tehburntone

Here will be all my writing stuff on Runaway Tales. Date out of order to keep it at the top. Will add links.

Twilight Soldiers
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Chronological Order:

Last Stand
Murder, Bloody Murder
It Follows You Home
Graduation
I Didn't Accuse You Of Cheating
Valentine's Day
Resistance
Interrogation
Hide and Seek
Challenge
Sweep
Ikizukuri
Cornered
Gatecrasher
Invocation
Underestimated
Fluffy
Through The Crack
Grey Swarm
Surprise
Going Commando
Bad Hair Day
Butterfly
Hostage
Speech Assignment: 1


Wanderers
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Chronological order:

Crack
The Professional
In Your Dreams
Escort Services
Preparations
Dangerous Toys
Deception
Eat At Your Own Risk
Spellbreaker
The Invasion Begins

Past Twilight
-------------
Chronological Order:

Recruitment Drive
Memorial
Pinchable
One Last Thing
The Quick And The Dead
Karma
Shocking

-------------

 I watched helpless
As heavy scales fell
Unveiling scarred, withered eyes
Searing with hatred.

I saw fury
Fire beneath the
Layers within, deep under
Scorching with rage.

I looked at it
Staring through its soul
Deep beneath the facade
And I saw me.

--------------

People are not who they seem to be. It's rather coincidental that we're all breaking the expectations of others at the same time. Everybody I know has changed in some way or another this year.

Change is the only constant, I suppose. I wonder when it was, that precise moment when the illusion of the world fell apart and I was forced to see the world as it really was.

This was what I believed before, that there was no room for unsubstantiated hope or faith. No room for sincerity. No room for any of the softer, kinder emotions we're all prone to.

And I suppose something broke it apart. Maybe it was the numerous small miracles which happen to me every day, or the unbelievable luck I've been having (despite losing both my homework file and Bio file). I lost my thumbdrive twice and got it back both times. In a week. And today's Maths test? I'm actually confident of another 75%. Maybe this is the universe's way of making up for the s**t that's been happening for the past few weeks. EC hasn't even chased me for HRP.

Failure is probably a sign that things are going to get better. Maybe things will pick up in Term 3. Maybe my Maths ACE will rise above 0. Maybe I'll stop getting C6/D7 for Chinese. Maybe my HRP matters will resolve themselves in time to come.

Maybe.

This is the compiled and edited version, Chapter 1. Many thanks to Kon Kit who helped with the editing and writing style, to help make it less monotonous and mundane.

-------------

"Oi, girl, you late already!, 7am leh!"

"Mom, it's the holidays, there's no school."

"Oh? Sorry, I forgot."

"Yeah, I know, I forget things too."

Giggle, giggle, laugh, laugh. Pretty much how the first day of holidays after the O levels were over began. I suppose there were better things to do than laze around in bed.

Breakfast, as always, was an interesting affair. Mom was a good cook. So was Dad, but he was always "not free" or "too tired" to make our morning meal. Today, the omelette sitting in front of me looked so good I finished it before even asking what it was.

"It's omelette with chicken liver and cheese. I thought you'd like it. It's something I found on the Net."

"Eww! Gross! Mooom!"

Turned out Mom was just kidding.

Mom was a short, slim woman, quickly approaching 40 years old. She was always smiling. I can't remember her getting mad to the point of shouting at the top of her lungs before. Her auburn hair complemented her hazel eyes and rosy cheeks, and she could easily pass for someone 5 years younger based on her complexion. I guess the good looks had passed through the generations. Photos of Ahma in her younger days showed a striking resemblance to Mom. And so did I.

My friends were always teasing me about some guy or another because of my looks. Like, "Eh, Mei, that Jonathan always look at you like you so hot. *giggle*" My well-developed... chest and... er... bottom were often the target of  the stares of "coloured wolves". I never liked those guys in class. Can you imagine how creepy it was to have guys stare and stare and STARE at you until you can feel their eyes boring into the back of your head? I'm not the kind of girl who wears short skirts and tiny shorts to school. Seriously, I'm not like that. It's creepy to have guys stare at you.

I'm Siew Mei. Tan Siew Mei.

"Woof! Woof, woof, woof!"

That was Boxer. The little dog was barking like crazy. Cute little thing. He was golden-brown and the best dog I'd ever seen. I'd had him since he was a puppy. He always wanted either Mom or me to walk him. So I obliged. I put him on a leash, and prepared to go downstairs. We lived in an HDB flat, a 5-room apartment, me, Mom, Dad and Boxer.

Then, Boxer stopped dead. He refused to take another step towards the door. Then,  he started to bark. His eyes opened wide, wider than I'd ever seen them before. He seemed furious at something. Without warning, he strained at his leash and lunged towards the door. His eyes bulged and I could see flecks of foam forming at his mouth.

He suddenly started to whimper. From furious to terrified, within a minute. The doorbell rang.

Boxer must have had a reason for his behaviour. He had never done this before. His usual response to strangers was to bark good-naturedly at them. He made a useless guard dog, but a really good pet. There must have been something outside which spooked him.

I'd read that dogs had a sixth sense.

Cautiously, I placed my eye to the peephole.

I didn't know what to expect. I expected some sort of horrifying thing. Something covered in blood, straight from a horror movie. A spirit, a demon, something supernatural.

What I saw was a delivery boy.

"Package for Tan Siew Mei."

"That's me."

He had a package for me. I signed the receipt, and he left in as normal a fashion as anyone could. I brought in the package. Boxer seemed okay now. He wasn't barking, and he wasn't whimpering either. I opened the package.

There was a letter, and a book inside.

The letter was from the "Higher Calling Institute". It read,

"Dear Madam,

We are the Higher Calling Institute, a college which is due to open next year, 2012. We cordially invite you to join us.

