Heal Me or Let Me Die

Chapter - 31

Even Xiao Zhan was still confused about whether the decision he had taken that day was the right one or not. Did he do it on impulse?

No matter how hard he tried, he could not be certain about his decision.

With all this in his mind, Xiao Zhan was thinking about the certainty of his decision when a sound echoing from beside him startled him.

"I could never have imagined that this place would be so beautiful!" Mrs. Xiao said, sitting on the chair next to Xiao Zhan. She had a plate full of snacks in her hand and placed it on the table in front of Xiao Zhan.

"I'm glad we came here, A-Zhan." Although it was too early to say whether coming here would fulfill her wish or not, whether her son would be cured or not, she knew for sure that Xiao Zhan, somehow, had started liking this place. Whether he said it or not, she understood him better than anyone.

Seeing the scene outside, a sparkle flashed in his eyes, which had long ago forgotten the way there. His eyes were full of longing and sadness. He wanted to cherish this moment forever and it hurt him to think that his wish would remain unfulfilled as the scene would disappear into the darkness within a few moments.

Mrs. Xiao saw how he was looking at the scene with curiosity like a child. A child who might be peeking outside world for the first time. However, in Xiao Zhan's case, it was not that he had never seen this world or its various forms. Of course, he saw it...and he saw it many times.

But all these years of self-imprisonment had blurred every memory of the world, of the places he had once visited, of the things he had once cherished. All that was left were fragments of shattered memories and a lifeless face drenched in blood.

This was the only thing left in his memory.

"Mnn." Xiao Zhan whispered, responding to his mother while looking out of the window. His trance was fixed to the sight of the grey monsters coming close to swallowing the red ball as if it were a delicious fruit to satiate their hunger.

"This place and this sunset remind me of my hometown. The sunset there was also beautiful. Your grandparents and I always loved spending time together watching it." Reminiscing about the old days, Mrs. Xiao spoke. "Do you remember, A-Zhan, how much you loved going there..."

But her words stuck in her throat when she realized what place she was talking about. She turned to Xiao Zhan with a frightened expression and, as she feared, found him frozen. His face was paler than a white sheet.

Hearing about the place her mother had just mentioned to him, something inside Xiao Zhan suddenly burst. Immense pain shot through his chest and his heart shuddered with its intensity. The mere memory of that beautiful but cursed place made his breathing quicken.

Why did she have to bring it up?

The place that had once been his favorite and which held his most precious memories had now become a scary and festering wound to him. Every good memory there had been erased by a horrific image that was now deeply imprinted on his heart and mind.

"I'm sorry, A-Zhan. I'm sorry." Mrs. Xiao cried and ran to take him in her arms. Seeing Xiao Zhan like this broke her heart. She regretted mentioning that place and brought those pitiful memories back, even though she knew very well what this place meant to Xiao Zhan.

"Mama is sorry to bring this to you. Please, forgive me." She pleaded.

But when the poor woman reached out her hand to take Xiao Zhan into her arms to calm him down. Somehow a trembling hand barely raised to stop her, and then an emotionless voice came, making her feel even more guilty.