Lonelytree

  Cursed Lady’s eyes moved away from Chen Ge’s face and moved to scan the back of his arm. When the two were close to each other earlier, the wound that was on the back of Chen Ge’s arm that was unable to heal started to bleed again as if it had received some kind of agitation.

  “Was it you who left behind the wound on the back of my arm?” Chen Ge raised his arm, to which the Cursed Lady responded with a curt nod. 10 minutes later, the third sick hall returned to normal and all the black threads had faded away. Ol’ Zhou and Tang Jun crawled up from the ground. After ensuring everyone was fine, it was also at the same time Men Nan woke up from his unconsciousness.

  “We have grossly underestimated the power level of the Cursed Lady, she is probably the strongest spectre in this city.” Men Nan took in a cold breath. “it is not shameful to lose to her but we will probably have to reconsider further this issue about requesting her for help.”


  “We have already met all three of the scariest spectres in this city, the rest of the spectres can be handled by the tenants of Ping An Apartment. Chen Ge, I need you to stay patiently inside the Haunted House and do not have any more interaction with the rest of us.” Zuo Han’s brain was clear, and his thoughts was sharp. “After we have made all the necessary preparation, we will go back to the haunted House to find you.” After saying all that, Zuo Han realized Chen Ge had not responded with any words. He patted lightly on Chen Ge’s shoulders. “Do not think too much about what the Cursed Lady has said. Can a person still be considered a complete person once he has lost his heart?”


  “Actually she has a valid point to make.”


  “Do not get pulled into this nonsense, you are the key for everyone of us to make our escape……” before Zuo Han could finish, he saw how bloodshot Chen Ge’s eyes were. Honestly, of everyone there, Zuo Han was the person who was the most familiar with Chen Ge. He had once considered to trade his life with Single Eye, only those who had been forced to that step could empathize with the feeling that CheN Ge was going through. Zuo Han knew that as someone who was at the center of the storm, the pain and despair that Chen Ge was put under must be at least 10 times of his own. He wanted to console Chen Ge but all the words that he could think off sounded weak and meaningless before the face of true despair.

  “We will find back our memory.” Zuo Han did not disturb Chen Ge who was deep in thought. The few of them left the Third Sick Hall together. After coming up the new contact method, Chen Ge parted ways with the tenants from Ping An Apartments. He took a long detour before heading back to the Haunted House at the theme park. He laid in the bed inside the staff breakroom. Before this, he only thought the rising sun of this world would shower his body with the warmest ray but now he was slightly afraid of the sight of dawn. He had no idea what would happen tomorrow but there was one thing that he was certain, he knew that the day after would be worse than today.

  Tragedy was approaching him step by side. Chen Ge laid in bed all night and he realized he was unable to fall asleep. At 8 am in the next morning, Chen Ge crawled out of bed due to habit and started to clean the place. Even though the Haunted House was still barred from business, he would still spend every day checking the many scenarios and props. At around 8. 10 am, Zhang Ya arrived at the door of the Haunted House. She looked much haggard than before, in just the past few days, she seemed to have shed a lot of weight. Yesterday night, she was tormented by nightmare again. At 2 am in the morning, she was frightened awake. Once she closed her eyes, the tragedy in her nightmare would be imprinted at the back of her mind.

  Her father’s condition was worsening and her mother had to stay behind at the hospital to look after her. Zhang Ya did not want to add more pressure on them, to give them one more thing to worry about so she poured her concern towards Chen Ge. “I found myself unable to sleep even though it was already 3 something in the morning. I got out from bed to go to the kitchen to grab myself a glass of water. When I passed the window, I saw a man at the bottom of the building. He was smiling constantly while staring at my window.” Zhang Ya leaned close to Chen Ge. “The scenario from my nightmare was slowly turning into reality, it has reached a point where I cannot differentiate between them anymore.”


  At this point, Chen Ge already knew that the hospital had already reached out their claws towards Zhang Ya. This was the usual modus operandi for the hospital. First they would make it seem like a normal person was going insane and then they would reach out to them to offer ‘treatment’ and intervention. Chen Ge was very worried about Zhang Ya’s mental state. He was concerned that she might be sent into Xin Hai Central Hospital because once you got into that hospital, it was basically impossible to come out anymore. There was one moment where he felt like bringing Zhang Ya to run away but where else could they run away to? This was a city without hope, all the good memory and happiness was just a mirage, even if they wanted to run, there was no place for them to run away to. Looking at Zhang Ya who had truly wilted in the past few days, Chen Ge’s fingers slowly tightened. “Why don’t you go inside the haunted house to take some rest, I will be here to look over the place.”


