Brentson L
Chapter 1
Heng glanced around the vast, quiet classroom.
“This is soo boorring,” he thought.
“Ok class, now, we will learn about natural disasters. The first one we will discuss is the earthquake!” Dr Lee exclaimed excitedly, scanning the class eagerly and rubbing his hands together. It was almost as if he was trying to engage the class into the topic … not that there was much of a chance there.
Heng woke up from his daydream with a start.
“Hey Dexter what are we even doing is this about mathematics again because if it is I'm going straight back to my nighty-night sleep that feels way better than being in a classroom with a fat boring teacher,” he speed-talked.
“We are talking about earthquakes!” Dexter murmured back.
“Ooo!” Heng squealed.
He tucked his chair in and fixed up his uniform. This sounded interesting.
“The earthquake has stolen a countless amount of lives, therefore, making it one of the most dangerous disasters. It also…”
Heng did not know how many facts he had learnt about earthquakes that day, but it wasn’t until later in his life, did he truly appreciate the importance of school.
Chapter 2
BOOM! Heng looked around, startled and bewildered. His eyes adjusted quickly in the pitch-black house. It was still dark.
“Heng! Heng, where are you!”
He heard his mother’s voice, but he couldn’t react. Something had pinned him, taking away his ability to move.
“Aaaagghhh!”
That was the last thing he heard.
Chapter 3
Heng woke up to the sound of footsteps echoing down the destroyed garage.
“My head hurts,” was the first thing that came into his mind. It was true. It was still throbbing from the pain of a gigantic rock grazing the side of it. But, he knew he had to act. He slid on the once-shiny floor, stopping himself when he was completely covered by the almost opaque shadow of a shelf. The dim light shone through the crack in the door left by the person who had entered. He could faintly register what the person was saying.
“…. sort out ... dump,” the person said quietly. The tone strongly suggested that the person was a man. Heng pulled out a knife. SSHHIII-IINNKK!! The sound it made was deafening. The clueless man noticed the glint. Thinking the glint was from treasure, he slowly advanced towards Heng’s hiding spot.
“What’s this?” he hissed under his breath, a look a mock confusion on his face. Heng let the blade fly. Bull’s eye. He bolted for the door like greased lightning … and stopped. An old, ancient parchment stuck out of the man’s back pocket; a description of the earthquake. As realization hit him like a wave, guilt poured into his heart and tears came crashing down on his tunic.
Chapter 4
Heng scanned the writing. It was old. It informed him that the rocks had somehow changed direction in mid-air. Each rock also had glowing writing on them; Go to Spain.
“No,” Heng thought, ”you killed my parents, so why should I listen to you?”
“Because,” a voice in Heng’s head began, startling him, “that is where destiny will lead you, Zhang Heng. You’ve also killed an innocent man, so consider this your punishment!”
“But… I don’t want to go to Spain! I don’t want to listen to you! Who said that destiny was the boss? Curse that perso-“
“Listen boy! We don’t have time for another one of your childish rambles! Now pull yourself together!”
“Aaaaalllrrigght,” Heng answered hesitantly.
“Understood?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now, MOVE IT!
Chapter 5
“Ugghh!” Heng shouted in disgust, “this is impossible!”
“No, it isn’t,” the ghastly voice whispered back, “nothing is impossible.”
“Well this is. I’m giving up and rightly so! I’ve been trying to dig my way out of my destroyed home for seven months, surviving only on rations of food that were not destroyed in the earthquake! Do you know how much luck I’ve had? Not even a stroke! So I’m done! I’m giving up!”
“Stop stressing. I can only guarantee you one thing: one day, I will arrive and lead you on the journey of your life! It will be a most exciting experience.”
“Well it doesn’t seem or sound very exciting. It is actually, more than anything, scary. It also sounds like I will die in the process,” Heng responded hastily.
“In the cave you fear to enter, lies the treasure that you seek. Mark my words, for you to overcome extreme depression; you need to enter the cave you fear to enter – your darkest hour. What is the cave you fear to enter?”
“I’m going to tell you another time,” Heng said through gritted teeth. The voice, however, obviously did not sense the air of insecurity and anger Heng was feeling.
“Come on, Heng. The sooner you tell me, the better your situation will be. Come on,” the voice prompted. This was too much for Heng now.
“NO!” Heng screamed.
“Fine,” the voice replied sulkily, “but you’ll regret it. I’m warning you now!” Heng seethed in frustration.
Chapter 6
Uggh.
“COME HERE HENG! I TOLD YOU. TELL ME YOUR FEAR!”
“No. I cannot do that. I have a right to have some private information about MY life.”
“BUT … THINK OF ME AS YOUR GOD. I NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING!”
