Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 2020complete | Page 588

“God. Today, very difficult day for me. I do free body checkup in the hospital. Doctor says I have
breast cancer, die very very soon. Only 6 months life. I very scared. Mom and dad feel very weak. No food
to eat. No money to buy anything. No place to sleep. Very difficult to sleep on the road, too cold. If I die,
no money for parents. They, too old to work. I try to work hard but I get tired very fast, maybe because of
my sick. I find a job today, a cleaner at school. I will work hard and try to earn more money so I can buy a
new home for my parents. One month already, my husband die. I miss him very much. I want he come
back and help me. I love my parents very much, so I do not tell them about my sick. They are already very
much weak. If I tell them, they will worry and their body become more weak, not good for their health.
God, please give me the strength to work hard at my job so I can buy a new home for mom and dad. Please
God, please!”
As she slept against the concrete pathway alongside the highway, she dreamt of something as pretty as a
picture. She hasn’t seen him in a month now. She knew it might not sound very long but for her, it seemed
like forever. As she ran towards him and jumped into his arms, she felt like home again. All her worries and
dreadful thoughts that haunted her every minute of the day were gone. She was at the moment. Her
husband’s soft gentle hands caressed her and his chin rested on her shoulders as she blindfolded her eyes.
After walking a few steps, he took off the blindfold meticulously allowing her to see the aesthetic view
of the brand new country --- Cantonesia. She ambled through the concrete lane between several fleets of
bungalows and chalets on either side cemented with an uneven stretch of glossy. There were steep perilous
stone steps leading towards the bungalows obstructed by a lofty gate made of flanking rusty iron. At its
threshold stood the delicate water marble fountain, the soft gurgling of the clear water resonated in the
surrounding silence.
Soon, she noticed the skyscrapers proudly galloping up the clouds and they had entire floors dedicated
to play. There were slides to go down several floors at a time, they had elevators too but fun was thought to
be more important. Then there were pods that moved on rails around the outside, not for transport but
more as a sort of wild fairground rides. At the same time, she felt that the buildings were a dilapidated mess,
a cluster of four high tech buildings. Large. Smoked glass. Steel. Each one joined to the next to a covered
walkway.
Drowning in the crowds like a raindrop protesting to join the ocean, made her feel heavy. But it
disappeared when her mouth watered the moment she spotted the Cornetto’s ice-cream. Fresh crimson
berries covered with a mountain of tangy-sweet whipped cream. Rich grainy brown sugar covering the
sweet airy perfection.
Later, she was enticed to try some famous local food. The moment she slid into her chair, she was
served with a beautiful Braised Pork Balls in gravy alongside a large Hotpot. She began to lick her fussy lips
and grabbed a handful of oily devours. They were a little shrimp as well, fried to a crisp. She placed a pile of
shrimp on her plate and drenched them in a creamy, sweet Hollandaise sauce. Her pudgy hands clenched
the oil-soaked shrimp and stuffed them into her mouth. She licked her fingers, smeared with cream and oil.
She crunched another handful of crispy shrimp. She took a large chicken leg and a large steak as she
saturated them in a rich, sweet sauce and popped a large chunk of steak into her mouth. Before ending, she
was given a delicately made pastry which was based on the Portuguese Pastel de Nata. With their flaky
pastry crusts, delicious egg custard centre, and crispy creme brulee tops, they taste twice as nice when they
were piping hot. She dabbed her fleshy cheeks with a delicate napkin before leaving.
As she came out of the local restaurant, she could hear the locals screaming with joy and could feel
their feet disturbing the ground around her. Without looking, their smiles extended towards her, attempting
to extend an invitation to join the Lion Dance with them. Their bodies moved together as they celebrated,
rhythmically breaking into shapes and colours that trickled her heart. Her heart pounded as it filled with
happiness and joy.
After roaming around the alluring place with her husband, they entered into a place named Mgongina
Plateau that consisted of a Sun Yat-Sen marble statue, he sat upon a pinnacle with a lovely warmwelcoming
smile on his face. It holds the honour as the second tallest seated bronze statue in the world.
Next to it, there was an abode displaying various accomplishments that he made during his lifetime; he was
known as the idealistic leader who sought to unite China under one stable government.