Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 2 -1 2019 | Page 89

In fact, I was very much so. I furiously racked my brain, trying to think of a viable solution. I suddenly
remembered: During our trips to the more outward cities of the seas, I had received a present. The man
who gave it to me promised that I would help me in any situation.
I pulled out the canister from my bag. It had strange writing on it that I could not decipher, plus a liquid
that seemed contained in it.
The writing looked like this:
PEPPER SOLUTION
I frantically splashed the liquid all over the old woman. At once, her flesh seemed to burn and wither,
curling in on itself. The snakes which were terrorising my crew had the same reaction, shriveling up and
dying in the middle of the street.
With the same panic gripping everyone, we sprinted back to the ship, talking about our miraculous rescue.
From then on, I gained a lot more respect among the crew, and was no longer reduced to the more
laborious tasks of menial cleaning.
The West really has a lot to offer.