MYAA 2022 (Senior) - Consolation
Tan Lee Ann - SMK Seafield
Title: Bitter Reincarnation
“Daddy, daddy! Are you alright?”
“What’s wrong, daddy? Why aren’t you moving from the fire? Why are your clothes all smoky?”
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“Don’t take me away! Daddy’s still in there! I already lost mummy, I can’t lose daddy!”
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“Do not leave this tower. Or everything shall vanish. Understand, young lady?”
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No one knows where, or when this story takes place.
But just like the minor beatings of a beetle’s winds, the story has existed somewhere in the world and remains yet another part of memory.
A lone tower stands its ground on an everlasting swirl of darkness, its spiral tip protruding through the crowded clouds. Inside the multiple tower floors, a boy sits on the cold library floor. In his hands, is a book he is reading. He turns to his mother, a slender woman in a blue nightgown with hair as soft as silk.
“I love this book, mother!” He exclaims. “The princess saves her mother from the sea serpent’s cavern. She blasts the serpent! Like: Blast! Bam! Kapow!” He punches the air. Watching such an innocent façade, his mother smiles.
“I want to go into the sea to kill this beast, wherever it is! Let’s leave the tower, mother!”
Little did he know, his life would change the moment he said that.
His mother sends him a stare of utter bitterness.
“No. Never leave the tower.”
“Why mother?”
“Go to bed now. No more questions.” Her tone was sharp, signalling no room for debate.
He runs up the stairs to the first floor but feels his mother’s gaze strongly on him.
----------------------------------
The clock chimes to midnight.
Mother and son embrace each other in the living room.
“Mummy, mummy! Help me, please. I’m so scared.”
Tears soak his mother’s dress. His body shakes uncontrollably.
He hears the soft growls of the monster, coming from his bedroom.
“The sea serpent, mother,” Her son whispers. “It’s all dark and scary. It almost killed me.”
Suddenly, his waist feels ice cold and hissing sounds all around the room. He sobs into his mother’s chest, feeling the serpent wrapping itself around them. It was how it trapped Princess Theo’s mother. With its low body temperatures, she would be encased in ice. Never to move again, or be able to see the outside world, as she awaits her daughter’s arrival.
“I don’t want to be stuck in ice, mother!” He screams.
His mother squeezes his hands reassuringly. “Honey, there’s no monster in here,’ she says.
Just as he turns to face his mother, the serpent’s face was staring back down at him. Its entire body is an empty husk of darkness. It flickers its fork-like tongue in utmost interest.
Yet, his mother does not sense it. “You don’t have to be afraid my child. I’m here for you.”
Mother and son continue to embrace each other with the son praying that the serpent would leave. “Princess Theo hugs her mother, and her warmth melts the ice! That’s it!” He thinks, hugging his mother even more tightly. The chilly aura was soon replaced with the warmth of their love. He breathes a deep sigh, seeing the serpent gone for good.
“Thanks, mum!” he says. “The serpent’s gone now. I love you so much.”
His mother kisses him on the head, “I love you too”.
Finally, he could rest for the night. Yet as he lies on his cotton bed. He can’t stop thinking about what had appeared.
“If serpents exist… I don’t want to go to the sea anymore.”
------------------
4 years.
That’s how long the monsters have been attacking.
Unfriendly shadows would attack night after night. Coming at the most unpredictable of times.
The best days of the week were days when the shadows did not attack and he could sleep peacefully in bed without thoughts of shadow attacks.
When the shadows first attacked, he would always need his mother’s comfort after every shadow attack, releasing stress from his young mind.
That was… until the son discovered something else to cope with his fears. For as his mother’s presence soon felt less comfy and more of a burden to her…
Books were always welcoming him to other worlds. Allowing him to leave the tower through his mind.
So many worlds out there to explore. The son hugs every book he reads, hoping that it would give him the strength to face the shadows of the night.
When daytime arrives, when he can read books without feeling disturbed, he is reminded again of how truly wonderful the outside world is.
