Suddenly, the doors were flung open and a crowd of men burst in, shouting. They ran up the stairs into the room where Sun Sun had woken up. Sun Sun could hear their voices but he didn’t understand them. They were using that funny language he had learned from the foreigners in Shanghai.
“Look at this, Fred. Someone’s been here!”
“Where’s this pile of rubble come from?”
“They've hacked a piece off this sandstone carving!”
“That’s what set the alarms off, sure.”
“Why would anyone do that?”
“Who knows? They’re all the same these vandals.”
“I bet they’re still around here.”
“Let’s find them.”
The men ran off. “Strange people,” Sun Sun said, shaking his head. Then a patch of sunlight caught his eye. “Goody,” he cried and dived out of a doorway into the open air. He perched on some handy railings. The morning sun beat down upon him, but it felt cold and he shivered. “Must be winter,” he thought. “I’ll take ages to stoke up at this rate.”
A rush of air and a rattle. A huge red chariot was coming straight towards him, going extremely fast! Sun Sun flew up into the air. The chariot chugged past him and stopped. A thin voice started speaking,
“This is the British Museum, home of the finest collections of books and antiquities in the world...”
The chariot was full of people, many of them Japanese, from over the water. “I’ll ride with them and find out what’s going on. China's changed an awful lot since I’ve been asleep.” He flew up to the roof of the open top bus. The tourists had crowded into the front. They were holding tiny black boxes and making clicking noises.
Sun Sun took a back seat but it wasn’t really big enough. His toes were jammed against the seat in front and his tail twisted out into the aisle. “I’ll have to make myself smaller," he thought. "My toes will go to sleep and if these people move, they’ll trip over me.”
He closed his eyes and whispered, “Yan Yan Yi Ze” twice. With a faint pop, he began to shrink. His tail swished up onto his seat. The crick in his legs straightened out. He had become the size of a large cat.
“That’s better.” He stretched. He tucked his tail neatly round him and settled down to enjoy himself.
The bus slowly trundled through London while the tourists took pictures. Sun Sun remembered cameras with legs, black hoods and a bar that flashed like a firework. “These are better,” he thought.
He quickly realised he was in the fabled city of London, but how did he get here? A piece of his life seemed to be missing. Was he dreaming? No. He could feel the seat under his bottom and the sun warming his back. There was the Tower, Trafalgar Square, the Houses of Parliament and Piccadilly Circus. He really was In London. “Even cousin Chiang has never been here although he is a great traveller. He’ll be envious when I go home and tell him!”
The bus turned down a narrow street and stopped. The tourists picked up their belongings and left. Sun Sun peered over the rail in surprise. They were walking down the street, towards a big red building. Curious, Sun Sun decided to follow them. The street was lined with eating places. The smells were strange to Sun Sun. He’d never eaten chips or beef burgers or pizza. Then his nostrils twitched. “Char Sui!” he thought delightedly. The smell was coming from the red building. It had a golden sign outside with some Chinese characters on the side. “The Golden Dragon!” Sun Sun read slowly. “That’s me! I'll go in and ask the cook for my share.” Sun Sun expected people to offer him food. Having a dragon to stay was an exciting event in his China.
At first, he couldn’t get into the restaurant. He didn’t notice the glass door and he bumped his nose hard. “Oh dear!” He rubbed his snout. A man approached and the door opened without anyone touching it. Sun Sun was amazed. “London is definitely a place of wonder. How did he do that?” Then it happened again.
“They seem to walk up to the door and it opens. I'll try once more.” He flew straight at the panel, as he had seen the men do, but the door was not used to dragons and he hit his nose again. “Ouch!” He was getting hungrier and the smell was driving him mad. Another person came towards the restaurant. Quick as a flash, Sun Sun hovered above his head. The door opened and he flew into a room filled with people eating. “Wonderful. Now to find the cook.”
Sun Sun followed his nose into the big steamy kitchen. It was not as he expected. No open fires or ragged slaves turning spits, only the gleam of stainless steel and burnished copper pans. Steam rose from steamers full of rice. The scent of frying meat and vegetables filled the air. White-coated men scurried around with plates and bowls. Several men and women were cooking, dressed in clean tunics, with strange patterned trousers. The kitchen was noisy. Pans sizzled, kettles boiled and a cook cut up meat with a huge chopper. Everyone was babbling in different languages. Sun Sun recognised English, two others and his own! The Shanghai dialect he had spoken at home! The man who spoke it gave orders to the others. He must be the head cook and the proper person to supply Sun Sun’s needs. The gorgeous smells were making his mouth water.
“They'll be so glad I'm here. I have been asleep such a long time. How will the rains fall without my help?” Dragons in China bring good luck and send rain, when the crops are in danger. They are sacred and are brought offerings of food and flowers.
Sun Sun perched on a big iron roof above the head of the chef. As soon as his feet touched the metal he bounced up again. “Yeooow! That’s hot!” he cried shrilly, looking at his smoking toes. Immediately all work in the kitchen ceased and every eye turned in his direction. Crash! One of the cooks let go of his saucepan and it hit the tiled floor with a resounding bong!
