" Were you not satisfied? Do you think of me as a joke." Xu Li , a girl in her late teen age, screamed at the man before her almost tearing up. Her sniffles attracted the passing mob who pitied her but scattered away, fearing the wrath of the Yamen runners. Xu Li grabbed onto the Yamen officer's robe and started shaking him while screaming. "Give my brother back to me. You have the duty of guarding the civilians, not torturing them. Please, give him back. I only have him. You imbeciles."
A loud bell rang at the townpost, affirming it was mid noon. The remaining people in the street scurried away to their houses. leaving the streets empty, the whole town felt like a deserted ghost town.
Xu Li got kicked hard on her stomach. She coughed up blood, still not letting go of the last remaining hope to see her brother alive and well. Complex emotions were grappling onto her. She felt pain each time she was beaten, but it was noting compared to the despair she felt of being left alone in this dying world. She heard a commotion amongst the Yamen soldiers and saw them dragging a bloodied figure. They threw the body in the street while leaving Xu Li a look full of scorn.
Once they left, Xu Li felt devastated at the thought that this bloodied figure was that of her brother's. She mustered up the last remaining strength she had to take a close look. What she felt then was rage, pure rage. She cursed aloud, shouting that the empire shall face the most terrible abomination and perish from the face of earth. She took hold of her little brother, whose body was rendered cripple. A mere ten year old boy was reduced to this unfortunate state. Xu Li shuddered at the thought of his future.
"Xu Nian, Xu Nian, my Xu Nian....". She kept calling her brother's name while carrying him on her back. She staggered but persistently walked on and on towards the end of the town slum. Inside a hut that looked too old and unattended. She placed him on a straw mat while running off to the well to bring water. She bathed him while cleaning his clothes. She shuddered, looking at his wounds. Both of his hands were broken as if someone repeatedly tried to break it while destroying the surrounding nerves. His skin was swelling. She looked at his shin. There were whip marks all over. She teared up at the thought of the pain and misery his brother had to go through. She composed herself rewinding all her past experiences as a worker under a medic. She repeatedly felt sorry for what she was going to do to him. She took his left hand and twisted it back to its right place while also doing the same for the right hand. She quickly prepared a herb patch that she had happened to score at the nearby bushes. After she did all she could. She waited for her brother to gain consciousness.
Days went by. Xu Li repeatedly checked if his brother was recovering or not. The swelling was gone, though she feared that her brother's future was crippled similar to his pitiable body. She was frantic at the thought of losing him and gave him her care and support. Xu Li was having constant nightmares and suffered from insomnia. She kept checking if his brother was breathing or not. Placing two fingers under his nose.
After ten torturous days, her brother awoke. He groaned in pain. Hearing a few muffled noise, Xu Li excitedly ran towards him, sitting beside tears welling up in her eyes. She looked at him expectantly while giving him support against the wall. Her voice trembled while asking if he needed anything. At his mention of water, she quickly ran off to bring him some. while helping him drink, she noticed that he was too quiet. She tried insinuating a talk but failed to. He looked gloomy but curious. Constantly looking around him. She felt his gaze as if scrutinizing something. He said, " Thin." She was left embarrassed as she told him not to worry about her while encouraging him to quickly recover. She felt strange calmness from him as if this entire incident had engraved a deep trauma within him. She hurriedly racked her brain to lift up his spirit. She stood up, saying , " I'll prepare the food while you take rest," and left.
The young looking boy had grimace written all over his face. He blurted, " Out of all things to be CRIPPLED ". With a thud, he lay flat on the floor filled with agony.