Human Bone Bracelet

By Christopher Maldonado

Was it a dream? Isn't it a dream? Zhang Mengfei tossed and turned. This scenario has happened many times! When I first saw the figure in the white robe, she was still in the corner of the room; when I saw it again, she was already moving, and each time I saw it, she moved a little farther

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christopher Maldonado
• Release date: Nov 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9798869012289

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Copyright ©2022 By Christopher  Maldonado

All rights reserved.

No parts of this book may be copied, distributed, or published in any form without permission from the publisher.

This is a work of fiction in which all events and characters in this book are completely imaginary. Any resemblance to actual people is entirely coincidental.

Ebook ISBN: 9798869012289

Cover designed by Christopher  Maldonado

Edited by Christopher  Maldonado

    "Human Bone Bracelet

=== Section 1 ===

    There, right there! Zhang Mengfei heard her heart beating wildly, as it did every time she dreamt of her nightmare, standing in the corner of the house.

    A bit of white in a thick darkness, so abrupt and striking. Gradually could see clearly, it was a white robe, seemed like a human figure, standing there. Zhang Mengfei wanted to close her eyes, telling herself that everything was an illusion, but clearly saw the figure slowly moving towards herself, a chill arose from behind, Zhang Mengfei could feel that the bedding had already been drenched in sweat. The figure was getting closer and closer, Zhang Mengfei's whole body was shivering, biting her lips white, feeling as if her nerves were numb, not feeling the slightest pain. While that human figure was getting closer and closer, it had already reached the front of the bed. Gradually to the head of the bed, Zhang Mengfei watched as it hung its head, its face could feel its nostrils, still unable to move, at this time, Zhang Mengfei saw clearly, that head, there was a face exactly like his own!

    This shock, it seems that the body can move a little, hands waving chaotically: go away, go away! That face, but a slight smile, and bent his head in Zhang Mengfei's ear whispered a word, Zhang Mengfei panic has been extreme, screamed, sat up violently. But he heard a muffled thud, a man cried out in pain, Ouch!

    Snapped to press the light, fixed his eyes, it turned out to be the boyfriend Li Mingfei. Angrily asked: You do not sleep in the middle of the night, lying on my face to do what! Li Mingfei screamed: I heard you breathing sound is not right, open your eyes, but saw you a pair of eyes round, is staring at me, scared out of a cold sweat, do not know what you are doing, not yet thought about whether to call you, you jumped up! I can't believe you came to complain about me! Also, can you take off that broken bracelet of yours? It hit my nose! Li Mingfei looked aggrieved and beamed like a child. Zhang Mengfei, shocked, patted his chest and said, Go to sleep, it's late! Ignoring his request for him to take off the bracelet, that was the only thing left by his mom, how could he take it off? Time is also really not early, from the window to look out, the laser lights of the distant ktv room have gone out, obviously already past midnight.

    Was it a dream? Not a dream? Zhang Mengfei tossed and turned. This scenario had already appeared many times. The first time she saw that white-robed figure, she was still only in the corner of the house. When she was seen again, she was already moving, and, every time she was seen, the distance moved was a little larger. It had been nearly a year since the last time I saw her, and the situation was almost exactly the same on both occasions, the difference being that this time, she had only said one sentence. Zhang Mengfei thought carefully, she leaned over her ear and said a sentence, There is nowhere to run ...... you are destined not to escape ......

    Zhang Mengfei remembered that ghostly tone, it seemed that her breath was still in her ears, she could not help but feel hairy all over her body, and drilled into Li Mingfei's arms. Li Mingfei wrapped his arms around her, patted her back, and muttered softly, Sleep, sleep, but it is just a nightmare ...... The words were not finished, and he had already fallen asleep.

    Is it really a nightmare? I hope so ...... Zhang Mengfei thought and also fell asleep.

    Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, wake up, lazybones wake up! Li Mingfei's voice came, Zhang Mengfei opened her eyes, pressed the alarm clock off, Li Mingfei had already gone to work, under the alarm clock pressed a note: good boy, I set the alarm clock to ten o'clock, last night's nightmare, you sleep a little more this morning, the company there, I'll help you ask for time off.

    Zhang Mengfei smiled, having a considerate boyfriend is really good. Burying her head under the quilt for a while longer in a daze, she got up and washed up.

