Yati crept quietly into her usual corner. If her employer heard any sound from her, he would most likely be unhappy again. Then he might decide to punish her again. Yati did not want to think about that happening. She had just been whipped by his heavily studded belt for bringing him a cup of coffee, which was deemed too hot. She willed herself not to cry. Crying would not help her, it never did, not since the first time she did and was rewarded with two heavy punches to her temple which left her with a throbbing headache fir 3 days. She did not want to risk a headache for the coming weeks.
Mr Leong soon grew weary and felt asleep on the couch. Yati took the opportunity to steal quietly into the kitchen where she could tend to her wounds. The mosaic of lacerations on her bosy did not shock her. Afterall, she was used to such new prints being superimposed on her old wounds. They were nothing to gape at, she thought. The running water made her think of the little brook in her village in india which sang merily along each time she went to it to obtain water. The sun's ray would play on the clear water, making it look like a bed of shimmering diamonds. Yati's eyes filled up with tears as she thought how much beauty and love she had to give up to come here to work. She thought of her aged parents and younger siblings, sighing as she saw that there was really no choice. Her mere $500 a month went a long way before giving them a better life.
Suddenly a sharp stinging slap caused her t0 fall forward and hit her head on the tap. Lifting up her bleeding brow as she turned around, she held up her hands to ward off the blows that came raining down on her. Mr Leong launched into a tirade about how she was using water to clean herself, while at the same time hitting her non-stop. Yati closed her eyes and imagined herself in a distant place, far away from this psychopath that was her employer. She tried to ignore the searing pain each time his heavy hands lahed down mercilessly onto her, which opened wounds and made new ones. Yati concentrated on the little paradise she had created in her mind each time the beatings started. That was the only way of keeping sane. She could see her fmily in her paradise, together with her as in the good old days..
After Mr Leong finally got weary, he lurched back to his room and slammed the door shut. Yati picked up her battered body off the floor and dragged herself to the little space in the kitchen which has been assigned as her room. She took out the shoebox from among the sheets that made up her bed and opened it carefully. In it gleamed a shiny butcher knife, nestled in a few pages of few old newspaper. Yati fingered it gingerly, almost reverently. This was her way out of the situation. She only had to wait for Mr Leong to beat her near the box, and then she would plunge it into his corpulent mass...She knew it would not be a long wait......
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Unintentional
The wailing of the sirens insistently penetrated her confused mind. Melody was frightened, so terrified that the tissue paper she held was being torn to shreds and was floating ignomiously onto the floor of the ambulance. She stared sorrowfully at the lifeless form on the stretcher. He was her best friend. "If only he had listened to me!" she sobbed. "I could explain everything!". Anguished tears wracked her bosy again as a fresh spasm of pin overwhelmed her.
The day started like any other day. It was sunny, and the sky was cloudless. She had arranged to meet thomas at the school gates before entering to get their results. The results were important to all students, but even more so to thomas, for he was on scholarship and needed to do well in it to have the scholarship extended. Thomas came from a single-parent family, with his mother taking on three jobs a day to make ends meet. He was very close to his mother and was hoping that the scholarship would see him through school wothout further burdening her. To be frank, everybody was certain that thomas would excel in this exam, for he was definitely a cut above the rest. In addition, he was also the most dilligent amongst his peers. In fact, Melody had sneaked a look at his results and saw that he had once again topped the school.
Melody liked her best fren very much, but wished that he could lightn up instead of burdening himself with his studies all the time. She felt that he had not lived life to the fullest, always thinking about how he could further improve his results so that he could get a better job in the future. Melody had no such concerns, she came from an affluent family and need not worry where her next meal would come from. As she stood idly kicking the stones on the pavement, an idea began to hatch in her mischevios mind. She would play a joke on Thomas. She would tell him he had not done as well as he expected to and when he should finally see his results he would be elated.! Melody beamed at bringing that joy to her friend.
When Thomas's thin frame became discernible in the distance, Melody schooled her features into a mask of sadness.Thomas saw it and ran to her, worried for his friend. His face was lined with great concern as he peered at her. "Its not me thomas, Its....er..your results..." Melody stammered. Thomas' face clouded with shock. He looked as of he was going to faint for he had turned so pale. As melody realised her joke had not been such a good idea after all, thomas spun and ran into the street.In his despair, he had not seen the truck coming towards him and was directly in front of it when it was a few metres away. Melody shouted for him to stop and listen to her, but it was too late. The sickening crunch of the massive wheels rolling over thomas' frail bodytore through her senses and she stood there, rooted to the ground., shocked at the result of her joke. She heard hysterical screaming somewhere close by and started mumbling repeatedly."Listen to me, i can explain everything. Listen to me......"
