Blue Dragon

Kwok’s kindergarten,’ I said. ‘Saint LaSalle Kindergarten, in Kowloon Tong.’
    April’s face lit up. ‘Aunty Kitty looks after me.’ She took my hand and shook it. ‘If you know Aunty Kitty then you are a friend. She has been wonderful, caring for me after my family were all killed.’ She saddened again. ‘I shouldn’t be out like this; she says I’m not ready to be shopping by myself. But I wanted to go out for a while. I haven’t been out in a long time.’
    ‘Come with me, April. I’ll look after you,’ I said, squeezing her hand.
    April’s mobile phone rang and she pulled it out of her bag. It still had the glittering aerial that flashed with coloured lights when it rang, but she had changed the pink furry Hello Kitty case for a blue Doraemon one.
    ‘ Wei? ’ she squawked into the phone. She smiled, pulled the phone away from her ear and pointed at it. ‘Aunty Kitty,’ she whispered. She put the phone back to her ear. ‘Yes, Aunty Kitty. I’m on Canal Street in Causeway Bay, I just went for a walk around.’ Her shoulders sagged as Kitty’s shouts were audible at the other end of the line. ‘Sorry,’ she mumbled. ‘I’ll be right back.’
    She closed the phone and brightened. ‘Do you want to come with me and see Kitty? Our apartment is close by.’
    ‘Where is it?’ I said.
    ‘It’s…’ April hesitated, then turned, pointing. She stopped and her face went blank. ‘I don’t remember.’
    They’re coming to collect her. Very big demons. Let’s get out of here.
    ‘What’s your phone number?’ I said.
    April’s face was completely blank. ‘I don’t know. What’s yours?’
    Don’t give it to her. They’ll know it’s you and probably try to use it to get to you. She’ll be safer if they aren’t aware that you’ve talked to her. John stiffened. We have to get out of here right now.
    ‘Bye, April,’ he said, and gestured for me to follow him.
    ‘Bye,’ April said, her face still blank.
    I glanced back as we raced away. She stood on the pavement with people flowing around her. She seemed completely lost. Some burly men appeared behind her and spoke to her. She turned, one of them took her elbow, and they led her away. She glanced back, looking for me. She didn’t see me.
    Back at the sushi bar I threw myself onto my stool and put my head in my hands. ‘I will get that bitch one day,’ I whispered, so softly that Simone couldn’t hear me. ‘April trusted Kitty. Look where it got her.’
    They are taking a huge risk by not killing her immediately, John said. Why didn’t they kill her the minute they had the baby? They had no problem with killing her entire family. Why have they kept her and wiped her memory ?
    ‘Even worse, what have they done with the baby?’ I whispered.
    ‘Hurry up and finish your sushi, Simone,’ John said. ‘We’re going home and having another energy session.’
    ‘Oh, come on , Daddy,’ Simone whined. ‘We spent the whole morning on sword. I want to rest.’
    John dropped his head. ‘Okay, sweetheart. Tell me if I tire you out too much.’
    ‘Lately it seems to be all we do,’ Simone grumbled. ‘Just wushu. Nothing fun.’
    ‘It’s not fun any more, sweetheart?’ I said, my heart breaking. ‘It’s never been not fun before. You’ve always enjoyed it a lot.’
    ‘Too much,’ Simone said, still grumbling. ‘I want to spend a whole day having fun instead.’
    ‘Right,’ John said, putting his hands on either side of the stack of plates in front of him. ‘Tomorrow, we will have fun. No wushu at all. What would you like to do?’
    ‘Tomorrow’s a school day, John,’ I said softly.
    ‘We’re skipping school for a day and having some fun, Emma,’ John said. ‘Simone can go anywhere she likes.’
    Simone squeaked with delight. ‘Anywhere?’
    ‘Anywhere.’
    Simone jiggled. ‘I don’t know where I want to go. What I want to do. Can I think about it?’
    ‘You sure can,’ John said. ‘You can tell me later. Okay. Are we finished?’
    Simone and I both nodded.
    ‘Both of you ate more than me,’ John said, waving his hand at the stacks of plates on the counter in front of us.
    ‘Simone ate the most,’ I said. ‘So she has to pay.’
    John levered himself off the stool and took Simone’s hand to help her down. ‘That’s right. I’m not paying for you to eat all this food when I can’t have anything.’
    Simone glanced at me, her face cheeky. ‘Next time we come without Daddy.’
    I was about to