(o)(I)(o) The Gift. (o)(I)(o)
A boy about 11 years of age ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He went beneath the window of his friend's house.
"Yuri!" He called out. "Hey Yuri are you awake?" Lihua woke his friend earlier than usual.
"Hurry up Yuri! You got to see 'em, a man and his daughter came to visit, 'em tourists or something, come on let's go!"
Yuri slowly opened his eyes, rubbed them sleepily. It's not everyday that somebody visits their poor village. And curiously he wondered what these visitors looked like.
"Hurry up or I'll leave you!" his friend threatened from the window. "Maki said the man is giving candies to children, hurry up or there would be nothing left for us!"
"I'm comin, I'm comin." Yuri said, jumping off the bed. But before he could make his escape, Anne caught him.
"Oh no my son, remember what I told you?"
"Yeah Mommy, but…a man is giving sweets at the village square, if I don't hurry there would be nothing left." Yuri pleaded, looking at her with his father's eyes.
Anne was torn between letting her child go outside without breakfast, and the thought that he might miss his share of candies. Goodness knows, sweets are very rare here…
"All right, I'll let you go this time, but as soon as you get your gift, come back home ok?"
Yuri beamed. "Yes Mommy." He ran out without bothering to change his clothes. Anne wanted to call him back, so she could at least brush the boy's brown hair, but Yuri was already gone. Anne sighed, then decided it would be all right.
"Finally!" Lihua exclaimed. Yuri only grinned; he scooped water from a large earthen jug placed outside the house and splashed it on his face, without bothering to clean his teeth, the two boys ran towards the village square.
The place was already full of eager children, and adults. Not only did the kind priest bring candies for children, he had also brought some useful household items for the villagers, like used cooking utensils, hammers and kitchen knives. Yuri watched as some men unloaded more cargo from the top of carriage.
He was fascinated by the sight of the horses that he didn't notice that Lihua has left him, to stand in line for the candy. It was then that he saw the little girl down the dirt road. From the look of her dress and the light blond color of her hair, he knew she was not from the village. Even as Yuri watched, the girl chased after a moggy pup.
The driver of the carriage released the team of two horses and led the animals to a patch of green grass to feed. The man held the horses by the reins when suddenly an impudent child threw rocks at the horses' feet causing the creatures to panic. The frightened horses reared on their hind legs, neighing wildly, the driver tried to calm the animals, but two horses were simply too much for him to handle. They broke loose from the man and started to gallop madly towards the girl who was petting the little mutt in the dirt road. She didn't notice the approaching danger and the horrified adults could only gasp in terror.
Yuri ran to her, called out a warning. Big violet eyes turned to him before she realized that death was swiftly approaching. Shocked with fright, she could only sit there numbly, frozen in her place. Even the puppy sensed danger and scrambled away. The adults frantically ran to her, but they were all too far away to reach her before the horses does, and all they could do was shout for her to move out of the way.
The horses were just inches away from her before she was roughly snatched away from the dirt road by the shoulders. Yuri had overestimated her weight that he pulled her harder than was necessary. He had expected a token of resistance but found none, the girl came to him as if she weighs no more than a paper doll. Outbalanced, they collapsed on the ground. Yuri clasped the girl to him with one arm while he pushed against the ground, the sharp edges of stone and rocks bit in to his palm but he ignored it, trying to put as much distance away from the horses as he could. As it was, their feet were just mere inches away from horses' path as the frantic animals thundered past. The horses' hooves sent dirt spraying over them, showering them with mud, and bits of stones.
Relieved and disoriented for a moment, Yuri could only lie there on the dirt, the girl still sprawled on top of him. The scent of roses wafted through his nostrils, Yuri could only wonder how the girl could smell so sweetly. She was clutching his shirt fearfully, still trembling from fright.
The adults came, saw that no one was unharmed and sighed in relief. The rest of the men followed the driver to help him capture the runaway horses.
"Alice! Alice are you all right my child?" A big voice boomed. Yuri looked up to see the man kneel on the ground, uncaring that he would too get dirty.
"Da-daddy?" She said shakily in a small soft voice. Her father picked her up. Murmured assurance against her hair, then he looked at Yuri.
"Thank you for saving my daughter's life young man." He said gratefully in English, forgetting that the boy won't understand.
Yuri scratched his head in embarrassment. Actually he had understood what the priest had said. Because of his Russian mother, Yuri was quite well versed in English. It was something Anne insisted he learn, though Yuri hated school, he accepted lessons from his mother because Anne had a way of teaching things in the most interesting ways.
Lihua helped him get up, amidst the smiling approval of the villagers. Suddenly Anne was there clutching her own child fearfully.
