The sun was setting soon.
He would sleep at the inn a few miles back.
When he awaken, maybe he would remember more.
Of the Holocaust.
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“I’m sorry, Mr. I’ve just rented the last room to
this gentleman over here,” the innkeeper said. He looked over the man.
He was wearing a suit and tie, looking very yuppyish. Then he looked back
on himself, wearing very oriental clothing, complete with robe. Yet, he
felt a strange familiarity with this man, although he was quite sure he
has never met him before.
“Is it possible of both of you to share?”
They both nodded at the same time.
“Wonderful. Please wait a moment. I will show you
your room shortly.”
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The two men set their things down on the bed in
opposite corners, their backs to each other. Both did not speak a word
until they have finished unpacking.
The one in the suit turned around and introduced
himself.
“Hi, my name is Kaie. I’m from Alphanen. Have we
met before?” Kaie stuck out his hand. The other man smiled and shook it.
“I don’t think so. My name is Cheng Yi, I’m from
Striding.”
“No wonder you wear such…uh…extraordinary clothes.
But you do look familiar to me.”
“I’ve been wandering around, here and there. Can
I ask you a rather… sensitive question?” Cheng Yi asked carefully.
“Sure. Just as long as it isn’t my love life or
something,” Kaie warned jokingly. Cheng Yi did not smile.
“Were you there during the Holocaust?”
Kaie face grew dark. “The stories I could tell you.”
He lay down on the bed and made himself comfortable, turning around to
face Cheng Yi. “Lie down or something. This is going to take a long time.”
Kaie waited for Cheng Yi to put away his things and sit on the bed.
“Well, it all began, at its very root level, about
seven years ago. Alexis planned the war to happen so that they could dominate
the world. They gathered troops and prepared bombs. Nuclear bombs, mind
you. Two years later, all out war started.” Kaie paused.
“You’re not one of those Alexis spies, are you?”
He eyed Cheng Yi suspiciously.
“Do I look like an Alexis spy to you?” Cheng Yi
had to laugh. “I absolutely hate Alexis. They made me fight in the war.
Look.” Cheng Yi took out a metallic bracelet that had his name and troop
number written on it. He stood and showed it to Kaie.
“A soldier, eh?” Kaie was amused. “Okay, I’ll tell
you what I know first, but then you’ll have to tell me what you know.”
“Deal.”
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Kaie feel that he could smile, if he had any mirth
left in his heart. Not during this cold, hard times. He thought about himself,
his home, as he poured out everything he know and what he thought of the
Holocaust. He wondered why he was even telling his life story to a stranger.
It must have been two months since he last had a
decent conversation with anyone. No wonder he was so eager to talk to Cheng
Yi. He had been alone for too long. He felt that he could use a friend.
Maybe Cheng Yi could be that friend.
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“So you see, Alexis did win the war. Alexis has
influence over certain areas, like Triad, its headquarters. You see this
town? Troika used to be Triad’s sister city. Alexis didn’t even bother
to protect it. The inn is still lucky to be standing,” Kaie looked around
him.
“Alexis totally and completely destroyed Solia,
which was the main battleground of the war. Wherever they fought the battle,
there would be radioactivity.”
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Cheng Yi listened to Kaie’s every word as he describe
what he had seen of the Holocaust with interest. He could envision whatever
Kaie described to him, from the preparations of the war to its aftermath.
Indeed, Cheng Yi could envision it so well, it was almost as if he had
seen it all before.
“So that is what I have been missing…A year of pain…A
year of emptiness…A year of wandering…”
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“How is Striding now?” Kaie asked.
Cheng Yi was snapped out of his thoughts. “Excuse
me, could you repeat that?”
“I said, how is Striding now? I’ve never been there.”
“I don’t know. I have been lost, for the past year
or so…”
Kaie was silent.
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Kaie awoke to a strange sound, like the muffled
sound of thousands of bullets. He stepped over to the window and pulled
back the curtains. Cheng Yi awoke when the light fell on his eyes. Kaie
looked out the window without opening it.
