Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 - 2017 | Page 376

Betrayal
St. Mary's Canossian College, Tam, Ashlyn - 13
T
he desire tore at my body like a hunting beast. I craved for more and more until the sense of relaxation enveloped me
in its tender arms. As I breathed in the sweet mist permeating the tiny room, calmness took over gradually. When my
vision started to clear, a succession of images from the past flashed in my mind …
The tangy smell of salt, mixed with the loud shouts of coolies, filled the air at the port of Shanghai, where I worked as a military
officer in the navy. Seagulls cawed in the crystal sky above but there wasn’t any time for anyone to admire the scenery. Those lazy
scoundrels would ditch their work any time they got the chance.
A gruff voice was bawling nearby, “You Chinese would be better off opening more treaty ports and leasing more territory to our
Majesty! Look, Shanghai is a perfect place for trading tea, silk and OPIUM for sure! How silly of you to have wasted all this
glorious potential!” I glanced around, searching for the source of commotion, when my eyes caught sight of a stout man, in
British navy uniform, glaring at one of our local officers. He was red with fury. With a great humph, he turned and marched
towards a huge monste r-like vehicle waiting on the side of the read, with clouds of black smoke puffed out from its pipe,
tainting the blue sky with streaks of gray. Peace resumed; so it seemed.
In a pitch black alley, a silhouette of a short man was addressing a band of tall, muscular men. They stood at attention with
ramrod straight backs.
“We were unsuccessful in convincing the Chinese to hand over the port. We have to use any means necessary. Operation
Commence! Now we have a navy officer in a position high enough - take him!”
Later that night, I was woken when rough hands grabbed me at the collar. Darkness engulfed everything; a natural instinct took
over me and I began kicking and yelling but deep down, I knew no one would help me, for fear of offending someone they
didn’t dare to mess with.
“Ha, my comrades’ll get you! You won’t get away with this!” I choked out.
“SHUT UP, you Chinese swine.” The words hissed in my ears.