Mouse by Jeff Stone

basket.
    “Amazing,” LoBak whispered.
    ShaoShu mumbled, “Thanks,” into his right ankle, which was pressed against his mouth.
    LoBak draped the blanket over ShaoShu, setthe saw and cypress branches gently on top, and closed the lid. Then he hoisted the basket onto his back, adjusted the canteen around his neck, and walked through the back door, into HaiZhe's secret world.

CHAPTER
14

    “H alt!” a voice commanded as soon as LoBak stepped through HaiZhe's back door. “Who goes there?”
    Oh, no,
ShaoShu thought from the bottom of the basket.
Have we been found out already?
    “It is the apothecary,” LoBak replied. “I am here to administer Warlord HaiZhe's treatment.”
    “You're late,” the guard said. “I'd advise you to watch your step next time. You know how he is about keeping schedules.”
    “Yes, sir,” LoBak replied.
    ShaoShu felt LoBak begin to walk again, and he shifted his contorted body until he could peer out of a tiny gap in the basket's tightly woven sides. Hesaw that they were in a wide corridor lit with small oil lanterns similar to the lanterns outside. LoBak weaved through numerous hallways, and they passed two more guard stations before stopping in front of a gigantic mural that stretched as far down the corridor as ShaoShu could see. Thousands of meticulously painted jellyfish swarmed the walls, their swaying limbs stinging everything in their path with emotionless ferocity. His nose twitched. This was a very bad place.
    LoBak pressed his hand against a particularly large jellyfish, and a section of the wall swung open. There was no way ShaoShu would have found that alone. He thanked the heavens for LoBak.
    “Do you know what time it is?” asked a gruff voice from within the next room.
    “Sorry I'm late, sir,” LoBak replied, walking through the opening and closing the secret door behind him. “I sent word, and I hoped that you would be notified. I had to make your preparation twice. Also, I've learned of a new treatment you might want to consider. It took me a while to find just the right elements.”
    “I am content with my current treatment,” HaiZhe grumbled.
    “I will administer that as well, sir,” LoBak said, knocking against the canteen strung around his neck. “I'll bring it over to you.”
    ShaoShu felt LoBak shrug the basket off his back and place it on the floor. From this new angle,ShaoShu had a clear view of HaiZhe sitting behind a large desk. He didn't look like he had any sort of disability, appearing as healthy as any man could. He was perhaps fifty-five years old and had a head full of thick white hair, wide powerful shoulders, and rather large arms. Strapped to each of his upper arms was a holster, and in each holster was a pistol. By ShaoShu's account, none of this added up to the nickname “Jellyfish.”
    LoBak placed the canteen on HaiZhe's desk and opened it. HaiZhe took several long drinks of the steaming liquid, then looked over at the basket.
    “What's in there?”
    “Cypress boughs,” LoBak replied. “That is the new treatment. I've just spoken with a colleague who swears that sleeping on them improves circulation.”
    “Let me take a look.”
    “No, no,” LoBak replied, hurrying back to the basket. “I'll get them for you. They are rather large and awkward, and—”
    “I will do it myself!” HaiZhe snapped. “Do you think me incapable?”
    HaiZhe pushed his chair away from the desk and leaned sideways, disappearing from view. A moment later, he reappeared on the floor, on his stomach. He crawled toward the basket using only his hands and upper body, his withered legs dragging behind him like wet noodles.
    ShaoShu shuddered. He felt bad for HaiZhe.
    As HaiZhe neared, ShaoShu turned his eyes awayfrom the gap in the basket and held his breath. He heard HaiZhe grunt, and the lid flew off the basket. ShaoShu felt the branches being lifted off of him, followed by the saw.
    “What is this?” HaiZhe asked, shaking the saw so hard its metal blade