Sometimes he passes by his mother in the library. He notices how his mother's gaze would always be on the book he holds. Sometimes, she’d ask his opinions on the book. And leave him alone, despite the sour face.
The more the shadows attacked, the more he yearns for the outside world. Engrossed with books in the library that showcased its beauty, his dreams always involved their majestic beauty.
“I wish I could just leave this tower.”
Here, he only has his mother and the tower to live with. The rest of the tower’s floors were mostly for his mother’s taste. A room for playing board games, a room for sewing, for planting… Boring activities adults bide their time with. His only way of enjoying himself was with the library. Not to mention, the annoyingly scary shadows that disturb him most nights.
At least the outside world has something worth living. Despite it still having shadows, at least it has truth, and beauty.
“I wish mum would let me leave the tower.”
“Got to the library~~” something whispered inside his head.
With his mind full of nothing but fear, the son reaches the floor with the library and swivels inside. The cockroaches did not follow him down the library but continues to run down the stairs.
He stands in shock by the door, looking at the shelves, naked of any books. The son jogs down the shelves, trying to find a sign of any books present, but to no avail.
His connection to the outside world vanished, just like that.
That sullen feeling of giving up only lasted transient. A shining star of hope catches his attention - A book, placed on the bottom shelf opposite the one he sat by.
He has read all books in the library, but never this one.
It was a book with barely any pages to match the thickness of a pencil. The pages felt sturdier compared to the fragile and crisp pages of the other books. He turns to the first page:
“A tower of fantasy”
“A stagnant paradise filled with everlasting comfort, where dreams can appear in service for the host.”
“It’s true form? A parasite, feeding on human’s desire.”
The boy stops reading for a moment to take one sickening gulp. His hand trembles as he turns to the next page.
“It mirrors the host’s desires so they choose to never leave the tower.”
“When the host’s body slowly erodes to time, and their bodies become frail and old…”
“The tower finally strikes from its deception, and feeds on its host.”
“Not a single bone left of the carcass. And it waits for the next to serve, and then devour.”
“The host benefits a life of what they dream. The tower’s hunger satisfied.”
“The only way out? Willpower to leave. Far powerful, and stronger than before.”
“But that willpower shall be challenged by the tower itself. For willpower is only true when fear is ignored.”
He drops the book. His eyes glimmering with more hope than ever. The answer was right in front of his eyes.
But before he can do anything, he has to find his mother.
“Your room~~,” says the voice inside his head.
Since believing in this mysterious voice the first time has given him information about escaping, he decides to believe it the second time too.
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The son opens the door to a surprise.
“Don’t think of doing it, my dear.” His mother gives him a deadly glare.
Scurrying from the door, the shadowy cockroaches creep through the door and enter the room. The shadows swoop into an attack, going straight for the boy.
But the boy does not run, the boy stands still, his arms outstretched, embracing the shadows.
The shadows shroud the boy. But nothing more. Instead, the shadow figurines flew to the mother, reforming back into their true form- his mother’s shadow.
“You lied to me all along, didn’t you mother?” The boy says. His suspicions were reaffirmed. His heart shatters as he fights the sudden urge to cry. “Everything here is fake then. The shadows, your shadows, they are all illusions. And illusions never truly hurt if you see through their lies.’
The boy walks past his shaken mother to the window. He thinks of telling her about the tower, but his mouth stays shut.
“No! Son! Don’t think about that! Don’t leave me alone!”
The young boy turns back to his mother. “I’m sorry mother. I can’t live my life in this tower anymore. Maybe you are right. Perhaps the outside world is a place of suffering. But it is the real world. Be brave mother, stop hiding within the tower’s lies.”
He looks down into the vortex of darkness.
“The only way out? The willpower to leave”
The mother reaches out to grab him, but the boy pushes her away, tears flowing from his eyes. ‘You need to move on, mother. From your past, from your delusions, from me.’
He jumps off the building. His mother screams his name. She doesn’t hear his last words:
“I will survive.”
