𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐆𝐨𝐣𝐨 || 𝐉𝐉𝐊

Prologue

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐦, 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐳𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐛 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬'𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥. The sun of nectarine illuminated the sky with its rays, alerting the eyes of its inhabitants below him that it was time for the day to begin.

   It was the beginning of a new day, someday of many, but a fresh start nonetheless. Children of the city bountifully played and scurried about the streets and grassland of the city's outskirts, where an immediate safety of suburban homes comfortably surrounded. It was safe here; nothing out of the ordinary or dangerous ever happened. At least not to the public eye, for those persons or beings lurking in the shadows may be more skillful than they make out to be. But, in a city so plenty of joy and assurance, that wouldn't once cross a mind.

And yet it did, only for this person. The one who travelled for the last 2 days by train with his two closest companions laying on each of his hips, crunching him inbetween the two. The contact and ease of giving himself up to them had not even come as a thought in his mind, as they had been much closer than comforts boundaries for the last 9 years; his only communication, his only source of paternal love, and most certainly his only reminder of home. Home. He thought, and with it came that warm feeling of peace and warmth he had chased away so long ago.

He was too aware of the fact that it was his own doing, for love is the most fatal curse of them all. A curse he longed to take his life and put him out of his misery so that he may stop running. Shamefully enough, it wasn't love chasing him from the starting line, but the push that made him do what he did. It was the curses. He, born to see and manipulate the curses, treasoned his life away for someone he had fallen too hard for. But, he could easily admit, loving that person was the easiest decision of his life. She was his person, the compliment to his soul that once was so hungry, that when it felt her soul reach out, it suddenly felt full and hungry no more, ever.

   Their meeting had filled his soul and completed it enough to last his entire lifetime, and yet he ruined that chance. All because of cursed spirits. They weren't even frightening to him, not in the very least. They were something so normal to him, like he was constantly viewing the world through a looking glass. The smell though, the putrid, horrendous odor and reminder of what used to be a gift born with, was now so fatiguing he wished he wasn't made to be such a warrior against them.

   His escape to a place without cursed spirits was at the top of his list, marked in red and circled several times. It clawed him from the inside-out to smell and see the very things that tore him from the ones he grew so fond over, especially when they became injured. And, these were things normal people saw as only fairy tales or bed time stories; little did they know it was truly a haunting reality. 

After all, why was it him? Was he chosen and put on a cutting board to be punished for what the crimes of his past life were? Was he that bad in every life he existed? No. He's going to solve the issue of those he cares for, and it begins here. Or more, that he hopes so. After traveling the continent so deeply in search of something so hard and minuscule to find, he could only pray and hope that this was finally a place he could rest and call home for more then a few months.

Honestly it was taking quite a toll on him, and it was beginning to crack the glass of his moral compass that he could force two growing children
into the same trouble. If anything, this had to be it, the promised land he would bring all those he holds dear to. A place where they can finally enjoy an ounce of peace and serenity, and most certainly no cursed spirits.

The train was beginning to slow down, the brakes were lowly squealing and his cabin seated in was slightly vibrating. He was praying for a peace of mind finally, somewhere where he could succumb to peace and finally allow his companions to grow and live happily, instead of always being at bay to anxiety and impulsiveness. The healthy trees of green were stilling, their blur becoming harder to see. Something about this felt fresh, new, or hopeful.

   His hands shook the two at his hips, lightly stirring them to a quick stretch and yawn of fatigue. Softly he told them to suit their jackets onto their bodies and don their shoes back onto their feet as they were getting ready to end this 7 hour long journey. He too, yawned, feeling inspired while attempting to motivate himself to step off the tracks and accept the new reality of his destination. Whether this would finally be his paradise or if this would be another week long stay.

   And there it came, the audible announcement over the loud speakers, their trip had ended and they had finally arrived to a city unknown to him. He simply purchased a ticket, demanding the worker to just "surprise him" and give him a place they thought or imagined to be the safest. Doing research on his own, jumping on random trains, and skipping towns was not working. Curses were everywhere. They were inescapable, at least for him.

   Once the cabin had cleared, the trio finally cleared, carefully stepping into the middle way and following the nearest signage for exit. And then, it met his sensory. The sound of people talking. People. Not the chitter and warbles of curses. The smell of baked goods and earth. Actual earth, instead of the hidden smell of death and cursed blood. His throat cleared as his posture fixed itself, holding himself from getting too hopeful.

   The rays of sunshine peaked into the walk way from the exit door, it was warm and welcoming, instead of being dreary and rainy. He led them into the light, eyes all squeezing shut to allow their eyes clearance to the suns rays scanning them. The speak of the townspeople was so strong, and yet so soft spoken so that it wasn't harming his ears, but softly beckoning him.

   He was then redirected to the kind worker donned in a blazer and pencil skirt to compliment her black heels. "Enjoy your stay sir, I hope you and your daughters may enjoy the beauties of my hometown." She returned to her friendly smile, sparking a new question in his mind.

   "And where may we be, if you don't mind me asking. I was gifted these tickets by a family member and told not to peek at the destination until we arrived." He swallowed hard, his angst building to hear what this new land of promise was for him.

   "This might've been quite the present then, as you are in the quiet town of Langfang, China."  Her hands left her waist, where she guided his eyes to the station and market before their eyes. "Even if it may be too quiet for you here, the drive to Beijing is only an hour and a half away."

   "No, this is perfect. Thank you." He nodded to her in acceptance, a small smile curving his lips upward.