A blazing wall of inferno erupted out of the ground as the “GOD” shot a bolt of pure-white lightning from his mouth. Spikes of molten rock began to protrude the rocky, uneven terrain as everything within one metre of me is turned into butterscotch by the intense heat of the strike and plants around me are wilted, limbs drooping lower than a person’s foot. Suddenly, a cloaked figure glides smoothly through the thick, heavy sheet of smoke. He has a long, grey beard. Not dirty like a pirate’s; clean.
“Don’t listen to him,” the man says,” let your mind and imagination run wild and take you to the unknown.”
Finally. Someone who offers help and assistance.
“Ok. Thank you … wait a minute … hmm … are you trying to figure out my fear as well?”
“Only time can tell if I want to or not.”
“Back away slowly, so he doesn’t know,” a voice says.
I obey the thought.
“Heng, find the σεισμογραπη.”
“Huh?”
"Find the σε ..."
He begins to fade away slowly.
“No!” I scream continuously until my voice goes hoarse. I bolt into the smoke.
"NO!" I yell."Come back! Please!"
"I'm sorry. I have to go ... will .. back."
"NO!" I collapse on the ground, coughing up sobs,"please," I cry weakly. I cough again. Blood sprays onto my shirt like water coming out of a hose, darkening my white shirt into a dark brown-red shade. Blood droplets dripped from the hole in my face like blood from a vampire's fangs. I shut up instantly; I need a safe place to rest.
Chapter 7
Heng woke up, dripping with sweat, still tense from his nightmare. SSSHH! A shift in the door startled him and caused him to jump 3 feet into the air. He crept slowly and cautiously down the narrow corridor as a squeak sounded from the floorboards below.
“Arrgh,” Heng screamed as he plummeted headfirst into … a man with a long, grey beard.
“Hey, who are you? Who said you could trespass my home? Who ..?” Question after question, he threw at the man. A stranger. An intruder. A remorseless man.
“I … am Liu Hu,” the man replied quietly, “I have come to help you. Do you recall your vision from a few minutes ago? Do you …?”
“No!” Heng snapped impatiently,” I don’t remember anything you mention. Go away!”
The old man waited silently for Heng to finish questioning him, answering each question calmly and softly.
“Ok. So, you refuse to listen to me. I will leave. But I will return.”
The man verbalized it like a threat. It frightened Heng, so as soon as the man left, he locked and bolted the door and jammed it with everything he could find: chairs, tables and even mattresses. This was not good. He knew it, but he never thought of changing how he thought about the situation. Things were becoming bad and getting worse.
Chapter 8
Heng woke to the sound gunshots.
“Oh no,” he thought, “this is bad.” He pulled at his face in desperation. “Help me Buddha, help me when I need you!”
Nothing. Not even a flicker. Not exactly the reaction he had hoped for. BOOM!! The door exploded inwards, throwing shards of wood across the room, damaging everything in its path. A shard grazed Heng’s arm, spilling blood everywhere like a bomb that had just detonated. In the place of the door was Liu Hu. Everything was normal, apart from the fact that Hu was floating! Heng gaped at him out of curiosity.
“Oh my Lord!” Heng exclaimed. “How is that possible that you are floating in the air?”
Hu sighed and groaned, clearly exasperated.
“Of all the questions you could have asked, you asked the most unimportant one! C’mon boy!” Heng stepped forward, his heart running away.
“Come here,” Hu whispered menacingly.
“N-n-n-oo-o,” Heng replied unsteadily.
“Yes,” Heng’s nemesis interrupted.
“No!” Heng’s voice shook in sync with his body. Fear pricked at his skin as the man approached him, slowly but steadily. Suddenly, the man’s eyes flashed red, shooting lasers, singeing Heng’s clothes.
“Get away from me!” Heng screamed.
“If you insist,” the man returned, smiling warmly at no one in particular. A cloud of splinters hovered just above the wizard’s wrist, protruding from his arteries, veins and skin. Heng shivered as the man’s head transformed into the head of a snake, turning it 360 degrees to stare at Heng through its scaly, reptilian eyes. SSSS!!! The hiss was like a cold hand, slowly creeping up his spine; its icy fingers chilling him to the bone. Heng had forgotten all his feelings of comfort; this was the most terrifying experience he had ever had. The unseen cloud zoomed towards Heng like a barn owl, showering him in splinters milliseconds later. The man was not going to stop there. A “black hole” appeared next to the merciless man. Heng swayed from side to side, his feet heavy and unstable. Materials were becoming dislodged, smashing into Heng like meteorites into the ground. A blinding flash suddenly teleported him to … an unknown world.
Chapter 9
Heng forced his sore eyes open. Everything hurt.
“Ni hao. Ni ke bu ke yi qi lai?” an elderly man questioned. Heng had creases on his forehead. He obviously wanted to know why Heng was lying on him.
