Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 - 2017 | Page 426

The New Tales of Old Shanghai
St Paul's Convent School, Tsoi, Cheuk Ling Anna - 14
‘S
hanghai is named as the Pearl of the Orient for a reason. It is a place of intrigues and mysteries, a place full of fantasies and
wonders, a place where significant battles were fought and true, honourable heroes are made in these battles. Particularly in
the Battle of Shanghai…’the teacher droned. I stifled a yawn. The heaviness in the room seemed to weigh down on my
eyelids, causing them to droop. The weather didn’t help to lift up my spirits either. It was stuffy, sweltering and suffocating,
and the sky was murky with a hint of thunder. ‘Surely nothing unusual will happen today.’ I thought.
As I was walking back home after school that day, I saw a beam of bright light appearing from an alley suddenly. With my breath
caught in my throat, my heart thudding like a drum, and my palms slick with sweat, I approached, step by step, to the source of
the bright light. To my shock, I saw that it came from a tattered book and a flag.
‘How come they are so bright?’ I wondered, picking up the book to examine it. All at once, the winds around me grew stronger,
and to my utmost astonishment, a portal appeared, sucking everything inside. Before I blackout, I took a glance at the title of the
book, which says-‘The New Tales of Old Shanghai’.
‘Wake up! Are you alright?’ a voice shouted beside my ear. ‘Where am I?’ I slurred groggily, blinking my eyes to adjust the dim
light in the building. Standing in front of me was a girl of nearly the same age as mine, probably a few years older. However, she
looked as if she’s been leading a harsh life. Her face was smudged and haggard; the bones prominent against her cheeks, the
uniform she’s wearing appeared to be rather faded and torn. Still, her dark eyes burned with a fiery spirit as she was squinting at
me.
‘Who are you? Which year is it?’ I burst out. After a profound silence-‘I,’ she said slowly. ”am Wei Men, and you are now in
Shanghai, 1937, which is in the midst of the Battle of Shanghai.”
‘Why and how did you call me here?’ I questioned, thoroughly discombobulated. ”Can you help me with my mission?’ Wei Men
answered. ‘I can. But why wouldn’t you find someone more capable than an ordinary secondary student who has absolutely no
idea of the mission and only gives burden to others when she tries to help out?’ I screamed, venting out my frustration without
knowing.
Just then, a gunshot sounded in the distance. ‘Hush!’ My companion whispered while shoving the flag and the book I saw earlier
into her uniform. ‘What are you actually trying to do?’ I asked. ‘Our troops are nearly flattened out by the loathsome enemies.
Despite being a teenage girl, I really…wanted… to try my very best to raise the soldiers’ morale and beat our detested enemies
by giving them the flag, even if…if it means sacrificing myself.’ Though her voice shook, she still replied decisively. ‘Let’s go then.’
I told her. “Really?” She asked incredulously. ‘Yes, let’s face it together.’ I answered her steadily.
‘Wait! You need to change first.’ Wei Mei said, thrusting a bundle of clothes to me. ‘Why?’ I wondered. ‘Come on! You can’t risk
leaking out your identity, or else you will not only be killed, the history might be rewritten and it will be a catastrophe.
Understand?’ She interrogated. ‘Yes.’ I answered meekly.
‘Where are we heading to?’ I enquired, as we finally set off in a fast pace.’ ‘To Sihang Warehouse as fast as possible, which is
opposite to here. Great, now we’ve got to get over that crowd of people to leave here.’ Wei Men groaned. ‘Don’t worry, as long as
we didn’t act suspiciously, we’ll be safe as I get along well with most of the English soldiers downstairs.’ She added, sensing my
uneasiness.
Slinking stealthily, we successfully arrived at the exit. Outside, it was an eerily silent starless night, as if Death had been following
us. Soon, we reached a wire fence. ‘Be quick! Do you have anything sharp?’ Wei Men asked, after looking at it. ‘I think…I have a
pair of scissors in my bag.’ I suggested, reaching for them in my bag.
After much effort and some deep scratches on our hands, we eventually made a hole on the fence. Just when we are crawling
through the fence, to my horror, I heard a series of bangs fired at our direction!