Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 - 2017 | Page 290

The New Tales of Old Shangai
- Friendship's Odyssey
Renaissance College, Hong Kong, Srinivasan, Shriya - 10
“N
ing! Come at once!” shouted Ning’s mother. “See what you’ve done!” It was at times like these that Ning felt
like she didn’t live up to her name. She always felt like she was the complete opposite of her name. Ning
meant PEACE. She felt like she looked or behaved nothing like her name. Her thoughts were interrupted
when she suddenly realized, Oh, no! What have I done! Half of mother’s earnings are lost! I forgot to cover
the rest of the meat when I took some out to prepare dinner and now it will all be rotting and swarming with flies!
“You will now have to feed the street dogs after work!” said mother sternly. “No! Please! Anything but that!” Ning
groaned. “Hurry up! And do be careful while going to work!” said mother in the same breath affectionately, ignoring
Ning’s pleas. “Alright! Bye!” said Ning candidly as she stepped out of the house.
“Ning! Over here!” Ning’s only friend, Fen shouted. Fen was a pretty girl, about 13 years old. Just like Ning, Fen’s hair was
disheveled and her hands and face were stained with coal. “What do you have for lunch?” Fen eagerly asked. “The usual!”
Ning replied dejectedly as she was opening her rustic lunch sack. Fen readily offered her momos to Ning. This had been
their usual routine every lunchtime. On their way back from work, Ning was sulking about the impending chore –
feeding the stray dogs. As she was approaching her house, she saw some Chinese soldiers approaching. Oh no! I should
warn mother! Ning sprinted into her house but it was too late!
Ning’s heart skipped a beat. She could not find her mother in the house. No! This couldn’t be happening now . We had
been safe for the past few years, why now? Ning panicked. She ran to the back door and saw some soldiers leaving.
She followed them screaming and kicking, but one soldier held her arm and pushed her to the floor. She quickly
scurried to safety with her heart racing. Follow the instructions. Mother has told me many times. Run! Hide! Grabbing
her bag from the house, she ran to Fen’s house just in the neighborhood. They both lived in a Mongolian settlement.
Fen had been hiding in her house hearing the panic and chaos. There is utter disaster and smoke everywhere! The
village is on fire. The army is going to kill everyone . Suddenly, she heard banging on the door and Ning stood there
crying with her palm covering her cheek.
“Ning!” Fen screamed. Ning was sobbing and bleeding uncontrollably from the gash on her left cheek and her right arm
was as red as beet. “The…they took m…mother. We have to run…save ourselves!” Ning gasped. Fen’s mind was racing.
It was not possible. But it wasn’t impossible either. If she had to do it, she was going to do it. She was going to fight. Fen
put on a brave face and comforted Ning in her arms saying “We’re helpless! But we’re prepared for everything.” She was
determined.
“Are we there yet?” groaned Ning tiredly. They’d been treading the heavy desert sand for hours now. Finally, the pair
reached Lhasa station only to find out that they’d missed the last train to Xi’an. “Don’t worry!” assured Fen. “Climb over
the security bars and wait for me.” Fen snuck into a tuck shop, as quiet as a mouse and two seconds later, confidently
walked out holding momos in a large paper bag. “Fen! Please tell me that you did not just steal that!” “I’m sorry, Ning! It’s
food and water.” Fen whispered. “Now, quick! There’s a train to Nantong in five minutes.”