  The truth that he wanted to say he could not say, the harsh truth was suppressed at the bottom of his heart, in this life which was slowly peeling apart, Chen Ge cared for Zhang Ya as delicately as he could, that was the only thing that he could do now. Opening the door to the staff breakroom, Chen Ge saw Zhang Ya who quickly fell asleep. He branded this image of hers into his heart. “It feels like I have owed her too much.”


  Lying next to the bed, Chen Ge did not budge for an inch because he knew that this might the last few moments that they could share together.

  When it was almost noon, the management of the theme park entered the Haunted House with a few of the security guards. They barged into the place like it belonged to them, they did not even acknowledge Chen Ge’s presence. When Chen Ge hurried to meet them, the management had already done with the modification that they wanted, all of the decision had already been made without even consulting the owner of the Haunted House. The most popular scenario at the Haunted House, Murder at Midnight was to be taken down in three days, they believed the scenario was too scary that it had caused visitors to faint. It had seriously affected the reputation of the theme park so it had to be removed.

  A few of non professional walked among the scenarios, criticizing non stop about the props that Chen Ge had poured his soul into. Anything that did not reach up to their standard, which was practically everything, had to be removed. This was not his Haunted House, it was Zhang Ya’s Haunted House. He wanted to try his best to protect this place, so that it would see the day of reopening in the future. As long as that day would come, then they would have the chance to survive the ordeal, that was the only request that Chen Ge had. There were more than 70 spots that needed to be changed and on top of that, a scenario had to be completely removed. And to do all that, they had only given Chen Ge a 3 day period to do so. After the management of the theme park left, Chen Ge’s hand that was holding the piece of paper was squeezing so hard that the paper had gotten twisted out of shape. “as long as there is still a chance for reopening, there is still hope.”


  After Zhang Ya woke up, Chen Ge went to find her with the piece of paper. Looking at the content inside the paper, Zhang Ya was not feeling so well either. Chen Ge though sat beside her to comfort her as best as he could. In the afternoon, the two of them busied themselves with the modification of the Haunted House. They had sealed up the scenario for Murder at Midnight and had taken down most of the scary props. They worked until 6 pm. The two of them initially planned to go for dinner together but suddenly Zhang Ya received an urgent call from her family. Zhang Ya’s father was transferred to another sickroom and her mother was requested to stay to look after him.

  After getting the call, Zhang Ya immediately hurried towards Xin Hai Central Hospital, Chen Ge though walked her to the front door of the hospital. When the two parted, Chen Ge gripped Zhang Ya’s hand. He told her if she was frightened, she was welcome to come to the Haunted House to find him at any time. She should not be home alone at a time like this. Seeing Zhang Ya retreat deep into the centre of Xin Hai Central Hospital, Chen Ge’s heart slowly squeezed together. He was very fearful that this was the last chance they would have the chance to see each other.

  After returning to the Haunted House, Chen Ge found himself unable to find peace. He kept pacing up and down the corridor until the clock showed that it was already 9 in the evening. He wanted to dull his senses by submerging himself in his work like usual. But when he entered the haunted house with the modification details that were given to him by the management, Chen Ge found himself stumped. He did not know what to do. All of his talent and skill was to make the visitors fall more in love with the Haunted House, to give them a truly frightening experience. He had not done anything that would require him to actively destroy the Haunted House before. Gripping the tool hammer tightly, Chen Ge looked at the scenario that he had personally built and he shuffled into it silently like a man without a cause. Throughout the night, Chen Ge destroyed the scenario for Murder at Midnight, and he continued to take down all the scare points. The sunlight filtered through the window into the Haunted House but Chen Ge could feel any warmth at all. The rays of light seemed to carry a piercing chill in them.

  “The sun has finally come up.” Sitting at the door of the Haunted House, Chen Ge who had not taken a wink throughout the night did not feel sleepy at all. He scratched the white cat’s head. The pair of human and cat looked down the distance quietly, waiting for Zhang Ya to arrive. At 10. 30 am, way after the theme park had opened for business, Zhang Ya finally arrived at the Haunted House. Seeing Zhang Ya in person, Chen Ge sighed in great relief, he was really worried that it would be a lasting goodbye between them yesterday night.

  “Zhang Ya, you need to take a good rest, just leave everything about the Haunted House to me.” Chen Ge who had not slept at all through the night wished for Zhang Ya to take some rest. He stood beside Zhang Ya and regarded her with complicated emotions in his eyes. The two of them entered the scenario together. It was then that Zhang Ya realized with shock that Chen Ge had already completed all the modifications required by the theme park management. “Did you not sleep at all yesterday night?” Zhang Ya was reminded of what Chen Ge said earlier and she felt her heart squeeze with pain.

