An Unexpected Journey
Island School, Daren Zhang, Fiction: Group 3
A
s a traveler, discovering the wonders of the Gobi Desert has always been a passion
of mine. Now I find myself standing in the middle of the Gobi Desert. Having no one
around for miles leaves me feeling a bit eerie. I’m here to find a long lost treasure.
I was at a market in China buying food when suddenly a stranger in a dark robe
approached me and gave me a treasure map. I took a glance at the map and it looked like it was in
bad shape. The authenticity of it did cross my mind. I wondered if it was real, but I figured it was
worth a shot.
I set off to find supplies, I figured out I needed enough canned food to ration out throughout
my journey. Also a sturdy tent would be ideal for the harsh weather conditions the Gobi Desert
has to offer. Weapons would also be very useful against any thieves I might encounter in the
desert. I looked around and found a sharp, deadly knife as well as a pistol. Finally, I knew I
needed a strong companion to bring along all my supplies. For this I needed a healthy one-of-
a-kind camel. The next day I went to a camel dealer that I knew and trusted. When I asked the
dealer which was his best camel to handle the harsh conditions of the Gobi desert he pointed
towards the back of the herd. I looked in that direction and saw the most magnificent creature
I’ve ever feasted my eyes on. It stood over six feet tall with a built as a bulky as a boulder. Fur
as smooth as a baby cub. The camel had two humps, which would be perfect to carry all our
supplies. When I asked the dealer for the price it seemed a bit steep. So I bargained and asked
the dealer to throw in a nice leather saddle. When thinking of names I could only think of one,
Hizenburger, the name of my great, great grandfather who died in the Gobi desert during the
Mongolian war.
So now here I am with my trusty camel Hizenburger trying to track trough this hot
wasteland. My first priority is to find shelter for the night. The desert can get very cold at night.
My camel doesn’t need shelter so I figure I could set up my tent and try to start a fire by rubbing
two sticks together. With any luck I can find a snake to cook tonight. I know from experience
that the Gobi Desert is home to several species of snakes. Unfortunately, I wake up this morning
on an empty stomach. But that’s the risk you take when you are searching for riches and glory.
I am heading east and following the sun. My map indicates that a forest, which is often referred
to as the green wall of China, somewhere in the eastern boarder of the Mongolia surrounds the
treasure. It’s hard to believe that in such a desert there can be several different environments.
I set up for some heavy hiking hoping my supplies might last. I have enough food to last me
a week. That means I’ll have to hunt along the way. My camel looks strong enough to make the
whole journey. After eight hours of walking, it feels like I haven’t made any progress. But I know
for a fact that I have covered so much ground but it looks endless and the terrain hasn’t changed.
All I see behind me and in front of me are sand dunes.
The night draws near, so I decide to set up camp and take a rest for the rest of the night. My
stomach is roaring since I haven’t had food for two days. I decide to look inside my rucksack and
portion out my canned food. I settle on a can of beans. The beans taste amazing as any food at
this point feels like a gourmet meal.
I settle into my tent and try to get some rest. Hopefully the days to come will bring more
