10 chapter 10

The mother yells,"Jimmy, do not be foolish! You can not beat him! He will murder you if you attack him again! Do not be so foolish!"

The boy gets free of the grips of his mother and swings at Tenlong's large chin.

The child hits Tenlong in the jaw as hard as he could. The boy grabs his hand out of pain of hitting the large man's chin. The boy had never hit anything this hard. The boy is blowing on his knuckles as if doing so would make the pain just go away.

Tenlong is standing bent over to let the boy be able to hit him. After a few moments go by after the boy's hit he lands back first on the ground. He falls on his back and acts like he is knocked out.

The boy and his mother are standing on their feet speechless that Tenlong is laying out on the ground. The giant's eyes open and he returns to his feet. Tenlong dusts himself off while smiling from ear to ear.

Jimmy starts to chuckle out loud to his mother's horror. Then after a few seconds, his mother

starts to laugh too. The two had ultimately figure out that Tenlong would do them no harm.

Tenlong speaks," You sure got me good! You have got a mighty punch! No bandit will mess

with you now!"

The boy and his mother are grinning from ear to ear. They could not help from laughing at Tenlong playing dead.

Jimmy speaks," I guess you are not a bandit mister! Bandits do not play jokes with us villagers! They are mean to us!"

The woman is standing by her son with her arm around his shoulders.

The woman speaks," What has happened to your clothes, Sir?"

Tenlong is taken back with the reaction of the young mother.

The giant spoke," I grew out of my clothes and I had to use blankets to cover myself. I had

nothing else to wear."

The woman speaks," I do not have much, but I can make you some better clothes than what you have now."

Tenlong is shocked by the kind reaction of the woman.

He speaks," I will pay you for your services, kind ma'am!"

The woman shakes her head and says,"That will not do!"

The boy looks up at his mother and speaks,"Are we going take him back home, Momma?"

The woman smiles in response of what her son has said.

Tenlong speaks," You do not have to go through all the trouble. I can make it."

A frown appears on the woman's face.

She says,"I see that you are in need and will not let you go away with nothing!"

Tenlong eyes begins to misty eyed by such an act of kindness after losing his mother. Zizi was all Tenlong had for family but that was stolen from him!

He speaks,"Thank you for the help! I will do anything to help you as well! Just ask and I will my best!"

The boy says,"Let us go back home!"

The woman smiles and walks behind her son with Tenlong taking the rear.

#

Tenlong is beginning to wonder where the boy and his mother is taking him. They have been working for several minutes and they are on the outskirts of the village. All he can see is a destroyed house and a large shed that was behind the wrecked home.

Tenlong thought,"Where is there house at? I do not see any place where they can be living at!"

The boy yells,"We are finally home, mister!"

The mother's face blushes out of embarrassment of their living conditions as if she had brought it upon herself and her son.

She says," It is all we have, so I am sorry for poor conditions."

Tenlong speaks," I do not even have a home anymore so you are better off than I am, so do not feel bad! You have nothing to be ashamed of!"

The woman gasps," I am sorry for your loss! I forget that there people that are worse off than we are!"

Tenlong speaks,"There is nothing for you to be sorry about. You could nothing to change what has happened. I will appreciate any help that you can do for me! But do not overburden yourself with my needs."

The woman speaks," Why are you traveling for?"

Before Tenlong could respond to the question, his belly begins to growl.

Jimmy yells,"I am hungry too, Momma! Fix us something good like you always do!"

Tenlong was embarrassed by the sound of a hungry stomach.

The woman says," There is no shame in being hungry sir."

The giant's shame eases off him and he starts to respond.

"I am called Tenlong and do not worry about using my name ma'am. Calling me sir is not needful."

The woman speaks," My name is Mary and you know that my son is named Jimmy."

Tenlong speaks," Thank you Ms Mary for all your help so far!"

Mary frowns and looks down at the ground. Jimmy stops playing.

Tenlong asks,"Have I do something bad? I am sorry, if I have offended you unknowingly!"

Mary says,"I am married or least I used to be."

Tenlong can tell that she was a widow, so he decides to change the subject quickly He does not to bring up old pains for this nice family.

Tenlong speaks," What did you do Jimmy to get so strong? Did you train or is it all natural?"

The boy runs up to Tenlong and flexes his arms. Tenlong pokes the boy's arm with his index

finger and acts amazed.

Tenlong spoke,"You got so much strong muscles, Jimmy! I am so jealous!"

Mary understood that Tenlong was like a big teddy to them and he would do anything to keep them from harm. He has like a young boy in a grown man's body.

Mary spoke,"Tenlong can you play with Jimmy for a while and I will get some sort of stew ready for us to eat?"

The boy yells out in enjoyment and goes to play.

Tenlong starts to yawn and goes to the side of shed. He sits down leaning the side of the shed and straightaway falls asleep.

Jimmy speaks," Let's play mister! Wake up."

He did not stir in the least. Mary shushed her son and gestured him off to play alone.

Mary ponders within herself," Tenlong must have not slept for days and is just letting himself finally rest."

#

The lad had sleeping for a few hours and he awakes to see that it is late at night.

He spoke,"How long have I sleeping and who covered me with a blanket?

A feminine voice spoke,"You have been sleeping for about half a day and Jimmy and I put some blankets on you because it was getting chilly. We was afraid that you would freeze to death, but we could not budge you an inch!"

Tenlong stands to his feet and keeps the warm blanket around his shoulders.

A woman walks around the corner of the house with a large lantern.

Tenlong spoke,"Oh it is you, Mary. Why are you all bundled up by such a thick winter coat?"

She shook her head because of the words of the giant Tenlong.

Mary spoke,"It is becoming winter and the temperature is dropping off suddenly. Come inside before the both of us freeze to death!"

The two hurry into the house and Mary shuts the door behind them. The young mother shivers as she takes her heavy winter coat off and takes off her shoes. Tenlong is wearing only blankets for clothing.