Chapter Five is up! Sorry if this one isn't as good or seems rushed, but I wrote it really late last night because I wanted to get it done before today. Hope you like it!
Chapter Five
Mei Li looked around. She was in a dark shed, and her head was throbbing. She tried to move, but to no avail; she had been tied up! A shadowy figure emerged from the darkness and started coming closer, closer, his arms reaching out to grab her...
"Wake up already!"
Mei Li felt arms grab her shoulders and shake violently. She opened her eyes to see Cai Lang staring back at her.
"Wh-what?" She asked, the light bright as she blinked to get used to it.
"Come on. It's already nine o'clock in the morning and you're still asleep. Everyone around here pulls their weight, even the guests." Cai Lang threw a towel at her and explained. "We're stopping by a river today, so here's something to wash yourself off with."
Mei Li almost fell off the cot as the caravan wheel rolled over a rock. Oh, yes, we're moving again, I forgot. She thought to herself. This, however, made her happy. She was already one day away from her own town, and two days away from Wei, which is where she would be going with Zhang He and Zhen Ji. Or would she? She was still uncertain about the decision, because Wei wasn't nearly as far as she would have liked to gone. It was also not worth giving a locket away for, a locket that had bought her two weeks on the gypsy caravan.
She dressed herself and went to a window in the caravan to watch as the world rolled by. Grass, trees, clouds, the sky ... none of it was new to her. She'd seen all this at home; she wanted to see something new.
Mei Li wondered what her aunt was doing right now. No doubt worrying about her. Maybe making plans for her uncle's funeral, maybe doing some chores around the farm. Whatever it was that she was doing, she was probably lonely. Li began to wonder if she ever should have run away in the first place. Her thoughts were interrupted when Cai Lang burst into her room again.
"Hey, something's gone missing and I know you're the culprit."
"What are you talking about?" Mei Li burst out. "I didn't steal anything of yours!"
"No, I know it was you because -"
"You're the one with the little gypsy friends! It was probably one of them! You gypsies aren't exactly known for your honest qualities."
"Look, you little brat, I'm the one in charge of the caravan here, and I can throw you out any time I feel like it! Now 'fess up or I'll -"
"Whatever it is you're accusing me of stealing, I didn't take it!"
Cai Lang was about to throw another insult in Li's direction, when the caravan came to a halt and both of them were thrown to the floor due to the impact. Cai Lang cursed and stumbled to her feet.
"What is going on out there?" She yelled.
"Ma'am, we've reached the river." One of her lackeys called back to her. Cai Lang started yelling some more, but Mei Li wasn't listening. She was mad that Cai Lang would even think of accusing her of stealing anything. She was completely innocent! She ran outside with her towel, hoping to wash off some of the anger in the stream, when she bumped into Zhang He.
"Good morning," he said cheerfully.
"No, not good morning," she grumbled back.
"What's the matter?"
"Cai Lang says I stole something. And you know, I don't even know what it is. But I sure as hell didn't take it."
Zhang He's eyes danced with amusement. "I'm sure you didn't. Now, go have breakfast or something and cool yourself off." He seemed in a hurry to get rid of her.
Mei Li took his advice and went off to get herself some breakfast. After eating, she did feel a little better, and she snuck off to a secluded part of the river to wash up. The cool water against her bare skin did wonders, and she came back in a completely different mood. She had decided to ask Cai Lang what all this stealing business was about, and they could discuss it like civilized people.
She started walking back to where the caravans were presently camped, only wrapped up in her towel, for she was still dripping wet. She saw Zhang He and called his name. He came walking over.
"Have you seen Cai Lang? I decided to talk to her about this whole stealing thing. You were right, breakfast and the river did help cool me off. Now where is she?"
"Um, no, why don't you go get dressed first?" He said. "You know, why don't you just go ... somewhere ... else, um, for the time being and I'll tell you when I see Lang, eh? Okay buh-bye!" He hopped off before Mei Li could say anything. But she was in such a good mood, all she could do was shrug and walk off to her small room in Cai Lang's caravan to get dressed.
When she was done fixing herself up, she walked back outside to see Zhang He waiting for her.
"You know, I fixed your problem," he said before Mei Li could even say hi. "You don't have to talk to Cai Lang anymore, so everything's just peachy."
"Okay -"
"So have you decided if you're coming to Wei or not?" he asked, obviously trying to change the subject.
"Actually, I have been thinking about it. And I think it's better for me to be as far away as possible from my aunt, and that town. Wei is just too close for me to feel comfortable."
Zhang He looked crestfallen. "Are you sure you don't want to come? We could cover for you, you know..."
"I know," she said. "And you and Zhen Ji are really nice. But I guess ... I don't know. I just feel like I don't belong there."
"I see," he said.
"But it was really nice meeting you."
"Hey, we're not leaving yet." He said, smiling. "You don't have to say good bye until tomorrow."
"I know," she said, smiling back. "But it really was nice to meet you. You and Zhen Ji are practically the best friends I've ever had in my life." She paused, thinking about what she had said. "That sounds really pathetic. But I grew up all alone on a farm, so I never really had any friends besides the farm animals."
"I make friends with animals, too," he said. "Especially the butterflies. They're the prettiest to look at."
Mei Li started laughing so hard that tears started falling from her eyes. When Zhen Ji approached, it was a strange scene indeed.
"Okay, Li is practically dying and Zhang He is just standing back and watching. I think I'll just go and not ask any questions -"
"No, Zhen Ji, she's laughing at me." Zhang He explained.
"I laugh at you all the time," Zhen Ji said. "You are a pretty funny guy. Either that or just weird." She said, poking him in the arm.
