Ok - Time for part II of your stories....
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Paul has been teaching public speaking and conversation classes at Chung-Deh for 8 years.
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19 comments:
Mimi
It was a cold and dark way, I did not know where I was, was I still alive or dead. Who could help me to get away from here, I heard somebody was calling me. Who was calling me? “Johnson” was my dear wife Kate always waiting me on the harbor calling me. “Dad” or was my lovely nine years old daughter Anna calling me. Why I was here, was I survive or was I dead, oh I remembered something happen on my ship.
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In 1953 Saturday afternoon the crews of number 1107 ship catching a man (one of the crews of the ship) destroyed the engine of the ship, at first the man did not admit he destroyed the engine, after being asked by Capitan Johnson and the crews finally the man admitted, the engine was destroyed by him. All the crews in the ship wondered why he wanted to destroy the engine; he told the crews and Capitan he was not a crew. The man pretended a crew but he actually was a writer of criticizing politics, he was a political offender, so he can not return to his country. Thereby the man destroys the engine, hoping the ship could stop at another country to avoid being caught by the secret policemen. Capitan Johnson decided to put the criminal to the cellar of the ship.
Sunday night, storm visiting, the sky was blocked of heavy clouds, the strong gale blowing the sea wave heavily, the rain falling down, Capitan Johnson trying to control the ship but the engine was out of order. The crews in the ship throwing a boat to the sea and asking Capitan to get on the boat, Capitan Johnson did not want to abandon the ship and crews, eventually by the push and forced of the crews the Capitan getting on the boat with four crews. The rain becoming heavier and heavier, the strong gale was stronger and stronger, the sea wave was higher and higher finally over the ship. In the vast sea the ship disappeared and sank in the sea, only a small boat with five people flooding in the sea.
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I remembered my ship had sunk and I was in the small boat with five people. The wind and rain was strong and was so cold. We struggled with the sea trying our best to row the boat. And then I was here, was this the way to the world, oh there I saw slight light far way from me, I would follow the light trying to get away from here. When I nearly arrived the gate of the light I lost conscious again.
During the night the nurse in the St. Mary hospital had covered the blanket for Capitan Johnson several times to avoid Johnson screaming at night time, he seemed has a nightmare so he could not sleep properly. After several days being cared of the nurse, the Capitan Johnson had conscious; he woke up on a morning. Even though he had conscious, was still very weak, had no the sense of taste to eat anything, and could only drink some liquid soup. A week later he became healthier and healthier and remembered his wife Kate was waiting for him on the harbor so he wrote a letter to his wife.
My Dear Kate,
You must be surprised I am still alive; our company informs me that they sent a letter to you saying I am dead, actually I am still alive. There were some thing happened on my ship that’s why our ship sank. Several crews asked me to get on the small boat that’s why I can survive. Now I am staying at a small island after recovered soon I will come back to see you and Anna. Is every thing alright at home, I hope every thing will be fine. I miss you very much and hope to see you soon.
Love,
Johnson
Kristine (Part I)
After taking the drug, she began to revert to the days of her childhood. It seemed incongruous to oust her dreams just when she was so happy, indulging in snippets of her childhood memories, reminiscing the way her father talks, like he is almost whispering right into her ears now, recalling the way her mother walks, out on a rainy day with her striking red heels. It was a slight moment away from the cold, hard reality.
"One... one more shot.." she huffed and puffed.
Inexorably, he pierced her another injection.
Too strong.
For a spilt-second, she thought she was in heaven. It feels as though she was mid sky, above the clouds, soaring higher, lingering.
Suddenly, excruciating pain took over every inch of her blood cells. She couldn't help shaking. A surge of explosion erupted on the inside of her, a sinister sign of death. She was shaking even more vigorously.
Cognizant of his inadvertent error, he dropped his syringe violently. His tremulous hand slowly found its way to below her nostrils.
Where's the breathing?
Her body felt cold and clammy. She died.
He fled for the door, but his knee gave way. He anxiously fumbled for something solid so he could regain his balance. Then he left and never came back.
She almost died.
But God was good to her.
A complete fiasco at twenty-one.
It was not just another ordinary skirmish. It was a huge fray. She never once had to give in in this relationship. As a matter of fact, she always gets away with impunity. Even when it was her fault, even if she knew she ought to have apologized for her reprehensible behavior.
Every little effort she made, he made sure she gets credit for it. He lauded her even when it was just a simple gesture of adding sugar to his tea.
The boy was implacable in his demand for an apology. To the consternation of her, he asked for a break-up. The decision was unreasonable and monolithic, no way was she gonna concur.
" What is you problem? What exactly is your problem?"
" NO! what is your problem?! Look, i have never admonish you for any, I mean ANY mistakes you've ever done in your whole entire life. But let me enlighten you, I'm not stupid. No one took me like a complete idiot except for you! I'm not a dumbass I'm telling you. I can't just sit here and tell you again that its okay, that its all gonna be okay when here you are having an affair behind my back! To think you have the audacity to ask me WHAT IS MY PROBLEM when you and
your sordid acts is now a flagrant violation to my principal. All these years i stood firm to my principals but I had to give way when there are times you.."
" Hey listen.."
