Great Wall Was Not Ten Thousand Miles
Long But Killed Ten Thousand Souls
Hey Wen Harmony Yuen, Group 3: Fiction, Po Leung Kuk Ngan Po Ling College
he secret of Bernise and her grandma was well-kept. She was glad to have a special grandma and
thought it would be the last double coincidence she would ever have. She deeply believed it would not
be the end of the world on 21st December, 2012 so she prepared to have a nice dream the night before.
Fine feathers do not make fine birds. Bernise has understood this since she was three, when
she was sent to her aunts’ home next to the Great wall because of her mother’s death. Her cruel aunt,
Grace, was not nothing like her name. She longed for luxury and a rich husband. She dressed up very nice but
her heart was filled with darkness. She was rude, she was selfish and she was a witch. Aunt Grace told Bernise
to serve as her slave. Whenever Bernise worked for her, she reminded herself about her dream -- to cross the
Great Wall and escape from the hell she’s living in. The dream was nothing more than a dream. She remained
the same for years and years…until…
Until Bernise received a note saying: Prince Henry coming. She has received this kind of notes before
and so did her aunt. However, aunt Grace was jealous about Bernice’s beauty and locked her up in a small room
every time.
The day came. Bernise was again, locked up. She peeked through the small window and saw a good-
looking man. The man had blown eyes and you can see wisdom and sincere inside him. He must be Prince
Henry! Bernise knew she would never have a chance to even talk to a prince. She took a deep breath and sang
her favorite song “I dreamed a dream in time gone by…when hope was high and life worth living…I dreamed
that love would never die…I dreamed that God would be forgiving…” “BANG!” The door was opened and
Bernise was surprised to see the handsome prince and her angry aunt. Prince Henry said “What a voice,
beautiful! I’m sure you’re the one I have been looking for. Follow me to the other side of the Great Wall and
leave this horrible place.” Bernise knew her aunt would not allow so, but she was already busy talking with
another man who passed by downstairs. Bernise nodded and smiled. She knew Prince Henry was sincere and
would be kind to her.
She rode on the horse with Prince Henry. She saw workers building the remaining parts of the Great
Wall. “It must take a long time…”she thought.
Bernise no longer needed to suffer. She lived happily, but with unknown worries.
One day when Bernise woke up, she found every man in the castle missing! A princess then told her
that all men in China were caught to build the Great Wall! Bernise noticed a note near her pillow from Henry,
telling her not to worry about him anymore and live her own life. The word “anymore” was flying across her
mind. She knew that this represented that Henry would not come back in short, however, she never forgot him.
Bernise thought of him every day. Winter soon came and Bernise was worried about Henry. She was afraid
that Henry might not be warm enough and full enough. Therefore, she prepared food and clothes and headed to
the Great Wall.
As she arrived at the Great Wall, she was surprised to see this huge architecture; she just couldn’t
believe it was man-made! The Great Wall was mainly made of marbles and stones. Stones can hold under its
weight better than bricks, but are more difficult to deliver. It was around 21,000 km long.
When Bernise was heading to the Great Wall, she shared clothes and food with some poor workers.
She finally gave them all to them. It was known that it would take a few more days to reach her husband. There
was a small shop selling Xiao Bing at the street corner. The shop keeper who was an old lady said “It’s cold
and remote here, why are you here, young lady?” Bernise replied “Looking for my prince.” She replied “What
can I do for you then?” “May I have some Xiao Bing from you? But I have spent all my money…” The old
woman giggled “Of course, I can give you 30 of them, they are enough for you to eat for a week.” Then Bernise
thanked the old lady and continued her journey. It started to rain. The steam from the Xiao Bing, raindrops,
teardrops…were mixed up…Bernise was very thankful and touched.
Bernise was sorry to see dead bodies lying all over the place. She walked from early morning till
evening but still didn’t see Henry. She then heard people gossiping that Prince Henry already died because of
the heavy work load. Bernise burst into floods of tears… She then walked along the Great Wall and finally
could not stand the sadness. She knelt down and hugged a staircase of the Great Wall. It seemed that the Great
Wall had its soul. It was being collapsed so as to comfort Bernise’s sorrow.
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