- END-
(This story is unedited)
Comment from Judges
The isolated and enclosed setting in this story does a fantastic job of symbolizing the protagonist’s own thoughts and feelings, as his mother who has trapped him in a tower simultaneously symbolizes the paradox of safety vs entrapment - which he must ultimately chose to abandon. The tower of fantasy itself appears as a unique and powerful concept that indirectly warns against the dangers of idleness and passivity, and is a great narrative interpretation of overcoming the devouring mother archetype.
MYAA 2022 (Senior) - Consolation
Ang Jie En - Sri Kuala Lumpur
Title: Never Escape
She was running. She could hear the pounding of her heart and the thundering sound of someone chasing her. No, not someone, it was him. Faster, she just needed to be faster- She was tackled to the ground. She tried to scream, but she was injected with something that made her start to lose consciousness. She could feel tears spilling down her cheeks, because she knew that she would never escape.
Ava blinked her eyes open. She was in his bedroom. She looked to the side and noticed a blonde man, Kyle, asleep next to her. Stirred by Ava moving, he opened his eyes and gave Ava a huge grin.
“My love! You’re awake. Are you hungry? Would you like a drink? I’ll go prepare something right away.”
Kyle hurried off to get Ava something, somehow tripping over his own feet three times before making his way out. Ava giggled. Her boyfriend was such a dork.
(Somewhere deep in her mind, comes a soft whisper, that Kyle was a selfish, cruel man. Ava pushes the thought away.)
“Kyle?” Ava mumbles. “Why do I have to always stay in the house again?
“Because you’re not well,” Kyle said, gently brushing aside her hair. “Because you're sick. You get lethargic and lose consciousness easily. If you go out, you’ll be in danger.”
“But I want to go out,” Ava whined. “Even the windows in the house are blocked, I can’t see anything outside!”
Kyle’s grip on Ava’s hair tightened, before he released her hair. “Shh. I understand it’s difficult, but just eat healthy and take your medicine, and you’ll be able to go out soon, okay?”
Ava pouted, but opened her mouth when Kyle held a spoonful of medicine near her mouth.
(‘Don’t accept what he gives you’, that corner of her mind whispers. Ava ignores it.)
Ava wanders the halls of Kyle’s house- no, their house. She looks down at the wedding ring on her finger, brilliant diamond and shiny gold. She had lost her memory in an accident; Kyle had told her. She knew that she only remembered bits and pieces of her life, but Kyle had told her all she wanted to know. She was married to Kyle, and he had shown her the marriage documents. After that, he had kissed her, and it had been full of love.
“Ava? I know you don’t remember our time together, but I promise you that I love you with all my heart. I’d move heaven and Earth to be with you.”
It had been full of passion, full of love. Yet something was off, something that Ava couldn’t quite place her finger on.
(Her mind whispers, more incessantly, ‘It isn’t love, it is something darker.’)
Ava flips through the photo book that Kyle had given her. It was pictures of them on dates, of them laughing together, of them marrying, of them kissing.
As Ava flipped through the pictures, she frowned. The pictures... she recognized a few of the pictures about them on their first date; a distant memory. But some photos, like the one of them during their honeymoon, was off. The picture showed Kyle carrying Ava into a lavish room, across a clean marble floor and towards a bed with heart shaped pillows and rose petals scattered all over it. They were both smiling widely, faces glowing with happiness. Why was it so strange?
(The bed; it had handcuffs attached to the headboards. The floor; clothes were littered across it, some ripped apart. The sheets; droplets of blood stained it. The pillows; muffling her screams. The voice; telling her to stop fighting, to just accept it.)
A hand touched her. Ava screamed, jerking back. She hit her head on the wall and blacked out, relieved to feel the cool waves of blackness seeping in, taking away the pain.
“...Ava? Ava?”
Ava rubbed her eyes open. She was in her bedroom again. Kyle was sitting next to her, face pinched in worry. When he saw her open her eyes, he smiled in relief. “Thanak goodness you’re okay, Ava. What happened?”
“I...” Ava paused to think. “I was flipping through the photo book you gave me. I was looking at some of the photos, then I started thinking weird things, and then you touched me, and I tried to move away, and then I fainted.”
