Dr Siri Paiboun 05; The Curse of the Pogo Stick by Colin Cotterill

Author:Colin Cotterill [Cotterill, C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: [2010.06.18]
Publisher: [Côte d’Azur]
Published: 2008-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

∨ The Curse of the Pogo Stick ∧

11

Betrothed To a Devil

There had been a swine genocide that morning. Every pig in the village had been sacrificed to the spirit of Auntie Zhong. That meant pork for lunch, and buffalo which was chewy but it was packed with a lot of vitamins and life-enhancing minerals. The funeral lunch was subdued, but more from the exhaustion of the preparations than out of sadness. There was nothing to be sombre about. Assuming the gods hadn’t noticed the female pall-bearers, all the steps had been laid for Zhong’s journey to the afterlife. She’d had a good send-off and everyone was happy, not to mention a little envious that she was on her way to a better place.

After the meal, Dia and Chia dressed in their prettiest clothes and set off in search of weak-minded Assistant Haeng. General Bao explained that there were many PL troops out looking for the abductees and if the women were to run into a patrol dressed in army fatigues and carrying weapons, they’d be shot on sight. But in their costumes, searching for roots and twigs, they had a slightly better chance. The two scouts knew the hills far better than the soldiers so they weren’t expecting to be caught by surprise. Siri and Bao watched them climb onto two sprightly ponies and waved them off.

“And you won’t be going with them?” Siri asked.

The little general hadn’t changed out of her man’s clothes from the funeral but the sight of her still filled his heart.

“No, Yeh Ming. I have a lot to tell you. Come.”

They began to walk towards the trail that led up the mountain. “We thought the jumping stick was on our side at last but it didn’t protect us from this new evil. There were fifteen families here in the village. Three different clans but we were one unit. All friends. All caring for each other like one family. We lost our men and then we lost our war. There wasn’t much hope for us to stay here. Women and children and old people aren’t going to survive in an exposed place like this. The Hmong scouts told us your army will soon be getting new helicopters and bombers from the Soviets. Once that happens, even the most secluded village will be overrun. Most of our friends have left already.”

“On the big march?”

“Yes, but the strongest of us stayed behind to help Long and Zhong. They refused to leave without their daughter.”

“She’s one of you seven?”

“No. You haven’t seen her. She doesn’t show herself to many.”

“The house beside the trail?”

Bao nodded. “My father used to tell me of some evil presence beyond the peak of this mountain. It allowed us access to the water but we were advised to keep away from the hut and the jungle behind it. That’s why we were upset when Chamee moved up here. She stays there alone. Her story is more tragic than any other. She was fourteen, quite beautiful and untouched by any man.

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