Short Stories for pdm7
Gilded Grimoire #06 – Rhythm of Life – Melancholy
No, this blog is not dead. Yet. Suffice to say that J2 life has been hell and ruthless. Anyway, onto the things that matter. Recently, I went for some Malay blogging competition. I know, it's in Malay, so not me. But it's blogging, I simply can't refuse that. It's not like it matters much, I focused more on the blog design anyway.
The competition was Pesta Diari Maya 2007 under the Melayuku Sayang series of activites organised by PBMUKS (Persatuan Bahasa Melayu Universiti Kebangsaan Singapura)/(Malay Language Association, NUS). For the competition, contestants are to sit down for 10 hours (TEN HOURS!!!) straight with their laptops at NUS and work on their entries. The entries should combine into a short story, with the integration of the 5 simuli that were given every 2 hours. Each of the stimuli were based on one of the senses. A visual of them can be found on my competition entry, link's below. Also, we shift venue every two hours, for reasons that I cannot fully comprehend. Oh, and there's a theme: Rhythm.
For my entry, I focused a lot on the design, as previously mentioned, as I can't write a good Malay story for nuts. So I ended up with what must have been the flashiest (it's done in Flash) blog amongst them. That's no to say that I didn't have a plan for it all. The concept of the blog is based on the idea of the 'Rhythm of Life', specifically the lives of JC students. To integrate the stimuli, I planned to write five short stories, each based on each senses, through the use of literary devices and experimental writing techniques that I used before.
Since I spend like 8 hours of the time given on the design, I only had time to write the first two stories. The first one isbased on the stimuli of sight - the sight of pills. Specifically, they showed us ferrous fumarate (for sinus, I think), charcoal tablets and panadol extra. I took a step further by referring to them specifically. The second story is based on the stimuli of hearing - the sound of a song. Specifically, the song was 'Masihkah Kau Ingat' by Kopratasa, a Malay classic. Again, I took another step further by incorporating the lyrics of the song into the story, like what I once did with a poem.
No need to talk about the other stimuli and the other three stories, since they are unwritten. At the end of it, I ended up with a fantastic LOOKING blog, very conceptualised short stories, and a buggy template script (DAMN IT). All in all, I’m rather satisfied, though I still hope to win with good design and concept.
Oh, here’s the link:
PDM 07
Take a look, it’s a worthy sight.
And here’s a treat for those of you non-Malay readers (MANJOLS!!! HAHA). I bothered to do a translation of the short stories for you guys. Actually, I’m doing it also as an addition to my long-forgotten Gilded Grimoire series. So here you go, the latest addition to the Gilded Grimoire series under the fitting theme of ‘melancholy’.
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Introduction
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Doom. Doom. Doom. The drumming rings in your ears, a sound that is never silenced or slows. From the beating of the heart to the ticking of the clock, the rhythm that is always experienced in life always takes on a tone that is more rhythmic and faster, without stop or rest. That is the rhythm of the lives of students who study at Singapore junior colleges, a life that is full of pressure and trials.
Let us drum along this rhythm of life.
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#01 – Seeing an Easy Way
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3 January
Diary,
“Wake up! School reopens today, right?” shouted mother that morning.
Today is the first day that I will step into my new school. I really feel excited to look at the new school, but I cannot get rid of the feeling of uneasiness from my stomach. This school is no not like any other school. My new school is a junior college! At first, I couldn’t believe that I was good enough for a school of that standard. Now, I still don’t believe it. It feels like living a dream.
Though my nose was rather runny, I still stepped out of the house out of excitement. As I stepped out, a ray of sunlight glared my eyes. Everything seemed bright, as how I perceive my future to be.
That’s enough. I’m too excited to write any more. It’s time for me to step into school.
***
8 January
Diary,
The orientation period throughout the week has indeed been tiring. My flu from before has worsened. Just now, mother told me to see a doctor for treatment. The doctor gave me some pills to treat the flu. Actually, I don’t really believe in the pill, because the doctor didn’t look too convincing.
Life at the junior college is not as bright as how I once perceived it, because many of my friends are not there. Actually, only me and another friend are the only ones who qualified to enroll into the junior college. I don’t even know that friend too well. Suffice to say that I feel as if I’m alone there.
That’s all; my vision is starting to fade. Must be the flu pill that I took just now. Maybe, when I feel a little healthier later, I will write again.
