The Aftermaths of Death

Xuxian worked quickly, his hands moving deftly as he bound up Suzhen's arm. "This is just to staunch the bleeding first. Later when I have more time I'll pound some herbs to make a poultice to keep it from getting inflamed. Don't move it too much for now, constricting the veins near your elbow will aggravate the bleeding otherwise."

There was smoke stains on his face, and the cut on his cheek left a smear of drying blood which gave him an uncharacteristically rakish look, but he seemed surprisingly calm and collected. Suzhen watched him incredulously as he gave her shoulder a brief squeeze, then turned to Yuanzheng.

"I saw you get cut just now. Open up your tunic and let me take a look." he said authoritatively, unwinding another bandage as he spoke.

Obediently, like a tired child, Yuanzheng peeled his tunic open to reveal the knife cut across his chest. It was not a deep one, fortunately, but it had bled plentifully all the same, soaking through the rough brown material. Yuanzheng shivered involuntarily as the cold air came into direct contact with his bare skin.

"Raise your arm. Susu, help pass me the end of the bandage," ordered Xuxian, as Yuanzheng sat passively under his hands, lifting his arm dazedly like someone in a dream.

Xuxian grunted, knotting the bandage tightly over the woodcutter's broad, powerful shoulders. He pulled the tunic back on and slapped Yuanzheng's shoulders. "Come. You should go look for your mother. Bring her inside our hut to rest for now, since yours was damaged by the fire. Hurry."

It was Yuanzheng's turn to nod and follow instructions mechanically. Xuxian watched him go, with concern in his eyes. "He's in shock," he murmured to himself. "Hopefully he'll come out of it soon."

He glanced searchingly at Suzhen. "Susu. Are you all right?"

Hesitating, he continued, "Do you think you could help me? Help me see who is wounded more seriously and needs to be seen first. Take some bandages with you in case you need to staunch the bleeding immediately. You know how, right?"

Rousing herself, Suzhen got up quickly and took the small roll of bandages he passed her. "Yes. Yes, I'm fine. I remember how."

He flashed her a grateful smile and hurried off into the crowd, eyes roving anxiously and critically over the people.

Suzhen followed, trying to get a grip on herself, wondering how he could be so calm, as if nothing had happened. She forced herself to concentrate, while the groans and sobs around her echoed confusedly in her head.

Her distracted eyes focused suddenly on a familiar face. Granny Hong. The old woman was sitting on the ground with a lumpy bundle of belongings at her feet, rocking herself to and fro and wailing softly to herself like a little child.

"Granny Hong," Suzhen breathed, and she hurried over. "Are you all right, Granny Hong?"

Granny Hong turned tear-filled eyes to her. She clutched wildly at Suzhen's arm as she recognized her. "Suzhen--ah, Suzhen, what am I to do? My only son, my Yuanzheng, he wouldn't listen to me, he ran out with his axe saying he must help the others, he's dead now, isn't he? Isn't he? I can't see him anywhere. What am I to do now, Suzhen? I might as well die. How can a mother outlive her child? What use am I to anyone if Yuanzheng is dead?"

Suzhen squeezed the restless wrinkled hands tightly. "He's alive, Granny Hong, he's alive," she said urgently. "Don't be silly. Yuanzheng is alive and well. I just spoke to him. He had a small wound only, Xuxian already helped him bind it up. He fought well, too, you should be proud of him."

She had to repeat herself several times before Granny Hong, staring dazedly at her with the tears running down her face, finally understood. "He's alive," she said faintly, then again, fiercely, "He's alive." Dashing at her tears, she clung to Suzhen. "My Yuanzheng's really alive. The silly boy. Stupid child. Frightening me half to death. I'm going to kill him when I see him. Suzhen, he's really alive? He didn't get killed? How did he manage not to get killed? I thought he would be killed for sure by those evil bastards. Where is he? Why don't I see him?"

She gave a sudden shriek and Suzhen fell back as Granny Hong struggled up and half tottered, half fell, into Yuanzheng's arms.

"You bad, disobedient, unfilial son," she wailed hysterically, pummelling him with her small withered hands as he wrapped his arms wordlessly around her, hugging her so hard her feet came off the ground. "You stupid boy. I'm going to take a broom to you. Do you know how scared I was, no you can't possibly understand, don't ever do that again or I swear I'll disown you--"

Suzhen left them as she saw a woman on the ground, struggling to sit up, half-blinded by blood. She took hold of her arm and started as the woman lashed out in terror, striking her. "Don't touch me," she screamed nervously. "Take your hands off me, you wicked man."

There was blood all over her face from a deep gash on her forehead, and Suzhen was shocked when she recognized Madame Zheng. She was barely recognizable with her hair hanging in wisps about her face, and her teeth bared like a frightened animal's.

"It's me," she said firmly. "Suzhen. The bandits are gone. Don't be afraid. Let me help you sit up."

Madame Zheng slowly let her take hold of her arm and help her into a sitting position. Suzhen took her handkerchief and wiped the blood streaming down her face. "It's a deep cut. Xuxian will have to help you with it later, but I can try to bind it up now to lessen the bleeding. Are you hurt anywhere else?"

"There were so many of them," Madame Zheng repeated wildly. Her eyes looked glassy. "One of them tried to grab me when I came out of the hut. I threw a pot at him and it shattered against his head. He cut at me with his sword and I thought I was going to die. The next thing I knew I was on the ground and everything, everything was on fire. Are they really gone? Are they really all gone?" Her teeth were chattering.

"Yes, they're all gone. It's all right now," Suzhen soothed. She spared a hand to stroke the woman's rigid back, soothingly. "It's all right now." Her voice was surprisingly gentle.