Fiction: Group 3
Lost Vividness of the River
The British International School Shanghai, Puxi Campus, Hanninen, Lydia - 12,
Fiction: Group 3
y gaze was fixed on the flying creatures known as birds taking flight in the horizon. The flock
flew in a mass of black spots across the orange and yellow canvas, past the white puffs of stained
white and the shining red ball of fire that was unreachable to young girls like me. Even if my
parents were always complaining about me being too persistent in everything I put my mind to, I knew the
difference between reality and fantasies; the difference between fact and fiction was evident in my mind. My
parents were beautiful people. They cared for others like no other, they said their thanks and apologies until
it got annoying, they could easily let go if there was the need to. As for me, I would be cautious about other
people but not to the same level as my father and mother and I would simply mumble my thanks and
apologies before getting hit in the back of the head by either of them for not showing my appreciation for
everything that I had. However –the worst of my flaws- I couldn’t let go. I clung onto everything and
everyone and I couldn’t bear leaving them. I hated myself for it. They didn’t like me caring too much in
that sense, saying that it wouldn’t lead me anywhere good.
I was snapped out of my thoughts as I heard happy clicks. Confused by where the sound had been coming, I
spun my head in every direction. After a moment of confusion, I had found the source of the entrancing
sound: the dolphins. I had only seen them twice out of all the times that I had sat out here, which just so
you know was each and every evening. They were bewitching animals. They were leaping out of the water
for air, creating a majestic scene for everyone watching. Two groups were out there.
Though, my happy ecstasy was cut short. I shot up to stand once I spotted the grey calf from the nearer
group struggling in the water. It was thrusting itself this way and that and spun in different directions
recklessly. The other two dolphins had disappeared. My mind wasn’t working with my body and before I
knew it, my feet splashed into the water of the Pearl River. It was shallow since there had only been a slight
drop from the edge of the land to the water. The stray calf was drifting my way. I continued to wade my
way toward it. It continued to make loud clicking noises, trying to make contact with its elders but it
seemed to have no luck. Its eyes looked lost, dead. I reached toward it but my hand had stopped moving
just before it came in contact with the smooth surface that belonged to the dolphin’s body. What was I
doing? What would happen after I do this? It would cause so much trouble for myself! Think straight, I told
myself.
I decided to ignore practicality and went with my gut and conscience. I needed to save this animal. This
time, I reached my hand out and latched onto the plastic wrapped around the poor dolphin. It seemed
startled at first but that didn’t stop me. I continued to pull on it, coming to the realization that it wasn’t
going to loosen. I suddenly remembered the Swiss knife I had, I flipped out the knife and began to cut away
the tangled plastic. It felt like it had taken me months, years, decades even, to free the suffering animal. I
thought that the creature would leave me right away, swim off to find its group. Yet, it stayed by my side; it
just laid there. I knew that it had been risky but thanks to my persistent nature, I reached out my slender
fingers. It had felt like someone behind me had been watching with hawk eyes, ready to call out my mistake
for coming into contact with a wild animal.
My fingertips ever so slightly brushed over the surface of the dolphin. My hand retracted immediately once I
made eye contact with the dolphin. Still, my curiosity kept on trying to become greater than logic. It
eventually did. I reached out again and this time –once I had placed my fingertips on its head – I put down
my whole palm and began to move my hand across its long side. I continued to do this until the (male)
dolphin had completely calmed down and was floating on the water with its head by my waist. However,
my hand was stopped midway and I was forced to turn my head toward the house.
“Ming Yun! Get inside for dinner! Why are you in the water? Get out of there right this instant!” My
mother shouted at me. I hid the dolphin behind my rather small body but still managed to keep him out of
sight.
I turned back to the dolphin once she was out of eye- and earshot. “I have to go now but I will come
back…
Huang Fu
. You were
fortunate
to have me here to rescue you. Now go.” I waved my hand to the
dolphin and off he went. Huang Fu swam toward his group that had appeared out of nowhere again. I then
came back to reality and picked myself up, running towards the backdoors of my household.
M
