"
Ye-ye," Chong-Mei called, emerging from the shadows.
Suddenly, their grandfather stopped. Stumbling forward, he staggered to the left.
"
Grandfather?" Ai-Mei whispered, her voice faltering.
"
Shi-Yeh" their grandfather breathed, taking a staggering step forward. "Shi-Yeh!!" he bellowed, running
towards the other guardhouse, and leaning tentatively over an imaginary body.
Ai-Mei shot her cousin another worried look.
"
Ye-ye, please," Chong-Mei urged, taking small steps over to him, as if he was trying not to startle him.
Their grandfather turned around, and his eyes narrowed.
"
You!" he boomed, pointing his wrinkled finger at Chong-Mei. "You did this! You must pay!"
Charging forward, he lunged himself at Chong-Mei. Ai-Mei screeched. Chong-Mei jumped back, but not
in time and his grandfather tackled him.
Ai-Mei was stunned. She watched as her grandfather scratched and screamed at Chong-Mei. This was the
same man who had taken Chong-Mei and her to the woods to play, and up this same path to watch the sunset,
and then back home to help their grandmother cook tofu squares.
"
Grandfather, stop!!" she hollered, snapping back to reality. "He’s not the enemy! He’s Chong-Mei!" She
pulled him back, and her grandfather fell to the dusty floor.
His head snapped up and he glared at Ai-Mei as she helped Chong-Mei up off the ground.
"
Wan-Shan! How…how could you? I always knew you where a spy!" he spat, barreling into Ai-Mei.
Anger filled her. What was he doing? Didn't he recognize his own
Grandchildren? Where they that insignificant to him? Had they always been?
She pushed him. He stumbled backwards. Staggering, he snatched for the side of the wall to help him
regain his balance, but missed. Before she knew what was happening, he began to fall. Ai-Mei's eyes widened as
she watched him slip over the side of the wall, falling down past safety.
"
NO!" she shrieked, reaching for him, but it was too late. She watched in horror as his body landed on
the ground, meters below them, and tumbled.
His limbs and back lay still, bent in unnatural angles. Ai-Mei waited for what seemed like hours, but
were only seconds for any movement, but saw nothing. She felt her heart pound in her chest. Her eyes widened.
"
Ye-ye?" she heard her voice ask. Then again, a louder wail. "Ye-Ye?!"
Nothing.
She slumped over the wall, and wept. Salty tears rolled down her cheeks. She stood up and looked over
at Chong-Mei. He stared back at her, eyes wide and mouth open. She brought a shaky finger up to her lips, as if
to tell him to keep quiet. He hesitated, and then nodded.
They held each other’s gaze for a moment. Chong-Mei leaned forward, peering over the side of the wall
to look at his grandfather. He let out a strangled noise, and then looked back at Ai-Mei. He nodded in the other
direction. Turning, he disappeared back into the shadows of the guardhouse
Ai-Mei began to follow, but stopped and looked back down at her grandfather. She balled up her fists to