One swing, and then another, and a third. They multiplied with each crack and pebble thrown into the air, all at the behest of black leather boots that refused to halt. And in their wake, the boots tracked their soot-ridden steps along the bricked ground, leaving behind the sole fragments of Tao Hua's last encounter with Siyue Town.
All at the hands—er, well, all IN THE ARM of a man he'd just met that very day.
In this captor's uncomfortable and rather inconsiderate embrace, Tao Hua swung, his feet dangling only a few inches from the ground. They occasionally dragged, but that was only when Shan Si bent slightly to avoid whatever obstacle obstructed his escape.
Dazed, Tao Hua saw as the ground transitioned between three completely different types.
The first type, and the most familiar with all its flying debris and poorly kept terracotta, was a ground familial to Tao Hua; a ground that led him to the only thing that offered him happiness in this piss-poor town.
This horribly maintained ground, littered with cracks and missing bricks, was a path he'd travelled for years daily, and soon, it would be one he'd travel no more.
But that was quick to change, offering him no time to lament. His vision was entirely blurred by the unwelcoming fog of ash, inundating him worse than the men who blew whatever substance in Tao Hua's face. Usually, when they grew tired of his presence, claiming him as annoying and shooing him away.
He squinted, nearly clamping his eyes shut, but the smoke was too much and accumulated the further he was dragged into that plume. It burnt his eyes watery and coated his throat with what felt like a thick layer.
It was terrible. Awful. He'd much rather spend a day dealing with the elders of the town than this.
So, he had to relent. He completely shut his eyes and started to cough, reaching his hand up to his mouth and covering it. The sound of metal scraped, and then clicked, and soon, Tao Hua body hoisted up with a jump. Then, the hand around his waist tightened as what felt like a piece of fabric covered his mouth and nose.
And that fabric had a pleasant smell to it. It was sharp, like a snow-covered pine, and completely enveloped Tao Hua deeper into his haze, enough that he hadn't yet realized just where the scent originated.
But it was soothing, and he needed soothing.
Confused, the temporarily blind man patted his hand on the cloth, just as the tips of warm fingers brushed along them, clamping his hand around the fabric. It forced Tao Hua to keep in place, and just as they arrived, they left.
This was the third type of ground.
When Tao Hua slowly opened his eyes, he found that the ground wasn't brick, nor was it a layer of smoke. It was dusty, grey, and boring. Small rocks gathered aplenty, scattering messily along the worn path, many broken next to the leftover hooves of oxen and horses.
Tao Hua had to blink a few times until the realization hit him harder than the debris that flung toward him, or the hair that whipped into his face, mouth, and eyes.
This wasn't Siyue Town anymore, and for the first time, he stood outside the walls of the cage that had left him isolated for twenty years.
Well, hung. He hung like a dead person, moving at what seemed like twenty kilometres an hour. One bumpy hop at a time.
Tao Hua felt an overwhelming sense of astonishment, and he couldn't quite decide if that astonishment was curated by fear, excitement, or both. So, he tried to bend downward, enough that his black hair dirtied along the road. He wanted to look back at the gate one last time, but alas, he just couldn't see past his own robe. It fluttered, flapping loudly the faster Shan Si ran, and even more with just how annoyingly Tao Hua tried to position himself.
He hadn't yet realized his position, but that didn't matter. The man attempted to lift his feet, wanting to see past his own legs. That also proved futile, making him look as pitiful as a fish trying to survive on parched land; all flopping and flailing about.
But one squeeze and a pinch to his waist, and Tao Hua went limp; not through any magic, however, but at the acknowledgement that it was Shan Si's warning.
Even so, Tao Hua still couldn't seem to process it, or whose grasp he was in—not yet, at least. Instead, he just stared at the ground, watching as the hurried boots crushed each sprouting, sunburnt weed poking through the barren ground.
I'm out?
He dipped forward once more, but all he could see was more of the blue robe, shadowed by the orange glow that dimmed the further they travelled. With a few blinks, he tilted his head curiously.
I'm…out? he repeated, innocence swelling within his eyes. I'm out!
Mouth agape, nearly sucking in the pleasantly scented fabric, Tao Hua gasped. And that gasp would be a reminder that he could now breathe, in every sense of the meaning.
I'm really, actually out!
