Am I seeing images in my head? Is this how Li Tong lost his life? Will this be how I lose my life?
An arrow shot past me, a bolt of icy air lashed my pale face. I glanced over to the guard who had
previously yelled at me, he lay lifeless. The blood that trickled down from the wound in his head was the only
kinetic energy that was left around his body. I wanted to scream my heart out at those inhumane Mongolians, I
wanted to run to his body but MY whole body was numb from hatred. From the tips of my toes to the last
feelings in my fingernails, the hatred was building up. I then saw Li Tongs’ spirit kneeling around the guard’s
bloody body. It was as if he had been sent here from heaven to collect his spirit. Li Tong gently bent down and
reached into the guard’s stomach, he then clenched his fists and slowly but surely began to extract the guard’s
ghost from within him. I sensed a sudden calmness around me, it was as if there was a force field around us,
blocking out all the negative energy. Once Li Tong had extracted the guard’s ghost, they bowed three times
which was a sign of respect, and then vanished...
Speechless, I crouched back down. I could feel the warmth returning back into my body, knowing that
if I did lose my life fighting, Li Tong would be there waiting for me. I was now using the front wall of the sentry
box as a shield from the shooting arrows. Hearing the many voices around me screaming with fear, I put both
my hands over my ears, looking left and right I saw lifeless bodies, blood oozing out of their death wounds. The
dead leaves smell was gone, replaced by fresh blood. I had heard enough. I had seen enough. I had even smelt
enough. I didn’t care if I lived or if I died.
So “run,” I told myself. “Join the battle, fight for China! Li Tong will be waiting for you.” A jolt of
anger rushed from the ground, through my spine and up to my head. I couldn’t control myself anymore. I threw
myself off the side of the wall and charged into the vicious stampeding herd of Mongolians.
* * *