World Apart

It's that beautiful bright sunny day in Chongqing Clan, a community bond with love for each other. Whatever they're doing to earn a living, they put in their efforts and mind to it and make sure they achieve something out of it. It was true the village was known for its poor habitat. They're very poor and live off in farming and fishing. They don't entertain laziness and don't think they have such people like that living among them. They're hardworking and very strong people. The hunters among them are regarded as the richest and well respected and honored. They see them as King and true to be told, they're the ones who brought large food to their family's table and good meat to add it all. The winemakers are second class among them and the fishermen among them are rated third class, while the farmers are the poorest among them and barely feed even though they're the ones producing the food they sold in the market. Some feed well, but having good clothes to put on is their problem and hardly have many to wear. If their clothes weren't torn to the extent that they can't be stitched up again, trust them, they will not change it. Those who are regarded as the richest have at least 10 to 5 clothes to sustain them and that's why they're well respected since they at least change their wears. The village was so poor and the land was also in an isolated place. They're like people from another world and hardly have visitors from other parts of the world among them. They had nothing, no light, no borehole, no school, and no hospital. Their houses were built with muds and the roof is made of leaves. It was true it's 21 century, but the people of Chongqing live like they're from the ancient era. Their only means of transportation was with canoes and will only have licenses to other facilities when they're out of their village. The miles to another village were so far and they had to trek almost 300 hundred miles before they saw a bus to take them to the city. It was a horrible trip to the ones who go out to buy the clothing they sold in their village and that's why they can't afford it since the sellers put higher prices to sell them. They calculate their stress in going to buy it, their legs they used in trekking, and the insults they got from those city people since they can't communicate in English. And their China accent was so deep that they laughed at them whenever they're using it on them and to relieve those insults and their horrible experience, they had to sell the goods they bought from them in an outrageous amount that the farmers most especially can't afford. Mrs. Xiao happened to be among those farmers who can't afford those things and so many other things. Her husband died many years ago, leaving her with their only child, Xiao Zhan. She barely feeds her son, but she kept striving to succeed and raised her son properly. Xiao Zhan was her only source of happiness and she loves him with her life and was ready to do anything to make sure her son had a better life, even though it was impossible for her, but she kept trying her best as a mother to make sure she feeds her son. She farms for others to make a living and had always had the plans of taking her son away from this village where he'll have a better life and brighter future. Xiao Zhan himself is a very good, beautiful, and naive innocent boy. He loves his mother and had always helped her out in whatever she had asked of him. He helped his mother with the jobs she had to work for others so they can feed. He also works for others on his own to make extra cash for his mother. Xiao Zhan doesn't believe that there's another life outside this village. He was born and brought up here and had spent all his life in this place, but he had never seen anyone he loved and would love to spend his life with he/her. In their village, they married both male and female ones among them and some of their men were blessed with female fertility and Xiao Zhan happened to be part of those special ones. His mother knew this from the very first day Xiao Zhan was born and had prayed he would marry someone who will take care of him, love him, and cherish him even with his childish behavior. Xiao Zhan thinks and behaves like a 5 years old child and his playmates are mostly children from 10 years down. He doesn't keep friends with his mates and that's why he doesn't know anything even at 18 years of age. He plays hide and seek in the bush with other children, fetches water with them, and also firewood with them. This troubles his mother so much that her son might end up becoming a child for the rest of his life. The people that had come for his hands in marriage, Xiao Zhan rejected them all, his excuse was that he didn't know what he'll be doing with those men in their house and wouldn't know what to tell them either. Xiao Zhan's fears were when he heard the conditions of those boys who got married and had their first night with their husbands. The way they're sent to their herbalist for treatment made Zhan's heart skip that he doesn't wish to get married at all, but rather remain single. This bothered