    Toothpaste, toothbrush, mouthwash cup ...... Zhang Mengfei muttered to himself and looked into the mirror again as usual. This shock, almost out of breath. In the mirror, there is a silhouette, clothing, with their own general, hands are also holding toothpaste, ready to squeeze to the toothbrush. But ...... this person, surprisingly no five senses! A flat face, no eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth ...... only two ears and a head of disheveled hair.

    My face, my face ...... Zhang Mengfei panic has been extreme, to the face to touch, in the, in the, nose in the, mouth in the, eyebrows and eyes are also in the ...... toothpaste also coated a face. Again ...... again ...... hallucination, hallucination ...... Zhang Mengfei told himself, and then looked in the mirror, and sure enough, everything was normal.

    Text II

    Text II

    With a ...... long whistle, an old train slowly entered the train station of Linchang County. Linchang County was located in a remote area, with high and steep mountains, exposed rocks everywhere, and debris rolling down the highway from time to time. Therefore, although there was a highway connecting it to the outside world, unless there was an emergency, people generally still chose to take the train. Fortunately, there was a military base within the territory of Linchang County, and since the establishment of the military base, the train had been opened. It departed from the provincial capital to Linchang County every morning, and then departed from Linchang County to the provincial capital in the afternoon.

    As the train slowly entered the station, the people who received the station also crowded to the door, the already small exit was crowded. The size of the station is too small, there are only two ticket sellers, two ticket inspectors, this moment, all chaotic no order. Li Mingfei one hand carrying luggage, one hand pulling wearing high heels were squeezed to the side of the Zhang Mengfei, struggling to squeeze to the door. The day before yesterday just after a heavy snow, the temperature is too low, the snow did not melt, was stepped on raw into a rock hard, slippery feet, Li Mingfei grew up in Linchang County, but also tired and panting, and Zhang Mengfei, has long been walking without tears. Eyes wet, eyelashes are frozen out of frost.

    Suddenly, Li Mingfei exclaimed, Dad! Dad! We're here! Zhang Mengfei struggled to open her eyes and saw that the crowd had pretty much dispersed, and an old man with a dark round face plate and a skinny figure was making a tiptoe to look outside the door. Could this be his future father-in-law? The heart flashed a trace of disappointment. Unlike Li Mingfei's tall and magnificent, his father-in-law, Li Quanzhu, was this skinny and small, which was really unexpected. Fortunately, that trace of emotion in his heart had just arisen when Li Mingfei had already pulled Zhang Mengfei's hand and walked out quickly. Zhang Mengfei was pulled straight and slipped, so she had to follow and speed up her steps as well.

    The small face of the basically loaded with passengers to go, but also left one or two worn out in the cold wind waiting hopelessly. Lin Chang County is not economically developed, coupled with the small size of the county, walking around the city is only forty to fifty minutes, so the daily work of a trip to the face of the drivers, it is very important. If the business of this trip is missing, there is basically nothing to count on this day. In the freezing cold, to be able to go home as soon as possible, roast their frozen hands on the fire, and then sit cross-legged on the kang and drink a bowl of goat soup to warm their bellies, is really the only hope of their day's hard work down. Noodle driver Lin Bitterwa is one of them, helplessly, those on the passenger away, will soon realize their wishes, and he will have to continue to wait in the cold wind.

    Fortunately, his wait was not in vain. From the train station, where people had already dispersed, three more people walked out. An old look like a local, wearing a tight suit, a pair of wrinkled shoes, but also polished, like in order to go out on purpose, dark face, seems to wrinkles are not clean coal ash, another pair of young people, the man's face is white, tall, human-like dog wearing a thick coat, due to the night did not shave, appear to be a little green cheeks. The woman is wearing a big red down jacket, big curly hair, feet stepped on the pointed high heels. At a glance, it is from Lin Chang County mixed out in the big city to make a living. Lin Bitterwa sneered, Let's see if the fall doesn't kill you! Don't look at these people back to wear the scenery, in the big city may not be mixed into what kind of it, or maybe in order to this set of lines on the body will have to suffer for a month like themselves, with their own, they are in order to clothes, their own in order to full belly. Lin Bitter Wa thought hard. Stopped the car on these two, Lin Bitterwa very superior to look down the competitor's broken car, although their own car is broken, but with the other side of the car a comparison, it is simply the new factory. He has full confidence that these three people will choose their own car, so the gesture is very big did not get out of the car to solicit business.