We are impressed with your stellar performance at school, both academically and in extracurricular activities. See the attached record for details. Therefore, in view of your record, we invite you to join the Higher Calling family, regardless of your O level results. We believe that you have the capability to perform well regardless of your O level results.

Thus, we welcome you into our open arms.

Our school is run by Dr Gabriel Jon, PhD in Education Science. He is a highly qualified educator who has run private schools since the 1990s in Europe, America and Japan, under the Higher Calling Central school network. The campus in Singapore is the latest expansion. 

The Higher Calling Institute appeals to your desire to learn, to grow, from school, and not just to study for studying's sake, but to improve yourself and make a name for yourself. Furthermore, we pride ourselves on our liberal approach to schooling. There is no dress code for the Higher Calling Institute. You will not need to purchase a uniform either. Our students are encouraged to ask questions and question authority within reasonable bounds, and our friendly teachers are always on hand to guide and aid you in your work. For the duration of two years that you will be with us, you will be staying in our own boarding school. This is part of our efforts to equip you for the real world by fostering independence, and the boarding programme is compulsory.

We offer a university-style lecture and tutorial system, in order to prepare you for a prestigious Diploma equivalent to a Polytechnic Diploma, recognised as such in Singapore. Students can apply to the Higher Calling Institute Central University in Britain with this Diploma, or to any local university. Scholarships to overseas universities are also offered by Higher Calling Central, with the hope of improving our students, even when they choose to leave us.

As the Singapore campus is a new development, only selected students will enter the Higher Calling Institute for the first and second years. Your school fees will be waived for the full two years you are with us.

The Higher Calling Institute welcomes you to join the family.

Yours faithfully,

Dr Gabriel Jon"

I was amazed. I'd been to Higher Calling Central in Britain before, on an exchange, and was impressed at the facilities there. State-of-the-art, top-of-the-line technology and down-to-earth, all-natural grounds, put together to make a perfect picture.

And now Higher Calling Central was opening a campus right here. 

The book turned out to be a compilation of the history of Higher Calling Central's school network. It wasn't particularly interesting, but it would at least make a good book for show. I also found a notice under the book. There was going to be an open house. How exciting!

I called my best friend to tell her the news.

"Hello? This is Elizabeth Chu, who is that?"

"Hi, Liz, it's me, Mei!"

"Hey, Mei, how are you?"

"Oh my god, this is so exciting. Do you know the Higher Calling Institute? They're opening a campus here, and they sent a letter inviting me!"

"OMG!"

I placed the receiver a little way from my ear to block out the squeals.

"Did you receive a letter too, Liz?"

"No. Still, grats!"

-------------

And with that, she put down the phone. She sounded a little disappointed.

Liz Chu had been my best friend since primary school. We'd been in the same class since primary 3. I never really got to know her until the incident occurred.

It happened when we were in Primary 6. I was always the odd one out. Those questions which the teachers asked always seemed to be really easy. I would always be the one to spot errors and correct mistakes in my classmates' work. Were they ever grateful? No. 

I was a superhero. Always there to save the day, but subject to negative remarks otherwise. They were glad to get those marks which by right belonged to me. Even in Primary 3, three years earlier, when others were concentrating on playing their precious "Npets" or "Magescape" games, I was busy doing work. Strange thing was, no matter how much I read, I never had to wear glasses.

It happened sometime that year. There was this guy I always used to help with English. He was 14, a China boy sent here to study. He never liked me, but always accepted my help in English. Then, one day, he asked me to help him after lunch. I didn't find this weird. Most people asked me for help after school. What I forgot was that ihe'd never done this before. He always used to ask for help during recess, since he couldn't finish his homework at home. He said he was pretty embarrassed about a piece of work he'd been having trouble with, and he didn't bother to elaborate. And I didn't ask.

After lunch, we were in the library. All of a sudden, everybody seemed to get up and leave. I looked around and they were all single-mindedly heading for the door. I thought it strange that they would leave in such an orderly manner.

The boy started rummaging in his bag. He showed me the piece of work he said he was embarrassed about. He had every right to be embarrassed about not being able to do it. I went through something almost the same with him a few days ago. Jeez.

I had just begun correcting his mistakes when he began to smile.

I didn't think there was anything wrong. Then his smile widened, and he laughed. I asked him what was going on, and he replied in Chinese, "No, nothing." He pointed to a question he said he didn't know, and when I looked up his face was inches from mine. He was leering like a wolf.

Someone screamed.

That wasn't me. Liz stood just outside the library door. The shriek startled the boy. He stared fiercely at her. I think it was my imagination, but I can remember this vividly. I thought, for a second, he shimmered. I saw him lunge at Liz, and remember thinking that I should go and help Liz. Then, I blacked out.

Liz told me what happened. The boy seemed possessed, like something had taken over his mind. He jumped at Liz with his arms outstretched, and he looked like he wanted to strip her. He knocked her to the ground and was just beginning to take off her top when something happened. He just stopped like that, and didn't move. He dropped to the floor and started doing pushups until his face turned red, all the time humming the school song, and he didn't stop until he collapsed. And then he was still humming breathlessly. It was only when I woke up that he stopped.

Liz and I were both traumatised by this. It was unimaginable to us at that time that someone from our school would try to eat us (which is what we agreed would have happened back then, it just seemed like that). Our school counsellor eventually did manage to convince us that it was safe to go to class again, that we wouldn't be eaten. The two of us, both near-victims of being eaten, stuck together so we'd never be alone. Since that incident, the two of us had always been terrified of what would happened if we were separated.

I felt it, and I knew she felt it too.

