The BTN Nightwalk

The sky put on its veil of darkness, bringing an end to the day with a hint of mystery. The full moon was displayed with dazzling illumination; the opera of the crickets gave the ambience a touch of melancholy.

Stars decorated the veil of the sky like diamonds on black satin; the sound of water splashing on the waterfall in the distance gave the woods a peaceful impression.

Suddenly, a whistle shrilled, breaking the serenity of the place.

‘Next!’ Boomed the voice of a man and two girls moved forward, holding on to each other as though giving support to the other.

‘Follow the blinking red lights and don’t stray off course,’ said the man, not unkindly.

The two young ones stared at the path cloaked with darkness in front of them and gulped involuntarily. It was the seventh month in the lunar calendar and to Malaysians, it is the Hungry Ghost Festival.

Daunting and uninviting, this night walk in the jungle of Rembau, Negeri Sembilan is a part of the activities organized by the National Civics Bureau (BTN). April and Catherine had valiantly protested against the walk but to no avail; the organizers replied with, ‘the camp is a platform for you to face and control your fears.’

However, the organizers relented a little by allowing the participants to go in pairs. Having heard the screams of countless people before them, the two girls were in no haste to begin their walk.

‘Hurry!’ A voice behind them screeched, making them jump.

Gripping each other’s hand tightly, they proceeded cautiously. It was difficult to spot the tiny blinking light and mosquitoes were feeding happily on the exposed flesh of the two girls.

Very soon, they rounded a bend. The light emitted by the flashlights of the facilitators could now not be seen and they were engulfed totally by darkness.

Catherine whined. “April, my throat hurts…”

April cursed silently under her breath. Catherine’s tonsillitis has been worsening since they arrived at the camp. She rummaged in her backpack for a bottle of water. As April took it out, her peripheral vision detected something moving.

Something white moving, no, gliding in the trees behind them.

April’s blood ran cold. Beside her, Catherine’s mouth was opened in a silent scream. Her eyes were bulging and she was shivering uncontrollably.

It was Catherine’s fear and panic that brought the adrenaline surging to April’s muscles. In a swift moment she grabbed Catherine’s hand and they ran as fast as their stiff legs would carry them. Both girls were sobbing uncontrollably but did not stop even when they heard shouting from afar.

Finally, coughing nonstop, Catherine sat down at last. They had run relentlessly for more than five minutes, as if being chased by an axe-wielding madman, with the objective of getting as far away as possible from the creature.

April slumped beside her, panting loudly.

‘What was that?’

‘No idea. Let’s walk though. Gotta find the rest, fast.’

They continued their walk down the path with renewed spirit. However, much to their dismay, the red blinking lights seemed to have disappeared. The trees seemed to grow thicker there, and the sound of animals was ominously absent. Every sound they made was magnified ten times; the imposing darkness made chills go down their spines.

Out of a sudden, a terrifying howl brought their hearts to their mouths. The girls shrieked at the same time and, in unison, sprinted back up the path.

Unexpectedly, April slipped on a slimy object and took a tumble. Her knee landed on the sharp side of a jagged stone and a metallic smell made her dizzy. A sudden, sharp pain pierced her right calf, and April looked in time to see a black slimy snake, giving out a sibilant hiss, slithering away.

April’s scream drained the blood off Catherine’s face. She never would have believed that April, strong, tough April, would be capable of producing such a sound of mingling terror, fear and pain.

Writhing with agony, April could not do anything but whimper. A feeling of paralysis was spreading up her right leg and she was in terrible shock. All she could do was to moan for the help that would never come.

Catherine was lost in panic. She could not leave April alone in this state, no she would get lost trying to find help; yet staying with April would not bring help to them. The snake venom was rather poisonous, judging on the rapidly deteriorating consciousness of April.

She was losing much blood. The fangs must have punctured a vein, as dark red blood was oozing out copiously. Catherine knew she had to react quickly. It was a matter of life and death.

Pulling her hairpin out, she proceeded by making small cuts at the side of April’s snake bite. Next, she did the thing that felt right at that moment – she pressed her lips to the bite, and sucked the contaminated blood.

It tasted horrible. Like the smell of rotting flesh. Catherine spit the first mouthful out and returned for a second mouthful. The repetition was continued until April’s blood tasted normal without the repelling stench.

Taking a spare shirt from April’s backpack, a partial tourniquet was tied to reduce the blood flow at April’s leg. The result was instantaneous – the blood loss reduced dramatically.

However, Catherine began to feel dizzy. Perhaps it was due to the sheer exhaustion, maybe it was due to the intoxicated blood she accidentally swallowed in her haste to help her friend, her mind blanked out suddenly.