" No. NO! YOU LISTEN! You listen and you listen good. I'm not about to listen to your pack of lies and your well-knitted fabrications behind your hands. Don't offer me any of your incredible alibis or well-rehearsed pretexts. That's it. We're over. "
It was all a misunderstanding. She had nothing to do with that guy. He had it all wrong.
For some unfathomable reason, she actually remained reticent, much to her own disappointment.
It's crazy. He wouldn't let me explain. She thought.
He is affluent, highly academically inclined, and pretty good looking. Everything a girl could hope for. Everyday she wondered why he saw her when there are ten thousand better girls out there who saw him.
Right. I should have know its coming anyway.
Kristine (Part II)
Now what she ought to do is to curb that incipient rumor before it spreads like rampant disease. This could be disparaging to his reputation and bring his whole entire family to utter shame. Such possibility must be eschewed and totally gotten rid of.
There has got to be ways to salvage this relationship.
But no, he disappeared, vanished. She knew none of his friends, their relationship wasn't blessed, people don't agree that they should be together, they warned him he'll be a waste to go for someone like her. He didn't dare let no one know. Their relationship was kept clandestine.
She'd construe his decision to be the perfect reason of leaving her completely.
Clean.
Nothing left behind.
He must be outta country now.
I swear I'll never fall in love again.
And she thought she'll never love again at twenty-two.
Too precocious or too childish to talk about love?
I don't know.
She decided to go abroad. Never mind about the cash. Never mind if it's gonna be hard. She's willing to do anything. Right now, she just wanted to leave, the further, the better.
It's five hours away from her state to the international airport. Another sixteen hours straight from the airport to Taiwan.
She got a position as the administrative assistant in a cram school in Taiwan. The kids in her school address her " Teacher K".
" Teacher K, Teacher K.. woo. I love this." She often chanted under her breath with a beam on her face. Her favorite part of her job description would be roll call. The kids would respond with great enthusiasm when their names are called, eagerly raising up their hands to be acknowledged, their face radiate an angel-like glow, an expression only found in simple, childlike faith. Their response is a reflection of Kisbeth's relationship with the children, which speaks of dependence, respect, and unspoken trust when each child's pair of eyes met hers.
" A new beginning, a new life, a better future, I hope. "
The kids brought much joy to her life. Nowadays she find it so much easier to laugh than to frown. It was genuine happiness. She haven't felt something so real for a long long time.
Fear sometimes does creep in and whisper in her ear, that happiness will slip away because nothing ever last. She sometimes became dubious of her brighter life, whenever she turned back and saw her dark past experiences haunting her. Didn't her love end when she thought it was gonna last forever?
Though she hasn't achieved much of a high degree, her English speaking background ensured her a pretty decent job. There is a paucity of talents in Taiwan, not to mention talents that are able to speak in English fluently. Lack of experience did cost her to learn some painful lessons. However, it was lucky for her since her boss was too kind to openly castigate her clumsy mistakes. Now she's an aspirant to the job of an English teacher. Then it would really mean it when her kids call her " Teacher K".
The other time she stopped by the road to answer the question of an octogenarian asking for directions, she actually taught him the way and patiently walked him nearer to his destination. In the past, she would never have bothered to stop and help some hapless fellow who lost his way; much less an old gran who speaks slower than a tortoise climbing mountains.
Work can change a person's nature drastically. She found a character. Though she may not yet be at where she wants to be, but at least she is not at where she used to be.
Kennie
Henry did very well in basketball, controlled the ball, made the three point shot and he looked very…… handsome. There is a saying, “Diligent Woman are Beautiful” and I will change it, “Diligent Henry is Attractive to me.” I was curious about him. How old is he? Is he lived here? Is he go to the same school like me? When he go to this court next time? I was too shy to ask, I just sat here, looked at him, noticed every act he did. Suddenly, a man talked to me, interested in my silent. “Hi, I’m Tank. Are you living here? I live in no.109 on the fifth floor.” The man, Tank, was introducing himself to me. “Are you a student?” “I’m the student of K University, and what school you attend?” Tank sat next to me, a strange man. I smiled, moved far from him and left my sight back to Henry. “Which child is your son? Ha ha ha ha.” the stupid Tank asked me, “Your eye sight always on these children. Uh…Are you looking Henry?” When he finished the sentence, Henry turned his head and looked at me, I was feel embarrassed about his sight. “Why are you so silent? Speak something to me, you are so cold.” Tank said. I stood up and walked out to the court. I was so angry about the stupid guy destroyed my afternoon. I watched Henry and the children playing basketball from my window when I got home. I could feel these children were very like Henry, and so do I. Every Sunday, Henry went to this court to play basketball with children, and I looked at them every time. Every time I want to down stair to say hello to Henry, but I don’t. I found when I was looking at him through the window; I felt very calm and won’t be afraid somebody found me heart. And one day, I still sat in front my window and looked at the court. There was no one but some leaves in the court. Unbelievable, I can imagine that Henry was play basketball in the court, every step, gesture, and smile. I felt I was so stupid, he even didn’t know who I am. I knocked my head, closing the connection between him and me, but it was difficult.
