Story：The spirits inside the wall (1)
【明報專訊】Everyone knows where electricity comes from - the gigantic facilities designed by super-smart people, where things like coal are turned into electricity in some mind-boggling procedures, powering up our televisions, fridges and eventually our smartphones.
What if that is not the case? What if electricity is generated by some tiny and hard-working spirits who work dutifully inside the walls 24 hours a day? That was what Simon believed. An eight-year-old boy whose greatest hobby is reading science fiction, he dreamt all the time of meeting these spirits in person and thanking them for their hard work.
One day, a repairman came to fix the electric supply at Simon's home. Simon's dad was an ex-accountant who had made enough money so that he did not have to work anymore. He was now an investor in Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency(加密貨幣) that was all the talk these days. His study was stacked up with gigantic computers, which ran around the clock mining Bitcoins at full stretch. That morning, however, the computers had gone blank suddenly, and all the lights had gone off.
''Well, judging from what you have said, I think there is some problem with the wires laid deep inside the wall. I will have to drill open the walls to replace them,'' said the repairman.
Simon was overjoyed upon hearing this. Finally, a chance to meet the spirits! That was what he had been dreaming of doing so long.
''I am afraid that would be too loud for kids,'' said the repairman, as he took out his tools from his box.
''Sure,'' said Simon's dad. He took Simon back into his room, telling him to cover his ears with his chubby hands. ''Keep your hands on your ears until I am back. You are a good boy - you can do it.''
Simon was disappointed. But he was a very good boy indeed, so he did what he was told.
Then came the drilling sound. It was as loud as thunder and crept through Simon's little hands, making Simon a bit nervous.
Simon's dad came into his room again, and the little boy got to see the newly plastered wall. With the plaster still wet, it looked like a different colour.
That night, deep in his sleep, Simon was suddenly woken by some sobbing sounds. He rubbed his eyes open and faintly saw some light shining from the corner of his room. He reached for his glasses next to his pillow, and, to his great surprise, he saw a shining creature!
Simon nearly screamed! But he swallowed it back and tried to stay as calm as he could be. With his heart beating like a bouncing ball, he rubbed his eyes again, and what he saw was a red lizard. Unlike the ordinary lizard we see crawling on our walls, this one was glowing. It was also the light that woke up Simon.
''Um…Hi there!'' stuttered Simon, feeling afraid and excited at the same time.
''Hi!'' the glowing lizard replied, tears still welling up its eyes. ''Can you help?''
''Yes, I think so,'' said Simon, now calmer. ''But how?''
''I am a spirit that lives and works inside the wall! But this afternoon I was fleeing some mysterious sound. I got out, and now I can't find my way back! Can you help?''
(to be continued)
(by Terence Yip)
■Glossary
mind-boggling (adj) 令人大吃一驚的
dutifully (adv) 盡責地
creep (v) 悄悄移動
well up (phr v) 注滿
[Smarties' Power English 第327期]
