Short, Light, Free Chapter 159

The footsteps were getting closer and louder .

I placed a foot on the sill and made sure that I got a good platform before bringing my other leg up and squeezing through the window .

At this point, my body was out of the window and both my feet were hanging off awkwardly .

I grabbed onto the side of the windows tightly and swung my feet around to get stable footing .

I listened attentively to what was going on on the other side .

"Are you sure that you received the telegram?"

"Yes, I am sure! Look at the door, it's obviously been smashed . Someone's been in here . "

"Maybe it's just rotten . We haven't been up here in, what, seven years?"

"We're already here so we might as well just check it out . "

I frowned at those familiar voices .

"Wait, the intruder might still be in there . "

"I'll open the door . The four of you block the exit . "

"Alright . "

Four to block the exit and one to open the door? 

The five Fathers .

The door creaked loudly and I turned my head a little in an attempt to get a glimpse inside .

The five of them dashed into the room with their mobile and torch lights . Father Big Beard took the lead while Father Dahai brought up the rear . They stood in a row, shining their lights at every corner of the room .

"No one's here . "

"They must've run away already . Dawu, did you  really  receive a telegram?"

"Yes! Five short rings coming from here and the door's been smashed, too! What other evidence do you need?"

"Who's on duty today?"

"Luqiao, I think . The door wasn't locked when I came in . "

"Who has that damned child's number?"

"Dahai must have it . "

"I'll give him a call, hold on," Dahai said .

I freed one hand and reached into my pocket to press both the lock and volume buttons together to shut the phone down .

I didn't dare take my phone out for the fear that they'd see the light on the screen .

My life literally depended on my phone .

10 seconds, 20 seconds . . .

"How is it?"

"Can't connect . "

"Could something have happened to him?"

"Do you think he's been kidnapped? He should be off work by now . "

"Did it finally happen? What our ancestor was worried about?"

"Did you guys see any suspicious character coming into the church recently?"

"No, all familiar faces . "

"Open them up and see what's missing . We'll be in trouble if something's been taken out of this room . "

The five of them got to work in opening the four wooden tables .

"The clothes have been fiddled with . "

"Dahai and I will stay here . The three of you, go down and see if anyone's hiding in the church . "

I heard their footsteps fading as they left the attic .

Only Father Big Beard and Dahai were left inside .

"Look at this, Dahai . Someone's touched it . The dust on the telegraph button has been rubbed off . "

"That's right! Don't move and don't touch anything else . "

"Why?"

"The footprints left on the dust might get us some information,"

"You're right . " 

Their light shone over to the window a few times and I had to duck my head all the way down .

"Did the intruder went over to the window?"

"Seems like it . More than once . The three of them did not go there earlier, did they?"

"You wait here . I'll go have a look . "

"Wait, I'll go . I don't know how this telegraph works . You can check if it's still working . "

I was certain that it was Dahai who said that .

"Alright . Just do a rough check and don't poke your head out of the window . We mustn't act blindly . There might be people watching us from below . "

I did not know what the Fathers were worried about, but it seemed that other people were also interested in the attic .

Typewriter? Telegraph? Army uniform and nation flag?

I was baffled .

Father Dahai's footsteps approached and I could sense his presence just a wall away from me .

"Anything?" Father Big Beard asked .

My arms were aching badly, but the only other option was to let go and break every bone in my body .

Yeah, no .

Dahai stuck his face to the window and we made eye contact .

My heart stopped .

He looked at me and raised his index finger up to his lips .

"Nothing," he said .

"Probably just wanted to note his location from the top," Father Big Beard rationalized .

"Nothing's missing or spoiled so let's go join the others," Dahai proposed .

"Do you think it's Luqiao, Dahai?"

"What?" 

"He's always so quiet . Do you think he has a problem?"

"You're overthinking this . I watched him grow up and I know his character well; he's biddable . "

"He might've been bribed . "

"Why are you suspecting him now?" Dahai asked defensively .

"I know you have a soft spot for him . We agreed for him to stay with each of us on different days and not to tell him the secret if he behaves abnormally . Instead, we would make him the successor . He was doing a great job, but who decided to keep the secret until later on? Who wanted him to live as a normal being? Wasn't it you, Dahai?"

"We have no right to seize his freedom . He has no obligation to inherit our secret . "

"Were we given a choice by our ancestors? Did our five families guard this church for generations by choice?"

Footsteps .

"What are you two arguing about this time?"

"There's no one around, we've checked . "

"We're not arguing . It's about Luqiao . At the start, Dahai vowed for Luqiao to take over the church, but when Luqiao turned 18, Dahai decided that he was an outsider and shouldn't be restricted by us . There's an attachment, Dahai . You overdid your part . "

"Didn't we agree to let it go? Why mention it again? Luqiao is missing . He's not the one behind this . "

"It was said previously that the next-of-kin will do it . We said nothing to Luqiao and now we don't know if they're here for him . "

"What do we do next?"

"Four of us can go home, but someone has to stay here tonight . No sleeping . We'll get the door fixed and reinforced tomorrow . Let's choose one to stay the night . "

"I'll stay," Dahai volunteered . "My daughter's already in graduate school . I'll just give my wife a call . "

"Sorry to trouble you . We'll come earlier tomorrow to settle the repair . If someone really has Luqiao and asks us to choose between the secret of his life, we have no choice but to sacrifice him . I hope you understand . "

After their exit, Dahai quickly opened the window and reached for my wrist .

