Angry Doesn't Work

The window hung open, but I had already closed it a while ago.                    

My friend, Li Jing, was pulling me by the wrist as we rounded the cobblestone pillar into my bedroom. She stopped us between the two beds, the moon’s light being our only source of light. It was so dark inside I was grateful to see her face looking at mine. But worry pinched it. Even her beautiful blue eyes shimmered with fear. 

“What’s wrong? Why are we stopping?”    

I was ready to bolt on an adventure, but she was holding me back. I gave in reluctantly.

“First,” she looked at me dead in the eye, “we need to prepare ourselves. There’s a witch underground. She wants China to accept her again, but she’s banished forever for using her dark magic. To avenge, she will try to enslave us all underground!”        

Li Jing started searching for something, crawling around on her hands and knees. “Do you have a lamp? Anything to break this darkness? And we need to find a weapon that will end this empress once and for all!”    

I told her I didn’t have anything—my family was too poor to own anything but a small candle—and even the poor couldn’t usually afford anything small enough to sit in the window sill. I lit it. It made me smile. Till she blew it out!

“Li Jing!” I scolded her. “Why’d you do that?”

“You’re not helping, Li Na.” Only when she grabbed both my shoulders did I look her right in the face, resisting any distractions. “We need to go down there. She needs to be defeated. By you.”

I stood there, wondering why. An underground witch who I needed to abolish before she kidnaps all of China, controlling it all with what I could only assume was black magic. I grinned. Sounded more like a dangerous quest than a huge responsibility!    

“I want to go on this adventure!”     

I grabbed Li Jing’s arm before she could protest, and we hurled ourselves out of the window after I shoved it open. Our flat shoes landing on the cobblestone street, we fled my house, Li Jing warning me we were headed towards grave danger.     

“Let’s go, Li—I thought you like fun, too!”

I dashed along the alleyways, telling Li Jing to hurry up. She ordered me to stop, but I told her it’d be a fun experience for us both. We rounded a street market. My stomach growling, I stopped to ask a merchant whether he could spare a pear or two for free. He shook his head.

“No—you must pay for this food.”

I sighed. I didn’t have money to begin with, and I wasn’t going to take some of my parents’ hard-earned currency. But that shiny fruit looked so good.

I slipped my hand into one of the holes of the crate. The merchant and I struck up a conversation. Once my hand closed around a pear, I put it in one of my self-made pockets inside my kimono and then withdrew it to now talk about my friendship with Li Jing—who was staring curiously at some of the pears on top. He waved her off, and she looked up at him, gasping at a gleam of annoyance shining in his squinty eyes.  

“Well, I’m sorry I couldn’t buy any, but I really must be going. I hope to have some money soon.”

The merchant smiled and nodded. “Thank you for stopping by! Hope to see you soon.”

I stifled my snickering behind my robed hand, but Li Jing scolding me as we pounded down the dirt path towards this underground lady.

“Now, where did you say that place was?”

She caught up to me but wouldn’t speak to me unless I returned the pear. I did—the merchant roared that I had stolen it. I fled before him, my pursed lips withholding a wickedly disrespectful laugh just waiting to burst through my thin lips. As I returned to Li Jing, I unleashed it and then demanded her to tell me where this underground place was.

She sighed as she led me to it. It was probably the dead of night by now, because I was glad to see the glowing Chinese lanterns hanging on thin rope. We used them to show us the way to a little pond inhabited by a few koi fish. Crossing a stone path bridging over the pond and then trampling wet grass, we splashed into the water and then froze when a hand lit a window candle.

We waited, barely breathing.

The hand left, and all was still again.   

Li Jing pointed. “We must go under the bridge.”

I bent down, itching to go. But I couldn’t see where she was referring to.  

She started crawling forward, her beautiful but expensive scarlet and black kimono getting sullied from the water. She called for me to follow, and I did, biting my lip. The new robes my grandmother had given me for my birthday were getting so dirty and smelly. But I crawled on, wishing I could return to my house without my parents’ notice.

“Are you here?”

I recoiled at the loudness of her voice. “Yeah—” I also gagged at the putrid smell. “It’s rotten in here. You need to keep going!”

“Remember, you’re the savior.”

Rolling my eyes, I crawled up ahead of her and then lamented my filthy robes. They must have cost a fortune, and here I was, rudely ruining them! Maybe I’ll buy another, washable, set.

“So—when we get there, you can’t be deceived by the palace or her throne. You need to defeat her!”

Her voice echoed. I heard water dripping onto small puddles. Wet pebbles stabbed my palms. I shivered—we had crawled into a cave. Li Jing stood up, and told me I could rise as well. We walked, Li Jing mentioning she was hungry. I shushed her, but she kept it up.

“Be quiet!” 

She hissed something back, but then fell silent.

