Transcendent

Chapter XII: Repose

The streets of Caiyi Town were never resting. Especially when the sun had risen and the townspeople had woken, for the remaining time of the day until darkness eventually befallen them once more, there would always be chatters and shouts, loud and low noises in every corner.

However, for the little tramp, today the town's streets somehow looked different from the Caiyi Town that he knew and walked through everyday.

There were people, but they were blurry like passing shadows. There were activities, but barely any noises. He thought his eyes and ears were playing tricks on him. Nobody noticed him, nobody turned to glance at him, not even the mean street vendors who often chased him away from their stores before his dirty little self chased their customers away. It was as if all voices were hushed by an unknown cause, all figures smothered by unseen force.

And it was only him, him alone, that was vivid and clear. As if everyone was merely apparitions and that he was the only one real.

That is, until a familiar presence appeared at the other end of the street, exactly across from where he stood, sending chills down his spine.

It was a dog, and a very big one at that, as tall as his chest.

The tramp did not know if it was a stray or a pet belonging to someone. What he did know was that dog now glaring at him straight in the eyes, fangs bared and saliva dripping; its growl could be heard even from this distance.

He did not waste anymore time to think. Before his mind could process what he should best do and what he should not do, his body had turned on its own; his short, skinny legs sprinting with all their might away from that spot. He could hear the dog barking angrily behind him, and the voice becoming closer and closer, chasing after him. He was desperate to find a place to hide, yet to his dismay, from the opposite direction came another one of those canines.

And another.

And another.

The little tramp had never felt so much fear in his life before. He wanted to cry, but even his teardrops refused to be let out, preferring to hide behind his frightened eyes. He no longer looked at his surroundings; he pushed through the blurry crowd, passing by the shadows resembling the townspeople. He didn't care if he was blocking their way, if he was crashing against anyone or anything. The dogs' barks sounded more and more vicious, and the tramp quickly turned at the corner, thinking that there might be somewhere safe for him there to find shelter.

But at that moment, his legs tripped on some unknown object, and he fell forward on his face.

He braced for the painful impact. Instead of the solid, dirty ground, however, he fell straight onto a sea of dry, dead leaves, crushing them beneath his weight. When he came to it, he noticed that his body was no longer that of a little, skinny boy, but a fully grown man.

And the pack of dogs chasing after him now had turned into terrifying, black beasts; saliva dripping from their red tongue and big fangs. Dark mist emanating from their rough fur, he met those bloodshot eyes of theirs, glaring at him as though he was a prey.

The young man was about to scream, but he found that his voice would not come out. He scrambled to his feet; cold sweat dripping from his temple and his hands shaking until they were numb. But no matter how hard he tried to run, it did not feel like he was moving forward. His ankles were buried under the dead leaves. They became so heavy, they would not move the way he wanted them to. He crawled on the ground, he tried to do whatever it takes to escape the demonic beasts barking and howling as they came after him.