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Red Beans

August 26, 2016 by Guest Author 34 Comments

This story by Justine H. Cho is the first place winner of the 5th Anniversary Writing Contest. Justine is a dreamer, a writer, and an avid reader who loves Tolkien, Hesse and John Donne with equal fervor. She aspires to write a literary fantasy that can excite the young and stimulate the wise. You can find more of her writing on her website.

Red Beans

“Red beans ward off evil,” I was told since I was little. Rice cakes stuffed or covered in sweetened red beans were part of every auspicious occasions from birthdays to weddings. Sometimes, people sprinkled red beans around their houses to keep out bad luck, sickness and demons.

Like any other kid in the village, I loved sweetened red beans in all its many forms, over shaved ice in summer and stuffed inside warm buns in winter. But, my favorite was red bean porridge made during Winter Solstice. When the longest night in the year came around, the entire village would smell sweet and nutty, full of aroma of red bean porridge.

“Sunny, do your homework,” grandma said pointing to my abandoned books. “Then, you can go play by the stream.” She put on her shoes. 

“Where are you going, grandma?”

“Mayor’s house. We are preparing for his daughter’s wedding next week. I should be back before it gets too dark. Remember, don’t go into the woods.”

Weddings were a village affair. It was also one of those happy occasions when piles of rice cakes covered in mashed red beans will be aplenty. I drooled thinking about them.

As soon as grandma turned a corner, I ran outside to soak in the sun. Before long, I was in the middle of the cool stream near my house, my feet bare. Sounds of water whooshing mingled with singing of insects as I listened to winds whistle through the leaves that promised to turn brilliant red.

I walked upstream near the boundary of the woods where thick cluster of maple trees stood. A stream of sunlight danced on the clear water and I stood there wide eyed and enchanted.  I didn’t realize I was not alone until he spoke.

“Sunny?”

I looked up startled, but smiled broadly when I saw that it was Uncle.

He was not my real uncle, but everyone in the village called him ‘Uncle’ because he was older. He worked for everyone in the village including my grandmother. If there was something that needed fixing or doing, he was there. Everyone in the village knew him, especially the kids. During summer when too much rain made a small river that separated our village from the main town swell up like angry demons, it was Uncle who carried us across on his back so that we could go to school.

Unlike other adults and elders, Uncle played with us, helped boys catch fish and taught the girls to swim. And he was our favorite storyteller.

I know I was his favorite. Uncle always saved the biggest red bean buns for me. I thought he was the greatest, even better than my dad and mom who lived in the city and came to see me only few times a year.

“What are you doing all alone, Sunny?”

“Catching crayfish.”

He crouched down on a boulder at the edge of the stream when I smelled something foul. I looked up. Uncle’s face was red and so were his eyes.

“Why are your eyes red, Uncle?” I asked.

“To see how pretty you’ve become, Sunny,” Uncle laughed, then he staggered where he crouched. “You’ve gotten so big,” he said. He straightened and looked at me as if for the first time.

“Of course I am,” I raised my chin. “I’m going to be thirteen soon. I’m all grown up.”

Uncle moved over next to me. He staggered slightly as he took a handful of my long hair. Although I had grown taller since last year, he still towered above me.

“And prettier, too,” he said. The odor from his mouth was sour and strong. I wrinkled my nose.

“Why do you smell bad, Uncle?”

“Because I drank some wine at the mayor’s house,” Uncle laughed again. “You want some?” he held out a small brown jug he held in his hand.

“I don’t think I’m allowed,” I said.

“Why not? Didn’t you just say that you are all grown up?” he raised his eyebrows.

“I am.”

“But, you are still a baby. You can’t even take a sip of rice wine.”

“I’m not a baby!”

The sun was going down now and already the woods behind him filled with dark shadows.

Uncle held out the brown jug.

I knew I shouldn’t, but I wanted to prove to him that I wasn’t a baby. I took the jug and took a small sip. The first mouthful burned and I coughed.

Uncle laughed.

“Baby,” he shook his head.

I took a second longer swallow of the liquid. It didn’t burn as the first sip. I took a third even longer mouthful. Uncle’s eyebrows went up.

“There!” I handed the jug back and grinned, feeling like a grownup.

A smile crept up Uncle’s lips, pulling them back, showing his teeth. One of them looked long and sharp like a fang. I shrank back. It was brief, but for a moment, he looked menacing.

“You know what goes well with rice wine? Red bean cakes,” Uncle said. “In fact, I got some from the mayor’s house. I saved a big piece for you, Sunny.”

