The New Tales of Old Shanghai
The Independent Schools Foundation Academy , Chan , Sophie Yik Fei – 8
Istood patiently at the baggage claim in Pudong Airport . My parents and I were going to visit our elderly grandmother , or Nai Nai , as I called her . Soon my parents appeared , with all of our luggage . The next thing I knew ; we were on the way to Nai Nai ’ s house . I gawked at the huge skyscrapers that seemed plastered to the great blue sky that we passed during our drive . I fell asleep a few minutes after admiring them . When I woke up , we were stopping in front of a house . Nai Nai was waiting at the door . As soon as we came in , Nai Nai began talking to me about school and homework , and after I replied and told her everything was fine , she started talking to my parents about some boring stuff , so I looked for some books to read . I passed a room with bookshelves lining the wall . I started searching for something interesting to read . I found a brown book with no title with a few stains on it . This must be Nai Nai ’ s old diary I realized . She must have some interesting stories inside . I opened it and started to look at it . There was only boring entries about school . Then at the very last page , there was entries about wartime . I started to read .
August 8 1937 : Everything seemed normal in the morning , but when Mother picked me up from school she seemed really uncomfortable . I asked her what ’ s wrong , and she hesitantly told me I won ’ t be going to school for a while . It just felt so weird , not going to school , even though I hated school . I protested “ But then I ’ ll have a huge gap in my education , and I thought you cared about my education so I can be really smart and everything !” “ Listen , sweetie , nothing is going to be the same again . There is a war coming on , and the Japanese are attacking China . We need to make sure you ’ re safe by keeping you close to us .” Mother said . I started to protest again , but Mother held up a finger and that was the end of the conversation .
August 9 1937 : Last night I learned Beijing was taken by the Japanese . Mother and Father were talking about it in low voices . For the first time , I heard fear and worry in their voices . it made me so scared my heart refused to beat and I was breathing too fast , until I told myself over and over we will be fine until I almost returned to normal . But I know we will not be fine . I think the war that I have told that won ’ t happen was actually happening .
September 21 1937 : On the radio we heard Nanking was bombed by the Japanese , and when I heard it I wasn ’ t surprised , because we watched it from our window . Plumes of grey smoke rose into the sky , while bombs exploded and fires wavered beneath the smoke . Then later , Mother took me out to buy some food , but the streets were packed with refugees . As we forced our way through the crowd , I saw something I will never forget . Something dark and wet ran in the gutters . I quickly realized it was blood , and then I saw bodies , rotting away in the gutter . I recognized the body of a child and a baby with its mother . Mother pulled me away . “ A bomb dropped on them ” she said quietly . I only then noticed the bodies were all burned .
October 25 1937 : Japan took Dachang . Father says it ’ s because the General Chiang Kai-shek decided to abandon them . He also says that he was probably going to do the same to Shanghai . I ’ m not sure if I believe him . There was so much bitterness and resentment in his voice it didn ’ t sound right . Despite all the fear I felt , a sudden surge of hatred and bitterness for ruining my life and killing so much innocent souls took over me . It was so strong it nearly