lethal darts that chomped down on the wall. She would have been stabbed to death if she had made a move.
Ever so slowly, Gwen inched her way towards the edge of the wall and peered.
Big mistake.
An ice-cold hand clamped over hers. A surge of adrenaline coursed through her tense body. To her utmost
horror, a pair of beady eyes, followed by a jeering grin surfaced out of the water-like darkness. The burly figure
held up his sword. Gwen closed her eyes, accepting her fate.
‘
Ahhhhhh!’ Blood splattered over Gwen’s face, the withered hand lost grip on hers and the great hunk of
muscles, hand over the arrow that struck a Bull’s eye, slipped back into the sinister abyss.
‘
Look out!’ Before she could leap out of the way, a landslide of loose rocks knocked Gwen off her feet.
Gwen found herself launched in midair, gravity swallowing her towards the unforgiving earth. This is it…
Thump! A dense layer of bush broke her fall.
‘
Gwen, thank god you made it. Are you ok? You have just proved yourself to be the perfect candidate. I…
I’m…’ Meng’s voice trailed off. Gwen blinked and soon figured out why. Meng was turning more and more
translucent at each passing second, her body wavering as if about to disappear into thin air.
‘
My powers are weakening and we must either leave now for your timeline or find my husband. But I must
warn you that once you decided to continue your mission, there is no turning back. You may be trapped in this
timeline forever if you failed to do so.’
Gwen’s sixth sense tinged in her mind, willing her to leave right now. After all, what was more important
than her own life? But a glimpse at Meng’s sorrowful eyes and Gwen’s conscience won.
‘
Let’s get moving. I haven’t survived through those assaults and terrors for nothing.’ Gwen smiled, feeling
up to the challenge. ‘Follow me, the catacombs are at a secret passageway not far from here.’
After maneuvering and weaving their way through the thick overgrowth that seemed to reach out their
thorny fingers to deter them, Gwen soon found herself in front of an old, moss-attacked doorway that burrowed
all the way underground.
‘
It used to be a secret escape route that was left abandoned. Now, it only houses numerous skulls and
corpses. You still have the key with you, don’t you?’ Meng asked, shifting from feet to feet, agitated by the
thought of reuniting with her long lost husband in just a minute’s time. Gwen took out the tarnished key. With
trembling fingers, she placed the key into the lock. It was a snug fit. With a huge sign of protest, the lock broke
free and with one mighty push, the door creaked open.
Gwen stepped into a hallway faintly lit by flickering beacons that brightened as she walked past, as if
greeting her with their warmth. Well-sculpted lions lined the hallway, each holding up one of its paws as if in
encouragement.
In the distance, an archway glowered, inviting Gwen to come forward. Wham! The creaking door swung
shut. Tick! Tick! Tick! Tiny droplets of water trickled down from overhead stalactites. With mounting courage,
she strolled boldly towards the archway. She had reached the archway at last.
What would await her at the other side? Thousands and millions of skulls and bones? The whimpering
soul of Meng’s husband? Elated with both fear and excited, Gwen stepped into the archway.
The flickering flames died out. Gwen found herself engulfed into bitter darkness. But all at once, an eerie
glow shimmered behind her.
Gwen turned uneasily. Instead of the young, pretty Meng Jiangnu she had known, 2000 years of old age
had crept up on her, wrinkling and shriveling her face into that of a grotesque old hag!
Swooping down on Gwen like a vulture, her hair began to writhe like so many jet black cobras, each one
sucking blood from her neck, devouring her mighty soul. Gwen screamed and screamed at the top of her lungs
but not a single sound came forth.
Her heart had stopped beating. All her blood and soul had been drained out from her body.
Meng’s 2000 year ordeal was finally over. But another tragic story had just begun.
‘
Come on, gang. It’s near dusk and I don’t want to leave any of you out of my sight. We don’t want
another missing teenager wandering around the endless Great Wall.’ A group of college students moved on from
the spot just as the last few rays of sunlight glistened on their backs.
All except one. The girl had been troubled by distant murmurings since she first arrived. Now, as she
glanced over the wall, she was dumbfounded to see a girl in a floral dress, with raven black hair, tinkling head
beads and staring at her intently with those somber hazel eyes.
* * *