Was at MPH after work yesterday, and I'm still shopping for a good book to splurge my salary on! Here lies the eternal dilemma: those blasted paperbacks all cost almost the same, be they thick or thin. When I want to buy a thin one, it doesn't seem worth the price...but when I want to buy a thick one, I know I'll end up not reading it. Arghh!
But anyway, I started on The Alchemist there, which seems pretty excellent so far. Looking forward to continue if lunchtime and after-work schedules allow. Methinks I'll end up finishing the book entirely in MPH. Which leaves me still searching for a book to buy. =p
The sun lay lower now. We had been walking for three hours straight, pausing only for an occassional five-minute breather. Strangely though, my throat didn't feel the least bit dry.
Every once a while, Archiver would talk about the supposedly fabled past of Blogspot - the great masters he had served, the wonders he had seen them do, and the like. Curiously enough, I observed, he would never talk about himself. Everything he said revolved only around Blogspot and the Hims.
"Archiver," I asked him once as we sat to watch more abandoned Blogs. "Where did you come from? How did you end up here in Blogspot?"
He lifted his eyes to the seamless sky and pondered. "That is a long story, I suppose."
A long silence ensued.
"Come, come," at last he got up. "Keep moving. We have taken long enough already."
Shrugging to myself, I got to my feet and trudged faithfully behind.
Finally, as the sky was about to throw on a coat of orange, we arrived at a sullen iron gate. There was nothing at all noteworthy about this, except for the two piercing words emblazoned across it: CLIMAX CITY.
"Attttt last," Archiver took in the air like it smelled of cherries. "I am back home."
Homely was have been the last word I would choose to describe the place. The sun's rays seemed to shy away from the winding brick paths beyond the gate. Following it, my eyes spied upon a cacophony of buildings with a solitary tower standing tall.
"Ah. Here He comes."
Out of nowhere, a red flash shot out of the ground. It streaked across the gate, leaving a trail as it went. The trail formed words which read:
You have taken long enough.
"Forgive me, my Lord." Archiver bowed his head. "I still am recovering from the battle and cannot travel fast enough."
The words appeared again. Pathetic.
This is the Garrick? The flash circled my head.
"Indeed he is."
What about Phocadis?
"Defeated by him."
Good.
The iron gates creaked noisily, making me half-expect them to burst out of their hinges, before being opened by unseen hands. A rush of unusually cold air greeted me.
Enter. Your friends are inside.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Friday, May 26, 2006
Chapter 16: "Abandoned"
Been posting far too little of late. And I don't find myself dreaming about stories all the time anymore, like I once did. Maybe it's work. Maybe it's growing up. Wonder what this means for my Twisted Tales I've lovingly nurtured for almost two years now.
"Ah," Archiver scooped up the soil in his hands. "Drier. We are almost there."
We had been walking for almost a full hour in the steadily rising sun. Strangely, he had not spoken even once to me apart from pointing out directions.
"This way." he gestured around a brick column.
Next to the opposing columns, I noticed some shadowy figures drifting in and out. They took on all forms and sizes; some towering over me, some nothing more than paper-thin wisps. I even went through one or two and didn't notice till they reemerged behind me, seemingly displeased.
Inexplicably, an air of gloom hung over the place. Not a single smile was to be seen.
"They all are abandoned Blogs," Archiver explained. "Blogs started enthusiastically by their owners, only to then be discarded in favour of more...exciting pursuits." he made an inverted comma with his fingers. "Now here they lie, forgotten beings not knowing what to do with their lives."
"How sad."
"Sad indeed," he turned up his nose at a filthy dwarf-like creature. "Which is why His Masterblog must come into place."
I surveyed the scene once more. "But how will that help? People would still abandon their blogs anyway."
"If you want to ensure that these pitiful beings never need to suffer such fates," Another ragged creature limped past us. "We must ensure that they never were born in the first place."
"But you would also kill the good blogs. The ones with truly passionate owners."
"A minority they are, I assure you," he scoffed. "If we continue with our old ways, Blogspot shall shrivel like a rose without water. He would never let that happen. I would never let that happen."
"And I would never let your plans be carried out as well."
"Oh, really. Why, if you do not mind me asking?"
"I simply don't feel comfortable having some wacko and his sidekick telling me which blogs are good enough and which aren't."
"Heh heh heh heh heh," he laughed his trademark way. "You take to sound advice as much as a rooster to water."
I kept quiet.
"Hurry along now. We must not keep Him waiting."
"Ah," Archiver scooped up the soil in his hands. "Drier. We are almost there."
We had been walking for almost a full hour in the steadily rising sun. Strangely, he had not spoken even once to me apart from pointing out directions.
"This way." he gestured around a brick column.
Next to the opposing columns, I noticed some shadowy figures drifting in and out. They took on all forms and sizes; some towering over me, some nothing more than paper-thin wisps. I even went through one or two and didn't notice till they reemerged behind me, seemingly displeased.
Inexplicably, an air of gloom hung over the place. Not a single smile was to be seen.
"They all are abandoned Blogs," Archiver explained. "Blogs started enthusiastically by their owners, only to then be discarded in favour of more...exciting pursuits." he made an inverted comma with his fingers. "Now here they lie, forgotten beings not knowing what to do with their lives."
"How sad."
"Sad indeed," he turned up his nose at a filthy dwarf-like creature. "Which is why His Masterblog must come into place."
I surveyed the scene once more. "But how will that help? People would still abandon their blogs anyway."
"If you want to ensure that these pitiful beings never need to suffer such fates," Another ragged creature limped past us. "We must ensure that they never were born in the first place."
"But you would also kill the good blogs. The ones with truly passionate owners."
"A minority they are, I assure you," he scoffed. "If we continue with our old ways, Blogspot shall shrivel like a rose without water. He would never let that happen. I would never let that happen."
"And I would never let your plans be carried out as well."
"Oh, really. Why, if you do not mind me asking?"
"I simply don't feel comfortable having some wacko and his sidekick telling me which blogs are good enough and which aren't."
"Heh heh heh heh heh," he laughed his trademark way. "You take to sound advice as much as a rooster to water."
I kept quiet.
"Hurry along now. We must not keep Him waiting."
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Chapter 15: "Going"
Had an accidental drinktea session till 2am last nite, after a discussion in Sunway. Yawn. Absolutely no regrets, though. =)
Climax City. Archiver had mentioned that name before, when he first brought me into Blogspot. What significance did it bear?
"Yes, Climax City," his squinty eyes grew round. "Do not be afraid, Garrick. It was meant to be your home."
My home?
"Hmph," Old Lady Melly snorted. "I thought that place burnt down ten years ago."Archiver turned to her with a cold glare. "Old Lady Melly. That is what they now call you, no?"
She stared back fiercely, not saying a word.
"What a far cry from the whimpering girl I once knew. You were an Antagonist yourself, if I recall."
"What is it with you Antagonists? We seem to be running into a lot of your kind these days."
"I hope you are not relating me to U," she snapped. "I have no desire to be part of any crazed rebellion."
"Really."
The two continued locking eyes for a full minute. What past animosity did they share, I wondered.
"Then I ask you again, Garrick," Archiver shifted his focus to me. "Will you follow me to Climax City?"
"What have you done to U and Linnie?"
"Nothing, I assure you. We have them all safely locked up, awaiting your rescue."
I narrowed my eyes at him. Somehow this all seemed like a trap.
"What's in store for me at Climax City?" I asked.
"Oh, you are fearful this is all a trap. Heh heh heh heh heh."
"He only wants to talk to you. I give you my word as the sole Archiver of this land. That is all that shall happen."
I looked back helplessly at Old Lady Melly. Her face stayed stoic as before.
There didn't seem to be any other choice for me. "Take me there."
"Very, very excellent," Archiver clasped his hands in glee. "And you, Old Lady Melly?"
"I would sooner die." She spat and left in a huff.
"My, my. How cruel time can be on one's manners." Archiver shook his head. "So, it is you and me then. Follow me."
I took one last glance at Old Lady Melly storming back to her hut, sighed, and readied myself for a most uncomfortable journey.
Climax City. Archiver had mentioned that name before, when he first brought me into Blogspot. What significance did it bear?
"Yes, Climax City," his squinty eyes grew round. "Do not be afraid, Garrick. It was meant to be your home."
My home?
"Hmph," Old Lady Melly snorted. "I thought that place burnt down ten years ago."Archiver turned to her with a cold glare. "Old Lady Melly. That is what they now call you, no?"
She stared back fiercely, not saying a word.
"What a far cry from the whimpering girl I once knew. You were an Antagonist yourself, if I recall."
"What is it with you Antagonists? We seem to be running into a lot of your kind these days."
"I hope you are not relating me to U," she snapped. "I have no desire to be part of any crazed rebellion."
"Really."
The two continued locking eyes for a full minute. What past animosity did they share, I wondered.
"Then I ask you again, Garrick," Archiver shifted his focus to me. "Will you follow me to Climax City?"
"What have you done to U and Linnie?"
"Nothing, I assure you. We have them all safely locked up, awaiting your rescue."
I narrowed my eyes at him. Somehow this all seemed like a trap.
"What's in store for me at Climax City?" I asked.
"Oh, you are fearful this is all a trap. Heh heh heh heh heh."
"He only wants to talk to you. I give you my word as the sole Archiver of this land. That is all that shall happen."
I looked back helplessly at Old Lady Melly. Her face stayed stoic as before.
There didn't seem to be any other choice for me. "Take me there."
"Very, very excellent," Archiver clasped his hands in glee. "And you, Old Lady Melly?"
"I would sooner die." She spat and left in a huff.
"My, my. How cruel time can be on one's manners." Archiver shook his head. "So, it is you and me then. Follow me."
I took one last glance at Old Lady Melly storming back to her hut, sighed, and readied myself for a most uncomfortable journey.
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Writer's Block
Why, hey...it's seriously been a long time since I posted. A good ten days, actually.
But no prizes for guessing what I've been up to blogwise in the meantime!
See, see, how pretty my new blog skin is! I've been tinkering away bit by bit every day in the office...and you bet your foot that I'm proud with it! I even managed to twiddle the blah-blah-blah HTML scripts to include post titles. Yeah, I didn't notice at first that this skin was designed without titles. Not until it was too late and all set up, at least!
And then there's this little matter of the banner. Of course I'll change it to a more Twisted Tales-esque one, but I'm really, really too pressed for time to create a new one. Most probably it'll be a tweaked version of the old Bobo one. I'm still very much in love with it.
