1 Chapter 1. The Poison of Spirits

From the kitchen table, Ryu Ji an sat watching her uncle's nightly dissolution. The hearth fire cast moving shadows upon the walls. The smooth surface of Uncle's potato whisky jug reflected the fire. He sat with dull eyes staring at the flames. Ryu Ji an watched as her uncle's features began to change. With each swig his kind face turned more surly. Once he had not been like this. Ji An's dark eyes followed the movement of the jug. Soon it would be empty. Another jug was on the floor at the ready. Could she stop his drinking tonight? Would he listen to her? She dropped her mending and said, "I think you've had enough."

Her uncle growled, "Leave me be."

The point of no return had passed. It was best to get out of the house and away from him until he blacked out. She stood and grabbed her moon shawl from it's peg by the front door. The shawl had been her mother's. She wrapped it tightly around herself and said, "I'm going to milk the goat."

Uncle glanced at her and grimaced. "You already done that."

She had, she was surprised he remembered. She left without responding Outside the night wind rushed around her and she pulled her shawl tight. Her eyes traveled to the sky. The moon had yet to rise. For moment Ji an stood and studied the heavens. Star shine was deep and layered with its many lights tonight. Each star seemed to wink at her like it held a secret. Was the secret good or bad? Her heart beat picked up a bit. She prayed it was good just this once. She headed down the path that lead to the stream. The sound of water soothed her. Farther down stream a pale golden glow danced along the bank.

Something inside the house shattered. Uncle had once again found his anger, he must not find her. So far he had never touched her or hurt her, but with each passing week his verbal abuse became more hateful. How long would it be before his words turned to violence? Her first thought was, Hide! Her eyes scanned the perimeter and then traveled further down stream. The marsh, she would go to the marsh. Uncle said it was haunted and he was terrified of ghosts. No matter how drunk he got, he would not look for her there. She heard the front door bang open. Obscenities filled the night air. Ji an, hiked up her skirt and took off at a run. The earth beneath her feet was hard packed but soon tuned to mud. She waded out into the stagnant waters. Reeds rattled as she passed through them. Hopefully the snakes were sleeping. The mud oozed around her boots. With toes tensely curled she made her way deeper into the marsh. Once she felt she was well hidden, she turned to face the house. The silhouette of her uncle stood in the door frame. She pulled her skirts around her and squatted down as low as she could. Uncle shouted into the darkness, "Where you be you bit of trash? Come here says I!"

Ji An ducked her head. Her face was only inches from the dark slime. She let out her breath in a slow silent puff. Though her throat was constricted in fear she forced her self to breathe in and out, in and out slowly. The ravings of her intoxicated uncle broke her heart. How a kind man, could be come so vile was the work of evil. Always, he was evil when the spirits were in him. If only he would leave drink be. She missed, the kind man that he had once been, sometimes still was. That kind man appeared less and less. Soon he would be gone altogether, if he wasn't gone already. A single tear slid down her face and plopped into the stagnant water. She heard door slammed closed. Was he coming for her or had he gone back inside?

The thud of her heart filled her mind and her ears. Her knees trembled beneath her. With eyes tightly shut she prayed…to who? She was not sure, but she prayed. A stiff wind blew through the marsh causing all the reeds to rattle like dry bones. Smoke, she smelled smoke. What was on fire? Ji an raised her head and opened her eyes. In the distance she saw the house. It was on fire! The the thatched roof was burning. Fire licked the night sky with an eager tongue. Where was Uncle? Agonized screams came from the house. Uncle was inside! What had he done? She took off at a run. The reeds rattled. The mud sucked at her boots. She stumbled and almost fell into the murky water. By the time she reached the house it was an inferno. Smoke billowed out the windows. A voice in the wind murmured, there is nothing you can do. She knew this voice too well. It had come to her when her mother and her father died. It had come again last year when Auntie died. She hated this voice. Before she could enter the house strong arms wrapped around her. She had never seen the face that belonged to these arms. There was always something vaguely comforting in their embrace. She struggled against them. "Let me go!"

Nothing, only silence. She fought hard against those arms but their grip was one she could not break free from, had never been able to break free from. The smell of human flesh burning filled her nostrils. She tasted the salt of her own tears. The screaming in the house ceased. Was he dead?

The arms tightened around her. The familiar voice said, "It is finished." The arms still held her, but their grip eased. From the house emerged a spirit. It was walking toward her. As it neared her she recognized the spirit. It was Uncle's. He glowed like white blue as if he were made of ice. He came directly to her and cupped her face with his cold hands. She felt the arms that held her slip away. The voice of her uncle whispered, "I have left you alone in the world. I am sorry. I am so sorry." She looked into his eyes. They were filled with sorrow and love. He was in this instant once again the kind of man who had raised her. His hands fell from her face and then he dissolved like snow in the sun. Shaken, Ji an fell to the ground. Her fingers touched the puddle of cold water that had been Uncle. She closed her eyes and prayed, please let it be a dream this time.

The arms picked her gently up. The owner of those arms told her, "You will survive this too."

Aloud she asked, "Will I?" She spun around to face the owner of those arms, but there was no one there. She shouted, "How much must I endure in this one life? How much?" Silence. Her eyes returned to the house. All that she owned and knew was in that house. It would all be ashes soon. What would become of her now?