The Boy Who Met a Whale

by Nizrana Farook

  Zheng’s face screwed up, as if he was trying to hold back some emotion. “I was on a merchant ship that sank.”

  “You’re a ship’s boy then?”

  Zheng nodded. “It might not sound like much. But I was very close to the captain, no less. And I’ve been all over the world. Been doing this since I was eight, and now I’m twelve. Imagine that.”

  That was impressive, but Razi wasn’t about to admit it. He was twelve too, but had never even left the area he lived in.

  “Where did you say you were from again?” said Zheng.

  “Galle,” said Razi. “It’s a town about a mile or so up the beach from here. There’s nothing else around. If you go up the beach the other way there’s a village, but that’s even further away than Galle.”

  “What were you doing here then?”

  “I was watching turtle hatchlings. There are always loads of them here. I like to see them go safely to the sea. Did you know that’s why they run to the sea so soon after birth? It’s so they’re safe from predators.”

  “That’s nice,” said Zheng, though he didn’t look too interested in the turtles. Which wasn’t surprising considering he was running away from a maniac who was trying to kill him.

  “I’ve got to go now. My mother will be waiting for me. We usually have breakfast together before she goes to work. Good luck, Zheng.”

  “Ah, breakfast… Can’t remember the last time I had it,” said Zheng, a mournful expression on his face. “Well, goodbye, Razi. Thank you for everything.”

  Razi nodded and turned to go. He stopped at the doorway. He couldn’t very well leave Zheng without food. The coconut pulp was hardly anything.

  He turned back to Zheng. “Don’t move from here. I’ll bring you some food and water and then you can be on your way.”

  Zheng looked thrilled. “Could you hide my boat as well? If Marco comes back, it’ll show him where I am. I’d do it myself if I wasn’t so weak.”

  “Sure.” Razi smiled. He’d move the boat, bring the food, and that would be the end of that.

  Razi ran all the way home. When he got close to town he slowed down and approached cautiously, looking to see if Marco and Cook were there. He knew he was late for breakfast. His mother would be furious under normal circumstances, but ever since the accident she’d been far more lenient with him. She might have even left for work at the lace mill by now.

  Razi’s family lived in one of a line of fishermen’s houses facing the beach. Beyond was Galle town, with its narrow cobbled streets and orange-roofed villas packed close together.

  There was no sign of Marco or Cook so he ran into the house and burst through the kitchen. Mother was cooking roti at the stove and the smell of warm coconut was in the air. His sister, Shifa, was sitting cross-legged on the mat with a plate on her lap. She was eating quite fast and barely glanced at him. She spent all her non-school days at the medicine man’s, learning how to make foul-smelling medicines and treating injuries and illnesses. Razi couldn’t understand it himself, but Shifa was always in a hurry to go there.

  Mother looked up and smiled at Razi. “Where have you been?”

  “I went to see the turtles again. There were loads of them today.” He put two roti on his plate and piled up a generous dollop of onion sambal from the clay pot.

  “I have to leave soon,” said Mother. “You two clear up here.”

  Razi picked up a banana leaf from the pile that was always on the side – cleaned and cut into squares for wrapping lunches.

  He sat down and quickly wrapped one of the roti and some sambal in the banana leaf. He stuffed it in his pocket when he thought no one was looking.

  “What are you doing?” said Shifa, pausing midbite.

  Mother looked up from turning a roti.

  “Eating,” said Razi, nudging Shifa and looking at her meaningfully.

  Shifa frowned in disapproval. She always went big sister on him, even though she was younger. Only by eleven minutes, but still. He’d explain to her later.

  “I was just thinking, Razi.” Mother had finished cooking and came and sat with them after serving herself some food too. “Nathan is going out of town for two weeks. He said you can use his boat, since it’ll just be sitting there all that time. Maybe you could join the men when they go fishing tonight?”

  Something like dread crept over Razi like a new skin. Not this again. “No, Mother, please. I can’t do it.”

  Mother smiled sadly. “But you love fishing, Razi. You can’t be afraid forever.”

