May takes a taxi back to her school and heads straight for the secret garden, where she searches high and low until Jean finally shows her face. When May presses for answers to her sudden old age, Jean rambles on about how everyone thinks she's the cause of everything that has happened and how difficult her own life has been, with Saras' bullying and her parents' death.
Eventually Jean reveals the truth - some years ago, after another round of bullying from Saras and gang, she sobbed in a corner of the school field and was then mysteriously led here by "fairies". The garden was like an escape where time stopped, and the lost time would be made up by the years in May's life. As the horrified May comes to terms with this, Saras suddenly appears from behind the bushes. Surprised to see her, Jean nonetheless asks her how she entered and bravely slaps her on the face, leading us to Chapter 26.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
The New Girl, Chapter 25
Chinese New Year is like the noisier, more dashing and outgoing cousin of Christmas. Or at least that's what I feel, hehe...you gotta love this year's celebration for the almost week-long holidays we're getting with Federal Territory Day and Awal Muharram thrown in. More than that, if you conveniently get sick on Friday from too many packet drinks and mandarins, nyek nyek nyek. Unfortunately, there's always the downside of enduring long and repetitive visits to Auntie A's or Uncle B's house where you put on your best smile and engage in meaningless conversation for as long as you can. Oh well, guess all good things (read: angpows!) come at a price...
Every time Jean or May entered the secret garden, May grew older by the minute. This simple logic became more and more horrifying each time she repeated it.
"W-what...kind of evil magic is this?"
"It's more than magic," An unsettling glint twinkled in Jean's eyes. "It's given me my life back."
"At the expense of mine?" Her fear rapidly melted in anger. "There are so many other ways you can get a life, and you take mine?"
"Once again, you're not looking at the big picture. Here you stand, shouting and screaming at me as though I wanted any of this to happen. Was it my fault when my parents died before I even understood why? Was it my fault when Auntie Lilian thought she could take Mom's place? Was it my fault when Saras bullied me like crazy, and everyone shrugged it off as good-natured fun? Before you dare talk about me taking away your life, maybe you should ask about those who took away my life."
May didn't know what to say. "L-let's get out of this place first. Then we can talk."
Jean didn't reply. She seemed to be concentrating on something.
"Shhh." Suddenly her ears perked up. "I think I hear something."
Sure enough, a tiny rustling soon echoed from the bushes leading to the walkway. It sounded too heavy and noisy to be an animal. Not the cutesy varieties that the garden only had, at least.
"Im...impossible!" Jean was agape in disbelief. "It's a human. But the fairies would never let someone in without my permission!"
With fists clenched tight she stormed over to the bushes. "Come out! Whoever that is, show yourself!"
The noises stopped, as if the person was hoping that Jean didn't know he or she was there.
"I said, show yourself."
Timidly two dark hands popped out, followed by a head most unsure of the wisdom in revealing itself. It was Saras.
"You. YOU. You." Jean said in varying tones. "I would never have imagined. How on earth did you enter?"
Saras looked at her in bewilderment, then May. "What the..."
"ANSWER ME!" Jean slapped her across the face. She buckled, then fell backwards more of surprise than force.
"Not so tough now, eh?" Jean grinned smugly like a fisherman would at the one that almost got away. "You might have pushed me around like a piece of crap out there, but realise this, Saras - inside here I am the queen. This is my world."
Every time Jean or May entered the secret garden, May grew older by the minute. This simple logic became more and more horrifying each time she repeated it.
"W-what...kind of evil magic is this?"
"It's more than magic," An unsettling glint twinkled in Jean's eyes. "It's given me my life back."
"At the expense of mine?" Her fear rapidly melted in anger. "There are so many other ways you can get a life, and you take mine?"
"Once again, you're not looking at the big picture. Here you stand, shouting and screaming at me as though I wanted any of this to happen. Was it my fault when my parents died before I even understood why? Was it my fault when Auntie Lilian thought she could take Mom's place? Was it my fault when Saras bullied me like crazy, and everyone shrugged it off as good-natured fun? Before you dare talk about me taking away your life, maybe you should ask about those who took away my life."
May didn't know what to say. "L-let's get out of this place first. Then we can talk."
Jean didn't reply. She seemed to be concentrating on something.
"Shhh." Suddenly her ears perked up. "I think I hear something."
Sure enough, a tiny rustling soon echoed from the bushes leading to the walkway. It sounded too heavy and noisy to be an animal. Not the cutesy varieties that the garden only had, at least.
"Im...impossible!" Jean was agape in disbelief. "It's a human. But the fairies would never let someone in without my permission!"
With fists clenched tight she stormed over to the bushes. "Come out! Whoever that is, show yourself!"
The noises stopped, as if the person was hoping that Jean didn't know he or she was there.
"I said, show yourself."
Timidly two dark hands popped out, followed by a head most unsure of the wisdom in revealing itself. It was Saras.
"You. YOU. You." Jean said in varying tones. "I would never have imagined. How on earth did you enter?"
Saras looked at her in bewilderment, then May. "What the..."
"ANSWER ME!" Jean slapped her across the face. She buckled, then fell backwards more of surprise than force.
"Not so tough now, eh?" Jean grinned smugly like a fisherman would at the one that almost got away. "You might have pushed me around like a piece of crap out there, but realise this, Saras - inside here I am the queen. This is my world."
Friday, January 27, 2006
The New Girl, Chapter 24
Hello once again! Been working part-time as a data entry clerk for the past three days, which isn't exactly tiring, but can turn out to be one of the most boring jobs ever. It's also kinda reassuring that Charmaine commented on the MSN piece being one of the best ones...more reassuring than delighting or satisfying, actually. Does that make me insecure? Well, I did stay up quite late to finish the whole darned thing. And btw Beatrice, yes, Caller Three does seem terribly familiar now that you make me think about it...
We're done, then! The New Girl rolls on, and it's time to give y'all the big payoff to the suspense you've endured so far. Drumrolls, please!
"So this is how the story has to end. No one can be trusted."
May could feel something unswallowable cling on to the insides of her throat. What was this maniac thinking? Was she going to kill her?
"You're thinking whether I'm going to kill you."
Beads of cold sweat slithered downwards May's forehead. Is she reading my mind?
"I'm not really reading your mind," her lips sneered lopsidedly. "The fairies told me that."
"F-fairies?"
"I still remember so well...Saras and gang had been extremely mean to me that day. They snatched away my Geography research folder which was due that day and wouldn't give it back. Nobody would help me. I don't think anyone even believed me. Exasperated, I ran to the school field after reccess and hid there crying. I didn't know how long I was planning to stay there, or what I was going to do after that. Everything just seemed so hopeless."
