The Gobi Star
HKUGA College, Charles Lo, Fiction Group 3
I
n America, there was an avid adventurer called James Jones. He always said his life was
about money, money, money; everyone else knew this to be true. He was a selfish and greedy
man with a wallet full of money but an empty heart. Over the years he found he had had
found a lot of treasure and his home was full of beautiful and expensive things, but it was
a quiet house, silent! Some say he had killed people to find and secure treasure on his journeys,
others say he killed his family to inherit their wealth and fund his adventures around the world.
Whatever the story, he is now alone and loveless; money, money, money, that is all he cares about!
One day Jones heard the story of an exotic treasure hidden deep inside the Gobi desert. Quick as
a flash he got on s plane to the Gobi and embarked on a quest to seek out something called the ‘Gobi
Star’. The myth was that whoever found the ‘star’ would find riches beyond their wildest dreams.
This is something that Jones desperately wanted – being the greedy man that he was. The Gobi Star
could fill his life with more wealth than his heart could ever desire, so he set out to find it.
The Gobi desert is one of the world’s largest deserts, covering most of Southern Mongolia and
still expanding. The temperature in the Gobi is a painful 41 degrees at the minute and only the
desperate or the stupid would dare go trekking at this time of year. Jones, arguably having both
of these characteristics was indeed trudging through the endless sea of scorching sand; nothing
would stop him if there was treasure to be had.
He spent endless days searching high and low for the treasure. Venturing deeper and deeper
into the desert, unaware that civilization was now lost to him. His food and water were running
dangerously low and his lips and skin were starting to crack with the heat. Eagles soared high
above his head and he had a feeling that something was lurking in the shadows. He had heard of
the beasts that belonged to the Gobi and hoped it wasn’t a wild wolf or a big bear. His mind was
wandering, he was becoming confused, distracted and anxious. He sat for a moment, feeling lost,
alone and helpless. It was boiling, he was sweating and the sun was only getting higher. He was
becoming increasingly thirsty and had finished his food. Water and shelter were the only treasure
he needed at this point.
Catching his eye, he looked up and in the distance he was sure he saw a cave. He had heard
of mirages in the desert and believed this was one, but he had to try. As he scrambled closer, he
noticed there was a name engraved above the cave – ‘The Gobi Star’.
Ecstatic, Jones used all the energy he had left and dashed over to the heavenly shade of the
cave; it was cool, damp and had a crystal clear stream running through the middle of it. He drank
and bathed. Feeling revitalized he looked up, he hadn’t even noticed that the cave full of the
wonders of the universe – gold and jewels covered the floor of the cave, again he must have been
dreaming! In amazement, he dashed over and starting throwing the treasure around excitedly; he
couldn’t believe it was real and he had found it!
Suddenly, out of nowhere, came a strong booming voice, “Welcome to the Gobi Star”. Jones
was very scared, he didn’t know who or what was speaking. “I am the God of riches and can make
you the richest man in the world”. Jones was worried, there must be a catch, so he asked the God
what he had to do to be able to keep these riches. The God quickly replied, “ All you have to do is
bring me the person you love most in the world! But if you lie; I will know! And I will KILL you
