Liang Diaries

There weren’t always Dragons in the valley. The roofs of our homes were free of their footprints. The night air was devoid of their whispers. And our streets were spared their violent appetites. But over the years they slowly crept back into existence. I’ve lived my entire life with their mysterious presence but I’ve heard the stories of when they were discovered. Uncovered. At first, they were a myth. Like tales of the magic that coursed through the veins of this city. A shadow to represent the city's anxieties and fears. A threat to scare little children off to bed. But eventually, they stepped out of those shadows. Their influence over us grew, as did their ambitions. They are the economy, the government, law enforcement, criminals, and providers. They steal, they give, they hunt, and they survive.

Their claws dig into the utmost depths of our city. Like the legendary beasts, they were named after. Not quite tearing us to shreds but not quite holding us together either. They don’t always do the wrong thing. Some of what they have done for us has helped us grow into a better community. Well, a stronger one at least. Maybe that was all they strived for. To be feared. To be powerful and known. Though everyone hardly sees them. Like I said “shadows and myths”. But their presence is never forgotten. They prowl around dark alleys making plans and deals with one another, they steal pounds of gold from our vaults yet they leave truckloads of vaccinations, oxygen tanks, and bandages where they are needed. But still, no one knows their secrets, identities, or intentions.

Because what are they? Some call them criminals, vigilantes. The capricious old ladies, who sit and sip tea while gossiping over a game of mahjong, tell stories of the old days when rival gangs fought for power over these streets. Taking control of black market dealings, illegal drugs, and artifacts. But the Dragons are different. They are completely unparagoned. They don’t live lavishly off of stolen gold in mansions. They don’t advertise sales of illegal yet lucrative collections of God knows what. They just watch and wait until the moment to strike arrives. There aren’t random shootings or riots under their watch. But now and then you would stumble upon a macabre scene of the body of a man whose political influence could soon outweigh their own or a street patrol guard who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. No witnesses are their policy. No one recognizes their faces as they brush shoulders in a subway station. No one holds their secrets for ransom or publishes them in news articles that few people read.

Because who are they? Well, I intend to find out. A high school dropout who may or may not have worked for the school paper one semester. A sixteen-year-old boy, working a full-time job of scrubbing the floor while being yelled at by line cooks whose position in life is hardly better. But that short time, in a dingy school basement filled with the scent of old parchment and ink, taught me that there is no greater agony than the story of a lifetime evading your capture. The stories you would read in our local newspaper are usually depressing or degrading. Nothing that sparks hope or excitement. I believe this story will wake up this sleeping megalopolis. To give people something to be interested in when they make their morning coffee and glance at the headlines. Sure, others have tried before me. Others who are stronger, smarter, or older. Others may argue my education is unfit for such a task. But what was truly unfit were the twisted convictions our schools were feeding us like soup. Slimy bitter lessons that were fed to us on a spoon that you must massage your throat to digest. No. I am a student of the world. A pupil of experience. And I have a lead. I have generations of notes and photographs. Dating back to my great, great, great grandfather. All captured in one book. Testimonies of glimpses, whispers, and tall tales that might be close to the truth. It’s sort of like a diary for grown men. My ancestors made it their life’s work to reveal the Dragon's secrets. To lift the tarp and scrutinize their entire way of life. To snuff them out and destroy their empire of power and enigma. The Liang family is the key to unlocking the fortress that is the Dragons. Of course, I'm not as poetic as all of that. My intentions are a little different. For me, it's more about proving that we don’t need to be afraid of the Dragons. That we are not that different. And see if I can make some money while doing it.

“Jin!” My mom’s scratchy voice floated through the air ducts of our apartment as smoothly as an injured duck. Although I would prefer the waterfowl when she was cross with me. As I slowly pulled back the headphones from my ears I could feel them ringing with the echo of heavy metal music. What? It helps me think. Did you know that music can activate the left and right brain at the same time? “You’re going to be late!” She squawked. Rolling my eyes were practically an instinct by now. My dad passed when I was five and it’s just been me and her ever since. She is always on my case about my job, my room, and my school. But she insists on punctuality above all other virtues. “Yeah…..yeah….I’m leaving.” As I entered the kitchen my foot caught on something hard and shapely that blocked the doorway. My chin smacked into the hard tile and I’m pretty sure I could feel my brain rattle inside me. Allowing my previous thoughts and ideas to jumble around. “Mom….what the h…” I scanned the room dumbstruck. Practically everything was on the floor. All of the cabinets had been emptied. The pots and pans are scattered in various piles. And our modest supply of fresh cold food was probably spoiled from sitting on top of the center island. The scene resembled a battlefield. I could practically hear the 2% milk screaming for mercy as the summer heat rained down upon it. “I’m just…..uh……looking for……I mean cleaning out the…um,” “You know what,” I said grabbing a strawberry-filled pop tart from the clutter. “I’m not going to ask.” I usually would have been bothered with how weird she was acting but I couldn’t let her vagary make me any later than I already was. As I reached the door I felt a hand grip the back of my polyester t-shirt that read “Qui’s noodle garden”. “Mom I have to…” Before I could finish she cupped my face in her hands and planted a sloppy wet kiss on my left cheek. I pulled away just in time to wipe my face as one of her massage customers entered our living space. “I’ll see you tonight.” Though I offered a mostly sincere smile she still hesitated. Like she was scared to let me leave. “Okay.” She whispered as she turned to greet her customer.