Few days past, I didn’t see Henry appear, but I saw another person. “Hi, the cool girl, nice to meet you again!” I met Tank after school at Friday. I didn’t want to talk to him so I walked very fast. “Hey, don’t be so cool, OK?” and I stopped, because I thought maybe I could heard something about Henry from him. “Oh, I almost see you everyday, but you never stop when I called you.” Saw me everyday? “I’m not trying to scare you. I just want to ask if you are free tomorrow, do you want to join us to play basketball.” Will Henry go with them? I didn’t answer Tank, and then I went home. But I know I was very expect about the day coming……
Rita
……Sometimes, Steph felt even though they were in the same room; she, however, belonged to a dark cave as black as the nights, and Vic soon would extend her beautiful wings and fly high.
Part II-1
One night, sitting down with brown suede coat, the fringe on her sleeves was flickering while Vic was leaning forward, sliding on her elbow leaning toward to Steph, blinking her crystal amber eyes, a mixture of smell with perfume, smoke and whisky dashed upon Steph. Intimate smiling, Vic said with her aesthetic lips, like singing a romantic song, “I have been seeing a guy is named Dorian.” Trying not to carried away by her tantalized voice, “Is he Italian?” Steph asked. “No, he is half Irish and Italian, but he was born here” Vic smiled.
Later Dorian had been introduced to Vic’s family, he was certainly charming, caring and slightly exotic. Steph knew it’s only a matter of time, she was soon going to miss her dearest sister. Yes, Vic and Dorian married when she was 23. They moved to Philadelphia, sisters began to see each other on scattered weekend.
Watching the crowed and seeing people race to into swirl and chaos, Steph wondered about New Yorkers why they like to rush on from A to B at miles an hour; that is a gaining or losing: maybe gaining more time, but losing more treasure moments. Every time they met, Vic remained the energetic and a little dissatisfy notion of her routine. She seemed ready to aspire to greater high and hunted a new endeavors on another truck.
At the same time, Steph was working at a public school library. She saw herself clumsy walking toward a futureless cave which become a shelter for her. Almost in desperation, she turned back to simple things, and realized reading has always been loyalty and a great company, discovering herself in writing like making a piece of artwork which was the most enjoyable time for her.
Then one day Vic told her that she and Dorian were moving to New York City. She was 24 at the time, and it was not surprised to anyone in the family.
“I’m ready, and if I don’t do it now, I never will.”
“Do you have a job?”
“No, I can free-lance.”
“Why New York?”
”I’m an artist. That is where artists should be. Why don’t you come?”
Rita
Part II-2
Steph wanted to think of herself as an artist, too, but she had been writing without success. She was glad Vic had courage to pursue her dream; meanwhile, Steph felt sensations that she could not untangle her complexity with Vic’s leaving. She was envied that strong courage and mocked her blind trust in her talents. Nevertheless, she knew she wished she would be more like Vic, but she was not dare to expect any thing could happen to herself; seeing Vic’s back vanishing from a distance made her feeling abandoned. Once again, the innocent Snow White had been left behind in the secure land, however, this time the flourished turning point was going to be made by the Evil Queen.
Vic had struggled for her artistic life during the first few years, and Steph went back to school finished her literature degree. Years after years, Vic not only survived in there, but also became one of outstanding designers in New York. More and more postcards of foreign sights came in the mail, snorkeling off Galapagos Island, strolling among sword merchants or climbing the Maya pyramids, in contrast, the farthest place Steph had been to was New York for visiting. When Vic came home with all her big city politic competitions and adventures of her trips, Steph felt unsophisticated. Especially, no significant achievements to share, she felt even more failure next to her.
One year around Christmas time, family were preparing Vic and her family back to town as usually. Steph drove to a farmers’ market which was about thirty minutes away from home to pick up their order, the freshest homemade fruit cake. While she was looking for a parking space, a familiar silhouette sitting on a bundle of hay, the fuzzy blond hair glow waving into the sunset rays, with such applauding bright color, but only to contract out the loneliness from back of her shadow, following her exhaling, the smoke blurring the shape of her. At least five or six cigarette buds lying next to her feet, no one knew how long the lady had been sitting there, maybe she was struggling with an unsolvable trouble, perhaps because she had no one to talk to, had no lovely family supporting her, no where to release her sadness, or perhaps because she just had too much ego to hide. Steph made a U-turn following behind the shadow of a big truck quickly passing by the lady, yes, that was her – Victoria.
The small room filled of a groan with the heavy noise of rhythm, as if a gymnastic competition was going on in the room, until a deadly silence falling down, two bodies soaked with sweat lying on the bed, he turned and faced her. Cupped her youthful and beautiful face in his hands; he looked at her fondly, and said," like a spring sun, you melt the snow and help me find the youth again". He looked at her eyes thoughtfully for a while and eventually made up his mind to ask for a divorce from his wife after 30 years
marriage.
