Reader prompts

Inner child

This prompt was asked by a reader from Archive of our own. I hope you have fun reading it as much as I had writing it :)

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"ompf!"

He picked himself up in his chubby legs and continued walking. He was chasing one of the many rabbits in the cloud recess and had stumbled on a creeper.

As the rabbits hopped up away from him he started getting restless. Soon he found himself at the entrance to the library pavilion. Father had warned him not to go inside in the afternoon hours. He said that Uncle Qiren would be angry if his classes were interrupted.

But Uncle Qiren doesn't have to know!

He smiled to himself and ran inside. He saw a flash of the rabbit's tail dart across a corner and ran towards it.

He found himself in a deserted corridor where there was not a soul in sight. The entire corridor was silent and serene, which meant that there was no one there and he would not get caught. Grinning, he took after the rabbit at full speed!

"You won't escape this time"

He jumped and landed on his nose. Realized he had horribly miscalculated the distance and ended up hearing a crunching sound. His nose!!!

His only consolation was that he had finally caught the stupid rabbit.

"AHA! You stupid rabbit. You will not escape me a second time. I will not give you carrots anymore!"... "I caught you! Who is the fastest now!!"

"Young master Shizhui!!" A booming voice echoed through the whole room.

Shizhui froze like a deer caught in the headlights.

His inner monologue was something similar to this "oh no oh no oh no. nnnoooo. Uncle Qiren. He will make me eat bland food for a whole week. I do not want to recite a 100 poems! Father save me! I do not want rabbits anymore!"

"Uncle Q..Qiren.."

Once he finally managed to look up at the hall, he realized what he had interrupted. At least 300 of the oldest pupils were gathered in the hall for meditation. This combined their spiritual energies and helped them all be in harmony with each other. Which is why the entire corridor was quiet and was deprived of any visitors.

"God help my soul when Uncle Qiren catches hold of it." He silently sent a prayer before giving in to his fate.

"Do you know what you have interrupted?!!" He spat with fire in his eyes.

"Yes Uncle Qiren..."

"Then you know your punishment."

"Yes Uncle Qiren..."

"Take him away to the isolation chamber." He instructed one of the senior pupils. The boy silently took Shizhui away with pity in his eyes.

Uncle Qiren was notoriously known for his punishments. Anyone not following the rules will be in trouble, which included his father. This time it was isolation. He will be kept in an incense room alone for 24 hours to reflect on his mistakes. Food will be provided on time. It was a big, open room with a luxurious balcony. But that is exactly what made people feel lonely while being locked up there. There were no corners to hide in from yourself or from the world.

As a ten-year-old he just loved running around with the sheets and pretending to fly. Uncle Qiren should really stop giving adult punishments to children. It never works.

He kept his glee in and went with the boy.

............................................

2 Hours of running is all he could manage before he got tired. He sat on the mat drinking water out of the clay pot that was kept in the corner.