2017↠l.h

x

everything was set. today was the day i would escape. the plan wasn't anything big; i would try to hit them with that huge piece of wood, that i had figured they left against the wall outside this room, if they got in my way as i ran to my freedom. the two men didn't even know i was able to stand on my feet, so it would surprise them to find me waiting next to the door. and that's what happened. i waited until they arrived, at the same exact time they always did, and opened the door. i didn't lose time, taking advantage of their still and surprised bodies and pushed them back -the first one stumbled backwards and fell on the other. i grabbed the wood that rested on the wall and held it in the air threateningly. i didn't know if i wanted to hit them like they had done or just take the chance and run away. the two tiger faced men recovered quickly and tried to stand up. without throwing a second glance back, i took off. i ran to a place unknown; i didn't recognise a single feature of this old and almost abandoned neighbourhood. i could hear their heavy steps, they were too far. i kept running, the adrenaline rushing through my veins kept me going, until i saw it; a huge green expanse of a forest. i had still some chances to survive.

+

"what happened all those years, luke?" calum asked me. it had been a two days since i came back. all four of us sat on the floor of the wooden porch of my mother's house. they all had a beer in their hand, except for me. i had learned to live without alcohol.

i was ready to share the scary story of my life with them, i had to share it with someone. 

the guys looked at me concentrated as i narrated the story of how i was captured and beaten up for so long and then how i managed to get away.

"but where did you go?" michael asked suspiciously after i told them i took off for the woods.

"well there's the plot twist." i chuckled to myself. if i was in their place, i would've probably thought i was crazy as well. life has many surprises in store, though, so nothing is impossible.

"after two days of just roaming around the woods, scared to death for any animal attacks and starved to death, i found my salvation, which to my surprise was an old taoist temple." i raised my eyes from the floor and peered at them, all looking sincerely confused. "anyway, i managed to walk up to the gate and knock. the next thing i remember is waking up on a bed made off bamboo and a slim mattress. i was wearing new clothes and a man in similar clothes sat crosslegged beside me speaking chinese which i couldn't understand and i felt terrified until i could communicate with someone." i laughed slightly at the memory. "long story short, i found myself in a temple where they practise taijiquan, an internal martial art -you may know it as tai chi- and i thought that this was my chance."

"what do you mean your chance?" calum asked.

"my chance to make a fresh start. everything happens for a reason and that temple was the salvation i was looking for. so i decided to stay"

"you mean that you stayed in china this whole time, even though you could come back?" ashton asked, not believing my own words.

"ash, i was and still am thankful that this taoist temple got in my way and i wouldn't change a thing even if i could." i licked my lips and elaborated. "you know, ever since the first night i was kidnapped, the thoughts of what if i could defend myself haunted me and taoism offered me exactly that. a chance to get rid of those thoughts and be able to finally defend myself. except for that, though, tai chi helped me internally as well. it calmed my mind and body and cleared my thoughts."

"do you say that you didn't want to get revenge from those assholes?" michael spoke.

"of course i wanted revenge. they had me locked in a room and hit me for months. revenge was all i could think about. but believe me, revenge is for the narrow-minded. for all i know i'm here with you again, i'm happy, and i didn't have to hit someone to achieve this." they all smiled to my last sentence and sipped some beer.

"crazy question, but what happened with that chip they were looking for?" ashton asked and the others nodded waiting for my answer, but i just shrugged not really caring anymore.

"luke, you're not the same anymore and i don't know if the kidnapping or your experience at that temple changed you the most." ashton sounded concerned.

i didn't believe i had changed. i had left my old self back, trapped in that tiny cell when i broke free. the temple and what i had learned from living there for so long shaped my whole new personality.

"but you know what? i'm just glad you're finally back. we were going crazy without you."

+++

thank you for reading my story and thank you wikipedia for teaching me about taoism.