Mrs. Xiao so much and had pleaded with Zhan several times to accept those who come for his hand in marriage, that it wasn't as painful as he thinks, but Xiao Zhan abruptly refused that ideas and pleaded with her to stop mentioning that issues of marriage to him, that he wasn't ready for marriage now, that he'll marry at his own appointed time. Xiao Zhan in his mind decided to marry a girl instead of him facing that unbearable pain. Although Xiao Zhan knows he doesn't think he likes females, because of the pain, he's ready to change his s****l preference rather than being the next person to be sent to their herbalist for treatment. He doesn't think he can comprehend such pain if it happens to him. Since Xiao Zhan had refused to give his hand to any suitors, he decided to live his life with his childhood friends and take care of his mother. So today, Xiao Zhan went to fetch water from their village stream, he went to his friend's house for them to go together, but those children had gone to school. There was this man who lived his life in the city, but when his wife died, he decided to come back and settle with his children here in his hometown and had become their village teacher ever since then. He teaches children in the morning, Xiao Zhan's age-mates in the afternoon, and elderly ones in the evening. Xiao Zhan wanted to join those children to learn in the morning, but that teacher refused which made Zhan sad and wished to be 5 years old again. But since he can't turn the hands of time, he decided to accept his fate and go to his class in the afternoon and play with those children in the evening when the elderly ones might have gone for theirs. Since he doesn't see anyone go with him to the stream, Xiao Zhan took his water pot and left for the stream. On his way back, Xiao Zhan heard that same noise he loves hearing and immediately started running out where the bushes and trees are not blocking his views of watching the airplane flying in the air. He screamed in joy on seeing it, "Eyesloplane bye bye!! (Airplane) Eyesloplane threw some bags of money for me na! Eyesloplane threw me some money! Please, na! Please, na! My friends miss today, I'm so lucky to be the one to see you! Throw me some money na! Eyesloplane bye-bye...." Xiao Zhan was running after the flying airplane and was so excited to see it again after a long time of seeing it. He was so immense in chasing the airplane when he tripped over a stone and his pot of water on his head fell out and shattered into pieces. Xiao Zhan stopped the chasing and was stunned seeing his mother's only water pot broken. He slumped down and started picking the pieces while crying and lamenting. "Hey! Who will buy another water pot for my mother? I want to die! I just want to die! My pot! Who will replace it for me! Eyesloplane has killed me! Death come and takes me away!" Xiao Zhan fell on the ground and started rolling on the ground, dirtying himself on that ground, not minding his hair, clothes, and body wetting and staining with the mud on the ground. Xiao Zhan mourned for his broken pot for so long, crying, screaming, and lamenting that a hunter who was coming back from checking if his traps caught prey for him, he heard someone screaming and crying and decided to go closer to where the voice was coming from. He came closer and saw the beautiful Xiao Zhan crying for his broken pot. He shakes his head, laughing at the way the young boy was scattering his legs and hands everywhere, screaming and crying pathetically for his broken pot. He went closer and stopped him before the pieces of the broken pot pierced his skin. "Beautiful Zhan, why are crying like you lost someone..." "Uncle Shawn, I lost someone! My pot is as important as someone to me! I want to die... I just want to die and follow my pot!" Xiao Zhan wailed and continued crying his lungs out. "You cannot kill yourself because of an ordinary pot. Stop crying, Zhan. I promise I will take you back home and plead to your mother on your behalf. She will not beat you okay..." Uncle Shawn tried to console him, but Zhan refused and continued crying his eyes out. "Uncle, eyesloplane has killed me! And it didn't throw any money at me! I want to die! My mother will kill me! Uncle, leave me and let me just die..." Xiao Zhan insisted on following the shattered pot to the grave, but Uncle Shawn had always loved Zhan so much and wanted to marry him, but since Zhan refused his proposal, he went for another boy and married him, but that doesn't stop him from loving the younger boy and will never allow him to continue crying and luring himself some dangerous animal. He pleaded for so long until he finally convinced Zhan into going home with him. Getting to Mrs. Xiao's house, Mrs. Xiao ran outside on hearing her son's cries and was stunned to see his whole body and hair. It was so dirty and tattered that she couldn't recognize her beautiful son. Xiao Zhan on seeing her ran behind uncle Shawn's back and hid there and continued whimpering and shedding uncontrollable tears. "Zhanzhan, what is it? Why are you crying? What happened to you and where is the water