“Weird things?” Kyle echoed. “What weird things?”
“I don’t know. It hurts for me to try and remember.” Ava rubs her temple.
“It’s okay,” Kyle soothes her, passing her a glass of water and two pills. “Eat your medicine, okay? I’ll go bring you something to eat.”
Nodding, Ava did as told, watching Kyle go get her some food. How nice of him to take care of her when everyone else had abandoned her, when her family wasn’t here and her friends didn’t help.
(‘You don’t have those anymore’, comes the pounding voice in Ava’s head. ‘They’re gone. Because of him.’)
Ava walks to a more hidden part of the house, where Kyle spent a lot of his time. As she walked towards his study, she heard an agonized scream come from it. Hurriedly, she ran to the study, afraid that Kyle had gotten injured.
Inside, Kyle is covered in blood, but it wasn’t his. It was from the man who was bleeding out, his guts spilling out onto the pristine floor, joining a tongue.
Ava stared, too horrified to even scream. Kyle came over to her quickly. “Ava? What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to see you,” Ava managed to get out. “What happened to him? Why is he bleeding?”
Kyle’s eyes narrowed, and he snarled, “Why do you care if he’s bleeding out or not!” He slammed his hand near Ava’s head. “So, what if he lives or dies? Do you love him?”
“N-n-no.” Kyle had always been gentle, but now, Ava felt afraid of him.
Kyle’s glare softened. “I’m your husband. You swore to love me no matter what. This won’t make you stop loving me, will it?” When Ava didn’t answer, he repeated in a lower voice, “Would it?”
“N-no, it won’t,” Ava whispered.
“Good,” Kyle smiled, before sending Ava away.
Ava skips meals the next few days. She shivers as she remembers Kyle’s look when she had first told him that she wanted to eat less. He looked like he was going to force it down her throat. She had managed to convince him that she was just worried about her looks and wanted to be on a diet. He had relaxed, giving her smaller portions of food. She would eat it before rushing to the bathroom once he was out of sight, retching it all out.
Ava had never felt stronger before, and her memory was clearing day by day. Ava was starting to suspect that there had been drugs in the food. But Kyle cooked all the food. Did that mean that he was drugging her? If so, why?
As she paced her room slightly, she tripped over a loose floorboard. As she picked herself up, she noticed some paper under the floorboard. She managed to pull out a bunch of papers and notebooks. Feeling curious, she started to read.
After a few hours, she was shaking, pale and sweating. The notes... they were all written by her. Notes about how Kyle was a psychopath who had kidnapped her. How he had killed her family and friends. How he drugged the food.
She couldn’t believe it. Was this really her husband? She thought back to the day in Kyle’s study, the man’s lifeless eyes wide and terrified.
(‘Run,’ her mind chants. ‘Run and never look back.’)
Ava listens to her mind and runs.
She’s running along hard stone, towards the flashing lights of a city. She runs, hoping that someone would see her, that they would stop him from chasing her. She can feel her legs tire, but she refuses to give up. It is futile as she feels a dart prick her shoulder, feel her legs crumple beneath her. She hears the sound of footsteps approaching her, is picked up by a pair of arms. Before she succumbs to the drug in her system, she sees his face. Kyle’s face. See the way his eyes glint and triumph, having caught his prey. See his wide, leering grin, with something like love in them, but it’s too dark and twisted to be love. She tries to struggle out of his grasp. He simply tightens his hold and whispers obsessively, “Stop fighting, my love. Because no matter what you say or do, I will always love you. I'll give you your place in the world; next to me. That isn’t for you to object, because you can’t reject it. You will never escape.”
Never Escape_
- END-
(This story is unedited)
Comment from Judges
This story did a fantastic job of building suspense and keeping the reader engaged. Limiting the narration based on only what the protagonist Ava was aware of as her memory was impaired leaves readers curious, and the process of piecing everything together alongside Ava is highly cathartic and satisfying. The way language was used to deliver Ava’s thoughts creates solidarity between the reader and the protagonist, and I am left rooting for her beyond the very end.
