7. I Want To Go Back

He tried to take the wood from his mama's hand but his dada pushed him away with vehemence making him fall on the ground.

His mama continued to hit his wife who was now bleeding all over while still being held by his brother and his wife.

As tall and sturdy as Chen Yan was, he was now on the ground, weak against his father who was also hitting him with whatever he could find around him.

Though this body was doing okay healthwise, it was still in a state of recovery after years of being unwell.

He didn't mind that he was being beaten himself but seeing the family he had swore to protect now being subjected to this, he couldn't take that.

The wailings of their two children who were now also being beaten by his brother's children were unbearable to his ears.

Tingting was now unresponsive and was being dragged on the ground by the brother's moon while his brother kicks him as they go into the compound.

His mama dragged Yuyu by the ears while his nephews dragged each of Lulu's arms on the ground as he whimpers.

His father had stopped beating him and was now dragging him too into the compound. This is too much for YuevYan.

He has never experienced this before. The tiny stones on the ground scratched against his skin as he was being dragged.

The thought that his little children were all dragged through this scratchy stony ground as well as Tingting with his already wounded body, was so overwhelming for Yue Yan.

If this was the life that he's supposed to live then he doesn't want it. He wanted out, wants to go back to his own world.

He wants to be anywhere but here. No more of this. No. His heart couldn't take it anymore. He just wants to die, if it was the only means to escape from here.

"Mama, I think they're all dead." Chen Wu exclaimed while using his feet to hit Chen Yan.

"What nonsense are you spewing? They cannot die here." Mama Yen admonished while trying to feel the pulses of the four almost lifeless bodies.

"Dada Chen, what do we do? I don't think that they have much time left." Mama Yen said frantically.

"I had told you to only beat them and drag them out with their stuffs out of this house. I didn't ask you to kill anyone. Now we're going to waste money just to bury them." Dada Gu said angrily.

"Grandaddy, you also beat uncle to death.", Chen Zhao, the five year old first son of Chen Wu pointed out.

His mama, Zhe Hui immediately covered his mouth with his palm and his dad,Wu, turned his face away trying to stiffle his laughter.

"Chen Yan has been nothing but a pain. I refuse to spend anything more on him and his filthy rats. Let's dig some hole in the forest and dump their filthy bodies in it." Mama Yen suggested.

"And how will we explain that to rest of our extended family and the villagers?" Dada Gu asked sarcastically.

"Wait, since they are not dead yet, how about we take them to the traveling roadside and leave them there with their things?"

From their current state, they'll be dead before the next morning comes and so people will assume they were attacked while travelling in the night?" Wu, the second son added.

"That's a brilliant idea!" His moon exclaimed.

"Fine, but won't people see us since it's a busy road?" Mama Yen asked.

"We can go in the night. There's hardly anyone on the road at night for the fear of thieves. Now that's a solid plan there, Wu.", Dada Gu said patting his son on the shoulder proudly.

"For now, let's pack them into the wagon and cover them with some clothes. We don't want anyone to know what happened here, do we? We'll take them there in the night." He concluded.

Evening came and the family were making preparations to go and dispose off the almost lifeless bodies of Chen Yan and his little family.

They had packed all their belongings, which were only some few tattered clothings and faded cloths and two pairs of small over won footwears.

They stashed the items with the bodies in the wagon.

Not everyone in the family went, it was only Chen Wu and his Dad that went. They successfully managed to scatter their bodies on the road so anyone using the road could find them.

It will be more believable that it was robbers that did it. They left after they were done, feeling a lot light-headed, now that their headaches are gone from their lives forever.

****************************************************

Xu Bao woke up, got out of bed and quietly opened the door to the room that he and he and his mama share.

Tonight is the first time that the boss is allowing him to join them in their operation.

He was hoping he would not miss them at the place they had agreed to meet because he is only about ten minutes late.

He has been pestering the big boss to join them on their raids and had only been successful yesterday after he did the boss a solid.

Hence he was given the opportunity to join them tonight and so he cannot afford to mess that up. Their cut, should the operation succeed, is quite huge and that would solve a lot of his problems.

He would use half to pay part of his debt with the boss, a quarter to get his mama's medications and the other quarter to pay their landlord whom he serves as his farm hand.

This is his lifeline and he does not intend to let it go just like that.

The road was very quiet almost eerie as he walked to the meeting place. He was not afraid though. He was more afraid of failing his ailing mom if he was unable to pay for her medications.