"I must have been crying for an hour. Maybe more, I don't know. All I know is that I felt this warmth coming from the top of my head. It was like a candle slowly burning up, calling out to me in this sleepy yet soothing voice. I never once felt afraid as they lifted me over the fence and down the dirt path into the most splendid place I had ever seen. Everything I had ever dreamed of, right down to the bunny holes and purple butterflies, they were all there."
"For a whole afternoon I was no more the lonely weird girl with no parents and getting picked on for no reason. Since Mom died, I had never once felt so happy. But before I knew it the sun was setting and I had to go. Once they brought me back over the fence an entire search team was waiting for me. My auntie, the teachers, some students, and even the police. I was in big trouble for over a month."
"And that is why," Jean dug out a packet of very-familiar little red cubes. "The fairies gave me these."
She had offered them one of those when they first met. It tasted no less than horrible, May recalled.
Jean nodded. "Yups. You had one before. Ever noticed how time seems to stop when you're inside the secret garden? Well, that's because it does. That's why we were never late for classes or had search teams coming after us while we were here."
Oh my gosh. She's right.
"The pieces of the puzzle are falling in place, no? But of course, that stolen time can't just appear like that. It has to come from somewhere. Care to take a guess?"
May wrinkled hands started shaking uncontrollably as she finally understood everything that was happening.
We're done, then! The New Girl rolls on, and it's time to give y'all the big payoff to the suspense you've endured so far. Drumrolls, please!
"So this is how the story has to end. No one can be trusted."
May could feel something unswallowable cling on to the insides of her throat. What was this maniac thinking? Was she going to kill her?
"You're thinking whether I'm going to kill you."
Beads of cold sweat slithered downwards May's forehead. Is she reading my mind?
"I'm not really reading your mind," her lips sneered lopsidedly. "The fairies told me that."
"F-fairies?"
"I still remember so well...Saras and gang had been extremely mean to me that day. They snatched away my Geography research folder which was due that day and wouldn't give it back. Nobody would help me. I don't think anyone even believed me. Exasperated, I ran to the school field after reccess and hid there crying. I didn't know how long I was planning to stay there, or what I was going to do after that. Everything just seemed so hopeless."
"I must have been crying for an hour. Maybe more, I don't know. All I know is that I felt this warmth coming from the top of my head. It was like a candle slowly burning up, calling out to me in this sleepy yet soothing voice. I never once felt afraid as they lifted me over the fence and down the dirt path into the most splendid place I had ever seen. Everything I had ever dreamed of, right down to the bunny holes and purple butterflies, they were all there."
"For a whole afternoon I was no more the lonely weird girl with no parents and getting picked on for no reason. Since Mom died, I had never once felt so happy. But before I knew it the sun was setting and I had to go. Once they brought me back over the fence an entire search team was waiting for me. My auntie, the teachers, some students, and even the police. I was in big trouble for over a month."
"And that is why," Jean dug out a packet of very-familiar little red cubes. "The fairies gave me these."
She had offered them one of those when they first met. It tasted no less than horrible, May recalled.
Jean nodded. "Yups. You had one before. Ever noticed how time seems to stop when you're inside the secret garden? Well, that's because it does. That's why we were never late for classes or had search teams coming after us while we were here."
Oh my gosh. She's right.
"The pieces of the puzzle are falling in place, no? But of course, that stolen time can't just appear like that. It has to come from somewhere. Care to take a guess?"
May wrinkled hands started shaking uncontrollably as she finally understood everything that was happening.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Writer's Block Presents...So You Think You Know MSN?
So you think you know all there is to know about MSN Messenger, huh? You keep telling youself that buster, and maybe someday you'll start believing yourself. MSN Messenger (from now on referred to as "MSN") can at the best of times be a handy program that allows you to chat with friends, transfer files conveniently, and even show off cool display pictures. When the other side of the toast shows up, however, you have a deranged sub-culture festering with loonies who think the Nudge button is the greatest thing ever invented, embarassing nicknames, 50MB file transfers, and what-have-yous.
Knowing full well of the growing number of problems faced by disillusioned MSN users, our resident MSN expert (who also happens to be - who else? - the author of this blog) squeezes in some time to take questions on Netiquette. And no, that's not the new boutique in Times Square.
Note: The following article is almost entirely a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, events, or places are purely coincidential and satirical.
MSN-okkies: Hello, so you think you know MSN?
Caller One: Hello. I'm having a conversation with this friend whom I have not seen in a long time, but we don't seem to have much to talk about after exchanging greetings and news. What should I say?
MSN-okkies: If the last sentence was from him, say "oic", "ok", or "haha". Then WAIT for 5 minutes before switching your status to Away. All replies from him in the meanwhile should be ignored. This way, it'll seem as though you left your computer to go into sleep mode while you went elsewhere. Totally acceptable.
Caller One: But what if he keeps asking me "Hey, r u there?" and Nudging me?
MSN-okkies: Sign out. It'll seem like your mom accidentally turned off the computer while cleaning up. Happens all the time.
Caller One: Oh wow, that's neat. I'll try that next time. Thanks a lot, MSN...ok...kies? They actually let you come on air with that sort of name?
MSN-okkies: There is no they. I am the they.
(hangs up)
MSN-okkies: Hello, so you think you know MSN?
Caller Two: There's this girl I want to chat with, but her status is at Away. Would it be appropriate to just say hi?
MSN-okkies: (stifles laughter) Of course not. She's definitely not at her computer - her status wouldn't be Away otherwise, would she?
Caller Two: But what is she doing with her MSN on if she's not at the computer?
MSN-okkies: Downloading songs. And, uh, transferring them through MSN.
Caller Two: All the time?!
MSN-okkies: So she has a slower dial-up connection. You got a problem with that?
Caller Two: Umm...I guess not. But sometimes I see her status change to "Busy" instead. What's up with that?
MSN-okkies: Duh...what do you think? She must be so busy with something else that requires her undivided attention that she actually bothered to turn on her MSN and take the trouble to change her tag to "Busy". Yups, that's got to be it.
Caller Two: (sighs) Guess I'll never have her, then.
MSN-okkies: Ew. Go change your MSN nick to "I love you forever and ever, will you pls be my girlfren" or something. And get a life while you're at it.
(hangs up)
MSN-okkies: Okay, now all the weirdos are coming in. Hello, so you think you know MSN?
Caller Three: Uh, yeah, hi. So, there's this friend of mine who, like, keeps sending me huge files of lame stuff everytime I meet him online. I don't like refusing him - you know? - but it's really slowing down my com and all. What's a guy gotta do?
