Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 | Page 234

Very soon, all the pirates were standing around SaRen. ‘Tonight at midnight, I will give you a secret word,
and all of you idiots follow me to the deck. The whole crew will be killed by us, but only I can slaughter
the “great” Zheng He! The secret word is “the great death”. Now all of you get to work and prepare my
dinner!” I glanced up at the sky. It was already evening. What can I do? I spent the evening with an empty
stomach, and I cried a little. Oh, oh, what can I do?
At last, it was near midnight. Suddenly, I had an idea. My brain screamed for me to give up on this, but I
know this would be the only chance that I could save the crew.
The ship was eerily quiet. I got out of the barrel and massaged my aching legs, then creeping down the
familiar stairs to where the pirates slept. SaRen was slumbering alone in another room, so it would be easier
to wake the pirates. My heart was thumping so hard it seemed it might fall out at any second, and my brain
was a blank space of fear. But I took a deep breath and whispered, ’The great death!’
Immediately, all the pirates were awake. A rough voice growled, ‘Who are you? I don’t recognize your
voice.” I said smoothly, ‘SaRen told me to fetch you all.’ Miraculously, the pirates all started following me! I
skirted ahead and ran all the way up, sighing with relief as I saw it was pitch dark on the deck.
‘Where are the prisoners?’ ‘Hurry up boy!’ I led them to the exact place where the planks are. I knocked on
the plank and said, ’Hurry up then! This is the way!’ The pirates dutifully got onto the plank, not knowing
their fatal mistake. I checked to see that all of them were on the plank, and I pulled the release lever of the
plank with great relish and vigor. It took the pirates some time to realize what had really happened, and it
was horrible to hear them thrashing and struggling in the freezing waters, meeting their death. I hugged
myself with relief, but then the most dreadful sound hit me. The groaning of SaRen waking up and realizing
his crew was all gone.
“Come out… I know you’re here somewhere…” the bloodcurdling voice of SaRen reached my ears and
clawed into my brain. I was dizzy with fear. I started praying, willing I will die a quick death. I had lost all
hope of living when a last resort popped up in my brain. I hated this idea, but this was the last thing I could
do.
I threw myself at SaRen and immediately retreated, making him furious. He snarled and I could feel him
tensing up, ready to strike. I stepped onto the plank and shouted, ‘Come on you loser!’ He launched himself
at me so quickly I almost fell off. However, I escaped by a whisker and used all my remaining strength to
land on the deck. I felt a great whoosh of air as SaRen sailed past me and landed in the churning water with
a thunderous splash. SaRen was ferocious and tough, but not even the fearsome pirate can survive long in
the freezing waters of the sea. The shouts and splashes slowly faded, and I was alone once more.
I had landed quite hard and my head felt like it had been cut in half. I wiped my forehead and it became
bloody. I staggered to the locked room and things turned fuzzy as the pain worsened. I could only
remember a hazy memory of untying everyone and collapsing into LiHeng’s arms, and then everything was
black.
I woke up with a dull pain in my head. LiHeng was beside me, holding me hand. For a second, I thought
this was a dream. I started trembling, but Master smiled and said, ‘Dear boy, there is no need to fear
anymore. You are our hero!’
And I knew that this is only the start of an adventure of a lifetime.