The branches swayed gently in the wind to the tempo of a cradle being swayed as the nightlife in the jungle remained in its active mode. Owls flew about finding prey for their chicks and rats ran about, dodging the flying birds that were looking for a meal for their nest.

It was a scene of peace and harmony - the way nature should be.

When the search party arrived half an hour later, they found a girl with snakebite from the vicious cobra breathing with quick, shallow breaths; weak but not quite ready to meet the Creator yet, and the body of a brave girl with blue, swollen lips, who gave her life to save that of her friend.

The Mortar Board

A cup of freshly brewed home roasted coffee in the middle of a mountain of books emitted fragrance equivalent to that of the kopitiam coffee her dad loves.

The aroma was so tempting that Susan had to put her book down and take a sip. She felt her drowsiness disappear in a fleeting second.

She rubbed her weary eyes and they lingered momentarily at the mirror on the wall. Her reflection scared even herself. Was it possible the woman with bloodshot eyes and a pallid face Susan? Gosh, she looked like a zombie!

She took in a deep breath to pull herself together. It is not the time to lose her focus.

She threw a nervous glance at the round clock on the wall. It was nearly two in the morning. She heaved a sigh and carried on with her revision.

“The next book…one more after this…there’s still time for this…”

These were the words Susan kept repeating to herself as she went through her notes. Her mind, already saturated with information, went into an overdrive, absorbing information like sponge absorbing water.

She had come too far, further than what her critics have thought her possible of. They have been hostile towards the first ever girl taking an engineering course in the university. Told her she would never make it. Picked on her since the first day as she arrived on a wheelchair.

Ahh, her legs, a casualty of the fatal accident that occurred years and years ago.

It was a perfectly normal day for any family.

Tuan Sheng had taken a day off from work to spend time with his family. Being a people’s leader in the state of Kelantan, the title ‘Tuan’ did not come easily for Sheng. However, he had been doing well over the past decade, and the fruit of labour ripened fast for him.

A challenging job, a perfect family, and respect from the people were everything he ever wanted. Happiness was a possession for the Sheng family.

Alas, fate intervened. He was driving home from the beach in Bachok when a blue Honda rammed into his car from the passenger’s side. The screams of his wife and daughter made the blood drain from his face.

He was powerless to prevent the car from turning turtle.

The massive jam that resulted from that crash delayed the arrival of the ambulance. Had the traffic been more relenting, Sheng’s wife would not have passed away on the way to the hospital. As she was rushed to the Operating Theater, Susan was in a critical condition, fighting for her life.

Sheng blamed himself for the tragedy. Had he approved the construction of a wider road in that area earlier, his wife would not have died. Had he drove with more vigilance, Susan would not be in mortal peril. Why, of the three of them, did he receive the least injury?

Susan woke up from comatose a few weeks later, by which Sheng had taken to alcohol to ease the pain of losing his wife. And another blow hit the Sheng family.

Susan was paralyzed from waist down.

It was a setback that would deter many from moving on in life, but not Susan. She knew it was her mother’s wishes for her to excel in her studies, and she vowed to fulfill her piety to her mother by doing just that. The positive energy radiating from her managed even to rouse her father from his drunken stupor.

It was a long, long journey before she made it into University Malaya (UM). She had survived jeers from her parents, biased teachers and even the cruel hands of fate far too long to give up now.

No, she will be undertaking her ultimate paper in her fourth and final year and there is no room for quitters. She will soldier on no matter what!

Tuan Sheng, who had requested to be transferred to the Klang Valley upon his daughter’s admission into UM, was sitting at the kitchen table when Susan emerged from her room.

“Are you ready for it?”

Susan nodded confidently.

“That’s my girl.”

A fire rose in her chest. The wrinkles around his eyes showed how much Sheng had aged, and Susan was determined not to let him down.

At nine o’clock sharp, the examiner gave the go-ahead and the scribbling began. Susan’s hand flew across the paper at breakneck speed. Her peers around her looked at her in awe as she filled the blank papers with formulae and calculations.

Finally, exhausted, she put her pen down and closed her eyes.

Susan woke to the sounds of machines beeping. She was in a white room filled with weird devices and tubes. The sense of déjà vu filled her eyes with tears. She adjusted her right hand and it brushed against something soft.

Tuan Sheng woke to a start, and couldn’t believe his eyes as he saw his daughter smiling at him. For two weeks he had slept beside the unconscious body of his daughter and finally she has woken!

The result for the finals was announced a fortnight later. Susan gave the honour of opening the envelope to her father.

With trembling hands he slit the envelope open and gave an enormous gasp.

Susan had obtained first class honours despite fainting in the middle of the last paper!

