Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 3 | Page 78
Many weeks later, they could finally see Arabia. Their plan was to cross into the Red Sea and return home
to glory. Every man on that boundless ship had no idea that someone was waiting for him. They went
through the gap between the two countries and that is when they were hit. Not by another rock, but a
cannonball. The Pirate Lord had made his strike. The Golden Crane immediately returned fire. The sounds
of the cannons were ear piercing. The men were drenched with sweat and seawater. Then Li Wen sent
sloops sailing swiftly towards The Golden Crane. Little did they know, that the sloops did not have any
crew aboard and were packed full with gunpowder. The sloops were small ships and were very nimble, so
they got in close proximity to the Crane in no time. “Shoot the small ships”, yelled the First Mate. A
rifleman took the shot. Almost immediately, there was an enormous explosion. It had come from the sloops
and set the side of the deck on fire.
“Abandon ship!” shrieked the captain. Everyone swam to shore but the crew of The Damned Cutlass
advanced. Most of the pirates got into the rowboats while some stayed and manned the cannons. Gunshots
filled the air, the beach turned into a bloody battleground.
Amid the chaos, Chu Zhong turned around and confronted Li Wen. “Hello brother,” said Li Wen.
“I’m no brother of yours” he coldly retorted. How could he have not seen this coming? His brother has
always been a foil in all his plans. “Did your crew have fun in Shipwreck Alley?” asked Li Wen with a
sinister grin.
Zhong lunged and Wen instantly defended himself against the blow of his sword. Their swords clashed
multiple times until Li Wen managed to cut Zhong’s leg. Blood was spilling. Before Li Wen could finish his
brother’s life, the chanting and marching of the Arabians echoed over the hills. The pirates knew they were
outnumbered. So while The Damned Cutlass continued firing on the two armies, the pirates took the gold
and jewels that they could and returned to the ship. Their ship was faster than the Arabian ships so they
were out into the vast ocean in no time. The Arabs went into pursuit but they were cut off by a colossal
storm. Li Wen was amazing at disappearing. The Arabian crew quickly went back to the beach.
The Arabs took the remaining gold but gave some to back Chu Zhong out of pity. They also provided
them with a ship and demanded that they return to China immediately. In the captain’s cabin, Chu Zhong
had tears running down his blistered cheeks. He would be shamed back in China. The emperor said he
couldn’t fail another task. The whole country would despise him, even more than they did already as a result
of his family ties to the Pirate Lord. He would be forced to leave town. This was his one chance at
redemption, but he failed. He picked up his pistol from his desk and aimed it at his temple. Sweat was
dripping down his forehead. But, something stopped him. He remembered his daughter before he left; Chu
Zhong could not break a promise, especially to his own daughter. He had to go back.
There was a deafening gunshot. His ears started ringing, he felt a sudden jolt and blood was oozing out of a
hole in his chest. Chu Zhong then saw a large man standing over him. ”I will not sail under your command.
You are a disgrace to China.” Then nothing.