The Great Wall Unlocked
Joanne Wat, Group 1: Fiction, Sha Tin Junior School
apphire yelled down the stairs “Ruby are you ready yet for China? Have you packed?” Ruby
shouted back “YEESS! I am packed and I am lying on the couch waiting for you Sapphire
Anderson!” So that morning their Dad drove them to the airport and they said their goodbyes and
left.
After a long ten hours on the plane they reached China. When they eventually got to their Hotel
it was way past midnight so, they quickly got changed, brushed their teeth and went straight to sleep. In the
morning Sapphire woke up early and dutifully woke up Ruby too. Panting with excitement, the girls got
changed and took a taxi to the Great Wall. Lots of people were already walking the Great Wall as they
arrived.
S
Midday came around quick and the sun was beating down. Ruby hated the warmth and kept stopping to
sit down on the nearest benches she could see. On the fifth bench, she sat down but this time she abruptly
stood back up. There was something hard and prickly on the bright blue bench. When Ruby saw that it was
a key, she picked it up and was surprised when a door magically appeared. She carefully walked to the door
and unlocked it without thinking. All the people around her froze, including Sapphire right behind her. She
took a step forward and to her disbelief fell down a hole… that never seemed to end!
Inside the hole Ruby tumbled down and down. She was yelling for Sapphire, her Mum and her Dad.
But nobody could hear her. When she got to the ground there were lights guiding her through a passage.
When she got to the end there was a door. She opened it and out she came to what seemed a very poor
village with many farmers. They were wearing rags, on their heads were straw hats and some were begging
for money. She walked around awkwardly because she was the only one dressed the way she was. Ruby
tried to speak to some people, but they didn’t understand her. She started to feel helpless. Then a young
man walked along. She bowed and asked very politely “Can you help me please? I cannot find my way.”
The young man answered “Of course young girl. Stand up and I will lead you to my house”. Ruby
nodded, and off they went. When they got to his house she explained herself clearly and the man said
“
Young girl, I experienced the exact same way. What is your name?” he asked. She answered
obediently “Ruby.”
“
My name is Patrick it is nice to meet you, Ruby.”
The two chatted away as they wandered through the strange land. Suddenly Ruby looked at her watch,
she had been gone for hours. She told Patrick she really had to go. He sadly led Ruby to the door. He told
her to follow the lamps, climb the ladder, press the button and climb on the platform to leave. They bid
farewell and Ruby left.
Ruby followed his instructions. When Ruby got out of the hole, she quietly approached Sapphire. She
became unfrozen once more and continued reading on the bright blue bench. Ruby crept up on Sapphire
and scared her. Ruby went on to tell Sapphire her fabulous adventure as they completed their trekking of
the Great Wall.
After five more hours they were both extremely tired from walking for so long. When Ruby and
Sapphire got back to the hotel, they quickly got changed because they were famished. In the morning Ruby
and Sapphire got ready and checked out of the hotel. They got a taxi to the airport.
When they got to London, their parents were waiting for them and drove them back home. In the car
Mum asked how their holiday was. They looked at each other and answered “It was great…” with a smirk.
Scared they would get into trouble, they made a silent promise that they would never tell anybody what
happened on that day because that was their unique
‘
tale of the great wall’.
* * *