Chapter 24: A Web of Truths and Lies (I)
"Are you going to tell us what happened? Or will you leave us to pick at the haystack looking for a needle?"
Despite knowing she should give her time, to not interrogate her so soon after waking up, Halona knew Hong Luo too well. If she were to approach her gently, this lazy squirrel would wise up, hiding all her nuts away before anyone could even dare think to steal them.
The Hong Luo they knew was just like that, a squirrel that is both bold and timid. Hard working yet equally as lazy. No one is as silly as her. Yet no one is as stubborn when she's determined to keep her mouth shut.
As she waited for a response Halona grasped Hong Luo's hand, caressed it with her thumb to soothe her. "Listen. Now I'm not trying to pressure you but you know how your uncles are, once they've been enraged to this extent, they'll stop at nothing to cause a trail of destruction. They'll follow the path you took to get back, using it as a guide and won't discriminate who's guilty or innocent. It's a miracle they've managed to hold themselves back for so long already."
Crack- in response to those words, Istaqa popped his neck and rolled his shoulders, inducing several more cracking sounds. Once he was satisfied he leaned back against the wall, smug and taut with energy. His whole demeanor screamed, 'give me an excuse'.
Sitting with her head hung low, Hong Luo remained quiet.
Unwilling to let her find a hole to hide in, Halona gently urged once more. "At least tell us where you were. We don't even know that much. One day you just up and vanished, your family's home had its yard covered with damage. There was nothing to tell us what had happened. No letter or trail to follow. We didn't even know if you were alive or dead. Nothing for eight years. And now when you've come back you're on the verge of——– ha, sweetie you really scared us."
Hong Luo flinched hearing the heartache in Halona's tone. It reminded her of the cycling nightmare that had plagued her. The pain in her kids' voices was too much for her to bear and now she was hearing it once again. She couldn't help but tear up, her eyes glistening with a wall of water that refused to fall.
But her eyes remained fixated on her fingertips, for she couldn't say anything.
Not because she wanted to protect the ones who nearly caused her death again, but because so many years had passed she barely remembered all that had happened. Her memories were extremely vague. She only had brief flashes of insight but not the whole picture. She remembered her twin cousins very well, and her uncle who was cold as ice, apart from that it was far too broken. Her life in that manor was akin to an incomplete puzzle.
Besides, for them, this discontentment was still considered fresh but for her she'd already lived several decades. She'd long grown out of any childish tendency, her animosity had long dried up like water in the desert sun.
Aggrievement? She had it but it was more towards herself then to others.
Revenge? If she can barely even recall the details, is there even a point in it?
Although she understood why they wanted to know, she couldn't see the logic in telling them. On one hand their curiosity will be cured. Whilst on the other hand they will engage in useless conflict that the 'victim' had long gotten over. It will pull apart what did not need to be pulled apart. It will cause a mess that could have easily been avoided.
With all that said, even though the logic told her otherwise, the nightmare she had made her look past logic, and she was actually considering telling them. It quite honestly disorientated her.
If she were to convey her thoughts as best she could instead of leaving things to fester, leaving the choice in their hands, would that not lead to a better outcome then what her nightmare had portrayed?
Before she chose silence and now? Should she choose to speak up? She didn't know.
But perhaps her logic had been wrong all along and it was time to see if it were true. To test the waters she was far too afraid to step into. After all, it would do no harm. This was just a dream after all. No matter how accurate it may seem to life, none of this was real.
Hong Luo drops her sight further, her hair curtains her expression while she twiddles her fingers in deep thought. Piecing together what she was about to say as best she could, trying her best to recall.
Only after a deep sigh did she look up. "Uncle Achak, Uncle Istaqa. You should probably take a seat. This may take awhile."
All eyes looked at one another, a sigh of relief dropped their shoulders.
Dyani who had come in with some more seats and a tray of tea got everyone settled down.
Still both men remained standing. Only when their wives gave them a side eye did they sit down.
• • • •
The beginning of the end was a memory she'd never forget. Though it was eight years to them, for her several decades had already gone by.
Living at the center inside the Nahele forest, the day could not be any ordinary then this one was. The autumn sun was peeking through the trees. Carrying their nuts and bramble, the squirrels hopped from branch to branch. Disturbed by the ruckus, small acorns and prickly gumballs pitter pattered against the ground.
'Luo wants to go outside.' She remembered groaning inwardly.
Her seven year old self laid inside sick with fever. Her small face was flushed, her dark brown sticking to her damp face, her tiny body laid engulfed in blankets, situated atop the elm wood Lohan bed. Just beyond the open lattice window, her parents were engaged in casual conversation. Enthralled, she listened closely, squinting her eyes in enjoyment.
Her father's deep voice commanded, "Ah Yue, pass me the hammer and two nails… darling? Ah Yue," He playfully teased, "don't look at me like that with Luo'er present. Otherwise I won't be able to contain myself."
Although her father felt himself crafty, her valiant mother just laughed. Her strong tone challenged. "You do something and it won't just be your thumb that gets hit by the hammer."
Followed by clicking footsteps of sandals popping against the heels, her father's tone immediately changed into panic. "Put the hammer down, put it down! I'm teasing, I'm teasing! Darling, have mercy on your poor husband!"