"Mom, hey Mom I'm ok!" Yuri said, embarrassed to be hugged in front of everyone.
The man in blue coat looked at the pair. Took one look at the woman's fiery hair and said. "I'm so sorry for causing you distress madam, but I would like to thank you, your son saved my daughter."
Anne nodded briefly, then smiled down at her dirty son.
"Shall we go and have breakfast then?" She asked Yuri.
Yuri nodded, his stomach was growling, Anne had never allowed him to take a single step outside without having breakfast. But he felt compelled to look at the little girl again. Her eyes fascinated him, they were huge and beautiful, like the gems he had seen on one of the books Anne read to him. He had never seen hair like hers either, except in those story books, silvery blond and very shiny, especially when the sun touches it. Why she looks like an angel on earth! Yuri thought to himself.
"Pardon my boldness madam, but are you by any chance, the wife of Colonel Ben Hyuga?" The priest asked politely.
Anne looked at him and nodded in surprise.
"You know my husband?" She asked
"No we haven't met, but I've heard of him." His eyes told her that was all he could tell her publicly.
Anne nodded in understanding. She invited them for lunch, after he had distributed the items to the villagers. Morris smiled gratefully and carried his daughter. The mayor's wife came and offered to help clean up Alice.
Anne held her son's hand and walked home, wondering what an English priest knew or want with her husband.
Yuri was all nerves the whole morning, knowing that the little girl would come to their house, he even took the time to bathe without a fuss, something that Anne had to always remind him. She looked at him with affectionate amusement, wondering what got into him, for Yuri has never paid attention to personal grooming before.
"Mom do I look okay?" He asked for the tenth time. Anne nodded her head, trying not to smile and embarrass her son.
Finally, their guests arrived. While the adults conversed, the little girl smiled at him. Yuri felt so self conscious wanting very much to meet the girl's approval. Alice approached him, and took something from her pocket.
"Biscuit?" She said, offering him her last one.
Shyly Yuri accepted the gift. The biscuit could have tasted like sawdust and he won't even notice, her eyes really drew him like magnet, they were even more beautiful up close. And she smells good enough to eat. Yuri wondered again, his mother always smelled nice, but not this sweet.
"I'm Alice." She said, handing him her hand.
Self consciously, Yuri wiped his palm against his pants before taking hers.
"Yuri." He said.
"Yuri." Alice nodded. "It's nice to meet you."
"I'm seven years old. How old are you?" she asked.
Yuri had to count mentally, and finally said, "Ten."
"Ten." Alice smiled again. "You must be the man in the house while your father is away, right?"
He nodded, smiling back at her. Her smile set him at ease, made him feel welcome. And before he knew it, he was showing her the toys he had personally crafted. The little wooden dog he had carved himself, which looked more feline than canine, there were other wood carvings as well, a rough one that resembled a galloping horse, a bird in flight, a fish and a turtle which was still unfinished. He showed her the pet spiders he kept in match boxes, the cashew nuts he had painfully collected since last harvest, and the fox mask his father gave him last year.
Alice smiled at his toys, awed that he had made them himself. In return, she showed him her treasure. A book with pretty designs on it, it has no illustrations but Alice told him it was her mother's, that's why it's so precious.
Then she took out the tin can that held her bonbons from her bag. Alice handed it to him.
"For you." She said simply. "My friend."
Curiously Yuri opened the tin cover, and saw the assortment of candies arranged neatly in rows. Struck with surprise at the generous gift, Yuri could only gape at her.
"What do you say my son?" Anne said watching them with soft eyes.
"Th-thank you." Yuri stammered, he never had anything so grand before. Alice smiled, liking the shy boy at first sight. She had very few friends for she and her father always have to travel to different places. It wasn't until now that she realized how badly she wanted to have a friend.
Because Ben, Anne's husband was away for work, Morris had to stay at the crammed Mayor's house, but Alice stayed with the Hyugas. Morris sent a prayer of thanks, even as the Mayor's sons, ages ranging from 17 to 9 shared their sleeping mat with the priest, snoring so loudly as to wake even the dead. At least, Morris thought consolingly, his daughter would fare better with Anne than at the Mayor's crammed but welcoming home.
The next day, true to his word, Morris began his mission, he offered suggestions to the villagers about the latest techniques in farming and crop rotation, he distributed sacks of seeds, asked them to try the seedlings and prayed they would have a more bountiful harvest this year. He walked with them to see the fields, offered a few suggestions to improve the water dikes which provided the water for irrigation. No farmer's field was too small or too big for the priest, he visited each man's farm, bringing with him his knowledge. In the evenings he visited the villagers' homes sharing words of comfort and hope, then he would eat dinner with his daughter and would return to his sleeping 'quarters'. He may be a priest with a secret mission, but Morris has always been fond of growing things, as a boy he had helped out as a farm hand and had studied extensively about farming before embarking on this mission.
