|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 6:32 am
The winter solstice had arrived again, but this year Lien Si found himself spending it alone in the pavilion. Muoh Li, who was out of town on a business trip, had sent word that he'd be back for the holiday, but news was that recent bad weather delayed the doctor's travels. Lien Si did not expect him to make it back on time.
But still he found himself standing listless by the waters, in the form of a young child--much like he had once stood waiting and wondering, many years before. There was a strong sense of dejavu, and rational thought was failing to reason it away. He stood there barefoot, a large fur-trimmed cloak hanging off his arms, trailing behind him in the snow. Despite the cold his skin was still a warm and healthy pink, and strangely, the area around his feet was devoid of snow.
Lien Si lifted his arms toward the lake as if welcoming some invisible being. His action seemed to be calling, beckoning, waiting, all at once. But the only answer he received was the silence of the lake.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 5:58 pm
Mina was lost again, this time without her boyfriend to help her. The snow was confusing, it covered up her previous steps quicker than she could make new prints. She shivered as the cold winds blew by and pulled out the directions that her boyfriend had written down for her.
Walk along the path until you see a bridge and I'll meet you there for dinner, be careful Mina. It's supposed to snow even more so you should bundle up.
Love,
Damien
Mina shivered again, she had to find someplace to take a pause. For a second she thought she heard something but then quietly shook the feeling away. The small coat that she wore began to get soaked through with snow. She jogged a little to try and keep warm. After awhile she saw something in the distance, she wasn't sure what it was but it looked like a lake. She walked towards it and rubbed her hands together to keep her fingers warm, it was rarely this cold back in London. "I wish someone was here with me..." Mina closed her eyes and thought of the promise Damien had made when he had first moved here without her. "I will wait for you." She smiled a bit and stood by the lake. "I guess I wasn't imagining this."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 11:49 pm
With his eyes closed and his arms still outstretched, Lien Si felt something stirring, echoing, resonating through the cold air that had moments earlier been silent. With nothing better to do he let his consciousness wander, extending out across the lake, across the stillness, and there, at the lake's edge, he found a bit of light. A lost child--for those who cross his path are always lost.
Lost, but full of hope and warmth.
With him and the pavilion as a focal point, lotus blossoms began to emerge from the icy waters, blooming and spreading out across the surface of the lake, their petals ethereal and seemingly translucent. Perhaps attracted by the flowers, tiny orbs of light flickered into existence, lighting up the pavilion like Christmas.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 16, 2011 6:50 am
Mina watched as a lotus appeared from the water, one by one, they all floated up from the lake. She crouched down at the edge of the lake and watched them. "They're so pretty." The closest one was just out of her reach, she watched as little orbs of light floated around them. "They must be fireflies, I wonder why the cold isn't hurting them?" She shivered and shook a little of the snow off her, it slid to the ground with a light noise.
Thoughts of her old home floated through her mind, the lights of the lotus reminded her friends party. Candles had been set up all around as they had dinner with her and Damien. She smiled and reached out towards the lotus. "Such a pretty flower, I wish I could smell you. You probably have a very pretty scent."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 8:42 am
While the flowers modestly shied away from Mina's touch, the lights instead seemed intrigued. Circling her outstretched hand but never coming closer, the lights seemed to be beckoning, tempting, inviting Mina to approach the lit building. Even with distortion from the wavering lights it was easy to see that both lights and blossoms gradually increased in number as distance with the pavilion decreased.
"Come," they seemed to say, "come..." they seemed to light the way. A light orb broke away from the waters and ventured close, nearly landing on Mina's hand. There it paused for a moment before fluttering away just out of reach where it stopped, as if waiting.
A light breeze had started. It was neither chilling nor cold, instead on its currents flowed the refreshing smell of lotuses with a faint dash of sandalwood hiding within. From his station at the pavilion Lien Si stood waiting, wondering, his mind wandering.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 9:14 am
Mina watched in utter awe at the lights, she stood up and looked at the Pavilion. She could smell the scent from all the lotuses, she smiled and pondered. "Such beautiful flowers, I wonder if someone lives in the pavilion."
She walked towards the pavilion as she watched the lights that floated all around, the air seemed eerie to her. She hummed a soft melody and closed her eyes as she was within a few feet of the pavilion. "Whoever lives here must be very happy to see such a beautiful sight. I wish I was lucky enough to see all these lotuses every night."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 17, 2011 9:18 pm
By the time Lien Si opened his eyes all that could be seen across the surface of the lake were lotuses in full bloom. Although his vision was filled with the flowers his mind was elsewhere, or perhaps his mind was no where at all--there was not much difference between the two. Whichever the case Lien Si stood staring off into the cosmos, barely noticing the flickering lights that spun around him, illuminating his delicate features.
He did not appear to notice Mina approach.
((I'm assuming Mina is talking to herself in English.))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 3:28 pm
Mina walked closer and closer to the pavilion, her humming seemed to get louder as she got closer. As she got right by the entrance, she tripped. "OW!!" She cried loudly as she moved to sit, her face,hands and knees had scratches from the cold,hard ground. "Owwie! I wish Damien was here." A few tears ran down her cheeks as all the scratches stung from the snow falling on them. Mina looked up, through her watery eyes, she saw a small figure.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:40 am
The pavilion, surrounded by calm waters, elegant lotuses, and quiet lights was a scene of soothing serenity--that is, until Mina tripped. Surprised by the sudden outburst, the lights and flowers around her dispersed in a flash, vanishing into the safety of the lake. It took a few minutes before lights started cautiously resurfacing to observe her condition.