After our PSLE was over, we (secretly of course) did something I had only heard about in books about English schoolboys: We each cut our palms with a little knife, clasped hands, and swore that we would never be apart, lest something evil this way came. We were, in essence, sisters.

And now, fate was pulling us apart. Somehow, deep in my heart, I knew I had to turn down the invitation. If my best friend and god-sister couldn't go to Higher Calling, I wouldn't either. It was a matter of friendship.

-------------

Mom and I had a good, long talk. About this whole affair. Mom brought up the fact that the Higher Calling Institute was a respected, successful college which would guarantee my success. She proceeded to tell me about her earlier life. As a dancer in a club, and as a meat-seller later, after the Government shut down the bar-tops. I wondered how someone as demure, as unscarred, as her could ever have been a butcher. She said she never had the chance to go to college, that she was not naturally gifted like I was. That she could only afford our lifestyle because she married Dad. She said I shouldn't have to stoop to the same level that she did. I think she didn't think I heard it, but I heard her say "literally". I wondered what she meant.

She cried, but that changed nothing. I was still determined to reject the offer to go to Higher Calling. Any school that hadn't been tried and tested in the local context, anyway, had no guaranteed success. I brought up the point that the school had so far only been proven in Europe, America and Japan. I mentioned that these countries had a vastly different value system, mindset and other miscellaneous stuff from us. I think I was exploiting my intellect to confuse poor Mom, but I didn't care then. I just knew that if Liz didn't go, I wouldn't go, and I was determined to follow through. In the end, Mom just nodded silently. I pitied her, but I knew it had to be done.

After that, I walked Boxer. He seemed to be his old self again after that scare, and he was happily bouncing around when I took him to the park. Seeing him suddenly reminded me of that scary boy in P6. Above all else, I thought he resembled a dog the most that time. Maybe that was why I got the sensation he wanted to eat us.

"Woof! Woof! Rrrow!"

"Oh dear, Boxer, leave that poor thing alone."

A little black cat was just barely out of Boxer's reach. It was lying in the bushes sleeping, and Boxer must have disturbed it. The little cat hissed and scratched, and Boxer strained at the end of his leash. I picked him up quickly before he could get hurt. This little thing was vicious. I hurried away just in time to see the cat curl up and go back to sleep.

------------

The Open House was the day after I received my package. It was not very crowded. Only the selected were present. I knew nobody there. I was special, it seemed, among my circle of friends. There was a list of CCAs available there, as well as the previous achievements of Higher Calling Central's other branches. The star-shaped logo of Higher Calling Central was all over the place. It represented excellence in its students, in Intellectual, Moral, Affective, Leadership and Emotional development. It looked a little creepy. The two points placed at the top were slightly longer than the rest, to emphasise Intellect and Leadership. It looked like something one would see in a horror movie.

An announcement boomed through the courtyard where the open house was being held.

"May all of our priviliged students please report to the Auditorium? Our staff will guide you there.."

From nowhere, it seemed, emerged several red-clad members of the staff. All of them looked under the age of 30. Again, another reason to doubt the effectiveness of learning here. Younger teachers wouldn't know as much, I assumed, and would have less experience teaching. One more reason not to enroll in Higher Calling.

The Auditorium was impressive. It could seat around 400 at once, and there were exactly 200 of us. The grand scale of the Auditorium was matched by the biggest stage I had ever seen. It looked like you could place a bus there and still have room for an elephant. And as if to attempt to prove that point, our future principal went up to speak.

He was a rotund man, appearing around 50 years of age. He looked like he had spent too much time in front of the desk and dining table and not enough in the outdoors. He was short, slightly shorter than my pathetic 1.58 metres, and Chinese. That was puzzling. Wasn't Dr Gabriel Jon Caucasian?

The fat man spoke. "Greetings, studends, I am Dr Gabriel Jon's assistant, Han Zhao Huang. I am in charge here."

There was a chorus of questions. A guy shouted, "Where's Dr Jon?"

"Dr Jon cannot be plesend evlywhere now. He is cullenly in Eulope on business. He weer nod be coming to Singapore."

Then, Mr Han proceeded to speak to us. His articulation was terrible.

"Dear studens, we are here today to well come you into our farmelly. You are the top twee percend of studen flom our own lesearch and govermend dehda. Today I am torking to you so you weer be encourahged to join us."

I had the distinct impression that he was from China.

-------------

The sun was setting. The sky had turned red. And I was alone.

The trees around me were twisted claws, reaching towards me, and the sky loomed over like a menacing beast, ready to pounce. The red burned into my mind, like a blazing fire. It was the stuff nightmares were made of.

There was nobody around. I looked left and right. And looked again. Not a soul stirred in the trees, and not a single sound could be heard. I was totally, utterly alone. Then, I heard barking.

It came closer.

The barking increased in volume. I could sense urgency behind each jolt of sound, and I could almost feel it drilling into my head. It pounded in my skull like throbbing blood.

I could feel it watching me.

I turned, and there was nothing. Nothing watching me, no dogs, no wolves, no people. Absolutely nothing.

When I turned back, it began again. And then it stopped. A warm, wet cloud enveloped my right shoulder. I could hear heavy panting, like that of an exhausted dog. And I began to turn.

A faraway voice was yelling.

As I turned, I closed my eyes, strangely calm and resigned, but not daring to open them. And then I opened my eyes.

"How dare you sleep while Mr Han is speaking? HOW DARE YOU?"

Oh dear. The teacher was yelling from behind me. His eyes seemed to pierce through my head. It was a distinctly unpleasant feeling.

He was a big, muscular guy, the sort who would normally be teaching PE in my school, but he definitely didn't. I could tell. He smelled of cheap cologne, and he wore a black shirt and pants. He also wore a tie. Yep, he definitely didn't teach PE.