  Razi shook his head hard. He just couldn’t.

  For once Shifa kept quiet.

  Mother picked at her roti. Razi noticed her hands for the first time in ages. Her fingertips were raw and pink. It must be from the weaving loom; she’d increased her working hours lately to make ends meet. He stared at her hands guiltily. He should be helping more – then maybe she wouldn’t always look so tired.

  Mother went off to her work at the lace-makers’ yard and Razi quickly started the washing-up. As he scrubbed the blackened cooking pot, he hurriedly told Shifa about Zheng over the sound of the sloshing water.

  Shifa stopped sweeping the floor to listen. “How on earth did you manage to get into such a mess before you’d even had breakfast?”

  “I didn’t do anything!” said Razi, scrubbing furiously. “I had to help Zheng, didn’t I?”

  “Yes, but you didn’t have to make an enemy of those men. Why did you first tell him you didn’t see the boy and then say you did? He must have been suspicious immediately.”

  “Well, I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my cool when faced with a potential murderer. Now that I have some experience I’ll do better next time.”

  Shifa laughed. “Wait, so this boy’s waiting for you to bring him food? He might need some medical help too. Go on, I’ll finish up and meet you there.”

  “Great, thanks! Come as soon as you can.” Razi took a change of clothes for Zheng and headed to the door.

  “Be careful, Razi!” Shifa shouted after him. “Those men might try to follow you if they think you’re hiding something.”

  Razi paused near the door and looked out, scanning the area for Marco and Cook. Some men were stilt-fishing, their crane-like figures dotted among the rolling waves. The sight of one of the stilts, empty for months now, made Razi’s heart hurt. He slipped out with his head down and started the walk to the hut.

  The sun was getting hotter now. Waves crashed on the shore and the boat was still plainly visible on the beach. He slapped his forehead when he realised he’d forgotten to move it like Zheng asked him to. He’d do it just as soon as he put down the things he was carrying in the hut.

  He entered and peered around as his eyes adjusted to the light. The hut was dark after the glare outside, and Zheng breathed noisily as he lay fast asleep on the floor. Razi pulled the door to behind him, leaving it ajar as it wouldn’t close fully. Placing the clothes on the floor, he put the food parcel on the windowsill.

  Just as he was about to slip out again, Zheng grunted and shifted in his sleep. He turned over, and something slipped out of his shirt and lay slightly wedged under him. Razi tiptoed up to him and leaned over to see what it was. It was a thin brown leather case with stitching in darker brown. A row of bronze-coloured studs secured it closed.

  Razi was overcome with curiosity. What on earth was so important that Zheng had left with that one thing from a sinking ship? And whatever it was, maybe it was the reason Marco was prepared to kill Zheng and anyone who helped him.

  He really should leave it alone.

  But then Zheng would be on his way and Razi would never know what all the fuss was about. A little look couldn’t hurt.

  Razi held on to the windowsill for balance and leaned over on one leg as far as he could. He reached out a hand and gently inched the case out from under Zheng. He hardly dared to breathe as he slid it free. The first bit came out easily, but then one of the studs snagged on Zheng.

  Zheng snorted in his sleep a
nd turned over again so he was now facing Razi. The leather roll was left behind him on the floor and Razi quickly snatched it up.

  With trembling fingers he undid the studs, the faint pops sounding loud in the silence. The smell of ink drifted from inside as he opened out the case to see what it contained.

  As the case rolled open, Razi saw there was a scroll in the middle. It was sand-coloured, thick and heavy.

  Suddenly the room brightened dazzlingly as the door scraped open.

  Zheng opened his eyes and screamed to find Razi crouching over him. At the same time, Razi jumped out of his skin and sprang up screaming. The scroll fell off his lap. They both screamed at the dark apparition standing in the sunlit doorway. The figure then began to scream at their screaming.

  “Stop it!” yelled Shifa, closing the door slightly. “Why are we all screaming?”

  Zheng snatched the scroll and the open leather case from the ground with a shout. “You were trying to rob me!”

