I felt like I was growing allergic to the word ‘head’. Both Xiao Chun's mother and the creature holding onto the beggar were imprinted into my brain by their lack of heads.

​

When the phrase, "Give the head back to me," came out of my mother’s mouth I was immediately covered in goose. My hand tightened and the pencil I was using snapped in half.

​

"Crack..."

​

The silvery sound of broken lead clapped around the room. Zhao Yuan looked over her own homework at me and asked, "What's wrong with you, Xiao Yong? Scared?" She almost smiled.

​

I may have been small, but I knew that boys were supposed to be brave and strong for the girls in their lives. I took a deep breath and encouraged myself mentally, "You’re the scared one.” I closed my eyes and looked proudly into the distance, “I simply wrote with overdue strength."

​

She looked at me with a sardonic smile and uttered a loud single “Ha.”

​

Our mothers had moved to the topic of Master Liu who was due to arrive in our village any day now. Zhao Jie’s mother said, "According to my husband, Master Liu will here within three days, or a month.” She smiled lamely and shrugged, catching my eyes on her. “We can’t be sure. Master Liu is a busy man."

​

My mom nodded, adding, "It’s true. He can’t be at our beck and call. Though, it’s very important that Master Liu treats my son’s supernatural eyes."

​

I looked down at the jade amulet he’d given me, still hanging around my neck.

​

Zhao Jie’s mom nodded like it was her job, and then my mom's voice fell to a whisper. I couldn’t hear her clearly and was filled with a desperate curiosity. I gripped the broken pencil intensely.

​

News of the lunatic had spread. Even the neighboring villages were talking about him. Some busybodies had gone to the cliff so that they could brag when they went home. The gossip went with them and grew more mysterious.

​

Some paranormal supporter caught the idea that the tractor accident and the crazy beggar were related. They began spreading theories that there was a ghost involved. Far-reaching speculators were bold enough to ponder at why the Wang families were being targeted.

​

“Don’t you remember his dog?” A woman had told my mother while she was doing her rounds in the store. “It must have licked up part of the dead man and now the ghost wants it back.”

​

“Didn’t the dog die?” My mother shot back at her. It would be at peace then, right?” The gossip blanked at that and excused herself from the conversation.

​

That was the rumor that took the village by storm. The Wang family must have something the tractor driver wants. People thought Wang Yumin and Wang Yushan were haunted because they’d insulted the dead man when they were in charge of the mineral operation. Some believed that they had even stolen baskets of minerals and incurred the dead man’s revenge.

The gossip spread. Our mothers made a daily routine of sitting and chatting about it while we did homework in the kitchen. After two more days passed, several Catholic woman of the village church took in the begging lunatic and ensured that he wouldn’t starve to death.

​

Unfortunately that hadn’t kept him away from the Wangs. Any time he was left unattended at the church or shelter, he would wander off and end up at one of the Wang family houses. The night before last a group of men had ganged up on the coat-wearing loon and roughed him up, according to my mother.

​

Everyone assumed it was the Wangs, but no proof was to be had. The man wouldn’t hold a conversation on a regular day, nonetheless when his face had been beaten black and blue.

​

“Word is, he’s gone back to the cliff again.” Zhao Jie’s mother said.

​

Many experts in the area, including Zhao Laohei and Granny Hong Rong, had been to cliff to check it out. No one had found anything, however. Zhao Laohei blamed it on the lack of paper amulets his master had used. “I’m not powerful enough to resolve this on my own, I can hardly even sense a presence there.” He had told his wife.

​

Many of the villagers were looking forward to Master Liu’s arrival. The three Wang family men started to stop by Zhao Laohei’s house to inquire about him once a day. “They said they could not eat or sleep.” Zhao Laohei told my mother, “They said that the beggar was in their heads.”  

​

After breakfast on the ninth day, Wang Yumin, Wang Yushan, Wang Qi, and his father came to our door to ask about Master Liu. The town knew that he’d lived in our home for a time and everyone knew that we were close.

​

The four men sat down around our freshly cleared kitchen table and my mom went to find Zhao Laohei. He arrived and greeted them pleasantly, saying, "Master Liu will be here later, but I don't know when he’ll arrive."

​

Wang Qi's father, an older man in his late fifties, replied for all of them, "Zhao Laohei, this lunacy is spreading. That crazed man bothered us.” He said ‘us’ with such force that I could feel it ringing in my head. “If we don't deal with this, we’ll all go mad. "

Wang Qi’s father was the oldest of the four men. Although Wang Yumin and Wang Yushan were married, they were only in their thirties. The three men nodded in approval at the words of their elder.

​

Zhao Laohei looked uncomfortable, saying, "I really don't know when he’ll arrive."

​

A sound that could only be explained as a tornado rough housing a chicken brayed from the yard as Zhao Laohei finished speaking. Another loud clatter, like wooden crates being tossed aside, reached our ears, followed by a voice. It was a voice I recognized.

"Who is looking for me?"

​

Zhao Laohei and my father stood up at once, "Master Liu?” Their eyes were hopeful and bright.

​

The rest of the adults rose to greet the old master. Mom moved to the door and I followed her.

​

Standing outside our house I saw an old man in a Chinese tunic suit. His long white beard hung on his chest and aged leather sandals surrounded dry calloused feet. A large bag rode in his hand. He was laughing.

​

My eyes lit up, but then I saw a man behind him. It was the lunatic from under the cliff.

