The New Tales of Old Shanghai
German Swiss International School , Ven , Mia – 11
T he water was murky and the sky blanketed by a thick layer of fog . This was nothing like the clear , fresh water of past years . And the taste of fresh prey , still lingered in the minds of the older , once famous Shanghai Yangcheng Lake Mitten Crabs who were proud to be served on a silver plate . Now , the luxury of having something sensational to eat was a distant dream , a bright rainbow which had lost all its colour .
The scooped water dripping through the holes of the net was fetid and all that could be seen in the water of the lake these days were the things floating just beneath the surface . What was once a beautiful , serene lakeside had now been turned into a bustling city , churning with noise and pollution . The oil of boats that housed the Mitten Crab farmers seeped out from the tanks and into the water . This had taken its toll on the health of the Mitten Crabs whose lungs had become infected causing them difficulty in breathing beneath the water .
“ Come on you lazy brute ! Move over ! You are so fat that you are blocking the way !” cried Jackson . He was the alpha mitten crab and had watched over the cast of crabs for more than fifty years .
“ What are you talking about ? I ’ m not that fat ! Am I ? How could I get fat when I don ’ t get nothing fresh to eat ? ” retorted Glinda .
Life had become chaotic in the lake ever since food had become scarce . Soon they would have nothing fresh left to eat , Jackson was sure of it . Still there were the strange looking pellets of artificial food , the size of a fingernail , which were liberally cast over the water on a daily basis by the crab farmers , but the adults did not like them at all because of their disgusting odour , and refused to eat them , preferring to continue to roam and hunt for real food . They worried for the future of the little ones . There was also an increase in the little pieces of plastic and metal which would float in occasionally , and the little ones often got stuck in them .
Some of the baby crabs , who had been starving to death , had gobbled up all the foul smelling pellets , and in just a few days the teensy-weensy crabs had grown to the size of Jackson .
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“ Do you know what is happening above the water ?” Jackson asked nobody in particular . Those humans are killing all of our families and friends . They will cause us all to have cancer with those disgusting pellets ! “ Jackson explained . “ They are vandals ! Murderers !”
“ Yes sir !” Charlotte , one of the younger adult crabs , responded . “ All of us are gaining a tremendous weight ! And although the pellets taste disgusting , I don ’ t know why we keep eating them , but we cannot help ourselves . I have heard the farmers say that there are antibiotics in them to keep us from being sick . Once , I heard , we were the world ’ s most delicious delicacy but I cannot imagine what we must taste of now !”
Everyone nodded their big furry heads in agreement .
“ Well , I don ’ t mind growing faster and stronger by the minute !” said Harry , the youngest crab in the meeting . It makes me feel powerful ! And invincible !”
“ If you keep eating this disgusting grub , we might be the world ’ s greatest fear ,” Jackson bellowed . “ Sooner or later we will all be taken from the lake and thrown into the trash can .” He folded his two front claws and looked at the Harry sternly .