    Zhang Mengfei stood there, the box thrown in place, the boyfriend and the future father-in-law to find a car to talk about the price to go, Zhang Mengfei is really afraid of the ice on the ground, a step is not willing to go, urged Li Mingfei called the car to drive to the front to come. Two feet were Ding Zigzag stand steady, Fang have the courage to look at this small county. All the way over, only remember to keep crossing the tunnel, crossing the bridge, this way to see the mountain, than Zhang Mengfei lifetime has seen the total number of mountains more, and all steep and hideous mountains, not an inch of grass. From the rock walls, one could clearly see the folds of the strata, with very little influence from weathering, and few human traces. Every mountain pass, the train will stop a little, put down a few passengers to go, Zhang Mengfei began to humorously tease that this is a beckoning meter train, but stopped more often, shaking people drowsy, Zhang Mengfei began to be a little sullen.

    And at the moment standing in this small county look around, only to see the county is not big mountains on all sides gathered in the arms of a few sparse trees on the mountain, the leaves have long fallen off, the sky is infinitely pure blue, and the ground with white mixed with black ice form a huge contrast. A color of cottages, rows and rows, neatly arranged, along the terrain, from bottom to top, revealing only a piece of ridge.

    The wind is biting cold and bone-chilling, Zhang Mengfei gathered the clothes, and then wrapped the scarf tightly, suddenly there is a strange feeling, as if it is hard to be poured by the end of the ice from the back, turned his head and found nothing, inadvertently turned back, and then there is that kind of feeling that makes people feel uncomfortable all over the body. Quickly turned back to look, found the face of the driver Lin Bitterwa is staring viciously at himself.

    Zhang Mengfei stomped her foot, just as Li Mingfei called a Santana over, greeted Zhang Mengfei on the car, and went down to stuff two boxes into the car. Li Quanzhu grinned, did not speak, Zhang Mengfei had to report a smile, the two embarrassed relative giggle. Fortunately, at this time, Li Mingfei came up, happy to introduce: There are no good cars, fortunately, Uncle Zhao sent their unit leader to go, saw us, offered to send us back ......

    Zhang Mengfei let out a sigh of relief. Leaning on the back of the chair, she stretched comfortably, when suddenly, a low voice rang in her ears, There is no escape ...... You are destined to have nowhere to run ...... What? Zhang Mengfei shrieked.

    Fei, what's wrong? Li Mingfei asked with concern. Zhang Mengfei frowned, Nothing, I seem to have heard a sound of some sort. Oh, it's good if it's nothing. If Li Quanzhu was referring to something, Zhang Mengfei's heart was slightly startled, this future father-in-law, did not seem to be as mute as his appearance. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw from the reflective mirror that the person Li Mengfei called Uncle Zhao, also glanced at himself. That gaze ...... carried an indescribable meaning.

    Text III

    Lin Bitterwa resentful look at the group of people on the Santana left, shook his head, today and soak up the soup. This train station in addition to every day at noon to the station when more people usually basic no one, intends to drive to the center of the city to take a chance, maybe meet one or two shopping for New Year's goods, but also to earn back the fuel costs.

    Is about to start the car, see the station out of four more students look like young people, wearing thick clothes, can not see what material, shoulders carrying a bulging bag, is laughing and joking to go out. Even the car is slippery ground, they walk up surprisingly not very difficult, Lin Bitterwa curious staring at their feet. This shoes have never seen, Lin Bitterwa secretly sighed.

    Master, may I ask if there is a guest house in this neighborhood? A young man with eyes and a bit of naturally curly hair, who looked very civilized, came over and asked.

    There! Yes! Get in the car first, it's cold down there! Lin Bitterwa was worried that this business would be lost again, and hurriedly greeted him warmly. That, is it expensive? No, not expensive, at most twenty dollars a night, if you think it's too expensive, I'll take you to another one! Lin Bitterwa had already gotten out of the car and opened the door. The four young men briefly discussed and all got into the car. Lin Bitterwa closed the door and screwed it up with a wire. If this door wasn't reinforced, it might break down completely at some point.

    The car started, the wind poured straight in from the gap of the car door, freezing a few people to shrink their necks. Brother Tao, you're really something too, even dragging a few of us here in the middle of the year! This damn place, freezing weather, what's the fun in it? Glasses complained a bit.

