Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 2 - 2 | Page 173

Yao Ming’s Adventures on The Ming Treasure Voyages
Victoria Shanghai Academy, Lam, Darren - 11
Ten-year old Yao Ming somersaulted across the deck, dodging a pistol’s shot while waving his gleaming
cutlass at the pirates. “You’ll never take me alive!” he yelled, throwing ropes at the pirates. The pirates
yelled, the ropes binding them, and Yao Ming was being lifted onto the cheering crew’s shoulders. He felt
legendary … … except that he was daydreaming on the loo once again. He quickly grabbed the plumbing
stick and started cleaning the toilet, before he was spotted by the captain slacking again. Yao Ming was on a
ship that was part of the Ming Treasure Voyages, and he was headed to India, which would have been an
exciting trip … if he hadn’t been a servant.
Despite this, he still looked forward to India, where he might get a break on a beach. The miles melted by,
and Yao Ming’s life continued. Everything was great … or at least until the night of the storm, where
everything changed.
That night, waves battered the ship. Rain lashed the sails, and lightning flashed through the sky. The ship
lurched and wobbled in the thunderstorm, with the deck crammed with sailors, lookouts, guards and
servants. However, Yao Ming was in his tattered, flea-infested, half-rotten bunk which was littered with
buckets in an effort to hold out the rain, where Yao Ming was daydreaming again. On the deck, there were
grunts and cries, and a vague shout of “help!”, but Yao Ming was oblivious to everything. He was dreaming
of a kung-fu kick when the door swung open, and there stood a pirate! Yao Ming did not spot him, but
kicked him in the face, and the pirate collapsed. Yao Ming awoke abruptly, saw the unconscious pirate and
hurried out to help, closing the door behind him. In his haste, he didn’t quite close the door.
Yao Ming raced up the deck. He dodged fighters, weaved through supplies and managed to get to the side
of the ship. He peered down at the choppy sea and felt a lurch of seasickness overcome him. He headed
back to his bunk, where he might feel better when he spotted several pirates were being battered by his
swinging door. Yao Ming tried to provide assistance, but suddenly the rusty door fell off its hinges, and sent
them all tumbling into the sea!
The cold water rushed up to meet Yao Ming, and the impact stung his entire body. He felt himself sinking
to the bottom, when he collided into several pieces of coral, which floated into a strange pile that looked
like a pillar and shifting an ancient lever, which seemed to adjust a bit of the seabed, but Yao Ming
convinced himself it was nothing. He pushed himself desperately back up, and barely reached the ship when
suddenly there was a roar …
A monstrous creature loomed out of the water, clearly relishing the effect of it. It had great black spots with
eyes embedded in them all around eight slimy, long, sinister tentacles that were absolutely hideous. Its body
was larger than a giant squid, dwarfing the ship and it gave an ear-splitting roar that sent the soldiers and
sailors scrambling around the deck. Pirates yelled, dropped their weapons, banged into each other which
provoked screams, yells and bangs, which startled the creature. However, it was not an achievement as the
creature got mad and threw it’s slimy tentacles onto the ship.
The pirates screamed, the sailors ran for cover and the captains of both forces yelled at their men to stop
acting like babies. Yao Ming was one of the few reasonable men left, and he suggested the idea of working
together to the two leaders. “Why don’t we combine forces to fight this monster?” he requested, gesturing
at the chaos ensuring behind him. The leaders glanced at each other, considering the offer. It was a tempting
one if they were to survive.
“Yes!” they agreed. They retrieved their men, and the sailors readied the cannons, soldiers sharpened their
weapons and pirates prepared the sails, when suddenly, the monster struck, sending two nearby soldiers
flying, and a huge crack appeared on the hull of the ship. Immediately, Yao Ming was dispatched to mend
the crack, while the fighting raged above. Quickly finishing his mission, Yao Ming returned to the deck
where cannons were banging, and silver blurs were flying all over the place, trying to find their target. The
serpent slapped the ship again, and it rocked dangerously. The pirates ran about, yelling, and Yao Ming