I was screwed. I wasn't even a student and I was already getting scolded. I could feel the stares of the others on me. The teacher began to rant about how it was not fair that nobody in this school listened to him, and how he didn't receive enough pay for it, which was odd because the school had just opened. I noticed a little badge he proudly wore on his shirt which said "Name: Ezra Lee". I unconsciously pronounced his name.

He was on me in a second. His face contorted into a mask of rage. His eyes widened and his whole face turned a vivid shade of red. The veins on his neck stood out, and I noticed quite a few of them throbbing.

"DO YOU EVEN KNOW RESPECT? WERE YOU TAUGHT TO RESPECT YOUR ELDERS? OR ARE YOU A DOG WHICH CAN'T LEARN MANNERS? Eh, hurry up leh, I don't have time to waste with you!"

Oh God. A nagger.

"Sorry, Mr Lee."

If his face just now was contorted, it was nothing compared to this.

""SORRY" MEANS NOTHING! "SORRY" ISN'T SINCERE! NOBODY EVER MEANS "SORRY"!"

Oh God, a cynic too.

I opened my mouth to speak and that was when he lost it. He began screaming loudly and incoherently. He started wildly gesticulating and jabbing his finger at me. His voice underwent a sudden change. It started going higher and higher, until it sounded like he was speaking in falsetto.

Something must have struck Mr Han as odd. He went right up to Ellie (as I later took to calling him behind his back) and physically restrained him. Mr Han had to pull Ellie away. He whispered some words in Ellie's ear, and he seemed to calm down.

Mr Han just waved my sleeping off. "I used to teach in anodder blahnch of Higher Calling. I'm used to peeper sleeping duling my speech. Your flens are aleady outside registring. Go join dem."

-------------

I was glad to escape.

The heat outside was better than the drowsy cold of the auditorium. There was already a long queue forming at the registration booth. I stood in queue, knowing full well that I was probably the only one not to take the opportunity to join the prestigious institute. I felt guilty, but I continued. Most of the students had already made friends, and were in the process of exchanging numbers by now. I was envious of them, but I still didn't feel right about joining Higher Calling.

The red-clad lady manning the booth brought back uncomfortable memories of the dream. Her red dress reminded me of the sky, and the loneliness. I hesitated a bit before telling her that I was going to reject the request. I noticed her blood-red mouth twitch, just a little. Then, she composed herself.

"Why?"

"I want to be with my friends. I just don't feel... right here."

The lady's eyes seemed to probe me.

I thought of Liz. Then, I felt a shock like ice water had been poured over my head. I looked up expecting to see a prankster, but I saw nobody. I didn't know what happened. My head wasn't wet either. The lady didn't seem to notice.

"Not a problem."

She smiled.

"Maybe you could consider your decision. If you change your mind, we can be contacted here."

She slipped a business card with an email address across the table. I reluctantly accepted.

"Do reconsider. Please, do."

I wouldn't. I had already made up my mind. As I was walking away, the lady called out.

"It's for your own good!"

-------------

When I reached home later that day, I found out from Mom that Liz had called.

"She sounded very excited. She said she really wanted to talk to you, and that it was important, but she hung up before I could ask her to leave a message."

I called Liz. I was curious to find out what Liz was so excited about. Knowing her, it would probably have been a pair of new jeans or a skirt that she'd bought. She loved clothes, and simply loved to talk on and on about them. I liked hearing her cheerful voice rejoicing about her latest outfit after school, and on the phone, and on MSN, because it was nice to talk to her. I just felt... good.

"Hello, this is Elizabeth Chu, who is that?"

"Hey, it's Mei!"

"MEIIIIII! You won't believe what happened."

"What?"

"I got invited to join Higher Calling! The mailman said the package got lost in the mail, and they only found it today! OMG!"

I was happily surprised.

"Hey, Liz, you know, I didn't want to go because you weren't going to!"

"Ohmygod, that's so sweet! The message attached to the box said that I could email them to register! Mom's so happy I got in!"

"'Kay, Liz! Bye! I'm going to register too!"

"Bye!"

I hurriedly rushed to tell Mom the good news. She sat there silently, and then broke into tears. She wrapped her arms around me, squeezing me so tightly I could barely breathe for all the pressure. She murmured her gratefulness, and happily sent me on my way to send that email.

Click, click, send.

-------------

That night, the nightmare returned. I saw the blood-red sky again. I felt the presence watching me again. Breathing on me again.

This time, I turned around forcefully.

And when I opened my eyes, I saw nobody.

-------------

End of Chapter 1. Once again, thanks to Kon Kit for the editing and changes to writing style. And also, thanks to all the commenters who commented and motivated me to post more. It's you guys who motivate me to post, because I know you're reading it.

Will write some more soon.

The sun was setting. The sky had turned red. And I was alone. In a forest, with the blood-red sky. The red burned into my mind, like a blazing fire. I felt like I would never forget it. It was the kind of vivid colour you only see in nightmares.

There was nobody around. I looked left and right. And looked again. Not a soul stirred in the trees, and not a single sound could be heard. I was totally, utterly alone. Then, I heard barking.

It came closer.

The barking increased in volume. I could sense urgency behind each jolt of sound, and I could almost feel it drilling into my head. It pounded in my skull like throbbing blood, but it didn't hurt.

I could feel it watching me.

I turned, and there was nothing. Nothing watching me, no dogs, no wolves, no people. Absolutely nothing.

When I turned back, it began again. And then it stopped. A warm, wet cloud enveloped my right shoulder. I could hear heavy panting, like that of an exhausted dog. And I began to turn.

A faraway voice was yelling.

As I turned, I closed my eyes, strangely calm and resigned, but not daring to open them. And then I opened my eyes.