My arms were practically jellies at this time so I simply let him pull me back into the room .

"Ask . I know you have questions," Dahai panted .

The footsteps were getting closer and louder . I placed a foot on the sill and made sure that I got a good platform before bringing my other leg up and squeezing through the window . At this point, my body was out of the window and both my feet were hanging off awkwardly . I grabbed onto the side of the windows tightly and swung my feet around to get stable footing . I listened attentively to what was going on on the other side . Are you sure that you received the telegram Yes, I am sure Look at the door, it 39 s obviously been smashed . Someone 39 s been in here . Maybe it 39 s just rotten . We haven 39 t been up here in, what, seven years We 39 re already here so we might as well just check it out . I frowned at those familiar voices . Wait, the intruder might still be in there . I 39 ll open the door . The four of you block the exit . Alright . Four to block the exit and one to open the door The five Fathers . The door creaked loudly and I turned my head a little in an attempt to get a glimpse inside . The five of them dashed into the room with their mobile and torch lights . Father Big Beard took the lead while Father Dahai brought up the rear . They stood in a row, shining their lights at every corner of the room . No one 39 s here . They must 39 ve run away already . Dawu, did you really receive a telegram Yes Five short rings coming from here and the door 39 s been smashed, too What other evidence do you need Who 39 s on duty today Luqiao, I think . The door wasn 39 t locked when I came in . Who has that damned child 39 s number Dahai must have it . I 39 ll give him a call, hold on, Dahai said . I freed one hand and reached into my pocket to press both the lock and volume buttons together to shut the phone down . I didn 39 t dare take my phone out for the fear that they 39 d see the light on the screen . My life literally depended on my phone . 10 seconds, 20 seconds . . . How is it Can 39 t connect . Could something have happened to him Do you think he 39 s been kidnapped He should be off work by now . Did it finally happen What our ancestor was worried about Did you guys see any suspicious character coming into the church recently No, all familiar faces . Open them up and see what 39 s missing . We 39 ll be in trouble if something 39 s been taken out of this room . The five of them got to work in opening the four wooden tables . The clothes have been fiddled with . Dahai and I will stay here . The three of you, go down and see if anyone 39 s hiding in the church . I heard their footsteps fading as they left the attic . Only Father Big Beard and Dahai were left inside . Look at this, Dahai . Someone 39 s touched it . The dust on the telegraph button has been rubbed off . That 39 s right Don 39 t move and don 39 t touch anything else . Why The footprints left on the dust might get us some information, You 39 re right . Their light shone over to the window a few times and I had to duck my head all the way down . Did the intruder went over to the window Seems like it . More than once . The three of them did not go there earlier, did they You wait here . I 39 ll go have a look . Wait, I 39 ll go . I don 39 t know how this telegraph works . You can check if it 39 s still working . I was certain that it was Dahai who said that . Alright . Just do a rough check and don 39 t poke your head out of the window . We mustn 39 t act blindly . There might be people watching us from below . I did not know what the Fathers were worried about, but it seemed that other people were also interested in the attic . Typewriter Telegraph Army uniform and nation flag I was baffled . Father Dahai 39 s footsteps approached and I could sense his presence just a wall away from me . Anything Father Big Beard asked . My arms were aching badly, but the only other option was to let go and break every bone in my body . Yeah, no . Dahai stuck his face to the window and we made eye contact . My heart stopped . He looked at me and raised his index finger up to his lips . Nothing, he said . Probably just wanted to note his location from the top, Father Big Beard rationalized . Nothing 39 s missing or spoiled so let 39 s go join the others, Dahai proposed . Do you think it 39 s Luqiao, Dahai What He 39 s always so quiet . Do you think he has a problem You 39 re overthinking this . I watched him grow up and I know his character well he 39 s biddable . He might 39 ve been bribed . Why are you suspecting him now Dahai asked defensively . I know you have a soft spot for him . We agreed for him to stay with each of us on different days and not to tell him the secret if he behaves abnormally . Instead, we would make him the successor . He was doing a great job, but who decided to keep the secret until later on Who wanted him to live as a normal being Wasn 39 t it you, Dahai We have no right to seize his freedom . He has no obligation to inherit our secret . Were we given a choice by our ancestors Did our five families guard this church for generations by choice Footsteps . What are you two arguing about this time There 39 s no one around, we 39 ve checked . We 39 re not arguing . It 39 s about Luqiao . At the start, Dahai vowed for Luqiao to take over the church, but when Luqiao turned 18, Dahai decided that he was an outsider and shouldn 39 t be restricted by us . There 39 s an attachment, Dahai . You overdid your part . Didn 39 t we agree to let it go Why mention it again Luqiao is missing . He 39 s not the one behind this . It was said previously that the next of kin will do it . We said nothing to Luqiao and now we don 39 t know if they 39 re here for him . What do we do next Four of us can go home, but someone has to stay here tonight . No sleeping . We 39 ll get the door fixed and reinforced tomorrow . Let 39 s choose one to stay the night . I 39 ll stay, Dahai volunteered . My daughter 39 s already in graduate school . I 39 ll just give my wife a call . Sorry to trouble you . We 39 ll come earlier tomorrow to settle the repair . If someone really has Luqiao and asks us to choose between the secret of his life, we have no choice but to sacrifice him . I hope you understand . After their exit, Dahai quickly opened the window and reached for my wrist . My arms were practically jellies at this time so I simply let him pull me back into the room . Ask . I know you have questions, Dahai panted .

Chapter end