Chapter 9- Lotuses Root in Tragedy

“Is this a test?”

Yes. But it is also completely necessary for a few other things. I’ve already lowered the difficulty as much as I dare by giving you some hints. I’m going to be silent now, until you are in a safe place with at least ten of the lotuses, roots included. I believe in you, Tian. I know you can do this.

“Grandpa Jun?”

The clearing was full of sounds- the wind rustling the leaves, the chirping of insects and little frogs. But not a whisper from Grandpa Jun. Tian looked around, feeling lost. When Grandpa went silent in the junkyard, Tian knew how to live. There was an order and routine to everything. There really weren’t any decisions to make, or none that mattered much.

Wasn’t this a little too scary? There were vipers in the junkyard. All the rats and mice made the trash heaps treasured hunting grounds for them. By and large, he stayed away. You only had to see a few mice die in terrified agony to learn snakes were nothing fun to play with.

All the snakes in the dump looked like little babies compared to the colorful adder sprawled on the side of the pond. And this was the smallest of the bunch.

He sighed. Snakes didn’t like eating dead food either. To lure one with carrion would be hard, never mind all the snakes still in the pond. Though… that didn’t mean he couldn’t set some traps and make some lures. It would just be a bit of a long process.

The pond itself was the next big problem. It wasn’t nearly as big as the lake he had seen, but it was still big enough to make him worried about how deep the water was. The lotuses nearest the shore were all raggedy looking. The best ones were clustered in the middle. How was he supposed to get even one of them? Let alone ten or more? A long stick wouldn’t cut it.

One problem at a time. The very first thing he needed to do was make some tools. And it all started with a stick.

The bird screeched and flapped its wings, desperate to get free. Tian felt bad, but didn’t stir. The bird had only been noisy for a minute, and the snake was already on the move. Tian had never made a snake trap before, but he thought his current plan was feasible. He’d find out in a moment.

The long adder slithered through the grass. Tian shivered. He had underestimated its size. The snake was nearly as long as Tian was tall. Its pointy head seemed particularly sinister, and the tiny scale horns over its eyes seemed to make threats all on their own.

The colors of the snake’s scales were deceptively muted. Black, gold and green… his eyes watered for a moment. Was that really green? For some reason, he thought it was something else for a moment. Was this the ‘colorblind’ thing Grandpa kept going on about? In that moment of blindness, the adder reached his trap.

Tian had woven together some thin wooden stakes, making a little fence with a single hole in it. The bird was tied to a branch in the middle of the fenced area. And just as the snake stuck it’s head in-

Tian was quite used to moving with blurry vision. He yanked the bark fiber cord and pulled the noose tight. It grabbed the snake by the neck. The cord slipped a little, then set. The snake thrashed, but Tian had him firm. The cord hauled the snake up towards the tree branch above. Tian tied the cord to a branch and dashed in with a heavy stick. He whacked the snake once, feeling it bend under his blow. Tian frowned. It didn’t feel like he crushed the spine. He swung a fast backhand, and missed.

The snake slipped out of the noose. It showed its temper the second it was free, striking fast. Needle thin fangs reached for the boy’s wrist. Tian was wide open after his swing, and could only desperately leap back. The snake pressed forward, hissing furiously and darting its head at his legs. Tian kept retreating, trying to bring his heavy stick into action. Not noticing how his elusive steps followed the pattern of the jumping games Grandpa had taught him.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Tian thought he had the snake’s timing down, and whipped forward with the stick. The snake ducked the blow, and immediately moved to bite the swinging arm. Tian yelped and jumped back, jerking his empty hand out of the way. It took him a moment to realize that he had just flung his stick yards away. His index and thumb were not enough to hold the stick through such a sudden change of direction. Not with three missing fingers on each hand.

Tian turned and ran. No weapon, no traps? He certainly wasn’t going to box a snake. He was off on his toes. He only managed three steps when some bestial instinct screamed at him to jump!

The snake was faster than he was. It nearly had him. Those long fangs were inches from his leg this time. Tian did the only thing he could think of. Before the snake managed to set itself up again for a lunge, he grabbed it. He directly dove on the snake, grabbing just behind its head with both hands. The snake hissed furiously, lashing Tian with its tail. Tian didn’t give a damn. The adder’s teeth couldn’t reach him. It was free to lash him all it wanted.

Not that he took any chances. He kept the snake’s head facing away from his body, and at arm’s length.