Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 3 2018 | Page 325

New Journeys to the West
St. Paul's Convent School, Chan, Bui Ka Amber - 14
H
astily he endeavoured to wash his face of the weariness it felt, for he had not slept the entire night.
Sometimes he questioned his life choices, but he knew he needed to finish his paperwork for the
meeting later on today as the head of the student council. Implanting the idea that he was
irresponsible in his fellow committee’s heads was the last thing he wanted to keep up his already seemingly
unflattering reputation.
“Why is this happening to me?” He groaned, pressing his face against the water in the sink. He felt as if he
was about to pass out from fatigue, but he could not afford to sleep when he still had pending work to sort
out. He looked up in the mirror to face his drenched hair, moaning about the unease of wet locks of hair
sticking to his skin.
He proceeded to stare at his image, tired eyes glaring into his reflection’s. “I don't like you, you know that?”
No response.
He heaved a laugh as he turned away. “Oh, why do I bother with you? You do nothing but waste your life
away—”
“Hey, don't say that!”
His cloudy mind took a moment to register the voice that sounded interchangeable to his own, yet so
foreign. Did it come from where he thought it came from? So he sought the mirror for an answer. His
mirrored self had fawn hair and gold eyes, something that he should not had. He also did not appear human,
which was also something he was not.
“Oh, go away, I don't need this right now, I—”
“Wow, I can't believe this! Are you me? But, that can't be! You're so… Bitter!”
Sighing, he turned away from the mirror, rubbing at his temples. He obviously lacked sleep to the point that
he was acting delusional. Yes, that was it. He just needed to get back to his desk and he could escape from
this.
“Hey, don't go, this is really important!”
“I don't see how talking to an imaginary monkey can be of more importance than finishing my work on
time.”
“You said you were wasting your time away, weren't you? Well, helping me— you with this, will be
nothing but beneficial for you.”
Lamenting over how pitiful he seemed, he turned to face his outlandish reflection, face scrunched up in
annoyance. “Go on and let me be.”
His visage twisted even further when the monkey guffawed, his chortles grinding at his nerves. He pinched
the bridge of his nose, muttering about foolish primates as he drained the sink of the lukewarm water it held.
“Man!” The monkey wiped a tear away. “I can't remember the last time I spoke so formally. Not even
between me and Xuanzang.”
“It's Xuanzang and I, has anyone ever taught you proper grammar?”