On the day of her convocation, Tuan Sheng, the proudest man in the universe that day, put on his best suit and went to the ceremony with his daughter at his side. When Susan Sheng was called, the crowd gave her a standing ovation, to the girl who had proven that nothing is impossible.

As she received her honours from the chancellor, Susah held her father’s hand tightly and touched her mortar board. Tears welled up in her eyes.

“Mum, I’ve done it!”

The GameCube Adventure

"This story is purely fictional

all likeliness are totally coincidental"

The day began in the same fashion as it had for the past few years.

The alarm clock disrupted her sleep at a quarter past six. Yawning, she would get downstairs and get ready for school. She would then be at the kitchen for breakfast, and her dad would fetch her to school.

It was a pattern that repeated five days a week, and sometimes even six. But she was already used to it. There was only a year more before she graduated from high school, and she was already impatient to leave that place.

Cheng came from a family filled with love. Her parents gave her what she wanted. An iPhone. An iPad. Approved her relationship with Ivan. You get it.

She was a sweet girl, full of life and enthusiasm. However, as age crept in, she began to enjoy solitude.

Rebellion was ever present in her as she grew older. Call it the side-effects of a growing teenager, she became vulnerable to the influences of her peers. Succumbed to the desires of people her age. Materialism stepped in and immaturity took control.

She wanted fun. She yearned for the merriment she could not find in her home. Thirsted for the thrill Ivan wouldn't give.

It started with the weekly movie trips, and the hanging out with friends. Cheng and her friends preferred the GameCube, which was the attention hub for teenagers or young adults her age without the sense that education was the key to future success.

But it doesn't matter, because it's all about staying cool and trendy when you're young.

The craze of teenagers seemed to have frozen over loud music and the hip hop genre. Everywhere she turned, she saw teenagers with tight jeans and flamboyant hairstyles.

A pulchritudinous girl to start with, she attracted gazes from the boys. Some of them wolf-whistled at the mini-skirt she wore but she didn't pay much attention to them. Those jerks aren't comparable to Ivan anyway. She was just there to chill with her friends.

"Pretty girl, new here? How come I've never seen you before?" A voice said, and a hand caressed her chin.

She stepped back in shock; her hand slapped the stranger's hand away automatically.

The man who assaulted her laughed wickedly. "Ooh you have character. I like that."

Behind him, his two followers snickered evilly.

The thug that was obviously the leader had a handsome face, with a scar running across his cheek. His hair was dyed blond, and he wore a silver earring on his right ear.

"So, any intention of hanging out with me? A drink, perhaps?" He leered at her.

Cheng's self defense mechanism set in. "Er, nope. Sorry but I think we have entered the wrong place," she rejected politely and tried to leave.

The thug waved his hand. A group of muscular men surrounded Cheng and her friends.

"Cheng, it's just a drink. Why don't you go with him?" Ling, her best friend said.

Cheng looked at Ling in horror. "I never thought you would do this to me." Hurt was quickly coursing through her veins, filling her with the feeling of betrayal.

She knew doom was impending. There was no way out for her. If only she hadn't left the safety of her house for an hour of fun. She glared at Ling.

Ling averted her eyes. The blond waved a hand and his men formed a pathway for Ling and her group of friends to leave the building.

"So," said the blond after the girls left the building. "Now let's have some 'alone' time in my room upstairs."

She was powerless in preventing herself from being shepherded along various corridors.

"Hey Shuit, so that's how selfish you can be."

The blond stopped and turned around.

So that's his name, Cheng thought miserably. At least she would be able to give the police something later.

"Saarvinraj, my old classmate, long time no see. What's this nonsense about me being selfish? Since when was I selfish? Hahahahaha."

Saarvinraj wore a white jeepa' which complemented his dark skin perfectly. The shades he wore made him look like Shah Rukh Khan, and his perfect Indian slang made him look like he just came out from Kabhi Kushi Kabhie Cham, a famous Indian movie.

"Aiyooo, Shuit taking a girl for yourself and not sharing is being selfish. You haven't changed since our Matrix days."

Shuit looked taken aback. "So how do you think we should settle this?"

Saarvinraj smiled, showing his perfect, shining teeth. "The usual rules. Two laps."

"Game on."

Cheng was brought to an abandoned house. She was tied to a chair at the porch and tears streaked down her cheeks as she watched the two baddies rev up their motorcycles. The process, as told to her by a follower of Shuit by the name of Kentmun, was simple. The first person who completes the two laps first wins the prize.

Cheng had struggled with all her might but to no avail. By the end of this race, she would be of the possession of a malicious crook, and there is no way out for her.

The race begun and the night sky was decorated by cheers from the gangs belonging to the two thugs. Shuit led the race at the first lap until he reached the final turn, where Saarvinraj capitalized on a lack of concentration to overtake him.

