The intermittent sound of the boys soon dissolved. Mei was carried on a shoulder down into a chilling space, and Old Bamboo’s steps became clearly louder. She tried to fight, but her attempt was fruitless. In a minute, she was put on a bed. Her hands searched blindly around and her ears focused on the sound. Two clicks were followed by one beep. The engine of the air-conditioner ran somewhere in distant. Glasses clinked before they were dropped on a hard surface. Once her mouth was freed, she started shouting, “Help! Help! Help!”