The Time-Space Diary

Start Reading

The iron chain bit painfully into my wrist; I was tied to the Old Locust Tree outside our courtyard gate, like a beast up for sale.

Father squatted on the threshold, smoking a dry tobacco pipe; the smoke rings drifted onto my face, making me cough uncontrollably.

Girl, everything has been settled with Bruce, He tapped the pipe against the sole of his shoe, his voice rough as sandpaper, "Two thousand enough to add to your brother's bride price."

I clenched my fists so hard that my nails dug into my palms.

Bruce is already sixty, his back bent like a small bridge. The last time he came, he took advantage of the fact that no one was around and touched my arm.

"I will not marry." I gritted my teeth, my voice trembling fiercely, yet I refused to show weakness.

Father suddenly stood up and kicked me in the leg.

I staggered and fell, the iron chain yanking my shoulder as if it were about to dislocate.

"Who says you have the right?" He pointed at my nose and cursed, "I've raised you all these years; what's so wrong with selling you for some money? You're being rebellious!"

Mother ran out of the house, her eyes red as she tried to help me, but Father shoved her aside.

"Stop defending her!" Father's roar made the paper on the window tremble. "If you dare say another word, I'll beat you too!"

Mother shrank her neck, her lips quivered, but in the end, she didn't dare speak. She merely crouched down and rubbed the bruise on my leg.

As the sun dipped westward, Bruce arrived carrying two pounds of peach pastries.

He leaned close to me, his murky eyes scanning me back and forth, making my entire body shudder.

"Sam, this girl looks spiritedshe's worth the price." Bruce patted Father's shoulder, but his gaze never left me.

"Yes, I promise to raise her plump and well-fed." Father laughed until the wrinkles on his face crumpled together.

I turned my face away, and finally the tears flowed uncontrollably.

Is my life worth only two thousand, to be sold to such an old man?

After dark, Father got drunk and argued violently with Mother inside the house.

Leaning against the Old Locust Tree, a cold shiver ran through my body.

At some unknown moment, a hard object had appeared beneath me; I reached out and found a worn Diary with its cover tattered.

Grandma had bought this for me when I was in elementary school, but Father later threw it away as worthlesshow could it have ended up here?

By the moonlight, I opened it, and suddenly, a line of words slowly emerged on the blank page: "Take your mother and run."

I was so frightened I almost threw the notebook away. My trembling fingers touched the pageit was truly handwriting, still faintly warm.

"Who told you to touch this?" Mother's voice came from behind me. I quickly hid the Diary behind my back.

"Mother, look." I handed her the notebook and pointed to the line of words.

Mother's face instantly turned pale. She hurriedly closed the notebook and glanced around nervously, as if afraid of being discovered.

"Don't talk nonsense, maybe you're just seeing things." Mother's voice was low, clearly laced with panic.

"I'm not seeing things!" I grabbed her hand. "Mother, let's run away. Don't stay here to suffer!"

Mother pulled her hand away, shaking her head as she stepped back. "No, I can't run. If I run, he'll break my legs."

"But I don't want to marry Bruce!" I cried out, "Are you really just going to watch him sell me like this?"

"What choice do I have?" Mother covered her face and began to cry. "We've endured all these years. Just bear it a little longer and it will pass."

The light in the room suddenly came on. Father rushed out, holding a wine bottle. Seeing us crying and sobbing like that, his anger flared up again.

"Why are you crying like a mourner?" He grabbed Mother's hair roughly and slapped her hard across the face. "It's all because you spoiled her, letting this girl dare to talk back to me!"

"Stop hitting her!" I lunged forward and grabbed Father's arm. "If you want to hit someone, hit me!"

Father raised his leg and kicked me away. The iron chain tightened again, and I felt the pain until my vision darkened.

Taking advantage of the moment, Mother knelt on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing to Father.

"I was wrong, please stop hitting me. I will definitely take good care of her." Mother's forehead was bleeding from the bump.

At that moment, Grandma's voice came from outside the courtyard gate.

She carried a basket of eggs; having heard I was about to be sold, she had rushed over from the neighboring village.

"Sam Collins! Come out here!" Grandma shouted the moment she entered the courtyard. Upon seeing me tied up, tears immediately welled in her eyes. "Are you even human? This is your own daughter!"

Father sobered up considerably from the wine, released Mother, scratched his head, and said, "Mother, this is for the good of the family."