Sensing the disturbance, Lien Si turned toward the figure on the ground. Slowly his eyes focused, but although he was looking in Mina's direction his attention was focusing on a point slightly beyond the girl. It was a single lotus, tinted green in coloration, quietly bobbing up and down in the water. The only lotus on the water within arms reach of Mina. The dark-haired child walked over to the blossom and the girl, fur-lined cloak fitted for an grown man still hanging loosely off his shoulders while the heavy cloth dragged behind him like the train of a gown. It's weight and drag neither hindered, nor weighed the child down. His footsteps were light and silent, each step vaporizing the snow beneath and it truly looked as if Lien Si were walking on clouds.
He stopped short of Mina, cocking his head to one side as if he just noticed her existence. After a few silent seconds of considering his options, he ventured forth a question, his voice like pearls on a porcelain plate. "What brings you here?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 4:28 pm
Mina sniffled and rubbed her eyes, the scratches stung a lot now. The small child was right in front of her now, his question made her cry even more. "I'm lost, I was trying to go see my boyfriend but I got lost in the snow." She really wanted to go into a warm place so the stinging would stop. "Do you have any bandages?" Her voice was a little odd because of all the crying, she tried making out the details of the child but she couldn't just yet. The ground was clear near her, right around where the child was. "Is there someplace warm nearby?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 7:33 am
Lien Si blinked at the girl blankly as the foreign syllables were slowly processed by his brain. Ah, yes, now that he actually looked at her, it was quite obvious that she was a foreigner. He looked over to the glowing lotus contently waiting on the waters while a few words were picked out of the alien string of sounds--Muoh Li had taught him a few before. You should keep up with the times, the doctor had told him, This country isn't the center of the world anymore.
Lost. Friend. Snow. Bandages. These were the words he was able to decipher from the sniffling and sobbing. Her last line though, he understood much easier despite her awkward pronunciation. The child looked toward the building, then back at Mina's cuts.
"Come." He said in Chinese, turning. "Follow." He said, this time in English.
Without seeing if Mina was following him, nor helping her up like a gentleman, Lien Si made his way toward the table on the deck of the pavilion. There, he lit a few heating lamps (in reality it looked more like the lamps lit themselves as he approached) that Muoh Li had left behind during one of his visits, and soon the deck area was fairly warm. Although he did not have any bandages on hand, he procured a small bottle of the doctor's finest potion from his sleeve. It was of the powdered variety and was to be put on wounds directly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 2:51 pm
Mina looked as the boy walked away, she sniffled a little as she tried to get up. She cringed as her hands touched the cold snow but, she got back up to a standing position. She limped quietly towards the pavilion where the boy was standing. The lanterns were so warm, it felt better than the bitter cold.
"Thank you for letting me come inside." She mumbled softly in her iffy Chinese. She hoped she had said it correctly and hadn't gotten the words mixed up like she usually does. She looked around to see if there was anywhere to sit, her knees were aching as she stood there. She shivered slightly, the rest of the snow slid off of her and melted on the floor. "Um... I'm Mina, where am I?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 7:33 am
The area of the pavilion they were in was roofed and looked out over the lake--the view of the lake was unobstructed save for a few supporting pillars and matching railings. At its center was a stone table, it's marbled top polished from years of use and wear that it reflected as well as a mirror. The table itself was asymmetrical, a direct horizontal cut from a larger piece of marble, and surrounding it was a number of matching stools from the same quarry. Although the area was fenced in by railings, from the deck where the table stood it was easy even for a child to look over the protective bars and admire the breathtaking view. The lake, the flowers, and the painting-like mountains in the distance.
Lien Si shook his head softly, "I don't own this place," he said, "No one does. At least, not anymore." The child offered her the bottle, gesturing that she should sprinkle some on her cuts.
"'Where,' does not matter," he continued, his voice quiet and soothing, "but 'why'."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:49 pm
Mina looked around and sat on one of the stools, the view was beautiful. She took the bottle and sprinkled a little onto her knees and hands, the stinging stopped all together along with the aching. "Whoah..." She was amazed by the effect the powder had on the cuts. She placed the bottle on the table and took a look at her hands, she rubbed a little of it on the scratch on her nose.
After she finished, she looked back towards the boy. His comment was really confusing her. "I got lost for a reason?" She tilted her head slightly as drops of melted snow dripped off her bangs. "How come you didn't get all wet in the snow?" She fought with her chinese again since he seemed to understand it faster than her english.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 6:19 pm
Lien Si neither provided a yes nor a no, he simply turned, looking out over the lake and the soft glow of the blossoms. Time trickled past slowly as he focused his gaze across the lake, allowing some thoughts to settle and take root, allowing other thoughts to float to the surface of the conscious. Finally he answered, still admiring the scenery, "You may feel lost, but if you had not wandered this way, then perhaps you would have never come to the shores of this lake."
Turning toward the girl again, the child lifted one finger to catch a droplet of water from Mina's bangs, "I have yet to be completely immersed in snow for that to happen," he replied, smiling. It finally registered in his brain that before him was a normal human girl, vulnerable to the natural forces of the world. "You should dry off before you venture off again," he decided, standing up and heading into the building, "I'll go get a towel."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
