by Lauren T.
Here is a unique scene from the point of view of little Lin Mei--the first time she sees Andi in San Francisco Smugglers. I found it full of insight into Lin Mei's personality.
Lin Mei wiped sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand as steam rose relentlessly from the pan she was scrubbing with hot water. She furtively glanced over her shoulder at her master, Fen-Chee. It seemed that no matter how well she did any task, he always found fault with it. When Fen-Chee’s temper was arisen, it reminded Lin-Mei of the steam burning her face. Ruthless and hot.
She stopped scrubbing for a moment to think about her past in China, which she could remember so little of. She shuddered when she thought of how she had been sold as a slave.
When she came out of her daydream she gasped. Fen-Chee had seen her stop scrubbing the pan. He loosed a slew of angry words in Chinese as he shoved Lin Mei against the wall, calling her lazy and other, worse things. He gave her a hard slap across her face. Lin Mei erupted in tears. Her small body had already had more than its fair share of hard knocks.
Suddenly, Lin Mei looked up the narrow flight of stairs that led to the door out of the kitchen. A tall, pretty girl with long dark hair was standing in the doorway. It must be one of the students here, Lin Mei thought. But she doesn’t look familiar so she must be new. She is very brave to come into the kitchen!
Fen-Chee immediately stopped his shouting and addressed the strange girl as Lin Mei scrambled into the corner. She heard him warn the girl not to come into the kitchen again. Lin Mei risked one glance out the small slit of a window before going back to work, and she saw the girl walking out to the stables. This girl is not like the others here, thought Lin Mei, She chooses the strangest places to go! She secretly resolved to try and learn more about this girl if she could.
nice job Lauren
ReplyDelete