I nodded, and we were all sitting there, watching soldiers coming and going. No one seemed to have to
time to bother with us.
“
So we are in the past? Like the past in our history textbooks?” Ben said.
“
Well, yeah,” Lucy replied. “Weird things can really happen to people.”
“
To be honest, I feel a bit, just a bit, excited about this,” I admitted.
“
Did the Chinese win this battle?” Ben asked. “Gosh, it sounds so weird to use past tense.”
“
I believe they did. The Mongols didn’t take over China,” answered Lucy. “However, now that they
are losing the battle… Anyways, if the Mongols did take over, it would have been a whole lot different world
now.”
We were so tired and hungry that we took turns taking naps.
I was woken by the sound of the heavy rain, mixed with yelling and hollering of men.
“
THE MONGOLS ARE ATTACKING!”
“
FIGHT FOR MING! FIGHT FOR OUR HOME!”
“
The battle has started again?” I asked quickly, and ran to the window to check. The Mongols, who
were on their horses, were trying to shoot and climb up the Great Wall. Chinese soldiers set up lines at the side
of the Wall, holding their shields and killing Mongols coming up from the hills below.
The Chinese army was apparently weaker than the Mongols’.
“
FIRE THE CANNONS!” ordered the General.
“
Can’t sir!” reported from the soldier at fort 1.
“
Same here! The rain is wetting the firewood and putting out the flames!” the soldiers at the other side
said.
Mongols kept coming up the Wall, attacking the Chinese. The arrow only missed me by a hair.
I finally felt that we were in danger.
“
ARRRRRRGH,” the General scowled. “Does anyone here know how to light a fire without matches?”
If there’s no cola, you can always have fanta. Why can’t they use a lighter? This thought came up to
my mind.
I whispered to my friends, “Only if they had a lighter…” And swoosh! A spear flew over my head and
almost hit me.
“
Watch out kids! We are losing!” warned a soldier.
If the Chinese lost, we would be in great danger…
“
Here! I can make fire!” I screamed and I took out my lighter from my pocket.
“
What is this, boy?” asked the General.
“
It’s a lighter,” I explained while clicking it. A flame came up. I lighted a random stick I found on the
ground.
The soldiers’ eyes were full of wonder.
“
Give this to me!” the General snatched the torch away and handed it to the man at the fort. T next
moment, bombing sounds was heard.
After almost 10 minutes full of sounds of cannons, I heard cheering from the soldiers.
“
THE MONGOLS RETREATED!” they chanted in joy.
“
Who was the guy who lighted the torch?” the General asked.
All the soldiers looked at me. Man, it was the first time in the 20 years of my life being stared at by
these many people.
The General patted my shoulder, “you will receive rewards for saving your country. For the moment
being, why don’t we have a drink at the camp? Come on, brothers! And you too, boy.”
I turned to my friends, “Shall we go?”
“
Of course! They have food. I want food,” said Ben eagerly.
“
Well, we are starving, so let’s get there and figure out what to do later,” Lucy shrugged.
That night, we all attended the feast at the camp, just below the Great Wall. It was midnight when we
started drinking.
“
To the Great Ming!” we all cheered and drank the wine.
I know we were in the Ming dynasty, but wine should still taste like wine. Ours tasted like cola.
Lucy, Ben and I looked at each other. “Oh no,” I almost dropped my cup.
Then came a sudden strong gust of wind, and I was knocked out immediately.
I woke up and found ourselves on the Great Wall. I knew this feeling.
“
Are we back?” I asked excitedly.
Bang! Was it just me or did I hear a gunshot?
Lucy didn’t make a sound. She just pointed at the line of soldiers dressed in brown uniform. The one at