Two weeks came and still no sign of Ben Hyuga. Morris sighed, he has to move on or arouse suspicions. There are three more villages he has to visit, after which he should return back to England or someone might see through his ruse.
"Daddy may I stay here? Please?" Alice asked that evening as they all sat to have dinner.
"But my child—"
"I think it would be best that you let Alice stay here with us while you go to the other villages, that way, you won't have to worry for her safety." Anne said.
"But Madam, I simply cannot impose—"
Anne shook her head, "No. It won't be trouble at all, and my son would like that too, he's quite lonely."
Morris was reluctant to leave his daughter with the Hyugas but remembering the horse incident, he relented. Alice was still so young to be dragged into this mess, but there's no one else to take care of her and he just couldn't leave her behind in a boarding school. Besides, it would be the best excuse, to return here after his 'missions' in the other villages are done.
To avoid suspicions, Morris had to go to other villages, bringing goods and preaching. He hoped that God would forgive them, for using religion as his undercover, but it was the only way for him to get a bit of info concerning this Albert Simon posing as Roger Bacon who has stolen the Vatican's manuscripts, it was hinted that Albert may be a crony of this Dehuai in Shanghai. He hoped by the time he came back to get Alice, Ben has returned too.
The carriage came the next day, fresh with new cargo allotted for the next village Morris would 'visit'.
He dropped by to see his daughter, pressed a kiss on her head and thanked Anne again for offering to look after Alice while he's gone.
The first thing that Alice wanted to do was be friends with the village children but because the other children couldn't speak English, they were hesitant to come near her. Alice was dressed like the aristocrat that she was, and she was so properly well groomed that the kids felt awkward with their dirty, worn clothing.
Many times she tried to befriend them, but they all shy away whenever she comes near.
"Why won't they play with me?" She asked Yuri, hurt in her eyes.
"They can not speak English." Yuri said slowly, for once glad that his mother had taught him the language. He still needed to learn much, but he was more enthusiastic about it now.
"Can you teach me your language?" She asked. He had tried, only he wasn't in the position to teach her with his limited vocabulary in English.
But he was rather pleased that the other kids stayed away, because it meant he can have her all to himself. But sensing she wants to be friends with everyone, Yuri promised to introduce her to all the kids.
Alice was eager to help Anne in any way she could, every morning she would wipe the table clean with a wet cloth. Then she helped Anne set the plates.
Yuri would come inside carrying a basket; it was one of his morning chores to collect eggs for breakfast.
Anne carefully broke a small hole through the egg shell and drained the contents in a saucer. Alice looked at them curiously as Yuri took the empty egg shell.
"What will you do with it?" She asked as they ate their fried eggs and toasted bread.
"Later." Yuri promised, smiling secretly.
They ate their breakfast hurriedly, helped Anne to clear the table and wash the dishes, eager to get out and play.
"Come." He said, "Show you something." They went to the backyard.
He brought a piece of stick that smoldered with thick smoke with him. Alice looked at him curiously, wondering what Yuri was up to. Then as she watched, Yuri filled the egg shell with smoke then let go of the egg in midair. Alice was surprised to see it float like a hot air balloon.
"Golly!" She said her eyes huge in amazement. "Is that magic?"
Yuri shook his head, but he himself didn't know the explanation, it was something his father had shown him.
Then Alice followed him around as he did his chores, she helped him feed the chickens, watched as he showed her how to milk the she-goat, but he didn't allow her to come near the goat, tried to explain to her about the unpredictable nature of the animal, for it had butted him in the rump a couple of times before, when he least expected it.
He tried to tell her to stay with Anne while he is working outside, but Alice preferred to clean the barn with him than to stay indoors where Anne was spinning thread or weaving or sewing up clothes. Then once his chores were all done, they would rush outside the fields to play. He fashioned a swing for her, made from an old tire. Then as Alice sat on the swing, Yuri would take out his carving knife, and carve out another animal for his collection. She would talk to him about the places she had visited with her father, the children she had met, the food that she had tasted. They would stay on the hill until the sun goes down. Strangely enough, they never ran out of things to talk about.
They had a problem once when Alice and he had first climbed up the tree. It had always been easy to climb up, coming down was the problem. She was frightened and didn't know what to do. Yuri had to carry her on his back to get her down, laughing naughtily as she squeaked when he pretended to slip on his footing.
