Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 | Page 64

To be honest, I was nervous before the battle began, I could see the pirate ships in the distance, I steadied
my aim towards the ship. The ship was getting closer and closer. The sound of the waves splashing on the
ship made me feel nervous. My palms started to sweat, my lips were dry and I felt smoke in my throat. I
heard Captain Zheng shouting in the deck, "FIRE!" I lit the fuse and adjusted the aim, the cannonball shot
out of the cannon with a huge bang. The kickback of the cannon knocked me off my feet. I was shaken but
then quickly pulled myself together again. I put another cannonball inside the cannon and aimed it towards
the ship, I lit the fuse and waited for it to fire. This time, I was ready for the kickback. The cannon I just
fired hit a critical part of the ship, the pirate ship started to break down and the ship caught on fire.
Crewmates next to me cheered as more pirate ships were wrecked.
There were only a few pirate ships left, they threw ropes that hooked onto our ship and glided towards us.
Some pirates landed inside where the cannons were. I quickly drew out my sword as one the pirates tried to
swing his sword at me. I could hear chaos on the deck with slashing swords, muffled shouts, and bodies
dropping. Other crewmates next to me also got into action. There were occasional sounds of firing cannons
from nearby ships. These pirates were skilful with swords, but we outnumbered them. Crewmates next to
me joined forces with me to kill the angry pirate. I knocked him hard on the head with my elbow, while an
older man pointed his sword towards the pirate's heart and stabbed him hard. The pirate went on his knees
and dropped dead on the floor. I gave the older man a nod and looked around the room to find if there
were any pirates left. I saw the last one drop dead on a cannon and shouted, "To the deck! We need to help
Captain Zheng!" The others replied with a roar and rushed towards the deck. Only a few pirates were left
on the deck. Chen Zuyi and his lieutenants were already captured. Captain Zheng announced victory and
all the 300 ships cheered with pride and glee. It was as if the ocean cheered with us.
The weather was warm and sunny after the battle. We arrived back in Nanjing like heroes. I couldn't wait
to show the emperor what we had received, and tell him that Chen Zuyi had been defeated. Captain Zheng
showed the emperor the tributes and the exotic animals. The emperor was very pleased with the tributes and
the capture of Chen Zuyi. The emperor gave rewards to us for defeating Chen Zuyi. My parents welcomed
me home and lived a decent living with the rewards the emperor gave me.
Now, after so many years, I still can't forget the things me and my crewmates had been through. Meeting
foreign faces, receiving never-seen-before gifts, and battling fierce pirates. These are all memories that I can
never forget. This journey made me realise how significant our country was and how much more there is in
this world we can explore. This journey doesn't just travel through places, it also travels through time. It
travels through people's minds too. With every stop, we discover new things and new people. With each
discovery, we become more intelligent because we know more about the world we live in.