Fiction: Group 3
Time Travel in Guangzhou
Ying Wa College, Jim, Man Yui - 12, Fiction: Group 3
t was a fine summer’s day in Guangzhou. The newlyweds, Bruce and Diana, were leaning upon the
luxury round-the-world cruiser’s railing. They watched as the sun sank slowly over the horizons,
reflecting its last rays of sunlight towards Guangzhou’s metropolitan area.
Diana breathed “Such a shame.” Bruce replied “ What is to be shamed, my dearest?” Diana said,
“ The sunlight, reflected on the buildings, never comes out again, like it’s trapped in a web. Guangzhou is a
nice city, but it’s too cosmopolitan for me.”
Bruce says, “hmm, I agree…”
The next day, Bruce and Diana woke up late. They immediately brushed their teeth and changed.
Then, they went outside of their cruiser cabin.
Outside, the cruiser was enrobed in thick smoky smog. There was no sight of anyone. Diana
whispered, “ What’s happening? Where is everyone?” Bruce said “ Hmm, maybe it’s just a practical joke.”
Diana said “ Not likely, by the looks of it .If this was really a joke, how did they make the smog?”
Suddenly, a distinctive moaning sound came. Both Diana and Bruce shivered. Diana asked
shakingly “ W-hhatt Happp-ennd?” Bruce said adventurously “ Let’s go and find out!” Diana said, “ Okay,
but you’ll need to accompany me.”
The duo slowly crept towards the place where the sound was originating. They soon found out
that the noise was coming from a big, bulky thing wrapped up with a white canvas cloth. Bruce tore the
cloth apart----- and saw a young girl around 14 or so tightly bound up with torn strips of cloth. Even
her mouth was tightly gagged. Diana immediately started to untie her gags.
While she was doing so, the smog around them disappeared suddenly, as if drawn away by an
invisible hand. The scene that awaited them was such a surprise to everybody; they couldn’t help stifling a
gasp.
The ultra-modern high-rise skyscrapers had vanished. What had replaced them were ancient
Tang-dynasty styled wooden pavilions, complete with carriages and all sorts of ornate bridges.
“Omigosh” exclaimed Diana, “where on earth are we?”
“It seems we’ve time-traveled back to tang Dynasty,” piped Bruce.
Suddenly, the young girl moaned again. Diana immediately rushed towards the girl. Diana
tenderly inquired, “ What’s your name? My name’s Diana.”
The young girl, weak from her recent kidnapping experience, moaned weakly “ My name’s
Hermione.” Diana’s pupils grew as big as saucers, “ Really? Your name’s just like Harry Potter’s friend,
Hermione Granger. Do you like watching those series too?”
Hermione moaned hoarsely “ Actually, I’d prefer resting now. Could I perhaps sleep on some
bunk beds?”
Bruce interrupted “ No problem. Get comfy.”
As Hermione trailed away, Diana pulled Bruce towards a nearby corner and hissed, “ She just
squirreled away! My sixth sense is alerting me she’s probably a ‘spy’” Bruce retorted, “Don’t be ridiculous!
She’s already quite tired. Just let her rest for a while.”
After this teeny squabble, they began investigating. The cruiser was now floating peacefully on the
water, but the people on the river’s banks were ogling and pointing at them. Some guards suddenly
appeared from nowhere and started to swim towards the boat.
The guards soon arrived on the ship. The guards then spoke in an ancient Chinese dialect that the
U.S. newlyweds couldn’t understand. Diana asked, “ What on earth are you talking about?” Since the
guards couldn’t understand their language, they rudely took Diana’s hand and pulled her away. Bruce
shouted “ Hey, watch what you’re doing with my fiancée!” The guards ignored him and continued carrying
Diana away. They even forced Diana to swim back to the banks!
Then, the guards started to pull Bruce away from the cruiser too. The two newlyweds shrieked
for help. But, not a single person could hear what they were saying (or more precisely, shrieking for help.)
They were then being towed away by the guards. At the same moment, Hermione came out of
the cabin and leaned on the cruiser’s railing watching them, with a smirk on her face…
I