As we walked, I wondered how long this sewer of a tunnel was going to be.

A thorny crowned woman slowly descended the palace stairs. Her beautiful sapphire and evergreen kimono extended all the way to the cold stone floor, trailing behind her. Long thorns protruded from the robe, sickly blood-red ones scratching the stones as the woman walked over to the crackling fire. The pitch-dark place was very cold, but she didn’t shiver. She watched the fire, returning to her throne.  

“Hops!"  

It scurried up to the woman, and its furry white head bowed. “Yes, Highness.” 

“Go up to the real world and tell the stone spies they are to gather girls from all over. Soon, all of China will worship me as empress down here.” She rubbed his small head. “I need a family, don’t I?”    

“Yes, Empress, but what if they’re scared of the dark?”  

The empress’s irises glowed with a deep red, and the weasel cowered.

“How many times do I have to dispute with you, weasel?”

It scurried off, promising to succeed. The empress rested against her throne and turned to something golden and scaly. She murmured to it, and it smiled eagerly, putting its scaly head on her lap. She stroked it.    

“When my subjects get here, they’ll know in which world they’re actually supposed to be.”             

The wilting fire hissed, and the empress snapped, “When will that weasel return with them!”

The dragon moved its head from side to side.

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes.”

“The tea is ready.”

The dragon opened its mouth, and a small flame of red fire emitted. It took the shape of a table, and then cooled into a bronze table. A weasel carried a set of tea over to it, pushing it up onto it only after a third weasel spread a white tablecloth. The second weasel climbed onto the empress’s throne’s left arm.

“Tea is ready.” It bowed, sweeping its puny feathered hat.

The empress turned, sliding frustrated eyes towards it, and it clambered out of her presence, sighing at the fact no one listened to it. Petting the dragon’s head, the empress nuzzled it.

“How do we prepare for a tea party?”     

The dragon blew on the set, and hot steam arose from the cups and pot. Then he smiled over at his mistress, who waved him away. He put his head back, which turned into the back of the throne again. The empress looked over at the steam rising from the tea.

“Hops better hurry—it won’t be hot for long!”

I sighed. How long was this tunnel? Soon, a firelight was up ahead.   

“Li Jing!” I ran ahead, pulling her along. “Let’s go! See that light? We can warm ourselves by the fire. Maybe that’s the witch’s fire. Maybe she’ll invite us to sit by the fire. Besides, it’s so cold—”

Li Jing skidded to a stop, forcing me to halt in my tracks. I exhaled with frustration, wrapping myself in my kimono. “We’re not roasting marsh mellows. We’re going into a trap!”

I shivered. “Whatever, Li. I’m going in!” I hurried towards the inviting warmth but felt Li Jing grab a hold of my sleeve. I gritted my teeth, fists balled, but she told me that I was wrong.

“You’re heading right into a witch’s lair. Heading right for trouble.”

I ripped right out of her grasp and charged forward. Once I had gone a little closer, I urged Li Jing on.       

“Let’s go back.” Her reluctant voice shook.

I pursed my lips. If only she were a little more open to adventure—if she enjoyed the scary carnival rides, then she could brave this place, right? Besides, we’ll never be able to do this again! Why give up now?  

I called her again, but heard another voice. It was cool and soft.

“Li Jing—you brought a friend with you.”   

I saw a woman with dark eyes and a metal crown with thorns protruding up from it. She invited me into the place, and I suddenly felt like an honored guest. As I followed her, I looked around in awe. Ruby pillars cobblestoned their way up to a massive golden and white stone palace. A throne sat in the midst of the amazing place, and then it started forming.

The woman called to me. I hurried up to her. “Is that…?”

“A dragon, yes. He’s my confidante. He also attends to me. When I’m not sitting on him, that is.” 

I yawned, feeling tired. The empress’s fire roared, and I headed towards it, eager to escape from the coldness of this dark place. I relaxed in a soft, cushiony chair.       

I let it warm me as the woman sat across from me and spoke. I sat up and then noticed a China tea set up next to her throne. I swallowed, my throat parched. I asked if we could have some. She nodded.

“I haven’t had guests in a thousand years.”

I pitied her, and then watched the tea set appear in front of us on a table that came from nowhere. She asked me my name. I told her.

I smiled at her kindness. How she could sit back with that thorny dress, I had no idea. But even sitting in my chair, I already felt like an empress. I itched to give orders and commands. I turned to Li Jing.

“Come enjoy this glorious fire!” I sipped my tea and then set it down. It was cool but delicious.

I saw her shoes smack against the stone—Li Jing was shaking her head, her face pale and eyes huge. I whipped out of my chair, incensed. She stopped and backed away. I marched towards her, my hands clenched. She said my eyes were a deep red. I spat I didn’t care. She should be heeding my every whim!