you left in the morning to fetch?" She bombards Xiao Zhan with so many questions that he can't even open her mouth and answer either of them. Xiao Zhan who was biting his fingers quivered out in fear. "I... I... I broke the pot..." "You broke the only water pot we have in this house?" Mrs. Xiao asked, her heart skipping not because she's angry with Zhan or anything, but she knew how much she suffered before she could be able to afford that pot, and now, it is broken, where will she get money for another one? Her heart hurts thinking about it. Uncle Shawn seeing Zhan crying and fidgeting with his fingers with his tears dripping decided to step in and save the young boy from this agony. "Mrs. Xiao, I was coming back to check my traps when I heard someone crying. I saw it was your son crying and killing himself with tears over his broken pot. I have spent my time on the road consoling him, but he won't hear anything but to weep and cry. So, I decided to bring him home myself." "Thank you." Mrs. Xiao bowed to the uncle and turned to face her son. She forced a smile, showing his son she was and will never be angry with him or lay her hands on him over a pot. She sighed and asked, "Zhan, what happened? Rather, how did it happen?" "It was an eyesloplane..." "Eyesloplane again?" Mrs. Xiao asked, knowing how much her son loves and enjoys watching the airplane flying and how much happiness he derives from it. Xiao Zhan nods his head. "Yes, Mama. The last time I saw it flying was three weeks ago. So today, I saw it flying across my head, so I rushed to see it, but unfortunately, I missed my steps and it fell off my head...." Xiao Zhan said and cried out loud. Mrs. Xiao and uncle Shawn laughed hearing his explanation. "You see, he was just a child and you know your son more than anyone in this village. He plays like a child, because, if it's an adult, he wouldn't have done that. It was just a thing flying in the air." Uncle Shawn explained, trying to smoothen the situation for Zhan. Mrs. Xiao nods in agreement. "Okay. Thank you. Thanks for bringing him home." "Alright, I will be on my way now. Let him have a bath and some food. He had wept and mourned for his pot of water for so long. He needs to rest." Uncle Shawn said to Mrs. Xiao turned to Zhan and started removing the dirt from his hair. "You go inside and take care of yourself. Don't cry over a pot again. I promise I will get another one for your mother again. Now wipe your tears." Uncle Shawn smiled, making Zhan look at him with so much admiration. He never knew this man could be this caring and loving towards him. He wouldn't have rejected him if he knew he was such a nice and kind man. Uncle Shawn left after making sure Zhan stopped crying. "He's such a nice man and you missed him because of your childishness. Now come, stop crying, my beautiful son. Is enough. You'll not die because of a broken pot." Mrs. Xiao consoled her son and brought him to her warm embrace, calming him down. "It will break my heart to see you suffering for another pot of water." Xiao Zhan cried out, heart-wrenchingly. "I will not suffer okay. Here is the good news, my brother Lee, will come from the city to take you to live with him. I know that when you get to the city, you'll make money and buy a bigger pot of water for your mother, right? So my beautiful son, stop crying, go inside and have a good wash and after what, come and eat your food. We will not kill ourselves because a pot is broken." Mrs. Xiao consoled again and let Zhan go inside. She sighed and looked up to heaven, "God, help my son to fulfill his dreams for him. Everyday Eyesloplane! Haven't we suffered enough?" She shook her head in dejection and went back inside the house. Mrs. Xiao prepares the food they have and waits for her son to come out. Xiao Zhan after he's done washing, he washed his clothes and went to his mother's room and picked her own clothes and wore them. He walked inside the kitchen and saw his mother waiting for him, so they could manage the little food they had. Mrs. Xiao smiled seeing him looking beautiful again and giggled seeing her clothing on his son. "You look beautiful in those. You look exactly like me, your mother." Xiao Zhan giggled on hearing such a compliment. "Thank you, Mama. Now let's eat, I'm hungry." They started eating with Xiao Zhan thinking about his leaving the village tomorrow. Mrs. Xiao, who was also thinking about him leaving, peeked at him and said, "Tomorrow, you'll be leaving, hope you've got your few clothes ready?" She said, making Zhan stop eating and looked away from her. "You don't want to go?" "Mama, if I go there, will I have a mother that will take care of me the way you do? Love me the way you do? Will I have a small and warm house that I will feel welcome like this one? I will not have my little friends that will play hide and seek in the bushes and will hide and watch Eyesloplane way up in the sky. I don't think I want to go and leave all these things behind." Xiao Zhan pouted and looked down, feeling sad. Mrs. Xiao sighed and looked at her son. "My son, you will go. You'll go there okay. Life