Work wasn’t too far from home. I mean the bus ride always went quicker if you sit next to a group of giggling children, gossiping women, or a crying baby. But I sat alone. Not because I wished to but no one else was in the vehicle. Just me and Mr. Yu the driver. He was pleasant enough company for days when I didn’t feel like socializing. Which to be honest was most of the time. I was always lost down some rabbit hole of concepts. I imagined my brain to be a large home. Twisted staircases and everlasting hallways. Filled with rooms. Doors that lead to all my deepest thoughts and wishes. Closets filled with unfinished conversations and cabinets stocked with forgotten ideas. If you followed the darkest corridor down into the basement you would find the place I imprison childhood nightmares and fears that I’ll never release. Up the marble stairs, I designate a chamber for daily thoughts. Plans for what I’ll do after work. What I’ll wear the next morning. And daydreams about how I would spend my riches. If I had any. My mind mansion was focused on my Dragon's research at the moment when I glanced up at Mr. Yu. He seemed to be watching me intently through the reflection of his rearview mirror. But he didn’t say anything. He doesn’t ask questions about my future or if I have a girlfriend. He merely bids me good morning and delivers me to work twenty minutes later.

The bus finally came to a stop. And when it did I stood and slowly walked to the front. Mr. Yu bowed his head, gently pulled a latch, and opened the doors. I couldn’t help the uneasy feeling that washed over me but I waved my hand and walked out the sliding doors. As soon as I stepped down my senses were bombarded with an assortment of spices. You can always smell fresh scallions and garlic as soon as you enter this strip of restaurants and cafes. Their atmospheres lure you in and shun you out with a full stomach and an empty wallet. The perfect tourist location and an easy place to get a job. Qui’s wasn’t exactly in the prime location to be seen by customers. It’s more or less a hole in the wall. Yep, living the life. But it’s not too bad. Consistent pay, flexible hours, and a break from my suffocatingly boring life.

As soon as I stepped inside I knew I was in for a rough day. Someone shouted something and I turned just in time to see a bowl of soup soaring toward my head. I ducked, the bowl barely missing my recently washed errant black curly hair. Another yell and the room erupted in bickering. It was a mess. Tables turned over shielding unwilling customers, food scattered throughout the building and across the floor and walls, and two men holding one another in a headlock stood at the center of the scene. Now, this was a battlefield. The perpetrators froze looking at something just over my head.

The little bell on the door jingled as someone entered and I swiveled on my heels to see my boss Mika barreling toward me. We usually get to work at the same time in the morning so I shouldn’t have been surprised to see him but something about the pure bewildered anger in his eyes made me gasp. In one swift movement, he grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and lifted my scrawny body a foot in the air. “Clean….this……up…..now.” He said through gritted teeth. “But I….I didn’t…..” He raised his eyebrows, daring me to protest. I hated the way my voice sounded at that moment. So pouty and weak and I mean it is my job but it still didn’t seem fair. I nodded, in defeat. He released me and eyed the two men. He pointed a stiff chubby finger at the door and somehow that made them leave. Mika turned back toward the customers with a not so apologetic smile and asked them to leave. And as quickly as possible, they did. Scuttling out like little coach roaches. “You can leave when all this,” He gestured his hand wildly through the air. “is clean. You got that?” Without answering I made my way through the mess and through the kitchen doors where I found my mop, which I affectionately named Annie, and bucket waiting for me.

Never would I have imagined such filth. I thought that cleaning up this mess would have taken a few hours maybe but I checked my watch and confirmed that my workday was technically over. 8:30 and the whole restaurant stilled reeked of leftovers. Noodles literally dangled from the ceiling fan. I’m pretty sure I did all that I could do for the day though. I told myself that I would get up early and inspect it in the morning but I knew that wouldn’t happen. Heaving a few garbage bags over my shoulders I pressed my back against the door that led to the alley. It didn’t smell any better than the restaurant. Littered with cans and cigarette butts, it had a super eerie vibe. The wind pushed against the clotheslines above my head, giving them the animation of a ghost. I quickly shook my head to remove the image but it was too late. Once you think it, you can’t un-think it. Or something like that.

With a few grunts, I was able to get a trash bag over my head and into the dumpster. One by one they plopped inside, adding to the hideous stench. As I lifted the last one I felt a pull. I tilted my head to see it had caught on the corner of the bin. Just great. I yanked and yanked until finally, it was released. Tearing a large hole in the bag. The trash spilled out like leaking water. Flooding the alley. I let out a string of curses with no one around to hear them. Or so I thought.

