New Tales of The Old Shanghai
Island School , Murdoch , Afton - 14
I t ’ s been 365 days . 365 days since I almost died and 365 days since no one noticed . I was only 15 when I fell into the ocean . My parents could never afford to pay for my education , even if they could they would never bother , I was always a burden to them no matter how hard I tried to impress them . They were fishermen raising as much money as they could by catching fish on the junk that we all used to live on . They never really saw me anyways , always working , ignoring my presence yet treasuring my brother . My brother was 2 years younger more athletic than I ever was and somehow always managed to get my parents attention , probably because he was destined to be the “ man of the house ” when he was older .
It happened so quickly , my foot slipping on a knotted pile of rope in the corner of my father ' s boat . I saw concern , than a hint of relief , flash across his face as I slipped into the dirty green harbor and sank to the bottom ... They say there ' no sound underwater , but she heard me . She heard thoughts screaming . Sirens are supposed to be evil but she was memorising , perfect flowing hair , clear blue eyes and her clothes made from different shimmering shades of sand . She heard me . She saved me from death , but that doesn ’ t mean I ’ m really living . When she spoke she gave me a choice stay forever at the bottom of the ocean or stay with her .
She made me one of her own . Raised in Shanghai , then traveled around the world being a slave for the ocean . Trapped to work for her for 100 years , singing for her . I try to spend as much of my time as I can in Shanghai , I live there most of time treasuring the architecture , the culture and the people . Overhearing people ' s conversations , remembering how wonderful it was to talk , my voice now is just poison to anyone that hears it , luring them to jump into the ocean .
I used to roam the streets everyday wishing I could say a single word to the locals , wishing that I could have a single conversation , but now that I ’ m used to it I linger in the shadows watching everything , overhearing everything that I can . Watching how the women ’ s clothes have changed since last year , how the women are still treated below everyone else and how the city is slowly starting to get bigger . The number of junks in the harbour slowly increasing , people buying or building boats from scratch to go fishing through the night and sell what they caught through the day . Earning as much as they can , every penny matters to them . I don ’ t need a home , as a siren the ocean is my home , I don ’ t need to eat drink or sleep to survive .
It ’ s been 365 days since I haven ’ t spoke and It ’ s been 365 days since I regretted choosing to stay alive .