A short small story I made in Creative Writing Class. Not very good, I'd say - but good enough to be in here.
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Back in my village, there were always missing people left and right when they walked through the forest at night. My grandma and her sisterhoods with the other elders always claimed that the forest was cursed, she made the forest alive to eat people's flesh and bones every time there was news of a missing person. I remember clearly how scared everyone was when they heard the words of the elderly making such claims, which reminds me of an old story about the Yaos and the Ghouls that haunted their lovers when they felt betrayed by the green hat their lovers wore.
I was very young at that time, and remembering how crazy my grandma was, I felt very curious about the forest she claims to be cursed. At night, I always glance at the forest full of curiosity and wonder what's in there; but like any other good and sensible child, I didn't go and stay while doing my daily chores in the village. My mother passed away when she gave birth to my younger brother. My father didn't care about me since he was a rich lord who already had a wife that gave him two children. I was the Shu daughter and had no one but a little brother and a crazy grandmother to take care of. Grandmother from my father's side didn't care about me since she was proud of the Di daughter of my father's first wife.
People often wonder why I, as the Shu daughter here with the Shu son living here instead of living in the world of luxury. They laugh at my poor manners like goblins, they smell like pigs when they're in the mud, and they even dare to pick at my didi with knives that jabs my flesh. Oh, how I dislike the people of the upper class. And young ladies dream to be picked by a man to be their concubine? No thanks!
Grandma always told me to get married to a young man who will treat me right, but I hate to disagree with her cause all the men I see in the village are wolves in disguise. Although I know grandma was trying to find a good man for me, I couldn't just leave my little brother here. Like most elderly people my grandma is friends with, they claimed that there were creatures of the dark lying there. I found it funny how the forest looks calm, and breathtaking when the moon shines on top of it. I sincerely don't see the reason why the people in this village need to listen to such silly little folklore and vowed not to walk into the forest.
"Ridiculous," I said, "Surely a normal-looking forest has nothing in there."
Only my little brother, who is the age of sān, glances up to look at me with curiosity. He's a precious little boy who can speak very few poor words; our useless excuse of a father only sent me and my little brother a few things to keep up with fine manners to bring him honor at the capitol. If I was my child-self, I would have happily taken it as father loved me all these years! Sadly, that didn't work on me since I'm now grown up.
I gently picked up my little brother, carrying him like he was a gemstone. He smiled and clapped his tiny hands as I walked toward the forest. Nobody will ever see this little young Shu daughter and son, walking into the so-called cursed forest. I walked down the forest, holding onto my brother, and slowly paced my way down deeper with its heart.
The forest looked like any other forest - all green and overgrown with little animals running around with life. There's no curse of creatures or dead bodies my grandma and other elders had claimed; they sure are over dramatic! But still, I continued walking down into the forest heart, it snores its core out. Little brother grumpily makes noise, like an unstrung guqin while I walk.
Lifting my hanfu skirt, I found my pouch full of snacks made before going on this journey. I placed my little brother down, only to feed him some water and dried meat I cooked over dinner last night. I smiled sadly at him, knowing deep within my heart my little didi will only see me as a mother figure in his life.
After finishing eating and resting, we carried on deep within the forest to prove that this forest is not cursed. As I walked, my little brother resting his head on my shoulder, I saw something within two distances away from my sight.
"Red..." I mumbled, "There's something red up ahead..."
This scene was unusual, due to seeing this kind of color during New Year's and Wedding rituals. Deep with the forest heart, the redness of its leaves fluttered down gracefully, like lanterns flying away. The red trees covered the skies, but I can see how the skies are now at xiàwǔ.
Suddenly, there's a sound of human laughter across my hearing range. My little brother woke up from the sound of their laughter, my heart started to wobble like the dragon's roar when he was angry at the people that did bad deeds. My brother was about to cry, but I was frozen in place. O, what should I do at this frightening moment? There's no way to get home, back to where my grandma and other villagers lived! I'm scared, yet I must be brave if I want my little brother and myself safe from whoever is ahead of us. I hushed my younger brother who was about to cry, putting his head under my chin and resting on my chest.
"Shush my didi," I whispered, "I am here, there's no need to be scared."
Even though I know what I said was a lie, being brave enough is what a foolish man or woman would say when facing danger. The laughter came closer and closer, I looked back and forth to find a hiding spot - anywhere to cover my brother and me. Footsteps go STOMP STOMP STOMP! How my heart cried inside this poor girl's chest! Quickly, I ran behind the trees with thick stumps that were the closest to me; I sigh with relief while my little brother gaze up at me with curiosity in his eyes. The group of laughing people finally came by, chattering birds that flock together and holding blades that can sheer their strength.
"Ah, that little miss of the lord is sure stunning!" One gushed out.
"Who? You mean Maiden Xie of house Marquises Xie?"
"Yes! She is one of the kinds of beauty that I have never seen before!"
"Hah... It's not like you can get an engagement with her, she's already engaged with the Crown Prince."
"So what? I - at least a man can dream!"
"Pifft; dream on as you liked."
"Leader Wei, don't you think that pretty maiden Xie from house Marquises Xie is good-looking?"
The man who sat on the horse just took a glimpse at his men. I silently watch on the sidelines, holding my breath as I wait for his response. The man seems to be at the age of Shí jiǔ; he must be a child prodigy if he can lead at that kind of age.
"Should one be pretty to the outside, but the inside can hold a mask that bears jealousy and envy." He replied.
My heart thumped when he spoke; haunting and clear like water. I lean back to the tree stumps, listening to the discussion these men spoke; the house of Marquises Xie was one of the famous noble houses the people in the village often spoke of - which forever made grandma frequently furious as she criticized them. Back then, I didn't understand why grandma constantly criticized this noble house in particular, but now I know: My father was Marquises Xie himself.
All of sudden, my little brother began to giggle out of nowhere, making the beat of the tanggu inside me drop. Everything close to me fell in slow motion, a blade almost hit where my little brother and I were; I was panicking.
"Whoes there?!"
My heart dropped into the deeps of the ocean. We're done for...
~~~
Still writing my web novel... Inspirations anyone? Anyway, enjoy my little update for now. Not sure when I'll be posting more of my work.
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