They were neck in neck going into the second lap when something strange happened. Two of the gang members suddenly jumped onto their motorcycles and joined the race.

And that was the cue for the action to happen.

Police sirens filled the neighborhood. The night sky was lit ablaze with the red and blue emitted by the lights on the police cars. The gang members cheering their boss scrambled to escape.

On the racetrack, the two leaders of triad realized what was happening a fraction of second too slow. As they reached the finishing line, Shuit shouted triumphantly, "Haha, I've won!'.

Saarvinraj was too enraged to speak. He threw his helmet to the ground and attempted to leave the scene when two policemen handcuffed him and took him by surprise.

Shuit, knowing that things have gone wrong, made a desperate attempt to make a bolt for it. He turned, just to see a policeman pointing a pistol at him. There was no escape. He raised both his hands as a sign of surrender.

"Shuit, the leader of Siew Kit Triad, you have been placed under arrest of abducting a minor and for your part in an illegal motor racing activity.

"Saarvinraj, the popular Bollywood actor, I never thought you would get caught. However, you are detained for your participation in an illegal motor racing activity. by the way," he lowered his voice. "Can you give me your autograph?"

Saarvinraj laughed humorlessly as he allowed himself to be led away.

The officer who addressed the two thugs walked over to Cheng. "Miss, how are you? I am Inspector O.B. and my friend over there is Sergeant Ahmad Fauzi. A report was made by a group of teenagers a few hours ago, and we kept a lookout in the area.

"Come, the worst is over. Let's get you home."

Cheng was escorted back home by the police force to the relief of her parents. Ling and the group of friends were there too. Upon seeing her parents, Cheng hugged them and sobbed unashamedly. Ivan, who arrived not long after, spoke to her words of comfort.

As the saying goes, all's well that end's well. Cheng learned to appreciate what her parents gave her, and realized her friends did not betray her. She forgave them and apologized for jumping to conclusions too early.

And she finally understood that she was the luckiest girl in the world. Loving parents, rational friends, and a kind boyfriend. She has finally grown up.

Here's a tribute to Miss Ang Sung Cheng for her 19th birthday, and a happy 1 year Matrix anniversary for the class of 2010/2011. ;)

A Matrix Love Story

Two things I hate most in this world. Homework. And boys who compete against me.

Life, was always tough on me. First, I've been sent to this "college" in the rustic town of Kuala Pilah. The homework load was terrible. Then when I thought nothing could go any worse, he was assigned to my class. Now I have lots of homework, and a boy who competes AGAINST me to complete our homework!

Life is extremely kind to me. I hope you heard the sarcasm hidden in the sentence.

This kid, is seriously a pain in the neck. He wouldn't stop talking to me! Not in the talk-about-polite-stuff sense. He just wouldn't shut up about Arsenal FC and stuff that only people with a Y chromosome would like. Don't get too impressed. I only remembered the Arsenal thing because he wouldn't stop showing off his jersey.

Like I would be interested anyway. I AM A GIRL, DUH!

My friends keep telling me he likes me. OH MY GOD that had better not be true because you know what? I never felt anything towards him. Just two ordinary classmates, that's all. End of story.

Still, I've been feeling quite well the past week. It was the Chinese New Year holidays! Five days of glee in the shopping heaven of Kuala Lumpur. Yes. Yes. Yes yes YES!! Most importantly, I wouldn't have to see his face for five whole days.

Now that's music, to my ears. *Winks*

Usually he would pester me with his incessant text messages but I wasn't that bothered with the absence of his messages this holidays. Probably fooling around with some other girls.

But time flies. I'm now back in the college, heading to class on this devastatingly cold Monday morning. See, even Life is making it extra tough for me.

I walked into the class, late as usual. Weird, he's not here. It doesn't matter; it's better for me. :)

Suddenly, there was a frantic knock on the door, and he rushed in.

"Sorry I'm late sir."

Gosh. My personal nightmare returns. I stole a glance at him; he was looking at me intently, the cheeky smile back on his face.

The rest of the day passed by as usual. I left the classroom first, and he caught up with me. We walked all the way to our classes, went to look for the teachers and even ate together. Along the way, he couldn't seem to stop talking.

It's like being tortured in Hell. Everyday for the next eight weeks. Thank God it's not for eternity.

We were walking to our Chemistry lecture when it happened. Being extremely late for the class, I finally opted for a shortcut that required me to run across the field. I was halfway across the field when I realised he wasn't with me.

"Alvin?"

"Hey slowcoach Caroline, what's taking you so long?" He was standing in front of the lecture hall.

