The dogs, the men and the guns were near memories now-memories empty of sound, but not of meaning. Xiao hadn't thought when he jumped into the river; he only wanted to escape the snarling dogs, the blasting guns, so he plunged headfirst into the rapids-into the river that had been his friend forever. Xiao had swum down the rapids so many times that he memorized the position of each rock, each cascade, each boulder along the shore and he felt safer in the water than on the earth.

Within moments, he swam-floated through the rapids and approached the wider, deeper part of the river, and, realizing that he had escaped Sung Li and his posse, he felt like laughing; he could visualize the posse slipping and sliding along the steep riverbank in the darkness, knowing they'd have to march overland to hunt him down, and almost gleefully, Xiao realized they'd never be able to find him. No one knew this part of the province better than he. Now, the river, the Great Wall, and the cavern would protect him, and the ancient gods would save him from the madness called Sung Li.

The river calmed almost as soon as Xiao had the chance to gather his thoughts. Should I go back to rescue Jiang, or should I wait for him to come to me? Xiao fretted, knowing that only the fates would decide what would happen to his friend.

Around the next bend, the river grew shallower, widening seven times in size, and since Xiao knew it would bend three times more before he reached the entrance to his cave, he hugged the shoreline, becoming part of the river as he and it flowed toward the sea.

Xiao wanted to praise himself for being so clever, but he knew he still wasn't completely safe. It's foolish to tempt the ancient gods or the fates. Even though Xiao had planned his escape from the moment Sung Li began his reign of terror, it seemed like it was a mere instant ago when he had been running along the Great Wall, searching for the secret staircase, knowing it led to this river and to his own secret cave. Now, instinctively, still at the darkest hour of the night, Xiao knew he was nearing the entrance to his cavern. Down two flights of stairs, into the rapids, veer to the left around the first bend, swim to the right around the second, exit to the left between the giant boulders at the end of the wide third bend. Xiao had practiced repeating those directions since he and Jiang had become lovers and, even though he dreaded the time he'd need to escape, he knew one day, he or Jiang would need to flee Sung Li's wrath.

Quickly, Xiao approached the third bend, feeling along the shore for the first of the two gigantic boulders. His hand caressed it almost lovingly, almost feeling the rock's warmth in the coldness of the night, as he hoisted himself out of the river, rolled onto the bottom of the grassy bank, and collapsed under the starlit sky. Lying there naked for several long minutes, regaining his strength, he gazed at the sky, realizing he was finally alive, free and living without fear for the first time in his life. I'm free. I've escaped Sung Li. I'm the only man who's ever done that. The gods have protected me.

It was nearing dawn now and the clouds parted as the last glimmers of moonlight combined with the rising sun to illuminate the Great Wall as s streak of morning light acted like a laser to reveal the cave's entrance. For the first time since he had slipped, Xiao looked down at his smooth body and realized his arms had stopped bleeding; he was refreshed for the first time in years; he knew he would outlast Sung Li; he knew he would win. Then Xiao started to shiver, turning blue in the chilly autumn air. I must head for the cave; I must get warm.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It had been a night of terror for Feng Fengxia and Feng Chung from the moment they discovered Xiao was on the run. "Sung Li's chasing Xiao," Fengxia screamed as she raced home. "Help me find our boy." Fengxia and Chung ran as one to Sung Li's house where a crowd had already gathered, hoping for news but settling for gossip. A woman screamed about her son, begging Sung Li to release him. The older men were irate that another young man was being chased by the police. "We'll have no laborers. We'll have no food. You cannot take all our young boys away." Everyone wondered if and when they, too, might be arrested, when or if they might become another victim of the corpulent Sung Li.

Aimee-Yu squeezed her husband, Hyu-ba-to's hand, and screamed into the emptiness of Sung Li's door, "My son, have you seen my son? Where is my boy?"

Bok-Hyun and Jeong-Hwa stood so close to Sung Li's house that their diminutive bodies were nearly crushed before he finally opened his door.