Followed by her father's aggrieved groan, a soft smack and a playful ear tug bubbled laughter between the two. One was obviously enjoying herself whilst the other sounded between tears.
'Foolish daddy.' Hong Luo pursed her lips to suppress a laugh. Her tiny hands twiddled with the blanket, her fidgeting singing out how jittery she felt. Her father could never win against her mother but he never learns. 'No one can win against Mommy.'
Today, their crazed banter did not last long. The voices softly returned to their usual cadence.
In curiosity, she peaked past the mountain of blankets. There in the shadow of the curtain her mother handed her father the hammer.
The two laughed, they chatted about crooked boards, bent nails, and then about raking the leaves. They both decided the leaf work would be put off until the morrow. Today her father was determined to finish up the walls for his workshop. He'd been crafting his weapons out in the open for long enough and just wanted an inclosed space for his furnace. Of course there would be a chimney, but that had already been built, just waiting for installment.
She vividly remembers every time he looked at it, he'd proclaim "Tomorrow will be the day!" Then tomorrow in one way or another, his plans would fall through and he'd be grumpy at the table, taking out his frustration on his dinner.
Then the conversion cycled back to her mother's grumbles. Even those naughty squirrels were mentioned through her biting irritation. The poor hummingbirds had been run off by them and her mother wasn't too happy about that. She'd built some feeders for them and instead of being used as intended, the squirrels pilfered them clean! Her mother was rightfully angry.
'When Luo feels better, Luo will be sure to run them off. Surely once Luo does that, Mommy will be proud of me! Luo wants four head rubs and two flying birds as rewards!'
(Flying birds is this story's version of airplanes. When the parents lift the child into the air to either briefly float, or to spread their arms and legs as the parent twirls.)
Some time passed, the morning sun had ascended higher in the sky reaching noon. The tree shadows cast themselves on the window, dimming the light that had been hanging over her young self's eyes. Hong Luo felt sleep pulling her deep in the bed due to this change. The soft covers and gentle breeze made her feel cozy. Her parents chatter the most perfect lullaby.
She yawned, tired tears squeezed out between her lashes.
In her muffled consciousness she heard her mother's concerned voice. "Honey, you should wait for Achak and the tribe to return before continuing. That doesn't look stable."
"Why?" Her father questioned. As he spoke, the words became more muffled. She knew in just a few moments sleep would claim her as she heard him say, "I don't think it looks that bad. See, its standing perfectly-"
Bang! Crash! Her tired eyes burst open!
Suddenly a loud crash happened just outside the window. This started her young self out of her rest. In panic she reached for the curtain, the blankets fell, as did the wet cloth cooling her fever. It slipped from her forehead and fell to the ground with a slosh!
"Not so bad, eh?" Her mother scoffed. When the curtain was pulled back, her mother's side profile came into view. Her eyes stung to adjust to the light.
"M-om-my?" Hong Luo's cricket of a whisper called out. Despite how soft it was, Zen Yue heard her daughter just fine and reached out to comfort her.
"Did we wake you dear? Don't worry. It's just your daddy's clumsy antics again. You know how often he breaks things, right?"
When Hong Luo nods, Zen Yue frowns. "Luo'er. Use your words. Don't use being sick as an excuse."
Hong Luo jolted, feeling put on the spot. "Y-es," she pushed out a soft answer, hoping that was enough to appease her mother, and fortunately, it was.
Zen Yue relaxes and smiles. She turned her nose up and furrowed her brows, "look he broke the house, now we'll have to get your uncles to help fix it. I swear you both can be quite the handful at times. One's making messes while the other is brewing worry. Truly a bothersome pair."
Hong Luo blinked several times then pouted. Her mother's stinging words made her little tummy twist and turn, while also making her feel puzzled. She was caught between the two feelings with no way to express them besides twiddling her fingers atop the window frame.
Every time she was sick her mother would complain and brood, causing her young self to feel guilty. At the time she didn't know that was what she felt. All she knew was that she felt like her tummy was upset. So upset that she'd refuse to eat at times. Today she would have probably got scolded again for not finishing her dinner.
Unaware of her daughter's thoughts, Zen Yue lifted her hand from her face. She saw her daughter's perplexed gaze and urged her to speak. "What is it honey?"
Startled, Hong Luo quickly glued her eyes to her nose and ducked below the window.
She originally wanted to keep quiet, but knowing her mother, she couldn't do that. Her young self didn't understand why she had to speak, even at her curtain age, the feeling is mutual. She didn't like talking much but her mother would insist quite angrily. So to avoid getting in trouble again she quickly spoke up.
"B-ut uncles not here. They all gone." Hong Luo spoke out about her confusion.
Uncle Tiv had left sometime ago to go back home, whilst Uncle Achak and the tribe had left on an adventure with Uncle Istaqa. She is still quite upset about that. If she hadn't been sick she'd have been able to go with them!
'When will Luo get the chance to see the fields of lightning too?!' Not being able to go had ruined her day!
Zen Yue chuckled watching her daughter's disgruntled face. She ruffles her daughter's fluffy hair wet with water. "I know, I know. But with the weather in our favor, a few days' wait won't matter. Not a drop of rain is to fall this month, giving you and your father plenty of time to–"
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