Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 12 | Page 45

The Black Cobra Strikes in Old Shanghai
Victoria Shanghai Academy, Graff, Eric – 8
T
he year was 1934. Shanghai was the busiest trading port in China. People from all over the country and many
foreign lands came to Shanghai to do business and escape from troubles in other parts of the world. It was the
center of commerce, science and new ideas. But something strange was happening. Seven of China’s most famous
scientists who came to Shanghai to do research had all disappeared in the last month.
The police searched everywhere for the scientists but found nothing. Just when they were about to give up someone
suggested contacting Max and Alex, the most famous detectives in Shanghai. They were both very smart, strong and
fast runners. Max and Alex decided to take the case. The next morning during their investigations they discovered
that all the scientists had disappeared next to HSBC bank branches. ‘HSBC’ stands for Hong Kong and Shanghai
Banking Corporation and was originally founded in Shanghai and only later moved to Hong Kong. They went to the
HSBC main bank and saw footprints and followed them to a wall where they suddenly stopped. Alex kicked the wall
as hard as he could. The wall broke and inside they could see a hidden door which they opened with great difficulty.
Inside looked dark and dangerous. At first they could see nothing. Then slowly they saw movement and realized it
was their arch enemy, the Black Cobra, a former great scientist and professor who had turned evil. Max and Alex saw
all the missing scientists had been put into a prison cell. The Black Cobra yelled. “You cannot defeat me, I have
transferred all the scientists powers to me! You are too late.” Max and Alex saw that the situation was desperate. If the
Black Cobra really had the combined powers of all the scientists he could conquer not only China but they whole
world. They needed to do something fast. They charged and in the fight the prison cell door was knocked open. The
scientists escaped and ran out of the bank. All of a sudden the Black Cobra started to shake and fell to the floor. “You
have found my weakness,” he said. “ I must be able to see the scientists in order to use their powers. Now that they are
gone I am becoming weaker.” With one final effort the Black Cobra escaped through a secret trap door. In those days
the Yangtze river was the center of life for many families who could not afford to live in the city. They lived on small
boats that were tied up by the river bank. The Black Cobra stole one of these boats and took off up the river. Alex and
Max ran as fast as they could along the river bank or Bund as it was also called. Up ahead they saw the Black Cobra
begin running towards Nanjing Road. Nanjing Road was the busiest market street in all of Shanghai. Once the Black
Cobra disappeared in there he would be impossible to find. Max managed to force the Black Cobra to turn towards
the Foreign Concession Area. In those days the Chinese did not control all of Shanghai. Many foreign powers such
as England, America, France, Germany and Japan occupied and controlled large parts of the city. Once The Black
Cobra entered the Concession Area he knew he would be arrested immediately and probably executed. The
foreigners considered him a threat not only to the privileges they enjoyed in China but also to their own country’s
survival. The Black Cobra had no choice but to turn and face Alex and Max who were hot on his heels and had now
been joined by hundreds of Chinese police. Just as as he was getting ready for one last attack a brave police officer
named Eric stepped forward and threw a bag over him and then quickly tied his hands. His powers were now useless.
The Black Cobra had been captured and Shanghai and the world were saved. Everyone was happy and jumped for joy
thanking Max, Alex and Eric.