“When I looked at your bedroom window, I saw the witch. I saw her tie us with stones magically joined together like handcuffs.” She shook me. “Snap out of it, Li—she’s going to enslave us!”        

I swallowed. My parched throat didn’t hurting anymore. I threw a finger towards golden curtains up ahead. “Go in there and get me new robes. I can’t wear dirty garments in front of Her Majesty!”

Li Jing had no choice to obey—my eyes burned redder. I returned to my chair, resuming our tea party. Li Jing brought my clothes, and I changed into them. “Now, get me a throne, and put it next to that of Her Majesty!” I threw some tea onto her kimono. The stain turned the kimono into a soiled skirt and a dirty shirt. I smiled at Li Jing’s inferiority.

Li Jing blinked sadly, and then turned away, agreeing.  

I relaxed against my chair. Every time the empress even said my former friend’s name, I clenched my jaw, the redness burning deep with hatred. I had no wish to venture with her anymore. She was my servant now.    

“So.” The woman poured herself some tea and then took the cup after setting the pot down. “Did you come here with just Li Jing?”       

I answered gladly. “Just us.” I added, looking down into my tea. “I don’t usually attend parties, but I do enjoy them very much. It’s just hard because I love adventure so much! I mean, I don’t have many friends at all, so I hang out with Li Jing all the time.”

She just wiped her hand over the tea, and it appeared back up on the table besides her throne. I wondered at her power to do something so easily.   

“I wish I could do that.”

 “You will.”

I swelled with anticipation. I always wanted to be more than just a poverty-stricken girl.

Li Jing returned. “Your Majesty, shall I accompany you to choosing a dragon for your throne?”

Something scurried into the place, and I swiveled my head over to it. It was a weasel, with a whole host of stained, dirty clothed women it was yanking with a rope. Their wrists and ankles were shackled with small stones connected together like handcuffs.

I turned back to the empress, who told me they were her slaves. Li Jing and they would build your palace, she promised. My eyes burned red, and I ordered them to start building. All their chains fell off and they started grabbing anvils, shovels, pickaxes and ropes from some dark place. Heading to the right of us, the women walked together, some murmuring and others talking fretfully. I immediately shooed Li Jing away to join them. She did. 

The empress told me about her cave with dragons, where I could pick one as my throne. I sprang up, and we left our party.

I gaped in wonder at the wondrous beasts before me, their nostrils flaring while smoke emanated from them. Their scales were so glorious. A golden one reached out to me, and I petted its head.

“Which one do you want?” The woman interrupted impatiently. I looked at her. Her eyes had a blood-red tinge to them. I chose a boysenberry one, a little smaller than the rest. However, the woman said I’d love sitting on her. The dragon bobbed her head.

As she followed us, I said I’d love a little pet. She said I’d get an assistant once she crowns me. But, I thought, I have a throne. She let out a piercing laugh. The only way to become empress is if I obeyed her. “One day, when you are ready, you will be High Empress!”  

“But,” I demanded. “You have magic. Why not just make people accept us?”

Her voice broke, and I placed my hand on my heart sympathetically as we sat on our dragon-turned-thrones. “I was banished long ago. Like Li Jing knows because she has been here before, China doesn’t understand people with magic—different people—so they banish them.”    

I nodded my head firmly. “It isn’t fair. Who would rid their land of someone so special, so ready to give herself to those who need her most?” I told her I too was different—I just needed to know where I belonged.  

She looked me right in the eyes. “We can prove to China our differences don’t matter.” She swept a hand, and I gasped: a piping hot teacup appeared in my hand. Breathtaking!

“Li Na—don’t drink that tea. It’s poisoning your ability to be the savior—”

My hand moved up towards my lips. 

“You will become Empress and then Goddess of China like me after you help me, Empress Li Xiu, ascend to Goddess of China—”      

“Li Na! She’s lying. She wants to enslave you, too!”

Someone grabbed my arm, and the teacup fell, shattering. I found myself running for my life. The enraged empress threatened us to stop.

But we kept going—dashing through the tunnel. I no longer wanted to obey her. I was no longer angry at Li Jing. Gratitude for Li Jing ran through me. I glanced back—her dragon was chasing us. Li Jing told me where to go, but as we ducked under a flame of fire, I just heeded her order. No time to argue!

Suddenly, Li Jing cried out, and collapsed onto the small pebbles.

“Li Na.” She groaned. “Li Xiu hit me with one of her thorns.”

They were poisonous, because she rasped, begging for water. The dragon reared back to roast us.

I groped for a puddle. The dragon relented at a voice, and then the witch’s steps drew closer.

“Li,” she rasped, “I’m scared. Do something—”

I grabbed Li Jing, and ran. The dragon’s fire chased me. I ducked.

Once I thought I was safe, I put her down, waiting for any movement. She didn’t. I processed what had happened, and then wept silently.