"One Little, Two Little, Three Little Indians Four Little, Five Little, Six Little Indians Seven Little..."
Annie Seliman sat on a red plastic stool against the wall, extending her ten little fingers, counting one by one. She hummed an American traditional nursery rhyme, but when she reached "seven", she suddenly paused. Then, she started counting again from the beginning, "One Little, Two Little, Three Little..."
Suddenly, a pair of feet appeared in her line of sight, standing close in front of her. Annie stopped counting, lifted her head for a glance. The figure seemed like a giant, towering into the sky. Her neck ached from the strain, yet she couldn't see the top. Finally, with her forehead pressed against the wall and her cute little neck stretched out, she managed to peer at the stranger's jaw. It seemed to be a completely unfamiliar face. She lowered her head again and resumed counting, "One Little, Two Little..."
The stranger showed no intention of leaving and simply crouched down. Hands on their knees, they fixed their gaze on Annie, their eyes slightly burning. It distracted Annie, so she stopped counting, covering her face with her hands. "Don't look at me," she said, giggling through her fingers.
"So, did you complete your mission today?" The deep voice carried a hint of hoarseness, somewhat unfamiliar yet oddly familiar.
Annie slowly spread her fingers apart, her bright eyes sneakily examining the man in front of her. Her clever eyes darted around and suddenly grasped the situation. She put her hands down, and her eyes lit up with joy. "Renly!" After receiving confirmation from him, she pounced into Renly's arms, her giggles tinkling like silver bells.
Renly gently patted Annie's back, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Annie, little pumpkin, you haven't forgotten me. That's truly remarkable."
Annie supported herself on Renly's shoulders with her hands, her expression becoming earnest as she appraised him. However, it didn't last long, and she burst into laughter. "Haha, you've turned into an Indian! One, two, three little Indians! No, you're a big Indian now!"
After over three weeks of hiking, Renly's skin had been exposed to the sun for an extended period. It had acquired a healthy, even wheatish tan, with a slight redness on his cheeks. He indeed looked like an Indian. No wonder Annie hadn't recognized him at first glance.
"So, what number Indian am I?" Renly didn't mind at all and continued playing the nursery rhyme game with Annie.
Annie opened all ten of her fingers, creating a barrier between them, and looked at her fingers. She began counting from the beginning and stumbled again when she reached seven.
However, Renly didn't offer any hints, only smiling and encouraging Annie with his eyes. Annie glanced at him discreetly and hesitated, "Eight?" She saw Renly's smile broaden, and this made Annie burst into laughter once more. "Eight! You're the eighth Indian!"
Renly nodded vigorously, giving Annie a thumbs-up to show his agreement. Annie, feeling triumphant, tilted her head and began humming the nursery rhyme again, with Renly quietly joining in."
When Anita Tunisia approached, this was the scene that greeted her. She didn't rush to disrupt the harmony of the moment; instead, she crossed her hands and stood quietly by the side, waiting for Annie to finish the entire nursery rhyme. Only then did she clap her hands and praise, "Annie, that was wonderful!"
"Was it as good as Hazel's?" Annie exclaimed excitedly, her eyes shining.
Anita extended her right hand, forming a small gap between her thumb and index finger. "You're just a tiny bit short of Hazel's level. But you're getting there, Annie, keep it up!"
Annie excitedly waved her right fist and shouted, "Yeah!"
Renly ruffled Annie's little head, but the little one didn't like it. She evaded with quick movements and ran out in a flash, singing loudly, "One Little, Two Little, Three Little Indians..." Her innocent voice echoed through the corridor, and the sunlight streaming through the windows instantly filled the air with vitality.
Renly stood up again, and Anita approached, giving him a big hug, which left Renly bewildered as he asked, "What's going on?"
"Welcome back to New York," Anita said, releasing the embrace and looking him up and down with a big smile. She continued, "Seeing you healthy and well is the best gift. I won't blame you for not keeping in touch over the past few months."
Renly quickly caught on.
The media had been abuzz with both true and false news, making it challenging for outsiders to discern the truth. These friends from Sinai Hospital had undoubtedly been worried about Renly's situation, and now, seeing him return healthy and well, Anita couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.
There were no accusations, no inquiries, no doubts, just pure admiration. Such pure and genuine friendship made Renly feel the warmth of camaraderie. In the bustling and indifferent city of New York, apart from Village Vanguard, Sinai Hospital had also become another sanctuary for Renly.
