Marcus and Kevin ended up spending another hour with Tyler Khan sweeping through Putnam Von’s apartment. They ended up finding almost nothing of importance or interest to the current investigation, aside from the brown envelope picked up by Marcus. They looked into all of the drawers, storage compartments, backs of shelves and even under some loose floor and wall boards. And all they found were some dirty magazines, and some call cards with numbers to providers of unsavory services on them.

The community collective’s own crime scene team came after the hour, and along with two other forensic technicians. But right now neither Marcus nor Kevin had the energy to keep on going, and all they could do was give the team a quick greeting, apologize to Tyler Khan and hop on a taxi to get back.

Marcus’ apartment gave off a familiar clear, minty and slightly chemical smell. It was the smell of a particular brand of air freshener, one that Marcus’ parents used to use when he was younger.

There was a smell of fried food in the air as well. And when he got into the kitchen, he saw a big metal pot lid on the dining table, and the smell seemed to be coming from under it. It was a plate of fried dumplings, a sunny-side-up egg, and a pan-seared sausage that were stored under the lid. There was a note on the table: “Son, hope you’re not home too late. Have some night snacks and get plenty of sleep.”

Marcus sighed and wiped his eyes, then grabbed a pair of chopsticks and a bowl before sitting down.

He did not know how hungry he was until he was almost done with the food - there were in total twelve dumplings, the sizes of which were on the bigger end and were fully stuffed with ground pork and cabbage. For any normal person this would be a full meal. Yet he still felt a bit of hunger, even after eating everything.

Maybe it was because of his weariness, maybe it was because of the familiar homey taste and smell, or maybe it was because of the note and his father’s shaky handwriting, Marcus felt the need to wipe his eyes and cheeks again after finishing everything. A decision was made, when he put the last clean dish back onto the dish rack.

He snuck into his father’s bedroom to check on his father like so many times before. And just like the times before, his father’s health conditions felt fine - his meridians were clear, his blood flow and muscle were normal, his bones were solid. There seemed to be nothing to worry about.

After locking the door to his own room, Marcus pulled out a small incense burner from under his bed, took out the incense sticks given to him by Master Liaoran that were said to be able to help him “see”. He then cracked open the window, placed the incense burner in the corner that was furthest from the door and laid on his bed.

The calming smell of the smoke from the incense sticks seemed to have added additional weight to his eyelids. And before long, Marcus found himself sitting in the kitchen, beside the dining table, eating the same plate of fried dumplings, sausage and egg.

“How’d it taste?” A gentle female voice asked.

“It’s good.” Marcus responded while still keeping his head down, but then he instantly looked up, onto the middle-aged smiling woman sitting by the table before him. “Mom? It’s really - you?”

“Of course it’s me, why wouldn’t it be?” The woman smiled.

“Wait - but you’re - ” Marcus was stunned for a minute, then started ruffling through his pockets trying to find a mirror, or a phone.

“What are you trying to find?” Marcus’ mother asked. Her voice was just as gentle and warm as he remembered.

“My phone… I mean, nothing.” Marcus sighed and put his hands back on the table: “How - how are you, mom?”

“I’m good. Better now.” Marcus’ mother smiled and wiped her eyes discreetly: “I see you still have a big appetite, like you did before.”

“I try.” Marcus chuckled: “Did you teach dad this? His cooking - well, I don’t remember much of his cooking. But I’d say he improved.”

“Your father tries, just like you. ” Marcus’ mother shook her head: “He still remembers, I don’t have much to teach him, I just had to remind him of the basics.”

“And - ” Marcus tried to find the right words: “How - and why - are we sitting here?”

“Because, the fire in you has finally cooled down enough, and the incense in your room helped a great deal as well.” Marcus’ mother smiled and nodded: “It’s perfect timing - I almost thought I wouldn’t have a chance to meet you.”

“That’s wonderful.” Marcus found that he was starting to choke up, but he forced it down: “Mom, I miss you, you don’t know how much I do - but…”

“But you want to know what happened.” The figure of Marcus’ mother flickered, as if she was not real, but a hologram projection: “I - I cannot tell you Marcus. Please don’t make me, and it will ruin what little time we have.”

“Dad went back to save you - ”

“There was nothing he could do, my son. It was already too late. Don’t blame him. Don’t doubt him. He came back to you carrying the will to take care of you, for the both of us.”

“Ha, I suspect so.” Marcus let out a long exhale of relief with a smile on his face.

“You’re always a good kid. Wise beyond your years.” Marcus’ mother reached her hand out, as if in an attempt to stroke his hair and face. But before she was able to, she retracted her arm, shaking her head: “I - I miss you too. I’m so, so happy I get to finally see you.”

“Thank you mother.” Marcus sighed and nodded: “Will - will I be able to see you again?”

“I’m sorry Marcus, but my time will come soon. And I fear that I won’t be able to say goodbye to your father.” Marcus’ mother sighed with him, then she stood up: “Looks like your fire is growing back. That’s good, my dear son. That’s good. Keep it, use it.”

Marcus immediately stood up, trying his best to suppress his Qi. He felt nothing in his meridians, but the room and everything around him seemed to be getting more and more blurry.

“... please be well, mother.” Marcus shouted down his desire to ask for a hug in his head.

“Son. Find your favorite books as a child.” Marcus’ mother’s face turned stern and serious, then she turned her back on him and started walking out of the kitchen. Marcus tried to hold on to the moment a bit longer, yet all he did was just get a good look at her mother’s exposed back.

Marcus’ pillowcase was soaked through when he woke up. And his bedsheets and duvet as well. Though it was a dream, he still remembered everything. Especially the sight of his mother from behind.

It was nowhere near a human’s body, the skin and flesh was cracked, exposing the spine and rib bones underneath. And wrapped around the bones of the spine and the ribs, was a rope made of long intertwined aqua weeds. The rope itself reached down somewhere below his mother’s feet. But Marcus did not get to see where the other end of the rope ultimately led to.

“Favorite book as a child…” Marcus jumped up from the bed and started looking over his book shelf.

It only took about a minute or two, before he pulled out the dusty story book: Legend of the Burnt Queen and the One-armed Knight.