MSN-okkies: Sounds pretty easy to me. You accept his file, count to ten, and click "Cancel". Sure, the dude's gonna be all "Hey, what happened?". And you can say "Aw man, problem with the connection. Send again." He'll try once more, and this time you count till TWENTY before cancelling. Repeat process, counting up to a different number each time until it's safe enough to say "gtg". Should be fun enough to put you off whatever you're busy with at the moment.
Caller Three: But won't he, like, get suspicious and all?
MSN-okkies: Nobody can ever be justifiably suspicious of the opposite party on MSN. Remember that, naive one, and all shall be well with your future conversations.
Caller Three: Will try to. Thanks, Mr. MSN...uh, uh...
MSN-okkies: It's a play of words using MSN and Mokkies. Go read up on a word called intelligence, for crying out loud.
(hangs up)
MSN-okkies: Hello, so you think...
Caller Four: Some idiot's put my name in his MSN nick, followed by "I love you forever and ever, will you pls be my girlfren". It's really, really, embarrassing. Please get him to stop.
MSN-okkies: Yeeps...doesn't seem to be a pretty case, missy. You tried talking to him?
Caller Four: No way I'm talking to that creep! Should I block him?
MSN-okkies: I would advise against that. MSN Block Checkers are floating around everywhere these days. Then you might have to switch to ICR or something.
Caller Four: You mean ICQ.
MSN-okkies: Yeah, whatever. All right, tell you what...create a new e-mail account that sounds as much as possible like it came from the actual MSN company. Send him an email with that account detailing - in corporate language and all, of course - how he has been "reported for violating privacy rights of other users via means of defamation, harassment etc as detailed in Guideline 13 of the Registration Rules And Regulations", making his "continued usage of the current account an offense punishable by federal and international law." Should he disregard the email, take it to the next level by creating an MSN Messenger account with the new email and adding him into your contact list. Chat up with him while imposing as an MSN high-up staff the best you can. That should scare the living daylights out of him.
Caller Four: Wow, thanks! You really are a great help!
MSN-okkies: Why, you make me blush. Have a nice day.
(hangs up)
MSN-okkies: My, my, look at the time. We'll take one last caller before going off air. Hello, so you think you know MSN?
Caller Five: Uhh...hi, it's me again. You know, the one who was being ignored by the girl.
MSN-okkies: (chokes on laughter) Oh yeah, I remember you. So how did it go?
Caller Five: Not so good. I changed my MSN nick, and she's still On The Phone. It's been six hours already. Should I call her?
MSN-okkies: She's on the phone, doink.
Caller Five: Then maybe I should send her an SMS. She'll reply me after she finishes her call, right?
MSN-okkies: Of course she will. Keep it short and sweet too...just ask "where r u". Everyone loves receiving and replying to messages like that. And while you're at it, ask "r u there" through MSN, followed by a Nudge.
Caller Five: And if all else fails?
MSN-okkies: Nudge repeatedly. Remember - nothing, and I mean nothing, in this world is more powerful than the Nudge. Except for Winks, maybe.
Caller Five: Okay, I sure will try that. Hey, I received a new email from MSN Anti Stalkers! Cool.
MSN-okkies: Goodbye, sucka.
(hangs up)
MSN-okkies: (sniggers) It's a complicated world out there, and someone's gotta provide us with comic relief. Boy oh boy, do I smell a money-spinning franchise coming up. That's a wrap, people, hope you enjoyed the show and took it more seriously than I did. ;)
(Appears Offline)
Knowing full well of the growing number of problems faced by disillusioned MSN users, our resident MSN expert (who also happens to be - who else? - the author of this blog) squeezes in some time to take questions on Netiquette. And no, that's not the new boutique in Times Square.
Note: The following article is almost entirely a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons, events, or places are purely coincidential and satirical.
MSN-okkies: Hello, so you think you know MSN?
Caller One: Hello. I'm having a conversation with this friend whom I have not seen in a long time, but we don't seem to have much to talk about after exchanging greetings and news. What should I say?
MSN-okkies: If the last sentence was from him, say "oic", "ok", or "haha". Then WAIT for 5 minutes before switching your status to Away. All replies from him in the meanwhile should be ignored. This way, it'll seem as though you left your computer to go into sleep mode while you went elsewhere. Totally acceptable.
Caller One: But what if he keeps asking me "Hey, r u there?" and Nudging me?
MSN-okkies: Sign out. It'll seem like your mom accidentally turned off the computer while cleaning up. Happens all the time.
Caller One: Oh wow, that's neat. I'll try that next time. Thanks a lot, MSN...ok...kies? They actually let you come on air with that sort of name?
MSN-okkies: There is no they. I am the they.
(hangs up)
MSN-okkies: Hello, so you think you know MSN?
Caller Two: There's this girl I want to chat with, but her status is at Away. Would it be appropriate to just say hi?
MSN-okkies: (stifles laughter) Of course not. She's definitely not at her computer - her status wouldn't be Away otherwise, would she?
Caller Two: But what is she doing with her MSN on if she's not at the computer?
MSN-okkies: Downloading songs. And, uh, transferring them through MSN.
Caller Two: All the time?!
MSN-okkies: So she has a slower dial-up connection. You got a problem with that?
Caller Two: Umm...I guess not. But sometimes I see her status change to "Busy" instead. What's up with that?
MSN-okkies: Duh...what do you think? She must be so busy with something else that requires her undivided attention that she actually bothered to turn on her MSN and take the trouble to change her tag to "Busy". Yups, that's got to be it.
Caller Two: (sighs) Guess I'll never have her, then.
MSN-okkies: Ew. Go change your MSN nick to "I love you forever and ever, will you pls be my girlfren" or something. And get a life while you're at it.
(hangs up)
MSN-okkies: Okay, now all the weirdos are coming in. Hello, so you think you know MSN?
Caller Three: Uh, yeah, hi. So, there's this friend of mine who, like, keeps sending me huge files of lame stuff everytime I meet him online. I don't like refusing him - you know? - but it's really slowing down my com and all. What's a guy gotta do?
MSN-okkies: Sounds pretty easy to me. You accept his file, count to ten, and click "Cancel". Sure, the dude's gonna be all "Hey, what happened?". And you can say "Aw man, problem with the connection. Send again." He'll try once more, and this time you count till TWENTY before cancelling. Repeat process, counting up to a different number each time until it's safe enough to say "gtg". Should be fun enough to put you off whatever you're busy with at the moment.
Caller Three: But won't he, like, get suspicious and all?
MSN-okkies: Nobody can ever be justifiably suspicious of the opposite party on MSN. Remember that, naive one, and all shall be well with your future conversations.
