The Jade Necklace
Danielle Varga, Group 2: Fiction, The International School of Macao
,
Sera Johnson, am in grade 10 this year and I like to think. Think what it would be like to have real parents.
You see, my parents died when I was one, so the thing I’ve always wanted to know is what they were like -
strict or goofy? Had they been there for me throughout my short childhood with them? I knew that I had
been born at the construction site of the Great Wall and they died when I was one, but where did we live?
What was our life like? Since I was one and on my own, I was taken to a local orphanage and treated
horribly along with all the other children. Fortunately, a kind English couple living near Beijing adopted
me when I was three. I started school when I was five and loved it, but I kept thinking of my parents and how
they had left me with nothing but a jade necklace.
I
I remember only one thing that my mother had said: “My Dear Sera, the necklace you wear is very special
and will lead to something amazing.”
To that day, I wondered what. I had always looked for ways to uncover the mystery and had finally come
up with an idea. My class was going on a week’s trip to Beijing and I would use that opportunity to sneak up to
the Great Wall. I was also going to ask my best friend, Jayson, if he wanted to come. I was pretty sure he would
because he loves adrenaline! So I was actually going to the Great Wall to find out why my necklace was so
important.
So I called Jayson and told him my plan of going on the trip to find the truth about my real the parents. He
said that of course he would come. The day of the trip finally arrived. The night before, I couldn’t sleep a wink.
When morning came, I was so nervous! I had breakfast, but I could barely eat. I kissed my parents goodbye and
met Jayson at school. We took the train with the rest of the group, but at the train station in Beijing we went our
own way and found a bus to take us to the Great Wall.
We then started our trek up the Great Wall of China. “I’m already tired!” I sighed. We climbed in silence
for a long time. By sunset things were quite tense between us.
“
Where are we going to sleep? We don’t have beds!” I cried.
“
We’ll have to make beds out of jackets then. Don’t worry Sera, we’ll be okay,” Jayson tried to calm me.
The first night was uncomfortable and we knew there would be many of them ahead. The next morning, we
woke up early to continue our trek. As we were walking, I kept stumbling, and tripping because I was so tired.
Next thing I knew, I fell through a trap door. Jayson had no time to save me, so I fell deep into a cave. I didn't
know where I was, and looking around I tripped again only this time over something hard as rock. I picked it up.
It was a piece of jade, which I put in my backpack thinking it might come in handy later.
I had been exploring the secret cave for about 4 days and running out of food when suddenly something
shiny caught my eye. It was a golden plate and goblet. The plate was filled with white rice, and the goblet held
some water. I devoured the food in no time and packed the plate and goblet away. The strange thing was that the
plate filled back up again, every day. I was venturing further every day, until one day, I spotted a massive door
with a sparkling keyhole.
Suddenly, a threatening voice spoke. “You must lay down your most prized possession to enter.” I looked at
my necklace and then looked at the door. “NOW!” yelled the harsh voice. I quickly took off my necklace, and
laid it down on a small table beside the door. “You must smash your most prized possession to enter, you must
break your only memory,” spoke the voice again. But how? I thought, and thought… the jade rock! I snatched it
out of my bag, and held it up, above my necklace. “NOW!!!” screamed the voice with such rage that I did it
without thinking. My beautiful jade necklace smashed into a thousand pieces. Then, I noticed a tiny golden key
in the middle of the broken pieces. It glowed like the sun and so did the keyhole of the door. I carefully picked
up the key and tried it in. It fit! I entered the room, and couldn’t believe my eyes. It was my parents’ room!
The room held many of our old things: clothes, toys, and odd pieces of furniture. I took pictures and as I
was about to leave, I noticed someone in the corner.
“
Jayson!” I yelled happily. “ How are we ever going to get home?” I said concerned.
“
Relax! Don’t worry! We’ll find our way back home.”
So we did. When we were almost there, I asked him one more question, “How did you get into my parents’
room?”
“
Well, I fell down a trap door, like you, and landed there.”
We finally said goodbye. I was excited to see my parents again. I knocked on the front door and my mom
opened it.
“
Oh, um hello there. Who are you?” she asked confused.
“
You… You don’t remember me?” I said in tears. “I’m your daughter, Sera!”