MYAA 2022 (Senior) - Consolation
Agnes Tiong Xiao Hui - SMK Batu Lintang
Title: Feathers
"Ma! I'm heading out! "
Wen yells into the house while hastily slipping on his sandals in the foyer. He hears a faint approval from his mother in the kitchen before dashing off on his bicycle with the sun barely in the sky. Wen is going to the bookstore. Pak Sarwi has promised to reserve the newest copy of the Encyclopedia of Birds. He needs to pay up by today.
Just outside of Wen's house, behind a wooden bench stands an ageing mango tree once cared for and nurtured by his late grandfather. Wen makes sure to tend it every day after his passing. This strong plantation houses a variety of small critters and insects he found fascinating. Wen had spent time studying and observing its ecosystem for a while now. He has the tree all to himself.
Lately, there have been some unexpected visitors. A bird nest sits close to the truck on the tree. Wen first noticed it when a bird has been flying to and from the tree for days. Wen is looking forward to watching baby chicks hatch for the first time closeup. Hence why he shall purchase the book.
Wen follows along the dimly lit dirt path while finessing his biking skill to avoid all cracks and uneven lanes. The air is breezy and cool to the skin. The sound of running water is soft to the ear. Some kids in the kampung have woken up to get the best catch of shrimps from the stream to use as fishing bait. Wen waves to greet them. They wave back.
Endless acres of golden paddy fields nod their heads under the wind to greet the rising sun. The sweet smell of harvest. The day has just begun but the people of the kampung had already gone about their lives before the crack of sunlight.
Wen reaches Pak Sarwi's two-story shop lot. He finally has his hands on the encyclopedia. Wen straps the book onto his bike before heading back home. He decides to head to the tree immediately. Hopefully, his mother would forgive his absents during morning prayers at the temple. He pedals up a small hill and that's when he sees the arrival of another unexpected visitor. She's staring intensively up the mango tree, too focused to realise Wen approaching her.
“The mangoes are not in season this time of the year. This is my tree", Wen kindly informs her. She turns around. Wen looks closer at her. She’s about his age. Her face is unfamiliar. The kampung is only so small, she must be new here.
"I'm not looking for mangoes," she eyes Wen for only a second before placing her attention back on the tree "Do you see that?" she points towards the nest. Wen nods.
"What do you have there?" She's referring to the encyclopedia in his hand. Wen shows it to her.
They flip through the pages. It's well printed in vibrant colours and smooth to the touch. The cover is hard. Wen absolutely loves it. He has never possessed a book of this quality. The girl thinks it's just fine. Wen wonders what bird it is. She says it's a sparrow. He thinks it's a quail. They spend a good time turning the pages of the book between discussions until Wen hears his name called out from the distance. It is his mother with a ladle in hand. She does not look happy. Wen can feel trouble coming. He slams the book shut and excuses himself from the scene. The girl is confused. Wen straps the book back on the bicycle. Before he leaves, he has one more question
"What is your name?"
“Call me Que."
“Nice to meet you, Que," Wen unironically greets her at the end of the conversation as he pedals away.
Wen returns to the tree a couple days later at the exact same time along with his book. Que has been visiting the tree every day with little hope that Wen would be there too. Apparently, Wen has disappointed her more than once.
“Great progress has been done while you were gone,” she informs Wen.
Wen climbs up the tree. The mother bird has laid her eggs. Wen can barely keep his excitement. He still hasn’t figured out what species of bird has been nesting here. The incubation period varies widely from species to species. He needs to take a closer look.
“Hey! Don’t get too close to the nest! They’ll know you’ve been here,” Que warns from below the tree, “Mother birds would move their babies to another nest if they believe that predators have discovered their nest. I imagine this thick book would teach you a thing or two.” She looks displeased.
Wen realises a problem. “Well, how am I supposed to watch the chicks hatch?”
Que just shrugs. She has no intentions of watching the chicks hatch in the first place. Although now that Wen has brought up the idea, she’s quite invested in it. They could only observe from a distance to avoid disturbing the nest.
