Alina Kochetova

„Another round of beers!“, Alan declared, as he continued smashing into the feast on show at Happy Times eatery. Alan was enjoying the combination of flavours put in front of him and his friends; some popular dishes, and they were cooked with enthusiasm and a due care for the taste. This food is very delicious, the group agreed.

Alan and his friends had come to Qufu for Chinese Spring Festival. The home of Confucianism, tucked away in Shandong, an unspoilt town, peaceful, friendly, historic China. Alan had eaten a lot and was getting full, „Cheers lads!“ Alan took a big swig of beer, „Save some of the prawns for me you greedy bastards, I’m off to find the toilet.“ His friends laughed as he wandered off to ask the owner where were the wash room facilities. The owner, a stout lady with a festive look in her eye, pointed Alan through a backdoor into the alley behind the eatery.

Alan wandered down the alley, yesterday’s celebrations of red bangers evident, leftovers of the good times in the afternoon light. He found what looked like a toilet, a squalid building with two entrances; one for female one for male, he presumed. He took the closest entrance, rounded the corner then suddenly came face to face with a woman squatting on an open toilet. She looked up, a mixture of horror and anger came upon her face as she focused on Alan’s shabby frame. Then she screamed! Ear-piecing like a nail gun. Alan tried to apologize, mumbling something about thinking this was the ‚Gents‘.  This seemed not to appease the woman, if anything hearing Alan’s masculine voice made her more desperate and scream louder.

„Shit, need to get out of here“ Alan went next door to urinate. The woman still screaming, now she was shouting words also. When Alan came out there were three burley local lads waiting. They grabbed him. The woman then came out of the toilet and upon seeing Alan, starting again with the loud screaming in his face and poking his belly. The three lads seemed to get distracted by the ferocity of the woman’s screams, at which point Alan took the opportunity to break free of their grip. He started running down the alley fast, any direction. The three lads chased after him, but luckily they were considerably more drunk than Alan. The first one stumbled, and the two behind fell over him, cursing his mother.

Alan kept running desperate to escape. Past doorways and windows he had admired only an hour previously. He exited past the main wall of the city, saw the moat, descended the stairs to hide under the bridge.

Alan waited, under the bridge, breathing heavily, getting himself together. His mind still racing; how the fuck did that happen? One moment having lunch, the next I’m being chased down the street by the three stooges. Time passed as he stayed hiding under the bridge; no sign of the three pursuers. The light turned more orange as the day drifted into late afternoon. He could see the winter branches reflected in the water under the bridge, gently swaying in the light cold breeze. It began to get colder now, in the distance he could hear an erhu playing, soft tones.

Alan thought of his friends, they would wonder where he was. He liked his hiding spot under the bridge, it was peaceful, solitary. He could see now that soon this day would end, it was a pity. He was consoled, that at least tomorrow he would see the sun rise again.