Calls Across the Pacific Read Free

them.
    â€œBe sure your wallet remains tied to your waist,” Rei said as he dipped the oars into the water. “How’s your basketball? Is it securely tied?”
    â€œIt’s in the right place,” answered Nina, sitting across from him at the other end of the boat. Her hands were clasped tightly around the ball strapped around her waist. Her voice quavered with fear. “What should I do?”
    â€œKeep an eye open for anything suspicious.” Rei propelled the boat smoothly and glided toward the east.
    The sky darkened, and the oars creaked occasionally. About twenty minutes later, they could see the faintly-lit sky over the New Territories of Hong Kong, and Nina could feel the pounding of her heart slow down as she regained control of her edgy nerves.
    Suddenly, an engine rumbled from the northeast. Nina felt her limbs suddenly go weak. “An army patrol boat is coming straight at us,” she gasped. Rei’s arms pulled the oars through the water as fast as they could muster.
    The sound of the engine grew louder, indicating that a boat was speeding toward them. “What are we going to do?” asked Nina, panicked.
    â€œPush the ball onto your back now, drop into the water, and then swim east. That’s Starling Inlet over there,” Rei said, pointing. Then he stopped rowing. “Hurry!”
    Nina felt her body stiffen as she dropped into the water. She swallowed a mouthful of water and choked, but with Rei’s voice echoing in her ears, she forced herself to propel her arms through the water in the direction he had pointed to. Turning her head slightly, she noticed Rei’s rowboat moving in the opposite direction and heard the engine rattle away. Nina ploughed through the water until she touched several reeds on shore.
    Bang! Bang! Shots erupted in the distance. She shivered and knelt into the sand. A chill spread through her limbs. Her eyes wide open, she peered into the dark, but could see nothing. Darkness blanketed the water and engulfed Rei’s boat and the terrifying sound of the engine.
    Nina wiped the water from her face and listened carefully but heard nothing suspicious. She detached the netted basketball and plodded through the reeds. Is Rei dead or alive?
    As she staggered to the weedy shore, it began to rain. She waded through mud and bushes and darkness for what seemed like forever. About a hundred metres away several scattered houses loomed ahead of her, and she shuffled over to one of them. The rain was pouring heavily by the time she reached some kind of wall. Just as she was about to lean her weary body against the wall, a huge dog darted out from a corner and jumped on her, growling and angry.
    â€œMy God!” Nina’s shriek held the dog back only momentarily; it flinched and then attacked her again. She stooped, groping at the ground with shaking hands. Before she could grab a rock, she saw a faint flash of fangs and felt the dog bite her leg. She screamed as she grasped the rock and hit the dog’s head with all her might.
    The attacker finally yelped and galloped away, its tail drooping. Nina touched her leg and felt the warmth of her sticky blood mixing with the cool rain. Then she collapsed.
    â€œMomma!” a child’s voice called out. “She’s moving!”
    Nina slowly opened her eyes. She found herself lying on a low bed in a strange room with a little boy staring into her face. She blinked hard and tried to remember what had happened.
    â€œDon’t be afraid.” A woman in her thirties, with a bowl in her hand, walked over to Nina. “Did you slip through the border?”
    Before Nina could respond, the woman continued, “Last night, I heard a dog barking and then somebody shrieking. I rushed out and found you lying on the ground.”
    Nina sat up and felt a pain in her left leg. She lifted the sheet draped over her leg and saw a bandage wrapped tightly around her calf, which triggered the