Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 12 | Page 401

A Winding Tale
Sha Tin Junior School, Lo , Meagan - 10
T
he children were playing near the Japanese concession border in Shanghai, but little did they know they were
going to go on an exciting adventure ahead of them.
There was a law made that anyone who went across the concession border would be in prison for 5 years; nobody
was allowed but the traders. This had no impact on the lives of Lucy, Macy, Jack and Charlie, whose parents were
missionaries working among the Chinese people in the old city of Shanghai. But one day, the children saw a few
Chinese traders and Japanese traders talking in hush voices, and sneaking about. After they went, the children were
curious and wanted to find out what they were up to. Normally they weren’t that curious, yet after seeing the
traders’ expressions, they just knew they were up to something. After all they were on the same side so why
couldn’t they find out? The children planned that Lucy and Macy, the twin sisters who were about 10 years old,
would go in sneakily inside the Japanese concession. If they didn’t come back at dawn, Jack and Charlie, the two
brothers – Jack was about 11 years old, and Charlie was 14 – they two would go in and see what’s wrong.
Everything was planned; they were going in exactly 5 minutes.
When the girls were ready, they saw a guy who was wearing all black all over his body. The girls were frightened
and went to their “hiding place,” which was their play area. The children thought – or rather, hoped – that he was
one of the traders, so they just pretended to mind their own business and walked away, not to let him think
something suspicious was going on. Finally, the girls went in hiding behind bushes and pots, quietly and steadily.
“Ouch, oops,” Lucy accidentally tripped over one tiny pot of flowers.
They were doomed! Lights flashed up everywhere and men were coming. They certainly looked really angry and
furious.
“Look! Look what have we got here? Two girls. You don’t look like one of us, do you, strangers?” said a tall
Japanese man with a sinister smile.
“Come with me,” said another man. A huge laughter broke out. “Come on, you’re our first ones to go into the
cage.”
The girls had no choice but to follow these horrid people to the cage.
“Cheer up, I bet it won’t be that bad. They will soon know who’s right,” said Macy trying to comfort Lucy but
with a quavering voice.
But she was wrong… the cage had no lights, no windows, no gaps, not even a tiny hole! They’d soon die! What
should they do?
At dawn the boys were waiting impatiently, pacing around the play area. Then they saw the man attired in all
black all over his body, again! He was heading towards the border between the Chinese city and the Japanese
concession.
“Quick, do something, Charlie! Maybe he is one of the bad traders and wants to capture our sisters,” cried Jack
worriedly.
“I have a feeling, he’s on our side, but let’s just follow him, just in case,” said Charlie calmly.
They followed the man, and of course the man knew someone was behind him. Slowly he pulled out his pistol
and turned around and scared the boys right out of their hearts.
“Hands up! Who are you? Why are you following me?” said the man in a fierce and firm voice.
Quickly, Charlie spoke up, “Hi, we were just wondering if you could help us find our sisters.”