Fiction: Group 2
New Tales of the Pearl River Delta
Good Hope Primary School cum Kindergarten, Wong, Rachel - 11, Fiction: Group 2
lyssa White Omlyviviaca gently pulled out a sheepskin from a box and started to write with some
ink
‘
Today is 1-10-1000.The time has not come yet. I can’t help but my heart is filled with relief.
The Pearl River Delta is safe from the prophecy about the River becoming polluted and…
Nonsense! I know that it is a preposterous thing to go along with Aunt Sara and her hocus-pocus crystal
balls, protective charms, silly jewelery and ughh!!!!!!!! I know that the things that she “see” in those crystal
balls are all fake, but since she is Alana and my only relative, I did cut her some slack! But how can she tell
me now that our priceless heirloom that our Omlyviviaca family worked so hard to protect is going to be…’
My writing is interrupted by an affable tap from my 3-year-old sister Alana and my head snapped up from
my diary. Her frowning face told me it wasn’t good news, so I gently took her hand and persuaded her to
tell me the news. My smiling face turned petrified and took off running with Alana’s hand in mine.
The strange machine
For the very first time, one of Aunt Sara’s ‘crystal ball sayings’ came true! Alana and I stood in front of the
weird and scary- looking metal machine with a frozen and alarmed look on our face. I overcame my shock
and pulled up all my strength to fearlessly take a few steps towards the machine. My hand reached forward
automatically and touched the cold, hard steel. Alana hid behind my long dress and poked her head out as I
ran my delicate fingers over the icy shell. My fingers ran over a little lump on the smooth metal. I carefully
examined it and gave it a soft push. A secret door appeared and it creaked open. I looked at Alana with a
questioning look and she answered me with a determined nod. I stepped into the machine with Alana
following closely, hugging my waist tightly. As soon as Alana’s foot went past the door, the door
automatically slammed and locked itself. Alana shrieked and pressed herself against me as tight as a koala and
started to cry. I wrapped her in a bear hug and told her not to worry. I led her to a room full of gadgets and
buttons. All of a sudden, a light was flashing in the room and a few numbers ‘1-10-2015’ were shining on
an electronic board. My head was filled with questions, later the room started to spin round and round
and…
The different land
When I woke up, I found myself sprawling across the floor of the machine. Alana was still sleeping soundly
next to me. I carried her all the way to a little house with a river close by. An old lady walked out of the
house and kindly invited me and Alana into the house. She introduced herself as Granny Pearl and gave us
some snacks and drinks. We thanked her and within 2 minutes, I was sitting on the floor of a neat little
house sipping some hot tea and, while Alana sipped steaming milk. Granny Pearl gave us some round
crunchy dough with some brown, milky, sweet chunks of something, which she called chocolate chip
cookies. Granny Pearl kept us company and we told her every interesting story back in the village where we
lived. Her eyes opened wide once she heard us mention a beautiful river called The Pearl River Delta,
which was safely guarded by our family.
The Legendary River
She interrupted softly and started to tell us a story about a legendary river.
‘
Long ago, a man went to the
river and bathed in it, for the river was known in outrageous stories about its healing properties, everlasting
beauty and whatnot. It didn’t heal him or grant him everlasting beauty, at least he thought it had. He went
and spread the news that it was able to heal him and grant him everlasting beauty and to live forever. The
popularity boosted a lot, even kings, queens, dukes, duchesses, princes and princesses all went to the river
believing the ridiculous lies. Alas, the river became polluted and dirty, because of the dirt and trash people
left in the waters. The old lady smiled warmly and asked, ‘What is the moral, children? Nature has its
powers but never when it comes to life.’ I stared at her, startled by her sudden words of wisdom.
The Polluted River
She continued and said
, ‘
That river in the story is the very river next to my house. Legend has it that it is
called The Pearl River Delta. It also mentioned that it is a precious heirloom of a family named
Omlyviviaca. Now come children, come with me, I will show you the river.’ She took my hand and led us
towards a tidy bedroom.
She opened a large window and walked onto the balcony gingerly . She frowned
and showed us the river. Alana gasped and said, ‘Eww!’ Well I couldn’t blame her, because I wanted to say
that myself. For the river was dirty and polluted with floating trash all around.
A