“Oh, you’re awake,” Kaie said casually. “There is
a sandstorm outside. We’re stranded here, at least until it subsides. I’m
going to freshen up a little and then talk to the innkeeper.”
Kaie went into the washroom and exited the room,
leaving Cheng Yi alone. Cheng Yi decided to go for breakfast as well.
Cheng Yi walked into the washroom and turned on
the tap. He looked at himself at the mirror.
<flash> You will fight! <flash> Bloodshed
<flash> We will be victorious! <flash> Nothing can stop you now…
<flash> Don’t die on me, Cheng… <flash>
“NO!” Cheng Yi reeled back from the mirror. He saw
nothing more.
“With a heart as clear as ice, the sky will fall
and I will not notice…With a heart as clear as ice, the sky will fall and
I will not notice…”
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Kaie had just finished talking to the innkeeper.
He sat down and ordered a cup of tea. The waitress went to fulfill his
order when Cheng Yi came and sat down at the same table.
“What will you have, Mr.?” the waitress asked.
“Give me a cup of tea, please,” Cheng Yi replied.
The waitress nodded and went on her way. Cheng Yi took a newspaper and
began to read.
“Hey, Cheng Yi, look over there. Isn’t she pretty?”
Kaie remarked. Cheng Yi sweated without looking up from the newspaper.
“Kaie, I’m not…”
“I’m going over to talk to her,” Kaie interrupted
and walked away. Cheng Yi sighed and shook his head.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The girl was asking for sanctuary from the storm.
The kind innkeeper agreed and even offered her a free breakfast. As Kaie
walked over, he could see that she was very grateful.
“Hi, my name is Kaie. What’s yours?”
The girl smiled politely and ignored him. Kaie tried
again but she just walked away.
The girl walked past Cheng Yi. A glimmer of fabric
caught his eyes. He put down the newspaper and began to stand. Kaie gestured
for him to sit again.
“Don’t even bother. She hasn’t said a word to me.”
Cheng Yi ignored Kaie and walked over to the girl.
Kaie ate his breakfast in silence, occasionally glancing over to Cheng
Yi to see how he was doing.
Cheng Yi stood beside the girl. She looked up.
“Excuse me, are you from Striding?” Cheng Yi asked.
“Why do you want to know?” she replied.
“Because only Striding wear this kind of clothes,”
Cheng Yi gestured. “I am from Striding.” The girl looked, and saw that
their style of clothing had similar traits and patterns. She thought about
it for a moment.
“I’m Deej. What is your name?” she asked.
“I’m Cheng Yi.”
Deej was taken aback. <flash> Cheng Yi…<flash>
“Did you say you were from Striding?”
“Yes.”
“Born and lived there all your life?”
“Uh…You can say so.”
“Then how come I don’t remember you?”
It was Cheng Yi’s turn to be surprised. “So you
really are from Striding.”
“Yes. I thought I knew everyone there.”
The television blared suddenly, interrupting their
conversation. Both of them fixed their eyes upon the television up in the
corner.
“Late breaking news! The Triad is under siege by
a group of unknown terrorist… An estimated 200-strong are presumed dead…”
Deej stood up. Her eyes were wide, with an expression
Cheng Yi could not decipher. She grabbed her sword by her side. Cheng Yi
noticed it was made in Striding too. She turned around and left.
Cheng Yi only had enough wits to grab her wrist
and pull her back.
“Don’t go,” he urged her.
“I have to go,” Deej replied. She turn on her heels
and ran into the raging sandstorm. Cheng Yi was astounded. He gave money
to the innkeeper and proceeded out the door.
“You’re not thinking about going out in the storm,
are you?” Kaie, who was silent during the entire exchange, spoke up. Cheng
Yi looked at him.
“You have to understand. This isn’t about her. It’s
about my past.”
Kaie nodded. His face softened. “I’ll go with you.”
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