  “No, I wasn’t!” said Razi.

  “Yes, you were!” Zheng pointed the scroll at Razi and then at Shifa. “And who’s this? You’ve brought someone to help you rob me blind.”

  “What’s there to rob?” said Shifa, looking confused. “We came to help.”

  “Oh, really?” said Zheng, putting the scroll back into the case and snapping the studs. He shoved it back inside his shirt. “With what?”

  “I brought you this,” said Razi, taking up the parcel of food from the windowsill. “And that’s my sister, Shifa.”

  “I told you not to tell anyone,” said Zheng. He took the parcel from Razi, though, and fell upon it with glee. He tore off a strip of roti and stuffed it into his mouth. “Thank you so much!”

  He ate without stopping, mopping up the last of the sambal from the banana leaf with the roti.

  He paused with his cheeks stuffed like pillows and pointed to Shifa. “You shouldn’t have brought her, though.”

  “Don’t worry, you can trust her. I tell her everything.”

  Zheng’s face contorted comically as he swallowed quickly. “Did you tell anyone else?”

  “No, just Shifa.”

  “Here,” she said, “I brought you this.” For the first time Razi noticed that Shifa was carrying a plant with long thick leaves that were prickly at the edges. He’d seen it growing all over town, and it looked like she’d just pulled it out of the ground as its roots trailed the bottom of her dress and clumps of earth had fallen at her feet.

  Zheng looked bewildered as he took it. “Do I eat it?”

  “No! It’s for your skin. It’s very burnt. Stay out of the sun until it heals, and if it stings anywhere just use this.” She took out the knife she always carried around for collecting samples and slashed at one of the leaves, pointing to the slime oozing out of it.

  Zheng looked revolted. He put the plant on the floor beside him and rolled up his empty food parcel. “I can’t stay out of the sun. I need to get going now that I’ve eaten and rested.”

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” said Shifa.

  “I’ve got no choice.”

  “Where do you need to go?” said Razi.

  “I don’t have a clear idea but I will find my destination somehow,” said Zheng grandly. “Tell me something. Do either of you know the sea around here well?”

  “Razi does,” said Shifa. “He’s a fisherboy.”

  “A fisherboy?” Zheng looked stunned, then began to laugh. He threw up his hands and looked to the roof of the hut as if he couldn’t believe his good fortune. “A fisherboy! Razi, you’re exactly the person I need.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” said Razi. “And anyway, I don’t fish.”

  “A fisherboy who doesn’t fish?” said Zheng. “Interesting.”

  “It’s complicated,” said Shifa. “What do you want with Razi?”

  “Well…” Zheng turned to Razi. “Do you happen to know if there’s a rock in the middle of the ocean somewhere around here that is shaped like an elephant?”

  Shifa looked at Zheng as if he was crazy.

  But Razi knew exactly what Zheng was talking about. He knew the sea like the back of his hand. Elephant Rock was not on the routes that the fishing boats took, but he knew it all right. He’d been around there once with Father a long time ago, and he’d noticed the shape at once.

  “I know it,” said Razi.

  “I knew I could count on you!” Zheng’s face bloomed with happiness. “I need to get there at once.”

  “Why?” said Razi. “It’s just a rock in the middle of the sea.”

  “It’s on the way to somewhere I need to get to.”

  “Are you in some sort of trouble?” said Shifa.

  “I haven’t done anything wrong,” said Zheng, “if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “Is this something to do with that scroll?” said Razi.

  “Could be.”

  “Listen, there’s not much we can help you with after this,” said Shifa. “Razi’s already in trouble because he lied for you. We’re just concerned for you.”

  “Ha! Don’t be,” said Zheng. “The adventures I’ve had! The captain always said that I’ve had a more exciting life than him even. You’re talking to someone who’s survived a three-day sandstorm in a desert, getting flooded during the monsoons in a rainforest, and now being lost for a month at sea.”

  “A month?” said Shifa. “No one can survive a month without food or water.”

  “Hm, maybe it was a week then,” said Zheng.