in the city is sweet. You'll go there, my beautiful son. There, you'll not have to fetch firewood. There, they have this thing they called...uhmm...uhmm.. what is that thing's name again...Uhm..yes, they have elefrick cooker(Electric cooker)... And this one they called...Jas cooker (gas cooker). And again, you'll have to fetch water from the stream, they have this hole water comes out from nowhere (tap water). And when you're hungry, you will have food to eat from your uncle's wife. No more struggling to eat. You'll go there, my son." Mrs. Xiao smiled and patted his son's head cutely. "Mama, if I go there, who will go all the messages for you? Who will take care of you? How will you cope without me?" Xiao Zhan asked, still not convinced to go anywhere while his mother stays here and suffers all alone. Mrs. Xiao chuckled. "Don't worry my son, God has been taking care of me and that same God will continue taking care of me while you're gone. You see, my son, your mother has been there in the city..." "Really?" Xiao Zhan cut in, surprised. "What happened? Why did you come back here to the village?" He asked, astonished. "There's one day I saw this white British man eating raw egg..." "God forbid!" Xiao Zhan's eyes popped out of its socket, feeling irritated just by imagining it. Mrs. Xiao continued, "I ran... I ran for my life. When I got to my brother's house, I vomited everything I ate that day out. And that day, I begged my brother to bring me back here to our village. I stayed here and married your father. I and your deceased father struggled to leave the village, but we couldn't." "Why? Why did you go back? Didn't you always say your brother is a very rich man? Why would he allow his only sister to stay here and suffer from her husband when he can take care of you?" Xiao Zhan asked the very thoughts he had always had in mind. Xiao Zhan knew his uncle was a rich man since had visited them two or three times now, but what he doesn't understand is, why doesn't he want to help him and his mother and take them to the city with him? Or was it because of his wife? Xiao Zhan had thought, but seeing his mother was never affected by this, he decided not to ask and continued living his life with his mother. Mrs. Xiao shook her head, remembering the kind of person his brother's wife was and how wicked she had always been. She knew she was the one who never allowed her brother to help her out, not even give her money to feed. She had most times wondered how her son's life would be over there, but she wants a good life and a brighter future for her son and wouldn't want him to continue wasting his life here in the village, playing with the children when it's obvious he will never accept to marry anyone. She smiled sadly with her thoughts and looked at her son. "Is because I and your father didn't go to school and your father didn't think it was wise for us to go there and start living a hard life over there with you. So, we stayed here and farm. The land loves us and we love ye land. We're content with what we have..." "Mama, don't you love the farm again? Why don't you want me to become a farmer like you? Why are you sending me there? You know I love the village. The birds chirping, the natural weather, and most importantly, my little friends. Or, will I be going there with them?" Xiao Zhan asked, his eyes sparkling with so many expectations, making his mother chuckle, laughing at her naive son. "How can you say that my son? I love the land, but I want something better for you. You will not be going with anybody's child. You might meet other city children there and make friends with them. So you will go there and taste both sides and decide which you want for yourself. Who knows, maybe, you might have a bigger Eyesloplane there." Xiao Zhan's eyes bulged out, "Really? Mama, did they have Eyesloplane there?" Xiao Zhan asked, now being interested to go, if not for anything, at least, that airplane is very important to him. "Yes my son, maybe, you'll find someone who will give you a lift in it or someone, who you'll love. Someone very rich and will take you to see Eyesloplane and enter inside it. My brother is a good person, just make sure to respect his wife and do whatever she asks you to do." Mrs. Xiao ruffles her smiling son's hair and is finally happy to see him eating his food once again. Xiao Zhan after he is done eating went to the room and rested his body. He couldn't sleep, he couldn't relax, he kept thinking about how his life will become from tomorrow. Will the city love him as much as he knows he will love it. Is something waiting for him there? Or rather, is someone waiting for him there? But, how will he quit his mother all alone? Xiao thought but smiled when he was able to think of something. "I will go there because I believe something beautiful will be waiting for me there? I will go there and make my mama proud and will come back for her. Is there someone waiting for me? Will I be able to finally meet my prince charming I always dreamt of? I hope my life there will be as peaceful and acceptable as it is here in my village...I hope so..."