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| Illustration: HANG XUAN |
Out there was the white river. The water rose to the edge of the stone embankment. Mist covered the trees, reaching the roots that protruded above the ground, and the wildflowers I couldn't see.
My office is high up, sheltered from the wind, with glass windows on three sides, but the crumbling walls and towering buildings springing up on all four sides bring tears to my eyes every time I look at them.
From my elevated vantage point, I could see a patch of land belonging to a kindergarten. The trees were quite tall, with white trunks and white flowers, their leaves arranged in whorls like old mushrooms dividing their spores. Ancient trees cast shadows over almost the entire garden, perhaps even reaching the base of the building's walls. And so, the ground stretched out, vast, long, and deep, with wildflowers spreading everywhere. White, purple, and pink tigon flowers, pale yellow morning glory, silvery white reeds, and shimmering green grasses mingled together.
And at the far end of the garden, a gigantic, fan-shaped tree soared high into the sky. The wind never ceased to playfully rustle through its deep green foliage, millions upon millions of leaves constantly swaying, creating an endless melody. And I saw: a huge bird's nest, like a sturdy castle, clinging to the tree trunk, with flocks of birds flying back and forth as if soaring into a storm.
For the past two months, I've discovered that place. My mind is no longer haunted by books flickering like fireflies, always ready to unleash all its energy towards the leaves high above.
The phone! The phone rang. I hurriedly left the sun-drenched window. But strangely enough, a herd of deer suddenly appeared in the garden, grazing on the plants. They looked like something out of a fairy tale, tall and majestic, their fur like brocade, like streaks of water, their bodies soaking wet. Their large, muscular chests pressed against each other, flowers flying up from the ground all over them. Perched on the back of a king deer with deep black eyes was a tiny boy, wearing a shiny black jacket, his clothes clinging tightly to him, making him appear even smaller. I rubbed my eyes hard. Oh no, the boy was smiling, like any other cheerful boy. The phone patiently continued its annoying refrain. I had to go out, bewildered, not knowing what to do.
***
The deer grazed peacefully in the garden. The ground was lush green and covered in dew. In the distance, the sounds of children could be heard. I was captivated by the agile, powerful figures moving among the wild bushes, and I was reminded of these images from wildlife films. Could they really be real? Long snouts exhaling smoke, tall and massive bodies as if they had just risen from the bottom of a river.
Suddenly, a tiny hand clung to the window bars, startling me. Then a head wearing a jacket popped out. A small boy was perched precariously between the window bars, grinning mischievously at me.
- Hello, I've just arrived from afar. What are you looking at?
Look at the deer, they're so beautiful!
"These are my deer, ma'am," the boy said proudly. "I've led them all over the land. They love it here..."
I asked:
And what about you? What are you doing climbing up here?
- To see higher, to see further. Oh, you can't possibly see what I see.
What did you see?
"Oh!" the boy replied mysteriously. "I have to watch the deer. I only climb up the houses when I have free time… I see trees growing out of the tall crevices in the walls. They even have flowers, sister. Their flowers are white, they look like clouds."
Is that all?
- Oh no. I saw thousands and thousands of roofs pushing against each other. I almost fell into a huge pile of broken bricks. The roofs are very clean, sister; birds often perch here to rest. They even choose a spot to hold a bird festival. They bring all sorts of flowers to sow elsewhere, but the wind blows them away...
Is that all?
- That's not all. I also saw a vast river, surrounded by lush green trees, where my deer herd could graze for thousands of days without running out of food. I saw gnarled tree trunks at the foot of a vibrant red rainbow.
Can you see everything?
- Oh no, look how small I am… But I can see you, over there. You're sitting in a hot room with a very low ceiling. You're sitting in front of a huge table piled high with books. I can see the words reflected in your thick glasses…
The sound of hurried footsteps interrupted the boy's words. Mr. Boss had arrived at the company, and so had the clients. The boy smiled and disappeared down the drain, but his voice echoed:
- Come again tomorrow morning!
***
The magical deer still roamed tirelessly in that garden. And every day the little boy would come and tell me what he saw up high.
He saw a horse flying low over the water, its neighing sending splashes of white foam high into the air. He saw a mountain range covered in heather, my favorite flower. He saw ancient cities made of honey, with millions of bees still working tirelessly.
Then you will see it all, everything…
I would often take my glasses off, silently gaze into space, and whisper the things the little boy told me.
Following those conversations, Mr. Xếp appeared. He came to my table and asked:
Hey miss, are you alright?
- Sir, I'm perfectly fine - I don't want Mr. Boss to suspect anything.
She looks very tired.
- Oh no. There are mountain ranges running across the land, covered in heather flowers. I love them.
He held up a finger in front of my eyes:
So, what is this?
- A tiny little boy, wearing a jacket.
"Oh!" he exclaimed, and then walked away.
One morning, the little boy told me:
- When he was a child, Mr. Xếp often wore a jacket and tight-fitting clothes. He even recklessly carried a plastic sword and would always pull it out to scare the newly hatched chicks.
The story made me laugh for a long time.
"Hey, miss, what are you laughing at?" he reappeared, his gaze scrutinizing.
I replied:
- What is a plastic sword used for, sir? And why would it scare newly hatched chicks?
"She's suffering from paranoia!" he roared.
***
I hid in the bathroom and laughed with the little boy as the sun began to rise. The sweet light spread everywhere, and now I had made it a habit to get up early and go to work first thing in the morning. The boy leaned on the window sill, telling me stories of how herds of deer had traveled across the lands. There were places without rivers but with wine, and places where mountains of candy never wore away… And so, I forgot that the door wasn't locked, and with just that distance, one person could intrude into another's world .
The manager stood behind me, stretching out his long arms and grabbing the little boy tightly.
"Oh, what are you doing?" I exclaimed in alarm.
"Look at this," he said triumphantly. "Look, a broken doll sitting on the windowsill. I don't know who left it here!"
"No, no. That's not it..." I tried to reach out and rescue the little boy.
With both hands clenched, he threw the small man to the ground.
I saw the little boy fall into that garden. The moment he touched the ground, he vanished like a mirage. The beautiful deer also disappeared as if they had never existed. But the boy's eyes, brighter than any light I have ever seen in this world, remain forever in my soul.
Short stories by Tran Thu Hang
Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202506/chu-be-di-khap-the-gian-8b90d59/
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