Patch Xiong

Dead Promise was inspired by a story my father often told me. As a boy, he bribed me with his many wondrous stories to massage his calves—and it was worth it! Witnessing his sudden death, including a number of dark events that followed, I became suicidal for years.

God saved my life using PaNou, the lead character from Dead Promise. Alone, and in my darkest minute, my knees buckled and I buried my head into my hands, crying and fighting temptations of "pulling the plug." That was when PaNou came to me and said, "If you die, so will I. So will my story. You must tell the world my story."

Since, I never looked back and wrote like a possessed man. And I remind myself everyday that life is good: Every morning is a new day to do something, to be someone.

Dead Promise is a novel about the pain of love and how it can transcend even death. Around 54,000 words, it is Romeo and Juliet with a mythological twist found only in nightmares.

TESTIMONIALS:

"More than a love story, more than cultural commentary, Dead Promise offers readers an insider's glimpse into the lives of contemporary Hmong people and delivers a powerful reminder that universal truth transcends time and place. Memorable characters and vivid storytelling make this a noteworthy first novel by a writer who values life lived to the fullest."

-Rosanne Pagano, Writing Instructor, Alaska Pacific University

"I couldn't put it down. Finished it in one night."

-Anonymous, 9th grade student

SAMPLE CLIP 1:

Like a scholar, Cheng spent two days observing—calculating his next big move. To be near her presence was worth it! Simply watching PaNou making her way in and out of the house was exhilarating. He studied her family, their patterns, and their house. Cheng soon gathered that the Lees received numerous visitors—that her mom was up half an hour before the rooster’s crow to tend the farm, and that her father smoked opium in a massive bamboo pipe twice a day—once, when the sun rose against the mountains, and second, when the sun rested into the reddening sky before a line of women returned from the fields. Finally, he gathered the most important treasure: the location of PaNou’s room. Her room was adjacent to the thickest set of shrubs—facing the mountains. It was also on the opposite end of her parents’ room. Perfect!

On the third day, Cheng could no longer hold his anxiety. When PaNou’s parents left the house, he pounced on the opportunity. Once again, his hunting ability proved useful. Like a panther, he crept behind every bush, tree, and shadow without making a sound. Finally, he reached the blossoming poppies. There, he snaked his way to her room, and sat pressed against the wall. Digging his shirt pocket, he pulled out a ncas, a tiny mouth harp made from brass. It glimmered back as if to say, “What are you waiting for, Dummy? Now is the time to play me!”

Cheng stared blankly at the wall—inhaled deeply, rolled up his sleeves, and circled his shoulders. He kissed his knuckles before giving a few soft knocks. Heart pounding, he pressed the ncas to the front of his lips, and with the thumb of the other hand, he strummed the end. Gentle streams of air ignited from his lungs, followed by the warmth of his heart. Lips set free. Eyes closed—a soothing, robotic sound shuffled through the wall to initiate conversation. Eyes opened. Its rhythmic buzzing tamed his racing heart. So captivating was the reverberation even the pushy wind halted and the pigs ceased their snorting; all life yielded to the playing of the tiny mouth harp.

From inside, a body leaned against the wall. “Who’s there?” asked a sweet but demanding voice. Her tone was rapid and somewhat irritated.

Cheng leaned his head against the wall and sat straighter. With more confidence, he choked out his first word, “Hi.” Cheng didn’t want to speak too loudly, as he didn’t want to sound rude but there was no answer. Again, he persisted with a few knocks, “Hello. My name’s Cheng.”

“Stop it with your stupid jokes, Fong. You monkey! I’m not that stupid.”

She already has a boyfriend! Cheng slumped in devastated silence.

“Fong,” she called.

No answer.

“Fong!”

Fong? The thought of another man courting her nearly stopped his heart.

The silence that followed passed like eternity.

There was no response except the sound of her shuffling about behind the windowless wall. Cheng gripped the ncas to his chest, and with dread, he lowered it. He rose, and with the ncas inside his fist, Cheng punched at the sky, at life. Life wasn’t fair to him—never had been.

“Hey, you’re not Fong,” PaNou said, shocked.

Cheng nearly fell while turning around. His eyes shot swiftly at her face then down to her slender legs and back to her stunning eyes, hoping she didn’t catch him doing that. It was unmistakably her—the candy-green sandals, the dark-arch brows, and the long jet-black hair flowing like a cape behind her shoulders.

“You, have we met?” Her bold voice overcame him. PaNou looked into the azure sky, scanning her memory.

In the pause, Cheng’s eyes scanned her brilliant features. Like a pressured pipe about to explode, Cheng squeezed his eyes shut, and mumbled, “Uh.” For all he could think of were two things: how beautiful she was and Fong, the lucky guy who beat him to her.

Puzzled, PaNou pondered with an essence of allure, meanwhile Cheng couldn’t stop gazing at her black pearl eyes whirling in circles.

