Crimson Instinct

*Xin Lei*

I widened my eyes in shock.

What could have Fu Meili and Fu Jun seen so horrible?

Bai Li asked, "In Natural Park?"

Uncle Rong sighed. "Well, he thinks it is Natural Park. They ended up somewhere in a desolate place, but he cannot be sure whether they were still inside the park or not. I have asked Fu Biyu to come here with her son. I saw your sketches being circulated, so in a hurry, I left and couldn't ask in detail."

Then I saw someone opening the door. Bai Li and I got alert.

But it was Fu Biyu carrying her son Fu Jun in her arms.

The barmaid chuckled. "Don't worry. This place is safe from cops."

Well, that relieved me a lot. Fu Jun seemed still a little afraid.

Uncle Rong said, "Ah there they are. Fu Biyu and Fu Jun."

I smiled at Fu Jun and waved my hand at him. He stared at me with his big black eyes and slowly smiled. Once again, he was thrilled to see Cocoa.

Fu Jun wriggled from his mother's embrace and hopped onto my lap. Guess he was a little more open to Bai Li and me now. I pinched his cute cheeks.

Fu Biyu apologized.

"Sorry for that…"

I smiled and shook my head.

Fu Biyu said, "What happened to you two?" She looked at Bai Li and me, "Your sketches are everywhere. An officer had asked me if I had seen you two."

I could see that she was worried about us.

But wait…

I anxiously typed. "You didn't tell him about us, right?"

Fu Biyu shook her head. "No. I knew something must have gone wrong."

Thank God.

Bai Li also nodded. "So let us hear what Jun was going to tell us."

Fu Biyu looked at her son. "I didn't even know that he was hiding something so big. He never told me that he and Meili saw something like that."

Uncle Rong said, "It is alright. He must be scared to say anything. Jun."

Fu Jun slowly looked up at him.

"Can you tell us what happened?"

He was very jittery and nervous. He instantly seemed in panic. He vehemently shook his head and buried his face in my neck. I felt his tears on my neck.

"Jun…" Fu Biyu looked anxious.

Uncle Rong sighed. "He was afraid the same way when I had asked too in their house. But I gently urged him, so he told me the crux of it. But we have to know the full details."

Witnessing a scene something as cruel and horrifying would definitely scare any child and even more to retell it. It could scar them for a long time.

As a doctor, I had studied a little about psychology too.

I held his hand and pressed his palm in mine. He raised his head and looked at me.

I typed. "You see, Cocoa?"

"Arf."

He barked in response and leaned a little towards Fu Jun.

I typed again. "Cocoa is our really really strong friend. He fights all the bad people with his sharp claws and defeats them, even if they are tall or big or reaaaaaly scary and protects everybody. But Cocoa doesn't back out. Cocoa is really brave, right?"

Fu Jun furiously nodded. "Cocoa is like Scooby Doo!"

I chuckled. "Yes. Do you want to become as strong as him?"

"Yes…"

I typed. "En. If you tell us what happened that day, then you will help us in catching the bad guys and protect your sister just like Cocoa. Don't be scared. Cocoa, and we all are here with you."

Cocoa also raised his head. He licked Fu Jun's cheek and rubbed his head against it. Fu Jun giggled.

I saw Bai Li glance at my direction and smile.

Good job, he mouthed.

I felt a lot happy when he praised me.

Fu Jun seemed a little relaxed now. He slowly said,

"That day sis and I got lost in the park...We walked and walked but didn't find our way back. Then we saw a big building. But-but it was very dark inside."

"Then?" Bai Li asked.

"Sis said that we can ask someone to help us to take us to Daddy. Sis held my hand. But the door was locked. Then sis said that we will find a window."

Fu Jun seemed to fidget a little.

"Sis and I turned around the big building. We found a window at the back."

"Go on, child; you are doing great." Uncle Rong reassured.

"Then...then we heard something. It felt like someone was crying. I...I was really scared. I wanted to go back, but sis said that we should check if someone is hurt and help him."

Cocoa lifted his right hind leg and put it in his hand. Fu Jun clutched it tight. Dogs could feel the emotions, especially with kids. They were very sensitive.

I also patted his back.

"We peeked inside the window, and then we saw…"

He looked frightened at that moment. His body was trembling and tears pooled his eyes, "some bad uncles were beating a lady..r-really bad..S-she was crying a lot...She was telling them to stop but the bad uncles didn't listen to her. The ground under her was all r-red in color."

Blood, I thought.

"Sis said, "Jun, we should tell about these bad uncles to daddy! She is so hurt! We have to save her!""

"But I got scared and fell on the ground. Then someone shouted from inside. Sis pullled me and we ran but her dress got stuck in a tree…"

He started crying at that point.

"Meili…" Fu Biyu also sobbed.

I urged him to go on.

Fu Jun darted a nervous glance at Fu Biyu and seemed hesitant. He cried even harder.

He lowered his head. "The bad uncles were coming. Sis said to me to keep running. I-I ran and hid behind a tree and saw those uncles catch sis…"

Fu Biyu broke down in tears. "Oh God...my daughter...is she alright?"

Now I understood why he was hiding it.

Maybe he didn't understand it himself, but he might be feeling guilty for getting scared and leaving Fu Meili alone.

Fu Jun wriggled a little uncomfortably and his leg hit my side pocket. Something fell from it. I looked down to see the photos of Liao Chuntao that Lin Zhihao had given it to me.

At the same time, Fu Jun's expression was as if he looked at a ghost. His face had turned pale.

"Waaaaaaaa…" He cried loudly.

We all were shocked and looked at each other in confusion.

"Jun, why are you crying?" I quickly typed.

He pointed his shaking finger at the photo.

"That lady in the picture...she was that lady who was beaten up."