The Enemy at the Wall
Oliver Duffy, Group 3: Fiction, Harrow International School Hong Kong
arkness covered the landscape. All of China washed over by night. All but the stone dragon stretching
the length of China, a marvelous feat of engineering and persistence kept alight with bowls of fire
atop each guardhouse, so people from all around would know its glory day or night. This never-
ending wall determined the border of the country and ensured the safety of its people.
D
It was almost dawn. Soldier Gus was nearing the end of his shift. The long night shifts had taken its toll
and now sleep had its grasp on his mind. If caught sleeping he would be punished harshly. He went inside to
drink some water. His fellow sentry David was asleep and snoring. He went back outside to inspect the
landscape. He heard the intruder before he saw him. Rustling bushes from which a lone bird took off and flew
over his head. He searched frantically to see the figure that must be causing the disturbance. He prayed that it
was only a wild boar chasing its prey. But no, a man came in to sight. A Mongolian scout. Gus felt his blood
turn to ice. He wanted to quickly run inside and wake up David, but there was no time he must kill or capture
the intruder alone.
Gus did not think he had been spotted yet. He reached for his bow and arrow. He slowed his breathing
and lined up his target. The arrow went through the Mongol’s arm and pinned him to a tree. The scout was
losing blood and struggled to get free as he lost consciousness. Gus acting on instinct climbed down the wall to
inspect his victim. He would die in a matter of minutes if he did not help him. He did not know if it was the
adrenaline or the morning weariness but he decided to aid this man who was the sworn enemy of his country.
Nevertheless he would still claim the reward for capturing the intruder.
The sun rose over the horizon. Gus was in high spirits after capturing his first prisoner. When Gus
discussed with his friend about the scout there was an argument about what was to be done with him. David was
all for handing him over to a senior officer, but Gus argued that they would get more money if they turned him
in at headquarters themselves. Eventually David gave in.
They did their best to clean up and bandage their enemy’s wound and spent the rest of the day planning
the two-day journey to headquarters. To prepare for the trip ahead Gus started packing a small bag of essentials
and his bow and arrow.
They started out early the next day hidden by the darkness. The plan was for David to stay at his post
and make up excuses for Gus being gone while Gus would make his way to headquarters to hand him in. The
scout had recovered, aided by the food and water they had shared with him.
The journey was downhill through steep hills and forest to start with. After this they followed a narrow
dirt path at the edge of the hill country. The path was blocked with fallen trees that slowed their progress. He
started worrying that his absence would be noted and that soldiers would already be coming after him. He