“I could make a telescope.”
Wen recalls a chapter in his science book for a makeshift telescope. Que likes that plan. They would need a carton box, or two, some mirrors and a lot of glue. Wen can handle the materials. They’ll need a place to assemble all the parts.
“Can we make it at your place?” Wen asks politely but Que instantly rejects him. How odd.
“I’m sorry. It’s just…..” she hesitates, “.....my family will be doing some spring cleaning. The house is going to be messy.”
Who does spring cleaning in the middle of the year? Wen thinks it’s an excuse but he’s not pushing for an answer if Que isn’t willing to share. They decide to crash in at Pak Sarwi’s bookstore. He has a convenient little counter over the cashier for the students nearby to do homework. Hopefully, he does not mind. Pak Sarwi indeed does not mind. However, he informs them of the ruckus that may be heard from above. The walls are thin and so are the ceilings.
Shortly after, they manage to make a somewhat functional telescope. It’s not perfect but it’ll do the job. They start camping out by the tree every day, with Que camping out most of the time while Wen is in school. The image shown on the telescope is upside down but they can still identify the bird.
“I told you it was a sparrow,” Que boldly claims.
Then one noon, Wen sees the tiniest movement from the nest.
“It’s happening!”
They peak through the screen on the telescope. One by one, the eggs start tumbling around the nest and out comes a small beak, then a claw, then a wing. The first chick crawls out from the shell. Que is slightly disturbed by the slimy membrane all over the chick. Wen on the other hand is entranced by the birth of nature.
The chicks start squawking for their mother. They need to be fed. Wen thinks he could fetch some worms for them. Que has warned him about his distance from the nest but he lets his intrusive thoughts take over. So while Que is gone for a drink, he goes up to the tree and climbs it once again. This time, he is a lot closer to the nest than before. The mother is nowhere in sight. Wen takes a tiny worm from the side of the tree and places it right beside the nest.
Then tragedy happens. The branch snaps.
Que hears a loud thud and a scream. She turns to see Wen on the ground and a nest of newborn chicks. She’s furious.
“What have you done?!” Que scolds. Wen has truly messed up. They say curiosity kills the cat, Wen might have killed an entire nest of chicks.
Wen hasn’t seen Que by the tree after the incident.
Apparently, the mother bird has returned to find her nest intruded. She has relocated her nest and babies. Wen is left with nothing except a letter. A letter which he finds on the bench. He is pretty sure was left by Que because the letter reads as so:
‘Wen, I lied. I do not have a family. I’m a waif. Luckily for me, I’ve been fostered through different families across the state and now it’s time for my next destination. I’m sorry for getting mad. I guessed I was overprotective. They’ve got a home, a parent. They would have grown to feed and fly.’
‘That’s all I ever wanted.’
‘I won’t hold a grudge. Hopefully, neither will you. Let this incident not be the end of our journey. Till we meet again, somewhere, somewhen.’
Wen is also left with heartbreak, but the letter strings a new hope and lesson. It’s the first time Wen has thought of becoming a biologist. This story became his inspiration. And one day, he’ll find Que. Somewhere, somewhen, they’ll meet again.
--- END ---
(This story is unedited)
Comment from Judges
My favourite thing about this story is how well the pastoral setting ties in with the plot. The brief yet profound friendship between Que and Wen circulates around a sparrow’s nest on Wen’s mango tree, which tied with the idyllic environment of the kampung creates a mood that is serene, hospitable and down to earth. The plot leads up to Que’s revelation which makes the bird’s nest appear symbolic to both Que’s identity as a character and the temporary home she has found within her friendship with Wen, which creates a heartwarming plot about friendship.
MYAA 2022 (Senior) - Consolation
Abrian Wu Jun Xiang - Axcel International School
Title: In Dilemma
Prologue
25th December, 1939 - a month before
Jonathan Hughes was sitting in the Oriental Inn, a wonderful hotel in the heart of Penshaw, Edraria. It was just after tea and he was waiting for a certain person. They had agreed to meet up in this place at this exact time. He checked his watch, still patiently waiting. Then, she arrived. Marian Cunningham went into the hotel, greeting the bellhop, and then saw Hughes and called for him. Hughes got up, smiling, and followed her.