The day started like any other day. It was sunny, and the sky was cloudless. She had arranged to meet thomas at the school gates before entering to get their results. The results were important to all students, but even more so to thomas, for he was on scholarship and needed to do well in it to have the scholarship extended. Thomas came from a single-parent family, with his mother taking on three jobs a day to make ends meet. He was very close to his mother and was hoping that the scholarship would see him through school wothout further burdening her. To be frank, everybody was certain that thomas would excel in this exam, for he was definitely a cut above the rest. In addition, he was also the most dilligent amongst his peers. In fact, Melody had sneaked a look at his results and saw that he had once again topped the school.
Melody liked her best fren very much, but wished that he could lightn up instead of burdening himself with his studies all the time. She felt that he had not lived life to the fullest, always thinking about how he could further improve his results so that he could get a better job in the future. Melody had no such concerns, she came from an affluent family and need not worry where her next meal would come from. As she stood idly kicking the stones on the pavement, an idea began to hatch in her mischevios mind. She would play a joke on Thomas. She would tell him he had not done as well as he expected to and when he should finally see his results he would be elated.! Melody beamed at bringing that joy to her friend.
When Thomas's thin frame became discernible in the distance, Melody schooled her features into a mask of sadness.Thomas saw it and ran to her, worried for his friend. His face was lined with great concern as he peered at her. "Its not me thomas, Its....er..your results..." Melody stammered. Thomas' face clouded with shock. He looked as of he was going to faint for he had turned so pale. As melody realised her joke had not been such a good idea after all, thomas spun and ran into the street.In his despair, he had not seen the truck coming towards him and was directly in front of it when it was a few metres away. Melody shouted for him to stop and listen to her, but it was too late. The sickening crunch of the massive wheels rolling over thomas' frail bodytore through her senses and she stood there, rooted to the ground., shocked at the result of her joke. She heard hysterical screaming somewhere close by and started mumbling repeatedly."Listen to me, i can explain everything. Listen to me......"
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Term 1 week 7
The poor cockroach has been called "The most reviled creature on the face of earth.". Nobody loves him-Except maybe another cockroach. Fiction, Non-fiction and poetry are replete with degratory references to these ubiquitous bugs. Public health officials are quick to indict the insects as carriers of viruses that cause yellow fever and polio. Although past evidence has been somewhat nebulous, recent studies also show that an allergy to roaches may contribute significantly to asthma. LIttle wonder, therefore, the pesky littlecockroach is attacked.
Consequences of landing oneself in debts
Being in debt is becoming more and more of a modern conditions as credit facilities are prevalent. Years of economic boom globally wil encourage spending beyond earnings. This has resulted in severe problems for the individual who finds himself in a cylce of debts.
Greatest problem of being in debt is that the repayment of the debt nevere seeems to be at hand. The more u pay off, the more the debt remains looming.Interest chraged on the debts may seem staggering, particularly if the principal amount is large.
Being in debt can also be terrible to one's self esteem. there is a debilitating erosion of confidence and independence is one is practically harnessed to your creditor. You find yourself working non stop to pay off the debt. You are not free to do what u want because paying the debt is always ur first proiorty.
To be continued.....
Greatest problem of being in debt is that the repayment of the debt nevere seeems to be at hand. The more u pay off, the more the debt remains looming.Interest chraged on the debts may seem staggering, particularly if the principal amount is large.
Being in debt can also be terrible to one's self esteem. there is a debilitating erosion of confidence and independence is one is practically harnessed to your creditor. You find yourself working non stop to pay off the debt. You are not free to do what u want because paying the debt is always ur first proiorty.
To be continued.....
Term 2 week 5
It is common to hear children talking about how eager they were to grow up. Yet, as i approached adulthood, i felt far from eagerness.
This is especially in areas of responsibility, when one grows up, people around him expects him to be mature and make the right choices. True, as one grows up, he eventually learns to break the ice. As a student, all i need to take care of is my results, so as to have a good career in the near future. As an adulti, i would have to be an responsible employee andspouse, parent and provider.
An attendant reality of growing up ig getting a decent job to support myself and my family.. It is ok to talk about ambitions and aspirations now, but achieving it is another thing.Nothing guarentees that i will get a job that i desire. The realisation of my incapability will definitely disillusion me.
Even as i am writing now, the world is changing. In this rapidly moving world, the ability to adapt to frequrnt changes is crucial for survival. Ehat we are used to now will inevitably be a thing of the past when we grow up. I may not be ready for it, I may find myself relegated to the heap of forgotten 'has beens' or worst, the 'never has beens'....
This is especially in areas of responsibility, when one grows up, people around him expects him to be mature and make the right choices. True, as one grows up, he eventually learns to break the ice. As a student, all i need to take care of is my results, so as to have a good career in the near future. As an adulti, i would have to be an responsible employee andspouse, parent and provider.