“Wèishéme shì wǒ?” he muttered, shaking his head.
“What?” Heng asked, growing more restless by the minute, pushing off the man. His mouth dropped open as the truth dawned on him.
“So you only speak Chinese?” Heng realised. The man nodded, smiling uncomfortably.
“Ni hao,” he enunciated.
“Ni hao,” Heng replied, “dui bu qi. Ni zhi bu zhi dao zen mo chu qu?” The man nodded his head, shadowing his face as a smile played on the edges of his lips. He pointed to a thin piece of paper a few metres away, resting on an elegant, beautifully decorated table. On it, it had four words: Do you speak English? Heng wrote back: Duh. What do you think I’ve been saying all along? The man nodded silently, fading away.
“Hey, where are you going?” Heng shouted. Suddenly, the man came back into view, only this time, he was blurred.
“Why is this happening to me?” Heng howled in rage. His answer came from an unexpected direction.
“Calm down,” the man had written, “don’t stress and I'll help you.”
“Ok,” Heng whispered, “calm, calm, calm,” he repeated. He took some deep breaths and wrote: What’s your name?
The man replied promptly: My name is Emperor An. Heng shot a foot high into the air. Huh? He couldn't piece it all together. Emperor An was meant to be dead, lying inside a coffin that kept his soul from bursting out and haunting everyone. Someone had put a bee in his ear. He was allergic to bees … and he was stung by one. Somehow, he had survived.
“Ni zen mo mei you si ya?” A curious Heng wanted to know.
“Wo bu xiang yao gen ni shuo hua,” Emperor An replied, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
“Write it down,” Heng commanded, forgetting the fact that the emperor couldn’t understand English.
“Ok,” the emperor responded, forgetting to pretend he didn’t know English. Heng would not let an opportunity go.
“Wait, you speak English?” he queried.
“NO!” the emperor scribbled down frantically, severely destroying the piece of paper. An eerie atmosphere surrounded the room as An’s eyes turned into thunder.
“You do!” Heng accused, pointing a short, smooth finger at the other man.
“Fine, fine! Clever you. You worked that out!” the emperor exclaimed, clearly exasperated. He swiped Heng’s finger away with a gnarled, wrinkly hand. Heng flinched away with a horrified expression on his face.
“Aaaaaggh!” he screamed, racing away as fast as his legs would carry him.
Chapter 10
It turned out that it was a great thing that Emperor An had frightened Heng, because Heng was able to sneak into a cart and catch a ride to a trading town.
After 14 hours, Heng hopped out of the cart. He needed to stretch those muscles of his. After all, no one would dare to be cramped in a cart for the rest of their days, he figured.
“Aaaaa!” he sighed. It felt nice to finally be away from crazy human beings or things.
“Going’ somewhere, sonny?” a devilish voice cackled from behind Heng. He groaned. There was nothing worse than thinking you were safe … and a grandma or an old lady shows up. He twirled around, movements slack and droopy.
“Look at meh, will ya? It’s disrespectful not to do so!” the ancient woman cried. Heng obeyed, tearing his eyes from the floor and staring into the lady’s eyes forlornly.
“Please. Go away,” he whispered.
“Hey, what’s the matter, chum?” the elderly lady asked softly.
“My parents are dead, some emperor is chasing me and an apparent “God” wants to know my fears. My life is ruined.”
“Hey, I know how you feel. Emperor An tried to assassinate me some decades ago when I was quite attractive.” She pulled out two photos: one of her making dinner and the other depicting a beautiful, young girl in a long dress, a white veil covering her face.
“You are clearly modest,” I said, wiping tears away.
“An also killed my family because they had restricted us of marrying. I also had a husband. He attempted to kill me because he thought my husband had “the prettiest girl in the country” and could revolt against him. According to him, I could use my stunning looks to make people do what I commanded.”
“Wow.” Heng was already breathless from the sight of the women in the two wooden frames.
“You were pretty!” The woman blushed.
“Please don’t mention it again. I don’t want to be reminded of my unfortunate past.”
“Anything you want, ma’am,” Heng answered.
The woman’s eyes suddenly lit up. They narrowed and her lips curled into a grin.
“Hmmm … kill An,” she whispered forcefully, a pang of guilt stinging her heart.
“Ok.”
Chapter 11
After that conversation, Heng had turned into some kind of savage. He tore his clothes into shreds and dirtied his body.
“No one will stop me now,” he thought. He grabbed a dagger and a spear and swung himself onto a horse.
“Farewell, m’lady! May God bless your soul!” he shouted. The horse neighed. He rode off.