"How DARE you sleep while Mr Han is speaking? Tell me! How DARE you?"

Oh dear. The teacher yelling was yelling from behind me. He was a big, muscular guy, the sort who would normally be teaching PE in my school, but he definitely didn't. I could tell. He smelled of cheap cologne, and he wore a black shirt and pants. He also wore a tie. Yep, he definitely didn't teach PE.

One word appeared in my mind. Screwed. I wasn't even a student and I was already getting scolded. And loudly. I could feel the stares of the others on me. The teacher began to rant about how it was not fair that nobody in this school listened to him, and how he didn't receive enough pay for it, which was odd because the school had just opened. I noticed a little badge he proudly wore on his shirt which said "Name: Ezra Lee". I unconsciously pronounced his name. And he was on me in a second.

"Do you even know any proper respect? Did your parents teach you good manners at all? Or are you a DOG who can't learn proper manners? Eh, hurry up leh, I don't have time to waste with you!"

Oh God. A nagger.

"Sorry, Mr Lee."

"You DON'T mean it, RIGHT? NOBODY ever means it when they say sorry. How COULD you make this kind of unsincere apology to me? How COULD you?"

A cynical nagger. Even better.

I opened my mouth to speak and that was when he lost it. He began screaming loudly and incoherently. He started wildly gesticulating and jabbing his finger at me. His voice underwent a sudden change. It started going higher and higher, until it sounded like he was speaking in falsetto. And it might have been a trick of the light, but his shadow seemed to get wider.

Something must have struck Mr Han as odd. He went right up to Ellie (as I later took to calling him behind his back) and physically restrained him. Ellie's belt appeared to stretch, and then the stretching stopped. Mr Han had to pull Ellie away. He whispered some words in Ellie's ear, and he seemed to calm down.

Mr Han just waved my sleeping off. "I used do deach in anodder branch of Higher Calling. I'm used do people sleeping duling my speech. Your flens are aleady outside registring. Go join dem."

I obeyed, hurriedly.

-------------

The heat outside was better than the drowsy cold of the auditorium. There was already a long queue forming at the registration booth. I stood in queue, knowing full well that I was probably the only one not to take the opportunity to join the prestigious institute. I felt guilty, but I continued. I observed the laughter and joy around me. Most of the students had already made friends, and were in the process of exchanging numbers by now. I was envious of them, but I still didn't feel right about joining Higher Calling.

The red-clad lady manning the booth brought back uncomfortable memories of the dream. Her red dress reminded me of the sky, and the loneliness. I hesitated a bit before telling her that I was going to reject the request. I noticed her blood-red mouth twitch, just a little. Then, she composed herself and asked me why.

"I want to be with my friends. I just don't feel... right here."

I thought of Liz. Then, I felt a shock like ice water had been poured over my head. I looked up expecting to see a prankster, but I saw nobody. I didn't know what happened. My head wasn't wet either. The lady didn't seem to notice.

"Not a problem. Maybe you could consider your decision. If you change your mind, we can be contacted by email at highercallingsg@hcisg.edu.sg." [Author's Note: DO NOT TRY THIS ADDRESS]"

I wouldn't reconsider. I had already made up my mind.

-------------

When I reached home later that day, I found out from Mom that Liz had called.

"She sounded very excited. She said she really wanted to talk to you, and that it was important, but she hung up before I could ask her to leave a message."

I called Liz. I was curious to find out what Liz was so excited about. Knowing her, it would probably have been a pair of new jeans or a skirt that she'd bought. She loved clothes, and simply loved to talk on and on about them. I liked hearing her cheerful voice rejoicing about her latest outfit after school, and on the phone, and on MSN, because it was nice to talk to her. I just felt... good.

"Hello, this is Elizabeth Chu, who is that?"

"Hey, it's Mei!"

"MEIIIIII! You won't believe what happened."

"What?"

"I got invited to join Higher Calling! The mailman said the package got lost in the mail, and they only found it today!" OMG!"

I was happily surprised.

"Hey, Liz, this means I can go there too! You know, I didn't want to go because you weren't going to!"

"Ohmygod, that's so sweet! The message attached to the box said that I could email them at highercallingsg@hcisg.edu.sg to register. I'm going to register now. Mom's so happy I got in!"

"'Kay, Liz! Bye!"

"See you!"

I hurriedly rushed to tell Mom the good news. She sat there silently, and then broke into tears. She wrapped her arms around me, squeezing me so tightly I could barely breathe for all the pressure. She murmured her gratefulness, and happily sent me on my way to send that email.

Click, click, send. I had just registered for the most prestigious institution in Singapore.

-------------

That night, the nightmare returned. I saw the blood-red sky again. I felt the presence watching me again. I could feel the breathing again.

And when I opened my eyes this time, I saw nobody.

-------------

End. Please comment on this.

I know there are no wrong answers for Lit. But sometimes the author's intention may not be so obvious. That's when misreading happens.

The poem is about LOVE. It's not some emo shit thing. Heck, it's supposed to be inspirational. Ohno. We have a problem. And by the way, it's "winner" not "winter".

I wrote this thing, I should know what it's about. This is the thing about unseen passages. You don't have context. So there's no way to accurately judge the author's intention, not for poems, at least.

Still, it's good to get comments. And I have revised my guess. Or at least narrowed it down. Hey, commenter. I bet you're Woonwei. I have never heard anybody else use "teensy" before in conversation. :)

It has something to do with me.

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White Greek flames
Of pure heat and light
Fuelled by a higher purpose
Shall not be doused, come hell or high water

Two horses, the last's the winner
And so we ride each other's.
Galloping in step
One after another

Light the torch, set the Greek flame
Upon the high pedestal
And let it burn, burn, burn
As we ride by in a merry procession.

