Lin

• Sierra Gleeson, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2022

BONG! The bellowing sound of the gong fills all of the elegant rooms. Lin, the beautiful young girl, wakes up, startled by the noise. She knows this sound and what she's meant to do, but it's midnight; what does her father want at this time?
She gets up anyway, midnight black, silky smooth hair flowing behind her. She puts on her jade green silk dressing robe and slippers, and walks out of her dark oak door engraved with a majestic dragon. She notices her older brother, younger sister, mother and uncles also walking with slumped backs and tired faces towards the courtyard. She catches up to her sister. They exchange whispers, asking if the other knows what’s happening.
They enter the grand courtyard and are greeted with the presence of their father, Wang; a peculiar but wealthy man.
“As you know, Mao Zedong, the emperor, wants to take all our money and land.” Wang says, pearl-like beads of sweat starting to form on his pale, wrinkly forehead.
“We’ve also just been informed that Mao Zedong is plotting to execute my brothers, Xing and I.” Bo bursts into tears. Their mother tries to calm her, glassy beads starting to form in her own eyes.
“Well, what are we going to do?” One of Wang’s brothers pronounced.
“I’m not sure.” Wang replies, a tone of forced calmness in his voice.
“You're not sure! So, you’re just going to let us all die!” Another of Wang’s brothers yells with rage, starting a quarrel.
As the quarrel comes to an end, Wang furiously demands, “Everyone, go to bed and try to think of a solution! We will meet as SOON as the sun rises!”
In her luxurious bed, Lin is puzzled. She’s tossing and turning and then, all of a sudden, a bright idea pops into her head…
Rays of light stream into Lin’s beautiful room. She gets up and rivers of gold radiate her skin. Once again, she puts on her robe and slippers and hurries downstairs.
She meets her family but they don’t seem as optimistic as her. There’s an awkward silence until one of the uncles say, “Yes.” Lin replies, all eyes now on her.
“Maybe we could all go far away to another land. Then we won’t be found.”
“That could work.” Wang declares.
“But I don’t want to leave!” Xing exclaims.
“Me neither!” Argues Bo.
“My decision is final! We leave tomorrow night! Everyone can pack one basket!”
Lin is ready, but not on the inside. She takes one last glance at the only home she’s ever known and turns away, tears starting to roll down her face like rain. Lin gets a feeling she has never felt before, like a bullet of misery going straight through her body. She hops into the dull, horse-drawn cart, sorrow starting to take over her body. The black horses, almost invisible in the dark, start to move, and Lin and her family ride off into the night.