It was a cold and dark night and he came home late as usual. He glanced up and saw his wife standing on the veranda. She came closer to him with a sweet smile. He placed softly his right hand on her shoulder, leading her to the sofa in the living room. He went to the bar and poured themselves two glasses of whisky. He sat on his favorite chair opposite to her, turned the standing lamp off. His face was barely discerned in the darkness. Only the two lenses of his glasses were reflecting in the dim light. Then he said" l am terribly sorry, that I have made an unexcused mistake, I fell in love with a young girl, who can rejuvenate me, I want to get marriage with her, I urge you to agree for a divorce, I will give all my property to you. My lawyer would contact you soon ". It seemed that she heard the sound from a far distance; she looked at him as if she had never known him before. After saying that he stood up walked out of the living room and slammed the front door. She did not even hear his going away. Her face twitched in agony, her head sank down and tears came down on her face. Perhaps because he had injured her heart thoroughly. Perhaps because the truth at last dawned upon her.（to be continued········）Regina
Yvonne’s story part (II)-1
She went downstairs to open the bar door, opening the kingdom built of her dream, a kingdom by the sea. After years of long travelling around, wandering abroad, she decided to build up her bar in this little town, for some reason. With that Indian rug on the floor, that Arbic scarf on the rack and that Latin American statue with a totem on the shelf, the bar was filled with exotic decorations she brought back from her journeys. She cleaned and dusted them as she did every afternoon, her eyes met the mask, the exquisite leather face resting wordlessly in the corner by the pocketwatch, its mysterious eyes hallow, its inlaid gems still shining, waving her into the memory of that stary summer night.
That night on the ship, she went out of the masquerade ballroom and took a walk to the deck to catch some cool air. Being in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the ship just drifted in the soft wind, the sky inlaid with countless blinking stars, marvellously clearly seen in the darkness away from land. Just like the ship being alone in the stupendous space upon the horizon, J. was all alone, feeling a bit dizzy, perhaps because of the spinning waltz, perhaps because of the floating deck, perhaps because of the champagne, and perhaps because she was so drunk in her enjoyment of this moment.
She gazed into the endless distance, with her arms streched, rising high in the air, embracing the flashing stars, as if flying on the ride of the wind, her hands opened to let the wind blowing going through among her fingers, feeling the silky touch of the wind she’d always loved since she was a little girl. While musing if there was no end of the world, or rather, it “was” the end of the world, she was drawn back by a voice.
“No regrets! ”, a low voice from behind said, “If the ship should sink here, on such a night, into this hundreds of miles of deep water, I should have no regrets! ” a man with a charming accent.
J. turned with her face half-covered behind the leather mask.
“What is it all about? ” this man asked.
With her still rosy cheeks from the party, J. replied, a bit confusedly, “ It?! What’s ‘IT’?”
“The voyage! Why this voyage?” the man said.
J. thought for a minute and said, “It is the charming secret between time and the ocean that I most adore, the ocean timelesly speaking various expressions,” replying with a smile.
“Speaking of time, allow me to introduce myself: K., a watchmaker, dealing with time all my life.”
“I am J.,” she nodded as a reply, “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, J.,” he bowed and kissed her by the hand, lips gently touching her fine fingers, and continued, “ time enchants me.”
“ I’ve been doing my best to make those machenical watches, trying to count time with accurately moving second-, minute-, hour-hands, date numbers, and design stylish watch covers, fobs, and chains, but actually, I can’t measure time, as if trying to count the stars in the night sky, as if solving a puzzle with no anwser.”
“Indeed, time itself is nothing but a mystery, and life as well. That’s what I mean the charming secret,” said J., “ I enjoy the time while being on voyage surrounded by the ocean. When closing my eyes, breathing with the ocean, I feel my being there with time and myself. The moment remains enternal when me along with myself, my heart beating in harmony with the movement of time- the rhythm of a second-hand. ”
“I agree with you , but time is a naughty old man, playing games with people,” said K. “When you feel sorrowful, it lingers and etherizes you in grief; when you are cheerful, it flies swiftly away.”
Yvonne's part(II)-2
J. asked, “So, what is IT all about - for you? ” J. looked up at him,her long straight brown hair flying in the air behind her shoulders, revealing her fair skin and beautiful chin, her eyes though half-covered, promising to be fascinating.
K. looking at her with somehow a fond smile, replied, “Since I can’t figure out what time is, I travel with it, travelling to as many countries as I can, chasing time in different places, of different people. ” “Look at this map here,” K. unfolded a map out of his pocket in front of J., “these red marks are the places I have been to, and this is the shore we’re heading for.”, pointing at a red cross on the map. “The people there move slowly, takes life easy, as if time doesn’t exist in their world. I know it well because when I last went there, I stayed for long, and alomost didn’t forget to move on my journey. My principal was to not visit the same town for a second time, but as you can see, I broke it on this cruise, and, yet - I am glad I did.” He paused a little and couldn’t help stealing a glance at her, then his eyes quickly moved upon the map, “ If I hadn’t gotten on board, I wouldn’t meet you here, and enjoy our inspiring conversation.”
J. felt some heat coming up her face and her rosy cheecks became redder, she lowered her head a bit and slowly spoke, “Time does exist, though. It is there in morning dews, in a raindrop, in a blooming rose, in bending wheat, in falling leave, in soft moonlight, in a glass of wine, in eyes you meet, in a hug, in tender kisses... ” She lifted her face and continued, “Time never abandons you. Look inside yourself, and it is there.”
As she spoke, he was staring at her affectionately. Their eyes met, J. felt her heart beating fast.
“I must say, you have quite impressive view about time. I think i understand it and I like it a lot,” said K.
Finally, he asked carefully, “Shall we dance? to the immense ocean and life? ” He held her hand and led her for a waltz in the tranquility, without any music.
Part II
She did it, married a man, a musician, a very normal man, with whom there was no need to
quarrel about anything. He was as a soldier obeying his commander's orders- his wife.
Now she could perform at will, and was free to travel to her heart's desire. On her many trips
abroad, she brought home both spiritual and material wealth.
