The Birthday Present
St. Mary’s Canossian College, Joey So, Fiction: Group 4
R
ing… Ring…
“Hi mum, what’s up?” picking up the phone, Crystal answered in a cheerful tone.
Today was her sixteenth birthday. She had been so excited, waiting to get a present
from her mum.
“Crystal dear… your grandpa wants to talk to you…and say Happy Birthday. Can you…quickly
come to the hospital…now?” Crystal’s mum replied softly in a flat tone, trying to her sobbing.
Something had gone wrong. Crystal knew it.
Before Crystal could raise any question, the phone was hung up. Her heart started to beat
faster and faster, just like giving a warning. Crystal didn’t have any idea about what was going to
happen. She started trembling, she did not want to guess what was going on as she was not brave
enough to imagine. Great fear started to grow within her. Without a second thought, she rushed
out of home and jumped into the taxi.
“Q-u-e..Queen’s Hospital, please! D-r-ive faster, I’m in a hurry!” Crystal gasped.
The taxi sped along the highway to the destination. Crystal’s body was shaking and drops of
sweats were rolling down on her cheeks.
In Crystal’s mind, Grandpa had always been a very nice man. Though he did not look strong,
he was a well-known traveller. He had had adventures in a lot of exotically beautiful untouched
lands. When Crystal was small, she loved listening to Grandpa’s exciting adventures so much. He
is her hero. She could not believe such a brave man fearing nothing could get sick and die.
“Grandpa… please be okay…” Crystal murmured, and looked blankly out of the window until
the hospital came to her sight.
When the taxi came to a halt, Crystal jumped out immediately and dashed straight into the
deadly white building.
In less than a minute, Crystal was standing nervously outside a ward. Entering the room
where Grandpa was staying, she joined all members of the Chan’s family, even the busiest Uncle
Louis, who had returned from Macau.
“Crystal… finally…” a weak voice came from the bed.
It was Grandpa.
Just one week after her last visit, Grandpa looked far weaker, shedding weight at an alarming
rate. According to the doctor, it would probably be the last few days of Grandpa’s journey of life.
Crystal kneeled down, holding Grandpa’s hands and looking into his sunken eyes. She moved her
ear closer to Grandpa’s mouth, trying to catch his low whispers.
“Go…Gobi Desert…”
Desert?
“Your…birthday present… is right there…Go find it…You…”
Crystal’s eyes sparkled. A birthday present! She was longing for it! She looked up, trying to
kiss Grandpa’s cheek when his eyes closed… forever. Never would they open again.
The weeks after was hard for the Chan’s. But one thing that was lingering on in Crystal’s mind
was the puzzle unsolved. She really wanted to know what her grandpa had left her, so she took a
flight to the Gobi Desert a month later.
