Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 2020 | Page 97

Hong Kong Young Writers Awards 2020
A Change for the Better
St Margaret’s Co–Educational English Secondary and Primary School, Cudia, Kim – 16
His eyes drank in the skyline: bright lights dotted the horizon and high rises
peeked through the morning haze. Aiden never loved his life in the countryside, where
opportunities were as scarce as proper meals and corruption spread like disease, but he’d
learnt to accept it. Yet by chance, he was here now. He could only dream of a busy city life
in the Greater Bay Area, and it was about to become his.
It was only six in the morning, but the sound of people’s chatter had already started to
fill the air, and Hyperloops were up and running on their tracks. 0600. Good morning. Please
proceed to your workstations. Today’s weather is bright and cool. You may want to bring a light jacket
with you. Have a lovely day.
He tore his eyes from the window, his mind refreshed after the city’s Timekeeper’s
first string of daily reminders. Quickly downing his cup of tea, he grabbed his bag and his
Timecard and quickly swiped it across the control panel next to his door. Every house had
one, for automatically logging information related to commuting time, working hours,
and the like. Aiden marvelled at what for many was a quotidian act - this was one of many
Greater Bay Area’s technological marvels. It, as were all things, was precise down to every
last detail in an effort to estimate the city’s productivity.
Such was life in the heart of the Hub — that was what the Greater Bay Area was
known as internationally. It was the epitome of advancement, as the bright minds behind it
had orchestrated the art of routine and discipline, all while infrastructural and technological
development, quality of life, and social stability was finely tuned. In fact, it was seen as the
perfect world — an ideal one in any scenario because it meant new beginnings, a second
chance at life. Whoever came here was given the chance to pull themselves out of poverty,
and whoever left had reason to worry about their wellbeing.
As he walked to the train station, his mind rolled over the events of this past week.
Seven days ago, his little sister June lay bedridden, the new strain of virus that was
discovered in the villages poisoning her system and crawling its way to her heart. Six
days ago, his mother, who had never once showed hesitation or fear for all his life, broke
down in tears. Five days ago, he offered to break into the only hospital for miles around
to retrieve medicine for June’s condition. Four days ago, June’s eyes fluttered shut, and
his heart shattered into a million pieces. Three days ago, his mother whispered I love you
to him, because they were the only family they had left. Two days ago, by complete and
utter luck, he won the annual Lottery that admitted a total of five people from all over
the country to complete an internship in the Greater Bay Area. One day ago, he waved
goodbye to his mother, promising to earn enough to support her even from afar, feeling
torn as ever. And… here he was now, determined not to waste his clean slate. He just
couldn’t afford to.
The noise of the station interrupted his thoughts. The Hyperloop is arriving. Please allow
passengers to exit first. He found himself in the midst of a sea of people, all making phone
calls and chatting about new business plans. Inside the Hyperloop was no different — each
cabin was lined with cushioned seats and commuters working on their tablets, and in the far
corner were booths occupied by businessmen and women discussing agendas over breakfast.
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