Meihui Monologue

Meihui

My bedroom is cold and lifeless. My fingers tap on the table one at a time, matching my frustrated thoughts. Matthew has been telling me all the bad things that he has been hearing about immigrants. His parents have been having people over at his house, and they have been talking about what the government is planning to do with people like us. Everyday, I hear more and more bad things about Chinese immigrants, and it is starting to frighten me. Matthew has been trying to cheer me up; he promised to take me fishing today. I feel this strange attraction towards our refuge. I always feel safe and comforted, like nothing can hurt me. I’m really interested in learning how to swim, and it really takes my mind off of all the bad things
My feet move by themselves. They guide me to where I need to go, my brain following their lead. A mix of anger and worry flood into my veins, filling me from head to toe. I sneak to the back door of Meihui’s house, quietly opening it. Her father speaks before I can even see him. “Matthew! Go find Meihui, I don’t know where she went. I told her to go to a safe place. Protect her, please!”
I don’t understand why he is just standing there, but I don’t have time to argue. The moment he said “safe place”, I knew exactly where she was. I still can’t believe my father, he had crossed the line. If Meihui hadn’t escaped, she could have been hurt. My feet guide me to the path that leads to our refuge. I make my way down the trail, careful not to go too fast so that I don’t trip on rocks and branches. “Meihui! Meihui, where are you?” I yell, but I cannot see her. I speak to the air, and it whistles back. I go around the lake, searching for any sign of her. I stand up on a rock, so that I can have a better vantage point. I continue to scan the trees and the water.
Numbness fill my legs as I fall to the ground. I grab my chest, I couldn’t breathe, I cannot breathe. My eyes blur and no sounds enter my ears, all I feel is my heart, my heart aching in my body. Her soft, silk hair glistening in the water as it slowly moves back and forth. Meihui.
I opened my mouth to scream, to let out the heaviness inside of my heart, but I did not hear a sound. All I knew of was the warmth of my tears and the pounding in my head. No.
I run into the water, my body being electrified with coldness. My arms slapping the water, I urge myself through to get to her. I grab her hand, cold and lifeless. She did not move. I use all my might to pull her body out of the lake. Once we feel the ground again I pull her into my arms. Meihui, wake up. Please, please wake up.
Her head lays in my lap and all I could do was look at her at her pale face. Her body was here, but her herself with all her ideas and laughter had left. She couldn’t be gone. She promised me that we would look for gold, and fish, and swim. She is expected back home and was to see her family again. She wasn’t allowed to be gone.
I shake her shoulders, “ Meihu-”
There’s no use. I fall to the ground, sobbing. My body was shaking uncontrollably.
“NO!” I start screaming and screaming, I did not