Something clattered behind me. I guessed it was probably the wind picking up an empty water bottle. Or someone’s foot scuffing a can. Either way, it unnerved me. I turned toward the end of the alley that intersected with the road. A streetlight dimly illuminated the entrance and allowed me to see three figures in the street. I could barely make out their shadows but two of them were large muscular men. But the third? They were smaller, more feminine. A girl. The girl walked across the street confidently. Her shoulders squared and her arms hung loosely at her sides. She moved with the grace of a snake slithering through the night. On the hunt for unsuspecting mice. Her backpack bounced up and down as she walked and her face was blocked by a hooded sweatshirt. I couldn't make out her features but by the way she carried herself, I was sure she was beautiful. The men stalking behind her seemed to think so too. They were saying something and would laugh about it but I couldn’t hear exactly what, I could only tell it annoyed her. She seemed as if she were tolerating a pesky fly that buzzed around her. But I knew these kinds of men would not appreciate being ignored. My heart lunged into my throat when one of them reached a hand out to touch her. I leaped up from where I was squatting over the trash bag and grabbed a nearby broken bottle. It wasn’t a great weapon and those men were much bigger than me so I hesitated at the end of the alley. Okay, what is my plan? Hit him over the head with the bottle? No, I couldn’t get close enough. Or, what about…..But before the man’s hand made contact with her, she turned so quickly you would have missed it if you blinked. She grasped his wrist and twisted it uncomfortably then swung her leg. As it collided with his ankles the earth shook from the impact of his body thudding on the ground. It wasn’t enough to knock him unconscious be he laid there for a good ten seconds. Completely stunned. I thought back to the comparison I made of this girl and a snake and realized she wasn’t as much a snake as she was a Dragon. Swift, ruthless, regal, and powerful. The man leaped to his feet angrily. He yanked her backpack from her shoulder, spilling its contents on the pavement.

I turned my attention back to the girl to see what her plan was now and to my surprise, she seemed to have one. I gasped as she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a kunai. Its blade glinted in the light of the moon to show its fierce effectiveness. The two men took one look at the knife and began to laugh. Not humorously or nervously but purely sadistically. I couldn’t fathom such arrogance and ignorance of the knife’s abilities. The girl effortlessly flipped it in the air and caught it with what could be her more dominant hand. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and chucked it at one of the guys. It lodged into his leg and he howled in pain dropping to the concrete again. The other man, seemingly unharmed, slapped his knee as he roared with delusional laughter but his face turned ashen when she pulled another knife from her white athletic sock. He looked toward the other aggressor whimpering on the ground and took off running in the opposite direction. His friend followed shortly after but it was sort of a hobble as he favored his injured leg.

It was such a bewildering scene. Two mountains of men decided to toy around and mess with a girl whom they assumed to be the mouse who was being hunted. But little did they know of the wolf in sheep clothes. The sharp needle is concealed in a ball of soft wool yarn. Or the blade that is decorated in a seemingly harmless decorated sheath.

I suddenly felt like I should run. I’m sure this girl would not be opposed to hurting me. Some random guy who stood there and watched. I mean, what was I going to do? Tackle one of the men? Call the police? No outcome showed me to be helpful whatsoever. Plus she definitely didn’t need my help. I was so startled by everything that had just happened that I didn’t even feel the glass bottle slip from my grasp. It shattered on the pavement startling the girl. She swiveled her head toward me and dropped the possessions that she had just collected. They scattered again across the ground. I didn’t know what to do. Assuming it was instinct as I ran towards her to “help”. On one hand, this girl is crazy and on the other hand as am I. As I rushed forward and began to gather her things, I wasn’t paying attention to what I grabbed. I nervously picked up her belongings while keeping one eye on her. Now that I was so close I was able to see what lurked beneath her hood, a long whip of raven hair leaked from the edges. Exposing the silky smoothness of it. She knew I was watching her so she fixed her eyes on something beyond me. But her eyes. Her eyes were like deep pools. Like the ones with caves and secrets and that kind of stuff hidden within. They were a beautiful and haunted glacial blue. As if they were woven by the same thread as the ocean. And her skin appeared as if she could bathe in warm sun rays for hours and she would still be as fair as freshly fallen snow. Her face glowed with youth and innocence yet her aura emanated maturity. With cheekbones so sharp they would slice clean through paper. The rosy tint to her cheeks sent a tingle down my spine. I quickly turned away. I was just about finished collecting the items when my hand brushed against something. As soon as the object caressed my skin, it was like my body was on fire. It began where my fingertips grazed it and moved throughout my body. Engulfing my epidermis in a burning sensation. I felt as if I walked willingly into a burning house and waited until everything was turned to ash. With blurred vision I stared at my arms and legs. There were no burn marks or charred flesh. Which I expected to follow the pain. But something far more beautiful and terrible greeted my eyes. I was glowing. Pure radiant light escaped through every pore. It was breathtaking. Literally. It was finally so unbearable that my body folded in on itself. I lay crumpled in the middle of the street. Gasping for breath. With all the strength I could muster I looked up. The girl's eyes widened with….…fear? I looked down to see what it was I had touched and my eyes widened simultaneously. The most transcendent object lay before me. Just before I lost consciousness I saw it. It was a pearl. A dragon pearl.