Our Secret

Broken heart

When Yunlan lost hope, he spotted a small crack on a hill. Water seeped from somewhere and flooded the floor of the crevice, but it didn't remain stagnant; it quickly escaped through the open entrance. Humans must have used it as a resting place. Inside, there was an odd-looking bamboo bed. Yezun hung his jacket and shirt on a spare bamboo stick and then climbed onto the structure.

"Take off your boots," Yunlan suggested. He observed the mini cave.

'If I could just get rid of these wet pants, it would be better. The damp clothes are giving me chills.' Yezun murmured

"Don't," Yunlan said as he found an iron mug, a packet of tea leaves, a packet of biscuits wrapped in plastic. He suspected there might be more. After uncovering multiple layers of plastic, he finally found a blanket, thin and dirty, torn in places, but it would serve its purpose.

"You can use this to cover yourself if you'd like," Yunlan suggested.

Yezun didn't respond; he simply did what was necessary. "Don't lie on the wet clothes; you'll catch a cold."

"Do I have another choice? If you're dry, then sleep," Yunlan replied.

Yezun settled in as quickly as possible, cocooning himself in the thin, dirty blanket. Yunlan pressed his hand against Yezun's forehead and compared it to his own. Yezun no longer had a fever, but he slept as if he were in pain.

Yunlan, stripped down to almost nothing, gazed out into the darkness. The day had given way to an even darker night. The sky offered no glimmer of light, and the relentless rain showed no sign of abating, with only the sound of the howling wind breaking the silence.

In the dead of night, Yunlan was roused from his fitful slumber by a piercing, painful sound. It took him a moment to regain his bearings. The wind had subsided, but the rain continued its ceaseless drumming. It was Yezun who had made that sound. In the pitch-black darkness, Yunlan reached out to find Yezun's skin, but he was still, and ice-cold to the touch. A frightening thought crossed Yunlan's mind, "Is he dead?" He searched for Yezun's face; he was breathing, but his body was cold as ice. Yezun shivered uncontrollably from the cold. Without hesitation, Yunlan abandoned his remaining clothes and tucked himself beneath the grimy blanket, using his body heat to provide some relief. Yezun moved closer, seeking warmth. One was nearly naked, the other barely clothed, but this closeness was a matter of survival, not desire.

Yunlan woke up once again, comforted by the radiant warmth emanating from Yezun's feverish body. In the chilling night, it was a welcome sensation. He sat up, listening to the soft rain, wondering about the passage of time. "How much of the night has slipped by? How much remains? When will the day break, Captain?"

The dark night gradually gave way to a dim pre-dawn light, and the distant trees took shape against the gloomy sky. The day was shaping up to be as dismal as the night, with rain falling like a cold, relentless torrent. Yunlan donned his jacket and left the cave. He descended, hoping to find any sign of human habitation. Far, very far, he spotted smoke rising, signaling the presence of a village. "There must be a village," he thought, he turned a sharp 180 toreturn, he started jogging.

Upon returning, Yunlan was surprised to find Yezun wearing his clothes. "I thought you'd headed back," Yezun remarked.

"Your men would have surely killed me. I want to live a long life," Yunlan replied. "You look better. Can you move?"

"Move where?" Yezun asked.

"There's a village nearby," Yunlan said.

Yezun attempted to take a few steps, but the ground began to shake, and he reached for the stone wall for support. Yunlan moved to help, but Yezun denied it.