Fiction: Group 3
“But I have to return to the sea!” Xin protested. “Can't you tell the police instead?”
“Even if I do, you still need to be the witness. Otherwise, Manager Li would say he did not know anything
about it.”
Xin's heart sank. He knew Lian was right. He looked at the river, and further to the sea silently. His vision
blurred as hot tears streamed down his cheeks. He knew what he had to do.
“What's the matter?” Lian asked softly.
“Let's go,” Xin whispered.
Lian then quickly grasped his hand and led him to the street where they flagged down a taxi. At the police
station, officer Zhao was aware of Lian's work. He listened fascinated with Xin's description of the secret
room with the trapdoor and the secret tank with the buttons.
“We have tried to catch that nasty manager for a long time. You have done us a great service. I need your
identity card so we can register you as our witness,” Officer Zhao said.
Xin could feel his heart thumping against his chest. He looked at Lian with wide eyes and then at the tank
on Officer Zhao's desk, where a terrapin was staring back at him.
“I’m an orphan. I don’t have a birth certificate, so I don’t have an identity card,” he suddenly said.
Officer Zhao nodded, and they went out and drove to the factory. At the factory, Manager Li was arrested,
and Xin led the way to the secret room. Officer Zhao was overjoyed, and promised Xin that he would help
him get a proper identity card.
“You both deserve a reward as well,” Officer Zhao decided.
“Can we have your terrapin?” Lian asked.
Puzzled, Officer Zhao agreed. After picking up the terrapin, Lian handed it to Xin.
“There, you can release it and it can pass your message back to your family that the pollution problem has
been solved,” Lian said. "You can also tell them that you are fine here with me.”
“You know I can talk to it?”
“I guessed it when you blurted out the excuse at the police station.”
“You know I can't go back home?”
“I guessed that as well.”
“Can you guess what I'm thinking now?” Xin asked as he looked into Lian's bright brown eyes.
Lian looked away. She tried to hide her hot cheeks with her hands. And then they both giggled.
