Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 2 -1 2019 | Page 100

King Alagonakkara repeated, “We surrender!”
Slowly, Captain Zheng He nodded and demanded, “Your master has retreated. All pirates, get off the Ming
88 !”
One by one, the opposing army trudged back onto their own fleet of ships. As I triumphantly watched the
pirates retreat, I noticed he had a sneaky grin on his face, acting suspicious. I could see his eye were still in
pain. Surreptitiously, he muttered something under his breath and pulled out his gun and directed it at
Zheng He. Then, he pulled the trigger. Immediately, I flapped my wings desperately and, in a split second,
Zheng He moved his head.
The bullet whizzed past me, grazing my outstretched wing. I span around to see where the bullet had
flown … straight at General Wang Jie Luo’s head.
“Nooooooo!” Admiral He cried. But it was too late to do anything to stop it. Wang Jie Luo was dead.
It had all happened too quickly. First, Ming 88 won the battle, then Zheng He’s most trusted general was
dead. It was all a blur.
“Thank you for your help,” Captain He whispered to me, “Without you, we would have lost.” I was lost
for words; so, I just said: Squawk!
Then, a bright, blazing light blinded me, the world beginning to spin out of control. I didn’t want my
adventure to end. But before I knew it...
I was back. Back in the library.
As I lifted the dusty cover for a second time, I read that Ceylon was the ancient Sri Lanka. After reading for
quite some while, I closed the book, satisfied.
“Oh my gosh,” For on the front cover of the library book, was the author; Captain Zheng He. And inside,
it said, dedicated to my parrot, who saved the day.