Shards

Chapter 46 - Nightmare

Xi Xiu's reverie was interrupted by Xiao Gui's soft moan. His head shifted on the pillow, closed eyes squeezing tight as if fending off unwanted images. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead and his face, serene and calm a moment ago became tense. A frown appeared, creasing his smooth brows. Xiao Gui grimaced, a horrible hopeless sound escaping from his lips. The bandaged hand she was holding tightened into a fist squeezing her fingers together. His other hand moved to his chest, clutching the front of his shirt as he tried to curl into a ball.

"Xiao Gui?" she called softly but he did not wake. The incense burner was still smoking merrily. It was doing its job.

Xi Xiu gasped when he flinched suddenly and pulled his hands from her to shield his face. A moment later they dropped listlessly onto the bed.

"Xiao Gui?" Xi Xiu whispered again, her voice trembling with emotion. She had never seen him afraid before.

A tiny whimper answered her but he did not awaken. His face turned into the pillow as tears started leaking from his eyes.

Xi Xiu felt her heart constrict? It must be a terrible nightmare for him to react that way. What in the world could make a hardened Shard like him cry? She wondered. All she could do was stay by his side to comfort him.

The small seven year old boy fell crying to the ground as another blow landed mercilessly on him. He held up both arms to cover his head but his measly attempt to protect himself only made his father angrier.

"You useless brat!" his father shouted as the leather belt hit his small body. Again and again the belt rained on him until his father grew tired. Only then did it stop.

"It's all your fault! You should never have been born!"

All the boy could do was to stay quiet. He had learned from experience that saying anything would earn him more beatings.

"You murderer! You killed your mother the day you were born and cursed my life! If not for you, my beautiful wife would still be alive."

"You good for nothing, no more excuses. If there is nothing to eat when I come back tonight, you are going to get it!"

With that, his father kicked him several more times before storming out, slamming the door behind him.

By that time, little Xiao Jian had curled up into a defensive ball. His whole body was bruised from the beatings and the kicks. It was funny, one would think he would be used to it by now but he wasn't. Father was strong and his beatings hurt a lot. Everyday there were always something he did wrong to earn more terrifying blows.

His sweet mother had died giving birth to him, so it was his fault for being born. Father always said that he would rather he died than his mother. From that day onwards, his father had taken out his misery on him for ruining his life and killing his beloved wife.

The small boy endured the abuse as best he could because he deserved it. Father was right, he was a curse. He was born a killer and his first victim was his own mother.

Wiping his nose on his dirty sleeve, Jian hauled his aching body up. Crying was not going to help. He had to clean up the mess and find something to cook or earn another round of punishment when his father came back.

Xiao Gui whimpered at the memory and the scene changed to the day he was sold. Father had came back in an unusually good mood. His hopes rose. Perhaps there would be only harsh words and no beatings today. Father instructed him to wash up and put on his best clothes (the one with the least holes). When he was ready, father led him to a small clearing where a tall strict looking man was waiting.