***
15 January
Diary,
I feel so lazy… This week is the first week that I have to apparent lectures in school for all of my subjects. The lectures in the first week are really dull. They’re only introductory lectures, not that important, I think. I don’t think it will matter much if I skip them.
This afternoon, I purposely ate some stale food, so that I could go to the doctor because of diarrhea. Rules at the junior college are stricter, can’t get off just because of a call from parents only. My teacher will ask for a medical certificate if I want to skip school. That’s why I had to go to the doctor.
At first, it was only to skip school, but now, the diarrhea feels like it is worsening. My vision is blurring with the tears that are flowing down my cheeks as I tolerated the pain in the washroom. I feel like that charcoal pill that I took just now is only worsening the pain.
***
19 January
I can’t stand this life anymore. I have to face the loneliness in school because I haven’t found new friends. I have to face the confusion that I will certainly feel during lectures, because I haven’t understood the lessons yet. I have to face the pressure from my teachers and m family to achieve the highest standard in academics.
My head is pounding like crazy. Mother once told me that if I have a headache, take a panadol pill. That’s what I am trying to d o right now, but the headache is only worsening the longer it gets. One after the other, I’m swallowing the pills, but the only change I feel is that my stomach is getting bloated.
I swallow yet another pill. I don’t know how many pills I have swallowed. Now, my vision is narrowing, little by little, darkness is overpowering me. I was right the last time, that my future does not seem as bright as I had imagined.
***
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#02 – Hearing the Whisper of Memory
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The start of my time at junior college started so wonderfully. I always look back to that time, where everything seemed bright in my life. This was all because of a lady that stepped into my life during that time.
During orientation week, I once faced the field in my school. A breeze suddenly brushed my face so gently, blinding me momentarily. When I opened them again, a lady had stepped into my sight, as if she was brought by the wind.
Not long after that incident, I got to know the wonderful lady. Orientation period made it easy for us to meet, as there was much free time for us to spend together. We always expressed our love at the place where we first met, under a big tree at a garden in school. There, we will sit together as we await the sound of the breeze to blow the flowers around me.
Do you still remember,
At that time,
A blooming flower,
I slit into your hair.
After the end of the orientation period, we had to meet less. Both of us had a responsibility for our co-curricular activities of our own, but didn’t have the heart to give up either.
That was how our condition was like then, chasing for whatever time we had to meet, if we were not too busy training with our own sports group. Sometimes, I find myself sitting and pondering to myself, wondering if the lady still thinks of me, as how I always think of her.
Do you still remember,
It becomes a dream,
And becomes a longing,
Do you still remember.
Even though our condition was uncertain, I always assure myself with the reminiscence of the time when we were always happy. During that time, both of us just enrolled into the junior college. Both of us were not certain about anything; the subjects we were going to take, the new friends that we have yet to meet, the different way of life, or our future. What was important was the happiness between us.
After school, we met at the school garden. What happened after that was never decided beforehand, left for the swinging of our moods to decide. No matter what we did – listening to the footsteps of passing people from the side of the field, listening to the sound of splashes at the swimming pool, or listening to the melody of the music being played – we valued the time spent.
Do you still remember,
We would run,
At the foot of the clouds,
Finding the rainbow.
We always believe that whatever trials that befall either of us, we will still hold steadfast to this relationship. Let us both face the trials together, because with each other’s support, no trial shall dampen our spirits.
Then came the rain,
Drenching both of us together,
Do you still remember,
Do you still remember.
Promises are easy to make, but harder to keep. As time goes by, we became distant. Our responsibilities for our sports and academics had taken up all the time that we had. Even if we did have time, it was usually spent resting, so that we could continue the work that needed to be done.
It was really difficult for us to live the relationship that we had before. The happiness between us was within our reach, but there were too many things that hindered us from reaching it. Happiness that is not held tight will eventually wither, thus withered did the happiness that we once had one time ago.
Do you still remember,
A flower,
On this palm,
It became withered.
It came for the time for us to admit that we could not afford to be together anymore. It has been too long since our hearts kissed the old happiness that has been heavily shattered by the grip of school life. What I can hope for is for the lady to always remember that we had once live the feeling of happiness that had the same heavy rhythm as the sound of the wind blowing during a heavy thunderstorm.
Then I grasp,
It becomes ashes,
Do you still remember,
Do you still remember.