Chapter 12
Heng’s horse galloped all the way back to The Forbidden City, and, his doom. The ancient, old hag had ordered Heng to kill An because she knew that An would win a spar any day. She always adored him because of his sword-fighting skills. There was also one other thing. She had lied to Heng about everything; she was An’s wife. She rubbed her hands while she tasted the scent of death approaching quickly. It was going to be enjoyable watching another heartless fool fall to the King’s mighty sword. But, she believed that the rightful ruler of the world should have been her. This situation needed to change. A phrase she had created came into her head: Guillotine for the King.
Chapter 13
Meanwhile, Heng looked around. The walls of An’s dungeon were glum and bare. He thought about the battle against An. How strong An had been. How An had spun around and caught him off guard. He groaned in shame, embarrassment and pain. It was not meant to be like this. It should have been the other way around!
“Why did I do this? Why did I listen to that old lady? I don't even know if she was telling the truth!” He threw his hands up into the air, desperation rising in him like a flooding wave.
“Uggh!” This was not going to plan. While he was pondering in the centre of the of the cell, a spy hid in the shadows, listening maliciously.
“Hehehe,” the spy laughed softly, absconding without a sound.
Chapter 14
An looked around, scanning the gloomy room.
“I wish Yan Ji was here,” he muttered, shaking his head. “It’s so lonely here!”
“Yes,” a loud, young voice cried, “and I have come to restore my family’s honour!” The emperor whirled around, spotting Heng instantly.
“W-w-wh-aa-tt-t-t a-a-rr-e y-y-you do-o-ing-g?” he stammered in fear.
“I have been set free by the Lord and now, I shall slay you!” With that, he lunged forward and plunged his long, rusty dagger into An’s chest. Blood squirted everywhere, imitating a fountain.
“Ha!” Heng cried in triumph, “I’ve finally gotten rid of you, once and for all!” Little did he know that Emperor An would be resurrected and be even stronger than before.
Chapter 15
“Psssst,” a quiet voice whispered, clearly urgent.
“What?” Heng blurted out.
“Come here,” the voice continued.
“Why are we whispering?” Heng questioned Yan Ji.
“Just come here, you mongrel!” she screeched. Heng bravely stood his ground, drawing his dagger, still encrusted in dry blood. Ji laughed.
“That won’t protect you and keep me at bay!”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah!” Ji answered. Heng drew his spear.
“What about now, you fat hag?” Ji screwed up her face, the name clearly a huge distaste to her.
“Hmph,” she huffed. Suddenly, her bones and skin started shifting, transforming her into a …
“Devil!” Heng screamed, racing away from the cell like a man on a horse.
“You can run, but you can’t hide!” the devil-lady screeched.
Chapter 16
Liu Hu glanced around.
“Damn it! I should have dragged him out in his sleep! This place is so filthy and dirty that I cannot possibly clean this up, find the parchment and get the power that allowed the rock to change direction. Batteas!”
“Yes, master?” A middle aged man appeared just around the corner of the house.
“Get Abraham and the others and clean this dump up!”
“But master, Abraham is a message slave!”
“You want me to kill you?” Hu hissed, dragging his hands up behind his back.
“NO!” Batteas screamed, eyes wide with horror as he tenderly and nimbly ran away.
Chapter 17
Heng looked around. The land was bare and secluded. The only sound that rang out was the croak of a dying bird. A small breeze caused the stick-like trees and the sand to sway and shift. A thump from behind Heng startled him as a spray of sand burnt through the skin in his neck like acid into the ground.
“Ouch! That hurt!” Heng exclaimed, rubbing the reddening spot on his skin as he rotated slowly on the spot.
“Duh! Isn't it obvious? It was meant to hurt!” an arrogant-sounding voice said. Heng’s eyes shot up, expecting to see one of his past enemies. He was wrong. A stocky man was hanging from a rope.
“Uggh. Rope burn,” the man hissed in pain.
“I can help you,” Heng volunteered brightly.
“How?” the man replied rudely.
Heng pulled out a jar of jam-like substance and applied it to the wounds in the man’s palms. They healed instantly, puzzling the man.
“How?” the man repeated.
“How what?” Heng asked.
“How is that possible?”
“It’s called magic,” Heng replied mysteriously.
“Magic,” the man replied in wonder.
“Yes,” Heng responded, planning ahead, ready to lure the man in the wrong direction.
“Woah.”
“Bye,” Heng said abruptly.
“What?”
“I said, bye,” Heng repeated impatiently.
“What? Don’t you want a favour? I owe you, you know.”
“Ok. Take me to Spain.”
Chapter 18
“Oh my Lord! It hurts in here! Can you provide a more comfortable service, man?”
“Sorry man. You requested to have the quickest delivery to Spain from me. This is the fastest.”
“Oh,” Heng replied, a little crestfallen.
“Quick, duck down!” It was a close call. When Heng ducked, a metal point sliced through the air, nicking his ear. A bloodcurdling scream from the pit of his stomach cut through the air.
