But it was no use.
After moving everything he could in the blackness, Ying realized that his mother's chest and waist were wedged beneath a boulder as big as a horse. He would never be able to lift it alone.
Hesitantly, Ying took his mother's arm in his hands, dreading what he knew he had to do next. He placed his battered fingertips on her wrist and felt for a pulse.
He felt nothing.
For the first time since he'd lost his best friend, Luk, Ying felt tears welling up in his eyes.
Darkness enveloped Ying. He dropped his head, his mother's arm still in his hands. He felt as helpless as a toddler.
“I am so sorry, Mother,” Ying whispered. “So very sorry. I wish there was something I could do to help you … ”
Ying felt a twitch beneath his fingertips, and he nearly cried out in surprise. Was that a pulse? He concentrated hard and noticed that, yes, there was definitely something there, beating delicately, slowly, until it started to grow stronger and stronger.
Miraculously, just a few moments later, WanSow began to speak. Her words were faint but audible. Ying realized that she had slowed her heart rate to cause herself to slip into unconsciousness. Her heartbeat had been so slow that he couldn't feel it. Now she was bringing herself back.
“You can still help me,” WanSow whispered. “You can help us all. Stop Tonglong.” She coughed. “Go.”
“Go where?” Ying asked, his eyes darting futilely around the utter blackness. “The entrance is blocked. I don't even know where it is anymore.”
“There is a way out,” WanSow whispered. “Feel your way over to the smooth stone map and push on the right side with all your strength. It should swing outward like a door. There is a passageway beyond. A natural tunnel. It leads outside.” She coughed again. “I watched the rocks as they fell. The map should be unobstructed.”
“I can't leave you like this,” Ying said.
“Yes, you can,” WanSow whispered. “Listen to me. I am slowing my heart rate down again. I will soon slip back into unconsciousness. I will feel no pain. I believe I can survive like this for a day and a night. Perhaps two nights. Stop Tonglong first, then return and help me if there is time. Goodbye, my son.”
Before Ying could say a word, his mother slipped into a deep meditative state.
Ying ground his teeth. Tonglong was going to pay. He bowed farewell to his mother and began to fumble around for the stone map. It didn't take long to find, and it took even less time to open.
An hour later, Ying was back at the ransacked house. His ransacked house. Tonglong and the soldiers were gone. Ying began to look frantically for the skiff, and when he finally did find it, he shrieked in frustration. Tonglong's men had sunk it in the creek. He would have to head back on foot.
It was slow going, trying to run along the creek bank. There were many more twists and turns than Ying remembered. Also, the rocks on the shore were covered with thick algae and slime. Another hour passed before he reached the twin pagodas where the creek met the river. Ying turned to walk upstream and jumped as someone called out his name.
“Ying! Ying! Over here!” a girl shouted.
It was Hok. She was in a small sailing vessel with Charles, Fu, and Malao. Charles steered the boat toward the shore and yelled, “Swim out toward the center of the river, Ying! We'll pick you up!”
Ying jumped in. The river was colder than he'd expected. He caught his breath and swam hard across the current. Charles swung the boat near, and Hok tossed Ying a line. Ying grabbed hold of it and hauled himself aboard.
“Th-th-thank you,” Ying said to Hok.
Hok nodded. “You are welcome. Are you okay?”
Ying began to shiver uncontrollably. Whether it was a result of the cold water or stress, he wasn't sure. He glanced around the boat. “I'm fine. Where is ShaoShu?”
“I don't know,” Hok said. “He wandered off somewhere and hadn't returned by the time we needed to leave. We will go back for him soon.”
“We will have to go back for someone else, too,” Ying said. “My mother has been badly injured.”
“What happened?” Hok asked.
“Tonglong happened,” Ying said. “He is here.”
“We know,” Charles said. “Hok wanted to come here and warn you. I take it you've seen him?”
“Yes,” Ying replied. He looked at Hok. “There is a second map. Tonglong has seen it. We have to get to the treasure before they do.”
“How are we supposed to know where to go?” Fu growled.
Ying tapped the side of his head with a jittery finger. “I saw the m-m-map, too, Pussycat.” Ying began to glance up and down the riverbanks.