Chapter 2

POV Bubby Chi

“What are we to do big brother?” I ask Chang.

“We are to leave tonight with gear that will help us travel through the silk road to Yarkland. There we will find the great oracle who will help us with or dilemma.”

“ARE YOU CRAZY?!” I yell.

“Shh! Our killer could be around any corner, he shan’t know our plan.”

“What about our parents Bubby Chang?”

“We will return back to them” He says solemnly, not facing me. I know my brother puts up a brave face but I always know how he feels.

“If we must...okay.”

A few hours later Bubby Chang and I were packed and ready to go. We took a few pieces of silk, some paper, and things to write with. Bubby Chang and I crept outside as silently as we could.

“Bubby Chang?”

“Yes?”

“Where are we going?”

“We are going to travel through Cherchen first. Then we will go through Khotan, and hopefully we will end up in Yorkland.”

We were able to get to Cherchen easily, but Bubby Chang and I walked for days on end looking for Khotan, and for some odd reason random things keep on happening. Things that are not at all good omens. For one, the red, which is a lucky color, clothes that Bubby Chang was wearing got all torn up from a thorn bush. That could not be a good omen. Also, yesterday we had eaten fish from a river, and I accidentally turned it over, another bad omen...

"Bubby Chang?"

"Yes?"

"What do you think of the bad omens that we keep getting?"

"Think nothing of it. We will be fi-"

Bubby Chang suddenly stops walking, "Look!" he says, enthusiastically, "It's a man! Perhaps he will help us on our way!"

I was walking behind him, and when I peek around his shoulder I see a thin, rich looking young man. Maybe the age of 20. He looks European, and is surrounded by wagons that are brimming with goods.

"Hello! Hello!" The man comes up to us with a big smile on his face, "Oh! Hello!" His Chinese is broken, but it is understandable.

Bubby Chang and I smile at him.

"Hello," I say to him.

"Hello, hello," he beckons us to his wagons, "Do you want to buy or trade anything? I have pots, I have silk, I have oracle bones, paper, scarfs. Anything you ask for, I have!"

"Actually," said Bubby Chang, softly smiling at him, "We would like your help. Will you please direct us to Khotan?"

"Of course!"

"Wonderful! We will pay you."

"No no no. No payment is needed. I will take you wherever you please."

"Thank you Mr. Sir!" I say to him, smiling widely.

"Of course!"

We hope into one of his less full wagons, and continue on the bumpy road. In fact...it seems bumpier then it should be. Bubby Chang and I had been talking to each other, and not paying attention to our surroundings, but seeing as the road was unnaturally bumpy, we looked up. Both of us gasp. We are going down a hill. It is not a very steep hill, but it is still a hill.

"Mr. Sir!" I cry out, "Mr. Sir!"

Looking up at the top of the hill I can see Mr. Sir waving his arms wildly.

"Bubby Chi, we will need to jump out, or die," Bubby Chang tells me as we bump along on the road.

"Oh dear," I whisper, "Well if we must..."

Bubby Chang and I join hands and we count to three.

"One...two...three!" We jump out of the wagon, and tumble for a bit before finally stopping. Bubby Chang and I stand up and begin to walk up the hill towards Mr. Sir. Once we get up their, I see a flash of disappointment and annoyance flash across Mr. Sir's face, but I brush it off. I must be seeing things.

"Oh, oh, oh!" He exclaims, "Are you alright! Oh dear!" He grabs our hands and begins to speak rapidly in English, as if he was praying for us. Bubby Chang and I look at each other, small smile on our faces.

He eventually stops praying, and leads us onto another wagon, "Here," he says, "And take this treat. We have a little while to go until we arrive at Khotan."

He gives each of us an odd smelling carrot, and leaves in order to start moving again.

I almost eat the carrot, but Bubby Chang stops me, "No!"

"What?"

"I think there's something wrong with it," He says, then throws it out onto the road. I do the same, and when I look at Mr. Sir, I see a flash of anger and annoyance flash through his eyes once again, before disappearing.

Odd.