Enga mellom fjella

Krait Bite or Bright Kite? [71]

My process doesn't coincide with story-tellers. I'm just ... not. I need to paint a picture and I need my characters forming in my mind. A story follows.

Venue: Taiwan. Specifically Anping the old Dutch naval base protecting the harbor of Tainan, the captal.
Other places will be the mountain tea and coffee plantations, the rice fields north to a fishing harbor Lugang, across the Straight to Xiamen (a.k.a. Amoy, Ē-mûi).
Time: circa 1890.
Characters: Poh and Chok, younger brothers of Li Vi and Chen Rong who are businesswoman in the rice-sake and tea-coffee trade. Also Hoan and foreigners Kwong, Mrs. Walker and Kago-san who also are interested in what is going on in Tainan. Everyone has similar interests, just not similar attitudes or preferred outcomes.
Silkpunk: airships (made from silk and bamboo), especially small two and three seaters used by the wealthy for racing and sport. Known as flying-fish-and-dragons because of the two most popular forms. Dirigibles. Whaleships (underwater ships). The fuel is sake-alcohol (to generate steam?) like for carts, new railroad, wind, helium for lifting (safer than sky lantern fires). The airships are good for espionage... as Li and Chen figure out, using Poh and Chok to take the risks (a.k.a. having fun).
Genre: Not sure, but there's intrigue and minor/major disasters and a budding romance between two of the characters (it unfolds). There's no real violence. Yes, there is historical violence in the area but the tension is commerce and trade ... and secrets. No one is going to die (even if it appears that way) and the conflicts are more mental (as in a game) and emotional.

Did come up with an idea for one of the silkpunk stories. One of the fish-and-dragon 魚和龍 (Yú hé lóng) boats 船 (chuán) has mechanical problems (valve?) and they (Chok or Poh or both) come down in a rice paddy. Well... the poisonous krait lives in rice paddies. Is one of them bitten? How bad? A krait-bite can kill in 2-5 hours? It adds to the tension of the relationship of Chok and Poh and may threaten their espionage. What part does Hoan play in this? Hmm...

Note: I think 飛船 fēichuán (dirigible) would be used because of the rigid bamboo framework; 飛艇 fēitǐng (blimp)
飛魚 fēiyú (flying fish) ... so ... maybe 飛魚和龍 fēiyú hé lóng (flying fish and dragon)
鯨艇 jīng tǐng (whale boat/ship)

Might be a nice way to start in the middle. Certain themes would immediately be established. Just tired thoughts. at 12:22 a.m.

Krait bites: "This may help in species identification if the snake has not been seen. The few symptoms of the bite include: tightening of the facial muscles in one to two hours of the bite; inability of the bite victim to see or talk, and, if left untreated, the patient may die from respiratory paralysis within four to five hours."

— Krait Bite —

"We'd love to see pictures," Li Vi stated in an even tone. She had agreed with Chen Rong that the two boys were safer not knowing how important their 'play' was. They were so enthusiastic and already taking risks. The tea trade and sake trade brought in the money but knowing the movements of others could lead to opportunities if only to avoid the pirates. Poh, her younger brother, had said that he'd seen a whaleship moving in the depths. Chok had nodded, "I saw three." A pod of whaleships? How interesting. She remembered that Chen Rong had overheard that some of the fisher-folk feared them. She had mentioned this to her friendly rival Hoan who simply frowned. "They have reasons."

Poh had the junk in view but Chok couldn't keep their fēichuán (flying boat) Blue Cloud still enough for a good picture. The junk had an interesting shadow below the squid gathering to the light of the lantern. From below the fēiyú (flying fish) would just look like a bobbing fish... out of water ... if anyone were looking thir way. The moon was a sliver in a cloudless sky. No one except the fisher-folk would be out at this hour.

Chok swore, "We need to head to shore unless you want to swim. The valve's stuck. He'd opened it just a little so they could come closer for a better look. "One moment." Poh took a picture as Blue Cloud (藍雲 lán yún) steadied for a moment.

"Got it." Poh whispered as soft as he could. Sound carried over the water. "I hope."

Chok tried to close the valve but to no avail. Poh steered towards shore as they slowly descended. He aimed for open fields. Crashing into trees or buildings would be expensive, embarrassing and raise too many questions. And their older sisters' ire ... no use dwelling one that. They may not agree to pay for the repairs and both boys loved their toys.

The rice field gleamed from recent rains. Poh wanted to set Blue Cloud down by a row of trees. easier to hide it if they had to. "Now." Poh barked. Chok opened the valve and they gently set down. "Good landing." "Always." They kept their voices low. They weren't sure how close they were to houses but a road was about one lǐ away (里 about 500 meters), far enough that if they found a good spot to hide Blue Cloud it wouldn't be noticed. If they were lucky.

They shifted it into a spot between two small trees. Poh grabbed the camera as Chok opened the valve to make sure that a stray breeze wouldn't lift it and blow Blue Cloud away.

They began to walk towards the road their trousers rolled up to keep them dry.

Chok suddenly cried out and pointed. Poh only saw a rope until it swam away. Krait. "It bit me." Chok stated in a trembling voice. "What do I do?" "Don't move." Poh took the camera and strapped it on Chok's shoulders, then he lifted Chok unto his own and began to carry him towards the road. If Chok were lucky, the poisonous snake didn't get a good bite. If not, they had two hours, five max. At this time of the night?

They were almost at the road when they saw a bobbing lantern passing by. They both cried out for help. It stopped and Poh set Chok down so he could climb the bank and beg for help.

It was one of those new sake-fueled carts. He told the cloaked person that his friend had been bit by a krait and needed to see a doctor. With a nod the cart backed up. And whoever it was ... helped Poh get Chok unto the cart. Poh took a quick look at the wound but couldn't tell. With both settled in the driver took off. Slowly at first. Poh wondered whether they would make it in time. Chok was silent. Not a good sign. Poh held him to keep him from moving. So important to not move.

The cart picked up speed, then began to move as if they were flying! Not an everyday cart, Poh thought. He watched the fields fly by as Chok closed his eyes.

The driver entered a small village and blew the whistle. A middle-aged woman came to the door as soon as their rescuer knocked hard and yelled out. Poh and their rescuer lifted Chok and placed him where the doctor pointed. An older woman came out, listened to the doctor and went to get herbs for a poultice.

They made Chok comfortable. He could barely speak. The venom was taking hold. The doctor examined the wound and applied a poultice as the old woman brought in soup and began to spoon it into Chok's mouth. "It will give him a better chance. Only time will tell." She whispered.

Poh sighed. There was nothing to do but wait. He turned to thank their unknown rescuer as a lantern revealed her face. It was Hoan! And worse, she was smiling.

© Copyright 2021 Kåre Enga [178.71] (8.april.2021)

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