    You don't know, a section of the Great Wall found here has filled a gap in the history of China's Great Wall research! The Great Wall is the symbol of an ancient nation. As early as in the Northern Qi Dynasty, the Great Wall was built here, and set up military fortresses, Sui Kaihuangyuan years, and along the Northern Qi Great Wall old traces of the Great Wall was built. According to repair Lin Chang County records: the Ming Dynasty Jiajing years, some people in the county near the cattle enclosure tile unearthed a stone tablet, the inscription cloud: Kaihuang yuan years Zanhuang Dingfu building. For a long time, academics believe that the Song Dynasty did not build the Great Wall. But Song, Qing some documents are said to be the Song dynasty in the Taiping Xingguo five years in Lin Chang County set up Lin Chang army and built the Great Wall. In recent years, after archaeological investigation, experts say that the Great Wall from the east of the Great Wall to the Linjiajiao Township of the Great Wall is the Song Dynasty in the Northern Qi and Sui Dynasty on the basis of the Great Wall construction. A.D. 960, Zhao Kuangyin mutiny, overthrowing the Zhou regime to establish the Song Dynasty, the north is facing the threat of the Khitan, Danghang severe punishment. According to Guangxu Shanxi Tongzhi and renewed Lin Chang Zhou Zhi records: 979 AD, Yang Ye's wife She Taijun (folding) from the younger brother of the famous Song general folding Yuqing seized the northwest of Taiyuan military strongholds in Linchang County, in 980 AD in Linchang transferred to the Linchang army, and in the county north of the Tiantong Castle to the east to build the Great Wall; the Song dynasty university scholar Zeng Gongliang in his military monograph, Wujing Generals before the collection, also said that had been in the The Great Wall was also built in Linchang. And now this discovery fills a gap in the history of the Great Wall of China and is of great value to the study of the history of the Song Dynasty. Qian Mingtao, known as Tao, knows this history by heart.

    All four are Great Wall enthusiasts, dedicated to traveling, seeing, and playing on all the Great Walls that remain in China. Ever since they saw a media report about the discovery of the Song Great Wall in Linchang County over the summer, they had the idea of coming to see it for themselves. However, the four were students with limited financial resources, and had to work for a semester, almost missing out on their studies, before they could scrape together enough money to make the trip. After earning enough money, each of the four used different reasons to ask their parents for a vacation. Parents heard that even the New Year will not go back to the past, almost so anxious to reach through the phone line to drag them back, persuade, finally to report every day as the price of peace, in exchange for the freedom of New Year's Eve outside. These four people are Qian Mingtao, Shen Zhicheng (glasses), Liu Shengwu, Bai Haiwen.

    Lin Bitter Wa while driving, while listening to their God chat, heard here, interjected: You a few of our Lin Chang County quite familiar with it, to travel? Shen Zhicheng was the most talkative and replied, Yes, master, what are the fun things to do in Linchang County for you to introduce to us?

    Lin Bitter Wa laughed: This shitty place, what fun, I would like to go to your big city to play. After a while, he looked positive again, But the Great Wall you mentioned, there really is one. We grew up herding cattle, we often go up to play, and, look, the ground, that one with a person almost high mound you guess is a what? Those are beacon towers! There's one every few dozen meters. But it's pretty much destroyed. After driving for a while, he pointed out, What do you think this is? This is the bell tower, that's the drum tower, I don't know which dynasty left it!

    The four people listened to the exhilaration. Since ancient times, this is a place of war, countless thrilling wars took place here, and the county town is still so well preserved, it is really a miracle.

    Lin Bitterwa pointed at a high mound of earth and shouted, What do you think this is? This is the city wall! When Fan Li Hua guarding the border, riding a high horse, from that wall to leap down, kill the opponent soul fly fear, grandmother, or the Tang Dynasty is good ah, have the body strength can wrestle with a body, I have a body of strength, but can only be at the station to carry a bag, which also laid off! Speaking of here, Lin Bitter Wa whining.

    Bai Haiwen listened to the most resonant. Their parents are also considered to be dedicated to the dedication of more than thirty years of youth, originally thought to be able to stay until retirement, counting, pension is also enough to live in the old couple. How do you know that on the verge of retirement, the factory suddenly collapsed, the two families honestly did their whole lives, took a few thousand dollars, they have to find their own way. The old man at home every day whining. Hearing this, he interjected: That does make sense. Nowadays, if you want to get ahead, you don't just have the ability to do it, but you also have to have connections. However, if you have a relationship, it is not a big problem if you don't have the ability to hold an iron rice bowl .......