"He ... he ... he ..." Mei Li couldn't stop laughing enough to finish her sentence.
"He makes friends with butterflies?" Zhen Ji guessed. Li laughed even harder for a reply. "Yes, I knew that." Zhen Ji said. "I actually laughed quite hard when I first found out, too."
"Well, I'm glad to see that I amuse you so," Zhang He said. "But if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go talk to one of my real friends who doesn't laugh at me. A butterfly." He said, and Li could tell by the look in his eye that he wasn't mad at all for her laughing. He was just playing along.
"Whew," Li said, once she calmed down from laughing so hard. She wiped her eyes and rubbed her face. It was tense from all the laughing she had done, and her stomach muscles hurt a lot.
Later that night, after the fireflies had come out for the evening, and the stars had come to join them, Mei Li sat in her caravan all alone, remembering the moment that had made her laugh so hard. She had made such good friends already, and they were leaving tomorrow. It always seemed that no matter who she befriended or what became of them, they were destined to only be present in her life for a short time.
She sighed, looking up at the moon as she often did when she felt sad or depressed. After Zhen Ji and Zhang He got off the caravan tomorrow at Wei, she would be stuck with Cai Lang and the other gypsies for twelve days, and who knows what else they'd accuse her of during that time. She observed the sky and started making a wish on a star. Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight...
Okay so it wasn't the first star she saw. But she hoped the wish would work anyway.
... I wish I may, wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight.
She closed her eyes and wished that someday, somehow, she would find a place to call home with people she could call her family. A family that wouldn't die because of her.
Maybe it was because she still had the funny memory of Zhang He and the butterflies still floating around her mind. Maybe it was because she was finally out exploring the world like she'd always wanted to. Or maybe it was because she knew deep in her heart that her wish would come true. But whatever the reason, Mei Li went to bed with a smile on her face. And that night, she didn't have any horrible dreams.
"Well, we are making pretty good time," Mei Li awoke to Cai Lang obviously having a conversation with somebody. "I'm thinking we'll be there in another hour or so."
Be there? Mei Li thought to herself as she groggily sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes. But that can only mean ... Her eyes shot open. No! They were going to reach Wei in about an hour! One more hour to go and she'd be all alone.
She jumped out of bed, still in her pajamas, and came rushing out to find that Zhen Ji wa the one Cai Lang was speaking to. Both of the women stared at her, waiting for an explanation.
"You're - you're leaving in an hour?" Mei Li said in surprise.
"Well, yes, we'll reach Wei in about that time." Zhen Ji explained.
"But you can't go. Not so soon." She said, her shoulders dropping to a depressed slump. "I only just started becoming friends with you."
Zhen Ji's face crumpled up into a sympathetic expression. It was the first time Li had seen her look like that, and it made her want to cry, knowing that not only would she miss Zhen Ji, but Zhen Ji would actually miss her back.
"I'm sorry, but we can't possibly stay on this caravan any longer. We're running out of money and there's no way the gypsies would let us travel with them for free."
Cai Lang shrugged. "Like I say, we gotta make a living."
Zhen Ji continued. "You're always welcome to come with us to Wei, you know."
"I know," Li said. "But I can't, you know that. They'll be looking for me."
"I understand." Zhen Ji said. "I'll go wake Zhang He up." She said, and walked out of the caravan. Mei Li had only just noticed that they were stopped, probably for breakfast.
Once Zhen Ji had left, Cai Lang cleared her throat. "I'm not one for sentimental moments like this, but, uh, sorry for blaming you about stealing ... well you know."
"It's okay." Mei Li said, the words automatically pouring forth from her mouth.
"Zhang He explained the whole thing to me. So, sorry again."
Li's head shot up at that last comment, but Cai Lang had already left the caravan. What did Zhang He know? What did he need to explain? She decided to forget about it for the time being and ask him when she was saying goodbye to them as they left for Wei.
An hour later, Mei Li was choking back tears as she hugged Zhen Ji and then moved on to hug Zhang He goodbye as well.
"I'm going to miss you," Zhang He said.
"At least you still have the butterflies." Mei Li said, and she couldn't help but smile. He actually laughed and agreed.
"We don't have all day." Cai Lang said, getting impatient. One mushy moment was enough for her.
"Sorry," Mei Li said.
"Hey," Zhang He said, getting Li's attention. "I still have that lovely picture you drew for me. You'll have to visit and draw me some more."
"You got it," she said.
Li strained to watch as Zhen Ji and Zhang He, holding their belongings, walked off toward a big town. Wei. Mei Li wondered if she would ever get to see what it looked like close up. But for now, she'd have to keep going. Where will the gypsy caravan take me next? She thought to herself.
"Alright, people, enough with the tears and the goodbyes," Cai Lang started ordering people around again. "Let's get a move on. Our next show is scheduled for a week from today. If we want to reach this place, we have to start now."
Li wasn't listening to what else Cai Lang had to say about their show as she climbed into the caravan and went to sit on her cot and stare out the window. Just as she plopped herself down, though, she jumped back up immediately. She had sat on something. Pulling it out from under the folds of blanket it had gotten caught up in, she held it to her face to find that it was something wrapped up in a piece of paper with a note attached. She pulled off the note and started to read.
Thank you for the beautiful picture. Here's something for your troubles. Zhang He.
She carefully unfolded the wrapped up piece of paper. Pulling the object out of its crinkled container, she gasped as she realized what it was:
Her locket.
Ah! Mei Li is all alone again! Where will she go next and how long will she end up staying there? Btw, sorry that I'm not taking any suggestions/requests on this story, but I already have the ending figured out so yeah ... but I hope you'll R&R anyway!