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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter Two
I set foot on the road to the Ancestral Graveyard, unaware of where this path would lead me. Fear gripped my throat like an invisible giant hand, making it hard for me to breathe. It felt as if something was following me from behind, each step heavy as lead.
I suddenly pushed open the door to my home, as if escaping from a soul-devouring black hole. Clutching Joss Paper, incense, and offerings tightly in my hands, my knuckles turned white from the pressure. The cold night wind sliced through the air like sharp knives, whistling through the cracks in the street and stirring up dry leaves that rustled ominously. In the stillness of the night, that sound resembled ghostly whispers, akin to the wails of restless souls.
I stumbled forward, fleeing from that familiar street, once vibrant with life during the day.
Thick fog rolled in like a massive, damp shroud, enveloping everything around me in a suffocating gray-white haze. The streetlights' glow was devoured by the fog, dimming to a feeble light, like dying fireflies illuminating only a small patch of ground.
Walking along the path to the graveyard—one I had traversed countless times since childhood—felt strangely long, unfamiliar, and terrifying now.
This road seemed endless.
The trees lining the roadside swayed wildly in the night wind, resembling a frenzied dance of demons, emitting mournful sounds that echoed like cries of despair or mockery of my weakness and helplessness. My heart raced violently, as if it were trying to leap out of my chest; each beat tugged at my nerves, deepening my fear.
Suddenly, a chill swept over me from behind, like a cold hand resting lightly on my shoulder. I whipped around but saw nothing—only the swirling fog that resembled grotesque faces.
"Who? Who's there?" I asked tremulously, my voice barely audible in the vast emptiness of the night.
No answer came; only the sound of wind and rustling leaves mocked me.
Daring not to linger any longer, I quickened my pace. Yet that feeling of being watched intensified, as if a pair of eyes lurked within the fog, fixated on me.
Not long after, I caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure swaying in the distance. Instinctively, I halted and held my breath, straining to see what it was.
But the fog was too thick; all I could make out was a vague outline—something that resembled a person but also something else entirely.
My heart raced into my throat as my legs began to weaken. I dared not approach nor retreat; I could only stand frozen in place.
Just then, a gust of wind blew through, dispersing some of the thick fog. I finally saw the figure clearly—it was just a plastic bag, fluttering in the breeze, caught on a tree branch. Under the dim streetlight, it looked like a person draped in a white robe.
I let out a long sigh, feeling as if all my strength had been drained away. I chuckled at myself, thinking how cowardly I was.
However, the unease in my heart did not dissipate; instead, it grew stronger.
I continued to walk forward, each step taken cautiously, fearful of encountering something strange again.
Not long after, I noticed something moving by the roadside. I shivered in fright and instinctively ducked behind a tree, my heart racing as if it would leap out of my throat.
I held my breath and peered through the gaps in the leaves to observe closely. This time, I clearly saw that it was a shadow slowly moving along the roadside. It was moving slowly but with a clear purpose—it seemed to be coming toward me.
My breathing quickened, cold sweat streamed down my forehead like a waterfall, soaking my collar. I gripped the incense and joss paper tightly in my hands, palms slick with sweat and uncomfortable.
I dared not make a sound or move, like prey under the hunter's gaze, trembling in hiding and praying not to be discovered.
The shadow drew closer and closer... I felt as if my heart might stop beating altogether.
Finally, the shadow stood before me. Through the gaps in the leaves, I could see its form clearly.
It was an elderly man hunched over, dressed in a black robe, leaning on a cane as he walked unsteadily. He kept his head down, obscuring his face, but the chilling aura emanating from him sent shivers down my spine as if I were trapped in an ice cellar.
He moved slowly, each step felt like it was pressing down on my heart, suffocating me with dread.
Would he... would he discover me?
I couldn't bear to look any longer; I suddenly turned and ran. With every ounce of strength I had left, I sprinted away like a frightened rabbit.
The wind howled in my ears, like a chorus of wailing ghosts, and I felt my heart racing as if it would leap out of my throat. I dared not look back, terrified that the shadow would catch up to me, afraid of being seized.
I ran for what felt like an eternity until I finally spotted the familiar graveyard. It was eerily silent, with only the sound of the wind brushing against the tombstones, producing a low, mournful hum that seemed to weep and tell ancient stories.
I stumbled to my Ancestor's grave, my legs giving way as I fell to my knees on the ground.
I lit incense and tossed Joss Paper into the flames one by one, watching as the fire consumed them, turning them to ash that floated into the air.
“O Ancestors above, unfilial descendant Li Ming has forgotten today’s offerings due to work obligations. I hope you will forgive me,” I prayed softly while bowing my head, my voice trembling with fear and unease, mixed with an indescribable guilt.
I arranged the offerings I had brought in front of the grave and bowed again. Raising my head, I looked at my Ancestor's tombstone, filled with remorse and self-reproach.
The cold gravestones appeared even more sinister in the night.
“O Ancestors, I was wrong. I will never forget to honor you again,” I whispered once more, my voice cracking with emotion as tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.
At that moment, I suddenly heard a voice whispering in my ear. It sounded as if it came from beneath the earth—deep, hoarse, and chilling: “Do you truly understand your mistake?”
I shuddered in fear and turned abruptly to look around, only to find no one there—just thick fog swirling and tombstones standing silently.
“Who? Who is speaking?” I trembled as I asked, fear lacing my voice while my teeth began to chatter.
Yet no one answered. The silence enveloped me; only the wind rustled through the gravestones and the sound of my racing heartbeat echoed in the desolate graveyard.
“Could it be… could it be that the Ancestors are speaking to me?” Fear and unease filled my heart as I began to doubt my own sanity.
I knelt down again and bowed my head, trembling as I said, “O Ancestors, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me. I promise to honor you on time from now on; I will never forget again.”
At that moment, I heard the voice again, low and hoarse, carrying a hint of chill: "Do you really know what you did wrong?"
I trembled all over, turning my head once more, but still saw no one.
"Who... who are you?" I stammered, my voice filled with fear as I felt my body uncontrollably begin to shake.
The voice echoed again, as if right beside me, laced with mockery: "Do you really... know what you did wrong?"
I felt my body go limp, collapsing to the ground like a puddle of mud, too terrified to move.
"I... I know I was wrong, please... spare me..." I pleaded softly, my voice thick with despair, tears and snot mingling on my face.
"Then tell me, where did you go wrong?" The voice returned, this time tinged with amusement, like a cat toying with its prey.
I shook uncontrollably, my teeth chattering, yet I dared not speak. I didn't know what to say; I feared that saying the wrong thing would anger the mysterious voice.
"Tell me, where did you go wrong?" it asked again, the tone colder now, like a chilling wind blowing from the depths of hell.
I was terrified beyond measure, wanting to speak but finding myself unable to produce any sound; it felt as if an invisible hand had tightened around my throat.
I opened my mouth but could only emit a rasping sound, like a dying fish struggling for breath.
Despair washed over me as I closed my eyes, waiting for death to come.
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