However, family happiness cannot be created or confined within walls of mordern homes. A
large house can allow stronger winds to blow through and create greater distances between friends. As the days, nights, weeks, months, and years passed, he tried to escape from his loneliness by
turning to alcohol and drug, and going out with a various kind of friends. Soon, he was addicted to alcohol and drug.And she had forgotten that she had a husband in the true sense of the word. After
many happy, but tiring trips, she would arrive at home, would wipe away a thick layer of make
up from a face that had already been touched with crow's feet, giving him all the money, and after
proffering a few words of advice, and would go up to the bedroom and sleep soundly.
Later, he did not want her to be home so that he could go out and lose himself in
soft voices and hands that would care about him, and kept spending the money ;moreover,not only did he spend all the money she had given him, he also began to make debts as he plunged deeper into
drug, until one day, he lose the way to come home..
That saturday, I went to town, I had just received her letter asking me to come to her
performance. It was in the middle of the rainy season, but the weather was fine that day. The blue
sky forecast a beautiful night. I reached the town at twilight. I went into a small room, about fifteen
square metres, where an artist could relax before stepping on the stage. The floor was carpeted, and
air condition made the room so cold. The first thing I discovered about her under the neon light in
the room that she was so beautiful-an oval, gentle face, and as far as I could tell.
Wearing a very thin dress, she was sitting with her chin cupped in her hand, staring absent
mindedly at the space filled with noises, her face was wonderfully made up,highlighting two bright
eyes and rosy cheeks, making me wonder that she not changed in fifteen years, and had even
become more pretty and elegant. I looked out of the window, actually it was not a window. It was
onlt a transparent glass wall from the top to bottom. It started to rain, splattering all over the glass
wall.
In the moment, we were transported to our past.
''You, oh, it is such long time. How many years?''
I smiled at her sincerity. She pulled me down on the seat opposite her. Looking closely my face, she yelled loudly :
''You have got grey hair?oh, my goodness, I thought there would be nothing in this world that could make your hair grey.You live like a model. You love your friend. You love your husband
and children. You have devoted yourself totally to your family and office.''
And she joyfully started singing
The hair is different, but the heart remains unchanged. Then she stopped and announced :
''I'm going to go to the court to get a divorce.''
She told me about the men in her life :
''All of them are ill breeding. Some are thirsty for talent, others for wealth. I cannot bear it. It is a right time to live alone.uh! ''
Annie
Grace (Part 1)
"...Happy birthday to you!" As Kevin's family reached the end of the song, his grandmother brought out a brightly wrapped present and set it into the eager hands of her eight-year-old grandson.
Kevin excitedly ripped apart the wrapping.But as the paper and ribbon fell away to reveal a stuffed clown with a huge, grinning mouth, Kevin threw the gift down and burst into tears. "I hate it!" he cried.
"Kevin! How can you be so unappreciative? Apologize to your grandmother immediately!" Kevin's mother demanded with rage. But Kevin couldn’t stop crying , any more than he could supress his fear caused by this creepy clown mocking him with wicked grin, taunting him as if he’s a canary in a cage, helplessly and hopelessly, at the mercy of a starving cat hovering aroud the cage.
After deadlocking for almost a half hour, Kevin, though reluctantly, was sent to his room alone with his new clown. His horror was so tense that he kept the door unclosed and threw the clown to the corner, but he could still feel the uncanny atmosphere lingering. Tightly hugging his teddy bear,he went and sat on his bed.
"Oh, Ninjabear. At least I have you to protect me," he whispered. Kevin had always felt that his teddy bear —dressed in ninja clothes, complete with sword and over-the-shoulder scabbard—was his protector. Kevin fell asleep with Ninjabear in his arms.And the clown sat silently in the corner, grinning.
As the hour hand reached 12, Kevin was waken up by an earthquake of great magnitude. Before any action could be taken, the floor underneath his bed split open, forcing him to fell from a purple sky onto the leafy floor of an evil-looking forest. "I'm having a nightmare!" he tried to console himself, but all effort were in vain.
"The only way out is through that door," said a friendly voice. Kevin whipped around to see Ninjabear pointing at a large door in the distance; it was hanging in midair, lit by the full moon."I'll protect you," said Ninjabear.
Grace (Part2)
The two set out through the forest, toward the door.But it was not long before they were stopped by strange laughter that seemed to come from all around them.Ninjabear drew his sword, his eyes narrowed in concentration.
Suddenly, the clown jumped down from a branch behind them.But Ninjabear was ready.He spun around, slicing his sword through the clown, which exploded into stinky clouds of cotton.Ninjabear grabbed Kevin by the arm.
"Go!" he yelled.
They ran as clowns began dropping down from everywhere.Ninjabear slashed and sliced, his sword never resting.They ran through the explosions of dying clowns, the air becoming thick and blinding with cotton.
When the air finally cleared, they found themselves at the edge of a deep, wide gorge. It was spanned by a dangerously swaying suspension bridge, but the roar of cackling laughter from behind forced the pair forward.
As they reached the middle of the bridge, the sound of pursuit strangely stopped.They spun around to see clowns cutting the bridge ropes. Ninjabear quickly put his sword away. They made a run for the other side, jumping right as the ropes gave way.The pair flew through the air, catching the edge of the far cliff face as the bridge fell to the rocks below.