Speaking of which, I'm also clueless what to do with the old skin. It seems okay at the moment to retain it for the "Desserts, Anyone?" side, no? Not expecting it to last, though...all the world's a sucker for this idea of consistency.
Hmm...that's pretty much all I have to say for today, I guess. Lol, this seems to be more a long preamble than a properly qualified Writer's Block.
No worries though, your piping dish of a new-look Twisted Tales coming soon!
But no prizes for guessing what I've been up to blogwise in the meantime!
See, see, how pretty my new blog skin is! I've been tinkering away bit by bit every day in the office...and you bet your foot that I'm proud with it! I even managed to twiddle the blah-blah-blah HTML scripts to include post titles. Yeah, I didn't notice at first that this skin was designed without titles. Not until it was too late and all set up, at least!
And then there's this little matter of the banner. Of course I'll change it to a more Twisted Tales-esque one, but I'm really, really too pressed for time to create a new one. Most probably it'll be a tweaked version of the old Bobo one. I'm still very much in love with it.
Speaking of which, I'm also clueless what to do with the old skin. It seems okay at the moment to retain it for the "Desserts, Anyone?" side, no? Not expecting it to last, though...all the world's a sucker for this idea of consistency.
Hmm...that's pretty much all I have to say for today, I guess. Lol, this seems to be more a long preamble than a properly qualified Writer's Block.
No worries though, your piping dish of a new-look Twisted Tales coming soon!
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Writer's Block: Waves
Hellos again all around! Was at the Sunday School Teachers' Retreat at Bayu Beach Resort this past Saturday, Sunday, and Labour Day. And a very, very welcome getaway it was, because I think I would've gone bonkers if it had been another regular Monday blues routine.
Now, what would a retreat be if I didn't come away from it renewed and refreshed, with a soul-stirring piece to spare? This piece came to me when we were asked to take a quiet stroll along the beach with God. I wasn't overly keen on it at first, since the stroll was supposed to last almost an hour, and well, it seemed intimidating to have to "reflect" and "meditate" and "pray" for so long! More so when my brain seemed to have shut down since Day One of the retreat.
But amazingly, that proved to be the best part of it all. When one doesn't think too much or try too hard, God gets His time to speak. So what if I was just admiring the scenery or having a regular walk on the beach? God was very much beside me, and all I had to do was soak in His presence.
Well then...just as I was content not to learn anything from this - the way you don't set out to gain knowledge from a movie outing with friends - whoosh! Today's Writer's Block came out of nowhere. Was it God speaking to me? Or maybe just my creative juices working overtime?
Nyahhh...it doesn't matter. Seriously.
Enjoy!
"Come to me, child," He called. "Let your worries wash upon my shore."
Nah, it's okay. I'm starting to get the hang of it.
As to mock me, an inappropriately big wave drenched my cheeks. The salty water ran down my face the way egg would on a fool.
Here I was, sitting in the sea face back, playing a little game. I would entrench myself firmly into the sand and wait for the waves to come. The moment they did, and splash! I would try my best not to let the waves move me. It seemed a piece of cake at first, but quickly the waves resolved to beat me.
All the while, He watched from the shore with a smile, one that veered between amused and intrigued and sad. "Take my hand, child. Cast all your cares on me."
No worries! I'm even beginning to enjoy it.
True enough, the rocking feeling each time the waves pushed and rushed back was becoming quite a thrill. I pursed my lips and braced for the next wave. It was a big one!
Whoosh! I must've moved at least a foot.
Hey, hey, this is fun. Tiring, but fun.
Splosh! I made sure I didn't get swept away so far this time. Actually I cheated a little by moving towards the waves.
He sighed and watched on from the shore.
Splash!
Finally, all worn out from the rocking back and forth, I got up and stretched my half-cramped legs to the shore.
"Nice to have you here," He beamed.
My face flushed slightly. "My pleasure, really. Sorry to keep you waiting for so long."
"It's okay. What matters is that you're here."
We sat feet first to the ocean, basking in the cheerful sun. The frolicking waves reached for my feet, always just touching, sweeping the sand beneath my feet back with them. The little waves then crept back in line, making way for a big wave that was all out and ready to hit the shore. And when that big wave was done - and turning into a little one in the process - another one stepped to the front of the cascading blue queue, eager to see how it would fare.
On and on this mesmerising scene went, never once allowing my eyes to wander off. Where do the waves start queuing up? I wondered as I gazed into the borderless bright sea. Further than any sailboat my eyes could clamber and sail on, for sure.
"It doesn't matter, my child." His grey eyes twinkled. "They all are a big beautiful picture, you see."
A big beautiful picture.
When I was sitting in the sea fighting the waves, that was all they appeared to be - incessant, bothersome waves. Just like the many problems we face in life.
"You don't always need me to get through difficulties," He said to me. "Many people overcome the troubles in their lives by themselves, or help from others. You don't always need me."
"But then you would be missing out on this." He showed me the sea and the melody of its waves lapping ashore. "The big beautiful picture."
"You still would get wet at times - whoops!" We jumped out of the way, albeit a little too late, as a bigger-than-usual wave came. "But now you see the beauty of each wave, the care I took to craft each one so that it would someday embrace you."
I gazed in awe at the orange sun dipping slowly into the unending ocean, hardly bothering a single note of the song of the waves. Never had I felt smaller, yet more significant.
Now, what would a retreat be if I didn't come away from it renewed and refreshed, with a soul-stirring piece to spare? This piece came to me when we were asked to take a quiet stroll along the beach with God. I wasn't overly keen on it at first, since the stroll was supposed to last almost an hour, and well, it seemed intimidating to have to "reflect" and "meditate" and "pray" for so long! More so when my brain seemed to have shut down since Day One of the retreat.
But amazingly, that proved to be the best part of it all. When one doesn't think too much or try too hard, God gets His time to speak. So what if I was just admiring the scenery or having a regular walk on the beach? God was very much beside me, and all I had to do was soak in His presence.
Well then...just as I was content not to learn anything from this - the way you don't set out to gain knowledge from a movie outing with friends - whoosh! Today's Writer's Block came out of nowhere. Was it God speaking to me? Or maybe just my creative juices working overtime?
Nyahhh...it doesn't matter. Seriously.
Enjoy!
"Come to me, child," He called. "Let your worries wash upon my shore."
Nah, it's okay. I'm starting to get the hang of it.
As to mock me, an inappropriately big wave drenched my cheeks. The salty water ran down my face the way egg would on a fool.
Here I was, sitting in the sea face back, playing a little game. I would entrench myself firmly into the sand and wait for the waves to come. The moment they did, and splash! I would try my best not to let the waves move me. It seemed a piece of cake at first, but quickly the waves resolved to beat me.
All the while, He watched from the shore with a smile, one that veered between amused and intrigued and sad. "Take my hand, child. Cast all your cares on me."
No worries! I'm even beginning to enjoy it.
True enough, the rocking feeling each time the waves pushed and rushed back was becoming quite a thrill. I pursed my lips and braced for the next wave. It was a big one!
Whoosh! I must've moved at least a foot.
Hey, hey, this is fun. Tiring, but fun.
Splosh! I made sure I didn't get swept away so far this time. Actually I cheated a little by moving towards the waves.
He sighed and watched on from the shore.
Splash!
Finally, all worn out from the rocking back and forth, I got up and stretched my half-cramped legs to the shore.
"Nice to have you here," He beamed.
My face flushed slightly. "My pleasure, really. Sorry to keep you waiting for so long."
"It's okay. What matters is that you're here."
We sat feet first to the ocean, basking in the cheerful sun. The frolicking waves reached for my feet, always just touching, sweeping the sand beneath my feet back with them. The little waves then crept back in line, making way for a big wave that was all out and ready to hit the shore. And when that big wave was done - and turning into a little one in the process - another one stepped to the front of the cascading blue queue, eager to see how it would fare.
On and on this mesmerising scene went, never once allowing my eyes to wander off. Where do the waves start queuing up? I wondered as I gazed into the borderless bright sea. Further than any sailboat my eyes could clamber and sail on, for sure.
"It doesn't matter, my child." His grey eyes twinkled. "They all are a big beautiful picture, you see."
A big beautiful picture.
When I was sitting in the sea fighting the waves, that was all they appeared to be - incessant, bothersome waves. Just like the many problems we face in life.
"You don't always need me to get through difficulties," He said to me. "Many people overcome the troubles in their lives by themselves, or help from others. You don't always need me."
"But then you would be missing out on this." He showed me the sea and the melody of its waves lapping ashore. "The big beautiful picture."
"You still would get wet at times - whoops!" We jumped out of the way, albeit a little too late, as a bigger-than-usual wave came. "But now you see the beauty of each wave, the care I took to craft each one so that it would someday embrace you."
I gazed in awe at the orange sun dipping slowly into the unending ocean, hardly bothering a single note of the song of the waves. Never had I felt smaller, yet more significant.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Chapter 14: "Unexpected"
6th post in 8 days!
Anyway, be prepared for the long-overdue new Twisted Tales skin soon! Already set my eye on one, just need to add some personal touches and trek through the treacherous jungle of HTML scripts, and...voila!
I shuddered and froze, waiting for the death blow to strike. Now.
And he froze as well.
Huh?
"Delete, you fool!" she yelled at me. "What are you waiting for?"
She had managed to cast a Freeze Frame on him! I didn't need any further prmopting. Down went the button in my mind at once, creating a glowing blue spark in my hands.
Zap! It crackled and snapped to life, then burst out of my hands, streaking all the way through Phocadis' body. His eyes bulged wildly, as though wanting to zap me with a ray of their own, before going white.
Then he crumbled into a heap of dust.
I gaped at the heap, then back at my own hands. Did I really do that?
I did. Whatever this Delete thing was, it sure was powerful as heck.
"You defeated him. Well done, Chosen One." Old Lady Melly half-nodded, and turned to leave.
"Hey...wait! You, erm...you saved me. Thanks."
"Just returning the favour." She didn't even look at me.
"Why, why, why! What is the matter indeed, all the long faces?"
That voice! What in the world was he doing here?
"What in the world am I doing here?" Archiver stepped out from behind a huge boulder I didn't recall being there. "Oh, believe me, I have much reason for being here."
"You better not be up to no good," I glared at him. "Or else."
He smiled dryly. "Much as I would love to teach you a thing or two for siding with the enemy, I am not here to fight."
"That was some fight you just fought," he applauded sarcastically. "Most befitting of the one He has set apart. You will prove to be a worthy servant in time."