"You sell your daughter for the sake of the family?" Grandma trembled with fury. She rushed over, trying to unlock the iron chain around my wrists. "Today, I will take the girl away, no matter what!"

"How dare you!" Father blocked her. "This is my family matter. Mind your own business!"

"If I don't interfere, then who will?" Grandma shoved Father. "How did I teach you when you were young? A person must never lose their conscience!"

Father staggered from the push, his anger flaring again, reaching out to shove Grandma.

I screamed and lunged forward but was restrained, unable to move by the iron chain.

"Try touching my mother and see what happens!" Father's roar had barely faded when Grandma suddenly clutched her chest, her body went limp and she collapsed.

"Mother!" Father and mother shouted at the same time, and I was terrified, as if my soul had fled.

Grandma's face was deathly pale, her breath shallow. She pointed at me, her lips moving, but could not speak.

"Quick, call the doctor!" Mother cried, rushing forward to hold Grandma, while Father panicked and staggered toward the village entrance.

But by the time the doctor arrived, Grandma had already died.

Until her final breath, her eyes remained fixed on the direction where I was chained with an iron chain.

I held Grandma's cold hand, tears falling like beads strung on a broken thread.

Clutching the Diary to my chest, the words 'escape with your mother' felt as if they were etched onto my heart.

Grandma's corpse lay in the courtyard; Father squatted nearby smoking, his face so dark it seemed to weep.

Mother knelt before the spirit shed, her eyes swollen and red like walnuts, completely broken.

I sat in the corner of the spirit shed, tightly clutching the Diary to my chest.

Grandma's death made it absolutely clear to me: if we stayed here, Father would destroy us eventually.

Late at night, in the quiet stillness, I drew close to Mother and gently touched her arm.

"Mother, let's run away." I lowered my voice, "Grandma is gone; no one can protect us anymore."

Mother shuddered all over, slowly lifting her head, her eyes bloodshot.

"Run away where?" Her voice was painfully hoarse, "We don't have a single cent; how could we survive if we leave?"

"There will always be a way." I took out the Diary, where a new line had been added: "Tomorrow Bruce will come to take someonethis is our chance."

Mother stared at the line, her hands involuntarily clutching the edge of her clothes.

Grandma's death weakened the defenses within her heart.

"I'll think it over again." She didn't agree straight away, but she no longer refused as she had before.

Early the next morning, Father went to the village entrance to buy a coffin.

Mother and I took advantage of the moment to secretly pack our things.

"Just bring a few changes of clothesdon't bring too many, or it will be noticed." I stuffed mother's cloth bag under the bed. "When Bruce arrives, I'll find a way to distract him. You slip out the back door and wait for me in the ruined temple at the east edge of the village."

Mother nodded, tears falling onto the cloth bag, soaking a small patch.

"What if your father finds out?" She was still somewhat afraid.

"He won't." I grasped her hand. "We will definitely succeed, for Grandma and for ourselves."

Mother took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind. She reached under the pillow and pulled out a cloth bag containing the secret savings she had hoarded for yearsover twenty in total.

"Take this, in case you need it." She pressed the money into my hand. "Take care of yourself once you're out there."

Just as I hid the money, I heard footsteps outside the courtyard gate.

It's Bruce. He's come to take me to his home for a few days, to familiarize myself with the surroundings.

"Have you packed your things, girl?" Bruce's voice came from outside the courtyard gate, with a faint, barely noticeable urgency.

I quickly hid my diary and was about to respond when Father returned from outside.

When he saw Bruce, a smile immediately spread across his face.

"Bruce has arrived. Come inside quickly." Father greeted him warmly, completely ignoring the news of Grandma's death.

"No, I'm just here to take the girl." Bruce poked his head into the room and froze momentarily at the sight of the spirit shed. "What is this?"

"Sigh, my mother's chronic illness has flared up again. It's nothing serious." Father evasively responded, "Girl, go with Bruce."

I looked toward Mother; her hands clenched tightly at the edge of her clothes, her eyes filled with struggle.

"I'll go fetch some things for her." Mother turned and went inside. I knew she was going to get the cloth bag we had prepared.

But at that moment, Father suddenly sensed something was wrong.

He looked at Mother's panicked expression, then at my tense face, and immediately understood what was happening.

"What are you two trying to do?" Father's face darkened as he grabbed Mother's arm. "Are you trying to run away?"

