Dear Ashley and Angel,
We’ve arrived at Bach Dang. Nothing really went wrong, but Joan told me that she had met Dennis, the snotty bully. I was sure that he would tell his dad. But really, nothing went wrong. We had all gotten ready for the journey: my old maid had brought a big bag of food, my mother, who was very worried yet still positive, carried Abby on her back, Auntie Anne, who was also very positive, read to us from her Bible, Joan, who would sneak under the bridge with me because we were the sneakiest as children, and my father, who seemed to have changed in the last few days to a sullen man.
When it was late with no moonlight, only a few lamps were on in the houses along the river. There were two guards-Joan had told me about them. The whole family waited quietly on the sand spit. I knew that they were scared, but they handled that very well. Both Joan and I knew our responsibility. We were the most nimble because everyone else was over thirty, and we would make no sound in swinging under the jetty. It was horrible- the sharp barnacles stung, there were slimy pieces of seaweed everywhere, but the worst part was that Joan slipped and the water splashed around. Luckily, we weren’t caught, and we made it to the Lucky Dragon. My dad helped everyone aboard because he was the only man. We had a bit of trouble because Abby got stuck in the sand and my mother had to help her out. Finally, we made it after several hours, and we all sat, exhausted, in the boat as it drifted out to sea. We were tired, but we had made it.
We were so happy. Everything was so peaceful. My mother sang a lullaby to Abby, and my old maid cooked us some delicious stew with ingredients she had stuffed into her bag. Joan and I chatted about our new life in Malaysia- what we were going to do there, what kind of house we would live in. Even my father, who was stressed out last night, smiled and laughed. Auntie Anne told us a funny joke about a one-legged pirate. Then suddenly a real pirate, or monster, appeared. My mother shrieked, and Abby woke up, crying. Everyone froze. I thought it was a sea monster, and so did Joan, who had a lot of imagination. My father was logical and put himself between the stranger and his family. When we realized he was a friend, not foe, we all relaxed again. It was an exciting start of this journey.
Sincerely,
Jacklyn Your Cousin
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