"Worthy servant my foot! The only thing I'm doing is bringing down your boss and His evil plans."
"Heh heh heh heh heh. How passionate our friend has become. You have yet to realise the truly excellent things He can do with His powers."
"W-what do you mean?"
"While you were away, our men found your cave hideout and took U and the girl to Him."
"And if you do not want bad things to happen to them," A grin spread across his face. "Follow me to Climax City."
Anyway, be prepared for the long-overdue new Twisted Tales skin soon! Already set my eye on one, just need to add some personal touches and trek through the treacherous jungle of HTML scripts, and...voila!
I shuddered and froze, waiting for the death blow to strike. Now.
And he froze as well.
Huh?
"Delete, you fool!" she yelled at me. "What are you waiting for?"
She had managed to cast a Freeze Frame on him! I didn't need any further prmopting. Down went the button in my mind at once, creating a glowing blue spark in my hands.
Zap! It crackled and snapped to life, then burst out of my hands, streaking all the way through Phocadis' body. His eyes bulged wildly, as though wanting to zap me with a ray of their own, before going white.
Then he crumbled into a heap of dust.
I gaped at the heap, then back at my own hands. Did I really do that?
I did. Whatever this Delete thing was, it sure was powerful as heck.
"You defeated him. Well done, Chosen One." Old Lady Melly half-nodded, and turned to leave.
"Hey...wait! You, erm...you saved me. Thanks."
"Just returning the favour." She didn't even look at me.
"Why, why, why! What is the matter indeed, all the long faces?"
That voice! What in the world was he doing here?
"What in the world am I doing here?" Archiver stepped out from behind a huge boulder I didn't recall being there. "Oh, believe me, I have much reason for being here."
"You better not be up to no good," I glared at him. "Or else."
He smiled dryly. "Much as I would love to teach you a thing or two for siding with the enemy, I am not here to fight."
"That was some fight you just fought," he applauded sarcastically. "Most befitting of the one He has set apart. You will prove to be a worthy servant in time."
"Worthy servant my foot! The only thing I'm doing is bringing down your boss and His evil plans."
"Heh heh heh heh heh. How passionate our friend has become. You have yet to realise the truly excellent things He can do with His powers."
"W-what do you mean?"
"While you were away, our men found your cave hideout and took U and the girl to Him."
"And if you do not want bad things to happen to them," A grin spread across his face. "Follow me to Climax City."
Writer's Block: Sunshine Splattered Over The Floor
Sunshine splattered over the floor!
The walls hide it no more
Yellow fluffy chicks hop gaily
Chasing me through the feet of Mommy
I squeal in glee, oh how I love to see!
The sunshine trickles, it's coming after me!
Here comes the yellow chick, fat and round
I sneak behind it. "Shh...don't make a sound!"
Here it comes! Quiet as I can be
I hold my breath - one, two, three!
Splash! Pounce on the sunshine!
It squiggles! It wiggles! But it's mine!
Toss it back up the sky!
Yellow chicks fly, fly, fly!
See, the rays reach almost the door!
Whoops! More sunshine splattered over the floor!
"Peter! You naughty, naughty, boy! What a terrible mess!"
"Huh? Don't you like it, Mommy?"
"No! What a bad boy you are. Pick up those egg shells and throw them away this instant!"
"Mommy...did I do something wrong?"
"Yes, you did."
"I'm sorry, Mommy."
The walls hide it no more
Yellow fluffy chicks hop gaily
Chasing me through the feet of Mommy
I squeal in glee, oh how I love to see!
The sunshine trickles, it's coming after me!
Here comes the yellow chick, fat and round
I sneak behind it. "Shh...don't make a sound!"
Here it comes! Quiet as I can be
I hold my breath - one, two, three!
Splash! Pounce on the sunshine!
It squiggles! It wiggles! But it's mine!
Toss it back up the sky!
Yellow chicks fly, fly, fly!
See, the rays reach almost the door!
Whoops! More sunshine splattered over the floor!
"Peter! You naughty, naughty, boy! What a terrible mess!"
"Huh? Don't you like it, Mommy?"
"No! What a bad boy you are. Pick up those egg shells and throw them away this instant!"
"Mommy...did I do something wrong?"
"Yes, you did."
"I'm sorry, Mommy."
Monday, April 24, 2006
Chapter 13: "Forward"
What a soul-sapping weekend! Worship practice on Friday night, guitar practice + Youth Training Union (YTU) + YTU committee meeting for the entire Saturday, then church and Sunday School Teachers' "Retreat" briefing on Sunday. For some reason, I suddenly couldn't help thinking about all the fun things church-going Christians don't get to do over the weekends...was also talking about this to someone who feels even more drained than I do. It's not easy when Sunday is almost always the busiest day of the week, and you're supposed to be constantly "enriched". Sigh...
Wednesday will mark another new chapter for me as I join the Young Adults' fellowship. Managed to drag along a prety sizeable "entourage" (Noel, Zhi Yong, Ee Wan, William), lol, but I don't think all of us will continue coming regularly. Never mind though, looking forward to having more mid-week meetings with church friends anyway. =^D
Instinctively I made myself fall forward and downwards to get out of the way. His fist swiped the air inches above.
I closed my eyes as I fell, fearing the worst should he Scroll over to me in mid-air. One. Two. Three. I landed on the ground, still intact.
"Garrick," suddenly Old Lady Melly stirred. "Don't stay still. He can only Scroll in a sraight line."
Huh? I was still trying to fathom what she meant when Phocadis charged at me again.
Shift!
This time around, I didn't Shift straight up as usual. Instead, I leapt forward at a lower height.
Sure enough, Phocadis didn't Scroll at me. Or maybe he couldn't. He seemed to be following me with his eyes, but unsure how to get to me.
Now I understood what Old Lady Melly was talking about. His Scroll movements only consisted of straight lines! Therefore, if I kept moving in a circle, he would never be able to reach me!
I landed and quickly spun around. Where was he?
"Scroll Left!"
From the right! Again I Shifted forward, narrowly missing his punch. Like before, he couldn't keep up with me.
"You're just buying time," he growled. "Sooner or later you'll become tired, and then I'll get you when you land."
He was right. I had to finish this off quickly. The only option left for me was Delete.
The button was raised.
"You'll need to come close to me if you're going to use Delete again," he smirked. "And when you get close enough...BAM."
I could almost hear his fist baying for my blood. No more dodging his attacks this time. Surely he would use another Scroll Forward. I had to face him straight on with my Delete.
"All it's going to take is a blink of your eye."
I swallowed.
"Scroll Forward!"
He was fast! I raised my free hand immediately and cried out, "DELETE!"
Before the blue ray could shoot itself something unexpected happened.
He Scrolled to the side.
Then turned to face me.
"Heh." I caught a glimpse of his grin. "Scroll Forward."
He was barely five feet away. There was no way I could dodge in time.
Wednesday will mark another new chapter for me as I join the Young Adults' fellowship. Managed to drag along a prety sizeable "entourage" (Noel, Zhi Yong, Ee Wan, William), lol, but I don't think all of us will continue coming regularly. Never mind though, looking forward to having more mid-week meetings with church friends anyway. =^D
Instinctively I made myself fall forward and downwards to get out of the way. His fist swiped the air inches above.
I closed my eyes as I fell, fearing the worst should he Scroll over to me in mid-air. One. Two. Three. I landed on the ground, still intact.
"Garrick," suddenly Old Lady Melly stirred. "Don't stay still. He can only Scroll in a sraight line."
Huh? I was still trying to fathom what she meant when Phocadis charged at me again.
Shift!
This time around, I didn't Shift straight up as usual. Instead, I leapt forward at a lower height.
Sure enough, Phocadis didn't Scroll at me. Or maybe he couldn't. He seemed to be following me with his eyes, but unsure how to get to me.
Now I understood what Old Lady Melly was talking about. His Scroll movements only consisted of straight lines! Therefore, if I kept moving in a circle, he would never be able to reach me!
I landed and quickly spun around. Where was he?
"Scroll Left!"
From the right! Again I Shifted forward, narrowly missing his punch. Like before, he couldn't keep up with me.
"You're just buying time," he growled. "Sooner or later you'll become tired, and then I'll get you when you land."
He was right. I had to finish this off quickly. The only option left for me was Delete.
The button was raised.
"You'll need to come close to me if you're going to use Delete again," he smirked. "And when you get close enough...BAM."
I could almost hear his fist baying for my blood. No more dodging his attacks this time. Surely he would use another Scroll Forward. I had to face him straight on with my Delete.
"All it's going to take is a blink of your eye."
I swallowed.
"Scroll Forward!"
He was fast! I raised my free hand immediately and cried out, "DELETE!"
Before the blue ray could shoot itself something unexpected happened.
He Scrolled to the side.
Then turned to face me.
"Heh." I caught a glimpse of his grin. "Scroll Forward."
He was barely five feet away. There was no way I could dodge in time.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Chapter 12: "Delete"
Yay! It's fun to write silly stories in office during my unsanctioned "2nd lunch break" from 1-2pm. =p On another note, this is the first time in months I've managed to post for 3 consecutive days. First time since the massive 7-day streak last October, in fact. Makes you wonder what happened to the mad, mad world of blog addiction.
I choked and wheezed, trying to release myself from his grasp.
"Is that all the Chosen One can offer me?" His fingers wrapped round my neck even more tightly. "Pathetic!"
Little flashing dots started floating before my eyes. He was going to suffocate me!
Then it appeared. A tiny square button, no more than three-quarters of an inch wide, materialised in my mind. Something was written on it. I took a closer look.
"DELETE".
Could it be another new power? I didn't take too long to think. Down went an imaginary finger on the button.
At once a blinding flash shot out of my hands. All I felt was a blast of searing air as I fell. When I opened my eyes again, Phocadis was sprawled on the ground, one arm over his chest.
"Amazing," he licked away the blood from the side of his mouth. "The Delete ray from you. I never would have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes."
He painfully hoisted himself up. "And we all thought only He possessed Delete. This makes for a most interesting battle indeed."
I took in a deep breath and tried using the Delete button again. Nothing happened - it was still sunken.
"Your powers of Delete are still new. You can't keep using them." He put on a pair of gloves with blades at the knuckles.
"I'm warning you. I might kill you with my next attack," he punched the air. "Accidents happen, you know."
"I don't care. You're losing anyway." Deep down, I wasn't even half that confident.
"GOOD!" He roared and Scrolled right at me, fist raised. I had to avoid his punch at all costs!
Shift!
High up into the air I rose, preparing for a chance to attack when I landed.