“SSHH!!” the man hushed. But it was too late. An enormous man stomped over, his face filled with triumph.
“Hey, man, get out of here!” the giant man growled.
“Oh yeah? Why? Huh? Huh? Huh?” The stocky man confronted the other. man.
“‘Coz of this!” The large, unfriendly man pulled his heavy foot back and booted Heng’s “friend” … down a cliff.
“Nooo!” Heng screamed, his voice continuously ricocheting of the mountains.
“Hey, weakling. You’re comin’ with me!” He dragged Heng along the ground, damaging and dirtying the little man’s clothes.
“Hey! Stop! What do you think you’re d-.” His voice became muffled as the kidnapper snapped a gag around his mouth. He gagged at the stink.
“Stay in this cell, ok?” Heng just nodded mutely.
Chapter 19
"Oww!" Heng cried as the cart suddenly shifted, "What's wrong with you guys?" As soon as the words tumbled out of his mouth, he clamped a scarred, sweaty hand over his protesting lips.
"Got anything else to add, smart-mouth?" a bulky, gasping barbarian hissed.
"N-n-n-o-oo," a trembling Heng stammered.
"Who cares? The main thing is that you insulted us. We do not take kindly to offensive do-gooders." With that, the disgusted man pulled his boot back as far as his body would allow him and brought it back with such force that, when the piece of footwear collided with Heng, the smaller man did a double-take and became delusional.
"What's happening?" Heng asked wearily, "How come, two seconds ago, I was confronted by a madman, and the next, in the centre of a tornado? Is this some kind of magic and skulduggery?"
"HA HA HA HA!" the barbarian boomed, "This is not trickery! You're my prisoner!"
"What? I thought I was your guest!"
"As if! I'm not one of the random, stupid people you see everyday! You know, according to data, I'm smarter than you!"
"Don't you mean "data?" The larger man growled menacingly.
"Good bye, brainless. You had your chance. You wasted it. Now you gotta go." The last image that Heng saw was a fist rushing towards him.
After that, he just saw an endless sheet of darkness, stretching further than the universe.
Chapter 20
The barbarian stared at the man he had “killed”.
"Oops," he muttered.
"Oops indeed. Get outta here now!" an angry voice whispered.
"What? But I captured this phoney!"
"Do you even know what a phoney is?" the voice hissed.
"Oh sure! It's ... uh ... err ..."
The mysterious figure reached back and punched the guilty barbarian square in the jaw.
"Nothing gets in my way! MWA HA HA HA HA HA!!!" Far away, this laugh awakened another man, one that also wanted revenge on someone ...
Chapter 21
Emperor An looked around, wriggling his wrists which were bare from the rubbing of the metal from the handcuffs that the Royal Guards had given him. Frustration surged through him like a rocket, dominating all other emotions like fire obliterating a wooden house. A split second later, the reaction he had hoped to experience occurred. Strength roared through him like a flooding wave as he ripped the rusted metal from his bony, bruised wrists. Alarmed soldiers burst into the room, only to be overshadowed by an expanding emperor whose face was contorted with rage.
"Aaaagghh!!" they screamed seconds later, bolting out of the prison cell. Emperor An saw his chance. He hulked down the steps, squeezing passed buildings and creeping behind knights. He also did another thing; when he crept behind knights, who were part of the "Defenders of the Kingdom" force, he raised his body and picked up a few knights. These knights screamed while the others ran, too cowardly to save their fellow knights. Emperor An continued this procedure, grabbing four knights and lifting them to his eye level.
"Hehehe," he wheezed as the screaming started. But, just as he was going to swallow and digest the four brave, trustworthy men in his grasp, something unexpected and spectacular happened. A handsome prince burst into the room, triumphantly holding up a weather-stained parchment. As his eyes fell on the emperor, his eyes narrowed and he drew his long, recently sharpened and polished sword.
"What have you done to my people," the prince questioned calmly and quietly.
"NOTHING," Emperor An boomed.
"Oh really?" the prince persisted.
"Yeah, do you understand English?"
"Of course I do. Probably better than you, if you ask me." At this, An's face turned a nasty shade of red.
"That does it!" he roared. He heaved himself up on his new haunches and raised his fists, which were bearing platinum spikes. He brought his fist down, hard and strong. Stone hazardously exploded, shaking the prince to his soul.
"How'd ya like meh now, pony-prince?" This time, it was the prince's turn to launch an attack. He grabbed a spear and charged at the emperor, giving the mutant a large, fleshy hole in the stomach.
"Yoowww!" screeched the emperor. Pain flooded through him, filling him up like air into a balloon.
Chapter 22
Liu Hu looked out of the window. His office was a small, cramped room, perfect for a hide out. Suddenly, his head jerked up, eyes wide with recognition.
