The Garden of the Dead - Pt.2

As I stepped into the Garden, I could feel a cold wind blowing and the hair on my back began to stand on end.  I picked my way carefully through the debris of bones, skulls and other human remains, hardly daring to breathe. At times I felt like someone was following behind me but I dared not turn round, remembering Lao Tze's warning that the ground would open up and swallow me if I did.

I went past numerous tombstones and shallow graves and then came across a small pond.  The water was dark and murky and as I walked past, a bony hand suddenly shot out of the water and tried to grab my legs.  I let out a scream but managed to swerve out of its reach.  Trembling, I ran on and finally came across a cluster of tombstones and below them grew the flowers I was looking for!  I quickly plucked two flowers and hurried on, now looking for the exit.

The Flower of Life at last!

Then I saw it - the Exit sign.  I ran towards it and just as I reached it, the sky suddenly darkened, thunder rolled followed by a bolt of lightning and there stood before me a ghoul in a black hooded robe - the Guardian of the Garden!  Terrified, my first thought was to run but my legs just wouldn't move!

"Stop!  How dare you steal my flowers?" he shrieked.

Shaking with fear, I stammered, "Pl..pl ..please, sir, I need these flowers for my friend who is sick.  He will die if I don't bring them to him in time."

"A cat!  This is the first time I've seen a cat here!  All this while I've had greedy, stupid humans who want my flowers so that they can make money out of them!  And look where their greed got them - they're now permanent guests in my garden - ha! ha! ha!  So you want to save your friend, eh?  Alright, I shall give you a chance.  If you don't succeed, your head will join my collection of skulls you see there ... ha! ha! ha!."

He looked piercingly at me, then said, "Tell me what my name is and I shall let you go!"

Remembering what Lao Tze had told me, I shouted, "You have no name!":

I saw the surprise on the ghoul's face, then he became enraged and screamed, "How did you know?  How did you know?  Nobody knows!  Eeeeee......"  He screamed again and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

I watched him disappear and for a moment was rooted to the spot.  Then I seemed to hear Lao Tze's voice telling me "Quick, run!  Get out before he returns!"  I took to my heels and ran all the way out of the Garden and didn't stop running until I saw the Temple of Great Peace.

Head Nun and the senior nun were waiting anxiously for me at the gate.  I ran up to them and gave Head Nun the flowers, then (as I was told later), I fell in a dead faint at Head Nun's feet ...

When I woke up, I saw a blur of faces looking down at me, then I heard Ning's voice.

"Da!  Da!  Are you alright?"

"Ning?"  I whispered.

"Yes, it's me!  Thanks to you, I'm ok.  You've been sleeping from sheer exhaustion for the last two days, but don't worry, we're all back at Head Nun's temple and everything's fine."

Head Nun was next to speak, gently stroking my head.  "You've been very brave, my dear.  We're all dying to hear what happened but no matter, you must rest first."

I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.  Oh, I had never felt so, so tired ....