[InMon] Touch, but don’t look

I hate drawing things out of a bag because you never know what is inside. Perhaps, they may put a snake or a worm or something in the same family, something wiggly, and that will crawl over your hand. Eww, creepy crawlies. I finally understand why they’re named “creepy crawlies”.

But face with life and death, I had to. So I sucked in my breath and tucked in my tummy and reached into the velvet bag. I can’t see anything; I was blindfolded. The guy who was giving me the instructions had a husky voice. I imagine he must be big and tall and strong, just like the incredible hulk. Possibly green too.

I picked up two pieces of paper and tried in vain to feel the markings on the paper to figure out what was written there. But I guess writing in pen is different from writing in pencil.

“Choose one piece.”

I held one piece in my right hand, the other in my left. I didn’t know which to choose. Right or left, right or left. I clenched my fist. Then I prayed. Dear Lord, which should I choose?

“Hurry.” The monster breathed down my neck. I could feel the heat of the flames, the pressure of the air all around me.

“Okay this one.” I held out my right hand and slowly unclenched my fist. I was trembling in fear. Did I make the right choice?

A scream pierced the air. Then something hard landed on the ground with a loud thud. Immediately, I was reminded of Hector Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique, where in the fourth movement, the timpani rumbled as the head of his love hit the ground at the execution ground. Then the cymbals clashed as the crowd cheered. But here I heard no cymbals. I heard  a faint flute blowing, a small whimper.

I lifted my blindfold and gasped in horror at the grave consequences of my choice. I looked down in guilt, tears streaming down my cheeks. But had the paper in my left been different?

I opened my fist. On the paper, written in calligraphy ink, was the word 殺, the chinese character for kill. I looked down at my other hand. The writing was identical.

Sorry.