[Folk Horror] Ten Days of Mourning

The atmosphere seemed to freeze.

Although in modern society, you and your friends have received higher education, but not everyone can turn a blind eye to such unclear and ominous words and keep their faces unchanged.And, I don't know why, from the moment I saw this yellow paper, it seemed that there was a chill spreading from the soles of my feet, making you almost want to vomit.

"...What does this mean?" You finally came back to your senses, and showed the yellow paper to Goddess Zhao unceremoniously, "It doesn't matter if you make a lottery for fortune-telling. It's a funeral and a filial daughter. This lottery will never be Curse my parents?"

You can only explain the unreasonable chill in this way. You have a good relationship with your parents, so you are very angry.

The friend was a little at a loss, and finally chose to smooth things over: "Ah... Maybe it's the same as the 24 filial piety, that is, you are filial? Old man, can you untie the sign for my friend?"

Your friend rubbed your shoulders, silently expressing relief, the vague panic and anger in your heart subsided a little, let out a breath, and waited for Goddess Zhao's answer.You still think in your heart, maybe your tone was too strong just now, anyway, he is also an old man, and he should apologize later.

But what you didn't expect was that Goddess Zhao took a look at the signature and said in surprise, "I didn't write this one!"

"How is it possible...it's obviously a lottery that was taken out of your pocket!" You were also surprised, and took the yellow paper from your friend's hand as you spoke. There it is - the handwriting on the two sheets of paper is noticeably different!The handwriting of "Lan Xinhui Zhi" on my friend's card is neat, and it can be seen that the person who writes often uses a brush and has some calligraphy skills.But your handwriting is crooked, like long worms, the yellow paper is still crumpled, and there are many dark stains on it, which are completely dry, and brown-red powder crumbs will fall down after rubbing.

The feeling of uneasiness is getting stronger and stronger.

"...Even if it wasn't written by you, the sun is about to set, and I would panic if I got such a lottery," you straightened your words, "Mrs. Zhao, I'm a girl from the family in the east of the village. Think? We’ve seen each other for so long, I know you even if you don’t know me, please help me to untie the lottery, and let me rest assured, okay? I’m begging you old man.”

Fang Gang, the sorceress of Zhao, was afraid that you wouldn't believe her, and she was tremblingly opening the other signs. You glanced at them, and sure enough, they were all auspicious words such as promotion and fortune, family reunion, etc., all of which were written in such neat handwriting.Now hearing your sincere tone, Goddess Zhao looked at your face carefully for a moment, hesitated for a while: "So it's you girl... okay, then don't talk nonsense about today's affairs, I want to beg you too food."

The friend quickly made a promise: "Grandma, don't worry, my friend has the strictest mouth."

You give her a push, and she smiles at you reassuringly.

"The ten-day mourning sounds familiar, and I can't remember it for a while... But I have some clues about the filial daughter's heart: we used to have a custom here, and I heard it from my master," Zhao Shenmao said, her voice was very soft. , "It's just... If the old man of the family left normally, that's okay. But if the old man died suddenly and couldn't close his eyes, then ask the old man's favorite son and daughter to cut a section of hair, put it in the old man's hand, and then kneel down Ten days of mourning, a great funeral. Finally, if this filial son and filial daughter really want their parents to die in peace, they have to kill themselves, and ask the relatives and friends accompanying the bereavement to cut out their own hearts and put them in the coffin for their parents. Caring for the dead—but this is a thing of the old times! How many years haven’t passed, and even in the old days, it’s all voluntary, only filial sons and daughters can do it, and other children don’t need it!”

These words are full of blood, you are unprepared, your friend's face is not very good because of the fright, and your expression is also a little ugly: "...Then what if the old man leaves late and has no children alive?"

"That's grandchildren, great-grandchildren."

"What if we don't do it?"

"Actually, it's not a problem. Although it is said that the soul of the old man is going to make trouble, it's called family trouble. Even if the old man doesn't close his eyes, he's still making trouble for his own offspring. It can't hinder other people's business."

"What if the deceased was only a child?"

"Then only that kid can dig it..."

It's ridiculous.That's the only thought that's left in your head for the first time.What kind of heartbreak and coffin, what kind of family trouble... These things sound absurd, and you have never heard of them!Even if you know that there used to be dark and backward folk customs in some places, you never thought that your hometown also had them, let alone that you would get such a signature inexplicably.That's bullshit... You keep trying to convince yourself that this is bullshit, but you still feel uncomfortable.

