Fiction: Group 2
New Tales of the Pearl River Delta
Harrow International School Hong Kong, Voelkner, Jaidan - 10, Fiction: Group 2
remember the day I saw the Pearl River Delta for the first time. Even though it was something new, I
remember being unafraid and laughing, jumping and feeling all sorts of excitement for this glistening
steam of water. The river flows behind my house where there is a path made of smooth, grey stones
leading down to the grassy shore. The river plays an important role in my village as it provides us with food
and trade but for me, the river is just fun. When I first saw the river, I sprinted as fast as I could and threw
the water up in the air which looked like a million fairies all huddled in a group. That was the greatest day
of my life.
Fifteen years later, I still live in the same small village near the river and visit it every day. The river has
changed and I notice it at each visit. Swaying back and forth on the top of the water, the rubbish lies by the
shore next to me. “Layla, come back inside now before you start swimming and get tangled in loose plastic
bags”, my Mum would shout. “Just a few more minutes”, I would yell back. I could not pull myself away
from the river and would sit on the bank and wonder: “What happened to all the life and activity that was
here?” All my visits to the river seemed to be the same except for this one time when I met someone
special.
“Hi Layla”, giggled a small voice coming from my right. I looked down and saw a petite lively girl wearing
a straw hat and a bright purple coat. “Want to help me?” she asked, while picking up small bits of
newspapers and rubbish on the shore. “I give tours of the river in my small boat. Did you know that it is
home to more than 40 million people?” she cheered. Her eyes sparkled just like the river on the first day I
saw it. I joined her to pick up all the discarded juice cartons, plastic wrappers and shards of glass bottles
scattered across the shore when my Mum came out to check on us. My neighbours came out of their
houses too and started to help us clean up. Somehow, with this small group, I felt like we could make a
difference and bring back life to the river.
After we cleaned up at least our side of the shore, I noticed that the girl took off her jacket and was wearing
a dress that was the exact colour of the river from my memories! With a crystal like colour, the dress almost
looked translucent. Who was this girl? Why was she here and how did she know my name? Why is she so
familiar to me? As the sun set, we looked around the shore and realized that we had made huge strides in
restoring the river. I looked at my neighbours who stood grinning with happiness at the work we had
completed. Shrieking with delight, the girl with no name came up to me and whispered, “I am the secret
spirit of the Pearl River Delta and today is the greatest day of my life!” She then skipped and twirled away,
heading right back into the river. I watched, stunned and confused, as the water pulled back like a curtain
and swallowed the girl up inside. Lights flashed brightly when the waves hit the shore. That night, I
revealed to my Mum that I had met the spirit of the Pearl River Delta. She just smiled with disbelief and
walked away. I guess this will always remain a secret between the river and me.
I
