Chapter 8 - The Evil God
It had been long since Qiu Shi had awoken to such fine weather. With the wind settled and snow stilled, the warm sun hanging brightly in the sky, it was as if the harrowing tribulations of the previous night were but a negligible nightmare.
Qiu Shi indulged in the rare luxury of lounging late abed with Ruan Baijie, chatting casually about everything from poetry to the meaning of life before Ruan's growing hunger finally prompted her to hurry Qiu Shi off in search of a morning meal.
Arriving at the kitchen, Qiu Shi found the others already gathered around the table, having finished their breakfast and discussing plans for the day's trip to the carpenter's workshop.
Bearing word of Ruan still abed, claiming it too cold to abandon the warmth of blankets, Qiu Shi explained his errand to grab some food to take back to her.
Xiong Qi nodded in understanding, mentioning the group's intention to head out soon and suggesting it best if Qiu Shi join them. Under normal circumstances, such an implication about Qiu Shi and Ruan's activities would raise eyebrows. But after the previous night's events, it was clear no one had the interest or energy for anything beyond basic survival.
The primary purpose of today's carpenter visit was to inquire about the well-filling, seeking clarity on the hazy instructions of what, when and why. For the "why" perhaps loomed largest of all in importance.
After days in the village, the consistent presence of a well stationed prominently in every household's central courtyard, positioned inconveniently in the very path of coming and going, betrayed an eccentric custom whose purpose begged illuminating.
With the carpenter's misinformation leading to two deaths just yesterday, the group's reception of the old man today lacked its usual geniality. Even the eternally good-natured Xiong Qi wore a frosty expression. But the carpenter appeared nonplussed as ever, puffing away contentedly on his ornate tobacco pipe.
"Old timer, what should we do after the worship ceremony?" Xiong Qi inquired.
"Why, fill the well of course," the carpenter replied. "Choose an evening, toss in any dead thing you can find, cover it over with soil, then in three nights your coffin will emerge."
"Dead thing?" Xiao Ke interjected sharply, his tone growing severe. "Just what exactly do you mean by that?"
"The literal meaning," said the carpenter.
"So anything that has died will suffice?" Xiong Qi hurriedly confirmed.
"Yes, anything deceased," affirmed the carpenter. "Chickens, ducks, dogs, geese - gather whatever dead creatures you're able and commit them to the well within three days. Cover it over with soil and your coffin will take form."
A wave of relief swept over Xiong Qi at the carpenter's assurance. But before he could fully exhale, Ruan Baijie posed the sobering question: "We've spent days in this village without sight of any living being. Where do you propose we find these chickens, ducks, dogs and geese?"
"But we ate eggs, didn't we?" Qiu Shi countered. "If there were eggs, there must have been chickens, right?"
"Clearly you didn't scrutinize that basket closely enough," Ruan replied. "With no outsider setting foot in our quarters, and no villagers either, the contents of that basket multiplied of their own accord."
Qiu Shi: "So...what exactly laid those eggs?"
Ruan Baijie: "Who cares what laid them. The taste was splendid."
Qiu Shi: "..." His stomach churned queasily.
Awakened by Ruan's observation to the stark lack of living beings in the village, the group fell into an uneasy silence as the implications sank in. Xiong Qi in particular blanched, his voice growing taut. "Old man, just what exactly is your meaning?"
The carpenter answered: "I'm but a humble coffin builder with little to offer beyond this advice. I've no wish to deliberately harm you."
At this, someone slammed their fist upon the table in anger. "What do you mean you don't mean us harm? It's because you told us to worship alone in that temple that all who entered singly have died. And now - "
The carpenter interjected coldly: "Coffins serve only one purpose, do they not? To inter the dead. Without corpses, what need is there for coffins? Besides," he added, an unsettling smile creasing his wrinkled face, "Why didn't you heed my words...?"
Ruan Baijie: "What words?"
The carpenter gestured at the group. "So many of you still remain. She has yet to eat her fill."
