Chapter 18
Edward Quan ·
“The little ghost won't blame you.”
“Neither... will I.”
“Besides...”
“I've kept his soul here.”
“He won't disappear completely.”
“Don't worry.”
Mr. Zhang spoke hoarsely as he walked.
“Then...”
“When will Wenwen wake?”
“At least...”
“Five years.”
“If it takes longer...”
“Maybe ten.”
He stopped outside his room, lowered his head, and sighed.
His next words were so soft they seemed meant only for himself.
“At my age...”
“Will I live to see him wake?”
“Mr. Zhang...”
I called softly behind him.
But apart from “I'm sorry,” I didn't know what else to say.
“I've found a way to save your grandmother.”
“I'm going over now.”
“You be good and go to sleep.”
“Don't go anywhere.”
“Do you hear me?”
He took the black cloth bag from his room as he gave the instructions.
“Let me come.”
“It's so late.”
“It isn't safe for you to go alone.”
“You've been running around all day.”
“If you don't rest and collapse from exhaustion, I'll have to look after both you and your grandmother.”
“Don't worry.”
“I'm a little more capable than you think.”
“Okay.”
“Be careful, Mr. Zhang.”
I wanted very much to go with him.
But thinking of what my impulsiveness had done to Wenwen, I didn't dare argue again.
These past few days, I'd barely slept properly.
My nerves had been stretched taut all the time.
And I'd cried so much today.
Now I was utterly exhausted.
Dizzy.
After Mr. Zhang left, I locked the gate carefully, checked on Wenwen once more, and went to sleep in the room opposite his.
“Hee hee...”
“Hee hee hee...”
“Hee hee...”
Where was that laughter coming from?
It sounded like a little girl.
Was I dreaming?
“Hee hee.”
“Let's play a game!”
Someone was here!
I sprang up in bed, switched on the light, and looked around.
Everything was normal.
But I'd clearly heard talking and laughter.
A little girl's voice.
“Will you play a game with me?”
The sweet voice came from the courtyard.
Only the girl spoke.
No one answered.
Was she talking to me?
“Who's out there?”
I stayed on the bed and called.
“What do you like to play?”
“Hide-and-seek...”
“Or Statues?”
At this time of night, the girl outside couldn't be human.
My scalp tingled.
What was wrong with me?
Why were all the ghosts in the world coming after me?
“Why aren't you talking?”
“Let's play Statues first.”
I remembered taking “Mom” to see Mr. Zhang.
As soon as we reached the gate, she'd turned and left.
She'd seemed afraid of this courtyard.
And before leaving tonight, Mr. Zhang had told me not to go outside.
Maybe I was safe in here.
“One...”
“Two...”
“Three...”
“Statues!”
The girl counted slowly, then called out excitedly.
For some reason, after she said “Statues,” I sat perfectly still too.
There was no more talking outside.
After a long while, I suddenly found it funny.
Why should I obey a little girl?
I raised a hand to rub my shoulder.
Sitting motionless for so long had made it ache.
“Hee hee...”
“You moved.”
“You lost.”
“You have to be punished.”
Her voice came again.
This time, beneath the delight, there was something dark and cold.
“Hmm...”
“We'll save the punishment for the end.”
“Now for the second game.”
“Hide-and-seek.”
I had to admire the girl outside.
I hadn't answered a single word, yet she was playing enthusiastically all by herself.
I wasn't as frightened as I had been at first.
The courtyard still felt safe.
But a little girl saying one strange thing after another was unsettling all the same.
“You have ten seconds to hide.”
“After ten seconds...”
“I'll come and catch you.”
“One...”
“Two...”
“Three...”
“Four...”
She counted slowly.
Unease began to stir inside me.
She'd said she'd come and catch me.
But she couldn't get in, could she?
Then what did she mean?
“Five...”
“Six...”
“Seven...”
“Eight...”
Her voice grew more excited.
At the same time, wind began to rise in the courtyard.
The window rattled.
“Mom” really had seemed afraid of this place.
But what if she'd only been pretending?
Or even if she was afraid, that didn't mean this girl would be.
“Nine...”
“Ten...”
“Are you hidden?”
“Here I come.”
The wind stopped at once.
In an instant, everything was silent.
The silence only made me more uneasy.
My body began trembling faintly.
But I didn't dare move.
I was afraid the slightest sound would draw her attention.
Click.
The light went out.
I clamped a hand over my mouth to keep from screaming.
I stayed where I was.
All I could hope was that she was only trying to frighten me.
That she couldn't come inside.
And that Mr. Zhang would hurry back.
I prayed silently.
Then cold air brushed the back of my neck.
Something touched my waist.
I looked down.
In the moonlight through the window, I saw two hands.
Reaching around from behind me.
They rested on either side of my waist, as though embracing me.
Slowly tightening.
The cold at my neck grew clearer.
At the edge of my vision, a head emerged from behind my shoulder.
Long black hair hid its face.
It pressed against my cheek.
“Hee hee...”
“Caught you.”
The girl's voice sounded right beside my ear.
23. The Little Girl
Terror crashed over me. My scalp went numb, and it felt as though thousands of ants were crawling over my body. I held my breath. As those hands were about to close around me, I screamed and sprang off the bed.
The movement was so violent that I fell to the floor.
I didn't dare look back to see what was on the bed. I scrambled up and hurled myself toward the door.
“Hee hee... Now let's play the third game. Chase. I'm coming to catch you.”
Her eerie voice sounded right behind me as I opened the door.
I'd meant to run straight for the courtyard gate, but I hesitated, then turned toward Mr. Zhang's room.
It wasn't safe outside.
Perhaps my only hope was to hold out in the courtyard until he came back.
I rushed into his room, locked the door, and crouched behind it, watching nervously for movement.
“The stars in the sky are twinkling,
There's a doll beside the road.
Little doll, little doll, why don't you go home?
Is it because you have no home, no mother and no father?
Little doll, don't be sad. Don't be afraid.