The Explosive Powder

Nowwheredidtheykeepit?Changmutteredwhilehetrottedupanddownthestairs.
HewassearchingforsomethingrelatedtoGunpowderinhishouse.Itwasforaschool
projectthathehadbeendoingsincelastyear,andhewassupposedtopresentitin
frontofthewholeclassnextweek.Changhadalreadycheckedhiswholehouse,that
includedeightrooms.Bedrooms,attic,kitchen,basement,dininghallandeventhe
bathrooms!Twice!Hewasgettingdesperate,hehadbeensearchingforoverawhole
hour.

Wasthereactually,anythingsrelatedtoGunpowderintheirhouse,andwheredidhis
parentskeepit?Ornot.HmmDidIchecktheatticagain?hegrumbledunderhis
breath.IdontthinksoMaybeImissedathingortwointhere!heexclaimed.He
rushedupthestairs,nearlytrippingoverastepintheprocess.Grunting,ashe
forcefullypushedtheatticdooropen,tripped,andfellonthefloorflatonhisface.

Changwincedinpain.Man.Momisgoingtobesomad.IalreadylooklikeIvebeenin
afightwithsomeone!hesighed.Withafootlimping,hislipsplit,andbruisedeye.He
wasinnoshapetopresentabouthisgunpowdertopicinfrontofhiswholeclass.

Lyingdownonthedustyatticfloor,Changclosedhiseyes,relaxed,andbreathedinthe
mustyair.Suddenly,heheardaloudbang!Immediately,heturnedhisheadaround,
andstaredatwherehethoughtthesoundcamefrom.Whenhisheadintheright
direction,henoticedthatthedoorthatledintotheatticwaslockedtightly,anditwas
stuck.

Great!,wasthewordthatwoulddescribewhatChangthoughtwhenhediscoverthat
hewasstuckintheattic.Damn!Changcriedunderhisbreathashetriedtoopenthe
doorwithallhismight.Hefailed,notmiserably,buttiredly.Hecollapsedonthefloor,
exhausted.

Whenhewokeup.Hecheckedhiswatch.Itwas4:30pm,Ivebeeninhereforahour
and,momisgoingtocomebackinalsoahour.hethought.Betterstartlooking,while
Istillhavetime,Changmuttered.Helooked,andlookedandlookedagain.But,inthe
endhewasstillnowhereneartofindinganything.Hiseyecaughtsomethingglinting,he

turnedhisheadaroundandnoticedabullet.Hedidntknowwhatkindofbulletitwas,
but,itwasdefinitelyonetypeofit.Hestartedfiddlingwithit,notnoticingthattherewas
someGunpowderinit.Afterawhile,Changwasbored,hethendecidedtothrowthe
bulletatthedoor.Withoutthinking,hethrewit...Surprisingly,thebulletdidnotfly.

LuckilyforChang,hedidntcrashintothedoor.Justafewsecondsago,hewassitting
onthefloortossingabullet.Exceptnow,hewasflyingintheair,withhishead,heading
righttothedoor.Heclosedhiseyesandwaitedforthesickening,cracktohappen.
However,itnevercame.Insteadhefeltthecoolairbrushagainsthisskinand,hefinally
openedhiseyes.Withhisheartpounding,Changwaswaitingforittoburstthroughhis
ribcage.Withawateryeye,hecouldseeblurryimagesoffadedredandwhitehouses.
Smallmovementsinwhatseemtobeatownbelow.Hefeltasuddensleepiness
overwhelmhim,heclosedhiseyes,andfellintoadeepsleep.

Changthensuddenly,feltanurgetowakeup.Hedidntwantto,butalouddeafening
crashforcedhimto.Hiswholebodycollapsedintodarkness.Hefeltasifhewasajet
planecrashingontotheground.Theimpactwassolarge,thathefeltasifhehad
crashedintoabrickwall.Changfelthiswholebodygonumb,hecouldntmoveanypart
ofhisbody.Nothisarm,nothislegs,notevenhishead!Hislungsweredesperatefor
air,theywerestrainingforsomeofit.Finally,afterwhatseemedtobeages.Hishead
poppedoutofthewater.

