Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 2 - 2 | Page 84

Belly of the Beast
Singapore International School (Hong Kong), Chen, Kee Fay June - 11
A stocky, grizzled sailor, perched on the tip of a rocky samba, strained his eyes surveying the horizon ahead.
Hong was a veteran of Admiral Zheng’s Nanyang fleet. His hair was greying and receding rapidly and his
eyes lacked that killing flair he had when he was young. In his mind, he tried to picture the fearsome
creature that he would encounter soon. According to the local village elders, in the forbidden island of
crashing waves, there dwelled a giant mystic beast that blew fiery fires. It guarded a hoard of treasures
beyond men’s wildest dream. Emperor would surely be delighted if I acquired it , Hong thought.
His thought was disrupted by a violent jolt as the samba came to a rest near an alcove jutting out of
the island.
Grabbing a bow, Hong jumped off his trashed ship, sprinted past the pink sand beach, arriving at a
jungle bristling with noises he had never heard. The sounds of exotic insects chirping, a breed of dwarf deer
chorusing and oversized oxen grunting overlapped to form a beautiful melody, each perfectly
complementing the other. Then a jagged note disrupted the music, followed by another and another. Verses
were left hanging in mid-air and the entire tune raised to a higher octave. Birds took off, the deer and oxen
darted for cover. A snaking figure emerged from a cavern to let out a low growl, a sign of dominance before
retreating back into its cave.
That must be the beast, Hong thought, loading his bow. Lowering his stance, Hong crept towards
the opening of the cavern.
Though Hong was known for his bravery and recklessness, he couldn’t help feel panicked staring
down the dimly-lit passageway. Taking deep breaths, Hong tried to assure himself that going in was the
right choice. He was nearly bankrupt and desperately in need of money. Just as he was about to enter, he
heard a faint murmuring in the jungle behind him and the sound of leaves crunching underneath boots, but
he didn’t spare it a second thought and plunged himself into darkness.
The beast’s lair seemed endless, filled with forks and dead ends. Just as Hong was doubting whether
he took the right turn at the last crossroad, a serpentine hiss filled the tunnel, bouncing off the rough, course
walls and amplifying to an excruciating volume. Panic started to set in. The thought of looting the beast’s
lair immediately wiped off of Hong’s mind as all he cared for was to get out of this nightmare, yet no matter
where he ran, the hiss seemed to follow.
Suddenly a low, human voice resonated through the cave, “Shoot her!”
Hong wasn’t alone.
Turning another two rights and sprinting down a narrow passageway, the hisses only intensified. A
moist, slippery tongue brushed Hong’s ankle, leaving a burning sensation. Hong turned and in the dim light
managed to make out his attacker.
The monster was like a lizard on steroids fitted with a monstrous head. Two amber eyes the size of
dinner plates stared unblinkingly at Hong, sizing down its opponent. A forked tongue slid out of its
nightmarish mouth, crazily licking its lips. Two pairs of legs jutted out from the sides of the creature’s
snaking body, each bulky and muscular. A beefy tail curled up by its legs, twisting and weaving as if it had a
mind of its own before curving back to land squarely on Hong’s chest.
The wind was knocked out of him. Stumbling back, Hong slammed into the rock walls, sliding to
the ground. Stars appeared momentarily in front of his glazed eyes, circling him like a halo. Returning to his
senses, Hong fingered the trigger on his bow, squeezing off six shots in quick succession, yet none could
pierce the creature’s thick hide, bouncing off and embedding into the ceiling. Infuriated, the monster
lowered onto all fours, ramming its crocodilian head into Hong’s chest. Dizzied and a nabbing pain in his
torso, Hong threw down his weapon, sprinting towards a blinding light at the end of the passage. Not giving
up, the beast charged towards Hong, jaws gaping revealing a set of serrated, yellowing teeth, growling in
discontent. Never had prey caused it so much trouble, evaded it for so long. Then suddenly, the growls
stopped. A giant blaze of red appeared behind Hong. The smoke and heat was almost unbearable. The
distance between Hong and the exit never seemed to decrease for when Hong finally emerged into the
buzzing jungle, it was as if he was born again.
“Hey!”
Ten men appeared from the cave, the lead carrying a flaming torch. He was a short, stocky man in
his late thirties, draped in expensive cloths and wearing an elaborate headdress atop neat, jet black hair. But
his most striking feature was the emblem engraved on his cape – the mark of the Emperor.