"Now DIE!" he laughed. "Scroll Up!"
The heck? He shot up two feet above me and directed a punch straight at my forehead.
I choked and wheezed, trying to release myself from his grasp.
"Is that all the Chosen One can offer me?" His fingers wrapped round my neck even more tightly. "Pathetic!"
Little flashing dots started floating before my eyes. He was going to suffocate me!
Then it appeared. A tiny square button, no more than three-quarters of an inch wide, materialised in my mind. Something was written on it. I took a closer look.
"DELETE".
Could it be another new power? I didn't take too long to think. Down went an imaginary finger on the button.
At once a blinding flash shot out of my hands. All I felt was a blast of searing air as I fell. When I opened my eyes again, Phocadis was sprawled on the ground, one arm over his chest.
"Amazing," he licked away the blood from the side of his mouth. "The Delete ray from you. I never would have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes."
He painfully hoisted himself up. "And we all thought only He possessed Delete. This makes for a most interesting battle indeed."
I took in a deep breath and tried using the Delete button again. Nothing happened - it was still sunken.
"Your powers of Delete are still new. You can't keep using them." He put on a pair of gloves with blades at the knuckles.
"I'm warning you. I might kill you with my next attack," he punched the air. "Accidents happen, you know."
"I don't care. You're losing anyway." Deep down, I wasn't even half that confident.
"GOOD!" He roared and Scrolled right at me, fist raised. I had to avoid his punch at all costs!
Shift!
High up into the air I rose, preparing for a chance to attack when I landed.
"Now DIE!" he laughed. "Scroll Up!"
The heck? He shot up two feet above me and directed a punch straight at my forehead.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Chapter 11: "Scroll"
Confession: I wrote this in office over a period of two days while doing other stuff - so expect it to suck somewhat.
Incredible. I soared higher and higher, then swooshed back down. It wasn't the power of flight, nor was it gliding. Just jumping really high.
"Heee-Yah!" I raised my staff above my head and struck it square on Phocadis' head upon landing. He was too dumbfounded to even block or dodge. Old Lady Melly's Freeze Frame helped slightly too, I guess.
Direct hit! The added strength from my leap sent him flying to the ground. So this was my new power - Shift. I trembled in excitement, brimming suddenly with bravado.
"Garrick," Old Lady Melly called out weakly. "Y-you cannot...fight...yet..."
Then she collapsed, totally drained of energy.
"Will the wonders never cease," Phocadis picked himself up. "Our young fellow here has got something up his sleeve after all."
He cracked his knuckles again and struck a pose. "No more foolishness, then. Here I come. Scroll Forward!"
With that he charged - no, drifted straight at me. I didn't even have time to think before his rock-hard body slammed into me. It felt like a giant sack of bricks whacking the air out of me.
Holy smokes, I wondered. How on earth did a guy his size manage to move so quickly? It had to be some sort of power he possessed.
"Come on now! Your turn next!"
I stood back up, clutching my stomach hard. Now it was starting to hurt. But no time for that. I had to focus on putting him down.
It was a no-brainer, really. I took two steps forward and Shifted high into the air. This time I had better control over the direction of my landing. I went once more for the top of his head, thinking it the easiest point to attack from above.
"Scroll Left!" Moments before my staff connected he drifted out of the way. Incredible! His feet never even left the ground.
"Scroll Right!" I turned slightly to block his impending charge. Too late. He drifted back where he stood and gored me into the ground like a rampaging bull.
"My mastery of the Scroll movements is unparalleled," His gleaming eyes looked down where I lay. "And when you consider this as well," He flexed his brawny muscles. "I cannot be defeated by your feeble powers."
Struggling to contain the pain in my gut, I forced myself up. Old Lady still was in no condition to fight. What could I do to counter his Scroll?
I had to react faster, much faster. I gripped my staff tightly with both hands and concentrated on every movement of his body.
"No use," Phocadis laughed. "I can modify my Scroll attacks to different forms. Watch."
Very quickly he Scrolled left, then right, then back left, constantly repeating till he became a sweeping mass sucking me to itself. I tried Shifting away, but the pressure was too strong to break free of.
When I was drawn in close enough, he stopped and reached for my throat. "You are nowhere near my league!" He lifted me with one arm.
Incredible. I soared higher and higher, then swooshed back down. It wasn't the power of flight, nor was it gliding. Just jumping really high.
"Heee-Yah!" I raised my staff above my head and struck it square on Phocadis' head upon landing. He was too dumbfounded to even block or dodge. Old Lady Melly's Freeze Frame helped slightly too, I guess.
Direct hit! The added strength from my leap sent him flying to the ground. So this was my new power - Shift. I trembled in excitement, brimming suddenly with bravado.
"Garrick," Old Lady Melly called out weakly. "Y-you cannot...fight...yet..."
Then she collapsed, totally drained of energy.
"Will the wonders never cease," Phocadis picked himself up. "Our young fellow here has got something up his sleeve after all."
He cracked his knuckles again and struck a pose. "No more foolishness, then. Here I come. Scroll Forward!"
With that he charged - no, drifted straight at me. I didn't even have time to think before his rock-hard body slammed into me. It felt like a giant sack of bricks whacking the air out of me.
Holy smokes, I wondered. How on earth did a guy his size manage to move so quickly? It had to be some sort of power he possessed.
"Come on now! Your turn next!"
I stood back up, clutching my stomach hard. Now it was starting to hurt. But no time for that. I had to focus on putting him down.
It was a no-brainer, really. I took two steps forward and Shifted high into the air. This time I had better control over the direction of my landing. I went once more for the top of his head, thinking it the easiest point to attack from above.
"Scroll Left!" Moments before my staff connected he drifted out of the way. Incredible! His feet never even left the ground.
"Scroll Right!" I turned slightly to block his impending charge. Too late. He drifted back where he stood and gored me into the ground like a rampaging bull.
"My mastery of the Scroll movements is unparalleled," His gleaming eyes looked down where I lay. "And when you consider this as well," He flexed his brawny muscles. "I cannot be defeated by your feeble powers."
Struggling to contain the pain in my gut, I forced myself up. Old Lady still was in no condition to fight. What could I do to counter his Scroll?
I had to react faster, much faster. I gripped my staff tightly with both hands and concentrated on every movement of his body.
"No use," Phocadis laughed. "I can modify my Scroll attacks to different forms. Watch."
Very quickly he Scrolled left, then right, then back left, constantly repeating till he became a sweeping mass sucking me to itself. I tried Shifting away, but the pressure was too strong to break free of.
When I was drawn in close enough, he stopped and reached for my throat. "You are nowhere near my league!" He lifted me with one arm.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Some Other Writer's Block: Three Trees
Not the best way to end a week-long drought of posts, but here's a piece (which I wish I wrote) that appeared in the Sunday Star on Easter in the Heart & Soul section. Quite possibly the best I've seen them feature.
Was at first apprehensive of posting un-mine articles here, but I guess great stories are meant to be shared, regardless the source. This was sent in by an Alicia Goh, so they say.
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. As they were discussing their hopes and dreams, the first tree said: "Some day I hope to be a treasure chest. I can be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I can be decorated with intricate carvings and everyone will see my beauty."
Then the second tree said: "Some day I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally, the third tree said: "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People who see me at the top of the hill will look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God, and how close I am to them. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
A few years after that, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. One of them looked at the first tree and said: "This looks like a strong tree ... I should be able to sell its wood to a carpenter." He began to cut it down. The tree was happy because he knew that the carpenter would turn him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree, the woodsman said: "This looks like a strong tree; I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, he was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down, his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree. I'll take this one," and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenter's, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not what he had hoped for at all.
The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.
One day, a man and woman came into the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but the manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said, "Peace", and the storm stopped. The tree knew then that it had carried the King of Kings.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as people mocked the man carrying it. When they came to a stop at the top of a hill, the man was nailed to the tree and left to die there. When Sunday came, the tree realised that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as possible because Jesus had been crucified on it.
Each of the trees got what it wanted, although not in the way it had imagined. In the same way, God's plans for us are not always our plans, but they are always the best.
Was at first apprehensive of posting un-mine articles here, but I guess great stories are meant to be shared, regardless the source. This was sent in by an Alicia Goh, so they say.
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. As they were discussing their hopes and dreams, the first tree said: "Some day I hope to be a treasure chest. I can be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I can be decorated with intricate carvings and everyone will see my beauty."
Then the second tree said: "Some day I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone will feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally, the third tree said: "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People who see me at the top of the hill will look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God, and how close I am to them. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
A few years after that, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. One of them looked at the first tree and said: "This looks like a strong tree ... I should be able to sell its wood to a carpenter." He began to cut it down. The tree was happy because he knew that the carpenter would turn him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree, the woodsman said: "This looks like a strong tree; I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, he was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down, his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree. I'll take this one," and he cut it down.
When the first tree arrived at the carpenter's, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not what he had hoped for at all.
The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.
One day, a man and woman came into the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but the manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and He stood and said, "Peace", and the storm stopped. The tree knew then that it had carried the King of Kings.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as people mocked the man carrying it. When they came to a stop at the top of a hill, the man was nailed to the tree and left to die there. When Sunday came, the tree realised that it was strong enough to stand at the top of the hill and be as close to God as possible because Jesus had been crucified on it.
Each of the trees got what it wanted, although not in the way it had imagined. In the same way, God's plans for us are not always our plans, but they are always the best.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Chapter 10: "Phocadis"
Some of you might notice that the final quarter of Chapter 9 has been changed. But then again, I wouldn't put any money on that, haha.
I was actually halfway through this chapter yesterday when I realised that Old Lady Melly needs to be a more brooding, darker character with some background rather than the senile-but-strong bit (think female Archiver) I first wrote.
Anyway, here you go - the twice-written Chapter 10.
"Stand back, boy." Old Lady Melly grabbed her cloak and pushed me out of the way.
"One on one?" Phocadis snorted. "Why don't you two take on me together? That sure would save time."
I wanted to step forward to help, but Old Lady Melly's body language indicated that she didn't want me to have anything to do with this.
"I do not believe we have met before. Who are you, and what do you want?"
"Ho, ho," he grunted. "I am Phocadis of the Scroll Assassins. He has enlisted me to capture and take you both back to Him. And that is all you need to know."
Old Lady Melly's glassy eyes didn't twitch. She seemed to be concentrating very hard on something.
Phocadis charged forward like a rampaging bull, aiming straight at her. He was surprisingly quick for someone of his build. She remained still where she stood.