"All of your children are safe," Sung Li said, "We're pursuing only one boy, the criminal, Feng Xiao. We are after no one else except the pervert, Feng Xiao."

Fengxia and Chung shrank back from the crowd as soon as they heard their son's name. Fengxia knew why the police were after Xiao; she suspected that her husband knew, too, but he had never mentioned it to her before. Her husband believed in the State, he knew the party was right, and he knew that perverts must be eliminated-even if the pervert happened to be his only son.

Fengxia urged Chung to leave, knowing their presence could anger the rest of the villagers. "We must go home, we must check on XiaoXiao; we must find out if she's okay and we must find a way to get a message to Xiao."

Chung didn't respond, but by his inaction, Fengxia could read his mind. Xiao is no son of mine; not any more. I will not be associated with perverts. Xiao has been trained since he was a boy; he should know better. I will never mention his name again.

"We must find Xiao, we must rescue our son."

"Don't mention that boy's name. As long as I live, I never want to hear the name of that pervert again."

Fengxia knew her husband well, she knew he was implacable once he made up his mind-she would never be able to use Xiao's name in front of him again. Fengxia just prayed that Chung wouldn't take out his rage on XiaoXiao.

Chung nearly dragged his wife home, planning ways to eradicate the memory of his son from his house, planning ways to forget everything that occurred since the moment of his birth. "You and mother must purge our house as soon as we get home. I want it clean by sunrise."

Just as I imagined, Fengxia thought, Chung won't even mention XiaoXiao's name. Xiao's name is doubly erased, purged from the Feng family forever.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

XiaoXiao fretted. She, too, had heard that Sung Li was after Xiao and she knew why. He'll kill Xiao when he catches him. I know what Sung Li's done to the other boys. Fengxia thinks I'm merely an ignorant old lady, but I know what Sung Li does and I know the secrets Xiao's shared with Jiang. The boys didn't think I heard them when they played underneath the house, but I am not deaf. I know what they did and I don't care. They're free men, free to be alive, no matter what the government says. XiaoXiao paused for a moment, trying to remember something important-something crucial about Xiao. The bowls, she thought, I had a dream about bowls. Did I share my dream with him? I tell Xiao everything, but I don't remember telling him about the bowls. He must find out about the bowls. Suddenly, XiaoXiao worried that Xiao had been captured, that he had died while fleeing Sung Li, so she hurried to the village. There must be news. Surely, they'll let an old woman know what's happening to her grandson.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The coldness was overpowering now and Xiao realized he had little time to waste-he had to find shelter.

Xiao's stomach twisted in pain; he hadn't eaten in over a day, and other than several mouthfuls of river water, he hadn't drunk since yesterday morning.

I must find food and clothing. The words became Xiao's mantra as he staggered up the hill, scraping his bare feet against the jagged stones, leaving a dark trail of blood from the river to the Great Wall. I hope no one sees my blood. I hope they don't bring the dogs this far. If they do, they'll find me.

Xiao slipped and skinned his left knee, righted himself too quickly, became light-headed and fell again, landing on his cheekbone and gashing a large hole in his chin. I must get some help, but how? Does Jiang know what's happened? Will he be able to get to me without being followed? For a moment Xiao panicked, then he realized that Jiang was always there for him. Jiang will help me! Jiang will find a way!

Xiao's soul filled with happiness, knowing his lover would rescue him, but then the clouds darkened and Xiao realized he'd never see his grandmother again; he'd never listen to XiaoXiao jabbering away, he'd never hear her scolding, he'd never feel her love again.

Finally, torn, bleeding, with every muscle sore and in pain, Xiao reached the mouth of the cavern, slid down the steep ramp, sat at the bottom, cut and torn, and cried-not for his physical pain-but for the loss of XiaoXiao, the only person in the world who had always loved him and allowed him to be himself.


On to Chapter Sixteen
A Tunnel Transformed
Back to Chapter Fourteen
Whipping
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