After eating lunch, they would sit at the table for their lessons. Then every evening, Anne would read to them from a story book.
At night, Alice would sleep beside her, cuddling against her as if she was her very own mother. Yuri had always slept apart ever since he turned seven, and Anne really missed the small form of her son sleeping beside her, specially those nights when her husband was gone. Looking at the little girl reminded Anne of those times Yuri was still so small. Now he tried to act older than his age, even when he didn't have to.
One afternoon, a week after Morris left Alice with Anne; Yuri came home and wondered where Alice was. His mother had sent him on an errand to the village square early that morning to sell some of their chicken while Alice was still asleep.
Anne told him that Alice would be waiting for him on the swing on the hill. He was so eager to go to her that his mother had to bodily block his way.
"Not yet, my son. You have to eat lunch first." Anne said.
"But Alice…" Yuri began.
"She already ate her lunch before going, you should do the same."
Sighing in resignation, Yuri sat at the table to eat, he had forgotten how hungry he was. Then when Anne was satisfied, she finally allowed him to go out.
Yuri went to the barn first, picked his fishing rod and a small pail. Then he set out towards the swing on the hill.
He saw Alice kneeling on the ground, beneath the tree, bent on something lying there. Yuri slowly approached her, wondering what she was doing kneeling in the dirt. Then he saw the puppy she had been chasing that day, the pup was badly hurt, a dog had probably chased it away after it tried to steal some scraps and wounded the poor thing seriously.
From the looks of the little mutt, it won't survive very long. Yuri tried to think of ways to console her, when suddenly, he saw light emit from Alice's hands. She murmured a few words that didn't make any sense to him, the light touched the puppy, engulfed it gently. And then much to his surprise, the little dog stood up on its legs, wagging its tail furiously, the wounds all gone without a trace, it was as if the pup had never been hurt in the first place.
Alice cried out in delight and hugged the little creature. Then she let the puppy go.
"Don't get into trouble again, you hear?" She called to the pup as it scurried away playfully once more.
Then she stood up and saw him standing there.
"Yuri!" She squeaked.
"What was that?" He asked curiously.
Alice wondered how much she could tell him without breaking her word to her father.
"Umm. It's…" she knew he had seen her, and there's no use lying about it. Besides her father always taught her that the Devil is the Father of lies, she most specially didn't want to be his daughter!
"Promise you won't tell anyone?" She asked tentatively.
Yuri nodded eagerly, pleased that she was going to share him a secret she shared to no one else.
"Not even with your Mommy ok?" She said. Yuri paused for a while; he had never kept anything from Anne. But if Alice said he shouldn't tell anyone, then he wouldn't, even if it's his mother.
Yuri nodded. She looked around to see if anyone is present, though if there had been someone, none would understand her anyway.
"My father said I was born with a gift." Alice said as they stood there beneath the tree. "Sometimes I can hear voices in my head, but father always tell me to listen only when the voice is telling me to do good things. I don't know how it happened, but father said that I have the powers of healing…and that someday, bad people will want that power to do bad things."
Yuri listened intently, there were some things he couldn't comprehend, but somehow he knew that she had a special gift. As it was, he could only nod, not knowing what to tell her.
Just then he saw the pail and fishing rod in his hand and remembered the reason why he had been searching for her.
"Lihua and I go fishing today, at river. You want to go?"
"Fishing? Sure! I've never tried fishing before!" Alice exclaimed in delight.
Yuri grinned. "Let's go, Lihua waiting."
He was shocked to feel her little hand reach up to clasp his dirty one, making him self conscious. But Alice didn't mind, she smiled up at him adoringly, her eyes told him that she was very happy just to be with him. It pleased him to no end.
Hand in hand they walked together to the river bank. The other kids were there too, and they hooted at Yuri as the kids saw their clasped hands. Yuri snorted, told them to shut up and that they were just jealous of him. He selected a spot that provided the shade of a tree, he turned the pail upside down on the grass and indicated for her to sit on it.
Yuri was hesitant to show Alice their live bait of worms collected in a can, thinking she might be revolted. But Alice only watched him attentively as he took one and placed the squiggly worm in his hook.
They spent the afternoon, leisurely fishing. Many times Yuri set his catch loose into the water again. He tried to explain to her in broken English that his father told him never to catch the small ones, and that they should be allowed to grow and spread more fish in the river. Alice listened patiently, though she didn't get much of what Yuri tried to say, it didn't matter, she was enjoying herself.