"What was that?" he gasped. But he knew all too well what the sound actually was; an evil laugh by someone who had captured easy prey. And Hu knew exactly who that prey would be. Heng.
Chapter 23
Heng looked out of the cart. The arrogant, vain barbarian had locked him in a tiny, minuscule cell … of diamonds. Heng did not know where or when the ugly goon managed to obtain such valuable items, but all he knew was that the man had them.
"Hey, Heng, what's going on?" a cheerful, quiet voice whispered cautiously. Heng twirled around. (Not that it was much of a twirl). The space in the cell was immensely small. The stocky man who had handed Heng to the barbarians was wound tightly upside down with strong, eloquent silk.
"You trai-" Heng began angrily.
"SSHH!" the man interrupted, placing a finger on his lips.
"Okay, calm, calm, calm," Heng muttered.
“Calm indeed,” the traitor agreed.
“Why did you betray me? Look where it has gotten you now! Not very far, hey?”
“Yes,” the man said miserably and his face fell in shame, “but, I’ll strike a deal with you: help me get out of here and I’ll actually take you to Spain, I promise.”
“How do I know that you are telling the truth?” Heng questioned the man.
“Err … I’ll shake on it,” the man suggested.
“Oookay,” Heng replied doubtfully.
Chapter 24
After 4 hours of solid work, sawing the many hundreds of ropes from his and the “traitor’s” wrists, Heng held out his hand.
“What?” the man questioned.
“The money and the ride,” Heng answered without a flicker.
“I NEVER TOLD YOU I WOULD GIVE YOU MONEY! I JUST SAID I WOULD PROVIDE AN ACTUAL RIDE TO SPAIN!” the man howled, enraged.
“Give me the money for betraying me on the last journey,” Heng said patiently.
“Nuh uh.”
“Fine, you can keep the money.”
“Obviously,” the man said. Heng grimaced. This man was becoming a vain dude as well. Who would be next?
Chapter 25
“Oooo!!” Heng groaned as an impact winded him, “Hey, what’s your name?”
“My name is Abraham. Hey! You appreciate the ride?”
“Yeah. Thanks Abraham.”
“We’ll set up camp here, yes?”
“Good idea, Abraham.”
Chapter 26
Heng woke up to the sound of wolves howling and foxes growling. Close. Really close.
“Ham, wake up! Hammy, wake up! WE ARE SURROUNDED BY WOLVES AND FOXES!!!”
That seemed to do the trick. Abraham was up on his feet in a flash, peeping tentatively out of the tent. Hot air rolled onto Heng’s face as Abraham turned around, gasping his last breaths of fresh air.
“Come on, Heng. Let’s get outta here.”
“How?” Heng raised an eyebrow in mock understanding. Abraham smiled.
“We ride on horseback. Now, LET’S GO!” he yelled.
Chapter 27
The saddle on the horse rubbed against his pubis.
“Oh my gosh! This hurts so much!”
“Yeah. It’s meant to hurt man!” Heng sighed.
“Is that what you also say?”
“Uhh … I guess.”
“Why?”
“Uhh … I think I do it because … uhh …”
“Well?” Heng asked, tapping his foot impatiently.
“Uhh … I think I do it because … uhh …”
“C’mon.”
“Uhh … I think I do it because … uhh …”
“Is that what you always say when someone asks you that question? ‘Cuz if it is, I’m getting bored.” To be honest, he was actually less expectant and more impatient.
“Come on. This sucks,” he thought.
“Uhh … I dunno,” the confronted man admitted.
“Oh, come on. I waited for approximately five minutes and did not even get a proper answer. That’s so unfair and you just wasted my time, mate.” The man hung his head in shame.
“Sorry.”
“Man, you gotta understand, I’m not here so you can waste my time. I’m here so you can get me to Spain. Clear?”
“Crystal clear,” Abraham answered, nodding his head while controlling the bucking horse.
“Hey, control that horsey,” Heng ordered. Ham gave a feeble nod.
“Spain is approaching quickly, Heng. Get ready to hop off the horse.”
“What?” Heng cried incredulously, “all I see is an eerie, haunted-looking forest coming up!”
“Just go through the forest and you’re in Spain.”
“You expect me to go through that forest? I would barely be able to see my hand right in front of my face!”
“Trust me, you’ll find a way,” Ham said calmly.
“Trust you?” Heng spluttered, “You kidnapped me! No thank you!”
“Well, have it your own way,” Abraham replied wistfully.
“Grrrr!!”
Chapter 28
Heng looked around him at the gloomy forest, bewildered. Two long howls sounded mournfully, setting off terrified squawks. The loss of sight made it even more eerie. Heng could only think of a haunting melody, resulting in him not hearing a snarl.
“What was that? No! It couldn’t be! I can’t be surrounded by wol-“”
THWACK!!!
