Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 - 2017 | Page 469

Diary of Brian Lee
The Independent Schools Foundation Academy, Mallet, Jenelle – 14
October 20th1899,
T
oday was indeed a very strange day filled with many peculiar events. It all started with a “Click” on my finely
carved wooden panel camera as my wife and I posed for our first wedding photo. I could just about make out the
outline of the cameraman’s smug face as the piercing white light of the flash blinded my eyes.
I fainted.
Date: October 20th 2016
“Click”, I opened my eyes, finding myself staring straight into a metal box. It made the exact same clicking noise as the
camera we had at home but this there wasn’t any light coming out of it. I wonder what is was? I averted my eyes from the metal
box and found myself staring at the owner of it. She was a young girl, maybe in her late teens or early twenties. Her attire was absurd,
it had no resemblance to the Qipao everyone girl in Shanghai is obligated to wear whenever they go out. Ah poor girl, it seems as
though she didn’t have enough money to pay her taylor since none of her clothes fit her. Unlike the qipao, where the one piece
silk dress embroidered with intricate patterns and a high mandarin collar, covering all of a woman’s body except for her head, hands
and toes. The only 2 materials this girl had on was a shirt that looked way too tight on her, not covering her stomach and shorts
that were up way too high. Looking at her, I was disgusted but I also took pity on her. I thought I was doing the right thing when
I said I would buy her a some new clothes but all she did was look at me weirdly and slapped me, and started ranting in a different
language.
2
October 21th, 1899
I woke up bewild and outraged, it took a while before the initial shock wore off and found myself tucked in bed. My wife
said that I caught the flu and I needed to take some time off and not go to work for a few days. I had nothing else to do but potter
around the house. My house is like every other house in my neighborhood. There are 3 story structures distinguished by high brick
walls enclosing a narrow front yard. Every house down my street is shikumen style and it seems so ordinary. I’m trying to save up
money to buy a new house for my wife and I to move into on our anniversary. As I walked onto my porch to take a quick breath
of crisp fresh air, all of a sudden I felt nauseous and I started seeing stars.
Oh no, this won’t be good.