Intrigued, I walked over cautiously, watching for another trap. As I drew closer I realized there was a young girl seated on the bench at the bus-stop.
She is small-built for her age and wears a pony-tail. On her cherubic face was a fresh smile that drew wider as I neared.
"You were amazing." She said.
"I am but who are you? Are you Yasu's associate?"
"Huh, who is Yasu?"
"That man I was fighting with."
"Oh...." She was lost but quickly shook her head.
"I am Jia Xuan. You can call me Xuan."
I looked around. She seems to be alone. Cautiously, I walked up closer to her.
"Hi Xuan, I am Adam. Why are you here?"
"I am waiting for someone," Xuan explained
"You were here all the time? You saw all that?"
She nodded, her expressive eyes framed in curiosity and empathy.
"Yes. I saw that. I saw all the fighting."
"I am sorry if it gave you a fright."
"I am not scared." She said calmly and she pointed to my leg
"You are bleeding. Is it painful?"
"Bleeding?"
I checked where she pointed and realized on the side of my right thigh, the pants are torn with a cut about the length of my pointer finger.
Damn! It must have come from the serpent.
"Thanks. I didn't realize that."
She dug into her bag and pulled out a packet of tissue
"You will need this."
"Thanks," I said and sat down next to her. "I dabbed the wound and found the blood had tickled to the foot of my pants."
I would need more than a packet of tissue but I decided not to alarm the girl.
" Who are you? Why are you fighting ?" She asked
"That young man you saw just now. He is a bad guy. We fought."
"Really?Bad man?"
I nodded
"He took my friend and created the ambush. I was nearly killed."
Xuan oohed and looked at me, agape with shock.
" I thought you were friends. When you fought, I thought it was a show with all the bats and the snake." She giggled.
"You can see the snake and bats?" I asked "Then..."
"By the way he is handsome." She said, blushed plainly.
"I thought he was..." Her words had left me struggling for words.
"Don't you think so?"
I shook my head. "Sorry, I do not. He is a bad bad character."
Normally humans would be frightened by such a spectacle but Xuan was calm and collected.
"Are you not afraid by all this fighting?"
She shook her head
"I don't know. I thought you guys were acting."
Then she peeped over my shoulder at the opposite side.
"No, we are not. My wound tells you we are not acting."
"I hope you are fine."
Why are you here?" I pressed on as I noticed she peeped and looked to the opposite side.
"I am waiting for someone. I am waiting for my Ah Gong. My grandfather."
I looked up and down the street and drew closer to the girl. I tried to sense her vibes. There was nothing dark or ominous. Instead, I found a coat of vibes that was warm and earthly.
She is human and not a wandering spirit.
"At this hour? It is almost 11 pm. You should be home." I observed, "Is your grandfather working late?"
"He is semi-retired and sometimes he goes out to meet friends. However, he would always come back at night to sleep."
"Probably he has been held up somewhere?"
Xuan shook her head
"I have not seen him for days. Today is Wednesday. He was out since Sunday."
"Where are your parents? Did they say why? Maybe your grandfather told them about the reason"
Again, Xuan shook her head. This time, she looked despondent.
"They are busy at work. I had asked my dad but he was too busy. My mum is at home with my brother. I asked her during dinner but she also mentioned she is too tired. Grandpa is an elder and will know his way."
"May I ask how old are you?"
"I am twelve."
The girl had a ponytail and crystal-bright eyes and was armed with a pair of dimples. Suddenly I felt her childish innocence oozing from her smile
"Look I think you should go home first. Maybe your grandfather is held up."
"You think so?"
I look around the street
"Yes I think so."
"What if he does not return?"
I was stubbed
"Let's say we meet her two days later. If he is not back, I will help you to find him."
"Is it true?"
I nodded
"What's your name?"
"I am Adam."
"Adam, that's a nice name."
"Thanks. So we can go home now?"
She looked forlornly at the street and then at me.
" I will accompany you."
"Sure."
"Where do you stay
She pointed to the block at the end of the street
"Block 164. Third floor."
"Let me walk you over
As we walked, Xuan was leaping from one side of the walkway to the other like she was playing hopscotch
"You enjoying playing this?"
"I am just trying to find fun." She smiled "There is nothing much to play at home."
"You are going to stay up for your grandfather?" I asked.
"I am not sure. I will stay awake and wait."
"Please sleep. I am sure he is fine. Do you know what he works as?"
"My grandfather used to work as a security guard at a condominium nearby. However, recently he stopped."
"What's the reason?"
"I am not sure. My parents didn't tell me."
"I would usually wait for him at this bus stop. He comes home about 10 pm."
"You will always wait for him?"
"Yes. He will arrive at around 10.30 pm. Sometimes the bus is late and he is late."
At this point, I was getting worried.
"Look I think he is fine. Probably he stayed over at his friends."
"You think so, Adam?"
I nodded as we reached a flight of stairs.
"This way to my home."
"I will accompany you," I assured
"That's not necessary."
"I insist."
She nodded and as we climbed, I asked again.
"Do you know his friends?"
"He does not have any friends," Xuan stated matter of factly
"Give it another day or two?"
"Fine. I will listen to you, Adam."
I stuck up a thumbs-up
"By the way, you were very good at fighting. Those kicks and somersaults were you trained?"
I nodded
"When I was your age, I was made to do those every day."
"Can I learn from you?"
"It is tough."
"I really would like to."
I shook my head as a newsreel, run in mind, of images of the five AM wake-up call, to ten- kilometres run to mid-day hiking, and constant sparring sessions that left our limbs bruised. Then there were long sessions of meditation to focus our mind for the application of spells.
"You will have second thoughts, Xuan."
"Oh please."
She seemed serious and I nodded with a whisper "Someday."
"Then, what about those cards you threw?"
"Those were amulets which are tools for us to generate power against dark forces."
"Huh?" Xuan was agape "Amulets? "What do you mean?"
I smiled "I will explain more in the future."
"Sure. You promise you will tell me?"
She had extended her little finger and I hooked mine around hers
"I promise."
We walked to the lift lobby and were about to send her in when Xuan stopped
"By the way when I was walking down the stairs, I saw those men trying to dump something into a van."
"What?"
"I saw them packing a black bag into a van."
"Goodness, you saw them!"
Xuan nodded readily.