Once both of them sat down on some sofas, they gave a box to each other. Cunningham opened hers to find a medal with the words 'Yesterday, today and forever...' She murmured "that's beautiful."
She then told Hughes to open his box. Inside was a small model of a ship, a modified Hawkins class heavy cruiser, H.M.E.S. Towton. Hughes murmured "Huh, what's this?'
"Congrats," replied Cunningham. "You are first in command after all these years."
"Oh, I thought you just gave me a model of the Towton just for me to keep."
"Admiral Richardson said it himself, you deserve it."
Hughes presented some tickets to Hawaii and said "We might be able to do it, spend the rest of December on a tropical island."
Cunningham sighed and said "I wish we could but, the world has gone mad, let's wait till it’s over."
Hughes nodded.
I
25th January 1940 - Morning watch (04.00 - 08.00)
Hughes wakes up in his cabin, a new ship, a new operation. He is still relatively inexperienced and is unsure how to start. The first thing he does is freshen up and head towards the bridge. When he gets there, the first person to greet him is first officer Andrew Anderson.
‘‘Good morning, captain,’’ greeted Anderson.
‘‘Good morning to you too, any news?’’ asked Hughes.
‘‘Convoy flagship reports a possible wolf pack in the area. We already had problems with a U-boat early in the morning during your slumber. We have also left American air cover,’’ replied Anderson.
Hughes proceeded to walk across the bridge, looking out towards the rough Atlantic, for nearly an hour. Suddenly, one of the navigational officers climbed up onto the bridge. He was breathing heavily and his eyes showed intense fear. He sputtered: ‘There are bodies-on the ship. Oh god they are dead-oh god no…’
‘‘Calm down son, what’s happened now?’’ asked Hughes.
‘‘They’re dead, Ernest and Clementine Campbell, DEAD! It was murder, cold-blooded murder, stab wounds everywhere!’’ he exclaimed!
The Campbells were a couple from England who wanted to get back home, but rather did it on a warship instead of a merchant ship due to an unknown reason. Hughes started panicking, this failed attempt at bringing the Campbells home could tarnish his and the Towton’s image. The situation was grave.
‘Body?’ asked Hughes
“The ship’s doctor, Sebastian Smith, examined it himself, the wounds are pretty fresh. Death most likely happened between now to five minutes from now. Oh god…’’ he replied.
II
26th January 1940 – Dog watch (16.00 – 18.00)
Hughes couldn’t stop thinking about the murder that happened the day before. He knew he had to do something, which would be to find the identity of the murderer or Mr. and Ms. Campbell. But it’s not like he had the time or freedom to try either. But then, it hit him. If the destroyers Hughes, Lewisham and Andrew took his place, he would be able to do so.
Hughes proceeded to go up to the bridge and get on the ship’s phone. He contacted the destroyers and ordered them to take his place. After the commanders of the other destroyers agreed, Hughes went to the cabin of Ernest and Clementine Campbell. Everything was the same as yesterday, and the bodies were still on the bed.
‘‘Death occurred during their slumber. Swift and quick, no struggle whatsoever,’’ said Doctor Smith.
‘‘Has anything been touched?’’ asked Hughes.
‘‘I was careful not to,’’ replied Smith.
Hughes looked on the floor, and spotted 3 interesting occurrences. One was that there was a strip of black fabric caught on a chair. Another was that there were grease marks everywhere. There was also a few locks of black-coloured hair on the body. The couple were redheads so it couldn’t have come from them. The black hair and grease reminded Hughes of someone but he couldn’t place it.
When the crew boarded the ship, their belongings were thoroughly examined as well as the ship herself. Not a single one of the crew had anything that could have created that ripped fragment. Doctor Smith suggested it might have been a red herring, but there was no proof yet.
