I remember seeing a small village. There the sun was set high, it was bright with its white light.
Many birds were chirping: some in a tree or sky. I saw many small birds passing by. They fly in a very blue sky: they form in an array of arrows, passing through the mountains and clouds.
From the sight of the bird, I can see the vast lands and building hills, from low to high and high to low, it is like a tide of waves, appearing but not appearing.
It is filled with many types of green vegetables and plants.
It is also filled with many trees. There the endless trees, building up to the horizontal sky.
Far and deep in a forest where many animals hide, hides a small river.
It is a river that breaks off from the Great River.
Near that river is where the small village lives.
The village, its many houses, and its walls were mostly built with stones and wood. I supposed their materials were gathered from the woods.
About a hundred people were living there; ages from children to adults.
There is a small house. It is built with no doors or windows.
I saw a small boy living there. He looks about 7 or 8 years old, appearing with a water bucket in his hand. Although he holding it with two hands but still a great difficulty. He walks towards a water well. His forehead, I saw was covered with sweat; It was a very hot day.
He stops near a 13-year-old girl. She wears gray clothes that are old and sewed many times. He looks at her and she looks back. She saw an anxious look on the boy's face. As if knowing his thought, she quickly her pace, trying to faster: pulled up the water bucket from the well; it was a stone wall.
It was nighttime, the house was lit up by the two lanterns outside, and a candle inside. I saw six people sitting inside the house. Their chair and table were made with pale white wood. The table was long and rectangular in shape.
The house was dark but there was a bright light candle on the table.
There were food on the table: chicken, vegetables, and rice.
The small boy was eating very fast. I saw his two parents were talking. There is a twenty-year-old man sitting next to the boy.
He must be his uncle.
The boy had two sisters all older than him. They sit on the left side of the table with their face, facing the boy and uncle: it makes it easier to talk to each other.
The uncle was looking at the empty window. Not know what he thinking but there was a beautiful moon hanging out in the sky.
As he looked down, he noticed a small reflection of the moon; it was on a small lake near a tall tree but outside of their courtyard.
Their courtyard had a wooden fence surrounding it.
"Puff"
The small boy jumps on his bed, lying down with a very tired look. His room was a small and dark room. There was a simple bed, built with wood; there were several stone tools beside there. His room was simple and quiet.
He hears the owls howling and trees moving. He covers his belly with a small and thin blanket. He turns around, facing the stone wall; seems to be thinking about something.
"Hmmm..every day tiring …don't like it….. aaahnnn really aa..want to …uhhh…live somewhere else.." He yawns sleepy, muttering the word in his heart.
He looks frustrated.
He didn't want to think anymore so he closed his eyes.
The moon was bright for many days. And from day to day, I would see the small boy sneak out during the night.
He was bored or couldn't sleep, so deciding to go out and play.
Hehe…
He walked near a small pond and quickly found a good spot to sit. looking at the pond, he sees many floating leaves; they're big, floating…
Click..clock…
An hour passes.
The small boy looks dazed, wandering his mind, and thoughtlessly he throws a rock from time to time. He looked at the pond but for a moment he noticed something. I saw something under the pond, it made a bubbling and popping sound,
"Pops pops"
A frog, I saw it jump out of the pond. Splashing the water.
Frog!!
The boy looks closer: hoping to get a clearer view. He stops at a distance, doing something very quietly. The frog seemed not to notice and stood still in the Floating Leaf.
Wooshhh!
The boy throws a rock; the frog hops to escape. Disappointed, He stood up, sweeping his hand in the air; it scared the surrounding fireflies, flying away.
He walks aimlessly, passing through many grasses as his hands feel and touch. He found it very interesting: wondering how the frog was even born. Maybe under the pond…then what about humans?
…..
He wanders around, looking around: exploring the life on the ground.
Insects like ants, centipedes, and grasshoppers; are easily seen. But spiders and worms seem to camouflage.
Woosh!
I saw a small shadow, it jumped right at the bush.
Hiding nearby was the small boy. He looked around, sneaking to the bush, and he saw a rabbit.
It chewing grass: seems like it very much.
Argh….
He bends his body and uses his hand like a leg. He pretends to be a wolf and decides to catch the rabbit.
"Roar….Roar"
Hop and Hop…
Roar..?
Hop
He chased the rabbit; for about ten minutes, he couldn't help it, deciding to rest.
He walks near a tree.
The tree, big and filled with many green leaves, lay its body on its trunk.
It was dark but many fireflies flying around, lighting up the area.
Eh? Is that…?
Noticing a small green Cricket was blinking its large red eye. I found it funny, he happened to hop on the boy's head. But the boy is asleep or else, he would been frightened.
The sun had risen, and I saw the sisters and uncle were already awake and working in the courtyard. The small boy slowly walks in through the door fence. He was yawning as his mouth was open wide. The uncle stopped his work, looking at him.
"It's inside, go! bring that bag of rice… remember it the chief house."
The boy nodded as he walked into the house. All villagers were required to tribute at least one bag of rice per month or else they get kicked out of the village. These extra bags of rice were needed for many things. The boys remember seeing ten strong men; patrolling and protecting their village.
They need to be fed properly, so the body will be strong and have energy to work. They are an important power in the village. Rather than the wolves attacking, random or dangerous strangers, they were always there.
Carrying the 30-pound sandbag on his back, the boy slowly walked out of the house and toward the chief house. The chef's house is much bigger compared to theirs and it is about 2 or 3 times their house size. Seeing the boy, the chief nodded as he just walked out of the door. The boy handed the bag, showing the chief.
He waves his hand, walking back home. He would often see two or three strong-looking men patrolling and secretly wonder how they eat this big; admiring their bodies and wondering why he couldn't have a body similar to theirs.
Shaking his head, he walks back home. In the house, there is a small kitchen. I saw the small boy firing an oven: putting a stack of thin wood in the fire below.
He had chores like cooking, bringing water from the river, and carrying things to places.
Smoke quickly comes out of the chimney as he stands there, watching the soup. Maybe waiting too long, He starts to look daze: from time to time. But quickly realized the soup was almost overcooked. Bringing the food to the table, he saw his two parents walking into the courtyard. His parent had gone to the farm in the very early morning. Seeing them, He quickens his pace and decides to eat first before going out. He began to carry water buckets in his hand. He walks from the river to home or the other way around.
During his travels, he would often meet Children like him; they had work and chores to do.
There are even some elderly who pick herbs and mushrooms. There are very few fights and bullies because the children are mostly busy and have to work. Walking up a hill, he saw rabbits and squirrels running around; they were playful hiding around. They like to hide in the bush or tree and then observe the villagers. Oh…these animals must be very curious, wondering what are these humans doing.
They are so strange and so….different.
He walks past them. The boy holding tight on the bucket handle, swinging it without a care. He scooped the water into his bucket and slowly his hand gripping it tight. He starts to carry it back home. It was not an easy journey, his shoes sometimes got trapped in the soil and by many strange plants, had to go up a hill and rest three times before going back on track. After all, the water was quite heavy.
Well..today, his luck was pretty quite bad, don't know why but got stunned by a bee; he had to run. He poured the water, splashing at the bee, hoping it could chase it away.
Oh no…Now he had to get the water again.
He couldn't help but want to curse. Getting water was not a problem but he would get scolded by his uncle. His uncle would sometimes punish him by making him carry the water all night long.
Sighing, he went back home.