Rich People Problems-Kwan 2017 (WWT)

“May I offer you a blessing?”
“I would be honored.”
The priest guided her along to a quiet corner of the temple that was open to the view.
They sat on the steps of a marble altar and looked out at the undulating hills as a cool
breeze blew into the chamber. The monk smiled at her again. “We do not often get
visitors from Singapore at the temple. I noticed you when you first entered the temple
with your chaperone, because you were so beautifully dressed, but when you smiled at
me, I sensed a great sadness in you.”
Su Yi nodded, lowering her eyes. “I am away from my family, and my island is at war.”
“Yes, I have heard about the war spreading through southern Asia. I do not understand
this war. But I sense that your sadness comes from a deeper place…” He gazed intently at
her, and Su Yi noticed for the first time that his irises had an almost bluish gray tint to
them. Suddenly she found her eyes welling uncontrollably with tears.
“My brother,” Su Yi said almost inaudibly, her throat choking up. “My elder brother has
been missing for some time.” She had told no one about this, and she wasn’t sure why she
was telling him now. She was about to reach into her purse for her handkerchief when the
monk produced one, seemingly out of nowhere. It was a silk scarf with a deep-blue-andpurple
paisley pattern, and it seemed incongruous with the rest of his austere appearance.
Su Yi wiped away her tears and looked up at the priest, who suddenly appeared to be
wearing wire-frame glasses just like the ones her brother wore.
“Yes, your brother Alexander wants to tell you something. Would you like to hear his
message?”
Su Yi looked at him, not comprehending what he meant at first. Before she could
answer, the priest began to unleash a torrent of Hokkien: Seven. Eight. Nine. Coming
ashore. Bloody hell, there’s too many of them. This won’t work. This won’t work at all.
A chill ran down her spine. This was her brother’s voice coming out of the priest’s
mouth, and he was muttering the same nonsensical things he had said when he had been
deliriously ill.
“What won’t work? Ah Jit, tell me, what won’t work?” Su Yi asked urgently.
“I can’t take that many. It’s too dangerous. We have to move very quickly, and we can’t
fight back?”
“Ah Jit, slow down, who’s fighting back?” Su Yi wrung her hands in frustration, feeling
them get sticky. When she looked down at the silk paisley handkerchief, she saw that it
was covered in a strange weblike mucus mixed with blood. Suddenly her brother stopped
his incoherent ranting and spoke to her in a clear, lucid tone. “I think you know what to
do now, Su Yi. Trust your instincts. This is the only way we can atone for all that our
ancestors have done. You can never tell anyone, especially not Father.”
In an instant, she knew what her brother meant. “How am I going to do all this by
myself?”
“I have no doubt in you, sister. You are the last hope now…are you awake? Mummy, are
you awake?”