Lost in Times of the Great Wall
Elly Hung, Group 2: Fiction, Beacon Hill School
s I wandered along the Great Wall of China, I thought I managed to achieve a sense of peace
that I simply lost for quite a number of years. “Must be that I’ve had lots of examinations
these days”, I mused to myself. It was really no wonder that it was one of the most
fascinating man-made architectures. I was really glad that we could go to Bei Jing. Being
able to walk on the Great Wall of China was like a dream come true!
Our tour guide, Ross, was providing us with more details about the construction of the Great Wall
“…
the most successfully period was from the fourteenth century to the seventeenth century. It was
built wide enough for whole armies!”
A
We arrived at a watch tower, with the words 941 carved on the side. Looking dreamily into the
horizon, which had erupted into various shades of amber and indigo with a slight edge of claret in
between, I was completely oblivious to the fact I had stepped in a puddle of muddy water. Before I
knew it, I was skidding along the brick floor, and to everyone’s horror, I slid out of the low built
window.
The swirling colors of the countryside below were rapidly advancing towards me. The trees
resembled the broccoli florets I had for dinner. This is definitely a dream, I muttered to myself,
pinching my upper-arm. But it was all too real, as I shrieked in horror, crashing into the top of a tree
branch. Craning my neck around, with terrible aches everywhere, my world went blank.
Several minutes later, I found myself on a wooden bed, with a knitted pink wool blanket on top.
Where was I? Rubbing my eyes, I casted a dreamy glance across the room I was in. It was miraculous I
had survived such a fall.
A middle-aged lady was sitting on a wicker chair, in front of the fireplace. A low table was in the
middle of the narrow room with several more wicker chairs surrounding it. The walls were tiled instead
of painted, and the floors looked like they needed a good sweeping up.
A sneeze slipped out of my nose. The middle-aged lady looked at me, and gave me a wan smile.
“
Little girl, are you alright? My husband found you lying near the great wall. Thank goodness you are
alright; we almost thought you were dead. They really should make the walls of the Great Wall higher.
So where do you live? You can call me Ah Yi for now” She explained.
For a moment, there was an awkward moment of silence between us. I realized she was expecting
me to reply. “I live in Hong Kong, near Mei Foo. Where am I?” I stammered, not trying to sound rude.
Ah Yi nodded. “New city is it? I haven’t heard of it before, but I think it might be quite far. You are in
Bei Jing now. You can stay for a few nights with us.”
Something about this old-fashioned room just didn’t seem right. I casually ask Ah Yi “What is the
date today?” Ah Yi replied “I think its Monday, 18
th
of July…1549?”
The last words made me almost jump out of my bed. But this was the period that made the Great
Wall most successful. And as my mother would say ‘it would be an absolute waste of opportunity’. I
was desperate to find out more. But soon, I realized I had even bigger dilemmas.
I had to get back to 2013. I just wouldn’t fit in here, doing all the things the old-fashioned way.
No, I was used to typing on a computer, switching on the TV and having lights and air-cons. There had
to be some-way I could get back. But this lady didn’t even know where Hong Kong was, and even if I
got back to Hong Kong, nothing would make any sense to me. Amidst of my thoughts, the door
suddenly swung open and a man came in.
“
This is the little girl that you rescued. She says she lives in Hong Kong, now, I have no idea
where that is, but it must be quite near the Great Wall. See if you can bring her along with you
tomorrow.” I knew that Hong Kong was nowhere near the Great Wall, but it would be a treat to go
there anyways, so I nodded.
The next morning, early before sunrise, the man nudged me, and boomed “Wake up, Kid. Haven’t
you heard of ‘the early bird catches the worm’?” Realizing it was a rhetorical question; I didn’t say
anything and quickly followed him.
It was shivering cold outside, but I knew we had to keep walking. I had found out a plan that
might work, but I needed to put into action. I was planning to jump off the Great Wall again, to get
back to where I came from.
Arriving at the Great Wall, the man left me with the General. I tried to ask him “Why are the
walls so narrow. I thought they were wide enough for whole armies to fit in?” “Have you got no