Missing Mei

By Lynn Katulka

Illustrated by Katie Berggren



Mei Chen sat on the banks of the Changjiang River watching her brother, Yang, pull the fishing net onto the bank. Yang pulled a handful of net with the current, took a short rest, and pulled again. Mei laughed as she watched Yang and the line of other fishermen along the bank, bend, pull and rest all at the same time. They reminded her of the silver ducks bobbing their heads in the brook trying to catch waterbugs.

Today was Mei's seventh birthday. Her grandmother was cooking Mei's favorite; steamed dumplings and sesame-seed biscuits dripping with honey. She was so lost in thoughts of dinner, she didn't see Yang standing next to her. "Are you going to sit there day dreaming and hope birthday fairies put the fish in the basket? The nets are in, I'm done. I'm starting back up the path in a few minutes with or without you. If you don't get moving you'll have to cart those baskets up Mufushan Hill and by Damo Cave all by yourself." Yang said as he sat on a fallen log.

"Yang, don't leave me. I can't carry those baskets up that hill. Wait for me." Mei begged while rushing about picking up the fish and throwing them in the basket. "Wait!"

As Yang trailed Mei up the embankment dragging the two baskets of freshly caught fish, the setting sun's last rays of light stretched into Damo Cave, lighting the inside like a firecracker flash on New Years. Mei thought she saw the monster that lived in the cave dart back into the darkness out of the punishing sun. She strayed off the path so she didn't have to go too close. On quiet nights, from deep under her bed covers and pillow, the slime-dripping, fanged monster in the cave echoed it's growl all the way to Mei's bedroom. Sometimes the growls would keep Mei awake long enough for her to greet the sun as it awoke. But tonight, as Yang and Mei drew closer to home, the smell of dumplings, sesame-seed biscuits and honey blocked all thoughts of growling monsters. Mei felt as if she was lifted by the sweet aroma and dragged into the house.

continue to page 2...


back to Parents and Children Together Online Issue 7

Comments or Questions?

Parents and Children Together Online
The Clearinghouse on Reading
2805 East 10th Street, Suite 140
Bloomington, IN 47408-2698
reading@indiana.edu
back to Parents and Children Together Online

Copyright Notice: Please note that the contents of Parents and Children Together Online and its associated web pages are copyright 2002 EDINFO Press and are not to be reproduced in any form (including CD-ROM) without the express permission of EDINFO Press.