The warm yellow sun spread it’s warmth as it fell on the verdant hues of lush trees. A cloudless sky, bright and free. The blue sky resembled a vibrant ocean, calm and peaceful.

  Under the shade of a huge lush green tree, she was sitting on the grass looking around at the rows of fragrant flowers. The red Tulips, in particular, entangled her in their allure.

  Hugging her knees closer to her chest with her chin supported by her knees, she sat there for a long time to just relish in the tranquillity of the milieu.

  "I knew I’ll find you here, " she lifted her eyes to look at that smiling face strolling towards her. His smile was infectious for her making a smile bloom on her own chubby little face. He came closer and perched right beside her. "Did Auntie say something to you again?" He inquired while patting her head full of black hair.

  "Shuang Ge, " she turned her face to glance at him and smiled beautifully. "I’m absolutely fine."

  "Don’t you dare lie to your Shuang-Ge, " he gave an accusing look to her.

  Her smile vanished. "Dad didn’t go to the park with me."

  "Aiyo! That’s what’s bothering our little princess. That’s easy. Shuang-Ge can take you out. Would you come with Shuang-Ge?" She radiantly smiled and nodded her head in excitement.

  Rapidly, the scene changed and she found herself in a familiar classroom alone. Her breathing got harsh and she frantically ran towards the door. Her small hands clenched in fists knocked at the door frantically, "Please! Someone open the door. Anyone please just open the door!"

  The amount of pressure she used made her fists to bleed but she didn’t stop banging on the door with her small but a bit chubby frame. Her caterwaul’s prompted no corollary. With tears trickling down her weary face, her body slid down the door.

  Her voice was stertorous, her body was aching and yet she didn’t stop knocking at the door even though the knocks were soft now. The darkness was engulfing the bright sky outside but there was no energy left in her to be even scared of it.

  Suddenly the door opened from the outside. The young boy looked around anxiously but when his eyes fell on that chubby small frame laying listlessly on the ground, his heart trembled.

  He ran up to hold her in his arms, "Xiao Mey!" He called in a whisper with his pain induced in his voice. Looking at her swollen eyes, bleeding hands and trembling body, he felt his own soul leaving his body.

  "Shuang-Ge, " she managed to lift up her eyelashes to glance at his pained look. "You came to save me." She tried to smile but her smile only made him feel guilty and she could see it clearly in his eyes how much hurt he was. "Promise me, you’ll always protect me."

  He looked at her pinky stretched out and raised his own pinky to hook with hers saying, "I’ll always be there to protect you."

  A bright white light spread around and submerged the whole surroundings leaving only her small frame standing alone with her empty hands covered in blood.

  She heard a menacing laugh making her look up. "Call your Shuang-Ge. Go on……" The other girl urged her. "But he won’t come to save you anymore."

  "No……" She covered her ears to not let that laugh perturb her. "He’ll come and I know that he’ll come. He promised me. He’ll protect me." Her own voice turned into an echo.

  "In the end, you didn’t protect me." She clutched her chest trying to ease the pain that seemed to have embedded into her soul. "Promises are useless. Someone will always break the promise that he made to you leaving you to fight your battle with your hands."

  She woke up with a jolt and turned to see a familiar face right beside her. Seeing Ye Jie’s serene face, she felt herself calming down. She turned on her side and placed her hand over his cheek.

  Beads of cold sweat had drenched her body but seeing his face had made everything alright in her chaotic world.

  "Ah Jie!" She said his name making him open his eyes promptly.

  "Are you feeling okay, baby?" He asked gingerly. She smiled and nodded her head.

  "Can you drive me somewhere?" She asked with caution.

  Ye Jie frowned. "At this time?" He saw that it was past midnight and it was odd for her to make such a request at this time of the night. But when she nodded, he figured that she must have a reason. Therefore he didn’t ask anything else and got up to take his jacket.

  During the car ride, Xu Mey didn’t give him a specific location. She just gave him directions to wherever she was taking him. The roads were mostly empty and the dingy light of streetlights was illuminating the dark road.

  After an hour of drive, Xu Mey brought him to a hotel which made Ye Jie even more perplexed. They took the elevator and rode up to the rooftop.

  "What are we doing here?" Ye Jie finally asked to satisfy his curiosity.

  "I wanted you to see this place." She replied looking at a certain spot intently.

  "Why? What is this place for you?"

  "I needed you to see that this is a place where my journey of life was sheathed in the shadows of darkness."