I looked at the darkened woods behind him.

“But, I have to go home. It’s getting late,” I said feeling woozy. My body felt heavy and strange as if it didn’t belong to me.

“It’s on the way. We’ll stop by just to pick up the cakes,” he said and held out his hand. I didn’t hesitate to give him my hand. But His hand was hot and sticky and for the first time, I felt an urge to take my hand back.

But, I didn’t. This was Uncle. I knew him all my life.

Uncle pulled me into a shadow of the forest instead of taking the usual path around the woods. I stopped.

“Grandma said never to go into the woods.” I bit into my thumb. “She said there are wolves in there.”

“Wolves?” Uncle laughed. “Maybe years ago, but there are no wolves in the woods, Sunny. I practically live in the woods. There is nothing there except trees.”

“But grandma said…” I hesitated, but Uncle pulled me along.

“You are a big girl, aren’t you, Sunny? You are not afraid of woods, are you? Here,” Uncle pulled out a handful of red beans from his pocket. “You know what they say about red beans,” he said as he pressed little red beans onto my hand. Then, he pulled me into the woods.

When the Winter Solstice came, the entire village was enveloped in the smell of red beans, sickly sweet and nutty. My stomach roiled. It was hard to breathe.

Grandma walked in with a branch of pine tree dipped in red bean porridge. Like all the villagers, she had been smudging the red porridge all over our front door to ward off evil things from entering our home.

My mom, who had come for a brief visit, brought out a large earthen bowl.

I turned away with a grimace.

“What’s wrong? It’s only porridge,” my mom frowned as she held out the bowl filled with sweetened red bean porridge.  “This is for your Uncle,” my mom said.

“He’s not my uncle!”

“What’s this? Isn’t he your favorite person in the whole world?” mom said, pushing the bowl into my arms. “I don’t want to hear you whine later how I didn’t make any for him.”

“She’s going through puberty,” grandmother said without looking up from sprinkling the red beans around the house. “They are all like that at that age. They like you one day, then can’t stand you the next.”

“Puberty? She’s barely twelve,” mom frowned. 

“I turned thirteen,” I said. My chest tightened and my eyes stung. “You don’t know anything about me!”

I ran.

Snow made it difficult for me to run, but slipping and sliding, I ran past the stream where I used to play. I no longer cared how the light played over the water.

I stopped at the border of the woods. With fresh snow covering the ground and sunlight coming through the bare branches, the forest almost looked safe, but I stopped and backed away. I shuddered, unconsciously holding tighter to the bowl. It was then that I realized that I still clutched the bowl of red bean porridge.

The red porridge had spilled over my coat and the stench lurched my stomach. I hurled the bowl. It smashed against a tree and a red splotch dripped down the tree trunk and splattered all over the white floor. Instantly, the snow, so clean and untouched just a moment ago, melted, spattered with the red porridge which ate away at the whiteness, leaving a red, ugly scar.

“Red beans ward off evil,” I was told since I was a child. But I believe it no longer.

Filed Under: 5th Anniversary Contest, Drama, Hot

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Comments

  1. Patricia says

    August 26, 2016 at 11:46 am

    Congratulations! You have written an engaging story. It was a joy to read.
    Shalom aleichem,
    Patricia

    Reply
    • Justine says

      August 29, 2016 at 1:14 pm

      Thank you for reading. This is first time sharing my writing with public.

      Reply
    • Justine says

      August 29, 2016 at 1:18 pm

      Thank you for your generous comments. I feel blessed and encouraged.

      Reply
  2. Mike Mara says

    August 26, 2016 at 12:33 pm

    Congratulations! Very well written short story.

    Reply
  3. Trish Perry says

    August 26, 2016 at 2:46 pm

    Congratulations! This is a fascinating story that pulled me in from beginning to end.

    Reply
  4. Josephine-Anne Griffiths says

    August 26, 2016 at 11:03 pm

    Fabulous story. You said so much with just the necessary few words. Congratulations!

    Reply
  5. S. J. Henderson says

    August 27, 2016 at 3:21 am

    Congratulations!

    Reply
    • Sandra Atkins says

      August 27, 2016 at 4:54 pm

      CONGRATS!

      Reply
  6. Julie Hodges says

    August 27, 2016 at 3:36 am

    Congratulations! Great story!

    Reply
  7. Lilian says

    August 27, 2016 at 4:20 am

    Congratulations for being awarded First Prize for your story. You deserve it.
    I enjoyed your story and for the simplicty with which you told it, through the eyes of a thirteen-year old girl.

