The dream changed. Fog came and went, revealing the same cave…but now, Shao Cheng sat alone.
This time, he was a little bit taller; it was summer time now. Birds chirped outside the cave, and bright light streamed in, contrasting the dank darkness of the cave and the feral look in the eyes of Shao Cheng, who was lying on the ground with his hands on his stomach. Some time had passed; maybe a few months. Not too long.
Shao Cheng lay there for a long, long time, not moving an inch and barely blinking. It got to the point that Abrial wondered if he was even alive anymore. Maybe he'd just fizzled out there on the ground, finally out of the will to live on? His face was pale enough to be dead…he looked almost gray. And he was skinny enough that his cheekbones were sharp as knives.