“Arrggh!” he screamed.
Heng lifted his head, checking that no one had seen him when he screamed because he had started cowering. A glint in the pale moonlight caught his attention. An arrow was embedded deep into white bark inches from his head. Heng inched forward for a closer look as he groped the arrow. Without warning, the tall white trees formed a ring and rats suddenly scurried up all the trees, all except one. The one that had the arrow embedded in it. A circle of clouds shone golden light as the sunlight seeped into the misty, black sky. He thought he could see Spain through the circle. So he clambered up the wet, filthy tree.
Chapter 29
“AAAAHHHHH!” Heng screamed as he plummeted headfirst through a “light hole”, “Oof!” he groaned as he smashed onto the pavers. He winced as he sensed a bright light behind his eyelids.
“YYYAAAAA!!!” he yawned, “Where am I? What? How am I in Spain? It hardly looks like it! That man has lied to me again! When I get my hands on that rascal again, he’ll be dead!!” He looked around. He sighed.
“Where am I?” he repeated. Suddenly, he spotted Abraham.
“Hey, what are you doing here? You lied again! When I get my hands on you …”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stop right there! This is Spain, mate! This is Spain!”
“No it isn’t! I’m telling you! How is this Spain? Where is Madrid or Barcelona?”
“This is Madrid! It’s just in the future!”
“What?!
“Duh! What do you think those are?” At this, Abraham pointed towards people walking by, engaged in tapping on their little devices.
“What are they?” Heng asked, wrinkling his nose.
“They, are iPads and iPhones,” Abraham replied proudly.
“Huh?”
“Electronic devices that have absolutely every single prick of data.” Heng clawed at his face.
“Oh man. What’s data?”
“Oh man indeed. Data is information. Bye … for now,” Ham said, fading away. Heng glanced around.
“Hey chap, what da ya need?” Heng stared up into the face of an old man, one that looked like he had gone through many hardships.
“Umm … I really need a place I can live.”
“On the streets?” the man suggested.
“Err … I need some privacy.”
“What are ya doin’?”
“Private.”
“Ok … live in my house. I’ve got an attic that you can live in.”
“Thank you!” Heng shouted as a huge smile spread across his face. Tears dripped from his eyes as the other man beamed with pride.
“You’re welcome.” He acknowledged the fact that the foreign man had impeccable manners.
“Come,” he beckoned with his hands. Heng followed like an obedient puppy.
Chapter 30
After 17 years of solid, non-stop working, Heng look proudly at his production.
“Now, I just need a name,” he thought, “Seismograph? Seismoscope? Anything else? Both of them? Hmm … Ok, I’ll take both names.” He shrugged. “Time to show the King.”
Chapter 31
“Heh, heh, heh,” Heng panted slowly. He had just climbed the tallest hill in China in 17 minutes. He checked his watch that he had bought a few minutes ago. 17:17.
“Phew!” Heng sighed, wiping his forehead, “Wait, what's the time? He checked it again. Still 17:17. He looked at his timer. Exactly 17 minutes. 17:00:00.
“What the …” he trailed off. He shook his head, clearing his mind. CLING!
“Oh man, how am I going to get up this mountain? My pieces keep falling off! Huh!” He put his hands into the air in frustration.
Chapter 32
Heng bowed before the Emperor of Spain.
“Your Highness, I present to you, the seismoscope!” The Emperor raised an eyebrow.
“What is it meant to do?”
“To indicate the direction of a distant earthquake; my device drops a bronze ball from one of eight tubed projections shaped as dragon heads; the ball falls into the mouth of a corresponding metal object shaped as a toad, each representing a direction like the points on a compass rose. My device has eight mobile arms (for all eight directions) connected with cranks having catch mechanisms at the periphery. When tripped, a crank and right angle lever would raise a dragon head and release a ball which is supported by the lower jaw of the dragon head. My device also includes a vertical pin passing through a slot in the crank, a catch device, a pivot on a projection, a sling suspending the pendulum, an attachment for the sling, and a horizontal bar supporting the pendulum.
The chief cause of earthquake is air, an element naturally swift and shifting from place to place. As long as it is not stirred, but lurks in a vacant space, it reposes innocently, giving no trouble to objects around it. But any cause coming upon it from without rouses it, or compresses it, and drives it into a narrow space … and when opportunity of escape is cut off, then “With deep murmur of the Mountain it roars around the barriers”, which after long battering it dislodges and tosses on high, growing more fierce the stronger the obstacle with which it has contended.”
“What … say it more clearly. I do not understand!”
“Basically, what I’m trying to say is that this device senses tremors in the tectonic plates and a dragon will drop a bronze ball into a mouth of a toad under the dragon’s mouth. Each dragon faces a different direction - north, east, south, west, north-east, south-east, south-west and north-west. The dragon’s ball that drops is which direction the earthquake is coming in.” The Emperor frowned.