​

I looked closely at the crazed fool and saw that his back was empty. No spirits rode on him that day.

​

Everyone greeted Master Liu. The four Wang men showed their respects to him and their discomfort to the man standing behind him.

​

The master was invited inside. He sat on a chair and gestured for my father to place another next to him. With a sharp twist of the hand, Master Liu invited the begging madman to sit down in our house.

​

I watched in shock as a supposed lunatic, someone off their rocker, someone who hadn’t brushed their teeth in years, behaved like a well-trained servant in my house. He obeyed Master Liu’s gesture and sat very neatly on the chair beside him.

My eyes wandered to the man in the green overcoat. I had a sudden terrifying feeling that something would jump out from the coat if he opened it. I covered my mouth and nose, gagging at the smell wafting from him.

​

Master Liu flicked his old kind eyes over me. "Xiao Yong, it has been a long time since I saw you last. Won’t you greet your godfather with all of your face? Whatever is the matter, does something smell?"

​

I bowed respectfully to Master Liu, if I hadn’t my father would have spanked me six ways to Sunday, and said, “It is so good to see you godfather.” Before I could bite back the words I pointed at the green-garbed loon and added, “He smells.”

Master Liu laughed his jolly laugh, saying, "Just you wait my boy, there are worse smells than these." He gestured to the man beside him.

​

My mind flitted with images of dead beasts rotting in tombs, pits of foul smelling ooze, and the like. I couldn’t imagine at the time, but Master Liu wasn’t kidding.

​

Wang Qi’s father became impatient while Master Liu and I were chatting. He bumped his fist on the table loudly and cleared his throat. “Master, ahem, not to be rude, but could you please explain why that lunatic,” he gestured to the foul smelling fellow across the room, “Is here with you?” His resolve seemed to concrete within him because his voice grew stronger and he regaled Master Liu with what had been happening to the Wang family.

​

Master Liu listened and nodded attentively. He didn't comment or interrupt. After the Wang’s had each delivered their experiences with the lunatic, Master Liu finally spoke, "Did you bury the dog or..."

​

Wang Qi’s father replied adamantly. "Bury? That dog ate my family’s food it’s entire life and it wasn’t poisoned after all. I wouldn’t stand to waste such good meat. We boiled the mongrel and ate it."

​

I gaped around the room at them, apparently the only one who was shocked. Master Liu nodded his head, confirming that he’d heard the man. His old eyes met the Wang family and he frowned deeply. "Your dog was a poor creature. It died without reason and even after all of it’s torment…you ate it. "

​

The elder Wang scratched his chin contemplatively and asked, "Is all of this insanity related to the dog?"

​

Master Liu didn't answer the man, but countered, "Did the three families divide the meat?

​

Wang Qi’s father nodded. Wang Qi, Wang Yumin, and Wang Yushan mirrored him.

​

Wang Yumin said, "We are family and neighbors. We take care of each other. If I have something rare to eat, I share it with the family. When Wang Qi sends us prime dog meat, we eat it."

​

Master Liu nodded. "I see. I understand your dilemma, but it’s… difficult to deal with it." The pause before the word difficult seemed to last millennia.

​

Master Liu removed three paper amulets from his pocket and disbursed them to the Wangs. He continued to say, "These amulets are to safeguard your houses. Put them on your doors in order to keep you safe. This is a temporary fix, though. I will do what I can in the meantime. I don’t think your family deserves any more trouble.”

​

Wang Qi’s father, Wang Yumin, and Wang Yushan accepted the amulets respectfully, listening intently to Master Liu. One by one they thanked the old man.

​

Wang Qi stood in the corner of the room with his arms crossed. He’d been uncharacteristically silent since Master Liu’s arrival. He cleared his throat and said coldly, "Ghosts, eh? You're all so superstitious. Don't believe this old man. That,” He pointed to the fragrant green coated man, “Is just a lunatic who made a mess in my house. If he does it again, I’ll beat him until it stops. You’re all foolish to believe in this nonsense.”

​

Wang Qi senior scowled at his son. “You do not know of what you speak, boy. If you hadn’t taken the dog to the cliff in the first place, none of this would have happened. Get out of my sight."

​

Wang Qi looked cowed by his father’s outburst and he dared not refute. He snorted arrogantly and stomped from the house.

Wang Qi senior apologized to Master Liu. The master said with smile, "Oh, never mind. I’ve seen my share of huffy children in this life of work,” He chortled and looked at me. “Be sure to put the amulets on your doors now. I’ll come by your homes and give you more details when I can.”

​

He looked at me again and smiled. “Right now, I want to chat with my godson.”

​

The Wang men stood up and bid us all farewell, offering special thanks and bows to Master Liu as they went.

​

When they were gone, Zhao Laohei and my parents welcomed the old master with enthusiasm. My mom brought out the ‘good wine’ that was left from Spring Festival to celebrate. Master Liu accepted eagerly.

​

He told us of his journey, mentioning very quickly that he hadn’t had breakfast and readily accepted offers of food. Mom cooked a meal and the men discussed the strange goings on in our village.

​

After a while, Master Liu beckoned me, "Xiao Yong, come here. I need to check your eyes.” He gazed deeply into my eyes and raised both lids until it hurt. “You’re going to help me deal with these strange new circumstances.” He said, “These eyes of yours will prove useful before they’re cured."

​