Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 2020complete | Page 72

Start With Something Small
Chinese International School, Ng, Maia - 10
I have cancer and have been in the hospital for the past three years. I have gone through a lot and seen a
lot. And I have seen changes from my hospital bed.
In 2018, the number of people going in and out of Hong Kong was less than it is now. It was a happy place
and I enjoyed watching each day unfold from my room. The ocean was clean and, sometimes, I would see
pink dolphins in the distance jumping through the crystal clear waves. I loved watching the excited tourists,
jumping up and down, at the sight of those dolphins on the horizon. That made me smile. My heart swelled
with joy. Across the harbour lay Kowloon, with it’s majestic tall buildings. The sky was always blue and the
people on the streets were happy. I was happy then too even though my dream was out of reach. Exploring
the world had been my wish. But that was before I got sick.
In 2019, I noticed the differences beginning to show. Plastic bags dotted the ocean. The pink dolphins
began to disappear and more people visited Hong Kong. The sky was no longer blue and pollution filled the
air. Trees were removed for building towers. As the world died bit by bit around me, my cancer got even
worse. People’s smiles left their faces. Their eyes glued to their phones.
I want to do something. I want to make a change and help my country. But what can I do? I am powerless
in my bed. I am dying. I am hooked up to machines, and am always in pain. But I will go through this pain
for nature. My life may be ending soon, but I haven’t fulfilled my own life’s purpose.
As each month passed by things outside got worse too. There was litter everywhere. I even noticed the
pigeons eat a lot of trash and they have been slowly, but surely dying. When I was just a young girl, I would
feel the fresh air blow on my face. A sea of blue, not one bottle in sight. I had a flicker of happiness inside
me. But now it has gone out.
It is now 2020 and the year has just begun. I have heard about Greater Bay Area which is made up of Hong
Kong, Macau and China. That news brought a smile to my lips. I’ve seen Macau ferries more crowded than
ever. More and more people come in to see Hong Kong. It has been a really good start to the year. My only
concern is the litter. The ocean looks so dirty, the blue water has turned gray.. The pollution is terrible. On
some days I can’t even see Kowloon.
Over these three years, I’ve noticed that our world has changed. The pollution is terrible. We need to put a
stop to it. Nature gives us so much. Now it’s our time to help, not only for Mother Earth but also for us. If
we don’t do something soon, things will get out of control. This is not just my concern. We need to work
towards a better, brighter future for the next generation. Our world is disappearing little by little every day.
We need to act now.
Some people are working very hard for our future. But that won’t help, we are all in this together. One
person cann’t do it all, it takes a group effort. My dear Aunt Flora, for example used to remind me not to
use plastic bottles. Just that small action can be the start of something bigger. Even if it is really small action,
it will grow.
I know my life is nearly over, but I need to do more. I remind my kids everyday, you can make a
difference, just start with something small. We should help protect our world. We need to stand up for
nature. Without our beloved Mother Earth, we will never survive. We live in a beautiful world, let’s not
spoil it for the next generation.