“A dragon! Look! A dragon!” Sun Sun was pleased to be recognised.
“My name is Sun Sun Lau,” he said loudly. “You may feed me now.” His voice sounded gritty and no one understood him!
“What’s it saying?”
“You’re seeing things. Too much rice wine last night.”
“Dragons don’t exist. Is it some sort of a flying lizard? Get away you nasty creature.” One of the men swatted him with a dishcloth. Sun Sun didn’t expect such treatment and the cloth stung him on his wingtip. Unthinkingly, he belched out a big dollop of flame and set the cloth on fire. The man shouted and clutched his burnt hand.
Everyone tried to get out at once. Several got stuck. There was a great shoving and pushing and shouting. The panic spread. Sun Sun heard the sounds of tables being over turned and the tinkle of breaking glass. Then silence, except for the bubbling of the cooking food. Sun Sun hadn’t meant to hurt the man. “Auntie Li always said I never think before acting, now I’ve gone and done it again. I’m glad she didn’t see me.”
Sun Sun flew into the restaurant. Tables were overturned, plates lay smashed on the floor and a tank of tropical fish teetered half off its stand. The poor things were swimming in agitated circles. The restaurant smelled of soy sauce and spices. Sun Sun’s tummy rumbled and he remembered how hungry he was.
“This food will be spoiled by the time people come back,” he murmured. “I’ll just have a snack to be going on with. I hate apologising on an empty stomach.”
He perched on a trolley and helped himself to some beef which had lost its sizzle. “Delicious!” Sun said with his mouth full, making a peculiar noise. A dragon speaking Chinese with his mouth full isn’t nice to hear. Sun Sun ate fried rice, char sui and lemon chicken. He also tried chow mein and sweet and sour, which had been invented while he was asleep. He finished off with some steamed ginger dumplings. He was helping himself to china tea when he heard people returning.
“Now I'll apologise.”
He wiped his lips and took his position on a desk facing the doorway. The door opened slowly and half a face, wearing a tall helmet, peeped round the edge. The rest of the man appeared. He wore a uniform with a belt, a stick and chains. He did not spot Sun Sun. He looked stern and Sun Sun felt uncomfortable.
Sun Sun spoke up to
get the man’s attention. “I’m sorry to scare everybody,” he began, using hesitant English, since the man wasn’t Chinese. The man wheeled round, searching for the sound. He saw the small dragon sitting on the desk, but could not believe it had spoken to him.
“I didn’t mean to scald that cook,” Sun Sun continued hurriedly. “I hope he’s not badly hurt. Cold cream works wonders…….” The man pounced and lifted him up with one hand.
“The noise is coming from here,” he said to himself. “I suppose it’s a radio.” He gave Sun Sun a good hard shake. His head was thrown back and his teeth rattled. Sun Sun instinctively tightened his claws on the man’s hand. His nails had not been cut, so his claws bit into the skin. The man dropped Sun Sun. He grabbed a little black box attached to his chest and started talking excitedly. “I don’t know what the creature is, but it’s dangerous. Get someone from the zoo and tell them to bring a net.”
Sun Sun fell to the floor, bruised and shaken. His wings felt funny and he did not like the man’s boots so near his face. He flapped away to the safety of an artificial tree. In the last half-hour he had been hit with a cloth, squeezed and shaken on top of a large meal. He felt quite ill. None of these people seemed to know he was a sacred dragon who could bring them good fortune.
The door behind the policeman opened slowly. A small woman came into the room.
“Go away madam,” the policeman said. “I can’t let anyone in until that thing has been caught.”
“You don’t understand mister. You are treating him wrong.” The little old woman hobbled forward. Her eyes searched the room until she found Sun Sun in his tree. She bowed deeply towards him.
“Honoured dragon, welcome to my house.” She spoke in the Wu dialect of Shanghai.
“Thank goodness,” thought Sun Sun, “someone who understands me at last. Now we can get this mess sorted out.” He flew down to a lower branch. The policeman put a hand on the old lady’s shoulder, but, with a surprising strength, she shook him off.
“He will not harm me. You are frightening him,” she said.
“He clawed me. Look!” He showed her his hand.
“He did not intend to I’m sure. I have seen such creatures before, when I lived in China.” She turned back to Sun Sun.
“Honoured dragon?”
“My name is Sun Sun Lau, nephew of the great Jin Ching-ying, gracious lady. May I know your name?”
“Shen Shu Fang. How may I serve you?”
“You have already served me. I have eaten some of your delicious food.”
“My home is at your disposal. I do not forget my duty to you and your kin.” Shu Fang moved forwards again.
“What do you think you are doing madam? Keep your distance! You shouldn’t be here at all.”
Sun Sun became angry. He whizzed across the room and sent a jet of fire towards the policeman’s face, being careful, of course, not to hurt him. The man ducked and let go of Shu Fang.
“Quickly, this way” Sun Sun dived into the kitchen and Shu Fang followed, locking the door behind her.
“I am sorry I had to do that but I will not harm you.”
Shu Fang smiled. Dragons were in so many of her childhood stories. She remembered her grandmother’s farmhouse by the stream with the white cranes in the bamboo. Lost in memory, she did not realise Sun Sun was speaking.