"No, I'm not." Mother's face turned deathly pale, and the cloth bag in her hand fell to the ground.

Father picked up the cloth bag and opened it, revealing the scattered change of clothes strewn across the floor.

In a rage, he kicked Mother and violently threw the cloth bag to the ground.

"I think you must be tired of living!" Father's roar attracted the neighbors, who gathered at the courtyard gate, pointing and whispering among themselves.

"Sam, what's going on here?" Neighbor Ms. Clark came over, saw the clothes on the ground, and immediately understood. "You're being foolish."

"Ms. Clark, don't try to persuade her." Father pointed at Mother and cursed, "She wants to run away with this girl, leaving me alone at home!"

"Listen to my advice."Ms. Clark grasped Mother's hand and said earnestly, "Men, well, who doesn't have a temper? Just endure it, and it will pass."

"That's right. Sam is having a hard time too; he has a whole family to support."Mr. Lee nearby also agreed, "The girl marrying Bruce is a good match; Bruce has money and won't wrong her."

I watched these indifferent neighbors, and my heart sank deeper and deeper.

They knew all too well that Father often beat Mother, knew that Bruce was no good man, yet each of them sided with Father.

"All of you, shut up!" I couldn't help but shout, "He is my father, not a beast! He should never have sold me, nor beaten my mother!"

"How is this child speaking?" Ms. Clark frowned, "These are matters for adults; children should keep quiet."

Father's face flushed with rage; he raised his hand to strike me but was stopped by Bruce.

"Sam, don't stoop to fighting with a child." Bruce smiled and said, "Since the girl isn't ready yet, I'll go back for now and come to fetch her in a few days."

After Bruce left, father locked mother and me inside the room.

He pushed a table against the door and sat outside, keeping watch.

The room was pitch dark. Mother and I curled up in a corner, neither of us speaking.

"Mother, don't listen to them." After a long silence, I finally said, "We must escape."

Mother said nothing, only wept silently.

Grandma's death, the neighbors' cold indifference, and father's cruelty pressed down on her like unbearable mountains, leaving her gasping for breath.

"If only Grandma were still here." Mother's voice was thick with a strong nasal tone, "She would surely protect us."

At the mention of Grandma, I couldn't help but shed tears.

Grandma was the only person in this world who truly cared for me, yet she died because of me.

"Mother, for Grandma's sake, we must escape too." I held my mother's hand. "Grandma wouldn't want to see us being bullied like this."

Mother lifted her head and looked at me; for the first time, there was a glimmer of light in her eyes.

She nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Alright, let's run away." Her voice was soft, yet unmistakably firm, "Even if it means death, I won't let you marry that old man."

I held Mother tightly, my heart swelling with hope.

This time, Mother finally stood by my side.

We will surely escape; we will certainly live a better life.

Father locked us up for three days. Apart from bringing us food, he hardly spoke to us during that time.

Early on the fourth day, Bruce came again.

This time, he brought many things and hired several strong men from the village to assist.

"Sam, no matter what, you must take the girl away today." Bruce thumped his chest and said, "I've already told my family; everything will be settled in a couple of days."

Father forced a smile, quickly moved the table blocking the door, and opened it.

"Bruce, rest assured, the girl is ready." Father shoved me roughly, "Go with Bruce quickly."

I glanced at my mother; she stood in the corner, pale but with a resolute expression.

We had already agreed yesterday to take this opportunity to escape today.

"Bruce, may I say a few words to my mother?" I looked at Bruce, trying to keep my voice calm.

"Fine, hurry up." Bruce waved his hand impatiently.

I pulled my mother into the inner room, quickly took the cloth bag hidden under the bed, and pressed it into her hand.

"Mother, I'll go with Bruce first; on the way, I'll find a way to get him drunk and take the key." I lowered my voice, "Wait for me at home. I will come back to get you."

"You must be very careful." Mother held my hand tightly, tears falling onto the back of it, "If it doesn't work, don't force it; your safety is the most important thing."

"I know." I wiped away her tears, "Don't worry about me either; I will definitely come back."

Stepping out of the inner room, Bruce was already waiting, growing somewhat impatient.

He urged me to hurry, while Father kept flattering him incessantly at his side.

"Bruce, this girl is now in your care; you must treat her well." Father rubbed his hands together, wearing a sycophantic expression.

"Rest assured." Bruce patted my shoulder, saying, "I won't mistreat her."

Suppressing my nausea, I followed Bruce out through the courtyard gate.