You are an only child.

Goddess Zhao didn't know how you felt, so she comforted you: "It's okay, girl, your parents are in good health, this lottery is all nonsense, don't take it to heart."

If you are not in the mood to talk about it, you take out the banknotes from your wallet and give some extra as a thank you to Goddess Zhao for helping to solve the lottery. Afterwards, you hold your friend's hand and return home in a low mood.

My friend was excited all day today, and soon became sleepy at night. After taking a shower, she put on her nightgown and tucked into the quilt, and said good night to you vaguely.When you see her like this, your heart feels sweet and soft again.

Before falling asleep, you heard her whisper: "Oh...it's all my fault for insisting on fortune telling, those things are all fake, don't take it too seriously..."

"You can't even open your eyes, what are you talking about? Don't worry, I don't care, go to bed early." You cheered up and patted her arm, "I'll wash my face, and I'll come back and turn off the lights."

The friend hummed vaguely, but there was no other reaction, probably falling asleep.

You leave the bedroom, wash your face, and then walk out into the yard.The weather is fine tonight, the breeze is breezy, the moon is shining like a wash, your father is still awake, sitting on a small stool to keep accounts, and your mother is collecting clothes. It is a very common and happy scene.

You stood at the door for a while, as if in a daze, and then said: "Dad, Mom. I encountered a very strange thing today."

"Huh? Haven't you slept yet?" Your mother said holding a pile of clothes, "What's the matter?"

You didn't hide it anymore, and told your parents everything about meeting Goddess Zhao today and getting a strange lottery.You don't have to hide it in front of your parents, and finally showed a panicked look, and said anxiously: "That's what happened... It's scary to mourn a filial daughter for ten days..."

"Our good girl grows up, and knows to worry about her parents' health." Your father didn't care, and laughed and joked.You are a little embarrassed, and you are about to say something, when you look away, you suddenly stop, and you see that your mother has been silent, with a weird expression.

"Mom, what's wrong?" You raised your heart again and asked carefully.

"It's nothing, I suddenly remembered something." Your mother said, shaking her head, "It's nothing...you can go back to sleep quickly, you can't bring your friend to stay in bed together."

You are a little impatient. Ever since you drew that strange lottery, you have always felt that your emotions are often slipping out of control. You are not superstitious, but there seems to be something cold flowing in your blood vessels, which makes you have an unknown mouthful in your throat. I have a hunch, you can't care about other things at this moment, you just want to break the casserole and ask the end, so you hurriedly asked: "Mom, don't tell me you keep half of it... It can't be that you really have something to hide from me, right? Are you sick? Is there something wrong at home? I have grown up, and I can help if there is anything, don't make me worry so much!"

"You child, where are you thinking?" Your mother forced a smile, but she was a little relieved at your concern, and then slowly recalled, "I just remembered, your father and I both went to junior high school, and we don't know much about it. Believe in these. But your grandfather is very superstitious, your grandfather left when you were ten years old, sixty at that time..."

"It's a coincidence," your father interjected, "Your grandfather in our family happened to be [-], and they are all in the same year."

For some reason, the cool wind that should make people feel comfortable is blowing on you, and you feel a little cold.

"Don't interrupt," your mother glared at your father and continued, "Actually, you were not in good health when you were just born, before you were a hundred days old. First you suddenly developed jaundice and then a high fever. Our small local hospital also No, I had to take you to the county, but you didn't get better after a while, I thought... your grandfather said that he knew the great doctor in the city, so he took you away, and when you came back, you were all cured gone."

Your dad suddenly realized, and nodded again and again: "Yes, I know what you said, it is such a thing. My dad is also true, when you brought me back, he didn't allow you to see me and your mother, and then you learned to talk , he also doesn’t want you to be called father and mother, and he doesn’t give up until you are one year old.”

"But...why?" you ask.

Your parents looked at each other in blank dismay: "Why?"

"Why are you not allowed to see my parents and call me parents?" you asked.

Just as your father was about to say something, he heard a sudden noise outside, as if someone was walking hurriedly, whispering and whispering.And when you watched your parents go out to ask about the situation, you only felt more and more doubts, slowly filling your heart.