Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 1-2 | Page 236

The Aim for New York
Dulwich College Beijing, Sim, Elizabeth - 9
A
lexander was writing a book report about New York at school. The wind was blizzardly cold, as if
winter was coming. He wrote one or two paragraphs, sitting quietly at his desk. Kathy, who always
had a book in her hands, passed a note to Alexander’s desk. Alexander knew that passing notes
weren’t allowed in class, but he also thought Kathy’s writing was always interesting, so he hid his note and
tried to focus on the lesson. At last he finished all the sentences it had on the paper and threw the note on
the ground. It said: Meet you in a week’s time at my house and make sure you bring your dad’s Apec card.
“An Apec card? What is an Apec card?” He thought carefully. Alexander imagined what it was. He thought
it was sort of an assessment for adults, or a book called ‘Apec card’. All of a sudden, Alexander thought of a
memory of his father and mother talking about going to the airport and stuff with the Apec card. “Ah! What
if it was something used to go to the airport?” He thought. Alexander lived in a lovely place called
Colorado, but he never imagined to go anywhere out of this place.
At midnight Alexander woke up, but he didn’t know what to do. “Maybe I will listen to the instructions
that Kathy gave me,” he said to himself. Alexander went downstairs. He found his dad’s bag and dug into it.
The red lamp didn’t light up that much. Finally, Alexander found his dad’s passport. He flipped to the end
page and saw the Apec card.
Suddenly, Alexander gulped.
There were footsteps coming downstairs. A shaded stare came from the person. A cold chill ran down
Alexander’s spine as he stared in horror.
“Alexander, what are you doing here so late?” A familiar voice asked quietly.
“Mom!” Alexander exclaimed. He quickly shoved the passport into the bag and hid the Apec card into his
clothes.
“What are you doing here?” His mom asked again.
“J-just checking the bag if everything’s inside there.” Alexander quickly made up a lie.
“How strange, checking in the middle of the night,” his mom said, folding her arms.
“Whatever,” Alexander mumbled. His mom went upstairs. “Phew!” Alexander sighed in relief. He put the
Apec card into his schoolbag and went back to sleep.
Early in the morning, Alexander ate his cereal and hurried to Kathy’s house. That’s when Alexander
remembered to bring his dad’s Apec card. Alexander shivered, anxiously. He had forgotten to bring it.
Alexander ran back to his house - speedy quick. He grabbed the Apec card, and ran back to Kathy’s house.
He was very nervous. Alexander only went to Kathy’s house three or four times, and he didn’t know how
Kathy would greet him. “Be brave, Alexander,” Alexander thought. “Be brave.”
Alexander shivered. He didn’t know where the doorbell was. Throughout his sight was only a golden bell.
He touched it, and a loud “JINGLE” came from the bell.
“Who’s there?” A soft voice came along the door.
“Kathy!” Alexander replied. The door creaked open. There stood Kathy, Marvin and Georgia Jenkins.
Georgia was a sixth-grade girl with ordinary jeans and shorts.
“Hello girls!” Alexander waved at the two girls.
“Where is the Apec card?” Kathy asked.
“Oh, right here in my pocket,” Alexander showed the card.
Kathy showed her plan. “We’re going on a trip,” she said.
“Why on earth?” Alexander asked worriedly.
“Maybe if our teacher says to find out extra information about New York City,” Kathy explained.
“Quickly asking, what is an Apec card?” Alexander asked, curiously. “An Apec card is a card only important
people get,” Kathy said. “At the airport you could just go to the Apec corner to line up for tickets, and it
only takes a few minutes to line up, because an Apec card is very precious. At the back of the card are the
places you could go to use it.” “Aha! So maybe there will be New York at the back, too!” Alexander said.