Whereonearthwashe?,Changwonderedafterhefoundhimselfinawell,filledwith
freezingcoldwater.Shoutswerecomingfromabove,Betternotfindoutiftheywere
friendlyornot.,Changthoughttohimself.Hethenswamaround,tryingtofindawayto
escapeoutofthewaterygrave.Orwillhe?

Afterawhile,hefinallyfoundaloosebrick,steppedonit,hoping,thatitwassteadyand
strongenoughtosupportonhisweight.Hewasntthatheavy,buthewas,definitely
surethathewasgoingtofalldownthewell.Gottotry,afterall,Changsighed.After
severaltimesoftrying,hefinallyreachedthetop.

Painfully,hegraspedhimselfontothetopofthewellwithhisarms,andcollapsedon
thefloor.Hegroaned.OhhIdontfeelsogood,moanedChang.Afterawhile,he
pulledhimselftogetherandstartedexploringhissurroundings.

Changwasveryshocked,ofwhathesawwhenhelookedaroundhim.Whoahe
exclaimed.Amazingly,therewerebeautifullydecoratedwalls,allaroundhim.Endless
amountsofguardspatrolledthearea.Feelingratherafraid,Chang,silentlycreepedout

ofanyguardsview.Helookedateverysingleroom,allofthemwererichlydecorated
withbeautifulpaintings.Itlookedlikethatthehouse,wasownedbyamerchantora
kingsadvisor.Hestoodthere,gazing,andwhileadmiringhissurroundings.Justthen,
heheardshouting.Slowly,Changmovedtothenextroom,thenhepeeredinto,what
hethought,acourtyardWhatthe?Changblurted.Heshuthismouth,astheman
turnedaround.Hesnickered.ThemanlookedsillyfromwhereChangcouldseehim,
heworeadragoncrest,thesymbolofImperialChina.But,hehadeyebrowssolong,
thatittouchedthefloor.Themanalsohadabeardasfurryasacaterpillar,andcarried
astickthatmatchedhisoutfit.Judgingbythemansappearance,hewasoneofthe
Emperorsroyaladvisorsand,indeed,wasquiteold.Suddenly,inthefardistance,
cametheringingofabell.

Changlookedaround,Hmm.Noguardswerechasinghim,thenwhatonearth
wasthebellfor?Therewasahumungouscrunchingnoiseofwoodnearthegate,
shoutsofagonyandbattleroaredoverhead.Theoldmanlookedlost.Justthen,a
fiercelookingwarriorloomedovertheman.Steadily,thewarriordrewhisdeadly
lookingblade,smirking,ashesliceddown

Changsatdazedonthefloor.Whatjusthappened,onlysecondsago,feltlikeadream.
Hewasrushingtosavethemanwithoutasecondthought.Thebladejustmissedhim
byaninch.Thewarriorwasdazed,droppinghissword,hedroppedtothegrounddead.
Anarrowhadpiercedthroughhisthickleatherarmour,andnowhasembeddeddeep
insidethewarriorsbody.

Theoldmanstoodup.HespokeafewwordstoChang,but,hedidntunderstand.The
mangesturedhimtotakeapouchthatcontainedsomekindofblackpowder.Onthe
pouchithadtheachinesesymbolsewnintoitusingredandgoldsilk.Heremembered
inmandarinclassyesterday,histeachersaidthatitwasthesymboloffireinchinese.
Changgratefullytookit,Itfeltsmoothandcooltouchofsilkinhishands.Butbeforehe
couldsayThankyou,hepassedout.

Whereonearthwashe?Therewasdarknesseverywhere,suddenly,camealoud
bang.Somebodystartedshakinghim,voicescalledhisnames.Theysounded
desperate.Thevoicessoundedfamiliar,likehismoms.Changopenedhiseyes.

Theregreetinghim,washismothersworriedface.
Ohmygoodness!shewheezed,Youscaredmetodeath!
Changjuststared,

Dontjuststareatme,itsrude!Gotobedatonce!shecommandedYoulooklike
youvebeenrecentlyinafight!.
Changwasjustwordless,sohejusthunghisheadandwentupstairstohisroom.Just
then,henoticedthepouchthattheoldmanoncebeforehadgavehim.Itwasinhis
mothershands.