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#B9tober A full moon hangs in the air, the night sky littered with the glow of lanterns, like artificial stars to guide the living. Townspeople chatter and laugh, gather and coalesce like flocks of animals in celebration of the year's harvest.
The prize bell rings.
The prize bell rings.
#B9tober "Congratulations! Congratulations!" The game attendant claps as he hands a small boy a stuffed doll. The doll is beautifully made: soft fabrics and ornate designs, but the boy tilts his head to the side, unsure of what it was.
There was a limb where there shouldn't be.
There was a limb where there shouldn't be.
#B9tober There was an extra eye--actually three extra eyes misplaced here and there.
"Mister, this prize is ugly." Xiao Jiu frowns but makes no motion to give it back.
"Wow! So cool!"
Xiao Jiu smirks and props his hands on his hips. "That's right, Qi--!"
"Mister, this prize is ugly." Xiao Jiu frowns but makes no motion to give it back.
"Wow! So cool!"
Xiao Jiu smirks and props his hands on his hips. "That's right, Qi--!"
#B9tober His voice trails off when he sees an unfamiliar young boy looking up at him with shining eyes.
"Who...?"
The young boy laughs as if Xiao Jiu had just said a good joke. "It's Binghe, of course! Why are you pretending you don't know me, Jiu-ge?"
"I don't--"
"Who...?"
The young boy laughs as if Xiao Jiu had just said a good joke. "It's Binghe, of course! Why are you pretending you don't know me, Jiu-ge?"
"I don't--"
#B9tober Binghe suddenly grabs Xiao Jiu's wrist without fear and pulls him to the next game stall.
"Jiu-ge! Try this one! I want that toy next!" Binghe points as he also tries to take away Xiao Jiu's last prize.
Xiao Jiu's face twists. "This isn't for you."
Binghe pouts.
"Jiu-ge! Try this one! I want that toy next!" Binghe points as he also tries to take away Xiao Jiu's last prize.
Xiao Jiu's face twists. "This isn't for you."
Binghe pouts.
#B9tober "But you said you would get it for me!"
Xiao Jiu hesitates, his memory fuzzy. "I... I guess..."
He lets go of the toy.
The next game Xiao Jiu plays is a basket throw. He gets all the balls in a basket in two tries.
Binghe gets another toy.
Xiao Jiu hesitates, his memory fuzzy. "I... I guess..."
He lets go of the toy.
The next game Xiao Jiu plays is a basket throw. He gets all the balls in a basket in two tries.
Binghe gets another toy.
#B9tober The next game, he topples a stack of cubes with one toss.
The next: a game of archery, the first target is a bullseye on the body of a cow, then the head of a pig, the last on the head of a human-shaped figure.
The more games Xiao Jiu played, the more odd they seemed.
The next: a game of archery, the first target is a bullseye on the body of a cow, then the head of a pig, the last on the head of a human-shaped figure.
The more games Xiao Jiu played, the more odd they seemed.
#B9tober A basket toss variant became a play-bomb thrown into a human house.
Archery targets became human families.
And the prizes too began to resemble humans. No extra limbs or eyes.
And the attendants began to dress up in costumes, animal heads and limbs of all sizes.
Archery targets became human families.
And the prizes too began to resemble humans. No extra limbs or eyes.
And the attendants began to dress up in costumes, animal heads and limbs of all sizes.
#B9tober But Binghe continued smiling, small arms wrapped tightly around his harvest of human toys.
When the lanterns began to dim and the festivities began to wane, Xiao Jiu noticed the first rays of dawn in the distance.
"Oh, it's over." Xiao Jiu says and pats Binghe's head.
When the lanterns began to dim and the festivities began to wane, Xiao Jiu noticed the first rays of dawn in the distance.
"Oh, it's over." Xiao Jiu says and pats Binghe's head.
#B9tober "It's time for me to go home." He says and starts to walk in the direction they came.
"Wait!" Binghe calls as he struggles to juggle his prizes in one arm. "Let's go together!"
Xiao Jiu looks at Binghe's outstretched hand.
He sighs.
"Alright."
"Wait!" Binghe calls as he struggles to juggle his prizes in one arm. "Let's go together!"
Xiao Jiu looks at Binghe's outstretched hand.
He sighs.
"Alright."
#B9tober Binghe starts to pull him in the opposite direction, and Xiao Jiu resists.
"It's this way." Xiao Jiu says and tugs on Binghe's small hand.
Binghe smiles and shakes his head.
Xiao Jiu doesn't correct him again and let's himself be guided by the young boy.
"It's this way." Xiao Jiu says and tugs on Binghe's small hand.
Binghe smiles and shakes his head.
Xiao Jiu doesn't correct him again and let's himself be guided by the young boy.
Happy BingJiu-tober!! 
Instead of sleepy B9s I'll be doing horror-ish themes for this month instead!
Instead of sleepy B9s I'll be doing horror-ish themes for this month instead!
