“Why does Jingfay live out here?” I ask. “She’s the true leader of the rangers, isn’t she?”
“Nah, not anymore.” He looks away, seemingly bummed out. “Jin is no longer Jingfay.”
“What do you mean?”
“Jingfay is dead, Kora. They killed that part of her. She’s just old Jin now, that’s all.”
My throat tightens and I experience a wave of dizziness. “Please tell me what happened. I need to know.”
Wreck thinks for a few moments, gazing into the distance. “It’s a dark story. You see, Jin did free many of the servants and founded the village about fifty years ago. She used to be the leader of the rangers and planned to build an army to liberate all the servants in our land. But she once went hunting in the woods and was attacked by six guys wearing masks. They stabbed her in the stomach with knives, and left her there to bleed out and die without any chance for help. But Jin didn’t die. She managed to crawl back to the village.” He pauses, his eyes sparking angrily. “I really have no idea what all she suffered through. Can you imagine crawling a mile after being stabbed twenty times? Well, me neither. It took her a full four months to heal. She never fully recovered and wasn’t the leader any longer. The villagers killed the guy who took over because everybody thought he had sent those killers to attack Jin. That’s when Tartis took over leadership… He hates Jin but can’t do anything against her, because she’s the only true healer in the village, excluding Maxie and I. That’s it. The end of the story.”
I remain silent for a few moments, tears filling my eyes.
“That’s horrible,” I mutter.
“You’re damn right,” Wreck sighs.
“Why doesn’t Jin take back leadership? You’d help her, wouldn’t you?”
“I sure would, but half of the rangers are on Tartis’s side. It would cause a bloody massacre. Jin doesn’t want that. And as I told you, she’s not the legendary Jingfay anymore. Her spirit is broken. Part of her died back in those woods.”
“So everything I believed in has been destroyed? Jingfay doesn’t exist?”
“Kora…”
“They always kill the strongest, bravest, most beautiful people!” I blurt out, crying. “They killed my mother and Amy, and now they managed to kill Jingfay!”
I cover my face, sobbing.
Wreck brings me water, patiently waiting for me to calm down. He doesn’t ask me to stop crying nor does he try to hug me or hold my hand. I truly appreciate that.
After regaining control of myself, I ask, “Wreck, could you please tell me… who changed my clothes while I was unconscious?”
He begins chuckling. “Jin and Maxie of course. What? You were hoping it was me, weren’t you? Is that what you were secretly dreaming about?” He winks, raising his head proudly. “I knew you had a crush on me. You just don’t want to admit it.”
“Stop it,” I groan, but can’t help from grinning. He’s funny sometimes.
He stops laughing. “Well, seriously, I could do that for you. It’s no big deal. I’ve already told you how I’ve been assisting Jin for a really long time. One year we had a nasty storm, and lots of folks in the village were injured. I had to help Jin with plenty of patients, both male and female. You know… treat their wounds and wash them.” He shrugs. “You do what you have to.”
I offer no comment, really grateful that it was Jin and Maxie who took care of me.
“Well I swear!” Wreck exclaims. “Supper is coming!”
Jin and Maxine walk toward us from the woods, carrying two hunting rifles and three rabbits, a beaming Tanya in tow. I spring to my feet. The little girl runs toward me and tightly wraps her arms around my waist.
“Tanya! I was missing you!” I blurt out. “What are you doing here?”
“I live here with Jin and Maxie now. Look what they gave me!”
She shows me a large hunting knife.
“Kora,” Jin says softly. “How are you feeling, sweetie?”
“I’m fine,” I answer, looking her over carefully, still not fully believing I’ve met a living legend. She’s dressed in a black t-shirt and camo hunting pants.
“Kris,” she says. “Could you please help Maxine with dinner, while Kora and I have a little talk?”
Wreck nods, quickly following Maxine back inside the house. Tanya joins them. Jin leads me into the living room, and we sit in two wooden chairs across from each other. I look at her, my hands shaking slightly.
“Jin… You’re Jingfay, aren’t you?” I ask, and she nods. “I’ve been looking for you. I wanted to meet you so badly. I hoped you could tell me what to do. I’m so lost. I no longer know who I really am.”
I tell her my story, reliving everything once again. I wind up crying, hating myself for being such a wimp but unable to hold back my tears. I can still see Amy crouching like a caged animal behind metal bars, her face bloody and frightened. I can still feel the touch of my mother as she was soothing me.
“I don’t know what to do,” I gasp, sniffling. “Where should I go? I know nothing about Bastion. Nothing waits for me there anyway. I left all my friends back in Central Settlement, but they’ll all be soon killed during the Terror Race. And I can’t do anything to help save them.”
Jingfay gently touches my hand.
“I think you already have all the answers,” she says.
“No, I don’t,” I say, shaking my head. “I have no idea what I want or need to do. I don’t know who I am. Please, tell me what I should do.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I can’t. It’s your life, sweetie. You’re the only one who can decide what you