Caller Three: Will try to. Thanks, Mr. MSN...uh, uh...
MSN-okkies: It's a play of words using MSN and Mokkies. Go read up on a word called intelligence, for crying out loud.
(hangs up)
MSN-okkies: Hello, so you think...
Caller Four: Some idiot's put my name in his MSN nick, followed by "I love you forever and ever, will you pls be my girlfren". It's really, really, embarrassing. Please get him to stop.
MSN-okkies: Yeeps...doesn't seem to be a pretty case, missy. You tried talking to him?
Caller Four: No way I'm talking to that creep! Should I block him?
MSN-okkies: I would advise against that. MSN Block Checkers are floating around everywhere these days. Then you might have to switch to ICR or something.
Caller Four: You mean ICQ.
MSN-okkies: Yeah, whatever. All right, tell you what...create a new e-mail account that sounds as much as possible like it came from the actual MSN company. Send him an email with that account detailing - in corporate language and all, of course - how he has been "reported for violating privacy rights of other users via means of defamation, harassment etc as detailed in Guideline 13 of the Registration Rules And Regulations", making his "continued usage of the current account an offense punishable by federal and international law." Should he disregard the email, take it to the next level by creating an MSN Messenger account with the new email and adding him into your contact list. Chat up with him while imposing as an MSN high-up staff the best you can. That should scare the living daylights out of him.
Caller Four: Wow, thanks! You really are a great help!
MSN-okkies: Why, you make me blush. Have a nice day.
(hangs up)
MSN-okkies: My, my, look at the time. We'll take one last caller before going off air. Hello, so you think you know MSN?
Caller Five: Uhh...hi, it's me again. You know, the one who was being ignored by the girl.
MSN-okkies: (chokes on laughter) Oh yeah, I remember you. So how did it go?
Caller Five: Not so good. I changed my MSN nick, and she's still On The Phone. It's been six hours already. Should I call her?
MSN-okkies: She's on the phone, doink.
Caller Five: Then maybe I should send her an SMS. She'll reply me after she finishes her call, right?
MSN-okkies: Of course she will. Keep it short and sweet too...just ask "where r u". Everyone loves receiving and replying to messages like that. And while you're at it, ask "r u there" through MSN, followed by a Nudge.
Caller Five: And if all else fails?
MSN-okkies: Nudge repeatedly. Remember - nothing, and I mean nothing, in this world is more powerful than the Nudge. Except for Winks, maybe.
Caller Five: Okay, I sure will try that. Hey, I received a new email from MSN Anti Stalkers! Cool.
MSN-okkies: Goodbye, sucka.
(hangs up)
MSN-okkies: (sniggers) It's a complicated world out there, and someone's gotta provide us with comic relief. Boy oh boy, do I smell a money-spinning franchise coming up. That's a wrap, people, hope you enjoyed the show and took it more seriously than I did. ;)
(Appears Offline)
Sunday, January 22, 2006
The New Girl, Chapter 23
The oooodles of fun continues with nutcase Jean almost starting to show signs of cracking up! Nothing full-blown yet, but it's so much scarier when it's subtle as heck. Have fun, kiddos.
"Did I frighten you? Oh, I'm so sorry." Jean changed at the snap of a finger to a soft-spoken concerned friend. "P-please don't think I'm crazy or something. I'm like that sometimes."
And one of those sometimes you're going to kill me, thought May.
"That's why I need this secret garden, May. The people out there are so mean and nasty to me, not like everything in here. I was hoping you would learn to love this place as well, but apparently you don't."
Now May was making no attempts to mask her uneasiness at Jean. "Listen, we've both got problems."
"You mean I had problems. I never have any problems in the secret garden."
Suddenly the cerulean sky and bobbing leaves didn't seem just that. The beaming trees. The velvety grass. The rabbits and picnics and brooks and see-through streams...all of them could almost be taken straight out from story books and paintings.
"I thought you were having problems with Saras as well, you see, that's why I brought you here. But then you go and become friends with Saras, and she makes you think I'm the psycho around here. Kinda the story of my life, huh?"
"Don't be silly. I'm not friends with Saras. And even if I was, why would that bother you?"
"It shouldn't," Jean smiled sadly and shook her head. "But you know...I'm weird. Misha was like that too. First she was all buddy-buddy with me, hanging out together here four, five times a week. But once she became old like you, she didn't want to be friends any more. She became scared of me."
"Sometimes I wonder to myself - what does it take to have a friend that stays true to you? Everyone tells me to just be myself and I do that. Some others tell me to treat my friends well and I give them a whole perfect garden. And others tell me to be open and share each others' problems. I do that too. Remember me telling you about my parents' death?"
May nodded vaguely.
"But they all end up betraying me. How sad."
Her voice cracked a little. But still she was smiling sweetly as ever.
"I know what Saras told you about me, May. And I know what you're thinking about me. You think I don't know, but I do."
"Did I frighten you? Oh, I'm so sorry." Jean changed at the snap of a finger to a soft-spoken concerned friend. "P-please don't think I'm crazy or something. I'm like that sometimes."
And one of those sometimes you're going to kill me, thought May.
"That's why I need this secret garden, May. The people out there are so mean and nasty to me, not like everything in here. I was hoping you would learn to love this place as well, but apparently you don't."
Now May was making no attempts to mask her uneasiness at Jean. "Listen, we've both got problems."
"You mean I had problems. I never have any problems in the secret garden."
Suddenly the cerulean sky and bobbing leaves didn't seem just that. The beaming trees. The velvety grass. The rabbits and picnics and brooks and see-through streams...all of them could almost be taken straight out from story books and paintings.
"I thought you were having problems with Saras as well, you see, that's why I brought you here. But then you go and become friends with Saras, and she makes you think I'm the psycho around here. Kinda the story of my life, huh?"
"Don't be silly. I'm not friends with Saras. And even if I was, why would that bother you?"
"It shouldn't," Jean smiled sadly and shook her head. "But you know...I'm weird. Misha was like that too. First she was all buddy-buddy with me, hanging out together here four, five times a week. But once she became old like you, she didn't want to be friends any more. She became scared of me."
"Sometimes I wonder to myself - what does it take to have a friend that stays true to you? Everyone tells me to just be myself and I do that. Some others tell me to treat my friends well and I give them a whole perfect garden. And others tell me to be open and share each others' problems. I do that too. Remember me telling you about my parents' death?"
May nodded vaguely.
"But they all end up betraying me. How sad."
Her voice cracked a little. But still she was smiling sweetly as ever.
"I know what Saras told you about me, May. And I know what you're thinking about me. You think I don't know, but I do."
