Fallen Paradise

CeLeBrAtIoN

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The Chinese New year was approaching, the whole campus in mood of festivity was beaming with excitement. Feng was asked by one of the senior's to dress up in traditional clothes as her 'charm' would attract more people to the festival. Although Feng didn't really want to do that but the peer pressure, at final made her change her decision. 

Finally the day for which the whole university, students as well as the teachers were hyped for came. The first thing in morning, Feng was rudely woken up by her senior, not that she could complain looking at the bright faces and taken to have her fitted and changed into the traditional Cheongsam. After what seemed like forever in the fitting room, she was observed like a lab rat by her seniors before they gave her an approving thumbs up. 

Their was some time before the 'festivity' were to officially open for the common public, which meant their was still time for Feng to plaster on the best fake smile she could muster and great random people. Slumping down a nearby bench, making sure she did not get the rental Cheongsam dirty, she looked up as the leafs danced in harmony with the blowing wind. It sure was a windy day, yet the wind carried warmth which was rare in the winter season. 

Taking out her cellphone she pondered for some time, weather to call her family back home or not, it had been so much time since she adapted to her new life but they still weren't ready to reveal the truth to her. Somewhere in her heart she wanted to wait for them to tell the dreadful news but at the same time she also wished that all those lies they were weaving were actually true. 

'Grandma is out in the town.'

'She is in a meeting which the other village heads'

'Shes busy'

'Shes doing this...shes doing that...'

For three months whenever she tried calling home, her uncles and aunts had already cooked some kind of elaborate lie to avoid that topic. Soon Feng was tired with all this, the regularity of her calls went from everyday to sometimes a week to now sometimes a month. She would always give some kind of excuse herself to avoid the calls from home, she knew they loved her and only wanted to protect her. But she was loosing her patience now and also somehow even her heart wanted to avoid that conversation, as she had fully not accepted the fact. For now it was a game of who's gonna come clean first. 

Snapping her out of thoughts one of her peer called her, finally it was time to paste on her smile. It was truly annoying for Feng but thanks to the same smile they were attracting many people. From time to time she would look around searching for her saviour Yuki, to get her out of this situation. But to her avail, the whole day she not even once saw the boy. As evening approached they went for a break before the dance and the festival was gonna start. Grabbing her cell she called Yuki, worried for his health. The whole day her seniors had forbidden her from any distractions called cell phones, hence she wasn't able to call the boy before. 

As she was about to call him a call from another number startled her, looking closely she saw the called ID from her home. Taking a deep breath she plastered on her fake smile, which she wore the whole day and picked up the call. 

"Hello" She said in a chirpy voice, coming to a big city she had mastered the art of falseness pretty quickly. 

She was expecting a equally chirpy yet not professional to her level reply but what came shocked her. Muffled cries could be heard in the background, geating off her seat she asked "What happened?" But only more cries followed. 

Feng was now not only worried, she was shaking, shaking with fear, what on earth had happened that she could hear so many cries. After a while she asked again only to be cut off by a screeching scream and a blast. Feng was frozen in her place. 

"WHAT HAPPENED!!" she begged someone to reply as tears started spilling out of her eyes. Finally the silence was broken by her uncle as he said in a tired and gloomy tone. 

"Feng..." 

Her hopes lit up, but she something was wrong , extremely wrong. He continued in his shaken voice. 

"Feng we are sorry....We couldn't tell....." he started crying. The uncle who was strongest in the village was crying. 

Did something happen to them? Why is he sorry? Is he talking about Grandma? And what was that blast about? 

So many questions stormed her mind so many questions to ask but not a word escaped her lips. 

"We ...lied...and it looks like our lies have caught up to us....We were attacked ...." Another blast and more cries cut him off. 

"Anyway..Feng we just want to apologise. Don't worry about us...we'll be fine. Just take care of yourself...We all love you..."

"Uncle wait-" with that the line died. Feng tried many times to call but the number was no longer in existence. 

With determination in  mind, she decided to go there and got up from the floor. But before she could run off towards her room someone hit her head from behind and she fell with a thud. The last thing she saw was a face she knew well and the voice she heard everyday begging her to forgive him, in the background she could hear people talking and the ringing of drums and bells marking the start of celebration. 

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