-------------

 Whispered words like static
Barely heard
Silent noise in the back of our heads
Barely noticed

For a single purpose, which
Nobody knows
We go to hell each day
Burned by the fires of hell yet unscathed.

Hellfire not the sole torment
But screams and painful wails
Of those who fail
And those who die

Between unlife and hell, there is
No choice
To make
For me

Unlife and hell
One and the same, demons
Lie in wait. For the unwary
Accustomed to heat, not sound nor pain

Yet Hell's heat scorches
The palms of working hands, frantically
Writing for hard taskmasters
Who do not forgive nor forget.

So every day, I go to Hell
Walk numbly through scorching flame
And come back alive
But dead, in a certain way.

Haha it's a love song!

Enjoy!

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b.u.r.n - Christine
-------------

Do you know, in the morning
When you look outside your house
I am waiting by the ro-o-o-oad side.

If you'd just look down,
When you look outside the window
I'm imagining you there by my side.

(Lyrics for [Chorus/ Chorus 2]:

Chorus:

'Cause when I met you that day I was obsessed,
I love the way you talk, the way you walk and dress,
And I think you're so hot
That you're so cold to me
And I want you for me, to be mine.

Chorus 2:

I like the way you shake your hips and shake that ass,
I love the way you swing and move and I just love your sass,
And I think that it's cool
Just to be hiding in your pool
'Cause I want you for me, to be mine.

[1 & 2]

Christine you're mine, Christine you're mine, Christine you're mine.
Christine you're mine, Christine you're mine, Christine you're mine.
Hey, I'm looking at you now, I don't wanna creep you out,
But I want you, oh I want you to be mine.
)

[Chorus]

[Verse 2]:

Do you know I'm following
When you're home alone
Do you know I'm fo-o-o-o-llowing you?

You see when you're at home
Suddenly you hear the phone
Don't worry, Christine, I'm calling you.

[Chorus]

[Verse 3]

Oh Christine are you aware
That I see you in my dreams
I can't wait to get my ha-a-ands on you.

And every day and night
I don't let you out of my sight
That's how I keep thi-i-nking of you.

[Chorus]

[Bridge] (?)

Even when the cops come I will still be wai-ting,
I'll be loving you from jail if need be,
You will always see my letters in your mai-il box
Christine, you will not forget me.

[Chorus]
[Chorus 2]

Christine, oh Christine, you are mine!
-------------

And another love song I never posted as a standalone post.

-------------
b.u.r.n - Following You
-------------

-------------
And with that, she put down the phone.

Liz Chu had been my best friend since primary school. We'd been in the same class since primary 3. I still remember that incident that brought us closer together.

It happened when we were in Primary 6. I was always the odd one out. Those questions which the teachers asked always seemed to be really easy. I would always be the one to spot errors and correct mistakes in my classmates' work. Were they ever grateful? No.

I was like a superhero. Always there to save the day, but subject to negative remarks otherwise. They were glad to get those marks which by right belonged to me during the tests, because I put in the effort to help them revise. Even at Primary 3, three years earlier, when others were concentrating on playing their precious "Npets" or "Magescape" games, I was busy doing work. Strange thing was, no matter how much I read, I never had to wear glasses. Not even when I used to read while jumping on the trampoline, when Mom bought one during her period of exercise fanaticism.

It happened sometime that year. There was this guy I always used to help with English. He was 14, a China boy sent here to study. He never liked me, but always accepted my help in English. Then, one day, he asked me to help him after lunch. I didn't see this request as weird, because most people asked me for help after school. What I forgot was that it was never him who asked me this. He always used to ask for help during recess, since he couldn't finish his homework at home. He said he was pretty embarrassed about a piece of work he'd been having trouble with, and he didn't bother to elaborate. And I didn't ask.

After lunch, he and I were in the library. All of a sudden, everybody seemed to get up and leave. I looked around and they were all single-mindedly heading for the door. I thought it strange that they would line up in queues and leave in an orderly manner. Then, I looked at the boy.

He seemed to be smiling a little. I asked him if he thought anything was strange, and he replied in Chinese, "No, perfectly fine." He showed me the piece of work he said he was embarrassed about. He had every right to be embarrassed about not being able to do it. I went through something almost the same with him a few days ago. Jeez. I had just set to work correcting his mistakes when he began to smile.

I didn't think there was anything wrong. Then his smile widened, and he laughed. I asked him what was wrong, and he replied in Chinese, "No, nothing's wrong." He pointed to a question he said he didn't know, and when I looked up his face was inches from mine. He was leering like a wolf. A coloured wolf.

"EEEEEEEE!"

That wasn't me. Liz stood just outside the library door. The shriek startled the boy. He stared fiercely at her. I think it was my imagination, but I can remember this vividly. I thought, for a second, he shimmered. I saw him lunge at Liz, and remember thinking that I should go and help Liz. Then, I blacked out.

Liz told me what happened. The boy seemed possessed, like something had taken over his mind. He jumped at Liz with his arms outstretched, and he looked like he wanted to strip her. He knocked her to the ground and was just beginning to take off her top when something happened. He just stopped like that, and didn't move. He got up and started humming "Breaking The Habit" by Linkin Park. At that time I used to like to sing that song, but after hearing what happened, I have never sung the song again. He dropped to the floor and started doing pushups until his face turned red, all the time humming, and he didn't stop until he collapsed. And then he was still humming breathlessly. It was only when I woke up that he stopped.