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
The New Girl, Chapter 22
Well, whadayya know! Who would've ever imagined writing this chapter would be as much fun as it has turned out to be? It goes to show that I need to spend less time worrying about how "developed, motivated, blah blah blah" the characters are and just let them have fun out there.
Something inside her told her that Jean was around. She was hiding, not wanting to be seen by May for some reason.
"I hope you're not still mad at me for talking to Saras." May called out.
At last a pale voice, unmistakenably Jean's, filtered through the trees. "I'm not mad at you."
"Then show yourself. Please."
Jean's head poked out through a lowering branch May hadn't noticed earlier. She was still in her pinafore. Limberly she slid down to the grass with a muted thud, then took one look at May and become slightly agitated.
"You...you've become older."
"Please, Jean," May sounded dead serious. "Tell me what caused this."
"It's Saras," she shook her head and sniffed. "She cast a spell on you."
"I'm really, really sorry that I have to say this, Jean, but...I'm finding it very hard to believe you."
Jean's eyes quivered wide in fear. "Why?"
"Look - I'm aging fifteen years every night and I'm begging you to give me a clue. Surely you must know something. Your friend Misha...what happened to her? How did she end up becoming old like me as well?"
"I don't know," she started sobbing. "It's all so confusing. Oh, why can't we just leave this all behind and have our beautiful picnics and walks and happy days forever?"
Jean tugged at her hand and forced a smile. "I built a new treehouse. Want to have a look?"
"Snap out of it!" May felt like slapping her.
"What do you want from me?"
Her shriek was so unexpected and ear-piercing that May swore the entire garden became still as a picture. It then occurred to May that no one knew where she was.
"First it was Auntie Lilian. Then Saras. Then the teachers. Then Misha. And now you. It's just too much fun picking on Jean, isn't it? Oh look, it's Jean the weirdo. There she goes again, talking to herself about weird stuff with her weird face and her weird clothes in her weird voice. Of course I'm crazy. Of course you don't trust me. Saras must be right! Saras must be right! I'm the evil black magic witch casting voodoo spells on you! Right?"
May didn't know what to make of this crazed outburst. Fear, however, was most definitely creeping in. Harmless she might appear, but Jean probably knew every inch of this garden.
Something inside her told her that Jean was around. She was hiding, not wanting to be seen by May for some reason.
"I hope you're not still mad at me for talking to Saras." May called out.
At last a pale voice, unmistakenably Jean's, filtered through the trees. "I'm not mad at you."
"Then show yourself. Please."
Jean's head poked out through a lowering branch May hadn't noticed earlier. She was still in her pinafore. Limberly she slid down to the grass with a muted thud, then took one look at May and become slightly agitated.
"You...you've become older."
"Please, Jean," May sounded dead serious. "Tell me what caused this."
"It's Saras," she shook her head and sniffed. "She cast a spell on you."
"I'm really, really sorry that I have to say this, Jean, but...I'm finding it very hard to believe you."
Jean's eyes quivered wide in fear. "Why?"
"Look - I'm aging fifteen years every night and I'm begging you to give me a clue. Surely you must know something. Your friend Misha...what happened to her? How did she end up becoming old like me as well?"
"I don't know," she started sobbing. "It's all so confusing. Oh, why can't we just leave this all behind and have our beautiful picnics and walks and happy days forever?"
Jean tugged at her hand and forced a smile. "I built a new treehouse. Want to have a look?"
"Snap out of it!" May felt like slapping her.
"What do you want from me?"
Her shriek was so unexpected and ear-piercing that May swore the entire garden became still as a picture. It then occurred to May that no one knew where she was.
"First it was Auntie Lilian. Then Saras. Then the teachers. Then Misha. And now you. It's just too much fun picking on Jean, isn't it? Oh look, it's Jean the weirdo. There she goes again, talking to herself about weird stuff with her weird face and her weird clothes in her weird voice. Of course I'm crazy. Of course you don't trust me. Saras must be right! Saras must be right! I'm the evil black magic witch casting voodoo spells on you! Right?"
May didn't know what to make of this crazed outburst. Fear, however, was most definitely creeping in. Harmless she might appear, but Jean probably knew every inch of this garden.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Writer's Block
Am I not supposed to be very free at the moment? Yups, and that's what I've been telling everyone, so it makes me not-so-free instead. Talk about paradoxical. Stir in the sudden feverish fit I had on Sunday night and wholesome nutritious laziness, and you have a golden brown reason to forgive me for my six-day absence.
Anyway! You must be wondering why that bit of pointless fluffery would warrant an entire Writer's Block. "You mean you're NOT going to update the story? Oh mannn..." Or wait...did something important happen in my life? You bet! Everyday's an important day when you're me, but that's not for you to find out.
Actually I realised that I've yet to do a "story analysis" for The New Girl, which is quite a pity really. Story analyses make good speed bumps on the highway of writing-just-for-writing's-sake. So bear with me will ya, as I slam the brakes at a most inappropriate time...
See, we're now at Chapter 21 (at this point I just realise that Chapter 21 has been mistakenly titled Chapter 20 for over a week), and okay, okay, nothing too bad so far. Meloves the ambigiuty of who's the bigger evil between Jean and Saras still being played out, and your unconventional playground of horrors in the beautiful garden. Everything's like a bubble puffing up just waiting to burst and leave a splatter of dishwashing liquid on your indignant faces. =p
I would play out more of the uncomfortable relationship between the odd trio of May, Jean, and Saras, but Ghostopia has taught me a thing or two about milking the cow for too long. There are, in my mind, two things which make a story good - compelling characters you love and hate, and interesting things to happen to them or for them to do. Take either one away, or worse, both, and you have the storytelling equivalent of a bad joke. However with the very limited space Twisted Tales has to offer, I can't really do both at the same time. Notice how practically nothing "deep" has been said yet of Misha at this point, and how it was a teeeensy bit too early for Jean to do her disappearing act.
It's a good thing that The New Girl is the sort of story that draws you to the climax based on sheer curiousity of what the characters are about, rather than what they are going to do, which means the lack of understanding of the characters could work to the story's advantage instead. And would it be surprising if I confessed again that I don't have a concrete ending in mind? Hehe, guess not. I even had the idea of not making this scene the final scene (which explains why Jean has yet to show up), but that could turn into a major anti-climax. Let's just get this baby over and done with and move on, I say!
And lastly, can anyone tell me please where this getting-older-by-the-minute plot has been done before? The best I can recall is an episode of The Outer Limits I saw recently, but that was more like "transferring" age, not making someone age rapidly. Of course there was this Stephen King book-slash-movie called Thinner, where you had this dude growing thinner rapidly after he angered some...um, gypsy? Can't be too sure. Pst...make sure Mr. King doesn't hear about this, but I actually got the idea from that. Now you know.
