Affection at Twilight
Hei Yiu Leung, Group 3: Fiction, Diocesan Girls' School
he first streaks of twilight dyed the sky into light crimson, the purple tendrils slightly smoking out of
the red. The glowing sunrays shone onto the village below, little girls and boys running around the
patches of greenery dotted with pink and purple blossoms. Other contributing members were
harvesting corn at the field down the village, beginning to stack up the storage for the approaching
winter.
“
Mama! I’m going out!” The little girl shouted into the kitchen, where her mom was working diligently
over a steaming chicken broth for her sick little brother.
“
Careful, Ting. Don’t go too far,” her mother reminded.
“
Yes, Mama,” she said in an affirming tone. “I’ll be good.” And she ventured out into the still glowing
sky, running free across the golden patches of wheat and corn. She ran past other residences-not as swanky as
hers, of course. Her father was a grandson of a famous tycoon. At the sight of her, nannies ushered their
grandchildren back into the house, avoiding her gaze, and closed the door with a loud bang. She let out a sigh.
Villagers were afraid of her family, they feared that their power and reputation will land any of their slight
offences into severe punishment. She continued to run until she was upon a big block of bricks, the dark khaki
mass resembling like a dragon snaking through mountains. Workmen were stacking bricks one by one under the
heated summer sun, their sweat dripping on the edge of their brows. Suddenly a silhouette appeared out of the
darkened sky.
“
Ting! Is that you?” A tanned boy was running towards her, waving and smiling. He was tall and stocky
for a nine year old.
“
Ming! You came!” Ting beamed, throwing her arms around her best friend into an embrace. “Let’s sit
down,” she said, patting the vacant space beside her.
“
It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” He murmured as he sat down.
“
Huh? What’s beautiful?”
“
This,” he murmured under his breath. With his finger he traced along the sky, still glowing from the sun.
The violescent, crimson red was slowly fading into a softer, darker shade of brown. The shivering sunlight at the
horizon dissolved around the sea, illuminating the dark waters.
“
Twilight,” he remarked. “When the sun goes down. When we anticipate for another day to start. When
darkness takes over. When evil reigns the planet.”
Ting nodded. She looked around to see if anyone would overhear their conversation.
There.
At the corner of her eye, four dark figures emerged from the thick bushes and marched towards them in a
synchronized manner. Their footsteps were heavy, thudding louder as they approached the duo closer and closer.
Ting hid behind Ming’s back, eyes widening, pupils dilating. Ming spread his arms across Ting and himself,
trying to protect both of them fearlessly.
One of the four intruders stepped up to them.
“
Ni zai zhe li gan ma?” he barked.
“
Ba ta men dai zou!”
With that command the people at his back sprung out and caught both of them by their arms and yanked
them away from each other. They kicked and screamed furiously, but that was all helpless. Soon they were
blindfolded, all they could see was pitch-black, and their screams and yelps slowly faded into silence.
Twilight, darkness. When evil reigns, when the unfortunate happens.
A single light ray shone through the small, opaque window, enlightening the whole cell. Ting lay asleep
on the stone cold floor. Ming had his legs close to his chest, hands wrapping around the tattered clothing. His
eyes were hollow, still haunted by the imagery at yesterday’s whipping.
They were put in a room and strapped on a rough tree trunk. The officer was holding a whip, ready to lash
out at them anytime. Just as they closed their eyes and hoped for the worst, he turned and faced another criminal.
He was young, probably accused of stealing or poaching. The leathery whip was flickered right at his face. It
was a loud shriek, the voice the criminal made, the unsettling yelps of pain echoing in the vacant room. The
whip had made a cut on his cheek, the torn flesh sizzling from the cold. His face was blood-stained, the thick,
dark liquid oozing out of his wound, dripping onto the floor.
The officer shot them a look of pure venom.
“
You’ll be next, tomorrow,” and let out a witchy laugh.
T