Liz and I were both traumatised by this. It was unimaginable to us at that time that someone from our school would try to eat us (which is what we agreed would have happened back then, it just seemed like that). Our school counsellor eventually did manage to convince us that it was safe to go to class again, that we wouldn't be eaten. The two of us, both near-victims of being eaten, stuck together closely after that, so that we'd never be alone. Since that incident, the two of us have always been terrified of what would happened if we were separated forever. I felt it, and I knew she felt it.

After our PSLE was over, we (secretly of course) did something I had only heard about in books about English schoolboys: We each cut our palms with a little knife, clasped hands, and swore that we would never be apart, lest something evil this way came. We were, in essence, sisters.

And now we were going to be pulled apart by fate. Somehow, deep in my heart, I knew I had to turn down the invitation. If my best friend and god-sister couldn't go to Higher Calling, I wouldn't either. It was a matter of friendship.

-------------

Mom and I had a good, long talk. About this whole affair. Mom brought up the fact that the Higher Calling Institute was a respected, successful college which would guarantee my success. I remember hearing about the 5Cs: Cash, Car, Condo, Credit Card and Country Club. Those things, I learned in Literature. Then Mom proceeded to tell me about her earlier life. As a dancer in a club, and as a meat-seller later, after the Government shut down the bar-tops. I wondered how someone as demure, as unscarred, as her could have been a butcher. She said she never had the chance to go to college, that she was not naturally gifted like I was. That she could only afford our lifestyle because she married Dad. She said I shouldn't have to stoop to the same level that she did. I think she didn't think I heard it, but I heard her say "literally" and wondered what she meant.

I cried, but that changed nothing. I was still determined to reject the offer to go to Higher Calling. Any school that hadn't been tried and tested in the local context, anyway, had no guaranteed success. I brought up the point that the school had so far only been proven in Europe, America and Japan. I mentioned that these countries had a vastly different value system, mindset etc from us. I think I was exploiting my intellect to confuse poor Mom, but I didn't care then. I just knew that if Liz didn't go, I wouldn't go no matter what, and I was determined to follow my course of action. In the end, Mom just nodded silently. I pitied her, but I knew this had to be done.

After that, I walked Boxer. He seemed to be his old self again after that scare, and he was happily bouncing around when I took him to the park. Seeing him suddenly reminded me of that scary boy in P6. Above all else, I thought he resembled a dog the most that time. Maybe that was why I got the sensation he wanted to eat us.

"Woof! Woof! Rrrow!"

"Oh dear, Boxer, leave that poor thing alone."

A little black cat was just barely out of Boxer's reach. It was lying in the bushes sleeping, and Boxer must have disturbed it. The little cat hissed and scratched, and Boxer strained at the end of his leash to bite it. I picked him up quickly before he could get hurt. This little thing was vicious. I hurried away just in time to see the cat curl up and go back to sleep.

------------

The Open House was the day after I received my package. It was not a very crowded open house. Only the selected were there. I noticed that nobody else I knew was there. I was special, it seemed, among my circle of friends. There was a list of CCAs available there, as well as the previous achievements of Higher Calling Central's other branches. The star-shaped logo of Higher Calling Central was all over the place. It represented excellence in its students, in Intellectual, Moral, Affective, Leadership and Emotional development. It looked a little creepy. The two points placed at the top were slightly longer than the rest, to emphasise Intellect and Leadership. It looked like something one would see in a horror movie.

An announcement boomed through the courtyard where the open house was being held.

"May all of our priviliged students please report to the Auditorium? Our staff will guide you there. Please follow them."

From nowhere, it seemed, emerged several red-clad members of the staff. All of them looked under the age of 30. Again, another reason to doubt the effectiveness of learning here. Younger teachers wouldn't know as much, I assumed, and would have less experience teaching. One more reason not to enroll in Higher Calling.

The Auditorium was impressive. It could seat around 400 at once, and there were exactly 200 of us. The grand scale of the Auditorium was matched by the biggest stage I had ever seen. It looked like you could place an SBS bus there and still have room for an elephant. And as if to attempt to prove that point, our future principal went up to speak.

He was a rotund man, appearing around 50 years of age. He looked like he had spent too much time in front of the desk and dining table and not enough in the outdoors. He was short, slightly shorter than my pathetic 1.58 metres, and Chinese. That was puzzling. Wasn't Dr Gabriel Jon Caucasian?

The fat man spoke. "Greetings, students, I am Dr Gabriel Jon's assistant, Han Zhao Huang. I am in charge here."

There was a chorus of questions. A guy shouted, "Where's Dr Jon?"

"Dr Jon cannot be present everywhere now. He is cullently in Europe on business. He weer nod be coming to Singapore."

Then, Mr Han proceeded to speak. His articulation was terrible.

"Dear studends, we are here today to well come you into our farmelly. Me and Dr Jon. You are the top twee percend of studend flom our own lesearch and govermend dehda. Today I am talging to you so you weer encourahge to join us."

I had the distinct impression that he was from China. His accent sounded vaguely similar to that of that boy who attacked me in P6.

-------------

End, for now. Once again, comment please.

 Yes, this is my new series. Higher Calling, set in Singapore. Take note, the narrator is a female, first-person narrator. I will try to sound like a girl.

Somebody comment on this, please. Any girls reading this, please tell me if the dialogue sounds authentic =.= So I don't sound cliche...

Start.
-------------

"Oi, girl, you late already!, 7am leh!"

"Mom, it's the holidays, there's no school."

"Oh? Sorry, I forgot."

"Yeah, I know, I forget things too."

Giggle, giggle, laugh, laugh. Pretty much how the first day of holidays after the O levels were over began. I suppose there were better things to do than laze around in bed.

Breakfast, as always, was an interesting affair. Mom was a good cook. So was Dad, but he was always "not free" or "too tired" to make our morning meal. Today, the omelette sitting in front of me looked so good I finished it before even asking what it was.