As they struggled to climb up, the rocks crumbled beneath Ninjabear's furry hands.He fell but was caught by Kevin, who had grabbed hold of his scabbard.Ninjabear, hanging in midair, suspended by his shoulder scabbard, looked in horror at Kevin, who held onto the cliff ledge by only one hand.
"Hold on, Ninjabear!" said Kevin.But the rocks were crumbling beneath his hand, too. Ninjabear stared into Kevin's eyes.
Unmani-1
He wasn’t a gay until he met Johnson.
How he turned heterosexuality into homosexuality, he had no idea. Many years ago, he professed his love to his cousin, a beautiful and clever woman enjoying her variety romantic life, rejecting his heartfelt confess, probably turning him into a different perspective to women .
He works in Taiwan Bank as a policeman in Taipei, as usual, helping the old people filling the forms, telling colleagues porn jokes cheering their nerves up, exercising his body to train into muscles regularly, watching movies a lot whenever he’s free, having a gathering party with friends on Saturday night, spending time in an artistic corridor, a connoisseur in jade and painting with fine sensitivity, giving all his money to baggers then walking home on foot, a compassionate man giving space to himself and others, always making people laugh, a popular man not handsome but having a hearty life.
One day, Johnson was invited in the party, his genial voice gliding softness and tenderness, his warm smile gently smooth his heart, and his charming eyes emitting some temptation, of course, very seductive. Thirsting for a policeman as his boy friend for a long time, Johnson took the initiative to know more about the police, showing his passion in art and abundance in life through words, he knowing the artist is a painter, all the sense of beauty pulling him closer to him, admiring his talent he falling into his trap, like bees with flowers, fire with a moth.
Soon they became partners. Johnson had his own family, a son and a wife living in northern of Taiwan countryside, the son having as charming as his father’s eyes, talented in art as if he is the second Johnson, a quiet woman choosing to live in a foggy life avoiding the truth of his husband’s betraying, behaving like a traditional Chinese wife, harmonically deceiving the fake marriage, they hiding behind the truth like an ostrich covering its head into sand.
He took care Johnson’s family in many ways: finance and emotion. Three years romantic life with few love affairs in between, an artist’s desire to have plenty of men in life making him hunt for the next one, they attracted by his charming eyes and fluid artistic personality, eagerly creating normal life colorful from both sides, ignoring the love from his partner, taking his financial support to have more fun with other men, he always accepted him to come back and had new relationship again, totally loving him as the first and the last man. This unfaithful relationship seemed quite normal in homosexual.
To his father’s wish, he asked for to change his work place in southern of Taiwan. Johnson had more opportunities to meet somebody else. Less meeting than before, Johnson lived more crazy and freely with no limitation.
Unmani-1-2A normal day he got a phone from his wife, shaking voice in her mouth, sobbing sounds through her nose, popping sentences in her words intermittently, noise passing through from the background as if this was the end of the world, he realizing the call was from a hospital, the most painful and difficult truth making him empty, a dizzy feeling flashing in a second, shocking energy overwhelming his body, no phrases coming out except the great pain in his heart.
He took few minutes to decide going up to north, and at the same time he knew if he went alone it would be too much. He asked his best friend to drive him to his cousin, a close friend of him for years since he was rejected by the other cousin—her older sister.
She got a phone call from her cousin in Taichung, it bringing news making her sad, needing her support before seeing Johnson’s stiff body, he himself as tender as a child held by her when he saw her probably because she was the security of his emotion, tears expressing the pain he was caring.
He completely lost control at the moment he saw him, a cold temperture maintaining the body like an eternal marble, the dead body broken in pieces because of car accident, drunkly driving his car crashing into a big tree beside the street, dying immediately, he found in the next early morning when someone passed by, the doctor telling him what the killing stick had taken his life away. He calmly heard all these details to bring him a whole picture why happened, to accept what the truth was--death, to keep his spirit on the earth.
Unmani-subordinate
A tired woman lied her back on the bed, feeling exhausted all over her body, pain in her curved spine and her left hip joint, it painful aching from the core of the bone, it inescapable creating sore feeling on her left, tense muscles on her lower back held together to avoid more unease, they linking to the front muscles which constantly intertwined from her work stress, they relaxing when she’s telling the muscles to let go, difficult for her to stretch when the left hip joint differed from the right one, even difficult to put this bone back to its original place after getting a car accident, suffering from her old body used too over, seriously she realizing she needs to rest more and take everything easy.
Part II
With a few plates beautifully set on the dinner table, like any other ordinary nights, Nick pulled out the wooden chair and sat down in front of his wife, observing her as she awkwardly tried to avoid meeting a direct eye contact with him. Acknowledging the strange tension, Nick quickly reached for his cell phone played music from his songlist, alleviating the dead silence in between. Accompanied by the music, the stiffness seemed to ease a little, which encouraged Nick to perhaps start a conversation beginning with “how was your day”, tell a joke that he heard in the office, or feed a compliment on Melrose’s delectable dishes. As Nick was still wondering which speech was appropriate to go with, the melody was suddenly cut off and replaced by its regular ring tone. “Sorry, I’ve got to take this call,” Nick looked nervous soon after checking the caller ID on the phone’s screen, then he quickly apologized and excused himself from the dinner to answer the incoming call, leaving Melrose alone at the table, who acted undisturbed as if she was not interrupted by the call during their dinnertime and did not barely a woman’s voice speaking the other side of the phone. Although gracefully putting down her silverware, she felt anger overflowing her from top to bottom back and forth as she leaned her cold hand forcibly pressing against her heart, thumping quickly at a dangerous rate. Although she had speculated this was possibly happening sooner or later, she needed to scream out in hysteria but felt suffocated, breathing heavily like a patient suffering from an asthma attack. Melrose stood up slowly, paused for a full second, took a sip of water from the mug, cleaned up her own side of the table, and walked away from the sorrowful dinner table infected with speechless fury. Silence followed her steps closely behind as she reentered the living room, where she could always find her most comfort as she spent time thinking about Jared and the old ordinary days.
