Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction 4-7 2019 | Page 82

thoroughly. This way I can look closely at all the details on my screen. I figure that finding my sister is more important
than going to my lecture this afternoon, so I go on reading throughout the whole day. Dates, numbers, locations,
names. Zheng He’s 7 Voyages across the so called ‘Western Ocean.’ After reading a considerable number of papers, I
concluded that Cece was looking for something the pirates on the Ming Voyages left somewhere. The first of Zheng
He’s voyages set out on July 11 th , 1405. They travelled around the Indian ocean and were comprised of 317 ships with
27 870 men aboard. They were Chinese pirates, but good pirates. Instead of stealing gold and jewels, they delivered
them from the emperor to other countries to form new friendships. She specified that 7 voyages were planned, but only
6 succeeded, as the last fleet of ships couldn’t get to their last location, which resulted in the emperor ordering the
sailor-pirates to leave the gift somewhere hidden, for a future descendent to find.
It was all confusing to me at this point. Why would Cece care about this and leave to try and find a gift that was left by
an old Chinese emperor in the 1400s? I think that’s what she’s doing. Something pops up on my screen, it looks like a
conversation on Gmail, but I don’t know who it’s from. It just says ‘unknown.’ It’s an address, or part of one:
SO14AD
(Southampton)
As unsettling as it is, getting an email from an unknown source with an address on it, something is drawing me to it. I
have the strongest gut feeling that Cece is there. From Manchester to Southampton should only take about 4 or 5
hours if I catch the quick train. Thinking about it, I would need to miss about a week of classes and lectures, so there’s
going to be a load of work to catch up on, but it’ll be worth it. If I find her.
I get the first train from Manchester station to Southampton. Luckily, my train is going all the way there, so I have
about 5 hours to kill. I’m having a look at places around the postcode that was emailed to me, but it seems that it’s in
the middle of nowhere. The closest thing I’ve found to the postcode is a little cafeteria, three miles away. I’m almost in
Southampton now, and am feeling a chill rush down my spine as I get closer and closer. The moment I hop off the
train, I jump in a cab and show the driver the postcode. I have absolutely no clue where I’m going, I only hope that I’ll
find Cece there. Part of me is eager to get out of the cab, and run towards the sketchy little shop I see outside the car
window, however, the other part of me wants to tell the taxi driver to take me right back to the station, so I can hop on
a train back home. Mum has messaged me far too many times, so I’ve told her I’m in my lecture and muted the
conversation for now.
After paying the driver, I reluctantly step out of the car and walk towards the mysterious shop in front of me. I get
closer and closer, and stand by the front door of the shop, half asleep and half awake. Something startles me. It’s an old
lady staring at me on the other side of the door. I jolt backwards, and she opens the door, initially with a confused face.
But that confused face soon turns into a warm smile. As she leads me into the small shop, she points out all the ancient
collectables she has. I can tell she’s describing them and how she came to get them, but the words are blurred in my
head. All I can think about is finding Cece. In the middle of her sentence, I abruptly say ‘Cece.’ She stops. ‘Sorry
ma’am, but you haven’t by any chance seen a young girl, about my age, around this area, have you?’ She stares at me
for a second or two, and starts to shake her head calmly, but it gradually turns to a nervous nod. She points me towards
a door on my right, and I feel anxious to open it. Then, without realising, I’ve already opened it.
There she is. I see her, sitting in front of me, surrounded by a ring of papers.
I shout ‘Cece!’
She jumps up and runs towards me. I can’t believe I’ve found her after all this time. As great as the moment is, seeing
my big sister again, I suddenly pull away and slap her.
‘How could you just leave me?’ I shout.
But she doesn’t answer, instead, tears start running down her face, and I go back in for a hug, apologising for snapping
at her. She sits me down and talks to me about everything she’s found, all the articles about the 7 voyages that were
never published, all the treasures Zheng He offered. As Cece goes on, I look over at the old lady and roll my eyes, she