“But why should I use this seismoscope if we already have satellites? They are way more efficient and can actually show where exactly earthquakes are!”
“Well, for starters, it is made of carved copper and is a lot cheaper.”
“And?” the Emperor prompted.
“And?”
“Well, you said “for starters” so I assumed that wasn’t your only argument, was it?”
“Erm … well, the seismoscope is better than the satellites that you have because the seismoscope senses movements in the tectonic plates which means it can sense even the slightest shift in the plates, allowing more humans to survive longer and making the safety level stronger.”
“Hmm … allow me to consider this suggestion,” he said, stroking his chin as his two advisors moved in, already whispering to decline the offer. Heng felt like he had been struck in the stomach. There were two reasons why he had set out on this journey. The first was that he wanted to make his parents proud. They had died in an earthquake so he wanted to make sure that less people died. The second reason was that the Emperor of China had denied him, thinking that it was too old-school.
“Guards, take him to the restrooms in the Royal Tower,” the Emperor commanded.
“Yes, sir!” the two guards responded monotonously as if on cue.
Chapter 33
A speaker crackled to life.
“Zhang Heng, Your Majesty requests your presence in the meeting room.” Heng’s heart began beating noticeably quicker, of excitement, he thought. He bounced up the stairwell to the meeting room, his teeth flashing a brilliant white colour as his smile stretched from ear to ear. As he burst into the room, a trumpeter by the door blew three, loud notes. He winced, the unbearable pain in his eardrums too much for him.
“Hello, Heng! I have agreed to use the seismoscope you have given us, provided you promise to agree on the following terms. The first one is the chief point; the most important one.” He unraveled a huge, tea-stained parchment with the following:
- Do not ever try to terrorise our country.
- Always serve our country e.g. When our country is under attack, you must help us.
- Never abandon us.
Signature:______
“Do you agree to the terms on this parchment? If you do, sign the paper. If you don’t, I will prohibit any resident of Spain from using this instrument. Clear?”
“Like crystal.”
“Then sign it,” the Emperor ordered. Heng was beginning to think of the Emperor as Mr. Bossy Boots.
- Do not ever try to terrorise our country.
- Always serve our country e.g. When our country is under attack, you must help us.
- Never abandon us.
Signature: Zhang Heng
He sighed.
“There, Your Highness. It’s done.” Heng looked at the Emperor wearily.
“Here’s your gold, Heng. I had tested the instrument and it worked perfectly fine, I promise. Now, I look forward to seeing you sometime soon.” The Emperor tossed a leather bag high into the air. It landed miraculously upright, right in the middle of Heng’s cupped hands.
“Thank you, Your Highness. You are so kind. I also look forward to seeing you soon.”
“Dismissed!” the Emperor shouted, his face suddenly serious again. Heng rode away, the echo of hoofbeats still audible minutes after the departure.
Chapter 34
“Whoa!” Heng cried as his horse reared backwards, “What’s happening?”
“I see you have succeeded in completing your objective. Now, can you keep your reward?” The barbarian leader, Liu Hu, Emperor An and Yan Ji loomed before Heng.
“Now there’s no one here to double cross me or rescue you, is there?” Emperor An sneered. The others reached back as far as they could and all punched the Emperor somewhere different in the upper body parts all at the same time.
“Oh,” the Emperor rasped, stunned, “sorry.” They all leaped at Heng at the same time. It was as if it was all in slow motion. Ji reached into her back pocket and revealed an ”invisible” pocket knife. She swiftly plunged it into An’s backside. Somewhere in the background, Heng heard a familiar laugh.
“Abraham?” he gasped. “Nnnnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!” he screamed. Suddenly, Spanish troops appeared everywhere, 10 knights swinging their axes and swords at one individual enemy. Heng looked around, fearing for the worst. But it was over. His enemies’ bodies were all obliterated as the Spanish knights burnt the 5 villains’ bodies.
“Thank you, Your Majesty! I owe you if I ever come back!”
“I figured that out! I’m ready to teleport you back home!”
“Two favours!” Heng shouted in disbelief.
“Well, I think they were already paid back. Now, HOME HO!!”
Chapter 35
Heng looked at his house. Five children climbed all over him, giggling as their mother dropped another plate. He sighed.
“Sorry dear!” his wife called.
“It’s ok! I’ll clean it up after these monsters get off me.”
“Ah, Ai, An, Bai, Bao, come here!”
“Yes mummy!” they shouted obediently, still laughing their heads off. Heng looked proudly at his home, family and life. Only 3 people had died from earthquakes since he had invented the seismoscope 17 years ago. This was the life he wanted and he hoped his parents did too.