  At around noon, Chen Ge found the people from the management. After they inspected the Haunted house, he and Zhang Ya thought they would be allowed to reopen the Haunted House again but the response they were given was, they should wait for later announcement. There was no hope in the future, but Chen Ge and Zhang Ya still refused to give up. In the afternoon, Zhang Ya left to go to the hospital while Chen Ge stayed alone behind at the Haunted House. He looked at the place that he could not recognize anymore and his dry lips pinched together. At around 11 pm, he heard the sound of the gates of the Haunted House being shaken. Chen Ge who was spacing out inside the Haunted House ran out in a hurry. He saw Zhang Ya leaning against the gate and her face was as white as paper. She was swinging unstably on her feet.

  “What happened?” Chen Ge quickly helped Zhang Ya into the building.

  “I left the hospital at around 8 pm. After I got home, I just had this unsettling feeling inside him, it was as if the scary memory from my nightmare was about to crawl into my brain.” Zhang Ya closed her eyes in pain. “The world in my eyes would suddenly become absurd and the strange man outside my window comes closer and closer. I can sense him waiting for me just outside the corridor!” Zhang Ya’s mental state was loosening. Her nightmare was overlapping with reality and it was turning her whole world upside down. She was in an extremely precarious situation, she must not be given anymore agitating stimulus.

  “Zhang Ya, why don’t you sleep at the staff breakroom tonight. I will guard beside you, I will make sure that no one will come to harm you.” Chen Ge laid down the mattress on the floor and gave Zhang ya the bed to sleep on. The staff breakroom was not large. After switching off the lights, they could hear the echo of each other’s breathing. The moonlight outside the window filtered through the gap and shone into the room. Zhang Ya who was lying on the bed, facing away from Chen Ge suddenly asked softly, “Chen Ge, am I sick?”


  “No, the thing that is sick is this world.”


  “So why is it me that feels the pain?”


  The tip of her toes tapped on the ground. Zhang Ya sat up from the bed. The moonlight showered down her long black hair like rain. Hearing the rustle in the dark, Chen Ge turned back to look. Zhang Ya was lying next to him like a person who was lost. “If it is this world that is sick, then why is it us who has to suffer?”


  Her head was leaning softly against Chen Ge’s back, she hid herself behind Chen Ge.

  “it will be fine.” Chen Ge did not turn around. He was afraid that the despair in his eyes would betray himself. His natural talent at acting seemed to be completely useless around Zhang Ya. “I am sure everything will be fine.”


  Listening to each other’s heartbeat, neither of them slept. They leaned against each other back to back and waited for the next dawn to arrive. At around 4 am, Zhang Ya received a phone call from her mother. She rushed to the hospital. Chen Ge wanted to stop her but he could not find a solid reason to. At around 8 am, Chen Ge put all the bed and pillows back into place and started to clean around the Haunted House. When he was done with all his chores, he sat at the door of the Haunted House alone. There was only one person and one cat at the Haunted House. There was no visitor and no other employee.

  After the theme park opened for the day, Chen Ge went to the office many times to find the management, hoping that they would give them a leeway. His effort got him nowhere. If anything, he only managed to annoy the management and they told him to stop wasting their time.

  Being shown the door again and again, Chen Ge still insisted on finding the person responsible at the theme park. He just hoped that the person would come to take a look at his Haunted House. He had already done all the modification based on the rules that he was given. But until the theme park closed for business at night, Chen Ge still failed to find the answer that he was looking for. The owner of the theme park had already left the site and the other managers pretended that they could see Chen Ge at all. He found some random thing to sit. Chen Ge returned to his stoop at the front of the Haunted House, his eyes occasionally glanced towards the big clock inside the Haunted House.

  He kept his vigil for Zhang Ya but this time, Zhang Ya did not return to the Haunted House. The bad omen in his heart grew stronger and stronger. Chen Ge left the Haunted House at midnight. He called Zhang Ya’s phone number at a nearby convenience store but his calls went unanswered even though he made multiple attempts. At around 1 am, Chen Ge took a trip to the Haunted House. Scanning Xin hai Central Hospital that was all lit up like daylight, Chen Ge still did not enter the place.

  He tossed and turned through the night. Whenever he heard even the smallest whisper in the wind, he would crawl up from bed to investigate it. But the door of the Haunted House remained empty, there was no one there at all. The next morning, Chen Ge cleaned up the Haunted House and rushed to wait at the front door nervously. But even after the theme park opened for day, there was still no trace of Zhang Ya. Zhang Ya remained unseen throughout the day. “How come she has not returned from the hospital yet?”


  Night fell. Chen Ge paced constantly inside the Haunted House, he had never lost such composure of himself before. On the morning of the third day, there was still no news from Zhang Ya or her parents, it was as if they had forgotten everything about Chen Ge and the Haunted House. The fourth day, the fifth day……

  On the morning of the seventh day, when Chen Ge whose eyes were red was cleaning the haunted house, several theme park worker in security guard uniform rushed into the Haunted House without warning.