  “You just said a month!” said Shifa.

  “A week, a month,” said Zheng, swaying his hand to and fro. “Something like that.”

  “I’m sure,” said Shifa, sighing. “So you need to go to this elephant rock?”

  “Yes, it’s very important that I get there quickly. I have a tiny request. Razi, could you take me?”

  “What? No!” said Razi.

  “Come on. You’re local and you know the sea around here. You’re the ideal person. Please say yes. I guarantee it’ll be the greatest adventure of your life!”

  “Why would you assume that going with you would be the greatest adventure of his life?” said Shifa.

  Zheng looked out through the gap in the door to the deserted beach outside. “Not to be rude, but I don’t see anything much happening here.”

  Shifa raised her eyebrows, but Razi could see his point. Zheng was a windstorm of excitement even if Shifa couldn’t see it herself.

  But the idea of going to sea was out of the question.

  “I can’t, sorry,” said Razi. “I can explain how to get to Elephant Rock if you want.”

  “Razi, can I see you outside for a moment?” said Shifa.

  Zheng opened the bottle of water Razi had brought and took a gulp. Razi followed Shifa outside. They stayed in the shelter of the trees.

  “I don’t think you should be telling him how to get anywhere,” said Shifa.

  “Why? I can’t see what harm it’ll do.”

  “We don’t know anything about him. All those big stories – who knows if any of it’s true? You’re too trusting.”

  “But even if he’s lying about the stories, there’s nothing wrong with telling him how to get to Elephant Rock! You’re too untrusting.”

  “Haven’t you thought about why he might want to go there? Maybe he’s in some kind of trouble. Maybe he’s running away from the law.”

  Razi scratched his ear. He hadn’t thought about that.

  “I think you’ve done enough for him now,” said Shifa. “We might be doing the wrong thing if you help him any more.”

  “But if I help send him on his way, those two men will follow and then they’ll be off my back! Haven’t you thought of that?”

  Shifa twisted the ends of her hair. “But what if Zheng is bad and the men are the good people?”

  Razi was perplexed. “You’re saying the good people are the ones wanting to kill Zheng, a child?”

  Shifa ope
ned her mouth, then closed it again. She couldn’t argue with that so they went back into the hut.

  Zheng was where they left him, leaning back against the wall. “Have you decided?”

  “I’m happy to give you all the help I can without actually coming with you,” said Razi, settling down on the ground for a conversation. “But on one condition: you tell us everything. We need to know the truth, Zheng.”

  Zheng considered for a little while, his face changing from one expression to another as if he was debating with himself. “So if I answer your questions, you’ll tell me all you know?”

  Razi nodded. “For starters, what’s that scroll you’re carrying?”

  Zheng opened the case and took out the scroll. He spread the thick paper out on his lap and for the first time Razi could see it properly.

  “Ooh,” said Shifa, all agog, reaching out for it.

  Zheng whipped it away as if he didn’t want them to have too much of a look.

  “Is it a map?” said Razi, leaning forward.

  It was. It was beautifully drawn in blue ink, showing the sea and little pieces of land. The cut-off land mass at the top looked vaguely familiar. On the right side of the map was the sun, its rays slanting into the rest of the illustration.

  Razi drank in all the details. It was exquisitely done, labelled in tiny letters in another language, and parts shaded blue to show the ocean. “What’s it for?”

  “Just to show where something, er, is,” said Zheng, hurriedly rolling the paper up.

  “Wait a minute,” said Shifa, stopping him by plonking a finger on it. She tapped on an X shown on a little island. “I know what this is!”

  Zheng gulped and pulled it away from her.

  Shifa laughed in amazement. “I can’t believe it! It’s a treasure map.”

  “A treasure map?” Razi stared at Zheng.

  Zheng nodded. “You want the truth? All right, I’ll tell you the truth.”

  Razi and Shifa drew closer round him. Even the wind outside fell away as Zheng started his story.

  “I was eight years old when I started working on the seas. My uncle knew the captain, and sent me to him.”