And that brings to an end the latest edition of Writer's Block which you didn't ask for, and most likely didn't read every word of! Trust me to know dirty little secrets like this...I'll see you people around for End Game of The New Girl.
Anyway! You must be wondering why that bit of pointless fluffery would warrant an entire Writer's Block. "You mean you're NOT going to update the story? Oh mannn..." Or wait...did something important happen in my life? You bet! Everyday's an important day when you're me, but that's not for you to find out.
Actually I realised that I've yet to do a "story analysis" for The New Girl, which is quite a pity really. Story analyses make good speed bumps on the highway of writing-just-for-writing's-sake. So bear with me will ya, as I slam the brakes at a most inappropriate time...
See, we're now at Chapter 21 (at this point I just realise that Chapter 21 has been mistakenly titled Chapter 20 for over a week), and okay, okay, nothing too bad so far. Meloves the ambigiuty of who's the bigger evil between Jean and Saras still being played out, and your unconventional playground of horrors in the beautiful garden. Everything's like a bubble puffing up just waiting to burst and leave a splatter of dishwashing liquid on your indignant faces. =p
I would play out more of the uncomfortable relationship between the odd trio of May, Jean, and Saras, but Ghostopia has taught me a thing or two about milking the cow for too long. There are, in my mind, two things which make a story good - compelling characters you love and hate, and interesting things to happen to them or for them to do. Take either one away, or worse, both, and you have the storytelling equivalent of a bad joke. However with the very limited space Twisted Tales has to offer, I can't really do both at the same time. Notice how practically nothing "deep" has been said yet of Misha at this point, and how it was a teeeensy bit too early for Jean to do her disappearing act.
It's a good thing that The New Girl is the sort of story that draws you to the climax based on sheer curiousity of what the characters are about, rather than what they are going to do, which means the lack of understanding of the characters could work to the story's advantage instead. And would it be surprising if I confessed again that I don't have a concrete ending in mind? Hehe, guess not. I even had the idea of not making this scene the final scene (which explains why Jean has yet to show up), but that could turn into a major anti-climax. Let's just get this baby over and done with and move on, I say!
And lastly, can anyone tell me please where this getting-older-by-the-minute plot has been done before? The best I can recall is an episode of The Outer Limits I saw recently, but that was more like "transferring" age, not making someone age rapidly. Of course there was this Stephen King book-slash-movie called Thinner, where you had this dude growing thinner rapidly after he angered some...um, gypsy? Can't be too sure. Pst...make sure Mr. King doesn't hear about this, but I actually got the idea from that. Now you know.
And that brings to an end the latest edition of Writer's Block which you didn't ask for, and most likely didn't read every word of! Trust me to know dirty little secrets like this...I'll see you people around for End Game of The New Girl.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
The New Girl, Chapter 21
I'm having to step out of my comfort zone, with dilemma-inducing job offers and all. It's scary. Seriously.
May couldn't keep her eyes off the taxi meter. Already it was heading dangerously close to the limit of ten ringgit she had safely tucked in her pocket.
"So are you a teacher, or a parent?" The taxi driver hollered like a typical uneducated Chinaman.
"Parent." If only he would shut up already.
"How old is your child?"
"Sixteen." she blurted out before pretending to sleep. Good, at least she could ponder over more worrying things in peace now.
"Ten ringgit and forty sen please, madam,"
May grinned sheepishly and slapped the sole red note onto his outstretched palm. "Sorry, that's all I've got."
With a not-too-pleased look the driver made do and sped off, leaving a lost-looking middle-aged lady standing before the entrance of St. Francesca's Girls' School. It was still as intimidating as the first day she had laid eyes on it, but there was good reason for it this time around.
And where would she find Jean? For May, it was quite a no-brainer - there didn't seem to be any place else she could hide in that no one else had bothered looking but the secret garden.
Climbing over a five-foot tall wired fence when you were a forty-year old with rubbery legs was in no way easy. May pushed and panted - once, twice, thrice - finally succeeding on the fourth try. She laid back flat on the grass, rather alarmed at the toll age took on the human body.
It was still beautiful as ever inside, but May was too flustered to spare a passing glance to the blooming flowers and all that came with them.
"Jean!" she cried out. "Jean! I know you're here somewhere! Come on out!"
The singing of the birds hushed slightly, as though they wanted her to be heard.
"Jean! Jean! Where are you?"
Now the birds were totally silent. An uneasy gust toyed with May's hair.
"Jean?"
May couldn't keep her eyes off the taxi meter. Already it was heading dangerously close to the limit of ten ringgit she had safely tucked in her pocket.
"So are you a teacher, or a parent?" The taxi driver hollered like a typical uneducated Chinaman.
"Parent." If only he would shut up already.
"How old is your child?"
"Sixteen." she blurted out before pretending to sleep. Good, at least she could ponder over more worrying things in peace now.
"Ten ringgit and forty sen please, madam,"
May grinned sheepishly and slapped the sole red note onto his outstretched palm. "Sorry, that's all I've got."
With a not-too-pleased look the driver made do and sped off, leaving a lost-looking middle-aged lady standing before the entrance of St. Francesca's Girls' School. It was still as intimidating as the first day she had laid eyes on it, but there was good reason for it this time around.
And where would she find Jean? For May, it was quite a no-brainer - there didn't seem to be any place else she could hide in that no one else had bothered looking but the secret garden.
Climbing over a five-foot tall wired fence when you were a forty-year old with rubbery legs was in no way easy. May pushed and panted - once, twice, thrice - finally succeeding on the fourth try. She laid back flat on the grass, rather alarmed at the toll age took on the human body.
It was still beautiful as ever inside, but May was too flustered to spare a passing glance to the blooming flowers and all that came with them.
"Jean!" she cried out. "Jean! I know you're here somewhere! Come on out!"
The singing of the birds hushed slightly, as though they wanted her to be heard.
"Jean! Jean! Where are you?"
Now the birds were totally silent. An uneasy gust toyed with May's hair.
"Jean?"
Monday, January 09, 2006
reCAPPENING: The New Girl, Chapters 16-20
Whoops...forgot to include the preamble for yesterday's post. The event most worth noting should be last Friday night's launching of our graduation exhibition (finally!). Screw the incessant downpour and almost-embarassing lack of guests, us Batch 26ers were going to make it a night to remember all the same. A distant relative of the prom night genre, if you will...
Anyway now that January's upon us and I can no longer believably employ the excuse of being busy, guess we're gonna have to see Ghostopia around again somewhere soon. Oh you wait, just you wait...