  “What is the meaning of this!” Chen Ge guarded at the entrance with the broom and refused to let them through.

  “We are only working on the clause of the contract. This Haunted House has been working in deficit and it has failed multiple safely inspection. After a meeting among the management, they have decided to level this place to clear up the space for a new attraction.”


  “The Haunted House boss is dying at the hospital, don’t you feel have a heart to take down the Haunted House down?” Chen Ge guarded the door of the Haunted House with his life, his eyes glowing red like ember.

  “Before you question us, you better consider how are you going to survive without your salary. Get out of the way!” The group of guards rushed forward. Chen Ge dropped the broom and took out the tool hammer from the prop room.

  BANG! The tool hammer that was covered in red paint smashed through the wooden board. Chen Ge’s scary strength made everyone freeze in their spot.

  “This is my certificate of recovery, when I am still reasonable enough, I’d advice all of you to leave this place!” Chen Ge dropped the piece of paper on the ground. “After the boss of the Haunted House has recovered, you can do anything you want but the premise is you have to get his permission first.” Even with his life on the line, Chen Ge would give up everything to protect the Haunted House. The guards appeared to have gotten a notification from their superior. They did not get into a direct conflict with Chen Ge. Instead, they found some wooden boards and nails to seal up the front door of the Haunted House. Now even if Chen Ge had the key, he could not run the business like normal anymore.

  “Let us go!” After the security guards left, Chen Ge who was still holding the hammer leaned against the wall. He slowly slid to the ground. He was left alone by his lonesome at the Haunted House. Hugging his head silently, Chen Ge gritted his teeth. Without taking a bite at all, he stayed that way until noon. When the sun was about to set, Chen Ge came to the attic of the Haunted House alone. He remembered finding something at this place and that thing had changed his life forever. He rummaged through the place but he came up with nothing. Tired and defeated, Chen Ge slumped down beside the window. At this moment when destiny entwined, Chen Ge saw the most despairing image in his life.

  Inside Xin Hai Central Hospital that was just across the road, in the third sick hall where he was once a patient of, just at the same window that he had stood for may a day, Chen Ge saw Zhang Ya in a patient’s garb!

  With no spirit in her eyes, Zhang Ya in the patient’s outfit stood numbly inside the room. Her head was tipped down, studying the white pills in her palm.

  “Zhang Ya!” His fists banged heavily against the window. Chen Ge shouted very loudly but Zhang Ya did not seem to hear him. His hands were cut by the shards of the window. Blood slid down his arm and dropped to the floor. But Chen Ge did not appear like he felt any pain at all. His eyes were glued to the sickroom down the distance. The sun slowly sunk below the horizon. Night blanketed itself over the city of Xin Hai. The window of the sickroom was slammed shut the doctor and the heavy curtain blocked everything out of sight. His palms bleeding with blood, Chen Ge stood inside the attic of the Haunted House. He looked down the building that stretched down the distance. “You are not even going to give the illusion of happiness anymore, do you?”


  Picking up his backpack, Chen Ge ran down the stairs and rushed into the bathroom. He first glanced at the cubicle door that had been closed for some reason and then using all the might in his body, he smashed the door of the cubicle and the window in the bathroom. Leaping out from the Haunted House, Chen Ge did not leave immediately but turned to look back at the Haunted House. A white cat leaned obediently at the open window. When it saw Chen Ge looking at it, it immediately rushed towards him. Rubbing the white cat behind its head, Chen Ge whispered softly, “The tragedy has befallen me, the closer you are to me, the more danger you will be in. So you must not come to find me anymore.” The white cat did not seem to understand Chen Ge. With every step that Chen Ge took, it would follow closely behind him.

  After Chen Ge got into the taxi, it meowed desperately outside the door……

  When he arrived at the third sick hall, Chen Ge knocked on the door that was covered with curses.

  The Cursed Lady in the red clothes materialized silently, she seemed to have predicted that Chen Ge would return.

  “I can give you my heart but before that, I need to give my left eye to another spectre.” Chen Ge’s tone was so calm that it was quite frightening. “I will give up everything that I have to help you all find back your memory but I hope that you will promise me one thing.”


  “Are you sure you are willing to give up everything?” The dark black words slowly surfaced, that was not Cursed Lady’s original plan.

  “Yes, my left eye, my heart, my head, my body, you can take anything that you want. I only hope that you can keep my shadow behind so that I can stay by her side forever.” As he finished, Chen Ge took out a sharp knife from his backpack. His own face was reflected in the sharp knife, the remaining fragment of memory that he had flashed quickly across his mind. “This time it will be my turn to be her shadow.”