“I must explain that I meant no harm.”
“They won’t listen. They are hasty people and they will try to catch you. They don’t understand dragons. You are a wild beast and they may try to shoot you. You must go. Now! Before they come back.”
“Will you be safe?”
“Yes. It is you they want.”
“How can I repay you? Do you need rain to make the crops grow?”
Sun Sun expected people to need rain, but Shu Fang shouted “Oh no! We have more than sufficient rain here. Sometimes we are almost washed away. What we need is more sunshine.”
“Alas, Sunshine is not in my gift. Is that why those men in the kitchen didn’t recognise me? Because you have no need of rain?”
“My sons have forgotten about China. To them, dragons are toys or costumes to dress up in at New Year. They do not know you are real. The disgrace is mine and my husband’s. I beg your pardon.” She bowed until she almost touched the floor.
Sun Sun was startled. All young creatures were ignorant, but never before had parents not taught them about the wonderful dragons of China.
“I am useless and not welcome here.” He felt sad.
“I value you but I am an old woman now and my sons do not listen to me. I would offer you shelter, but this ignorant man called for help and if they catch you, they will put you in a cage for people to stare at. Return to China where people still remember dragons, but it is a dreadfully long way to travel."
“It is?”
“Over 9,000 miles from here to Shanghai. An aeroplane takes 18 hours.”
“What’s an aeroplane?”
“A flying machine that carries lots of people.”
A great banging and a clatter came from outside. The old lady jumped and looked round anxiously.
“The zoo keepers have arrived. Honoured dragon, you must fly away. Go South, until you come to the sea. Then ask again. May the Gods smile on your journey. I cannot bear to think of you in a cage!”
The door burst open and three men with nets ran into the room. Sun Sun whizzed above their heads and soared up into the London sky.
Copyright © 2013 by Michèle McGrath
All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the author.
All characters and events in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
My books are fiction set in history.
Written in English (UK)
Published by Riverscourt Publishing
Thank you for reading my book. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please consider leaving a review on Amazon or the site where you bought it from.
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About Michèle McGrath
Award winning author, Michele McGrath, was born on the beautiful Isle of Man in the middle of the Irish Sea. She has lived in California, Liverpool, France and Lancashire before returning home. Living in Paris and Grenoble taught her to make a mean ratatouille and she learned the hula in Hawaii.
Michele is a qualified swimming teacher and manager, writing self help books on these subjects. Although she writes in many genres, her real loves are historical romance and fantasy. She has won numerous writing competitions, had second places and been short-listed many times. She has had tens of thousands of sales and downloads.
**Visit her blog at http://www.michelemcgrath.co.uk/blog
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What others are saying about Michele's books:
"From the very first and magical sentence, I was hooked on this novel."
Eddie on Kindle, reviewing Manannan's Magic.
“Set in post-revolutionary France, Duval and the Infernal Machine captures the atmosphere of suspicion and intrigue that reigned in Paris at the time. The author does a splendid job of immersing the reader into the darker corners of the city." Simon on Kindle reviewing Duval and the Infernal Machine.
“I have been terrified of the water ever since nearly drowning in Lake Michigan. My wife has tried to teach me to float - with no success - for 40 years. The techniques outlined in this book are easy to follow. Maybe finally, after all these years, I'll be able to swim and NOT be afraid of the water. Thanks Michele, wish you lived in the States so I could get private lessons." Steven on Kindle reviewing Learn to Swim, even if
you are terrified."
“An intriguing and haunting short story, which the author says is based upon a real wartime experience. The fitting and satisfying ending will stay with me for a long time. An excellent story."
Gunnar on Kindle reviewing Five Lamps.
“Beautiful! Just 12 short pages, but it left me in tears. The author has such a delicate, lovely way with words that the sentences and sentiments were whispered over the pages. I will save this on my kindle to read again."
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Books by Michèle McGrath
Novels
Regency Belles & Beaux
Lady Alice’s Dilemma: Lady Alice is enjoying her first London Season until her disgraced brother appears in disguise.
Miss Ridgeway’s Privateer: Following her father’s death, Lucy is sent to her grandmother in Ireland, where she is to be presented at the Viceroy’s court. These plans are interrupted when the ship she is travelling on is captured by French privateers. Lucy is held for ransom. One of her captors is the Irishman Patrick O’Rourke, the ship’s surgeon whom she has met before in unusual circumstances. How can she possibly fall in love with a pirate?
Lord Philip’s Christmas: More adventures of Lady Alice’s errant brother culminating in Brussels at the time of Waterloo.
Regency Belles & Beaux: Box set of three books.
The Manannan Series (Historical Fantasy)
Manannan’s Magic: Manannan McLir flees from a blood feud in Ireland and finds a tragic love with a young Celtic girl, Renny. Betrayal, a Viking invasion and a narrow escape all feature in this novel.
Niamh of the Golden Hair: Niamh is captured by Viking raiders and unexpectedly falls in love with her captor. When he is badly injured, she must find her father, Manannan, who may be able to cure his wound.
Stories for Seven Year Olds Page 5