"Old Lady Melly! Get out of the way!" I shouted at her.
Suddenly she raised her arms. "Freeze Frame!"
He froze six feet away from her. "What...is...this?" he roared through gritted teeth, trying to budge in vain.
Deep creases appeared on her forehead. She closed her eyes and started muttering something, as though trying to keep the spell under control. Her hands began to tremble.
"Not...as...power...ful...as...I...thought." Phocadis inched one foot forward. He was breaking her spell!
Her arms were stretched so high that they became almost skin and bone. However Phocadis was still coming to her, albeit slowly.
"Just too easy...just too easy..." he kept repeating.
No! I could no longer stand by and wait for my fate! I had to do something!
Without even thinking I raised my staff and charged at him. As he turned to face me with a vicious sneer, something strange happened. I could somehow picture very clearly in my mind a rectangular button. I knew it wasn't real, but there it was, as vivid as a bad dream. I imagined pressing it, and next thing I knew, I found myself fifteen feet in the air.
I had gained my first power - Shift.
I was actually halfway through this chapter yesterday when I realised that Old Lady Melly needs to be a more brooding, darker character with some background rather than the senile-but-strong bit (think female Archiver) I first wrote.
Anyway, here you go - the twice-written Chapter 10.
"Stand back, boy." Old Lady Melly grabbed her cloak and pushed me out of the way.
"One on one?" Phocadis snorted. "Why don't you two take on me together? That sure would save time."
I wanted to step forward to help, but Old Lady Melly's body language indicated that she didn't want me to have anything to do with this.
"I do not believe we have met before. Who are you, and what do you want?"
"Ho, ho," he grunted. "I am Phocadis of the Scroll Assassins. He has enlisted me to capture and take you both back to Him. And that is all you need to know."
Old Lady Melly's glassy eyes didn't twitch. She seemed to be concentrating very hard on something.
Phocadis charged forward like a rampaging bull, aiming straight at her. He was surprisingly quick for someone of his build. She remained still where she stood.
"Old Lady Melly! Get out of the way!" I shouted at her.
Suddenly she raised her arms. "Freeze Frame!"
He froze six feet away from her. "What...is...this?" he roared through gritted teeth, trying to budge in vain.
Deep creases appeared on her forehead. She closed her eyes and started muttering something, as though trying to keep the spell under control. Her hands began to tremble.
"Not...as...power...ful...as...I...thought." Phocadis inched one foot forward. He was breaking her spell!
Her arms were stretched so high that they became almost skin and bone. However Phocadis was still coming to her, albeit slowly.
"Just too easy...just too easy..." he kept repeating.
No! I could no longer stand by and wait for my fate! I had to do something!
Without even thinking I raised my staff and charged at him. As he turned to face me with a vicious sneer, something strange happened. I could somehow picture very clearly in my mind a rectangular button. I knew it wasn't real, but there it was, as vivid as a bad dream. I imagined pressing it, and next thing I knew, I found myself fifteen feet in the air.
I had gained my first power - Shift.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Chapter 9: "Melly"
Lol, I've been terribly wasting my time these past few days on Youtube.com watching sentai shows. Sentai, as I've just discovered, refers to your those Japanese Power Rangers-esque shows we all watched on TV1 at 5pm when we were kids. Now, now, there's nothing to be ashamed of...
But haha yeah, I gotta blame Beatrice for this one. She started it all by sending me this absolutely hi-lah-rious Spiderman El Cheapo clip which gets funnier each time I watch it. Then it was two sleepless nights down memory lane of Masked Rider Black and Ultraman. Seriously guys, you've GOT to check out Masked Rider Black. The opening theme, the monsters, the transformation sequence, it still makes me want to cover behind a pillow. Wickedly good stuff.
I stopped and gulped down water from my canteen for the umpteenth town. Here I was, with a silly-looking staff U had given me as a weapon, searching for some mysterious Old Lady Melly which he claimed would be able to give me the powers needed to battle Him.
"Everyone in Blogspot has special functions, or powers if you will," he said. "Nobody is ever certain what their powers are or what they will accomplish, but Old Lady Melly has promised me to help you seek your powers."
So here I stood in front of a crummy hut by the countryside that was a steaming cauldron away from being your average wicked witch abode. I checked once more the sketch U had provided me with. No doubt this was the right place, but where was Old Lady Melly?
"Hello!" I rapped the door with my staff. "Anybody home?"
No reply. I tried again.
"Hello! Old Lady Melly? U sent me here! Hello!"
Creak! The door finally swung open. A freckled old woman, eyes barely open, looked up at me. "Who in the blazes are you supposed to be?"
"Uhh...U asked me to come."
"That is none of my business," she closed the door halfway. "Go away."
"But you're supposed to help me gain powers! I need to fight Him!"
"There has been enough fighting already. Go away."
I held the door to stop her from slamming it in my face. "You're not making sense. The fighting hasn't even started yet, and I need your help to make sure it ends well for us."
"Fool! You are the one not making sense! The fighting ended ten years ago, and I never want to see it start again! Do you understand?"
Maybe she was one of the survivors of the first revolution. Someone from the past, just like U and Him. But if she wasn't going to train me, who would?
"Ho, ho, ho, ho," A low grunt caught me by surprise, making me turn to look. It was a hulking half-man half-beast creature in a mask. "He was right. You are here indeed, Chosen One."
I readied my staff to fight. This guy didn't look too friendly.
"A pity really, that He wanted me to bring you back alive. I was looking forward to bringing home your heads." he flexed his hefty arms. "Prepare to fight Phocadis!"
But haha yeah, I gotta blame Beatrice for this one. She started it all by sending me this absolutely hi-lah-rious Spiderman El Cheapo clip which gets funnier each time I watch it. Then it was two sleepless nights down memory lane of Masked Rider Black and Ultraman. Seriously guys, you've GOT to check out Masked Rider Black. The opening theme, the monsters, the transformation sequence, it still makes me want to cover behind a pillow. Wickedly good stuff.
I stopped and gulped down water from my canteen for the umpteenth town. Here I was, with a silly-looking staff U had given me as a weapon, searching for some mysterious Old Lady Melly which he claimed would be able to give me the powers needed to battle Him.
"Everyone in Blogspot has special functions, or powers if you will," he said. "Nobody is ever certain what their powers are or what they will accomplish, but Old Lady Melly has promised me to help you seek your powers."
So here I stood in front of a crummy hut by the countryside that was a steaming cauldron away from being your average wicked witch abode. I checked once more the sketch U had provided me with. No doubt this was the right place, but where was Old Lady Melly?
"Hello!" I rapped the door with my staff. "Anybody home?"
No reply. I tried again.
"Hello! Old Lady Melly? U sent me here! Hello!"
Creak! The door finally swung open. A freckled old woman, eyes barely open, looked up at me. "Who in the blazes are you supposed to be?"
"Uhh...U asked me to come."
"That is none of my business," she closed the door halfway. "Go away."
"But you're supposed to help me gain powers! I need to fight Him!"
"There has been enough fighting already. Go away."
I held the door to stop her from slamming it in my face. "You're not making sense. The fighting hasn't even started yet, and I need your help to make sure it ends well for us."
"Fool! You are the one not making sense! The fighting ended ten years ago, and I never want to see it start again! Do you understand?"
Maybe she was one of the survivors of the first revolution. Someone from the past, just like U and Him. But if she wasn't going to train me, who would?
"Ho, ho, ho, ho," A low grunt caught me by surprise, making me turn to look. It was a hulking half-man half-beast creature in a mask. "He was right. You are here indeed, Chosen One."
I readied my staff to fight. This guy didn't look too friendly.
"A pity really, that He wanted me to bring you back alive. I was looking forward to bringing home your heads." he flexed his hefty arms. "Prepare to fight Phocadis!"
Friday, April 07, 2006
Writer's Block: To Be A Man
Stand up, little boy!
Shake off your doubts and fears
Open your eyes, your ears
Your heart, let it beat on a marching drum
No time to cover, the world calls
Soar from the triumphs, stand from the falls
Be you brave yet unassuming
Proud but never overdoing
Savour the sights
Soak in the scents around you
For life is an everchanging melody
Playing a tune of its own for everybody
Be with you, the twinkly eyes of an old man
The wide-eyed awe a child understands
Remember your dreams, give them great white wings
Love them as only how you can
Should dawn pass too quick or stars shine not
Keep these all safe in your hands
And march on, little boy, to unseen lands
Maybe beyond
Maybe beneath
Or possibly above the skies
And when the rays bathe you in gold
Yet you see far more than riches untold
You know you have what it takes
To be a man.
Shake off your doubts and fears
Open your eyes, your ears
Your heart, let it beat on a marching drum
No time to cover, the world calls
Soar from the triumphs, stand from the falls
Be you brave yet unassuming
Proud but never overdoing
Savour the sights
Soak in the scents around you
For life is an everchanging melody
Playing a tune of its own for everybody
Be with you, the twinkly eyes of an old man
The wide-eyed awe a child understands
Remember your dreams, give them great white wings
Love them as only how you can
Should dawn pass too quick or stars shine not
Keep these all safe in your hands
And march on, little boy, to unseen lands
Maybe beyond
Maybe beneath
Or possibly above the skies
And when the rays bathe you in gold
Yet you see far more than riches untold
You know you have what it takes
To be a man.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Chapter 8: "Chosen"
"Me?" I practically squawked. "Y-you mean I'm going to be some sort of Chosen One?"
"Hm...I don't quite like the sound of 'Chosen One'. Doesn't even rhyme. But yeah...you get the
picture. It's been ten years since a human from the real world has entered Blogspot. We've all waited for so long, and finally it's happened. Just as He is putting the final touches to His masterblog scheme as well, if I might concede. Surely this is no coincidence."
"So let me guess...somewhere down the line, I'll need to fight Him?"
"And defeat Him in the ultimate showdown that the whole of Blogspot has been awaiting for a decade."
"That's insane!" I yelled. "You're all totally out of whack!"
I strode out of the cave shaking my head, hoping to wake up comfy in my bed at any time. I wasn't some long-prophesised saviour with mythical powers destined to save this world from diabolical villains. Nope, nope, not at all. Just your average clueless Joe caught in an eerily sticky situation.
Suddenly a little hand caught my waist. It was the girl who was beside U.
"What do you want?" I asked rather crossly.
She pursed her lips and shook her head firmly, as if begging me not to go.
"Linnie's parents died when she was little," U quipped. "More accurately, they were murdered."
Tears welled up in her eyes.