My mother stood at the doorway, watching me until I disappeared from sight at the village entrance.

Bruce's home was in the neighboring village, about ten miles from ours.

Along the way, he kept rambling about his family's situation, saying that after I married there, I would have a better life.

"Bruce, you are so kind." I deliberately feigned obedience, saying, "May I offer you a drink? Thank you for agreeing to marry me."

Bruce's eyes lit up; he clearly hadn't expected me to be so 'compliant'.

He smiled and said, "Of course, girl, you're very well-behaved."

When we arrived at Bruce's house, he immediately asked the neighbor's wife to help prepare several dishes and brought out a bottle of white wine.

"Come, girl, have a drink with me." Bruce poured me a glass of wine, then filled his own.

"Bruce, I'll toast you first." I lifted my glass and offered it to him, "Wishing you good health and a long life."

Bruce happily took the glass and downed it in one go.

I refilled his glass, continuously finding topics to talk about, encouraging him to drink.

"Bruce, you truly are a good man, unlike my father, who only knows how to beat and scold me." I deliberately said in grievance, "From now on, I will certainly take good care of you."

"Of course, stay with me, and I promise you will enjoy the finest food and drink." Bruce was so coaxed by me that he became dizzy, drinking glass after glass of wine; soon his face was flushed red, and he began to tremble as he spoke.

"Bruce, you've had too much to drink; let me help you rest." I saw the keys protruding from his pocket, and my heart surged with excitement.

"No need, I can still keep drinking." Bruce waved his hand and reached for the wine bottle again, but I stopped him.

"Stop drinking. If you drink any more, it will harm your health." I helped him stand up, deliberately moving closer to his pocket. "Let me take the keys out for you, so you won't lose them later."

Bruce was dazed and didn't think much, only nodded.

Taking advantage of the moment, I pulled the keys from his pocket and quickly slipped them into my own hand.

After helping Bruce lie down on the bed, I hurriedly grabbed the cloth bag I had prepared earlier, opened the door, and ran toward the house.

Night fell quickly, and with no lights on the road, I could only run forward by the moonlight.

My heart was both excited and anxious, thinking that I would soon see my mother and we could escape together, so my steps grew quicker and quicker.

After running for nearly an hour, I finally caught sight of our village.

I was gasping for breath and sped up my pace toward home.

The courtyard gate was closed. I used the key to open it, but the yard was pitch dark and unbearably silent.

"Mother?" I called out once, but no one answered.

I hurried inside the house, but no one was there.

A tightening sensation gripped my heart; a bad premonition washed over me.

"Mother, where are you?" I shouted as I ran through every room.

When I reached the inner room, the scene before me froze me instantly.

Mother was hanging from the roof beam, her face deathly pale, eyes tightly shut, her body already cold.

"Mother!" I screamed, rushing forward and grabbing her legs, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't reach the rope on the roof beam.

"Wake up, Mother! I'm back! We can escape now!" I cried, my voice hoarse and broken. "Don't leave me alone!"

At that moment, Father returned from outside.

He paused, stunned by the scene inside the room, then his face contorted into a snarl.

"Why have you come back?" He rushed over and grabbed my hair. "Did you force her to die?"

"It's you! You caused Mother's death!" I struggled, striking him repeatedly. "You beat her every day, you planned to sell me, you drove her to death!"

"I didn't!" Father suddenly shoved me to the ground. "She couldn't bear it herself. It has nothing to do with me!"

"You're lying!" I stood up and continued fighting him. "Mother was already willing to run away with me. What did you do to her?"

My father was left speechless by my questioning; in his shame and anger, he kicked me hard in the stomach.

I curled up on the ground in pain, struggling for breath for a long moment.

"Let me tell you, it's just as well your mother is dead." My father squatted down, glaring at me viciously, "Tomorrow I will still sell you to Bruce, and I will still get the money."

I looked at his cold face, my heart filled with hatred.

This man, my own father, had destroyed everything I had, had destroyed my mother's life with his own hands.

"Even if I die, I will never marry Bruce." I gritted my teeth and spoke, my eyes filled with despair and fury.

Father was so furious he was speechless; he stood up and searched around for something, as if intent on beating me to death.

Seizing the chance, I climbed up and jumped out of the window, running quickly toward the outskirts of the village.

Father shouted behind me as he chased me; I dared not look back and ran with all my strength.

