Requiem IV: Death's Door the Final Hour
by Bonnie Eagan & Alisa Joaquin
Part 7: Peter Investigates
"Finally," Peter exclaimed. "I am Caine, Peter Caine, but you can call me Peter."
"Caine?" the woman answered. "That name is familiar to me, but I do not remember where I heard it. Strange."
"I've told you my name, can you tell me yours?" Peter did his best to be charming.
"Mei Chi," the woman said, with a slight smile, then her demeanor changed. "I was in the forest collecting wood when . . ."
"When did everything happen?" Peter questioned.
"Seven days ago, a group of men arrived in our village. We do not get many strangers. We had not seen any for at least two years, when three strangers arrived and entered the temple." The woman's eyes grew wide. "Wait, you were one of the strangers."
"I came to the temple with my father and another Shaolin to complete the training that I started when I was a child."
"I heard the stories," Mei Chi answered. "You saved the monks from some evil force."
"Yes, but how did you hear about that?" Peter asked.
"My grandfather was a monk, an elder. My brother was going to enter the temple this year and continue our family's tradition, but that was before . . ." Mei Chi tried to stifle a sob, but tears streamed down her face.
"Please, tell me." Peter coaxed.
"This village is not like the ones in the outside world. Very few ventures out. We grow our own food. We live much like our ancestors lived. We were not prepared. A large group of men came to the village. They had weapons I had never seen before. They surrounded the village. I was coming back from the forest, and they did not see me. Their weapons made such loud noises, and everyone who tried to run, fell to the ground. There was blood everywhere. The monks could not stop them."
"It sounds like they had rifles and machine guns, but I do not understand. You said that 'I wasn't him.' Who were you referring to?"
"There was another man. He seemed to be in charge. He entered the temple and when he came out again, he had a sword. It was covered in blood."
"How did you see all of this?"
"I made my way from house to house, watching and trying not to be seen. My grandfather taught me the ways of the Shaolin."
"Tell me more about the man who seemed to be in charge," Peter stated.
"The man had no hair, and his arms were bare. He had the brands of the Shaolin on his arms."
"So, it was a priest who did this." Peter surmised.
"No, I know now he was no priest, because he did not act like one. Around his neck he wore a medallion. I could not tell what was on the medallion, but it looked like some kind of cat. I did not dare get any closer I would have been spotted."
"Why did you attack me?"
"I thought you were him. When I saw you holding my brother's body, I . . ."
"Why did you think I was that guy, if he had no hair," Peter asked as a chill ran up his spine.
"I saw his face. It was yours."
Continues with Part 8