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墨書 Inktalez
Time passed, though I couldn't tell how long. The wind and rain gradually subsided, the dark clouds dispersed, and a pale light spread across the sky.
The air after the rain was thick with a metallic scent of blood, mingled with the acrid smell of burnt talismans. I huddled in the corner, drenched and shivering uncontrollably.
I watched as the ropes binding my father snapped under his frantic struggles. He swayed as he stood up, his face contorted in pain.
“Cough, cough…”
He clutched his chest, coughing violently, each spasm bringing forth dark blood. But with each cough, his gaze began to clear, that familiar tenderness slowly returning to his expression.
“Mom…”
I tentatively called out.
The body that belonged to my father lifted its head, looking at me with a new light in its eyes. It was a gaze I knew all too well—the same look my mother had when she looked at me.
She stood up, staggering a few steps before quickly regaining her balance.
On the other side, however, a beastly roar erupted from my mother’s body. It broke free from its restraints but rolled on the ground like a mindless animal. I saw her eyes glaze over, drool spilling from her mouth as she alternated between piercing screams and trembling curls of despair.
That was my father's soul. In this failed ritual, it had been severely wounded.
“You wretched woman…”
My grandmother lay on the ground, her life force visibly draining away at an alarming rate. Strangely enough, it seemed that all this lost vitality surged into my father's body, revitalizing that shell: “You took my son’s body; now you want to steal my life as well…”
My mother ignored her.
She adjusted to my father’s body and slowly walked toward me. The face that belonged to my father now bore the unique determination and tenderness of my mother.
“Don’t be afraid; Mom is here.”
She whispered softly, using the same hands that had once raised a belt against me to gently wipe away the tears on my face. My father's palms were rough and large, yet his touch was astonishingly tender.
She bent down to pick up the muzzle from the ground and walked toward the self who was still screaming wildly.
Looking at the face that once belonged to her, a flicker of complexity crossed her eyes, but her actions were resolute. She forcibly placed the muzzle on that body, retying it with a broken rope before dragging it toward the dark woodshed.
"This is what you deserve," she said coldly, her voice mingling with the thrill of revenge and deep pain. "You’ve hit me for so many years; now it’s your turn to taste this feeling."
After finishing these tasks, she turned to my grandmother, who was still cursing on the ground.
From above, she looked down at the frail old woman, her gaze as cold as ice. "Watching your beloved son become like this is your greatest punishment."
Her voice was terrifyingly calm. "The son you wanted is back; he just isn’t the one you knew anymore."
With that, she began rummaging through the house, collecting all valuable items. Those were her dowry, her savings accumulated over the years, finally returning to their rightful owner.
Just as Mother was preparing to take me away from this nightmarish place, a chilling wind suddenly blew in from the corner of the yard.
I saw a stooped figure slowly emerge from the shadows—it was A Lan Po. Her murky eyes glinted with an eerie light, and a faint smile lingered at the corners of her mouth, as if she had anticipated all of this.
Her gaze swept over my grandmother, who was writhing in pain on the ground, then glanced at my mother locked in the woodshed, roaring like a beast, before finally resting on my father, who had already changed souls.
"Not bad, not bad," she nodded approvingly, her hoarse voice tinged with satisfaction. "Soul exchange and life renewal are indeed defiance against fate. You used my method and owe me a debt; if you ever need anything in the future, I will come to collect."
Mother fell silent for a moment; I could feel her hand trembling slightly. She pulled me behind her, using her broad frame to shield me. "I understand. As long as I can take my daughter away from here, I will accept any price."
A Lan Po grinned widely, revealing a row of uneven yellow teeth and was about to say something when I suddenly stepped forward and interrupted her: "You’re not here to help us at all."
I looked directly into her eyes, my voice trembling yet remarkably clear. "You have a grudge against Grandma; helping us is merely a way for you to take revenge on her. We owe you nothing."
A Lan Po was taken aback, surprise flickering across her wrinkled face. She then gave me a meaningful glance. "Heh, you're quite a clever girl."
She did not deny it, merely waving her hand lightly. "Karma is cyclical; you reap what you sow. You should leave this place."
Mom pulled me to leave, but I stopped in my tracks and took out a box of matches from my pocket.
Gazing at the room filled with evil, I struck a match. The flame quickly spread under the influence of the wind.
I heard piercing screams from the shed and looked at Grandma's withered corpse, witnessing this place that had borne witness to so much suffering as I struck match after match.
The fire painted half the sky red as Mom and I stood at a distance, watching that nightmarish place turn to ashes.
In the glow of the flames, I saw a flicker of relief on Mom's face, and on the face that belonged to Dad, there was a gentle yet weary smile that belonged to Lin Xiu.
"Let's go," she said, her voice low but still reassuring. "We'll start anew in a place where no one knows us."
She reached out her hand, and without hesitation, I took it.
This hand had once brought me endless fear and pain, but now it was my only support.
Bathed in firelight, our shadows stretched long and far behind us, as if shedding everything from the past and stepping into an unknown yet hopeful future.
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