I was stunned. There was no way he could get there so fast. I mean, I was the one taking the shortcut and, he was still next to me twenty seconds ago. I wasn't possible; I didn't see him running or...even fly.

I frowned, but threw it to the back of my mind. He was fond of coming up with new tricks to surprise me. Bother him.

That was the start of many events.

You see, Alvin is an extreme-outdoor person. He loves soccer more than his life (I mean, he did get so many injuries and accidents while playing the sport that I flinched every time I imagined him playing) and he's the most auntie-like boy I've ever seen - once a rumour reaches his ears, you would bet it'll reach the ears of everybody in the college.

The thing is, nobody seemed to want to talk to him anymore. I was with him all the time, and nobody even gave him a glance. None of my classmates teased me about him; nor did any of my friends mention him when we were chatting. They acted like he never existed.

And nobody seemed to want to talk about him anymore. Whenever I mentioned his name, the topic would change instantly.

He started to shun company; he started to skip meals. The only thing he intensified his effort in was...his care to me.

Every night, he would have his dinner with me in the cafe in front of my dorm. He would always get a carton of milk and watch me eat. Then, as I prepared to leave, he would force me to finish that carton of milk. I pretended to be annoyed by his antics, but truly, I was touched to the core.

His hoodie, always the same one, was always in his bag. Whenever I felt cold Alvin would help me put it on. My friends were like, "It's his hoodie!!" with surprised expressions on their faces but I didn't care. Alvin...was starting to melt my heart.

As we all know, time flies. Soon, February was ending. We both received our results for our middle-of-semester-test. I got a pointer of 4.00 and he was a little behind with 3.87. It wasn't too bad, but we were having a study group consisting of the two of us nightly. All the time his gaze would not leave my face, and to tell you the truth, I was totally basking in happiness.

He gave me my first ever Valentine chocolates, and they were the sweetest chocolates I have ever tasted.

As March came creeping along, he was getting more and more protective. We were spending all our time together. Eating, studying, looking for teachers....you name it. Except for the time when I was in my room, we were never separated.

As April approached, he was always with a grimace on his face, which immediately turned into a sparkling smile whenever I look at him. It was all very mysterious, but with the final examinations looming, I didn't care much.

I was very, very, very touched with the attention he gave me, and I myself was basking in happiness each and every time we were together. When two people are in love, even silence is sweet when being together.

I never thought I would fall for him in this hell of a place. But...the attention he gave me, the adoration he has for me, they were...indescribable.

Finally, the day reached. The final paper was taken, and we were now going home. He pulled me to a side, and gave me a letter. His face was shining with tears and, without saying a word, he sprinted off.

I tried to follow but, he seemed to vanish into thin air. I stopped, and opened the letter.

There was a stack of photographs; pictures of us. Ah those happy times, wonderful to reminisce. Behind every picture, there were words of love.

"Caroline, don't forget to take more vegetables k!?"

"Carol dear, next time, please snug closer to me if you're cold..."

I couldn't stop myself from tearing up a little. There was a newspaper cutting at the bottom. I picked it up, and gasped.

Boy Killed On Journey Home.

There was a picture of him lying sprawled lifeless on the tar road, with a wrecked car next to him.

He died on the journey home from the college during the Chinese New Year holidays.

So that's why my friends ignored him. They couldn't see him at all. Only I could.

So that's why my friends refused to talk about him anymore. They were grieving.

So that's why he wouldn't walk under the sun anymore. He couldn't.

"Carol, I know you would be crying when you read this. I'm sorry I can't wipe your tears from you this time. Happiness doesn’t come easily for those who seek it; as it possesses wings and tends to fly out of our reach.

I rue the day I met with the accident, as it cost me the chance to walk down the aisle with you. I regret not listening to your advice, for if I did not speed, I wouldn’t have met with the mishap. Now I couldn’t be with you for the rest of your life, and it was all because of a moment of folly.

The play has yet to reach its end, but the lights have dimmed on our story.

Rub your tears off, dear! Be strong. Take care of yourself properly in honour of my memory. Don’t forget the milk; and get an optimistic outlook on life. If you do believe in reincarnation, then I would never want to separate with you just like this.

If there is a next lifetime for us, I hope for me to be your Guardian Angel once again. I want you to know I would be waiting for you for all eternity. Forever and ever.

I just came back to spend the last eight weeks with you. It was seriously the most genuine eight weeks of my life, and I hope it was a part of your best memories too."

All I could do was to hug my knees and sob.

Devil's Playground @ NSMC

Fung Sheng Fatt is nineteen years old. He studies in the “prestigious” Negeri Sembilan Matriculation College for “brainy” students. Pretty impressive, isn’t it? Besides that, he is a member of the student council. Now that’s cool. I mean, twenty nineteen-year-olds being representatives of two thousand teenagers living away from home? Wow.