Beneath the Moonlight, my shadow stretched long, like a solitary ghost.

I ran for a long time, only stopping to catch my breath when Father's shouting faded away.

The night wind blew against me, cold enough to make me shiver uncontrollably.

I crouched by the roadside, hugging my knees, tears streaming down my face.

Mother is dead, Grandma is dead; in this world, there is no one left who truly cares for me.

I took out the Diary from my bosom and opened it.

A line of words appeared on the page again: "To live on is the only way to avenge Mother and Grandma."

Yes, I cannot die.

If I die, who will avenge Mother and Grandma?

Who will make Father and Bruce pay the price?

I wiped away my tears and clenched my fists.

I will live, and I will ensure that those who have hurt us receive the punishment they deserve.

I didn't know where to go, so I could only walk forward aimlessly.

Just before dawn, I reached Ms. Lee's doorstep.

Ms. Lee was one of the few in the village who showed some kindness to me and my mother; she often secretly brought us food and once even pleaded with my father to stop beating my mother.

I hesitated for a long time but eventually knocked on Ms. Lee's door.

I was completely desperate and could only beg her for help.

"Who is it?" Ms. Lee's voice came from inside, and soon the door opened.

Seeing that it was me, Ms. Lee was momentarily taken aback, then quickly pulled me inside.

"Girl, how did you end up like this? Your father has been looking for you everywhere."

"Ms. Lee, my mother has died." I could no longer hold back and broke down in tears in Ms. Lee's arms, saying, "It was my father who drove her to death."

Ms. Lee trembled all over. She patted my back and sighed, "I always knew this day would come. That old man will have his reckoning sooner or later."

"Ms. Lee, I want to report him to the police." I looked up and met Ms. Lee's eyes. "I want to accuse himfor abusing my mother and for trying to sell me."

Ms. Lee frowned, hesitated, and said, "Reporting him to the police could work, but do you have any proof? The villagers are all afraid of your father; they might not come forward to testify."

"I have this." I took out the Diary. "Everything written here is true; it can prove what I am saying."

Ms. Lee looked at the words in the Diary, so stunned that she was speechless.

She remained silent for a long time, then finally nodded.

"Alright, I will help you." Ms. Lee grasped my hand firmly. "Your father and that old man Bruce are no good; they deserve to be punished."

Ms. Lee found me some clean clothes and prepared something for me to eat.

After I finished eating, she took me to the town police station.

We were received by a police officer named Clark, who listened patiently as I recounted everything that had happened.

"Is everything you have said true?" Officer Clark looked at me, his eyes heavy with solemnity.

"It is all true." I replied firmly, "Ms. Lee can testify on my behalf, and I also have this Diary."

Ms. Lee also stepped forward, relating to Officer Clark everything she knew, including that Father frequently abused Mother and that Bruce intended to buy me.

"We will begin the investigation immediately." Officer Clark said gravely, "Be assured, we will not allow the wrongdoers to evade justice."

After leaving the police station, Ms. Lee took me back to her home.

She feared my father would come looking for me, so she hid me in the firewood shed at her house.

"Girl, stay here and rest easy." Ms. Lee laid out a straw bed for me. "Once the police finish their investigation, everything will be alright."

"Thank you, Ms. Lee." I looked at her with gratitude. "If it weren't for you, I truly wouldn't know what I'd do."

"Silly child, there's no need to be so formal with me."Ms. Lee gently stroked my head. "Get some rest, and if anything happens, just call me."

I stayed in the woodshed for two days.

During those two days, I was consumed with worryworried that the police would find no evidence, worried that Father and Bruce would evade justice.

On the third morning, Ms. Lee rushed in excitedly to tell me that the police had taken both Father and Bruce away.

"Really?" I stood up, trembling with excitement. "Have they confessed to their crimes?"

"Yes."Ms. Lee nodded. "The police investigated in the village. Although many were afraid to testify openly, they told the police much in private. With your testimony and that Diary, there's no way for them to deny it."

I breathed a sigh of relief, but tears spilled down my cheeks again.

This time, they were tears of happiness.

Mother and Grandma, did you see that?

Those who harmed us have finally been punished.

At that moment, a line of words appeared again in the Diary: "This is only the beginning. You must live well and live with dignity."

I caressed the Diary, my heart swelling with strength.

I understood that someone was encouraging me, supporting me.

I cannot let down this hope. I must live wellfor Mother, for Grandma, and for myself.