Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 - 2017 | Page 389

The Curse of the City Walls
St. Paul's Convent School, Au, Tara - 12
“Y
ou’re late, where have you been today, Chang? “ There’s mother’s daily question again,
always with a worried tone.
“Oh…em… I em…I was… studying after school, yeah that’s it, I studied after school,” I reply,
0but mother doesn’t seem satisfied with my answer and eyes me suspiciously.
“I’ll go wash the vegetables, go get washed and get ready for dinner.” With that, she left the living room. I heave a sigh of
relief, for if mother found out where I have been just now, I’d probably get a harsh punishment..
Mother is always such a strict person, never ever in my life have I seen her laugh or smile and neither would she allow my
brother nor me to do so, what’s worse is that she would never allow me to play with other children. Why? I have no idea. Yet all
my classmate’s mothers seem kind and caring, like how mothers should be. But all the children know that there’s one thing
that all mothers forbid their children to do for an unknown reason: climbing over the city walls.
I had a quick bath and had dinner without a sound, then, I return to my room as soon as possible. The sun starts to set
across the horizon and hides behind the tall city walls. Oh, the city walls, how much I wish to climb over them, how much I
wish to know what’s beyond those tall walls, how much I…
I am very tired, so I put away those thoughts and went to bed.
The next day after school, I was having just another normal day, I was heading my way home on the quite streets. All of a
sudden, I hear laughter coming from outside the walls, laughter filled with such blessedness, the laughter that I longed to have.
The idea of able to laugh ia so tempting that I could no longer control my body. I silently leap high into the air and land swiftly
on the other side of the wall.
“ Let’s go catch butterflies, they’re so pretty.”
“ You can go catch your butterflies, I’ll go catch a toad.”
A boy and a girl about seven years old standing next to a tree said. Butterflies? Toads? I’ve heard of them before, but I’ve
never seen one with my own eyes, and catching them seems pretty much fun, so I approach them without any hesitation and ask
enthusiastically,” Are you going to catch creatures? Can I join you guys? Please, please, please?”
They seem to be startled with my enthusiasm.
“Sorry. Hi, I’m Chang.”
“I’m Hwa” said the girl.
“I’m Nan, so…you would like to join us to the pond?” asks the boy.
“Yes please!” I say passionately. For a long time, I can finally smile.
“Then follow us, the pond is actually quite near.” Nan says.
After a while of skipping and hopping round, we are finally near the pond, and with one mighty push, Nan pushes away
the bushes. In front of us, appear the most stunning scenery I have ever seen in my life. Dazzling flowers and sweet scented fruits
hang on every tree, fancy coloured fish swam freely in the calm clear pond , some creatures jump here and there on large leaves
floating on the water and insects with colourful wings flatter in mid air. One of them lands on my nose and I try catching it, but
it escapes rapidly.
“What are these?” I ask Nan.
“Butterflies, you’ve never seen one before?” he asks peculiarly.
“Nope,” I replied, all the creatures that I have seen are annoying mosquitoes, ants and cockroaches, also pigs, cows and
chicken in the market.
“Well that’s odd,” says Nan, I wonder why.
Within minutes, Hwa catches two butterflies and were kept in a glass jar. Nan also catches a fat green creature which is
in his glass jar.
“And this is a toad?” I ask Nan again.
“Yeah… These are actually really common animals, it’s bizarre that you don’t know what they are,” said Nan.
“Well, my mother is very strict and would never allow me to get in touch with animals.”I tell them, by the mention of
mother, I suddenly remember about time, mother must be furious if I arrive home this late. “I have to go now, can we play
t ogether again tomorrow?” I ask my new friends, I had so many new experiences today that I finally felt as if I’m enjoying life.
“Of course, where do you live? We can come round and pick you up tomorrow.”
“I live in the town surrounded by city walls, you can wait for me… “
“Wait, you said that you live in the town inside the city walls?” Hwa interrupts me before I could finish my sentence.
“Yes.” I reply, but right after I said that, a terrified expression hang on their faces.
“I’m sorry Chang ,I don’t think we have time tomorrow. Let’s go Nan, we don’t want to be with a cursed person.”
Right after Hwa says that, they left in a flash.