Now, it so happened that the student council, being aware of the general inability of the students to take care of themselves properly without the chaperoning of their parents, organized a “Love Yourself” programme, designed to give the students awareness on taking care of themselves properly.

The act was pretty commendable huh? Yeah, obviously. However, who was to know that the free dental checkups were part of a drug trial by the government? For those who went for the checkup, a jab (of the H4N3 virus strain that was said to give immunity against the next wave of influenza which would drastically hit South East Asia) was given to them.

Sheng Fatt, being an active member of the student council, was among the first to volunteer himself for the checkup. Positively filled with glee after receiving the jab, he was seen boasting around, describing how stronger he felt after the checkup. The rest of the day passed as usual. Class. Quiz. Homework. You get the idea.

But when the night came, and the moon rose, everything changed. My name is Sean, and I live in the college compound as well. There is a really tough, buff guy called Tilak, and he lives in the room right above mine, We are in the same lecture and we study together in the ironing room of our hostel whenever we are free.

Everything was as usual. Our discussions comprised of a wide range of topics from Biology to automobiles; from the tyrannical school rules to girls. All of a sudden, screams shattered the peaceful serenity.

That was the sign of danger.

I am a boy, and no girls were allowed in the hostel. The only time a boy would scream with such enthusiasm would be when he was caught naked by a woman, unless he woke up and saw a cockroach on the back of his hand.

But it couldn’t be, because the screams came from everywhere! Different directions, different people. There couldn’t be so many cockroaches in a place at a time. Or SNSD (the Korean pop group, anyone?) couldn’t be in our hostel.

“What the?”

“Hey bro, let me go check out what’s happening. You want milo?” Tilak asked.

“Nope, thanks. Just go find out why – “

Just then, there was a crash and someone I didn’t know stumbled into the room.

Hey, hold on, it wasn’t someone I didn’t know. It was Eiswaran, Tilak’s roommate. I couldn’t recognize him at first because….his features were so badly disfigured.

He struggled to keep himself standing. “Run….Tilak…” was all he managed to say before collapsing onto the floor. Being a first aider, I rushed to his side immediately. He wasn’t breathing anymore.

Around us, the commotion was getting louder by the second. Howls, groans, moans and other inhuman screams were deafening from every direction. Without pausing to think, the two of us sprinted to Tilak’s room.

And what we saw made our hearts freeze.

Shawn, Eiswaran’s best friend, had changed completely. Not his size though, he still was expanded horizontally as the day before. The difference was, he was pale white, with blood oozing out of his orifices. In his hand he held Eiswaran’s guinea pig, and as we watched, he stuffed the rodent into his mouth, making an inhuman growl as he did so.

We did the most sensible thing we could think of. We ran.

We rushed to the room of our warden. It was empty. Fearing the worst, we tried to look for his car keys, only to see the warden, half transformed into one of the undead zombies, staggering into the room.

He stumbled towards us, but Tilak, an accomplished archer, took the warden’s set of bow and arrow, and shot him. The arrow flew through his left eye and he collapsed.. One zombie down, two thousand more to go.

“C’mon Sean, get the car!! I’ll cover you!”

I fished the keys out from the back pocket of the warden’s tight jeans. So much for banning the wearing of jeans in the college. Around us, the zombies, it transpired, had the ability to smell humans. They rushed out from the blocks towards us, the fresh meat that had not been devoured.

As we made our way to the car, the zombies started attacking us. Their speed and strength were obviously devastating assets to them. They clawed and roared, trying to get to us, but Tilak’s arrows were equal to their attack. A shot from his bow took out three zombies at once. Awesome.

“Hurry Sean!”

“Hop in!” The engine was started but there was no clear path in front of us. We were COMPLETELY surrounded!

“Sean, step on the accelerator!”

“But…but…they were our friends,” I wailed, suppressing a sob.

“And they want to eat us now!”

A crash brought me to my senses. An arm smashed through the passenger seat window and grabbed Tilak’s bow. I stepped on the accelerator, hard. There was a great ripping sound and the arm was detached from its owner. The zombies in our path were knocked down like pins in a bowling alley.

We sped uphill, all the way to another of the boys’ hostel. As I drove past the building, a body was thrown out of the first floor window. It was Petra, a good friend of mine.

There were no zombies around us so I hit the brakes. Tilakrushed down the car and in no time at all, Petra was in the back seat of the car, moaning for painkillers.

Nothing could be done to save the rest of our friends. It was all about escaping this Devil’s playground or being turned into tasty snacks for our ‘friends’. The zombies were advancing towards us at an alarming rate. It was an alarming sight to behold.

