When Time Strikes Eternity: You Are My Lone Companion

Chapter Two: Mekong Village

Chapter Two: Mekong Village

湄公河村

Now everything seemed bleak, covered in grayed out colors. What was once a bright, colorful world, was now marred in pale, deathly shades. All his hope from before vanished. No family, no hope, and no light in his eyes, nothing but uncertainty and misery in the days ahead. The only thing Bái Xiān was certain of was Mama and Baba had left him permanently.

Life was not kind to him, and neither was nature. He had been wandering for days when the pain started. It was excruciating. Like his back was on fire. It started small, like an ache after laying on the hard ground. But days later the pain grew, till he could not move. What was happening?

Deciding to continue, hopeful of help, he wandered the mountains one day, in a remote corner of the world and found a small, secluded village near Mekong River at the base of a mountain. He hoped not to turn away, but instead allowed to settle down and make this place his home. Maybe find some family or friends to help him too.

~~~

The days were hard and painful, he would scavenge for materials to make small shelters from the rain and the eventual cold that would come within a few months. The little shelter would come to be his final shelter in the end.

His shelter was built within a large tree hollow, in the surrounding forest around the small village. The tree was an old overgrown chinese katsura tree surrounded by wisteria trees and willows creating a canopy around the small clearing. The tree sat upon a small mound of earth covering the tree's vast span of a root system. Lavender flowers filled the open space within the clearing. Creating a soft but vibrant purple effect to the air.

While the scenery was wonderful, animal life was harder to find, when you're a 5 year old who cannot walk quietly for the life of you. All he could do was work tirelessly to find whatever he could to eat nowadays. Plants, wild fruits and vegetables are good when it comes to finding a somewhat reliable source of food, however it is not the only thing one person needs to survive.

The village itself was a small little thing. Only about 20 houses, with a small shopping market. While the house materials were not of the imperial city, the flora growing within the streets. Twirling around the street lanterns, and market stalls. Crafts lined the market with people of the village. Children ran around the village playing and helping their families.

~~~

When first impressions came between the villagers and Bái Xiān, the villagers simply ignored the small helpless child. He was clad in worn clothes filled with mud, blood, and holes, his once long, light brown hair now messy and knotted. He blended in with the rain-soaked streets and begged for coins from passersby, but no one paid him any attention like they once had.

"Hello, my name is Bái Xiān. My Mama and Baba killed a big monster and now they are gone. Is there someone who could help point me in the direction of some help?" Bái Xiān said, walking up to a village guard.

However this guard and the surrounding people ignored the child. Some even look at him with disgust, namely for his tattered appearance. Some went as far as to call names.

"Street Rat."

"Urchin, trying to gain sympathy when there is none here."

"Strange child, there are no such monsters. For all we know he was abandoned for some horrendous actions by his parents."