Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4 - 7 2018 | Page 70

“What do you mean, ‘gone’?” Monkey’s raging boom had dropped to a whisper.
Pigsy whimpered, “He… he was captured by the Yellow Robe Demon. Sandy and I tried to save him. But
we couldn’t get him out. We tried… we really tried.” He gulped and swallowed his tears, before shooting
Monkey a reproachful look, “If only you had been there… We could’ve saved him if you’d been there...”
Grabbing Pigsy by the ear, Monkey cried, “Fool Pig! Why didn’t you say so at the beginning! Let’s go!”
******
Monkey and Pigsy had been flying for hours. Sleep was beginning to sting and then numb their eyes. The
purple dusk had melted into midnight blue when Monkey realised that someone had joined them on their
levitating cloud. He elbowed Pigsy, but the swine was already drooling in deep sleep.
“So… Have you found what you were looking for?” the velvet voice purred, “Or… perhaps you are still
lost…?”
Monkey turned coolly to look at the White Bone Demon. Her delicate features pale as porcelain, a smile
playing on her lips. She floated gently beside him, her ivory silver hair streaking languidly across the dark
canvas of the sky. “What? No illusions this time?” he asked.
“No need,” she gave a low peal of laughter, “You see through them all.”
Monkey resisted the urge to laugh alongside her.
“So where are you off to now?” She inquired conversationally.
Monkey stared at her. He was beginning to understand how she enthralled and entrapped her victims with
her easy-going charm.
“I know what you are thinking…” her lips parted teasingly.
“And what am I thinking?”
“You’re wondering if I am really dead… If I am just a figment of your imagination… Or if I am actually
alive and speaking to you...”
Monkey reached out to touch her. His fingers passed through nothing. His eyes widened in surprise. Would
he have been more shocked if his hand had actually felt something? Chagrin, amusement, and bewilderment
mingled confusingly in his chest. She continued hovering enigmatically in front of him, real yet unreal.
After a long pause, Monkey spoke, “I don’t know who or what you are, but I know what would make me
happy right now. I want to save Tripitaka, and I want to complete our quest. That is my meaning and my
purpose right now.”
“And what do you want after that?” she asked quietly.
“I don’t know yet,” he answered truthfully.
“Well, in that case, perhaps you will be seeing me again…” She lowered her voice to barely above a
whisper, “Will you miss me when I’m gone?”
“I won’t miss you at all,” Monkey cried, affecting a contemptuous sneer, “Just leave!”
She gave him a slow, inscrutable smile, “As you wish,” she said softly, “Goodbye, Monkey.” With those
words, she leapt off the cloud, soaring down an abyss of black sky. As he watched her leave, a nameless
feeling surged through Monkey for the third time. He couldn’t be sure. Was it dismay? Sorrow? Or regret?