“Sean, we have to get out of here now,” Tilak whispered.

Petra moaned, “the girls’ block. Mickey, Mickey…”

I stepped on the accelerator. It was a tad too late. There was an almighty crash and both Tilak and Petra yelled. I looked into the rearview mirror and saw a zombie standing on the boot of the car.

Lucky I watched Initial D. I turned the steering wheel as hard to my left as possible. The car drifted as if it was a Subaru AE86 and the zombie was thrown off. I sped down the road to the girls’ hostel.

There was a riot at the area. Zombies were tearing the place down, looking for fresh meat. I knew there was no hope left. Mickey couldn’t be saved, nor the rest of our friends whom we have gone through thick and thin with.

And then I heard a scream. Not the inhuman scream the zombies make, but something…hmmm…human. Once again I looked into the rearview mirror, praying I wouldn’t see the sight I saw a while ago, and what I saw surprised me.

Mickey and two of her good friends were climbing out of a drain.

I stopped to let them in.

A girl named Felicia, supporting a bloody cheek, was helped into the back seat by the two girls. The other girl, Sung Cheng, leapt into the passenger’s seat (which was vacant because Tilak was caring for Petra in the back seat).

“Are there anyone else we might be able to save?” I yelled.

The girls were crying uncontrollably. Their inaudible answers were drowned by the inhuman growls from every direction.

“Sean, GO!” Tilak shouted.

I sped away.

You know I managed to drive all the way to safety now you’ve read this story. I expect to be arrested under the Internal Security Act for whistleblowing this national secret but don’t worry, I’ve gone into hiding just like Paul the Octopus. The Malaysian government is in the process of destroying the college and the town of Kuala Pilah, just to remove all traces of this destruction, and of course, those whom we had, once upon a time, addressed as friends. And so, I’m making a correction to the beginning of the story.

Fung Sheng Fatt was nineteen years old. He studied in the Negeri Sembilan Matriculation College and was a member of the student council …until the government’s sinister plan was put down to action.

‘Sex education should be introduced as a compulsory subject in schools.’

What is your opinion? You should write at least 350 words. Illustrate your opinion with examples.

Talk about the birds and the bees and prepare to get mixed reactions, whether nods of silent consent or a furore of angry protests, by the public. True, Malaysia is a developing country that has scaled great heights in numerous aspects, yet social stigma still has it that sex is a confidential issue and taboo that should not be discussed publicly. Therefore, many views were expressed when the Malaysian government proposed to introduce sex education into the current education system. Some called it madness, while others applauded the spirit of the Ministry of Education in making such a courageous decision. As for me, I concur wholeheartedly with the government’s new policy.

One good thing that this move would bring is that of dispelling myths and old wives’ tales surrounding intercourse. As an example, many people are instilled with the belief that females would not get pregnant at the first try. However, it is not proven scientifically and couples who are unprepared to bring a new life into this world are faced with a dilemma of choosing whether to keep the foetus or to abort it. Those who opted to give birth to the foetus but were unable to care for it, would then abandon the child; contributing to the rise of the numbers of abandoned children in this country. Efforts by the government to combat this issue are evident, such as the baby hatch that was set up recently in Petaling Jaya. However, as the saying goes, prevention is indeed better than cure, and is also much cheaper than cure. Thus the community should be thoroughly educated so as to know what their moment of folly would bring.

Following that, sex education in schools would certainly raise the public awareness of schoolchildren, especially teenagers who have reached puberty and are nearing maturity. It is never easy to satisfy the curiosity of an inquisitive child. As they approach puberty, changes in their body and the sudden interest towards the opposite sex would definitely pique their desire to know more about the opposite sex. Rather than letting them learn through the wrong channels, why not let the Ministry of Education device a syllabus which would answer most of their questions and at the same time, encourage and promote the benefits of post-marital sex? This would ensure the children getting the correct information from the right source, wouldn’t it?

Furthermore, the society should be exposed to the dangers Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) pose, and what better way to educate the public than to start by educating children, the Masters of the future? It has been told that if you spare the rod, you’ll spoil the child. Thus by teaching the children that pre-marital sex is prohibited not only by the law but by religious aspects as well, we would be moulding a generation community which would abstain from pre-marital sex as their mindset would have been long set since young. Other than that, by knowing the diseases associated with uncontrolled sex, the children –in the future- would be discouraged from participating in intercourses without basic precautions.

