Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 12 | Page 161

The New Tales of Old Shanghai
German Swiss International School, Khoo, Arianne – 10
I
t was a pitch black, piercingly biting night and no one dared to venture out. On the corner of Avenue Edward
VII, leading towards The Great World, the city’s hub for gambling and opium smoking, a figure dressed in a
hooded black cape suddenly appeared.
Constantly peering left and right, he scurried up the road. He stopped for a moment hitching his hood up to hide the
eagle tattoo behind his left ear, then disappeared into a small garage. Minutes later, he emerged, riding a Matchless
Silver Hawk and soon arrived at the Governor’s mansion. A Phoenix vehicle pulled up silently alongside. An evil
maniacal grin spread across his face while he whispered, “No one can stop me now!”
The next morning, the Governor’s family was in pandemonium. Renmei and Yuliang burst into their parents’
room screeching, “Father, Mother, the twins, Chunhua and Changchang, are missing! There’s a ransom note!”
The Governor was confused. A whirlwind of accusations swirled around his head. He snatched the ransom note
from Renmei.
Governor Yau,
I have your two eldest and will return them only if you follow my demands. I want 4,000,000 Renminbi
in French Francs delivered to the Great World at 7 am on Friday, October 13th. Slip the money
underneath the back door and leave immediately.
Do not tell anyone about this or you’ll never see your two eldest again!
The Pockmark Master
His wife Songmei’s pinching pressure on his forearm snapped the Governor out of his trance. He quickly barked,
“What should we do?”
As white as a sheet, Songmei whispered ominously, “Do not trust the trustworthy.”
“What?” the Governor questioned, pondering his wife’s remark.
Meanwhile, near the border across Old Shanghai on Chongming Island stood a tawny colored stone building -
outside a warehouse, but inside secretly something else...
Inside, in an oubliette, three levels underground, a scientist held open a little girl's mouth, while a military officer
dripped a cloudy silver concoction from a thin dropper into her mouth, and then repeated dosing the other victims.
A little while later, Chunhua woke up feeling groggy. A bitter flavor swarmed her mouth as she muttered, “Are
you there, Changchang?”
No response.
Chunhua opened her eyes and twisted her head. A rope rubbed against her neck, leaving a large red mark. She
gasped as she saw Changchang strapped to an adjacent table.