01. Before death

The storm is again in the city. Thick yellow sand flew around her body enveloping her completely while she tried to walk forward. Nothing could be seen, no buildings, no people, nothing.

Every day the weather became worse. The grey buildings became yellowish from sand deposits as the time passed. It has been now the fifth year since the big drought started and nothing could stop it.

All over the world people literally died in masses as they couldn't even gain their basic need for water. And the water became a rarity. Taking bath? Laughable. It was hard even to get real water to drink.

They started creating many devices to extract water from air and ground and rapidly it became even less. Some scientists warned many years ago that holes in ozonic shield around the Earth was releasing the needed oxygen into space and it was slowly sucking out the clean air out the planet.

Some even were sure that aliens came from another planet to take the water away. But whatever it was, she couldn't either stop it or change it.

Counting steps she already knew how far she was from her own home. As she came in she saw her few clothes scattered on the bed and just sighed. ''She was again here. Did she think I have my water points in the room?''

Her own mother gave birth to a daughter and hated her to the bone. Lian never knew why. Her father died when she was just a child in a factory explosion while trying to save other people from the burning building.

None of those people ever said thanks to her father and just disregarding his existence. Thinking about his good heart in spite of all the coldness the world had, she became pretty cold herself. The moment the only sun in her life left she just walked around like others.

Her mother left her when she was just eleven years old alone on the street to die. When officials found out and brought her back they found their home completely empty and sold and her mother was nowhere to find.

But a few months ago she came back after she found out that her daughter had incurable sickness and is about to die. She would arrive now and then and try to steal as many of water points she was working for. When she found out Lian just gave up completely on her. She actually planned to save up the water points for her, but she found out that her mother used the water points to gamble.

She took out the paper points and sighed. Her condition is getting worse by day a and she already asked the doctor to give her shortcut when the pain becomes unbearable. It was accepted by the government if someone with incurable disease wanted to have a peaceful death.

She sighed. The chief of staff just told her that she can leave soon as she was just waiting for them to find someone who would take her working place. The pain these days became horrid. But she still worked hard as she was not one of the people that give up easily. Everyone liked Lian even tho she was always calm, quiet and serious.

But to her other side, she was curious, helpful and never gossipy. So many people liked to have her as their working partner. there were many males who were interested in becoming her life mates, but she would tell them right away that she is dying so they would just give up.

She looked at the points and called the number that he saved for a long time. ''Tian He, could you come over. I have something for you.''

A few minutes later a light knock could be heard on the door. A small boy with a woman in her late twenties came in after she called them in. ''Good evening auntie.''

Lian just waved her hand for him to get closer as she felt a new wave of pain arriving, enabling her to move. Small pearls of sweat appeared on her forehead while she hugged the thin boy next to her. ''You are so thin.'' He was already eight years old but looked not more than five.

She already spoke to the doctor. When she dies her heart will be transplanted into this boys body and give him a new way of living. Even her blood and cells were quite compatible with his. Luckily her illness was no problem in this case. She smiled at the woman that looked at her gratefully. ''Meimei should sit next to me. I have a few words to say.''

She pointed at the chair right across her and took a file with paperwork. ''These are all legal documents. The moment I die doctor will transfer my heart to Xiao Tian. Please don't worry. These few water points, please take as my gift for the little one. Inside these papers, there is one more thing.''

Two black cards could be seen making the woman becoming pale. ''The black cards? Miss...''

Lian just smiled at her. ''I gave rest of my healthy parts as an exchange for these cards. You and boy can go to the Mars base right after he gets better after transplantation. Luckily the recuperation technologies are quite better than at that time. Now he will be able to get out of the hospital after three days and you will be right away brought away.''

''But next ship is in five days, does that mean...?'' The woman looked at her while her eyes clouded and rain of tears started streaming soundlessly out he eyes.

Ships went to mars every six months but as the sandstorms become more frequent they decided to move the launchings only in quiet days and the next day would be in five days. She as well knew about her bothersome mother but seeing he didn't mention anything she knew that she completely cut off the ties. But still, had to ask. ''Your mother.''

Lian just shook her head. ''No matter how much she wants to trouble you, she won't be bale. I already transferred all the paperwork on your and doctor Chen. She can think about other ways to pay her own betting debts. I know her idea. Don't worry.''

''What now?'' Her words were enough to give up questioning further as she saw her becoming paler.

''Tomorrow is the operation. Prepare everything. And do not tell anyone about this. It's too dangerous. Go hide the cards and points. I fear that some unrelated people might do bad things as soon as they find out about my death. You will be brought to Doctor Chen's private clinic. And straight from there, you will be brought to the ascending station.'' She quickly hugged the small guy and smiled brightly.

''Xiao Tian, please live from now happily. Know one thing, your aunt will always have you and you will always have an aunt. It is our destiny, our fate. Just be a good person, there are too many bad ones in this world. Any world.'' She pressed her dry lips on his head and waved her hand. ''Now go, auntie is quite tiered.''

The little boy was almost dragged away and on the door, he stopped just one more time to look at the warm eyes of a woman that gave him a new life.

Even years after that, he spoke about her like she was one more mother to him. ''My mother gave birth to me first time, my auntie gave me another life. I pray to all Gods that exist to give her a second chance as well. She deserves it.'' He bowed in front of praying shrine where he bowed to his ancestors and her name was in the ancestry book as well.

Lian Xiong Bai was his second mother. Her name is written right next to his own mother's name. Honoured by future generations as long their family existed...