Child’s Play...

"Yi Yi! Come find me!"

The field of wheat sparkled as an golden ocean in the sunlight. The wind caressed the yellow waves as we mindlessly ran through the fields. This was home. This was safe.

Our parents would routinely bring us to the country side to visit our grandparents' villa. At an early age, Shing and I had began the habit of sneaking out of the villa to play in the nearby fields instead of tending to the lessons that were expected of us. The Jiang family was held to a high standard as eyes were always on us and the family company. Nana Lian always knew what we were up to when we went "missing" but she always convinced our father we needed the moments of freedom for our development...." one day the children will not be able to run as freely as they can now. Let them enjoy the memories while they still can.."

"YiYi! Come find me!" Giggled my brother as he ran and hid beneath the bushels of wheat skewered from my sight. Our favorite game to play was hide and seek. Shing would always claim that I, Ying Yue, cheated because I would use my "twin sense" to find wherever my brother would go. It wasn't my fault Shing wasn't in as tune with his senses as I was.

"YiYi!! Find me!!" There was a sudden change in his voice. His boyish giggle had turned to a frightened shriek as a frantic rustle was heard through the field. Something was wrong and Shing was running.

"YiYi!! Hel-..." the field grew eerily silent.

"Shing!...Shing! Where are you?! This isn't funny anymore!...I'm going to tell mom if you don't come out right now!" Nothing. I started to run towards the direction I last heard my brother's voice, calling his name as the air I breathed. Shing, where did you go...

My legs were burning from running so hard and I could feel the slight sting on my arms from where I had been running through the branches where little drizzles of blood began to escape from the wounds. I was now in the woods. Mother said we weren't allowed in the woods. The woods were dangerous. The trees above blocked the sunlight leaving me standing in the shadows.

"Shing...?" Quivered my voice as fear trembled through my body. I was only 10 years old, I had the right to be afraid of the darkness, afraid of the unknown. Shing was the brave one. I was only pretending to be brave now as I searched for my brother. Tears begin to cloud my vision and the golden light from the field was growing fainter and fainter as I walked deeper and deeper into the woods in search of my brother.

"Ow!" I let out as I tripped over a snarling root. I was losing hope. Wait! The twin sense! I can use my twin sense and find my brother! I scrambled to my feet and quickly closed my eyes to shut off the distractions of the haughty forest....breath In....breath out....feel for brother like you always do..

My eyes jolted open, the warm sense of Shing I always looked to was gone....and a sickening gut feeling began to take over my body in its place...something was wrong, something was terribly wrong!

"Shing!!! Shing!!!! Shing!!!!!!!!...."

"Young Miss! Please wake up! Young Miss! It is just a dream! Ying Yue please!"

My eyes began to open as I realized someone was calling my name and my body was being shaken.

"Wha...what...what is going on?" I managed to stutter out. I quickly glanced around to take in my surroundings. I was home in my own bed. I wasn't a child anymore but a young lady. Maid Zhong has her hands on my shoulders. I quickly brushed her off and sat up. It was just a dream.

"My apologies Young Miss. I woke you in fear that you would wake up the Master and Madam."

"Wha- What was I doing?" Brushing my long night black hair out of my face trying to to collect myself.

"Young Miss....You...you...you were calling out young master's name.." She quickly bowed her head and leaving the room just as quickly as she appeared.

I was calling out...Shing....but he....Then my memories of the events of the past few days came flooding back as the sickening gut feeling returned. Tears began to stream down my face. My beloved brother was in fact missing and none of us knew were he was...

"Shing...where are you....?"