    Cheers!

    Reply
  8. Sharon Dobbs says

    August 27, 2016 at 2:27 pm

    Congratulations on your first place story. Very well written.

    Reply
  9. James Knox says

    August 27, 2016 at 5:12 pm

    Congratulations! Thoroughly enjoyed your story. I hope you continue to produce and share your stories.

    Reply
  10. Carmine Battista says

    August 29, 2016 at 2:29 pm

    you should share more…truly one that kept me engaged and wanting more!

    Reply
  11. Sangah Jee says

    August 29, 2016 at 2:55 pm

    I loved reading your story! Intriguing and fragile.
    The contrast between the red bean and the snow still remains in my head long after I read your story.

    Reply
  12. Elizabeth Ricci says

    September 2, 2016 at 1:41 pm

    Congratulations Justine, I had tears for the end of innocence.

    Reply
  13. Joslyn Chase says

    September 2, 2016 at 2:07 pm

    Congratulations, Justine, for a compelling and well-told story. Heart-breaking and chilling, yet all too relevant. Courageously done.

    Reply
  14. Mike says

    September 2, 2016 at 5:13 pm

    This was a great story! We are left to imagine what really happened in the woods with “uncle.” Congrats galore!

    Reply
  15. Bart says

    September 2, 2016 at 5:57 pm

    Very well written and engaging story. The symbolism at the end worked perfectly to sum up the story.

    Reply
  16. Margaret says

    September 2, 2016 at 6:36 pm

    Very well written. A hard subject to deal with.

    Reply
  17. Erick says

    September 2, 2016 at 11:38 pm

    That last part was so awesome though! About the red bean porridge melting away the white and leaving an ugly red scar. Way to crush it!

    Reply
  18. Marilyn McCormick says

    September 3, 2016 at 1:46 am

    This was a captivating story that held my attention. I almost was afraid to read further—afraid for the girl so trusting of the uncle. This is a story that is played out in reality and you so carefully allowed the reader to experience this betrayal. Hopefully it gives the reader a broader enlightenment of this subject

    Reply
  19. Shah says

    September 3, 2016 at 4:39 am

    I love this story. It’s dark without dragging you into the pitch black. Clever. X

    Reply
  20. Soo Lee-Martone says

    September 3, 2016 at 5:53 pm

    Congratulations!
    What a great story
    I enjoyed reading it very much

    Reply
  21. HyoJung Kang says

    September 26, 2016 at 5:21 pm

    First part of the story gave me smile on my face because it was bring my childhood memory of the foods. I felt attached the main character so much,when story progressive and shown dark and sad part. I have to slow down my reading. It is brilliant writing. I love Justine’s writing. I am looking forward her future writing.

    Reply
  22. Vanessa Mootyen says

    March 12, 2018 at 11:55 am

    Justine, it was a beautifully crafted story. Engaging the reader in every sense of the word.

    Reply
  23. San says

    March 12, 2018 at 5:33 pm

    Wow, well done on the different outcomes I imagine happen.

    Reply
  24. Debra Campoli says

    March 13, 2018 at 12:39 am

    Wow, The symbolism is unreal!! Your mind in writing this made me feel as though this was a true story. It was so poignant and the ending symbolism is magnificent!

    Reply
  25. Katie says

    March 13, 2018 at 12:46 pm

    I felt so worried for her and my worries were proved true. This is a heartbreaking story. Good job.

    Reply
  26. Juanita Danzy says

    March 13, 2018 at 2:48 pm

    Congratulation Justine on a well written story, keep up the good work and you will find excellency.

    Reply
  27. Kit says

    March 14, 2018 at 12:45 pm

    Absolutely beautiful. The image of the red on the snow is poignant and heartbreaking – and what a subtle yet stunning way to tell this girl’s story. A well deserved win!

    Reply
  28. Noel D. Leoz says

    March 15, 2018 at 12:42 pm

    Bravo! I was pulled in by your writing. Bravo!

    Reply
  29. JACQUELINE HOUCHIN says

    March 15, 2018 at 1:27 pm

    Sad coming of age story, but well written.

    Reply
  30. Judith Kenyon says

    March 15, 2018 at 3:29 pm

    This was a beautiful, engaging and very sad story!

    Reply
  31. Linda Binkley says

    March 15, 2018 at 4:42 pm

    This story had me from beginning to end. I wanted to know what happened next. Keep writing and learning. GOOD JOB.

    Reply

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