Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 12 | Page 128

The Jade Rock
Diocesan Girls' Junior School, Pak, Chloe - 10
T
he crooked bridge lay motionlessly on the still water, glistening under the bright rays of sunshine. The
goldfish churned around the jade surface of the shallow pond, flopping their fins merrily. The ripples
spread out, reaching rough and bold rocks that towered above it. The luxurious petals of the Magnolia perfumed
the chilly air with its floral fragrance. Thick-thorned pines bristled out of huge rocks that dangled in the sky
under fluffy clouds.
I strolled along the tranquil garden, hand in hand with my best friend, Laura, as we listened to the birds
chirping, nesting on branches neatly-piled on leafy trees. We then spotted a jade rock near the pond. Laura
stood still for a moment and exclaimed, “Let’s have a look!” The jade rock looked like a coral which was as tall
as high towers guarding the pond, standing as still as a stone statue. There were holes inside as if some animals
had scooped them out. “This must be an old one,” Laura whispered and examined it. “Indeed,” a voice
boomed out from behind. We turned around and saw an old man dressed in a loose-fitting shirt carrying a small
duster. “Do you know about it?” I asked curiously. He replied, “I’m the one who cleans it every day.” I
continued to study the rock but kept moving my eyes to keep track of the man. “Weird, maybe he’s the
gardener?” Laura said as we went home. I nodded.
The next morning, we went to Yu Garden and approached the jade rock again. A strange shape caught
my eyes. I rummaged through my pockets for a magnifying glass. “There!” I placed it on top of one of the holes.
There were incomplete symbols that looked like animals: pig, cow, turtle. Just then, the old man noticed us and
came over. “You’re here again for research?” we nodded. He stood beside the rock, observing the symbols
carved on it. He sighed and continued to sweep the leaves. “We found strange symbols here.” Laura told the
man. At that very moment, a smile touched the corners of his mouth. “Come here,” he said, leading us to a
nearby bench. After we settled down, the man pulled out a piece of rock from his sleeve and gently placed it in
my sweat