“Gosh, where have I seen you?” PaNou asked, tapping her chin—oblivious of Cheng’s dying affection.

“Who’s Fong?” Cheng questioned with the maximum exertion of his lungs.

She didn’t answer—still wondering where she had seen him.

Drowned in desperation, he tightened the front ends of his mucky red sash. How stupid could I be? A beautiful girl like this—if she isn’t married, she has a man, Cheng thought. Though prepared for the worst, Cheng had to know who this “Fong” was.

Her luscious lips stretched to the left, in an unintentionally seductive manner.

Cheng held his breath.

“Oh, yeah!” she proclaimed.

SAMPLE CLIP 2:

A shadow emerged. Widest at center. PaNou’s expression iced while still holding a fresh ball of mud. Cheng’s eyes followed PaNou’s, and he turned around to look up. There, less than ten yards away stood Blong—a tall man with midget legs, oversized hips, bulging belly, and a large grizzly bear nose.

“I’m sorry, we were—” Cheng said.

“Are you two humans or pigs?” Blong interrupted, crossed his arms—eyes scrutinizing the couple.

Carefully, PaNou wiped the mud from her forehead and skirt. Such effort was futile because they were completely covered with mud.

“You see those pigs there?” Blong pointed to the fence where pigs and cows cuddled in their own groups.

PaNou and Cheng looked. In the near distance, two pigs rested like giant brown pillows—snorting in their slumber.

Like a weasel, Fong popped from the house. He wrapped his hands around his mouth, holding back an explosion of laughter. It was perfect vengeance for the trip to Dae Lia.

“Both of you are dumber than those pigs,” Blong swung his head. “Is that mud or cow dung that you two are covered with?”

Cheng cringed at PaNou and shamefully, turned away.

“Dad—” PaNou tucked her hands under her armpits.

“Shut your mouth, or I’ll cut your tongue off and feed it to the pigs.”

People could call Cheng names and he could live through it, but the way Blong was yelling at PaNou harpooned his heart. Pushing his sleeves further up, Cheng slapped his soaked hair back and straightened his back. I have to say something. I have to.

PaNou’s father reclined his head, displaying oversized nostrils. Without moving his neck, Blong’s eyeballs glared at Cheng, staring him down. Upon recognizing the young man’s face and, more importantly, his rudeness from their prior encounter, Blong’s eyebrows tightened.

“You’re that miserable orphan.”

“Dad, we were just having fun. Can’t I live life for once?”

“I’m not an orphan. I have a father,” Cheng said, though he had little respect for his own father.

“You! You are an orphan! Else you’d know your manners.” Blong turned to his daughter. “PaNou, tell your pig here to get the hell out of this place. We have enough pigs already.”

Cheng cleared his throat. “Sorry, but what you’re saying is not right. You—” Cheng gulped his saliva.

“If your life has any value to you, then get your dirty face out of my sight!” Blong stomped closer to Cheng.

“Dad, stop it!” PaNou stepped in front of Cheng, confronting her father. “How could you say such things? We’re all human beings.”

The thunder of fighter planes erupted overhead, followed by intense gun firings and bomb explosions on the mountainside. Blong stood, indifferent to the bombings. In recent years such blasts became a norm to the Hmong like the dawn crowing of roosters. Then a sudden and lively exchange of artillery ricocheted throughout the high hills. Spots of orange and white illuminated the hillsides. The gunshots gave Blong an idea.

“Perhaps this pig understands a bullet better.” Blong returned to the house.

“Cheng!” PaNou turned to Cheng and started pushing him. “Cheng! Get out of here. Now!”

Cheng slipped and fell, and struggled to get back up.

With eyes closed, she continued shouting. The pushing became open-hand punches.

Cheng anchored his legs and absorbed her punches—until finally PaNou’s knees dropped to the ground, followed by her hands and head. She grabbed him by his shirt, and struggled to speak. Cheng looked over to the house where Blong had disappeared. His eyes reddened.

“You promised you’ll love me no matter what,” she wept. “So why aren’t you doing what I’m telling you?”

Cheng didn’t budge.

“Do you love me like you keep saying?” Shaking frantically, PaNou looked at Cheng’s round eyes, switching rapidly from one to the other.

In the distance, the exchange of gunshots grew livelier.

Cheng exhaled. Long and loud. A massive explosion took their attention to the mountains. The fiery blasts brightened the dark sky like day for a brief moment. Cheng saw the reflection of the mushroom-shaped explosion from PaNou’s sparkling eyes. He lifted his hand and caressed her right cheek. PaNou was cold, scared, and shivering.

PaNou pulled him nearer. “Do you truly love me?”

“I love you with all of my heart.”

“Then listen to me, please? Get out of here!” she begged. Looking at the soggy ground, she scrubbed some mud from Cheng’s feet and smeared it over her own toes, and said quietly, “Go…run away and don’t ever come back.”