"That's sad," I replied. "But nothing I can do about it."
"That's where you're wrong. Back then, her parents were one of His strongest opposers. Fearing that they would someday assemble a powerful enough movement to threaten His plans, He tried persuading them to join Him. When they refused He paid them a visit, and...we all know what happened next."
Little trails of tears dotted Linnie's cheeks and fell to the ground. She whimpered mutedly and turned so that we wouldn't see her crying.
"Linnie saw everything. Everything. I don't know how long ago it happened, but since the day I found her wandering alone and took her in, she has never said a single word. I do know, however, that she wants nothing more than to bring her parents back to life again, and the only way that is ever going to happen is if you defeat Him who murdered them."
From the corner of my eye I caught her nodding gently.
"You see, Garrick, it's not a question of if you can do it," U's eyes burned into mine. "You have to do it. Blogspot needs you. Linnie needs you. Heck, even I need you."
Haering that, there was no way I could say no. Be it my will or that of forces beyond my control, I had unwittingly been thrown into the greatest adventure and fiercest battle of my life.
"Hm...I don't quite like the sound of 'Chosen One'. Doesn't even rhyme. But yeah...you get the
picture. It's been ten years since a human from the real world has entered Blogspot. We've all waited for so long, and finally it's happened. Just as He is putting the final touches to His masterblog scheme as well, if I might concede. Surely this is no coincidence."
"So let me guess...somewhere down the line, I'll need to fight Him?"
"And defeat Him in the ultimate showdown that the whole of Blogspot has been awaiting for a decade."
"That's insane!" I yelled. "You're all totally out of whack!"
I strode out of the cave shaking my head, hoping to wake up comfy in my bed at any time. I wasn't some long-prophesised saviour with mythical powers destined to save this world from diabolical villains. Nope, nope, not at all. Just your average clueless Joe caught in an eerily sticky situation.
Suddenly a little hand caught my waist. It was the girl who was beside U.
"What do you want?" I asked rather crossly.
She pursed her lips and shook her head firmly, as if begging me not to go.
"Linnie's parents died when she was little," U quipped. "More accurately, they were murdered."
Tears welled up in her eyes.
"That's sad," I replied. "But nothing I can do about it."
"That's where you're wrong. Back then, her parents were one of His strongest opposers. Fearing that they would someday assemble a powerful enough movement to threaten His plans, He tried persuading them to join Him. When they refused He paid them a visit, and...we all know what happened next."
Little trails of tears dotted Linnie's cheeks and fell to the ground. She whimpered mutedly and turned so that we wouldn't see her crying.
"Linnie saw everything. Everything. I don't know how long ago it happened, but since the day I found her wandering alone and took her in, she has never said a single word. I do know, however, that she wants nothing more than to bring her parents back to life again, and the only way that is ever going to happen is if you defeat Him who murdered them."
From the corner of my eye I caught her nodding gently.
"You see, Garrick, it's not a question of if you can do it," U's eyes burned into mine. "You have to do it. Blogspot needs you. Linnie needs you. Heck, even I need you."
Haering that, there was no way I could say no. Be it my will or that of forces beyond my control, I had unwittingly been thrown into the greatest adventure and fiercest battle of my life.
Friday, March 31, 2006
Chapter 7: "Sign"
Phew! Just in time to finish off March with one more post than last month's dismal record of seven. Was actually typing out this post in the office (where I started unofficial work yesterday) before I came to the realisation that it was still too early and too risky for anyone to find out that I was getting paid to blog. So here I am, in the still of the night when I should be sleeping, crafting a masterpiece for you...you people so owe me one.
But hey, you know what? I did spend some of my time in the office today making a list of characters for Blogspot 2, their skill sets, and even imagining how their fights against one another would be like. Fancy that! This brings back good ol' memories of "re-scripting" those potong stim (anti-climatic) Ultraman battles I watched when I was much younger. And heck, looks like my unknowing employers still aren't getting their full money's worth yet. Muahahaha. I so should get fired.
Ouch. I tried opening my eyes, but my head was hurting too much for me to do anything. Someone was talking around me. I tried to listen, but he was too distant to make out any words. It sounded like U, though.
"Ah!" I accidentally cried out in pain as my throbbing head rested against a stony surface.
"Why look, Linnie. He's come to."
Slowly I parted my eyelids. I was apparently in some sort of cave. Standing before me was U and another girl I didn't recognise. She appeared tiny and frail in her tattered clothes, barely twelve or thirteen, peeking shyly from behind him.
"You all right?"
"Yeah," I stroked the tender spot at the back of my head and winced. "Guess so. What happened?"
"Heh," U smirked. "Basic war strategy - if you can't beat the enemy, grab the spoils and flee."
Sheesh. Being referred to as "the spoils" wasn't exactly a roller-coaster for me.
"It was brilliant, really. Knowing that the Archiver uses a lot of energy in Loading every detail from a scene, I purposely timed my Paste to coincide with the moment he Loaded. Once he had to add in the detail of me Pasting, I Cut and Pasted myself in rapid succession to create even more work for him. Eventually, he couldn't bear the overloading and the entire scene crashed on him. Which brought us back here."
I nodded in understanding. Then shook my head again. "Wait...now you're making me even more confused! Who're the good guys and who're the bad guys, really?"
"Hm," U pondered for a moment. "It wouldn't mean much if I claimed to be the good guy, that I'm sure. Let me try to explain it all to you. Then you make the decision."
"The new Him's mission is simple - after he inherited Blogspot from his predecessor, he found too much "dead weight" lying around - blogs that add nothing to Blogspot's legacy of excellency. Therefore, he wants to rid Blogspot of all blogs deemed mediocre and unite every blog into a single master blog monitored by Him. From then on he shall have total control over what they say, what they think, what they look like...all these blogs must adhere to specific guidelines and templates provided."
Rid Blogspot of all mediocre blogs? That was a come-from I couldn't agree with more.
"However, Garrick, there is one thing you must understand. For each blog that is created in your world, an inhabitant of Blogspot - or Blog - is born. Should His plan become reality, it would mean..."
"Death for the scores of so-called mediocre Blogs?"
"Exactly."
I stared at him wide-mouthed. "That can't be right."
"He begs to differ, however. Now that the sign of the Revolution has arrived, the battle can no longer be avoided. Sooner or later, He will seek us out and come for you. The time to fight draws near."
"What's the sign of the Revolution?"
U smiled at me. "You are."
But hey, you know what? I did spend some of my time in the office today making a list of characters for Blogspot 2, their skill sets, and even imagining how their fights against one another would be like. Fancy that! This brings back good ol' memories of "re-scripting" those potong stim (anti-climatic) Ultraman battles I watched when I was much younger. And heck, looks like my unknowing employers still aren't getting their full money's worth yet. Muahahaha. I so should get fired.
Ouch. I tried opening my eyes, but my head was hurting too much for me to do anything. Someone was talking around me. I tried to listen, but he was too distant to make out any words. It sounded like U, though.
"Ah!" I accidentally cried out in pain as my throbbing head rested against a stony surface.
"Why look, Linnie. He's come to."
Slowly I parted my eyelids. I was apparently in some sort of cave. Standing before me was U and another girl I didn't recognise. She appeared tiny and frail in her tattered clothes, barely twelve or thirteen, peeking shyly from behind him.
"You all right?"
"Yeah," I stroked the tender spot at the back of my head and winced. "Guess so. What happened?"
"Heh," U smirked. "Basic war strategy - if you can't beat the enemy, grab the spoils and flee."
Sheesh. Being referred to as "the spoils" wasn't exactly a roller-coaster for me.
"It was brilliant, really. Knowing that the Archiver uses a lot of energy in Loading every detail from a scene, I purposely timed my Paste to coincide with the moment he Loaded. Once he had to add in the detail of me Pasting, I Cut and Pasted myself in rapid succession to create even more work for him. Eventually, he couldn't bear the overloading and the entire scene crashed on him. Which brought us back here."
I nodded in understanding. Then shook my head again. "Wait...now you're making me even more confused! Who're the good guys and who're the bad guys, really?"
"Hm," U pondered for a moment. "It wouldn't mean much if I claimed to be the good guy, that I'm sure. Let me try to explain it all to you. Then you make the decision."
"The new Him's mission is simple - after he inherited Blogspot from his predecessor, he found too much "dead weight" lying around - blogs that add nothing to Blogspot's legacy of excellency. Therefore, he wants to rid Blogspot of all blogs deemed mediocre and unite every blog into a single master blog monitored by Him. From then on he shall have total control over what they say, what they think, what they look like...all these blogs must adhere to specific guidelines and templates provided."
Rid Blogspot of all mediocre blogs? That was a come-from I couldn't agree with more.
"However, Garrick, there is one thing you must understand. For each blog that is created in your world, an inhabitant of Blogspot - or Blog - is born. Should His plan become reality, it would mean..."
"Death for the scores of so-called mediocre Blogs?"
"Exactly."
I stared at him wide-mouthed. "That can't be right."
"He begs to differ, however. Now that the sign of the Revolution has arrived, the battle can no longer be avoided. Sooner or later, He will seek us out and come for you. The time to fight draws near."
"What's the sign of the Revolution?"
U smiled at me. "You are."
Monday, March 27, 2006
Chapter 6: "Reload"
Omigosh! It's already the 27th, and I haven't even pushed all of last month's posts out of the most recent posts you can see if you scroll down! Yikes! What a far cry from the mad, mad days of 2004 and early 2005 when I would do 20+ posts a month.
Oh, and by the way...screw the reCAPPENINGS. Don't pretend you'll miss them. =p
Archiver stepped forward, psyching U out by pretending to pounce. U didn't finch. He sure seemed overly calm for someone who was fighting a losing duel.
"YAH!" U charged with his sword raised.
"Fool! You already tried that!" Archiver reached for the sword and tried to grab it. However, U deftly lowered his sword and spun out of the way. When Archiver spun around to face him, he was no longer there.
"Buying time again. A foolish tactic to use against me."
He perked his ears and readied himself for U to show up. "Come on now," he swung his fist at the air around. "This would be a pitiful end to the first battle Garrick is watching. Eh, my child?" He winked at me.
That was all the opening U needed. He Pasted himself behind Archiver and delivered a swift kick to his knees, followed by a swipe of his sword. It struck him square on the back, forcing him on his knees.
"You have gotten quicker." He said through gritted teeth.
With agility you wouldn't expect from a frail old man Archiver sprang back to his feet and somehow managed to extend his grip around U's sword. U tried to wrench it away from his grasp, but he was too strong.
