Chapter 17: Nightmare
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Hmm, how strange.
I don’t understand why I suddenly have this feeling, like the comfort and intimacy that Grandma Claire gives , as if there’s sothing very attractive not far away, this joy coming from deep within… what is it?
My little head hadn’t yet processed it when my feet suddenly moved, causing a slight dizziness.
The next mont, with a trendous “BOOM,” the sky collapsed and the earth split, mountains shook, and dust flew high into the air.
What? What?! An earthquake!!
The ground was shaking violently. I struggled to stand straight, watching as the earth not far away suddenly split open into a crack. The crack kept widening, and with a “rumbling” sound, it beca a familiar huge chasm in an extrely short ti, extending all the way to the foot of the village.
Boiling black mire surged up from the chasm.
No one was more familiar with this terrifying scene of apocalyptic disaster than .
Strong unease welled up from the bottom of my heart, and my breathing beca irregular.
This is bad! This is bad!! This is bad!!!
The Abyss, it’s the Abyss!! Why, why would it appear here!
Quick, I must return to the village imdiately and tell everyone to run!
I threw down the bamboo basket and ran at full speed, regardless of the still slightly trembling ground beneath my feet. The wind roared in my ears, and the cloth shoes I wore were of poor quality, quickly becoming tattered under my explosive stepping force. I took them off and threw them away, running barefoot without stopping towards the direction of the village.
The chasm barely extended to the foot of the village, fortunately stopping its expansion before causing irreparable damage to the village. Nevertheless, under this disaster-like tremor, the village was no longer its pleasant self. Houses had collapsed in large patches, leaving only ruins, and heart-wrenching cries were everywhere. The once relatively flat village road had suddenly changed its appearance. Large numbers of stones had been shaken out of the ground by an irresistible force, scattered chaotically in all directions. People trapped weakly under houses struggled, trying to find a chance of survival with the help of relatives and friends. Scattered villagers stood by the roadside praying with faces full of despair.
“Divine punishnt, it’s divine punishnt… Goddess of Sin bless us, Goddess of Sin bless us…”
A scene of utter desolation.
I stood dumbfounded at the village entrance, looking at a child about 3 or 4 years old not far away, their dust-covered little face full of fear and helplessness, crying out loudly.
“Mama—!! Mama—!! Ah—! Ah—!”
Under the child’s feet lay a woman whose head had been crushed by a stone, clearly no longer breathing, red and white matter spreading out from under the stone.
What should I do, what should I do…
How can I save them…
The grief in my heart was beyond asure. I looked back at the chasm behind , and from the black Abyssal mire, one arm like a dagger struggled to reach out, followed by a second, third, fourth, fifth… Dense arms kept erging from the mire, like countless demons from hell.
I took a deep breath and used the greatest force of my life to shout at the bewildered people.
“Run!! There are monsters, quick—! Run—!”
Then I grabbed the crying child and fled from the hell behind us at top speed.
“Mama! I want Mama—!!”
The child kept beating my body with their little hands, tears and dust mixed on their face, making their features indistinguishable through the dirt.
I bit my lip, not knowing what to say and not wanting to say anything, just running with all my might.
Elia… Barry… I need to find them first…
Buddha, God, and the deities of this world.
Please, please bless them, don’t let anything happen to them…
My heart was filled with intense unease.
How fast was I running at full speed without regard for stamina? I couldn’t estimate the exact speed, I can only say very fast, not a speed that ordinary physically strong humans could achieve. The antelopes of this world couldn’t catch up to .
So it only took a mont to run ho.
Half of the simple stone and wood house had already collapsed, and the other half of the barely standing walls looked like they could fall at any mont. The cow at the doorway was agitated, trying to break free from its rope.
“Elia! Barry!”
After putting the child down at the door, I called out anxiously.
The child beside suddenly lay on the ground and kept vomiting. Maybe because I ran too fast and carried him too roughly. It should be similar to motion sickness, nothing serious.
I couldn’t stop to check on the child’s condition and hurriedly ran into the ruined house.
“Elia! Barry!”
No one was found. The wooden house and stones had collapsed very scattered, if anyone was trapped underneath it would be visible at a glance. It seems they should still be at Allen’s house and haven’t returned.
I turned to leave but suddenly seed to rember sothing, rummaging through the ruins to find and pull out the large scythe called Shandao.
Looking up, I saw the tattered cloak still hanging intact on the half-remaining wall. I hesitated for a mont, then grabbed the cloak and put it on.
This cloak should provide so protection in case of ergency.
When I ca out, I found the child was gone, probably running off sowhere while I was looking for things.
I hope they didn’t run back to find their mother, I prayed in my heart.
I untied the rope holding the cow and slapped its bottom, and the cow imdiately ran off into the distance.
You should escape quickly too.
Looking back one last ti at the broken little house I called ho, I lifted my feet and ran towards the west side of the village.
“Run! All of you, run quickly! Monsters are coming!”
“Run! Uncle, run quickly! There are monsters, right now!”
I kept shouting to people all around, but few responded.
The whole village was imrsed in an air of desolation.
“Heavens—!!”
“Ah—! My leg is broken, my leg—!!”
“Soone help ! My son, my son is still inside! My son is trapped underneath!”
“Little Syl, are you alright?”
Soone called out to , their face equally covered in dust, features indistinguishable.
“I’m fine, you all, run quickly, monsters…”
Gradually my voice beca hoarse. But I discovered that most people couldn’t leave this place.
I saw a mother with two children, continuously digging at stones and soil, trying to save their husband buried in the ruins, completely disregarding the blood dripping from their arms onto the ground.
I saw an auntie dragging a broken leg, crawling painfully on the ground, leaving a long trail of blood.
I saw the girl who was singing beautiful songs at the evening party not long ago, now lying motionless on the ground covered in blood with closed eyes. The old tailor knelt beside her, crying like a child.
I saw Uncle Dor’s house.
From the collapsed ruins, a bloody strong arm was exposed.
“Uncle Dor…”
I walked over sowhat trembling, forcefully lifting several large stones and throwing them aside.
Below were still countless crossbeams and stone fragnts.
“Uncle Dor!…Can you hear !”
No answer.
I took a deep breath, hugged a thick round log, and lifted with all my might.
The log still had countless stones pressing on it, but I forcefully lifted it up. Stone fragnts clattered down, my face turning an unusual flush from the excessive effort, feet struggling to take small steps, moving the log along with the large stones on top to one side, then clearing away the stone fragnts and wood chips below, finally seeing Uncle’s face.
That face was covered in dust and blood, white as paper, with unfocused wide-open eyes.
“Uncle… Dor… wake up…”
I held Uncle’s hand that still retained so warmth, my weak voice trembling.
“Wake up…”
“You, wake up…”
I really hoped Uncle would open his eyes and laugh thunderously like before.
“Hahaha, Little Syl, did I scare you!”
But he didn’t answer .
He would never wake up again.
Life was as fragile as paper at this mont.
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