May's parents take her to the hospital, but the doctors are equally clueless. On the way there, she figures that the black magic Jean and Saras are involved in must be the cause for her sudden aging. However, her parents refuse to let her go anywhere but the hospital.
Saras then unexpectedly visits her, bearing two bits of information - Misha was earlier on in the same condition as May was, eventually aging into a shrivelled old lady of almost 100. Apart from that, Jean has gone missing.
That night, May awakes and finds out to her horror that she has aged another fifteen years. She racks her brain desperately in search of a way to make get to school and confront Jean. Morning arrives, and she manages to escape from the hospital by masquerading as her mother. She hurries off excitedly outside to hail a taxi, leading us into Chapter 21.
Anyway now that January's upon us and I can no longer believably employ the excuse of being busy, guess we're gonna have to see Ghostopia around again somewhere soon. Oh you wait, just you wait...
May's parents take her to the hospital, but the doctors are equally clueless. On the way there, she figures that the black magic Jean and Saras are involved in must be the cause for her sudden aging. However, her parents refuse to let her go anywhere but the hospital.
Saras then unexpectedly visits her, bearing two bits of information - Misha was earlier on in the same condition as May was, eventually aging into a shrivelled old lady of almost 100. Apart from that, Jean has gone missing.
That night, May awakes and finds out to her horror that she has aged another fifteen years. She racks her brain desperately in search of a way to make get to school and confront Jean. Morning arrives, and she manages to escape from the hospital by masquerading as her mother. She hurries off excitedly outside to hail a taxi, leading us into Chapter 21.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
The New Girl, Chapter 20
May drew her breath in for so long she almost suffocated. The dreary footsteps of the nurse plodded closer and closer to her room, then stopped. There. Now was the time for action.
She'd stayed up almost the whole night stringing together the best escape plan her mind could concoct, drawing deep from her years of Girl Guiding and Kim Possible viewings. Every possible scenario was already backed up, every question readied with a prepared answer. It had to work.
"Where's my daughter?" May tried her best to sound anxious. "She's not around!"
"What?" the unsuspecting nurse peered at the empty bed and frowned. "Maybe she's in the toilet."
"No she's not! Don't you think I would have checked?"
"Hold on for a minute," she dialled the room phone. "Hello, Doris? Yes, I'm calling from 262B. Did anyone move...erm, May Leong See Mei?"
She nodded grimly and hung up. "She doesn't have any appointments scheduled...but don't worry, we'll have her back as soon as possible."
"You better," May was very much tempted to kick up a fuss like any doting parent would, but realised she didn't have time. "I'll be back in the afternoon."
The perplexed nurse nodded.
It worked perfectly! May couldn't help smiling to herself as she hurried to the nearest elevator, all the while making sure that her meticulously pieced blanket-cum-hospital-gown outfit didn't fall apart and make the nurses escort her back. And as much as she wanted to just sprint all the way down the stairs, rationality made her think otherwise. She couldn't risk not acting normal.
It had to be the longest elevator trip she ever took. Bing! An elderly couple stepped in, chatting animatedly about some magical sea cucumber paste which - if they were to be believed - could cure anything. Bing! The number 1 had barely changed into G when in came a group of doctors in the midst of their morning pleasantries. One of them happened to be May's doctor.
"Hi, Mrs. Leong," he greeted her.
"Oh, hi." The less said the better.
"Visiting your daughter?"
Bing! At long last they reached the ground floor. "Yah." she uttered weakly and exited with an increasingly fragile calmness.
Don't look at anyone. Don't look at anyone.
The sliding doors parted, letting in a cacophony of outside noises. They weren't really noises, but even the sound of traffic lights changing would seem thumping after days in hospital sterility.
Either way, she was out of the hospital. Now to hitch a ride back to school.
She'd stayed up almost the whole night stringing together the best escape plan her mind could concoct, drawing deep from her years of Girl Guiding and Kim Possible viewings. Every possible scenario was already backed up, every question readied with a prepared answer. It had to work.
"Where's my daughter?" May tried her best to sound anxious. "She's not around!"
"What?" the unsuspecting nurse peered at the empty bed and frowned. "Maybe she's in the toilet."
"No she's not! Don't you think I would have checked?"
"Hold on for a minute," she dialled the room phone. "Hello, Doris? Yes, I'm calling from 262B. Did anyone move...erm, May Leong See Mei?"
She nodded grimly and hung up. "She doesn't have any appointments scheduled...but don't worry, we'll have her back as soon as possible."
"You better," May was very much tempted to kick up a fuss like any doting parent would, but realised she didn't have time. "I'll be back in the afternoon."
The perplexed nurse nodded.
It worked perfectly! May couldn't help smiling to herself as she hurried to the nearest elevator, all the while making sure that her meticulously pieced blanket-cum-hospital-gown outfit didn't fall apart and make the nurses escort her back. And as much as she wanted to just sprint all the way down the stairs, rationality made her think otherwise. She couldn't risk not acting normal.
It had to be the longest elevator trip she ever took. Bing! An elderly couple stepped in, chatting animatedly about some magical sea cucumber paste which - if they were to be believed - could cure anything. Bing! The number 1 had barely changed into G when in came a group of doctors in the midst of their morning pleasantries. One of them happened to be May's doctor.
"Hi, Mrs. Leong," he greeted her.
"Oh, hi." The less said the better.
"Visiting your daughter?"
Bing! At long last they reached the ground floor. "Yah." she uttered weakly and exited with an increasingly fragile calmness.
Don't look at anyone. Don't look at anyone.
The sliding doors parted, letting in a cacophony of outside noises. They weren't really noises, but even the sound of traffic lights changing would seem thumping after days in hospital sterility.
Either way, she was out of the hospital. Now to hitch a ride back to school.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Writer's Block: Stupidity
After an almost two month long absence, we herald the return of our the poem/short story-type Writer's Block! You know, the sort that would actually be READ. And lol, what a brave fool I am for posting this on the World Wide Web. Consider this a subtle outcry against the many instances of...erm, not-so-wise decisions I've encountered during my six-month long tenure as Vice President of the Batch 26 Graduation Campaign. No names named, of course - just bear in mind that it's most fun to read when you imagine "I" as yourself and tsk-tsk at the mind-boggling stupidity of everyone but yourself...
Ah, stupidity!
How I wish you hadn't come today
Always sneaking, slinking round the corners
Go away! I'm in the midst of the creative process
When people think they're right before they speak
Pow! You swoop in like an eagle and go flap flap flap
Hissing, clawing, scratching my face - ouch!
Begone! I said begone!
