Home was just beyond him right there, in his mother’s arms. Straining his eyes, Ling squinted in
the sand.
There, standing in the middle of the sand dunes, was his mother.
“I’m coming, Mom!” Ling hollered, picking up his pace. He was going to see his mother!
Reaching out his hands, he rushed forward, sliding down another sand dune towards his mother’s
open arms.
Ling… Ling… come here… Ling…
Ling bounded forward. His arms opened wide. There she was! Only a few more steps away. He
could feel the excitement bubble up in his chest. He was on his way home…
Ling… come… Ling…
His face split into a wide smile. He made his final leap forward. His mother was smiling at
him, beckoning him to step forward. The sweet dimples flashing at him. Ling…come…
He flung himself into the air, preparing himself for the warmth of his
mother’s embrace.
And Ling landed on the hard, hot sand.
He spat out the gritty sand in his mouth. He could hear his mother laughing at him. Blushing,
he grinned up sheepishly at his mother.
“Mother, I… Mother?” Ling scrambled up to his feet. Where was his mother? She was just here!
Rubbing his eyes, he peered forward again. She had to be here! She had to!
Ling… Lin... Ling… Lin…
The voice faded. Ling searched desperately around him. His breath came out in uneven, short
huffs. No!
Maybe Shang saw his mother. His spirits lifted up again. He bellowed, “Shang! Shang! Shang,
did you see…?” He stopped in mid-sentence.
The laughing wind echoed around him, mocking him as he stood there. Alone.
That’s when it hit. Forcing the panic down, Ling groped his way up the sand dune, and
looked onwards.
It was empty. The sand dunes were completely empty. In his headlong course, Ling had lost sign
of Shang’s camp. Searching for his footsteps, he found none. The wind had wiped the sand clean.
Ling was completely alone.
That was when he remembered Shang’s reminder. “Remember, boy, stay close to me. The
winds will beckon you forward. The sands will try to lure you in. Do not go astray. If you become
lost, we will never be able to find you. We cannot risk the lives of the company for one person.
Remember, boy, stay close to me!”
Ling could feel his heart freeze. Hysteria building up, he screamed, “Shang! Shang! Shang!”
His voice echoed and died in the empty field.
There came no answer. He was completely alone.
He was going to die out here. No one would save him. His mother was gone. She had died.
She wasn’t coming back. His uncle was gone. He had probably forgotten all about him already. He
wasn’t going to care.
Shang was gone. Shang had moved on. He had gone. He wasn’t going to return for him.
He landed in a heap on the sand as his knees buckled. Facing the sun, he screamed silently at
it, tears streaming down his face. Why? He asked. Why?
And with that, he allowed himself to go slack, and he laid on the sand.
