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21
The Jade
Jewellery Box
Haini Jiang
Time to Write
Competition
Finalist and
Honourable Mention
So, when she embarrassed me like that, I wanted to hurt her. I
wanted to prove that I didn’t care about the past and the old stories.
So, after my friends had all left and my mother had finished berating
me, I walked down the hall and into her room.
The jade jewellery box. The last piece of Beijing she has here in
suburban Melbourne.
I stared down at it. I ran my fingers over those fine, intricate
designs. Dragons danced around the box. I ran my finger over those
so fine pieces of artwork. Then, I picked it up, hesitating for a few
seconds, and then smashed it onto the timber floor. My mum, upon
hearing the noise, came rushing in. She saw the mess, the flushed
look on my face and my shaking hands. She didn’t move. Just stared
blankly at the scene in front of her. I pushed roughly past her and
walked out of her room, leaving my mother, shocked.
I called Thalia, my closest friend, and asked if I could stay with
her for a few days. She immediately asked me what was wrong, whilst
calling out to her mum if I could stay. I heard a ‘yes’ in reply and
immediately relaxed. I couldn’t stay with my mother now. I told
Thalia I would explain everything later and asked her if she could
pick me up. Again, she asked her mum and another ‘yes’ was heard in
the distance. I busied myself into packing an overnight bag. I only
brought my school uniform, knowing that Thalia would have
everything else at her house. I heard a honk outside and I walked to
the front door via my mum’s room. She was sitting on the bed,
staring at the broken pieces of jade. I announced I was leaving but
she didn’t reply. I shrugged and walked out the front door, slamming
the door behind me. I got into Thalia’s car and we embraced.
Beijing, 17th of April 1989
The Year of the Snake
Fear surrounded the city now, as democracy supporters continue to
be hunted down and killed. It is not safe for us here now. We have
said too much and written too much against the government.
We have a safe passage to Shanghai from where we can fly to
Australia. They are providing safety for people like us. But we must
hurry. We cannot take much.
How would you decide what to take? A lifetime of memories and
objects that mean so much. I look around our small apartment, not
knowing where to start. What will we need? What will I miss the most?
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