Brothers of the Great Wall
Helen Wat, Group 3: Fiction, Shatin College
alking the Great Wall)
hou
'
Wait up Brother Wai, can we have a break?' I puffed. 'But we only rested half an
r ago Brother Lin!' my big brother protested. Mama says we have to bring back water
from the well at the end of the Great Wall. We have 2 buckets each, my brother and I and by the time we get to
the well, I think we'll all be sleeping on our feet. We stopped yet again because my legs were sore and red from
my old shoes handed down from Brother Wai. I sat down on a rock that was dry and sandy in the sun and took
off my shoes. They were red but I wasn't in too much pain. 'Hurry up! We don't have all day, we have only
walked about 10 miles and you are already tired!' Brother Wai bossily. 'No wonder you didn't want to go with
me, you are hopeless at sport.' he said with a light smirk. I stood up warily and we started walking again. After
what felt like years of endless walking, we reached a hut that looked dry and comfortable enough for us to have
a rest overnight.
W (
'
Wake up sleepy head!' Brother Wai whispered into my ear as he shook me awake. 'I'm awake now!' I
mumbled. I slowly stood up and realised my rucksack was gone. I looked around Brother Wai and where I slept
to no use. 'Brother Wai! Where is the rucksack with all the food and stuff? I've looked everywhere!' I said in
exasperation. We looked around and found a trail of food from our rucksack. 'That's our food!' I exclaimed
happily. I followed the trail while Brother Wai followed me picking up the food along the way. We eventually
found a dead end. I sighed in defeat and turned to Brother Wai. 'We'll have to keep going without our rucksack' I
said sulked. 'Yep, but we still have this' he said pointing to all the food in his arms. I chuckled and we walked
back to the Great Wall. Soon, after a week of walking, we realised that we didn't have enough food to last us. 'I
think we should find a soup and noodle stall for lunch eh?' Brother Wai offered.
We at last came to a stall and payed for two bowls of wonton noodle soups. 'Twenty *renminbi please'
said the stall owner with his hand out. Brother Wai looked through his pocket and found some coins. 'Will this
be enough?' he asked. The man looked at his hand with a sour expression and shook his head. 'Not enough, need
5
more *renminbi!' he said roughly. Brother Wai had a pained expression on his face as he looked in his other
pockets. Finally he gave up, 'I don't have enough money' he looked disappointed. Then, to our relief, the stall
owner's wife came out of the kitchen to see why there were no orders. She took one look at Brother Wai and I
and said ' You don't have enough money don't you?' she said kindly. 'No, we don't' I answered sadly. 'Well, you
boys can have it free because it looks like we won't have many more customers and I hate having to just sit
there!' she said with a smile.
'
Fangchou sho mush!' said Brother Wai with a mouth full of wonton. 'He meant thankyou so much.' I
said to the stall owner and his wife's puzzled expression. They hooted with laughter and soon we all were. After
we finished the bowl of noodles, Brother Wai and I got up to leave. 'Now, where are you going now?' the stall