Chapter 7 Night road

Seizing the chance, I took a close examination on his appearance; I thought he was in the same large-sleeve ‘graveclothes’ dead people usually wore, but it did not look like one to me now; it was a crimson ancient costume instead; his black long hair was held back and tied up in a delicate tapknot; he looked quite tall; only problem was, his mask had prevented me from seeing his face.

Was this ghost who was in marriage with me a powerful character in the underground world?

The driver’s weird and accidental death and the suddenly self-motion parked bus; was this demon responsible for all of these? It was obvious that he had been following me all the way here.

I turned around to look at the passengers not far behind me. They couldn't see the ghost at all. Only I could.

I looked up at the ghost and asked, "You didn't kill the bus driver, did you? Could you really lay such hands just to keep me from going back?! That’s so evil of you!"

He said indifferently: "I did it, but it is his fate and it was written; I was simply carrying it out."

Fate? Was written? I didn’t believe his story at all. And what was that high, cold air for?
“No one can stop me,” I said, giving him a blank look. “Don't show yourself in front of me again. I don't want to see you!”

Even with that masks, I could still sense his rage. Pausing for a while, he replied me in a cold voice, "You are being unappreciative, woman. There is no way you could make it to the Bridge Vill at all. It is getting dark and soon the dead would start walking; I am pretty sure you would be dead before you could make it there.”

In no case would I buy his nonsense; I had been living in Bridge Vill for fourteen years, a very peaceful fourteen years before he showed up. I didn't want a another word with him anymore. All I wanted to do now was find my parents and see that my family was well.

I walked toward the direction of the village, feeling that the ghost had been following me; I remained my vigilant but paid him not attention.

I finally set foot on the familiar mountain road; the darkness falling upon me after the sunset quickened my heartbeat; that ghost continued floating in the air behind me.

I dialed my mother's phone again. Fortunately, I got through directly this time. I hurriedly spoke, "Mom, I am on the mountain road..."

There was no sound on the other end of the phone; the poor signal may be to blame, and from time to time I could only hear some harsh noises.

My ‘Hello’s got no response from my mother; There was nothing I could do but gave up.

Picking up my heavy pace, I was soon drenched in sweat with my ankle swollen and sole worn out on the rough mountain road.

I tied my waist-length up with a rubber band. It was really hot outside in the wild in this season.

In the darkness and quietness, I could feel my own heart beating, and I felt something was following me...something other than that ghost.

Out of tiredness, I decided to sit down and had a rest. That ghost stood by speechless and seemed to have no intention to interact with me.

The silence brought my mind back to those nights and those crazy things he had done to me, made me feel a bit awkward; my face felt hot. I now believed in ghosts especially with such an arrogant one present beside me...

“Why are you following me?”
I asked faintly, my rage gone as a result of the toil of the journey and the fear for the darkness.

Seemingly still mad, he responded with a snort. After all, he was my 'husband' in some way, too. He had never done me any harm, and I didn’t think he would; besides, there was something in me that he treasured.

Thinking of this, I looked at him and said, "You're very powerful, aren't you? My grandma used to say that only powerful ghosts can come out in the daytime."

I was not complimenting him but provoking him to speak to me.

As expected, he spoke, "Yeah, I am. Just tell me what you want."

Though his tone was cold and himself standoffish, he did answer me anyway.
I looked at him pitifully and said, "It's getting dark and there's still a long way to go. You are so powerful that you can suddenly disappear and then come out again. Can you give me a ride back to the village? Like in a blink?"

He snorted, "No way!"

I knew it would be like this. He tried everything to stop me from going back. How could he help me?

I did not intend to give up so soon: "We were married, weren’t we?"

If he acknowledged our relationship, it was a must that he carried me back whatever method he used, and if he did not, he should feel ashamed for haunting me and doing that sort of things to me.

He did not look at me. "So what? If you want to die, I'll watch you die. I've got plenty of wives."

I did not expect him to say that; at the thought of plenty wives, I somehow felt hurt. But given the era he lived, it must be normal for him to have multiple wives and I was but one of them; but I hadn’t not taken him seriously in the first place, either, and I wanted to marry a normal man later. Such being the case, there was no need for me to overestimate myself and beg him to take me back.

"Well, in that case, stop following me any further. I'll walk home by myself. It doesn't matter to you whether I live or die."
Then I continued to drag my heavy legs along.

Every step was like walking on the edge of a knife, and I did not know how many blood blisters the soles of my feet had chafed on the rough road.

I looked back, the ghost had disappeared; my grudge against him soared high at that second--the heartless bastard. By the moonlight, I walked forward cautiously. Now I was seriously on my own and everything was extremely peaceful; one thing odd I suddenly realized was the surrounding woods were too quite for a scolding hot summer night like this; it should have been insects chirping everywhere.

Tentacles of fear closed around me as chill crept onto me from my back; I cursed him in my heart for filling me in with those horrors and threat, which was killing me now.

Suddenly, I saw a bright light not far in front, as if someone was carrying a lamp and strolling on the night road. Heart full of joy and surprise, I sighed with relief; after such a long lonely journey, I had finally met someone, someone I may even know; with him wandering here at such hours, he was either from Bridge Vill or the neighboring village.

I quickened my pace and looked towards the light as if it was hope. What could be more thrilling to find a living person at such moment?