifice his life for his family. Chu was willing to do the same after he understood the situation. He had risked his life, found new friends and nearly lost a loyal companion.
Through the literal blood sweat and tears, along with a sound mind he provided a better life for his family and himself. They had even managed to earn their own house and land. He could never forget that first night, his teeth chattering in the cold as Ming and him baited their first trap.
After all this time and with the gravity of those two letters, he finally broke down and cried.
To Be Continued...
Preview
~Book Two~
"Looks like you think this is a deadlock? Let me give you country folks a lesson on the ways of the world."
Halfway through speaking, he lifted Chu upwards by his long hair. As the boy tiptoed and screamed, the man plunged his sword into the thin left leg, drawing another wail. Seemingly aware of the cloak's unusual resistance, the man applied ruthless force.
The bandit seemed to revel in the inflicted suffering since he gouged at the wound with the weapon to administer maximum trauma.
"Drop it girl, and call back your dog. Right now both of these mutts, have matching leg wounds. The next strike will cost a limb."
As if to reiterate his seriousness, he plunged the sword into the bloodied leg again, this time carving a new wound. Lucy cried out to stop, as she lowered her crossbow to the ground. Ming also dropped his sword in disgust at the man's behavior.
"Good, good. I want that beast for my young master. With such a fine specimen, he would undoubtedly be the talk of the city. Be thankful that I have never laid eyes on such a breed, otherwise I would have killed you all. Hahaha! What luck this trip has been!"
As the man laughed, his hood finally fell backwards revealing his face. Riddled with pain, Chu maintained enough semblance of sanity in his mind, to see the silent words forming from Ming's mouth.
Their time hunting in an environment that depended on absolute silence, had birthed all sorts of communication methods.
In this more sparse and brightly lit wood, Chu made out the word.
'Gofart'
The Adventure will continue in Book Two...