Fiction: Group 3
New Tales of the Pearl River Delta
Island School, Bindal, Vrinda - 13, Fiction: Group 3
ggie was just an ordinary girl who lived in Hong Kong. She would go to school, come home, finish
homework then go for an activity. She loved swimming and it was her favourite sport. Her best
subject was English and she was very good at creative writing.
One day her friend, Kelly came up to her “Aggie! I know you’re really good at creative writing, I was
finishing my homework yesterday, when this ad popped up, it’s for the Hong Kong Young Writers Award
this year, why don’t you enter? I got all the details here” “Thanks a lot Kelly, but I like creative writing just
for fun, not for competitions” However, this set Aggie’s mind working “Wait, Kelly, is there a theme?”
“Yeah, Tales of the Pearl River Delta”
That night, after some research, Aggie got a paper and started writing:
The Pearl River Delta is a river that flows in between Macau and Hong Kong and into the South China
Sea.
It is formed by three other, major rivers. The North, East and West. Now let’s go back to the 18
th
century, when Saint Paul’s Cathedral was still standing. A couple was going to get married. This couple
lived in Hong Kong. This couple had a house in Cheung Chau, as this is where they both first met.
Why
had they picked to get married at Saint Paul’s Cathedral? Ashley, the bride, had heard that this cathedral was
one of the largest catholic churches in Asia…
“Hmm…I wonder how they got to Saint Paul’s- oh I know!!”
In the 18
th
century, travelling by ferry wasn’t very common as it is now. Ferry prices were really expensive
so only well-off people could afford it then. Ashley had never travelled by ferry unlike David, who had
travelled a couple of times- all of them were during New Year’s Eve. “David, what’s it like travelling by
ferry?” Ashley asked for the thousandth time that day “Ashley…just wait and see” David laughed.
Finally, it was time for the wedding. The couple headed off to the pier. While on the pier, the clouds started
to turn greyish “Ashley, I think it might rain” “Yeah, I think so too”
The ferry finally arrived, it was going to take them to Macau via the Pearl River Delta, “Ashley, this river
we are going through is called the Pearl River Delta” David said teasingly, knowing that Ashley was a
history teacher,
“This seems a lot like the story mom told me, about grandma...”
Aggie said to herself
By the time they reached Macau pier, it was raining really heavily. Luckily, David had hired a carriage for
their wedding. It would drive them to the cathedral
A lot of people came to the wedding ceremony, friends and family. By now the weather was terrible.
Thunder and Lightning had started. Suddenly, everyone started whispering. There was a smell of smoke
coming from somewhere and then the fire alarm went off. Everyone flew into a panic, screaming and shouts
were heard as the roof caught on fire. David and Ashley were separated. Ashley found her parents, talking to
David’s parents “Mama, Papa, where’s David” “Oh my god, Ashley is fine, stay with me, now sweetheart”
her mom said “Where’s David Mama?” “We don’t know-oh, someone called Macau Broadcasting??! I’m
not in the mood for this, my son could be seriously hurt!!” David’s mom yelled
“I need to call grandma” Aggie declared to herself and slid off her chair to get the phone
“Hello?” answered an old voice at the other end of the line
“HI Grandma!!”
“Oh, Aggie, how nice to hear your voice, why are you calling me so late?”
‘Oh, Grandma, I need to talk to you about your wedding, it’s for a competition, names have been changed
but I need all the details”
“Aggie…”
“I know grandma you don’t like talking about your wedding, but please!!”
Grandma finally gave in with a sigh “Which part do you want to know?”
“When you found your parents”
“When I found my parents, the news reporters arrived as well, and they were heading for us…”
A
