Warm Blood on Cold Stone
Henry Barlow, Group 3: Fiction, British International School Puxi, Shanghai
he sun beat down wearing away at him, hammering down with it’s intense and almost evil rays.
Dong-long definitely preferred Winter when the clouds obscured the sky and protected him from
the Sun. Summer had arrived in Beijing and the Mongol attacks had become more frequent, with
more of the vicious warriors from the North attacking every time. Being a man of the first line
was a difficult job. He missed his family a great deal, his farm where he would go and fetch fresh
water from the lake at dawn every morning.
Dong-long was lost in his thought just as an arrow whizzed by his head. The daydreaming had
become a major problem when fighting - he just seemed to drift off, like in a dream.
The Mongol warriors had already placed their siege ladders in the crooks of the wall, ‘The Great Wall’
Emperor Qin Shi Huang had called it. But the wall was still only half built, so the process of keeping the
Mongol attacks out was still a big challenge. The archers restrung their bows and let fire another storm o f
arrows which washed over Dong-long’s head like a cloud of buzzing insects before penetrating sting-like
into the enemy’s shields. The smell of freshly split blood washed up over the steep sides of the wall. The
metallic tang made him want to retch. Shouts of anger echoed around the mountainous hills, drowning out
everyone’s ears. Now the Mongols were clinging to the thin bamboo ladders. Some reached the top of the
wall. Dong-long and the rest of the stationed army charged – metal against metal, wood against wood –
and clashed together with the loudest bang Dong-long had ever heard, in fact so loud he blacked out
immediately. This nightmarish scenario, full of bloodshed and death faded into the background.
He woke to the whispering of General Niao. ‘Look, look, he’s awake, Yes come on Long…get up’!
Dong-long sat up puzzled then winced as a bolt of pain tore down his back, into his leg, until it ended with
pins and needles into his foot. ‘Careful Niao said, ‘you took a nasty arrow wound to your neck ’! This
time Dong-long was more careful, but the pain still made him want to buckle. He screeched an animalistic
scream, loathing the responsibility of being in the Imperial army. ‘Careful’! another Captain said ‘We
don’t want you to lose consciousness again’. Then sighed, ‘The Mongols have been beaten back but its
only temporary, they will return!
‘
We will have to come up with a new plan to win this once and for all!’ Niao said confidently. ‘They
are too strong’ Dong-long murmured. ‘We will need a force that will crush them all to dragon bone
powder’!
The General and the Captain pondered on this and eventually after a lot of arguing and disagreement
they came to a final decision. ‘I have it’ the Captain exclaimed jumping to his feet. ‘Gather the tro ops, I
have a lot of rounding up to do,’ he said seriously, ‘ if we don’t have enough soldiers then we must make
them!’ ‘Make them?’ the General puzzled.
'
Yes! I’m going to round up every able bodied man and boy capable of wielding a sword, hoe or even
stick in the surrounding villages. I shall return in a couple of days with any army of sorts. Watch for me at
dusk on the second and pray that you do not succumb to the gore until then!’ The following day, the
Captain ordered Dong-long to begin stationing the remaining 3000 Chinese soldiers along the wall - fully
armored, spears, arrows and swords at the ready.
As he inspected their ranks Dong-long couldn’t help wondering how many would still be breathing and
would return to their homes and farms at the end of all this. The Captain had departed stating proudly,
‘
When the war is finally won we shall raise that Mongol General’s head on stake and raise it high above
our impenetrable wall of granite!’ Dong-long had given him cautious stare and stated ‘Let’s hope you’re
right!’ before watching him ride off into the fading light. ‘Let us hope that our captain returns with an
army as bold, vicious and strong as it’s creator’.
The next few days were spent waiting impatiently for that tell-tale cloud of dust that rose above the
maple trees signaling the next wave of Mongol warriors were making their way up the hillside to mount
another attack.
Towards the end of the second day there was a strange lull in the frequency of the attacks. As it turned
out the Mongols had been gathering strength waiting for a final last push. The noise began in the distant
grasslands and slowly built to a crescendo as 10,000 warriors rattled their spears against their armour. A
bead of sweat ran down Dong-long’s cheek and dropped to the grey stone cobbles below as he watched the
scene unfold before him. Where was the Captain with that army of reinforcement’s he had promised?
General Niao was there for support and put a fat meaty hand on Dong-long’s shoulder and squeezed
gently ‘We’ll live through this!’ the pudgy man said enthusiastically ‘ I didn’t join the army for these dogs
T