Being enrolled in sex education, the children would be taught the difference between a ‘friendly touch’ and a ‘malicious touch’. For instance, a girl who has been educated would know if the person attempting to get close to her has a nefarious motive and would be able to act rationally at the time of distress. She would also be able to keep her calm and composure besides gathering evidence for the police instead of wailing and crying helplessly. Moreover, contrary to popular belief, boys are of as much danger as compared to girls. As girls were given more attention, we forget that boys could also be victims of rapists. Hence it is obvious that boys should attend the sex education class too as the knowledge gained would be essential in the real life if anything happens.

All in all, my stand remains strong and firm: Sex education should be taught in school. However, the burden on honing young minds in this area should not be placed entirely on school teachers but to be shared equally by the parents as the primary education of every child starts at home. Of course, syllabi which are age-appropriate have to be arranged. Let us ask ourselves this: Do we want our children to be taught that they were delivered by storks; or they be given the correct and relevant information? It is time for you to play the judge and decide if this new policy should be encouraged or condemned.

‘Traditional entertainment like wayang kulit and Chinese opera is rarely seen nowadays.’

Discuss the causes of the decline as well as the steps to improve the situation. You should write at least 350 words.

Have you ever witnessed a Chingay parade? Participated in a highly entertaining match of congkak? Or perhaps watched a performance of the Sumazau dance? Malaysia, a nation rich in the diversity of cultures, offers us more than just those mentioned above. For us lucky citizens, we have pretty much been exposed to the variety of cultures around us since young; engulfing our lives with enriching experiences and fulfilling entertainment. If we explore the depths of our cultures thoroughly, we will see how resplendent values such as determination and innovation transformed the lives of our forefathers. Alas, what we get to enjoy now may not be available for our future generations. The reason? The decline in traditional entertainment among our community in recent years.

There is no point in pointing fingers at each other with regards to this trend that is slowly diminishing the traditional entertainment from our lives. The most effective way to correct this landslide of popularity in traditional entertainment in our lives is by examining its cause and coming up with effective solutions to amend our mistakes of the past. It cannot be denied that the decrease in exposure of our cultures within the society among adults and youths is one of the main factors that accelerate our disregard towards the arts passed down from our forefathers’ era, decades or even centuries ago. Nowadays, the ancient knowledge created by our forefathers to amuse themselves in the boring old days without television and internet is in danger of being lost forever. Thus, it is of utmost importance for us to preserve the techniques and skills so as not to lose the arts we have been entrusted to by the older generations.

As we are aware, young minds nowadays are being corrupted by the hectic city lifestyle – all emphasis is being directed on scoring high grades in examinations. Following that, parents are sending their children for extra classes in addition to the strenuous school life and the young minds are exhausted at the end of the day. So how are they to participate in other activities when their minds are burnt out and their bodies weary? The government has to look into the education system and come up with a plan to cultivate all-rounded students, not only students who are able to memorize facts and formulae. In this context, bringing in traditional entertainment into the school extra-curricular syllabus would be celebrated as a brilliant move, killing two birds with one stone, by the government as it would ensure the students are being exposed to our cultures at a young age besides bringing up students who are able to think creatively and dynamically.

Next, we have to understand that the mass media plays a pivotal role in our lives. Everything is getting easier and easier in this era of science and technology. We can search for information by just a click of a button. Therefore, it can be concurred that to address this current issue, the mass media plays an important role. Events regarding traditional entertainment such as competitions should be given wide coverage by the press. For example, newspapers should publish news on large-scale happenings concerning traditional entertainment. It is no doubt that through the mass media, more people will be exposed to traditional entertainment and their interest in it built up. Publicity is an important aspect to excite one’s interest in an issue and with the correct amount of publicity, it is certain that traditional entertainment will be enjoyed by more people.

In addition to that, the mindset of the people is another major issue. These days, people would rather become slaves over illusory assets to be bothered with traditional activities. In order to obtain fame and riches, they work, work and do more work. Hence, they feel that it is a hassle to go for ‘silat’ classes because working out on a treadmill machine for ten minutes makes them yield the same amount of benefit. Furthermore, teenagers now are addicted to computer games such as Defense of the Ancients (DotA) and Maple Story and would choose to spend hours of their time in front of the computer screen rather than to play a game of Chinese Chess. Thus, parents have to instill the belief in the mindset of their children that they should at least participate and possess the basic knowledge in traditional activities so as to be able to pass them down to the next generation.

It is obvious that the condition of the issue on hand is pretty bad. However, it can still be improved if drastic action is taken fast. Thus, to ameliorate the situation, we would have to look at all aspects regarding the issue on hand objectively. In a country rich in cultures and diversity, we have to preserve our traditional entertainment so as not to allow the efforts of our forefathers go to waste. Moreover, we should be aware and equipped with the knowledge for us to remember our roots as every culture and tradition is unique in its own way. Let us sustain and safeguard our traditions; and contribute to the building of a spectacular 1Malaysia.