"It's omelette with chicken liver and cheese. I thought you'd like it. It's something I found on the Net."

"Eww! Gross! Mooom!"

Turned out Mom was just kidding.

Mom was a short, slim woman, quickly approaching 40 years old. She was always smiling. I can't remember her getting mad to the point of shouting at the top of her lungs before. Her auburn hair complemented her hazel eyes and rosy cheeks, and she could easily pass for someone 5 years younger based on her complexion. I guess the good looks had passed through the generations. Photos of Ahma in her younger days showed a striking resemblance to Mom. And so did I

My friends were always teasing me about some guy or another because of my looks. Like, "Eh, Mei, that Jonathan always look at you like you so hot. *giggle*" My well-developed... chest and... er... bottom were often the target of  the stares of "coloured wolves". I never liked those guys in class. Can you imagine how creepy it was to have guys stare and stare and STARE at you until you can feel their eyes boring into the back of your head? I'm not the kind of girl who wears short skirts and tiny shorts to school. Seriously, I'm not like that. It's creepy to have guys stare at you.

I'm Siew Mei. My surname is --

"*boing* *boing* Woof! Woof!"

That was Boxer. The little dog broke me out of my reverie. Cute little thing. He was golden-brown and the best dog I'd ever seen. I'd had him since he was a puppy. He always wanted either Mom or me to walk him. So I obliged. I put him on a leash, and prepared to go downstairs. We lived in an HDB flat, a 5-room apartment, me, Mom, Dad and Boxer.

Then, Boxer stopped dead. He refused to take another step towards the door. Then, all of a sudden, he started to bark. His eyes opened wide, wider than I'd ever seen them. He seemed furious at something. Without warning, he strained at his leash and lunged towards the door. His eyes bulged and I could see flecks of foam forming at his mouth.

He suddenly started to whimper. From furious to terrified, within a minute. The doorbell rang.

Boxer must have had a reason for his behaviour. He had never done this before. His usual response to strangers was to bark good-naturedly at them. He made a useless guard dog, but a really good pet. There must have been something outside which spooked him. I'd read that dogs had a sixth sense, which explained all their strange behaviour before some disaster came. Like an earthquake or a tsunami.

Cautiously, I placed my eye to the peephole.

I didn't know what to expect. I expected some sort of horrifying thing. Something covered in blood, with body parts missing, straight from a horror movie. What I saw was a delivery boy.

"Hi, package for Siew Mei, surname --"

"That's me."

He had a package for me. I signed the receipt, and he left in as normal a fashion as anyone could. I brought in the package. Boxer seemed okay now. He wasn't barking, and he wasn't whimpering either. I opened the package.

There was a letter, and a book inside.

The letter was from the "Higher Calling Institute". It read,

"Dear Madam,

We are the Higher Calling Institute, a college which is due to open next year, 2012. We cordially invite you to join us.

We are impressed with your stellar performance at school, both academically and in extracurricular activities. See the attached record for details. Therefore, in view of your record, we invite you to join the Higher Calling family, regardless of your O level results. We believe that you have the capability to perform well regardless of your O level results.

Thus, we welcome you into our open arms.

Our school is run by Dr Gabriel Jon, PhD in Education Science. He is a highly qualified educator who has run private schools since the 1990s in Europe, America and Japan, under the Higher Calling Central school network. The campus in Singapore is the latest expansion.

The Higher Calling Institute appeals to your desire to learn, to grow, from school, and not just to study for studying's sake, but to improve yourself and make a name for yourself. Furthermore, we pride ourselves on our liberal approach to schooling. There is no dress code for the Higher Calling Institute. You will not need to purchase a uniform either. Our students are encouraged to ask questions and question authority within reasonable bounds, and our friendly teachers are always on hand to guide and aid you in your work. For the duration of two years that you will be with us, you will be staying in our own boarding school. This is part of our efforts to equip you for the real world by fostering independence, and the boarding programme is compulsory.

We offer a university-style lecture and tutorial system, in order to prepare you for a prestigious Diploma equivalent to a Polytechnic Diploma, recognised as such in Singapore. Students can apply to the Higher Calling Institute Central University in Britain with this Diploma, or to any local university. Scholarships to overseas universities are also offered by Higher Calling Central, with the hope of improving our students, even when they choose to leave us.

As the Singapore campus is a new development, only selected students will enter the Higher Calling Institute for the first and second years. Your school fees will be waived for the full two years you are with us.

The Higher Calling Institute welcomes you to join the family.

Yours faithfully,

Dr Gabriel Jon"

I was amazed. Higher Calling Central had established itself over the past 20 years, and the schools it opened had a large number of students going to elite universities such as Harvard. My own Singapore Girls School had sent me to a Higher Calling Institute branch in Britain last year, and the students were amazingly friendly and polite despite the liberal education system there. Nobody stared at my bottom or my chest.

And now Higher Calling Institute was opening a campus right here. 

The book was a compilation of the history of Higher Calling Central's school network. It wasn't particularly interesting, but it would at least make a good book for show.I found a notice under the book which I hadn't noticed. There was going to be an open house for us tomorrow. We would be able to see our new campus. How exciting!

I called my best friend to tell her the news.

"Hello? This is Elizabeth Chu, who is that?"

"Hi, Liz, it's me, Mei!"

"Hey, Mei, how are you?"

"Oh my god, this is so exciting. Do you know the Higher Calling Institute? They're opening a Singapore campus, and they sent a letter inviting me!"

"OMG!"

I placed the receiver a little way from my ear to block out the squeals.

"Did you receive a letter too, Liz?"

"No. Grats, Mei, you got in!"

She sounded a little disappointed.

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End, for now. Please comment.