Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4-7 2019 | Page 72

Letters to Xin
Harrow International School Hong Kong, de Blank, Anjeli - 14
26 February 1406
Dear Xin,
It is coming for me. Death. I can feel it.
It’s strange to think I once was a handsome boy, innocent and content. Looking at me now, that seems an incredibly
long time ago. I was young and foolish and made the biggest mistake of my life. I was wide-eyed, curious and alive
until I stepped foot on this dreadful ship, the ship boasting with opportunity and a lifetime of pride and fame. They told
us all about the adventures we would go on, the priceless treasures we would find and how we would come home
heroes.
They lied.
We should be back in Nanjing in three months but I don’t think I’ve ever felt so far away home. I try to think of you,
my love. I remember the first time I laid eyes on you and the beautiful smile you had on your face. Leaving you behind
for this life was a horrible decision and I regret it with all my heart.
My vision is blurred but I can sense the empty space where my pale arm used to lie. I attempt to wiggle the fingers.
Nothing. I can hear the water splashing against the side of the boat, rocking me slowly side to side, placing me in a
trance, helping me to forget all that I lost. The clink of the glasses and loud cheering are signaling that my friends are
celebrating our glorious victory without me. Why don’t they come down to see me grasping onto my last bit of life?
The rhythmic tapping of their clunky feet on the ceiling above is gently putting me to sleep. My vision is starting to
fade out. I will soon rest, facing the closed door that won’t open anytime soon, on the hard makeshift hospital bed that
many fallen soldiers before me died in, wistfully watching the world around me fall apart. I know you will never receive
these letters I have written. You’ll never know how sorry I am Xin. Or how much I love you. Goodbye...
*****
11 July 1405
Dear Xin,
Today is the day. I’ve tried so hard to prepare myself for this new chapter of my life but I don’t think I’ll ever be ready.
Standing on the docks, looking out at the vast, blue sea, I can see the colossal ships heading towards us. I cannot wait to
board and set sail. The sun is rising above the distant mountains, painting a beautiful picture in the sky. Its warmth
spreading across my body as the scattered clouds slowly part ways to let the sun’s golden rays through. I sit, my feet
dangling off the side of the dock with the cold water splashing over my shins. The endless body of water before me is
turning light blue as a mixture of orange and yellow dance on the surface, illuminating the colorful fish and coral,
shimmering on the small ripples caused by the slight movements of my feet. I can see the ships’ black silhouette as they
sail past, slowly coming to a stop before me. My adventure begins.