The Beginning to the End

It was five o'clock in the evening and the sun's red-orange hue tinted the sky as it disappeared behind a curtain of puffy white clouds leaving behind a hint of its colored light. Walking towards the bright yellow pistachio fall trees that lined Beijing Forest Hill Park was a peculiar pair. The muscular, intimidating man with ash black hair and dark brown eyes hauled a petite icy fair-skinned girl behind him as they jogged lightly towards the sidewalk that was littered with autumn leaves. The handsome man stared at his young doe eyed his female companion who looked around with a hint of restraint and curiosity. Mesmerized by his doll like partner's behavior, he reminisced on the previous hardships he endured and recently overcame.

He remembered the constant sleepless nights and regular therapy sessions. His mind flashed to the moment his happy life was ripped away from him and when his heart died together with his mother in a mysterious 'accidental' car crash when he was eight. He recalled the way he galloped through the streets in the echoing darkness barefooted, clothes disheveled as he escaped from his kidnappers. He distinctly remembered the scowl and unmasked disgust and annoyance on the face of his replacement mother when he limped through the front doors of his once-warm home. From that day his stepmother glared at him with hatred and made it her mission to constantly inform him how ugly and unsightly his dark skin was and how much he deserved death just like his whore of a mother. Where was his father during this? That cowardly, grey-haired man who aged daily was sitting in a corner spaced out on drugs fed to him by his loving new spouse. Unfortunately, Xiao Min was too young and malnourished to retaliate, so he endured. He endured until he succeeded in tricking his evil stepmother into thinking that he was mentally ill and was exiled to England at age twelve.

Xiao Min's eyes became cloudy as he fought against the tears and rage that were bubbling within. Plastering a smile on his face, he turned to his cure, kissed her forehead, and then pulled her along as he sprinted to forget the resurfaced memories. With hands joined and ear-splitting grins plastered on their faces, they ran to escape, each from their own personal demons. Eventually, they slumped tiredly onto the park's benches. Their chests rose and fell rapidly as they gasped for air. Regaining their breath, they gazed at each other. One looked at their partner with fascination and the other with pity. In a harmonious, synchronized understanding, they peered into the colorful sky until their eyes slid shut and they began their separate dreams of what led them to this moment.