Hanging up the phone call, Nick heard the sob across the hallway in the study room, then he unlocked the first drawer attached to the desk, a cryptic dark hole that hadn’t been exposed to the light for very a long time. He entered the living room, holding a red folder along with a small wooden box painted in black tightly in his big hands, knowing that it was time to unfold the truth in which he had been keeping from Melrose for years. Melrose noticed his familiar steps moving towards her exhausted soul, spotted the red folder and box in his hands, anticipating inside that folder to be piles of paperwork for the end of their marriage. Placing the folder and box on the glass table, Nick, whose eyes were now flooded with tears, pleased Melrose to sit down and listen to what he had to say. Melrose turned away from the wall, still sobbing heavily, bent down to reach opening the red folder, waiting for her husband to apologize and explain about his decision. “Please do know that I love you very much,” Nick said candidly looking deep into his wife’s slightly swollen eyes, but Melrose ignored him and resentfully opened the red folder. ‘Psychological Disorder Analysis, Patient 00143 Melrose Botwin’ Feeling confused with what was written on the paper, Melrose quickly opened the wooden box, only opening to find the truth to be something she would have never imagined. The absence of Jared was in every family picture, which Melrose remembered clearly that they had taken all of them together. Finally knowing the truth, and also knowing that she had wronged Nick when he had always been loving and staying beside her even if she was sick, Melrose was so shocked that her sobbing came to a pause, her hands began to tremble like a mad woman, and finally let herself breaking down into loud tears. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” Nick wrapped his arms around his beloved wife immediately, guarding her completely under his body, “the doctor just called and told me that you’re going to be just fine.”
Diane
Now Meg knows her family secret; once she’s eating until full, she has a future vision for everyone, being able to see what people’s future looks like, but she can’t tell them about it. Otherwise, their life will be different from what it is supposed to be.
One day, after an abundant meal, Meg is shocked by seeing one of her students pass away. Her name is Jenny. After knowing about this news, Meg wants to help Jenny keep from death, following Jenny on a sly everyday, wanting to know how this brings about, and hating herself unable to find out any clue. Jenny and her boyfriend are grade 9 students who are going to have a high school entrance exam and they promise to go to the same high school together. In addition, they will go to ride on Ferris Wheel after the exam. However, Jenny knows it is impossible for her to keep the promise and she has no one but a palm reader to ask what to do for her upcoming exam. This palm reader is actually Meg’s mom, Angie. Angie tells this girl to skip tomorrow’s exam and take it next year. On the exam day, Jenny is missing and no one can find her, including her boyfriend. Now Meg is so worried about Jenny because it reminds her that Jenny once told her she isn’t as smart as her boyfriend and if she can’t go to the same school, she would rather die. Meg is anxious, nervous, and sad, breathing a sigh of relief when finding her sitting in the classroom of her cram school. She tries to console her with soft words, telling her not to give up on herself whether any bad thing happens. Jenny feels sorry for her boyfriend to stand him up. Now her boyfriend shows up after the exam. They walk Jenny home and see a breaking news on TV en route. Jenny and her boyfriend are shocked that the Ferris Wheel they were going to is suddenly collapsed for an unknown reason. Meg knows this is not coincidence and she’s really happy for Jenny that she is away from death. (to be continued)
Lu-Ting
Fine before Eleven -2/3 （Sheba)
On top of the tallest pine, there stood a black and white magpie, singing its loud joyous song. The big bird usually came with its families, three or four together, looking down from top of the trees or hopping bouncing on the green, scaring away the little noisy sparrows and taking over their foraging territory. There was a new pair of magpies settling down in the park, nesting in the branchy golden shower tree.
Green caterpillars, swallowtail-butterfly-to-be, hid on the back of the only shaddock’s green leaves, nibbling off the leaves one by one, leaving dark slimy traces on the braches and the stems. Their orange mouthparts and horns jiggled and wiggled. The marching troops bit out a meshed picturesque plant. Among them, there was a black and red spiny larva, a moon-moth-to-be, an unexpected guest, the green union trespassed, what an irritating eye-catching victim!
The wild bees were humming all the way down to the hollow of the Taiwan Acacia. There hid a hard-working family in the void like a busy workshop. A squad of bees was working in the garden, hardly visible among the yellow and red sea of flowers. They were zigzagging their operating course, calculating their gains while butterflies hovering their sporting track, enjoying their harvest.
The rose myrtle blossomed magnificently. Its dense tuft dressed in violet. The pinkish purple petals, five petals each flower, shone bright and romantic, like mauve stars spotting in the dark. Next to the myrtle, a Japanese eight-layered tea flower was ready for its first bloom. It would be a tree of scarlet bloom. Later, the flourishing red would replace the violet, the star, the pom-pom.