An attendant reality of growing up ig getting a decent job to support myself and my family.. It is ok to talk about ambitions and aspirations now, but achieving it is another thing.Nothing guarentees that i will get a job that i desire. The realisation of my incapability will definitely disillusion me.
Even as i am writing now, the world is changing. In this rapidly moving world, the ability to adapt to frequrnt changes is crucial for survival. Ehat we are used to now will inevitably be a thing of the past when we grow up. I may not be ready for it, I may find myself relegated to the heap of forgotten 'has beens' or worst, the 'never has beens'....
Friday, February 6, 2009
Term 1 week 4
Many people equate discipline with harsh rules and punishments. When one thinks of discipline, it is often associated with schools, army or prisons. Hence, it is a word greatly detested by younger people. But this is a very narrow view of what discipline really is. In fact, discipline is a concept that distinguishes the strong from the weak. But the strength mentioned here is not the physical one. Instaed this strength refers to control, both over our actions and our emotions. This is certainly not a bad thing; it is the means by which we are able to complete tasks and exist harmoniously with others.
Discipline is neccessary as long as we want to achieve our goal. How many times have u promised yourself to complete an assignment, but found it hard to get down to it because there are so many distractions around u? Your friends could be going down to the mall for an afternoon of fun and food, which makes you even more restless. However, if you are disciplined, you would be able to shut these distarctions out and concentrate on getting your work done. Discipline will go a long way in establishing the correct work ethics that will come in handy regardless if you are a student or in the workforce.
Furthermore, discipline also helps you to manage your time efficiently. It mskes you priortise your commitments properly and helps you to objectively decide where your time should be spent.This is important as there are so many things that compete for your attention that you may end up making the wrong decisions based on personal likes and dis;ikes rather than their relative importance. Thus you may vote the go out for a movie first instead of studying for a test taht is tommorow. Due to the fact that you may be too exhausted or in high spirits after you return from the outing, the likelihood of studying for the test dangerously low. In this way, u may end up failing the test. Such a price is surely too high to pay for a lack of discipline.
Being able to control our negative emotions is also an asset we should develop. Thus, instead os flaring up over just the slightest provocation, discipline enables us to logically assess situations carefully instead of giving in to our initial negative reactions. This will help lubricate relationships and build up our interpersonal skills. Hence, emotional discipline is an important feature in a successful person.
Discipline is neccessary as long as we want to achieve our goal. How many times have u promised yourself to complete an assignment, but found it hard to get down to it because there are so many distractions around u? Your friends could be going down to the mall for an afternoon of fun and food, which makes you even more restless. However, if you are disciplined, you would be able to shut these distarctions out and concentrate on getting your work done. Discipline will go a long way in establishing the correct work ethics that will come in handy regardless if you are a student or in the workforce.
Furthermore, discipline also helps you to manage your time efficiently. It mskes you priortise your commitments properly and helps you to objectively decide where your time should be spent.This is important as there are so many things that compete for your attention that you may end up making the wrong decisions based on personal likes and dis;ikes rather than their relative importance. Thus you may vote the go out for a movie first instead of studying for a test taht is tommorow. Due to the fact that you may be too exhausted or in high spirits after you return from the outing, the likelihood of studying for the test dangerously low. In this way, u may end up failing the test. Such a price is surely too high to pay for a lack of discipline.
Being able to control our negative emotions is also an asset we should develop. Thus, instead os flaring up over just the slightest provocation, discipline enables us to logically assess situations carefully instead of giving in to our initial negative reactions. This will help lubricate relationships and build up our interpersonal skills. Hence, emotional discipline is an important feature in a successful person.
Term 1 week 3
We had been working on it for so long that sometimes i wonder if it would ever be finished. The cure for the deadly Crotyn fever was at hand, but somehow evaded completetion. The Crotyn fever had been named after the first area it had broken out in - Crotyn. The population of five thousand was eradicated in one night when the deadly virus descended upon them like a plague. The helpless authorithies could only order the torching of the area to prevent the deadly virus from spreading further. But this was only partially successful in stemming the spread. Other towns perished similarly in the wake of Crotyn.
Just as sudddenly as it has came, the Crotyn virus seemed to vapourise in a single night. Traces of it existence could only be found in the bodies of the deceased who died from it. The world rejoiced, but the scientists at Disease Control knew that disappearence does not mean destruction. The crotyn virus would definitely be back.
I had joined the scientists in their quest for searching for the cure after having witnessed the destruction it had caused. The town i had known my whole life had been ravaged by the merciless fever. None in my family survived, and i often wondered why i was so blessed, or cursed to be the sole survivor. I will never forget the spasms of agony that wrecked my family, or the ubiquitous bleeding from the orfices that i had tried to stop. I could only watch them die in front of my own eyes, unable to do anything. I was forced to watch them die! Now, i was going to fight back. The vaccine would soon be completed, and i would be one of its creators.
