Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4-7 2019 | Página 67

At last we had dinner again, but with some dry noodles and water together with potatoes and beans. After all these we
could get to sleep and wake up at 5 – an exhausting first day already.
The routines continued like it was continuing in a ceaseless way. With pain and moans, these made me feel stronger
every day.
I think I lost count of the days but anyways we finally stepped on land. My legs wobbled a bit like soggy spaghetti when
I got on land.
“Eh young lad? You are supposed to stay on the ship.” Said a sailor. “Only representatives and the Captains could leave
the ship and give the treasure. We sailors have to stay in the boat and keep a good watch of the ship”
I was disappointed.
“TAKE THE SILK AND THE BAG OF GOLD NOW!” yelled the Captain.
Men rushed to the basements to carry the silk and gold. The silk were so delicate yet exquisite in dazzling colours.
All the sailors gathered at the side of the boats, tilting our heads. I spotted that the Indian king also gave Captain some
drawings and saris with goods too.
“Twitch~” some sound we’re made behind me. It’s like there was someone creeping behind. I stood back, trying to
convince myself it won’t be some scary animal. Wait it won’t be tiger right? I took my sword out for self-defense.
Murmuring could be heard behind the bushes at the port. Murmuring? Animals couldn’t do that. Only humans could.
The Captain and the representative took the goods back with a pleasing smile on their faces. Meanwhile I was still
aware of the sound. I tugged Zhengming”s sleeves. I told him what had happened. Zhengmjng then also took his sword
and told everyone to prepare.
Suddenly out in a burst, a swarm of bandits came on our boat with sharp swords. Ok, this was a robbery. Everyone
took their swords and fought back the bandits. I was numb – this was too sudden and scary.
A bandit saw me and rushed at me. My hands were still nervously holding the sword and I couldn’t move. When he
rushed to me, I closed my eyes real tight, biting my lips. Hopefully this was a nightmare, but no, a gust of wind swept
through me and clinking of sounds of sword fighting were in my ears.
I opened my eyes. The Captain was having a sword fight with the bandits. Suddenly, I woke. Stupid Zhangxian. Just
because of a bandit you were praying that it was a dream?!
Courage was inhaled. I plucked my sword and swung it and ran the whole sword through the same bandit’s stomach.
Blood burst vigorously from his stomach and then he stomped down as a very dead corpse. I killed a bandit.
The captain just looked at me in shock. He didn’t say anything but pat me on my back and continued to go in the
battlefield. Meanwhile I ran to the area to safeguard the people who were carrying the gold.
All of a sudden, a rope was tied on my neck and I almost choked to death. A bearded man used a rope to tie my neck
and tugged me with the rope to tie me on a pillar of the ship. I tried to struggle and used my hands to untie the rope.
However, his strong hands made my hands almost twist when he pulled the rope and tied my hands behind.
It was so painful that I kept screaming as if I literally was being punished in hell. I managed to scream the last time
which Zhengming could hear me scream for help and the next thing I knew, my mouth was tied again.
The bearded bandit then lit a fire and put it next to me, and chased after the men who were taking the goods to the
basements. I tried to struggle hard but my neck would break. I tried screaming but I couldn’t. My sword was laying
somewhere beside me but I couldn’t get it. Tears swarmed in my eyes as I was feeling that my life was ending. Then
hope appeared - Zhengmjng took his dagger from his sock and threw it to me and it landed on my feet. I tried to use
my legs to push the dagger up my knees so I could put my neck
with the rope, moving forward and backward so the dagger in my knees could cut the rope. It seemed endless but at last
I managed to cut all the ropes.
I took my bloody sword and the dagger and rushed down the cellars where I predicted the bandit was, searching for the
gold. One of the men was stabbed to death and the others were hit to the point of unconsciousness. Anger rushed in
me. I tried to form a quick plan. I decided to stab his back and push him out of the window. I jumped on his back and
used my sword to stab his back. He wailed and wanted to catch me on his back. However, I was too fast and jumped
around on his body, making it hard to catch me. As I moved, I kept stabbing my sword in his body and legs. I deduced
that he couldn't’ move anymore but unfortunately, he was still that strong. I couldn’t even push him. I then stood at the
window, and when he moved to me, I quickly bounce-jumped to a side and made him crash the window. He really
bumped through the window and finally, he drowned.
I checked the gold and goods in the cellars. Good, none of them were stolen I assumed.
I came back to the deck. Everyone was standing aside; the battle was finished.
That was the first battle that I fought in and it was one of the most vivid memories of my life. I realized I was grown
up. Not fearful anymore but a brave teenage boy.
“Hey, here’s your dagger,” I approached Zhengming.