"Eat her fill...?" Qiu Shi seized upon the reference to eating, thoughts flashing to the mutilated corpse-chunks upstairs and the group's speculation about victims being dragged back to the temple. Now the final fate of those bodies became sickeningly clear.
"Just what is that thing?" Xiong Qi pressed, no longer able to restrain himself. "That woman..."
The carpenter raised his hand, refusing to say more.
Ruan Baijie's gaze drifted to peer intently at an empty corner. "Odd how he's put away that stick," she murmured.
The carpenter nearly choked in exasperation, thinking to himself that if he hadn't hidden the stick, she'd likely renew threats to beat him with it as before.
Ruan Baijie continued: "No matter, I came prepared in other ways." Producing a folding knife from behind her back she remarked: "Best you speak clearly now old man. Because if you fail to fully explain, we'll all die here together. And before I go, I'll be taking you along to keep me company."
The carpenter blanched while Qiu Shi gaped in shock. An awkward silence descended before Ruan's tactics finally compelled the old man to divulge a few more details about the "woman" - a village god they worshipped who bestowed protection yet also demanded ritual flesh sacrifices each winter. But with no living offerings this year, fortune delivered these unwitting outsiders...
"Is it absolutely necessary she be fully fed? What happens otherwise?" Xiong Qi asked.
The carpenter shook his head gravely. "If not gorged to satisfaction, she will come seeking you herself. All undertaking the coffin-making are beholden to furnish her tribute. So I alone dare the task this year."
Without another word, Ruan Baijie rose and made for the exit, the others trailing after in resignation. Sensing her soured mood, Qiu Shi caught up to ask what troubled her.
"Mind yourselves closely tonight," Ruan warned.
"You mean that spirit may still come for us?" Qiu Shi guessed.
Ruan gave a mirthless laugh. Leaning in she whispered: "Sometimes what lurks in the hearts of men proves far more dangerous than any vengeful ghost."
Qiu Shi stared at her, confounded.
"Let's go home," Ruan Baijie said, turning away. Watching her departure, Qiu Shi found the unfathomable girl increasingly inscrutable.
If the group's mood following the carpenter visit could be likened to stagnant water, after returning it deteriorated into outright fetid decay.
Qiu Shi failed to grasp why tensions festered so, until Ruan Baijie's matter-of-fact explanation over roasted sweet potatoes:
"It's simple really. Before there had still been some semblance of unity - banding together in the hope of survival. But now..."
"Now what?" Qiu Shi asked.
"Now most are privately hoping for the others to die first," Ruan replied. "After all, that would provide the necessary dead thing to fill the well for the coffins to take form so everyone else can leave alive..."
Qiu Shi reeled at the implication. "Is that the way of things in these realms behind the doors?" he murmured, still struggling to reconcile himself to such a cutthroat reality.
Ruan Baijie elaborated: "This is still relatively benign, frankly. But whatever you do, don't set foot outside tonight unless you fancy encountering far worse than any vengeful female ghost..."
Qiu Shi: "You mean that spirit may still come for us?"
Ruan Baijie shook her head no. "I refer to the prospect of confronting something even more terrifying."
Though dreading the unspoken meaning behind her words, Qiu Shi clung to the belief that rationally, no one would truly consider murdering their own companions simply to obtain the requisite corpse for their escape.
That night, sleep eluded Qiu Shi completely. Beside him Ruan Baijie slept as peacefully as ever, while Qiu Shi lay staring upwards, thoughts consumed by the day's troubling revelations. With doors and windows secured, he had briefly considered further fortifying their room by bracing furniture against the entrance as well, but Ruan had interjected: "And what if that thing simply materializes within our room...?"
Unable to counter her logic, Qiu Shi dutifully removed the barricade.
Yet some outcomes remain inevitable. And so at half past two in the morning, the insomniac Qiu Shi once again heard the horrifying sound of human screams piercing the darkness.