The Girl Left Behind Chapter 2

"Why not awake yet?"

I opened eyes fiercely, biting cold wind poured into neck.

No Mom in front, no brother, no new clothes either.

Only neighbor sister Sarah's anxious face.

Turns out was a dream.

I squatted too long at village entrance, blew cold wind, got fever.

What saw just now, just hallucination after burning confused.

Sarah sighed, stuffed few white pills into my hand.

"Eat it, for fever. Don't you alone, die on roadside no one knows."

I swallowed bitter pills, looking at distant mountain range.

"Sister, is outside world good?"

Sarah eyes lit up an instant, then quickly dimmed.

"Good looking for rich people, outside lights red wine green, very beautiful."

"But for us ordinary people, just like that. Assembly line, two shifts, but better than digging food in soil."

She looked at me, suddenly asked:

"Mia, don't study. Come factory with me, factory needs people, cover eat cover live."

I clenched hem of clothes tight, shook head.

"I want to study."

Sarah laughed, "What about your tuition? Can't study without money."

I lowered head, I don't want go factory, which sister in village went factory, didn't marry have kids after two years?

Neighbor sister same. The man brought back this time, will engage after New Year.

Girl once married, trapped for life.

I unwilling.

I unwilling be like them, changing from one cage to another.

Sarah seeing me not speak, sighed, turned back home.

Christmas Eve, firecrackers sound in village shook sky.

I guarded empty house, waited till sky completely dark, Mom still didn't come back.

Last grain of rice at home also eaten up.

Stomach hungry hurt like fire burning.

Smell of stewed meat floated from next door in air, that smell like hook hooking my soul.

I pushed door, swayed walked out.

In alley, a big yellow dog lying on ground gnawing bone.

Bone still had meat connected to tendon.

I stared at that bone, throat tight, saliva uncontrollably flowed.

Reason told me that's dog food.

But instinct drove me, while no one around, fiercely pounced over, snatched that bone from dog mouth.

"Mia? What are you doing!"

Neighbor came out with swill, just bumped into this scene.

I froze on spot, hand still grabbing that bone stained with saliva.

Face burning hot, I flustered threw bone back on ground, wished to find a crack in ground to drill in.

Neighbor stunned half day, sighed.

Turned back room, brought a bowl of heaped white rice, covered with a big piece of braised pork oily fat.

"Eat."

I ignored dignity, took bowl wolfed down.

Finished eating, neighbor led me to Mr. Henderson's (Village Head) house.

"This child lived alone for almost half year right? I looked today, her family rice jar empty, how to live later? You think of a way."

Mr. Henderson looked me up and down, finally said: "I call her mom pick up."

My heart tightened, couldn't help standing straight.

Wonder what Mom reaction receiving call?