To survive from a weeder, tiny yellowish daisies shortened their blooming cycle, shortened their stems, shortened their flowers, forgot how to stand tall and crept along the ground. The grouping shamrocks groveled along under the Acacia. They lessened their leaves, lessened their stalks, hardly blew their lavender florets and forced themselves to grow as smaller as moss. Wild bees and small blue butterflies always remembered to visit the strong-willed flowerets.
The life in the small world was amazing as if the Fates engaged in a game.
supriya
She walked on the sidewalk of a big road, noisy and fast driving cars and motorcycles passing throught her, singing loudy hoping all the outside voice could help her to forget what just happened in the work that cause her emotion and make her moody, ignoring the people who walked near her and gave her strange look. She got her first salary happily in the new work, berfore puting money to her bag, counting the money for her small joy but finding that she didn't get the amount of money she expecting, doubt, confusion arouse, couldn't help herself to ask her boss, again, about her appearance, the boss thought her over weight body making her doing less than other same job woker, what she can say, feeling angry and disappointmented, accepted the answer.
She went back home, seeing her father who get irritated easily because his hard work for their family reading newspaper and her mother cooing in the kitchen as usual everyday, wanting to tell them how she feel now, but keeping quiet walking back to her room, sitting down, getting lost utill her father called her for dinner, even not hungry, she knows she need to eat and talk nothing.
Somebody called her name, briniging her back from memory to the present, it was lei-lei, the best boss she had met in all that depressing time, asking and searching for god, going different tmeples trying to find something she didn't know yet, lei-lei was the one who helped her to develop herself in many ways, asked her to see a movie when she felt stress or moody during the working time, confirming her woking skills and took care of her as a mother. she knew lei- lei feeling a little worried about her drawed by all the happenings in this unfamiliar place, so many different foreign countries people, they hug, they dance, they talk, they laugh, they cry, they fall in love, then they break their heart.....and they live. Lei-lei called her again, this time she answered her, they need to meet for breakfast after lei-lei's course and spend most of day do things together; she thought this routine procedure is how lei-lei making sure she was fine and same as before. On one hand she didn't want to hurt lei-lei's feelings, but on the other hand she felt attractive and seemed here have something she was looking for.
Something is not right. Months ago, I met my first best friend in high school, Jacob. We spend lots of time together; we shared lunch, hang in the library everyday after school for he fail too much on history. I like having conversations with Jacob, for he is a real good secret keeper, he contains my mistakes, and he knows my shortcomings which I am terribly bad at sports, he would sneak out with me even if he would probably get flunk by doing it. Jacob is certainly a listener, I trust him, and I love having him around. But somehow, something has been changed; something doesn’t remain the same anymore.
Someday between the seasons changing time, heavy rain came down torrentially without warning; I had to burst into the music room to get away from the wet. There, a sorrowful and gratification place; where I failed my piano courses, where I got humiliated from did not play the right notes, and where I first met him. Times traced back to the month we meet; beautiful melody came from somewhere in the rooms, its melody flooding in the air, the sound of nature spills all over my heart, urging my foot to move faster. I slightly pushed the door little crack, there, sits a person with straight uniform on, body moving back and forth gently while hitting the keys on the spotless piano, Jacob, a name that caused my heart palpitations. Spellbound, I lean against the wall to find a balance, but all of a sudden “Bang!” a noise draw me back to the reality, I accidently hit something down, and then, he turned.
One sunny afternoon, Jacob and I went to the piano room as usual; he teased me when we passed that very cupboard where I bumped into, the sound of laughter was all over the place. I am not a conspicuous girl, people seldom notice me in the crowds; the shyness makes me don’t even say a word if not necessary. I don’t do things that most girls do, probably that’s the reason why I don’t have girl friends. But Jacob, this incredibly perfect man, have had brighten up my insipid life. I enjoyed soaking myself into Mozart and Beethoven’s notation; I enjoyed those magnificent notes that itches my nerves of hearing. I enjoyed those moments I spend with Jacob, and I enjoyed those slender and magic fingers on the piano keys. But one day, eccentrically, without a warning, somehow he did not recognize me anymore.
He ignored me while walk through, no greetings, no expressions, not even a glance. Like a stranger pass though, and get gone. I tried to talk to him, wait for him in that familiar place, but every time, all I received was an unfamiliar stranger in a familiar place. Sometimes he stared at me as if he knows, as if he recognized those old stories; my heart would bud for hope, but every time, his reaction break down my dreams. I imagining many perhaps for him for ignoring me, but those perhaps, none of them seems to be real. Only one thing doesn’t change, he still plays the piano. But sounds more powerful, mighty, sounds like a piano story teller, sounds good but different.
That’s Mozart’s notes. I have long for these familiar melodies; I can no longer stop myself by stepping into the piano room, pacing closer towards him, finding myself placed in the midst of the piano room. Somehow, I hang back. Something is not right; his facial expression stretch taut, huge sweat drips drop down from his forehead, he looked nervous, unease and even frightened. In that crescendo point we both favorites in, he stops, silent was about to force me to stifle. Before I know it, I found he ran away and disappeared again. And there, left a friendless person and a lonely piano, with a shocked sight of lurid blood oozed from the very piano keys.
Tiffany
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