Chapter 2 Chapter 001

"Target destroyed!" The boy watched with satisfaction as the crushed Coke can slid gracefully below the surface of the calm water.He licks his index finger, adding a point to his imaginary scoreboard. His friend wiped the sweat from his brow with his bare arm. "Sanping!" Their eyes wander, looking for the next game that will excite them.The barge passed by, and a mannequin arm came into view from the opposite bank, which caught their attention and activated their fantasy mode. "Aliens are coming!" Stones and pebbles roared in, causing the water around the target to churn up and down, but almost none of them hit the target directly, and the few hits made no sound.The first boy found a larger rock, took careful aim, and delivered a blinding blow that hit the mark and sent it under the surface.

"Amazing!" The first boy accepted his companion's compliment gracefully.But when the object surfaced again, it seemed that bits and pieces fell off.Time to take a closer look. "Cease fire! Casualties!" The second boy rushed through the gate with legendary agility. The thing clings to the surface, suspended among all the odds and ends that are typical of old city canals.Under the rising sun in the morning, the dark water surface is colorful, and the oil slick rainbow on the water surface enriches the various colors that the canal is proud of, such as Coke cans, potato chip packaging bags, plastic shopping bags—— —they were irresistibly drawn into these waters.

He climbed carefully down the sticky, slippery metal ladder fastened to the gate wall, and leaning over the water, he pulled the thing toward him with an elderberry branch.It looks like it's a mannequin replica, but it doesn't look like it. It was so pale, with a puffy appearance and flaking everywhere.It reminded him of rotten fish. He could see patches of yellow nails.For one brief second, he thought he could see the bone of his elbow exposed. He hesitated for a moment, looking at his friend.But then, he grinned embarrassingly and dismissed the thought, thankfully he didn't say anything.

He hesitated again as the prize got closer and closer.But curiosity got the better of him, and his friend watched him eagerly. The arm was pale as wax, floating beneath dirt and weeds and a few stray leeches.He hesitated, not wanting to fish with his hands.It happened that a Tesco handbag floated to the side, promoting "everything is good" to the residents deep in the canal.He hooked the bag with a twig, drained the water inside, and then hung it on the thing in front of him, successfully hoisting it up.Then he climbed slowly up the metal ladder and back onto solid ground. When his friend put the bag on the ground and was about to reveal the mystery of the loot, the first boy made a face of disgust, resisting curiosity.With no water to mask the stench, the truth slowly emerged.Sight and smell combine to draw inescapable conclusions.

This is an arm. A rotting arm, no thicker than their own. The arm of a small child. While the second boy was staring in astonishment, the first boy was already running home.Accompanied by his screaming and howling, the illustrious prospects of the two people's canal career came to an end in advance.