    Shen Zhicheng, who had always been talkative, could not interject instead, and smiled at each other with the other two.

    Here it is, right here! At this time, the car also stopped, four people get off, see a broken signboard, written on it Lin Chang County Guest House a few red letters, the color is also due to the wind and sun, recede almost. Lin Bitter Wa collected the money, just want to go, and asked: You go to climb the Great Wall, the Great Wall can be far away from here, do you want to charter a car? I'll make it cheaper for you.

    Qian Mingtao and a few other people slightly discussed, talked about the price, about tomorrow at 9:00, Lin Bitterwa on time to pick up. Four people into the guest house. Has come to the end of the year, the street is cold and quiet, hospitality in the dark, only a small ten-watt light gun emits a dim light. Four people immediately had an illusion, as if all of a sudden from the noon into the dusk.

    A gust of wind hit the back and came over, the thick hiking clothes were actually penetrated, and all four of them felt a chill on their backs. It seems that this place is really not ordinary cold ah.

    Text IV

    Text IV

    At night, the warmth brought by the sun had dissipated, and the weather was getting colder and colder. Li Mingfei's home is halfway up the slope. A large old-fashioned courtyard, in front of which were several small rooms for piling up sundries, one of which was used as an outhouse. In the middle of the yard are many trees, the leaves have all fallen off, and you can't tell what kind of trees they are. Behind a row of five large tiled rooms, Li Mingfei's family lived in three, the other two, slightly cleaned up, set up simple furniture, rental. At the end of the year, casual laborers have gone home for the New Year, so the two rooms are temporarily empty. It was dark and a bit scary. Zhang Mengfei has always been afraid of empty rooms without people, I do not know why. She always felt that an empty house with no occupants was like a corpse without a soul, gloomy and horrible.

    Li Quanzhu opened up and made some food, and Zhang Mengfei was a bit tasteless. After coming to Lin Chang County, she had been having a rather odd feeling, unable to say what it was. She seemed to be quite familiar with Lin Chang County. But then again, she had clearly never set foot in this place, her footprints had never crossed north of the Yangtze River, but why did she feel so familiar with this place? Especially after returning home with Li Mingfei, this feeling became stronger and stronger. It was like ...... it was like she had just left her home to go out and turn around, and now she was back again. This feeling made her extremely uncomfortable, and until she was lying on the bed in the compartment, roasting the hot heater, she still couldn't calm down.

    Luckily, the fatigue of the trip made her fall asleep quickly. Silence, suffocating silence again. Zhang Mengfei opened her eyes and looked incredulously towards the corner of the room, where the white-robed silhouette, was quietly standing there again. Seeing Zhang Mengfei open her eyes, the silhouette gradually moved. Zhang Mengfei was terrified, knowing that it was a dream, but she couldn't wake up.

    The silhouette seemed to know Zhang Mengfei's fear, slowly moving the center of the room and taking a seat at the table, slowly picking up the teacup and gently sipping it, seeing Zhang Mengfei staring at her, she smiled back.

    Zhang Mengfei's mind went blank as she looked at the face that looked exactly like her own.

    The silhouette raised a finger, shook it over his mouth, and said softly, You don t listen, the game has finally begun ...... Zhang Mengfei eagerly wanted to ask her what kind of game it was, and struggled hard to wake up completely.

    Before going to sleep, Li Quanzhu to they have not yet married as the reason, asked Zhang Mengfei and Li Mingfei to sleep separately, at this time in the middle of the night woke up, Zhang Mengfei instinctively reached out to touch the pillow, but touched a face of thick beard, screamed in fear, turned his head to look at, a strange man is grinning at her. Zhang Mengfei was shocked, picked up the pillow smashed over, while quickly out of bed, and then look, the bed is empty, just that strange man, nowhere to go.

    Zhang Mengfei shocked, feel dry mouth, want to drink a cup of water, touch in the darkness, but heard a bang sound, the tea cup was brought down by the pajamas, fell on the ground and shattered. She suddenly remembered that in her sleep saw the woman picked up the teacup, she clearly remembered that before going to sleep the teacup is placed in the middle of the table, could it be that this is not a dream? Rather, a white figure really appeared and moved the position of the teacup?

    Zhang Mengfei was so scared that she didn't care that she was only wearing her pajamas and rushed out headlong.

    The strange