The New Tales of Old Shanghai
Kellett Senior School , Ferguson , Freya - 13
T
he dirt and cobble streets ran endlessly , constantly crammed with men , women , babies and children . Noise of laughter and shouting filled the streets . Children weave amongst the busy men . Women call out to customers . Babies wail to their mothers . Down a little alleyway there is a row of houses . It is much like the rest , but there is one house that holds a little girl and her mother . This is the story of how their lives changed forever .
The girl ’ s name is Eleanor Ying and the mother ’ s name is Maya Ying . Right now Eleanor is in school . Sitting at her desk staring into space . She is imagining herself in a park . There are swings and seesaws , also rocking horses and a yellow plastic slide . The sun is out and shining , filling everything with warmth and happiness . She slides down the slide and onto the ground .
“ Eleanor ! This is the fifth time I have had to tell you to concentrate ! This is unacceptable . You are staying after school today !” Miss Wang raved
“ Sorry miss .” Eleanor grumbled . The rest of the day passed by sluggishly . The bell rang for the end of school . Everyone was getting up when four soldiers burst into the school , guns at the ready and pointing right at the students . Everyone froze . The leading soldier stepped forward . He was tall with short grey hair . He had the same green uniform as the others but he also had coloured ribbons fastened onto his shirt placing him above the rest of the men . He had a strong powerful commanding voice that made you want shrink into a corner and never come out .
“ Listen up everyone you do what we say and no one gets hurt . You are our prisoners . You shall do what we say exactly when we say it . You shall not speak unless spoken to and you will not converse with others around you . Understand !?” Everyone was looking around very confused . The school did not teach English so they had no idea what the soldiers were saying . Everyone except Eleanor . Eleanor was taught English from a young age by her mother . She had no idea why her mother taught her English apart from that she said it was very important to understand . Why it was important , she had no idea . She knew that none of her classmates understood , so she put her hand up very slowly . The soldiers saw this and pointed their guns at her . She froze .
“ S-sorry Sir I-I don ’ t think th-they understand you .” the petrified Eleanor stammered .
“ And why would that be ?” Barked the General his gruff voice rumbled like a volcano .
“ They don ’ t understand English sir .” Eleanor whispered as she disappeared further and further under her desk . She was trembling now .
“ How come you understand then ?”
“ My Mother taught me .”
“ Who is your Mother ?”
“ Um …” Eleanor didn ’ t know why but she had a feeling that it wasn ’ t right to tell them her name . Luckily just then another officer came in .