He removed the black and gold fabric from his mouth, watching it fall to the side, and yet…it didn't quite fall. However, he didn't give the thought two more seconds and inhaled, having forgotten to breathe.
The air was different; nothing like the stuffiness of Siyue Town. It held traces of summer, tasting like conifer and anemone.
This would be the flavours in which Zhonglai's Official Road was well-known for, and it was ever-more apparent in the way it looked. One glance up, into the fading darkness, revealed a gradient blackish-blue horizon, separated by the trees of the famously known Buzhi Forest.
These trees were magical in the sense of being majestic. They were tall, flourishing, and slightly bent toward the road as if trying to pick up each passenger that trailed it.
However, the amazement would quickly die down, and at Tao Hua's reluctance. The further they travelled, the less the scene would glow, and soon it would be replaced with the shadows of owls hooting, bugs vibrating, and the repetition of croaking frogs.
Then, to his utter distaste, he heard the scruffing echo of footsteps, tearing through Zhonglai's Official Road. Each thump against the ground had slammed Tao Hua into his "kidnapper's" side, over and over—and he'd just noticed it, despite it going on the entire time!
This was his cold realization, slapping him on his cheek flat and bruising it red.
Shan Si kicked up more dirt than was welcome. That earthen cloud would be a stark reminder as to why Tao Hua was even past the walls in the first place.
It rooted precisely in all the wrong areas, causing Tao Hua's expression to fall flat. So, could anyone blame him for acting out? The freshness of that path no longer felt fresh, as if this man spoiled it with all his stupidly nice-smelling aroma, and stuff.
One slam, two slams, three. It would repeat until it knocked the excitement straight off Tao Hua's face, replacing it with all the terrible things this man had done to him through the night.
Compacted in the grit of his teeth, nearly biting his own tongue off.
Tao Hua pressed a hand against Shan Si's side, shoving against the loose fabric at his waist and trying to separate the two. For a moment, he tightly shut his eyes, but with another whack, they'd spring open aggressively; creased at the corners and angry.
Then, he brought his second hand up, and slightly turning his body toward Shan Si, he kept shoving until Shan Si had to react. The annoyed expression was returned, but with twice the force as Tao Hua's.
To explain it best: Shan Si's was intimidating while Tao Hua's was pitifully cute. Not at all in the same lane; maybe two sides of the same coin.
Even if his anger wasn't solely Shan Si's fault, he still played a huge part in Tao Hua's misery; thus, he couldn't absolve the man of his responsibility.
"Seriously?!" Shan Si complained, glaring down at Tao Hua as he moved along the Official Road. To this, Tao Hua just moved from his side and toward his hand, digging his nails straight into Shan Si's flesh—well, attempting.
BAM.
Tao Hua's entire right side rammed right into Shan Si in one last swing.
"Just say it, Tao Hua. Say the fucking word and I'll let you down," said Shan Si. He had stopped, causing Tao Hua to dangle. "Just speak, and you're free to walk on your own two feet."
But Tao Hua was stubborn; therefore, he refused. While Shan Si looked down at him, Tao Hua whipped his own head away, puffing his cheeks in refusal to offer this man even an ounce of satisfaction.
He agreed to help him, but that didn't mean he had to tolerate him.
"Okay. I have no issue staying here with you tucked under my arm," he said, his lids falling halfway just as he kept them on Tao Hua. In a promising tone, and with the slither of his fingers around Tao Hua's stomach, he pinched it while adding, "You feel nice, actually. Pleasant to the touch. I could stay like this all night."
Tao Hua winced, trying to push Shan Si's hand away with more effort.
He turned his head away, looking up and slipping his fingers under Tao Hua's sash. "It's a nice night. Too bad you can't see it."
Well, now it was just getting uncomfortable. So, Tao Hua was left with no other choice but to take matters into his own hands. With very heavy breaths, he removed his hands from Shan Si's now invasive one, and wriggled his body. From left to right, over and over, until his head was close enough to reach Shan Si's hand.
But Shan Si paid it no mind. In fact, he took advantage of this position entirely. His fingers slipped into Tao Hua's lapels, so much so Tao Hua had to bite his lips red.
In this endeavour, Shan Si ignored Tao Hua's aggression, and simply said, "I'm game—"
But he'd lose this time. Shan Si's pupils shrank, and his face twisted with a pained expression of anger.
THUD!
"Fucking hell, Tao Hua!"
Chapter end.