"Not good enough," Archiver drew the sword to himself, making U go forward. "I win again."
Even with both hands around the sword trying to wrest it back, U could still muster a smile. "That's what they all say before they burn, old man."
"What the..." Archiver's eyes went wide. With a furious roar he flung the sword in the air along with U. Only the sword came back down, embedding itself neatly into the ground.
"A Cut in mid air? How impressive. You sure have run out of tricks." Archiver sneered. "Time to start all over."
Everything stopped moving. He was Loading the scene again!
One second...two seconds...three seconds...suddenly I could feel a my hands jerking like hiccups. Before I knew it, they were shaking violently out of control. I looked around. It was happening to everything else in the scene as well! And this freeze sure was lasting longer than the previous one when Archiver Loaded.
Then I felt this incredible force tightening around my head. I tried resisting it, but it was rapidly grew so intense that I passed out.
Oh, and by the way...screw the reCAPPENINGS. Don't pretend you'll miss them. =p
Archiver stepped forward, psyching U out by pretending to pounce. U didn't finch. He sure seemed overly calm for someone who was fighting a losing duel.
"YAH!" U charged with his sword raised.
"Fool! You already tried that!" Archiver reached for the sword and tried to grab it. However, U deftly lowered his sword and spun out of the way. When Archiver spun around to face him, he was no longer there.
"Buying time again. A foolish tactic to use against me."
He perked his ears and readied himself for U to show up. "Come on now," he swung his fist at the air around. "This would be a pitiful end to the first battle Garrick is watching. Eh, my child?" He winked at me.
That was all the opening U needed. He Pasted himself behind Archiver and delivered a swift kick to his knees, followed by a swipe of his sword. It struck him square on the back, forcing him on his knees.
"You have gotten quicker." He said through gritted teeth.
With agility you wouldn't expect from a frail old man Archiver sprang back to his feet and somehow managed to extend his grip around U's sword. U tried to wrench it away from his grasp, but he was too strong.
"Not good enough," Archiver drew the sword to himself, making U go forward. "I win again."
Even with both hands around the sword trying to wrest it back, U could still muster a smile. "That's what they all say before they burn, old man."
"What the..." Archiver's eyes went wide. With a furious roar he flung the sword in the air along with U. Only the sword came back down, embedding itself neatly into the ground.
"A Cut in mid air? How impressive. You sure have run out of tricks." Archiver sneered. "Time to start all over."
Everything stopped moving. He was Loading the scene again!
One second...two seconds...three seconds...suddenly I could feel a my hands jerking like hiccups. Before I knew it, they were shaking violently out of control. I looked around. It was happening to everything else in the scene as well! And this freeze sure was lasting longer than the previous one when Archiver Loaded.
Then I felt this incredible force tightening around my head. I tried resisting it, but it was rapidly grew so intense that I passed out.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Chapter 5: "Loading"
Oh yeah! Sing along with me now, WELCOME WORKING WORLD! That's right, I finally got myself a job as a copywriter in a medium-scale ad agency opposite Mid Valley. Really gotta thank my brother (who recommended me the job as he knows someone there) and God (who well, did His God stuff =p), it's such a dream job in terms of working hours, transport, salary, learning experience and all! Starting work on April 3rd, let's hope that doesn't translate into even less blogging for me...
"You dare challenge me?" The Archiver's nostrils flared in rage. "It shall be the last thing you ever do!"
U charged forward and thrust his sword at him. Archiver caught it with one hand and punched him in the gut.
"What in the world..." U clutched his gut in pain.
"Surprised? Many things have changed since the last time we fought, you fool. He has bestowed me with far more powers than you could ever dream of. Give up, and go home. You cannot touch me."
"Hm." U got up and ran at him again. Moments before reaching him though, U vanished.
Archiver's eyes darted left and right. "You Cut yourself."
Pow! Without warning his left knee bended awkwardly, making him fall. As he tried to steady himself, another unseen force twisted his arm. He screamed in agony.
"You are finished." U reappeared, wrenching his arm behind his back. He held the tip of his sword at Archiver's throat. "Take me to Him now."
"Heh heh heh heh heh." Archiver cocked his mouth one side. "How quickly you forget, my dear."
Suddenly everything froze. I couldn't even move my eyelids. Another spell?
It lasted no more than five seconds, but what happened after that was truly weird. I found myself back beside the Archiver with U drawing out his sword. Just like before the fight started.
"In all my eternities as the Archiver of this land, I have lost only once. And that is because of the power of Save and Load which nobody but I possess."
Save and Load? What on earth was he talking about?
"Oh," Archiver glanced at me. "Our friend here wonders what the secret behind my Save and Load is."
"You see, as the Archiver who sees all and lives through all in this world, it was only fitting that He gave me the power to capture a single moment in time and relive it whenever I want. Only then, He deduced, would the precious moments of excellency never be lost."
"And I have taken this to a whole new level by incorporating it into my battles. You see, I never was the stongest or fastest fighter around, but no matter what my enemies do to me, all I need to do is to Load the scene before the battle began and we are back at square one. Time will run out on them eventually, but it never does for me."
My lips quivered at his words. Indeed, there was no way U could win if the Archiver kept reloading the scene.
"You seem perplexed." Archiver grinned at U. "Why not come over and find a way around my powers?"
U gripped his sword tightly and swallowed.
"You dare challenge me?" The Archiver's nostrils flared in rage. "It shall be the last thing you ever do!"
U charged forward and thrust his sword at him. Archiver caught it with one hand and punched him in the gut.
"What in the world..." U clutched his gut in pain.
"Surprised? Many things have changed since the last time we fought, you fool. He has bestowed me with far more powers than you could ever dream of. Give up, and go home. You cannot touch me."
"Hm." U got up and ran at him again. Moments before reaching him though, U vanished.
Archiver's eyes darted left and right. "You Cut yourself."
Pow! Without warning his left knee bended awkwardly, making him fall. As he tried to steady himself, another unseen force twisted his arm. He screamed in agony.
"You are finished." U reappeared, wrenching his arm behind his back. He held the tip of his sword at Archiver's throat. "Take me to Him now."
"Heh heh heh heh heh." Archiver cocked his mouth one side. "How quickly you forget, my dear."
Suddenly everything froze. I couldn't even move my eyelids. Another spell?
It lasted no more than five seconds, but what happened after that was truly weird. I found myself back beside the Archiver with U drawing out his sword. Just like before the fight started.
"In all my eternities as the Archiver of this land, I have lost only once. And that is because of the power of Save and Load which nobody but I possess."
Save and Load? What on earth was he talking about?
"Oh," Archiver glanced at me. "Our friend here wonders what the secret behind my Save and Load is."
"You see, as the Archiver who sees all and lives through all in this world, it was only fitting that He gave me the power to capture a single moment in time and relive it whenever I want. Only then, He deduced, would the precious moments of excellency never be lost."
"And I have taken this to a whole new level by incorporating it into my battles. You see, I never was the stongest or fastest fighter around, but no matter what my enemies do to me, all I need to do is to Load the scene before the battle began and we are back at square one. Time will run out on them eventually, but it never does for me."
My lips quivered at his words. Indeed, there was no way U could win if the Archiver kept reloading the scene.
"You seem perplexed." Archiver grinned at U. "Why not come over and find a way around my powers?"
U gripped his sword tightly and swallowed.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Chapter 4: "U"
Hello! It's been waaay too long since I last updated the story, so though I still claim a lack of inspiration and motivation, Chapter 4's coming at cha today.
Yesterday in church we had a disruption of power supply 20 minutes before Sunday service, and a big kudos to the worship team for managing to string together an impromptu song set of all hymns. It was kind of surreal really, having to worship with no microphones (save for a cheapo "pasar malam" one), PA system, air conditioning, and the little electric-powered things we take for granted. In an utterly nice way, of course.
But enough talk for now. Let's head on to where the action is.
I whirled around. It was a tough-looking guy who couldn't be much older than I was.
"I knew I would find you here," he said, quite out of breath. "My name is U."
"U?"
"Yes, U as in the letter U. I'm sure the Archiver has told you about Antagonists. Well, I was once one myself."
"Wait...then that makes you a bad person, right?"
"Not any more. Fortunately, when I fought my Protagonist he made me see how I was merely a pawn for the Writer. Eventually we teamed up and went on to defeat the Writer."
Slowly I began to understand. So this was the Antagonist of the guy who defeated the Writer, or the previous Him.
"But then where is your Protagonist now? Are you the only one left here?"
U looked dumbfounded. "Y-you mean you don't know?"
"Don't know what?"
"It's sad, really. My Protagonist went on to succeed the Writer as the new Him."
What? That guy was the new Him?
"Oh, now I get it!" I exclaimed excitedly. "The Writer brought your Protagonist in, but apparently he rebelled and joined forces with you to fight the Writer!"
"Bingo."
"And after he defeated the Writer, he went on to take his place as Him!"
"Precise to the last word."
Now that I had sorted out who this Him was and how he came about, something else befuddled me - was U working for the Him?
"Speaking with the enemy, I see." It was the Archiver!
I fidgeted back over to his side. Better the devil I knew than the devil I didn't.
"Garrick," murmured the Archiver. "Stay clear of this man. He is the enemy of our master, and he is mightily dangerous."
"Still as charming as ever with the newcomers, eh? You used the same lines on Him once, I believe."
"Save it, U. There is nothing you can do to stop the Revolution from happening, and you know it as well as I do. As well as He knows. As well as Garrick will soon know."
"You speak as though it were already a foregone conclusion. Not if I cut you down myself right here." Blurry sqaures formed and shaped themselves into a sword in his hands. "Prepare to fight!"
Yesterday in church we had a disruption of power supply 20 minutes before Sunday service, and a big kudos to the worship team for managing to string together an impromptu song set of all hymns. It was kind of surreal really, having to worship with no microphones (save for a cheapo "pasar malam" one), PA system, air conditioning, and the little electric-powered things we take for granted. In an utterly nice way, of course.
But enough talk for now. Let's head on to where the action is.
I whirled around. It was a tough-looking guy who couldn't be much older than I was.
"I knew I would find you here," he said, quite out of breath. "My name is U."
"U?"
"Yes, U as in the letter U. I'm sure the Archiver has told you about Antagonists. Well, I was once one myself."
"Wait...then that makes you a bad person, right?"
"Not any more. Fortunately, when I fought my Protagonist he made me see how I was merely a pawn for the Writer. Eventually we teamed up and went on to defeat the Writer."