The two kids never questioned what it was that made the other one special, being together just simply felt right. Though the village kids teased them, Yuri wasn't actually thinking of what lies ahead, as it was, he never thought of girlfriend or marriage even though almost all his friends have already been engaged, the girl they were to marry someday, already arranged for them. All Yuri knew was that he was happy being with her, that she was the closest friend he ever had though he had only met her for a few days. They understood so many things about each other, the loneliness of being an only child, the longing for a sibling, a brother or sister to tease, to quarrel with and most important of all, someone to talk to.
Yuri even allowed her to try reeling in the fish, only the fish got away with the bait. She looked at him worriedly, but Yuri only laughed and assured her it's okay.
Alice brought out the animal crackers she liked so much, passing them around to the other kids. It was the thing that finally convinced the children that she is really not so bad after all. And though they still could not communicate well verbally, Alice managed to join in the games they play.
Yuri was so intent on watching his rod that he was startled when Alice offered him a cracker, but after touching the worms and all that dirt, he was hesitant to pick the treat. Even without words, she seemed to understand his predicament. Silently, she offered the cracker to his mouth. Yuri shyly accepted the biscuit only to hear more hooting from his friends.
He yelled at them to shut up and turned to Alice with a flushed face.
"Sorry." He said.
"About what?" She asked. Yuri indicated the other children with his head.
"Why? What did they say?"
Yuri shook his head, flushing even redder. Alice thought he didn't know how to say it in English and let it go. She offered him another cracker and though he was strangely embarrassed to be fed like a small child, he could not resist. He enjoyed eating from her hand. With a meaningful glare at his friends, Yuri accepted the biscuit. The kids only laughed, making him squirm in discomfort.
The other kids were content to catch whatever fish they could get, and soon only the two of them were left by the river. Yuri patiently showed her how to fish, tried to explain about the tension of the line, but it was no use, he wanted to tell her that too much tension would break the line and too slack would let the fish get free dinner. Alice laughingly gave up, or they won't be able to catch anything. It was already evening, when they finally walked home, carrying a pail of water with their precious fish.
Anne welcomed the two kids home, they were both tanned and smelled earthy, she smiled as Yuri proudly presented their catch.
"Why don't you two freshen up a bit while I cook these delicious fish, would you like them fried or grilled?"
"Any one will do, Mom!" Yuri said, as he and Alice gathered their bath items.
Usually Yuri allows her to bathe first. Alice was used to bathing in the enclosed portion of the backyard that served as the 'wash room'. Water was stored in big earthen jars and scooped with a smaller clay bowl.
But Yuri asked her to follow him. He brought her to a secluded corner and pointed out to her his gift.
It was the tub she had watched him construct, thinking he had built it for his mother to wash clothes on. She watched in confusion as he poured in pail after pail of water.
"Your bath." Yuri said indicating the tub.
It was just big enough for her to have a leisurely soak, he even constructed makeshift curtains around it to give her privacy. The tub leaked at all sides, for Yuri still has to polish up his skill, but it would hold the water long enough for her to enjoy it.
"Oh Yuri!" she exclaimed in delight it had been a long time since she had the pleasure of a tub. Then she frowned guiltily. "Umm you think it's ok? I don't want to waste all that water." She knew that Yuri fetches water from the well at the village square, quite a long and hard distance for a kid.
Yuri shook his head. "No worry, I'll get water later. Mom will not get mad, I promise." He insisted.
Then he left her to enjoy the gift, before she could give any more protests.
Alice was torn between the sinful pleasure of soaking in the tub and her conscientious nature not to use water more than was necessary.
In the end, the child in her won over the adult dictates. Alice quickly disrobed and with a sigh of pure bliss, she stepped into the tub. Yuri had painstakingly sandpapered the interior of the tub so that it would be smooth and won't prick her delicate skin.
She gazed up into the night sky, wondered when have she ever seen so many stars and then closed her eyes, luxuriating in the cool water. She was very pleased with his gift, but promised herself that she would not waste Yuri's strength by using so much water for her bath the next time.
Anne watched the two kids as they sat on the table, carefully probing their fish for any fishbone. She watched as Yuri tried to convince Alice to try the shrimp paste that smelled funny. It would taste horrible to someone who has never acquired the taste for it, but Alice bravely chewed down the raw tomatoes with the shrimp paste, though she never took another bite of it again. Yuri smiled at her, admired her even more for it.
Anne smiled to herself; she had never seen her son this happy before. And she knew that Alice was the cause of her son's happiness, for he doesn't feel lonely anymore. Though Yuri had tried to hide it from her, Anne could sense his longing for a brother or a sister. She could only hope Yuri could cope when the time comes for Alice to leave. Once again, Anne wished that Yuri had a sibling to share the brunt of his loneliness once Alice is gone.