Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 12 | Page 203

HouLu's Revenge Green Oasis School, Vaskin, Aleksandr – 10 M any centuries ago, in Old Shanghai, lived a young boy named HuoLu. He lived in a small village with his parents. In that village was a long wide river, with very clean water. You could see the little plants and the tiny cute fish. There were also a lot of plants growing around. Open your door and you could already see a beautiful, bright-coloured rose growing in the garden. Walk further, and you could see a tall apple tree with flowers, which will turn into apples in autumn. HuoLu had a happy life until this happened… It was a sunny, warm day and HuoLu was learning to walk. Suddenly, there was a loud bang, and the sky got full of smoke. The river suddenly started to dry up, so quickly that you could see how the water is vanishing. Someone screamed. Then everyone saw what had happened. It was the HuoShong dragon! Everyone started to panic. The dragon was coming nearer and nearer. HuoLu’s family started running, but the father was too late. The dragon took him, and flew away completely destroying the city. Ten years have passed since that disaster, but the city was still destroyed and the water in the river did not come back. Most of the villagers were sick, and some were even dying because of the existing smoke. HuoLu had already grown, but he still didn’t forget that time. He had read lots of books about the HuoShong dragon and here was what he had found out: the dragon could easily burn a piece of wood by simply breathing on it. It lived on a high mountain with a very sharp top, called “The Mountain of Death”. Another two years have passed, HuoLu have learned all types of fighting without weapons. HuoLu also had a shiny unbreakable sword, which he had made himself. He learnt to fight all by himself, because there was no one to teach him. After he had learnt to fight, he wanted to start looking for the dragon. He hadn’t told anybody that he was going on a long journey, and didn’t want anyone to know. The night before his journey, HuoLu secretly got all his things ready, and put them in his room. He was changing into his pajamas, when he saw something pale white. “Wha- who are you?”asked HuoLu with shaking voice. “Don’t be scared, my boy,” answered the thing, “I am the ghost of your father.” “Oh,” HuoLu answered. “I will help you during your journey,” said Ghost in deep voice. “Um…Okay Ghost…But now I am going to sleep” said HuoLu nervously. “Very well, boy, very well” said Ghost disappearing into the air. The next morning, HuoLu woke up very early, and again he saw something pale white. “Ghost!” HuoLu exclaimed. “Yes, my boy,” Ghost said, laughing quietly “It’s me.” HuoLu quickly made breakfast, packed his things and went outside. HuoLu ran as fast as a flash. Suddenly he stopped. “Er…Where do we have to go?” asked HuoLu. “Forward, my boy, forward,” said Ghost. So HuoLu went forward. After an hour, they reached a forest. HuoLu walked in, and saw an insignificant snake on the ground. What a small, harmless snake, he thought. He wanted to pass it, but suddenly, the snake on the ground started to grow bigger, until it became twice bigger than the boy. HuoLu watched this in horror. Then, that vast snake leaped in to the air, and attacked HuoLu. Before HuoLu could do anything, the snake had already wrapped itself around HuoLu. Awful pain shot his body. He fainted. No one knew for how long HuoLu slept, but when he woke up, he saw that he was lying on the wet grass, under a tree. He sat up. He saw Ghost flying near him. “So, you woke up, my boy,” it said. “Where is the snake?” HuoLu asked quickly. “Dead,” Ghost answered. “Dead?” asked HuoLu surprisingly.