"Don't worry, I won't forget this year's Christmas gift," Renly teased with a smile, making Anita burst into joyful laughter. She responded candidly, "Then I'll look forward to a big one."
After the banter, Anita patted Renly's shoulder. "Go check on Hazel; the little girl has been doing well lately. You'll be pleasantly surprised." After saying that, Anita blinked mysteriously but didn't continue, leaving it as a tease. She hummed a little tune and happily walked away.
Renly shook his head in resignation, chuckled softly, and then walked toward Hazel's ward.
There was still some distance to the ward, but faintly, you could already hear the clear sound of a guitar. That alone was an unexpected delight. As he drew nearer with each step, the melody became clearer. Eventually, it entered his ears, forming a complete tune. You could sense that the string notes weren't entirely solid; perhaps the plucking force was insufficient. However, the overall melody flowed smoothly.
For Renly, this song was incredibly familiar; it was, without a doubt, "Monster". Renly understood it instantly; he knew what Anita's surprise had been.
His steps halted at the entrance to the ward. Through the small window, he could see a frail shoulder, sitting at the edge of the bed, back turned to the door, cradling a guitar on her knees, deeply engrossed in playing. Simultaneously, she softly hummed, "So we come, to a place of no return. Yours is the face, that makes my body burn..."
Her delicate voice carried a touch of tenderness, a hint of resilience, a clarity akin to golden sunlight breaking through dark clouds. It was bright and warm, dispelling the world's gloom and darkness, breaking the cold and loneliness of winter, illuminating the path ahead and guiding the wandering poet to continue on.
This was Hazel, embracing her dream of being a singer. She was singing with all her heart, wandering in the world of melody, using her voice to express her feelings, conveying all the thoughts in her mind. Renly withdrew his hand, which had been ready to push the door open; he didn't want to interrupt this beautiful moment. He simply stood by the door, listening intently.
The same song, but with different interpretations, produced entirely different effects.
Renly's rendition of "Monster" carried a faint sense of melancholy and sorrow, as if an aged person who had witnessed the vicissitudes of life stood at the edge of the world, gazing at the changes of the sea and land, the desolation, and the apocalypse. It was a sigh of regret and helplessness, reminiscing about the lost innocence and beauty. This song had originally been inspired by Chris Hemsworth, and it had been the first time Renly glimpsed the bloodshed and filth behind the fame and fortune of Hollywood.
Hazel's rendition of "Monster" carried a subtle bitterness and sadness, but also a hint of youthful vigor and vitality. Behind her maturity beyond her years lay a young soul who hadn't had the chance to spread its wings and was forced to abandon its flight prematurely, bearing a heavy burden yet still standing strong, moving forward toward her dreams. That perseverance, that tenacity, that passion, lit up a ray of light in the dark world.
Strictly speaking, Hazel's vocal range hadn't fully developed. She sounded youthful and unpolished, relying entirely on her natural talent for the performance. But the emotions hidden in her voice were so genuine, so beautiful, that it moved people beyond words.
Hazel paused her singing, placed her hands on the guitar strings, and in a clear voice, she sang the same line of lyrics again, but then froze in place, murmuring softly, "A place of no return." Sunlight outlined the curve of her profile, serene and beautiful, like the pure moonlight.
Renly sighed softly deep inside. He understood why this song had such a profound impact on Hazel. On the path to chasing dreams, the moments of doubt, loss, confusion, pain, and setbacks always made them question themselves. It was as if they were trapped in a land with no way out, walking alone.
The experiences of two lifetimes had given Renly a sense of determination. Even if it meant flying into the flames like a moth, he did so without hesitation. However, for Hazel, it might not be the same. Despite enduring so much pain and hardship, she was still just a sixteen-year-old girl.
Fortunately, Hazel had finally started to rebuild her life. No longer bound by illness, no longer trapped in self-pity, she was able to play the guitar effortlessly. What appeared to be a simple act was difficult to imagine how much effort lay behind it. It seemed that her rehabilitation had achieved great results; this should be the surprise Anita had mentioned.
More importantly, Hazel had finally started pursuing her dreams. She acknowledged her inner desires, freely enjoying the beauty of her youth. This was the life a sixteen-year-old girl should have. Illness was just a part of life; besides that, there was so much more to life. Perhaps this was just the beginning of a dream, but it held infinite possibilities.
Just like the lyrics of "Monster", "Curse the beauty, curse the queen. Curse the beauty, leave me."
A smile quietly crept onto Renly's lips.