Slowly I began to understand. So this was the Antagonist of the guy who defeated the Writer, or the previous Him.
"But then where is your Protagonist now? Are you the only one left here?"
U looked dumbfounded. "Y-you mean you don't know?"
"Don't know what?"
"It's sad, really. My Protagonist went on to succeed the Writer as the new Him."
What? That guy was the new Him?
"Oh, now I get it!" I exclaimed excitedly. "The Writer brought your Protagonist in, but apparently he rebelled and joined forces with you to fight the Writer!"
"Bingo."
"And after he defeated the Writer, he went on to take his place as Him!"
"Precise to the last word."
Now that I had sorted out who this Him was and how he came about, something else befuddled me - was U working for the Him?
"Speaking with the enemy, I see." It was the Archiver!
I fidgeted back over to his side. Better the devil I knew than the devil I didn't.
"Garrick," murmured the Archiver. "Stay clear of this man. He is the enemy of our master, and he is mightily dangerous."
"Still as charming as ever with the newcomers, eh? You used the same lines on Him once, I believe."
"Save it, U. There is nothing you can do to stop the Revolution from happening, and you know it as well as I do. As well as He knows. As well as Garrick will soon know."
"You speak as though it were already a foregone conclusion. Not if I cut you down myself right here." Blurry sqaures formed and shaped themselves into a sword in his hands. "Prepare to fight!"
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
A Ride On The LRT
This is an idea I had in my mind for a good few months now, I just never found the right message to nail it down with. Last week in 95 Percent though - sorry I never explained it to you guys, it's a part-time copywriting course I've been taking for six weeks - it finally hit me smack in the face when I presented my Cause To Champion and received some excellent feedback for it. My cause was ending racism in Malaysia and the way I saw it, governmental policies harking all the way back from the British colonisation was the root cause of segregation - and ultimately racism - in Malaysia.
A brilliant plan then alit, inspired mostly from my college second year Malaysian Cultural Studies where we had these small group discussions about May 13, ISA, national identity, and the like with a certain Marion D'Cruz and Mark Teh. These were basically issues I had never cared to give much thought to before, and it really opened up my eyes to the big picture that had never existed in our little coccooned worlds. Suffice to say, the three months that subject lasted were three of my most patriotic and wanting-to-make-a-difference months.
And my plan to overcome racism? To go round having these little discussion-cum-forums for teens all over Malaysia. In other words, issues which were swept under the carpet and deemed taboo would be slowly brought up again in the open for the next generation. After all, if they were going to bitch about it after work in the mamak stalls anyway, why not let them bitch publicly and channel the negative energy into a positive one? A foolproof plan, or so I thought.
It all became crystal clear on a ride on the LRT...
Bing Bong! "Stesen berikut, Sungai Besi." The LRT announcement guy mumbled in his usual incomprehensible tone.
The doors puffed and slid open, swallowing in an exodus of workers and students back from a long day. Those who were standing shifted uncomfortably to make space for them. Of course, most didn't bother and mind-numbingly continued clogging up the entrances. Dumb Malaysians.
An ominous beep sounded, counting down the five seconds before the doors shut again. The train whistled down the tracks, making everything whizz by too quickly.
I stared at the advertorial board plastered on the LRT wall. "CINTAI MALAYSIA" , it said. Feh. I took a good look at everyone again. How in the world do you Cintai Malaysia when everyone from the giggling schoolgirls in tudungs to the loud-mouthed Chinese towkay booming on his handphone for all to hear was sitting with their own kind?
Suddenly a crazy thought overpowered me beyond rationality.
"Hey!" I jumped up from my seat. "Look at all of you! Look at all of you, I said!"
Dead silence. A million pairs of eyes trained themselves on me.
"You!" I pointed at a Chinese lady in a tacky suit. "You despise him for his sepcial privileges, right?"
The Malay apek I was pointing at glared at me, indignant. "And you!" I continued at him. "You think she should just shut up and be happy that you're allowing her to stay in your land, don't you!"
Everyone looked to the ground and shifted uneasily.
"Speak up, you morons! You!" I pointed to an Indian schoolboy with his uniform untucked and messy. "You think I'm a self-righteous leech who only accepts my own culture, don't you! Well, I think you're a hopeless gangster destined to contribute to our country's escalating crime rate!"
A heavy hand slapped me on my shoulder. "Kau ni orang Cina memang bannyak tahu cakap je...siapa yang merdekakan negara ni, ha? Siapa? Bapak kau ke?" A moustached ustat burned his narrow eyes into mine. I swallowed.
"Malay pigs," Someone whispered too loudly. "So unrefined."
"Apa tu?"
A spectacled Chinese businessman stood up. "My father had to work himself to death beacuse your Malay government did everything they could to make life difficult for him. And how have you pigs repaid him? You can't even speak English, for God's sake!"
"You want to talk about working to death?" A pakcik in a skullcap roared, all red-faced. "My father was in the army fighting the communists for your satefy, and what were you Chinese doing? Planning how to suck us dry and hightail back to China? Ungrateful dogs!"
"Malay pigs!" Someone else shouted.
"Chinese dogs!"
Without warning a punch landed against the face of the ustat, making him fall to the ground. At once loud screams sounded as a group of Malays in the carriage got up from their seats and beat up the Chinese man responsible. A mad melee of fistfights and brawling ensued. I could only watch in horror at the sea of Malay and Chinese bodies swarming over and tearing into one another.
Crazed cries of Malai si and Hutang darah dibayar darah drowned out the terrified screams of the women and children clawing frantically at the shut doors. The handlebars were ripped out from their places and bashed against heads and stomachs, splattering the floor with blood. A bloody body was sent flying through the window to the tracks below, then another. And another. All cried out in agony as the speeding carriages crushed them to death.
Bing Bong! "Stesen berikut, Salak Selatan."
I nodded dreamily and opened my eyes for the umpteenth time. The Chinese towkay was still blabbering away too loudly for me to sleep. The ustat had started a conversation with his friend beside him as well. The advertorial still beamed "CINTAI MALAYSIA" proudly with a boy in a songkok with his fair and dark friends standing plasticly beside him. And all around, everyone was eager to get home safely.
Maybe when it comes to racism in Malaysia, doing nothing is the best thing.
A brilliant plan then alit, inspired mostly from my college second year Malaysian Cultural Studies where we had these small group discussions about May 13, ISA, national identity, and the like with a certain Marion D'Cruz and Mark Teh. These were basically issues I had never cared to give much thought to before, and it really opened up my eyes to the big picture that had never existed in our little coccooned worlds. Suffice to say, the three months that subject lasted were three of my most patriotic and wanting-to-make-a-difference months.
And my plan to overcome racism? To go round having these little discussion-cum-forums for teens all over Malaysia. In other words, issues which were swept under the carpet and deemed taboo would be slowly brought up again in the open for the next generation. After all, if they were going to bitch about it after work in the mamak stalls anyway, why not let them bitch publicly and channel the negative energy into a positive one? A foolproof plan, or so I thought.
It all became crystal clear on a ride on the LRT...
Bing Bong! "Stesen berikut, Sungai Besi." The LRT announcement guy mumbled in his usual incomprehensible tone.
The doors puffed and slid open, swallowing in an exodus of workers and students back from a long day. Those who were standing shifted uncomfortably to make space for them. Of course, most didn't bother and mind-numbingly continued clogging up the entrances. Dumb Malaysians.
An ominous beep sounded, counting down the five seconds before the doors shut again. The train whistled down the tracks, making everything whizz by too quickly.
I stared at the advertorial board plastered on the LRT wall. "CINTAI MALAYSIA" , it said. Feh. I took a good look at everyone again. How in the world do you Cintai Malaysia when everyone from the giggling schoolgirls in tudungs to the loud-mouthed Chinese towkay booming on his handphone for all to hear was sitting with their own kind?
Suddenly a crazy thought overpowered me beyond rationality.
"Hey!" I jumped up from my seat. "Look at all of you! Look at all of you, I said!"
Dead silence. A million pairs of eyes trained themselves on me.
"You!" I pointed at a Chinese lady in a tacky suit. "You despise him for his sepcial privileges, right?"
The Malay apek I was pointing at glared at me, indignant. "And you!" I continued at him. "You think she should just shut up and be happy that you're allowing her to stay in your land, don't you!"
Everyone looked to the ground and shifted uneasily.
"Speak up, you morons! You!" I pointed to an Indian schoolboy with his uniform untucked and messy. "You think I'm a self-righteous leech who only accepts my own culture, don't you! Well, I think you're a hopeless gangster destined to contribute to our country's escalating crime rate!"
A heavy hand slapped me on my shoulder. "Kau ni orang Cina memang bannyak tahu cakap je...siapa yang merdekakan negara ni, ha? Siapa? Bapak kau ke?" A moustached ustat burned his narrow eyes into mine. I swallowed.
"Malay pigs," Someone whispered too loudly. "So unrefined."
"Apa tu?"
A spectacled Chinese businessman stood up. "My father had to work himself to death beacuse your Malay government did everything they could to make life difficult for him. And how have you pigs repaid him? You can't even speak English, for God's sake!"
"You want to talk about working to death?" A pakcik in a skullcap roared, all red-faced. "My father was in the army fighting the communists for your satefy, and what were you Chinese doing? Planning how to suck us dry and hightail back to China? Ungrateful dogs!"
"Malay pigs!" Someone else shouted.
"Chinese dogs!"
Without warning a punch landed against the face of the ustat, making him fall to the ground. At once loud screams sounded as a group of Malays in the carriage got up from their seats and beat up the Chinese man responsible. A mad melee of fistfights and brawling ensued. I could only watch in horror at the sea of Malay and Chinese bodies swarming over and tearing into one another.
Crazed cries of Malai si and Hutang darah dibayar darah drowned out the terrified screams of the women and children clawing frantically at the shut doors. The handlebars were ripped out from their places and bashed against heads and stomachs, splattering the floor with blood. A bloody body was sent flying through the window to the tracks below, then another. And another. All cried out in agony as the speeding carriages crushed them to death.
Bing Bong! "Stesen berikut, Salak Selatan."
I nodded dreamily and opened my eyes for the umpteenth time. The Chinese towkay was still blabbering away too loudly for me to sleep. The ustat had started a conversation with his friend beside him as well. The advertorial still beamed "CINTAI MALAYSIA" proudly with a boy in a songkok with his fair and dark friends standing plasticly beside him. And all around, everyone was eager to get home safely.
Maybe when it comes to racism in Malaysia, doing nothing is the best thing.
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