Disclaimer,
After I made sure that everyone was okay, I sat down on a tree trunk. The sun was already disappearing behind the mountains and the group tables were set for dinner. No chicken, only freshly caught fish.
"You were amazing." Sounded behind me. I looked up and saw John standing there.
"What?" I asked absently.
"How you were working in there. You took the lead, you see what's wrong and treat the problem. You're going to be a good doctor." He took place next to me and watched the sunset. "I see why you love to travel. Meet new people, make friends. Places like these are usually found once in a life time and I've already seen two in one day."
"It's amazing what you find when you disconnect yourself from everything. If you had told me seven years ago that I would be sitting here now ..." I laughed silent. "I would have laughed you square in your face and I would tell you that after my graduation I would be Thunderbird. Everything is so weird, so messed up and when I come here it doesn´t matter. Nothing matters. Wohn told me that he wants to be just like mine. But I'm just jealous of him. No pressure from anyone, just play and enjoy your life. And the view of course. I love the view."
"It's a fantastic view." Agreed John. His finger went over the scratches in the trunk. "Can you read what it says here?" He asked curiously.
"No, I speak the language a bit but reading is too complicated, I know what it says because I wrote it and James together."
"What does it say?"
"Because I've been weak, I'm strong, I'm fearless because I've been afraid, I'm wise because I've been foolish, I'm beautiful because i know my flaws and I can laugh with my friends Because they helped trough my sadness." Quoted I from my head.
It´s beautiful, is it about yourself?"
"Parts of it, It´s just… sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, like here in china and sometimes in the middle of nowhere you find yourself."
Wohn came to us before John could say anything. "Mula says you should come and eat something Alan. She thinks you're way too skinny. And that goes for your brother too. "
"Show us the way." Said John, and he helped me up.
Wohn grabbed John's hand and pulled him w. I put my hands in my pocket and sauntered behind the two. Wohn pulled John on the seat beside him and I sat down next to Mula, Chi's sister.
The dinner was filled with embarrassing stories about my childhood by John and blunders by my ignorance of survival told by Wohn, like the first time I fished. Wohn translated them and then everyone turned to me to laugh. I felt that my head now as it was red as a tomato. But it felt good. Normal.
Mula helped me to improve my Chinese, that apparently wasn´t so bad, and afterwards I offered to do the dishes.
"You look for my husband and Chi." She said in broken English. "John does the cleaning."
I smiled at John who got a bucket pressed in his hand. He looked a little lost, people spoke to him, but he understood nothing of it. Wohn already walked up to him to help him, he was in good hands.
So at a slow pace, I made my way to the temple. It was going much better with the sick ones. The lightest cases were carefully walking around and everyone fever had dropped.
Chi motioned me after I had a chat with anyone, and I sat at his bed of straw. "You know we don´t like strangers so I assume that there is a very good explanation that 'John' is with you. Where is your brother James? "
"It's dangerous for me to travel alone so my older brother is accompanying me. James is in danger and I'm looking for him. He fled to protect me, so they don´t get me or hurt me." I pulled my shirt up and showed him the wounds. "It didn´t work and now I must find him before they find him. I hoped he had been here."
"Not since the last time, with you there with him. But when I see him, I´ll tell him that you're looking for him. "
"He can reach me on my cell." Chi looked at me frowning. 'that I've not with me now. I won´t dare." I said quickly. "But if he calls me, he can leave a message. I'm sorry I came by unannounced, but I can hardly call you."
"You helped us. Everyone is doing so much better. Thanks for that. Along there. We enjoy it always when you come by. You´re always welcome and you know it. "
"It´s good to hear that." Seeing Chi getting tired I rose up. "Rest well. Unfortunately I have to move on tomorrow but if I find James, We look you up as soon as possible."
"We look forward to your visit. As always. But please don´t take chicken with you. I've had enough of that." He said with a small smile.
"I´ll leave the chicken home." I promised laughing. "I'm going back outside, it's time for me to go to sleep, just like you. Tomorrow I´ll leave early. Search for James. "
"Good luck." We shook hands and I walked to the temple out again. Wohn was already waiting for me by the door.
"Do you want to sleep in my room?" He asked bouncing.
"I would love to, but I have to get up early." I warned.
Wohn shrugged. "Tomorrow is my turn to sound the gong. Are you going to James tomorrow?"
I nodded and followed Wohn to his room. John was given a private room with a straw bed and I waved to him before I was pulled with suitcase and all in the small cabin by the eight year old.
Softly I sang untill Wohn had fallen asleep in my arms before I laid my own head down. Tomorrow is the day for a new adventure.
"Really? A whole week? "John looked at me with disbelief. "And I thought one night is a hell. That you didn´t brought a air mattress to that place."
He stretched his aching muscles again.
"You get used to it. I once spent nights on a mountain with only a thin blanket." In my mind I was already thinking what was best for stiff muscles and I could only think of two things. A warm shower or a cold bath. There weren´t really showers around here. A cold bath it is. "Come we walk this way. It´s a small detour but we pass a beautiful waterfall."
"Why?'
"Because I think it's beautiful and it´s tradition to take a photo on that waterfall." That was true. I only left out the second part of the tradition.
But John was satisfied with the explanation and walked the path I pointed.
"You didn´t bring a camera with you, did you?" John asked.
"My watch is in my bag. I know it's not nice to deceive them but it´s a one time thing and in this situation I'm not going anywhere without that Sandy can reach me."
John nodded in understanding and after a few minutes we reached the waterfall.
"It is truly magnificent." He said and looked dreamily at the falling water.
"So it's not just the stars that you can look for hours?" I asked with a grin on my face. "Lets do this, bags on the floor." I threw my bag on the floor and held my watch for me. "I surf on the blue waves and feel free without the weight of the World on my shoulders."
I held my watch in front of John and me and counted off.
"Three ... Two ... One ..." I took a John's arm and pulled him off ten meter high waterfall. I love that feeling that you get when you fall. "Dive." I yelled, and I saw John take, in panic, a divers position.
It was then that the water surrounded me.
I hope you enjoyed it, I still do
xoxox Flora