Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4-7 2019 | Page 204

Suddenly, the door to our room slammed open and in ran two bulky sailors.
“What is the meaning of this?” Hua, who had also been awoken, demanded in a tight voice.
“The storm ain’t gonna stop unless we give Tianfei something.” The two sailors grabbed the Xing Yun who
was standing the closest to them and shoved her out of the door, ignoring the weak protests from the other
two.
They were going to kill her.
I was about to protest but I realised that I would only make the situation worse. I did not want to become a
sacrifice. Hua wisely kept her mouth shut but I could see the tears pooling in her eyes.
Xing Yun’s screams of help were blood-curling and yet, it blended perfectly with the low mumbles of
prayers to the patron goddess from the sailors. I covered my ears and tried to shut out the horrid noises.
Soon, the howling wind and rain soon stopped and we could hear the sailors cheering in relief.
There was no mention of XingYun again.
A few days later, the ship was nearing Java. Hua and I, both dressed in an ridiculously extravagant dress, Hua
had insisted, decided to to leave our tiny room and take in some fresh air on the deck.
“You should go ahead first, I need to retrieve my coat from the room.” Hua smiled at me, though her eyes
were on a pile of sailor wear that had been piled up in a corner.
“I can go with you, I don’t mind.” I offered.
“No, no, I know how long you have been waiting for this. Go ahead and enjoy the view on the deck first.
It’s almost sunrise and you wouldn’t want to miss it.” Hua ignored my protests and pushed me onto the
deck.
Once again, the sight of the upper deck of the ship had made me stop in my tracks.
The ship was enormous, the biggest ship I’ve ever seen, and it was magnificent! Its three sails stood proud
and billowed in the gentle wind. The rising sun turned the sails into a golden yellow and the shadows of the
towering masts coloured the wooden deck in different shades.
“Come on, we’d better not stand in the middle of everything.” Hua appeared, giggling at my awestruck
face.
“Look, YueXin, isn’t this beautiful?” Hua sighed quietly. I leaned on the ship’s railing with Hua and looked
at the sky that was painted red and orange. Cylinders of light moved across the turquoise sea and the
seawater seemed to glitter under the light.
The silence was broken by the booming voice of the navigator. “We will be arriving Java in 15 minutes,
please get ready to disembark and unload the gifts.”
At the word ‘gift’, both Hua and I stiffened and glanced at each other, fearing the worst. Quietly, we
shuffled back into our room and shut the door.
“Do you think one of us will be the tribute to Java?” I asked, nerves tangled all together.
Hua said nothing but picked up her embroidery work and started stitching again, though I could see her
hands trembling slightly.
“Where is Mei?” Hua asked nonchalantly.