When every idea needs to be approved by twenty different heads
There you are again, jiving on the table barefoot
Stop clapping the dust off you shoes, I'm warning you!
Stupidity, you're not welcome here!
When details are given so much attention to that the big picture is an afterthought
You clamber to the ceiling fan and swing crazily, screaming your head off
Who taught you to thump your chest so loudly, you rip-off Tarzan?
Be quiet, for crying out loud! I can't think straight!
When meetings last weeks in wait of the perfect idea
Crash! Boom! Bang! Like a raging bull you charge round the room
Goring tables and chairs, turning them topsy-turvy
I'm begging you, leave us alone! You've wasted enough of our time already
When three seperate ideas become one to appease all
Your beady eyes bulge into flaming red balls, your jaws stretch wide open
What enormous teeth! What a piercing roar! Everything's falling apart!
Now you've really done it, YOU STUPID CREATURE!
BOOM!
Sigh
Nothing's left now
Nothing but Stupidity and the trail of duh
The saddest thing about Stupidity is that
It doesn't come to stupid people
It comes to smart people who think that
It won't come at all
Ah, stupidity!
How I wish you hadn't come today
Always sneaking, slinking round the corners
Go away! I'm in the midst of the creative process
When people think they're right before they speak
Pow! You swoop in like an eagle and go flap flap flap
Hissing, clawing, scratching my face - ouch!
Begone! I said begone!
When every idea needs to be approved by twenty different heads
There you are again, jiving on the table barefoot
Stop clapping the dust off you shoes, I'm warning you!
Stupidity, you're not welcome here!
When details are given so much attention to that the big picture is an afterthought
You clamber to the ceiling fan and swing crazily, screaming your head off
Who taught you to thump your chest so loudly, you rip-off Tarzan?
Be quiet, for crying out loud! I can't think straight!
When meetings last weeks in wait of the perfect idea
Crash! Boom! Bang! Like a raging bull you charge round the room
Goring tables and chairs, turning them topsy-turvy
I'm begging you, leave us alone! You've wasted enough of our time already
When three seperate ideas become one to appease all
Your beady eyes bulge into flaming red balls, your jaws stretch wide open
What enormous teeth! What a piercing roar! Everything's falling apart!
Now you've really done it, YOU STUPID CREATURE!
BOOM!
Sigh
Nothing's left now
Nothing but Stupidity and the trail of duh
The saddest thing about Stupidity is that
It doesn't come to stupid people
It comes to smart people who think that
It won't come at all
Monday, January 02, 2006
The New Girl, Chapter 19
WHOO~! A happy new year of belated-ness to you, and then we're all set to launch the fiscal year of 2006 for Twisted Tales! See how big a commercial phenomenon Twisted Tales has become, that I'm now even allowed to use words like "fiscal".
"Don't be silly," Saras scoffed. "You're going to have to stay here till they allow you to leave."
"But what if I start becoming older and older, like Misha?" cried May in despair. "I might wake up tomorrow and find myself my mother's age!"
"It...probably won't happen." Terribly unconvincing, thought May.
"It could." she strode to the door. "And I've got to make sure that it doesn't."
May flung open the door, startling her parents outside. Her mom looked on the verge of tears.
"Mom, Dad - take me to school now. Please. It's the only way we can stop what's happening to me."
She could very well have asked them to take her to Santa and his elves, judging by the vexed looks they shot back at her.
"Go back to your bed. NOW."
"But, dad! There's this girl in school who practices black magic and she's responsible somehow."
He grunted something inaudible and motioned for her to go back in. Saras, who had been watching all the while could only muster a helpless grin.
That night May couldn't sleep a wink. It had to be the hottest night in recorded history. The air conditioner at full blast felt no more than a ticklish breeze absent most of the time. Finally she rolled out of bed for a trip to the toilet that wasn't neccessary at all.
She shuffled her feet wearily to the door and twisted the knob and pushed it open in one swift movement to avoid the noisy creaking. The first glimpse she caught was that of her reflection in the mirror ahead.
It made her blood run cold.
She had become a splitting image of her mother, right down to the stray grey hairs and mushrooming wrinkles. Her hands shook uncontrollably as she tried pinching her cheeks. They flabbed back miserably beneath her sunken cheekbones.
"N...n...no..." Even her voice sounded croakier. "Not so fast..."
She swallowed repeatedly till her throat ached, something she always did when she was anxious. The aging process had been so sudden yet unnoticed that she didn't feel any different till she saw herself.
By hook or by crook, May had to seek Jean out tomorrow. There could be no two ways about it. Her parents wouldn't come by till lunchtime - which meant she had exactly twelve hours to come up with a plan to escape from the hospital, get to her school twelve miles away, and pray hard for Jean to be found there.
"Don't be silly," Saras scoffed. "You're going to have to stay here till they allow you to leave."
"But what if I start becoming older and older, like Misha?" cried May in despair. "I might wake up tomorrow and find myself my mother's age!"
"It...probably won't happen." Terribly unconvincing, thought May.
"It could." she strode to the door. "And I've got to make sure that it doesn't."
May flung open the door, startling her parents outside. Her mom looked on the verge of tears.
"Mom, Dad - take me to school now. Please. It's the only way we can stop what's happening to me."
She could very well have asked them to take her to Santa and his elves, judging by the vexed looks they shot back at her.
"Go back to your bed. NOW."
"But, dad! There's this girl in school who practices black magic and she's responsible somehow."
He grunted something inaudible and motioned for her to go back in. Saras, who had been watching all the while could only muster a helpless grin.
That night May couldn't sleep a wink. It had to be the hottest night in recorded history. The air conditioner at full blast felt no more than a ticklish breeze absent most of the time. Finally she rolled out of bed for a trip to the toilet that wasn't neccessary at all.
She shuffled her feet wearily to the door and twisted the knob and pushed it open in one swift movement to avoid the noisy creaking. The first glimpse she caught was that of her reflection in the mirror ahead.
It made her blood run cold.
She had become a splitting image of her mother, right down to the stray grey hairs and mushrooming wrinkles. Her hands shook uncontrollably as she tried pinching her cheeks. They flabbed back miserably beneath her sunken cheekbones.
"N...n...no..." Even her voice sounded croakier. "Not so fast..."
She swallowed repeatedly till her throat ached, something she always did when she was anxious. The aging process had been so sudden yet unnoticed that she didn't feel any different till she saw herself.
By hook or by crook, May had to seek Jean out tomorrow. There could be no two ways about it. Her parents wouldn't come by till lunchtime - which meant she had exactly twelve hours to come up with a plan to escape from the hospital, get to her school twelve miles away, and pray hard for Jean to be found there.
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