Moon Princess by Barbara Laban Page A

the papers in her bag, not wanting to be separated from them.
    Outside the sun was up, but the almost-full moon could still be seen in the sky. Heat already blanketed the city Despite the beauty of the day, Sienna had an uneasy feeling, but she was tempted to take off the headscarf. Let people stare at her hair if they wanted to!
    â€˜It’d be better if you kept your disguise on. Where we’re going, they’ve probably never seen a foreigner before,’ said Zou, once again seeming to read her mind.
    At the next crossing he ushered them off the bus. They were surrounded by modern blocks of flats.
    â€˜All newly built,’ explained Zou. ‘And still no one is living there.’ He shook his head sadly.
    Sienna followed him along the dirt road that wound between the apartment blocks. ‘Where are we going?’ she asked impatiently. Yellow dustcoated her shoes and bag and she was hot and thirsty.
    â€˜It’s not much further,’ replied Zou. ‘You see the stream back there?’ He pointed to a muddy trickle of water.
    On the opposite bank were some shacks built of wood and plastic. As they got closer to the water, an unpleasant smell filled the air. They crossed over the stream, using a few rickety wooden planks as a bridge. The stream was full of rubbish and waste.
    â€˜If I fall in, I’ll never forgive you,’ Rufus grumbled.
    Zou stopped at one of the huts. ‘This is it.’ The hut didn’t even have a proper door, just some plastic across the entrance. Sienna and Zou looked expectantly at Rufus.
    â€˜Hey, don’t think I’m going to go first just because I’m invisible to most people. Out of the question!’
    â€˜Please, Rufus,’ said Sienna. ‘Can’t you just have a quick look to see if Feng’s in there?’
    The dog disappeared behind the plastic curtain, muttering to himself. It wasn’t long before he was standing in front of Zou andSienna again.
    â€˜Well, if anyone’s interested, no dog would accept that kind of accommodation. The size of a shoebox, full of rubbish, and as for the smell …’ Rufus shook himself.
    â€˜Just tell us, Rufus. Is he in there?’ Sienna snapped.
    â€˜Oh, yes. He’s fast asleep.’
    Zou and Sienna went into the shack. The sun shone through the holes in the roof, and the only furniture was a plastic table, two chairs and a small wooden shelf with a hotplate on it. Clothes, cutlery and a few CDs were piled up on the floor. On a mattress in the middle of the room lay Feng. He was wearing a grey sweatshirt which was much too big for him.
    Snuggled close by him, and also deeply asleep, lay Xiaolong. Sienna sighed with relief that they both seemed to be fine.
    Zou shook Feng’s shoulder. ‘Time to get up, my young friend.’
    Feng sat up with a start. He looked at his visitors, startled. Then he buried his face in his hands like a child hiding from strangers.
    Zou clasped his wrists gently. ‘I sense you arecarrying a heavy burden, young friend. I think it is time you told us everything,’ he said softly.
    Feng looked up at last. Tears welled up in his eyes and he took a deep breath. ‘When my parents died,’ he said quietly, ‘Gege was my only family. I was just seven years old – Gege was fifteen – and we didn’t want to go into a children’s home.’
    Sienna sat down next to Feng on the rotten mattress. Rufus remained standing at the door, scowling.
    â€˜We lived on the street for a long time. Gege did everything he could to take care of us, to find us a better life. Eventually, he found work in the mine nearby, but they closed down the pit. So we tried selling drinks and making ourselves useful at the temple, but it was difficult to earn enough to get by. The money Gege had saved ran out. Then we met a fat monk …’ Feng paused and drew in a shaky breath. ‘He saw us at the temple. He said he had some work