I was extremely tired, having worked on the vaccine non stop since my arrival at Seng Po to join the team. I trudged back to the guesthouse that Mrs Chang mantained in such good order, thinking of the kind old lady and her delicious steaming soups. But the sound of someone wailing was the only thing i could hear as i entered the doorway. I rushed into the living room, what greeted my eyes was a shock. Mrs Chang was lying on the couch, obviously in agony. Her family was gathered around her, helplessly wringing their hands and sobbing away. I rushed to her side and they told me that she had collapsed in the morning with a high fever. She had fainted in the mid-noon, and had started bleeding from her nostrils.
I was shocked, the Crotyn virus was back. I recognised its symptoms. I had seen them happening to my own family. Her family members were so distraught that they became incoherent. I thought of the rosy cheeked old lady who had been like a mother to me since my arrival , I knew that i could not let her die suffering under the agony of this virus. I could not bear to see another of my loved one's life get destroyed by this virus. I dashed out of the house, blindly finding my way through the film of tears over my eyes.
When i reached the lab and told them what happened, everyone felt shocked at the virus's resurgence before the vaccine was even completed. But the head of the team knew that we had no choice; we had to arrest the virus before it was allowed to spread any further. Mrs Chang would have to test the vaccine immediately. With that, we rushed towards the guesthouse and injected it into her ailing body. The appearence of so many doctors more or less reassured her family members. They settled dowan to wait for the fever to subside.
At exactly six in the morning, Mrs Chang's fever broke. She appeared to be recovering and we all heaved a sign of relief, too tired to even celebrate the success of the vaccine. we made our way back into the lab, readly and confident to tackle any new cases. Suddenly the telephone rang. I reached for it. As i listened intently, my heart sank into an abyss of misery, I faced my colleagues stoically, trying very hard not to betray my shock.
"Mrs Chang had just passed away. She was bleeding from her ears and eyes as well. Looks like the virus had mutated since Crotyn...."
Just as sudddenly as it has came, the Crotyn virus seemed to vapourise in a single night. Traces of it existence could only be found in the bodies of the deceased who died from it. The world rejoiced, but the scientists at Disease Control knew that disappearence does not mean destruction. The crotyn virus would definitely be back.
I had joined the scientists in their quest for searching for the cure after having witnessed the destruction it had caused. The town i had known my whole life had been ravaged by the merciless fever. None in my family survived, and i often wondered why i was so blessed, or cursed to be the sole survivor. I will never forget the spasms of agony that wrecked my family, or the ubiquitous bleeding from the orfices that i had tried to stop. I could only watch them die in front of my own eyes, unable to do anything. I was forced to watch them die! Now, i was going to fight back. The vaccine would soon be completed, and i would be one of its creators.
I was extremely tired, having worked on the vaccine non stop since my arrival at Seng Po to join the team. I trudged back to the guesthouse that Mrs Chang mantained in such good order, thinking of the kind old lady and her delicious steaming soups. But the sound of someone wailing was the only thing i could hear as i entered the doorway. I rushed into the living room, what greeted my eyes was a shock. Mrs Chang was lying on the couch, obviously in agony. Her family was gathered around her, helplessly wringing their hands and sobbing away. I rushed to her side and they told me that she had collapsed in the morning with a high fever. She had fainted in the mid-noon, and had started bleeding from her nostrils.
I was shocked, the Crotyn virus was back. I recognised its symptoms. I had seen them happening to my own family. Her family members were so distraught that they became incoherent. I thought of the rosy cheeked old lady who had been like a mother to me since my arrival , I knew that i could not let her die suffering under the agony of this virus. I could not bear to see another of my loved one's life get destroyed by this virus. I dashed out of the house, blindly finding my way through the film of tears over my eyes.
When i reached the lab and told them what happened, everyone felt shocked at the virus's resurgence before the vaccine was even completed. But the head of the team knew that we had no choice; we had to arrest the virus before it was allowed to spread any further. Mrs Chang would have to test the vaccine immediately. With that, we rushed towards the guesthouse and injected it into her ailing body. The appearence of so many doctors more or less reassured her family members. They settled dowan to wait for the fever to subside.
At exactly six in the morning, Mrs Chang's fever broke. She appeared to be recovering and we all heaved a sign of relief, too tired to even celebrate the success of the vaccine. we made our way back into the lab, readly and confident to tackle any new cases. Suddenly the telephone rang. I reached for it. As i listened intently, my heart sank into an abyss of misery, I faced my colleagues stoically, trying very hard not to betray my shock.
"Mrs Chang had just passed away. She was bleeding from her ears and eyes as well. Looks like the virus had mutated since Crotyn...."
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