Peach Island

ESL Group Story Writing Class. Sunday 8am PST
November 22, 2009

Peach Island

You can't imagine how happy I was when my teacher told me that I could attend the conference with her. Before the conference I had to prepare all the presentations for my teacher. I count the days, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Yes, we almost will start the trip.

The trip will be very useful for me because it mixes study with fun. We will go Peach Island. Some of my friends told me that it is a very nice place in China. I wish to knew more about that place, so this trip will give me a chance to learn more about it.

When we arrived I looked for information about Peach Island. But all the locals seemed to not know what I was talking about. I went for a walk in the old part of town and I found a small store without a sign. I went in.

As I entered the store, an old copper bell that was hanging over the door rang. I walked in and looked around. The shop appeared empty but for a large crate in the corner of the dimly lit room. "Hello," I called out. There was no response at first but then I heard someone or something moving behind a door at the back of the shop.

I was not that brave to push the door open, so I decided to go back and find my teacher. But just when I wanted to turn back, the voice became louder, "Help, help ...". Oh, my God, I must see what was happening here.

"What is going on here?" I told myself. Then I went into the room where the voice was coming from. I found a man sitting on chair and he was not well. He looked into my eyes and said, "Help me please".

"I will take you to the hospital" –I told him. "NO!" he said with a weak voice. "If you take me out of here I will die. You have to break the spell to free me." And he fainted. I looked around for clues.

It was then that I remembered the sign outside of the shop above the door. I went back outside and looked up at the sign. It was in Chinese! I couldn't read Chinese so I ran up to everyone who was passing by asking them if they could tell me what the sign meant in English. I was about to give up after twenty or so people said "No English, but then a little girl came up to me and tugged at the corner of my coat-sleeve. "Peach leaf" she said. -and pointed to the sign.

I was so surprised. Was this the key to the spell: “peach leaf”?  I entered the room again. First I looked behind the door. There was a small button there. I clicked on this green button. Then suddenly, the floor broke, I started falling down. I didn't know how long it took. I opened my eyes, I was shocked at what I saw.

I looked around in the place. I found wooden boxes full of peaches. Everything around me proved that there was a man in this place and he ate a large amount of peaches.

There were just a few peaches left. I tried one. It was smooth, juicy, -an intense flavour. The juice ran out of the side of my mouth. It was the most delicious peach I had ever had. I wanted another one very badly. I ate all the peaches, but I wanted more. Maybe this is the spell.

I could hear the faint moans of "Help" from the old man above me. (I had fallen 100 meters below the shop floor.) Just then, I caught a glimpse of myself in an old mirror that was propped up against one of the empty peach crates.

My mouth was covered with peach juice and I looked half crazed. A sharp pang of guilt (or stomach acid from the peaches, I couldn't tell which) caused me to come to my senses.

I began to rummage through the empty boxes looking for a peach leaf. "Found it!" I shouted out loud to myself. Now, how was I going to be able to climb back up to where the man was?

I rummaged through all the empty boxes, but found nothing. I was so sad, then I saw the mirror behind me, I threw an empty box at the mirror. Suddenly, a peach leaf fell down onto the floor.  “I found it, I found it,” I shouted.

I looked around again, then I found a door. It was to an elevator. I got in and pushed the button. It took me to the place where the man was sitting in his chair. I boiled the leaf and gave him some of the water. "If I were you I wouldn't eat so many peaches," I said.

The man was very pale, bent in two. "The peaches are very good," he said. "But I ate too many and my stomach hurts very much.” "Thank you for the leaf tea, it made me feel better." I wanted to eat more peaches but the man told me: "I'll buy you a pizza for your help. You've had enough peaches for today.