Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 12 | Page 9

Murder in Old Shanghai
Dulwich College Beijing, Wu, Julinna - 8
I
n the early twentieth century, Shanghai was known as the Paris of the east and New York of the west.
After the Opium War, foreigners took over places such as the International Concession and the French Concession.
The glamourous Concessions were filled with grand buildings with neon lights that glowed at night. The bustling
streets were filled by chattering children and shopkeepers who would yell "Hey! You! Come and buy the best food
you've ever tasted before!" However, even in such legendary places, danger lurks around in the shadows...
In a quiet street stood a few western-style houses with huge iron gates. One of them was Dr. Steven's clinic. On a
windy day an old man came to see Dr. Steven. It was Mr. Li, a wealthy but very sick man. He had a cancer which
Dr. Steven had been trying to cure for months. It was on this day that Mr.Li went to Dr. Steven's office for a
check-up.
But Mr. Li never came back from the clinic that day… Mrs. Li got really anxious and called the police. Everyone
thought that Dr. Steven had murdered Mr. Li but after days of endless searching, the police had no evidence and
therefore called Sherlock Holmes.
Sherlock arrived in a flash and was briefed on the whole case. He went straight to the clinic and started searching.
At the beginning, Dr. Steven denied any connection with Mr. Li's disappearance. But Sherlock – being Sherlock –
kept searching.
At long last he found some vital information – it was the sign out book, which every patient needs to sign before
leaving. There was no signature on it for that day. Sherlock showed it to Dr. Steven and he gasped. Dr. Steven gave
in and explained to Sherlock the whole thing from top to bottom.
Mr. Li was dying. The only cure Dr. Steven could find was a medicine that only works on rats. So, the only
solution Dr. Steven could come up with, was to turn Mr. Li into a rat and then cure his cancer while he was in the
ratty form!
As requested, Dr. Steven described what happened that day in great detail: Mr. Li was asked to lay down in the
transformation machine built by Dr. Steven. Dr. Steven closed the door that creaked loudly and pressed a red
button. Green lights fizzed and whizzed around and Mr. Li squirmed in agony. His nails became rough and
curved; his skin grew pale with long, spiky fur; a tail slithered out from his bottom; his nose was replaced with a
crooked snout; tangled whiskers popped from around his russet nose and he shrank until he was as small as an apple.
Mr. Li had been transformed into a RAT!
Finally, Mr. Li was cured and was transformed back to his human form. He was sent home to rest and all was well.
Next morning, Sherlock was walking on the busy street of The Bund, wondering what mystery he would have to
solve next...