[Feb 2][Shendiao Xialu][Clear Sight]

[lilacfield.livejournal.com]

In honor of this month's set of themes, I'll be writing fanfics based on wuxia novels by Jin Yong/Louis Cha. The man is my hero. (I've only read four of his novels, but the principle remains)

Title: Clear Sight
Day/Theme: Feb 2/child found crying in the winter tree
Series: Shendiao Xialu
Character: Yang Guo
Rating: G
Disclaimer: Shendiao Xialu belongs to Jin Yong, et al.


He thought the child looked forlorn, lost - not as he used to look, but as he used to feel. Her sobs were muted with exhaustion, her tattered clothing pulled up to hide what was obviously a dirty, bewildered face. There was a healing scab across the back of her hand, and he found his eyes repeatedly drawn to it - somehow, to him, the scab was more real than the rest of her.

He stepped closer, bent down and spoke softly. "What's the matter, little sister?" At the sound of his voice, she fell silent, and risked a glance up. "Where are your mother and father?"

The light of the pale moon fell fully on his face. She let out a long, pealing scream. "Ghost! Ghost! Help, there's a ghost! Go away!" She was still screaming as she scrambled to her feet, nearly fell over, then hurried off, her too-large sandals clop-clopping awkwardly. He watched her until she vanished across the river and the darkness made a mockery of her erstwhile presence. Listening for accusatory yells from passersby and hearing none, he walked away, his empty sleeve fluttering behind him.

A ghost, she had said; he had spent the last fifteen years believing one day he would be more than that. Only one more year, and then he would be able to tell for sure.

He wondered if tonight he would dream of ghosts that were true - stubborn children and cold, open hands.