III
29th January 1940 – Dog watch (18.00 – 20.00)
From Andrew Anderson’s narrative:
30th January, 1940
The night of 29th January, 1940 would be one of the most terrifying times in my life. 3 pings were detected on the radar and were determined to be U-boats attacking us. Hughes put me under command so he could deal with the murderer and I had to deal with constant torpedo spreads. The U-boats harassed us no end. I swear to god, it was frustrating. I used up a lot of depth charges just to destroy the U-boats and was successful in killing all of them, except one. The rest of the escorts also had to deal with more U-boats and none of them received much damage. Suddenly, I heard gunshots.
From Jonathan Hughes’ narrative:
30 January
Jesus, there was a lot to do last night. While Anderson and the other escorts were dealing with the U-boats, I had to deal with the killer. It was hard to decide which problem I should tackle first but I found a compromise by giving command to Anderson. The killer was aiming at one of the crew and was shooting him without mercy. I fired back with my pistol, hitting him 3 times before he broke of the pursuit. I got thrown onto the floor when a torpedo hit us afterwards while walking back up to the bridge.
Seriously?
IV
31st January 1940 – Forenoon watch (08:00 – 12:00)
It had been 6 days since the journey started and soon, it would be over. After dealing with U-boats for nearly a week as well as a killer on-board, Hughes was ready to return home.
However, he almost never got the chance. During his watch, 3 more U-boats began to attack him. Hughes would also learn that the victim from two days ago was probably being targeted again.
Hughes requested for the assistance of the other escorts to help tackle the U-boat issue and ordered Anderson to take his place. Hughes returned to the main deck and asked a passing gunner where the victim was.
‘‘He’s currently in his cabin on Deck D, on the starboard side of the forward crew quarters,’ replied the gunner.
Hughes proceeded to head towards the cabin and got there just on time. A hooded figure was heading towards the cabin and had two revolvers with him, just like the killer from two days earlier. Hughes pounced on him and ripped off the cloak. To his surprise, it turned out to be one of the chefs, Patrick Brown. Brown had a good reputation in the Edrarian navy but was notorious for having grudges that he wouldn’t let go. He was black-haired and was also known for having grease all over his body. On his cloak was a mark of the ripped fragment.
‘‘HOW DARE YOU?’’ roared Brown
‘‘Oh, I dare a lot of things,’’ replied Hughes. ‘‘Like asking you what are you doing.’’
Brown threw him onto the floor and ran up the stairs towards the main deck. He then grabbed one of the rafts stored in the superstructure and jumped off. Hughes called for reinforcements, but the crew were still dealing with the U-boats. His motive will never be known.
Hughes radioed to the Admiralty for help and waited. While doing so, he commanded strike after strike on the U-boats until he was informed that they were out ammo. ‘‘Ah sh*t,’’ he cursed.
Suddenly, a PBY Catalina came out of nowhere. Hughes ordered flares to be launched at where the U-boats were. The Catalina depth-charged the areas and all of the U-boats were destroyed. The stragglers still attacking the other ships retreated.
Epilogue
From Mariam Cunningham’s narrative:
When I met Hughes at the dock, he was not the same as before.
Unlike the Hughes that sat with me in the Oriental Inn, this Hughes was a mess. He constantly talked about the convoy and blamed himself with everything. He consistently murmurs on how a man named Brown would soon come to get him. I checked with a doctor and it was just a severe case of survivor’s guilt. He couldn’t even pull himself together before the awards ceremony. His lost it completely when he was requested to go back to sea. I can’t even tell whether it’s him or not.
I’m very worried for him…
--- END ---
(This story is unedited)
Comment from Judges
The devil is in the details with this story – I highly enjoyed the discerning attention to technical, historical, and factual detail in this piece, such as with the mention of U-boats, a dog watch, and the specific dates used. The tense setting of the WW2 era combined an eclectic the mix of narrative styles create an engaging and unique exploration of perspectives gives a tense and gripping account of WW2’s naval action. On top of that, the jarring contrast between Hughes in the prologue and the epilogue delivers a great portrayal of how war and gore can destructively affect the psyche – even for those as established and respected as Captain Hughes.
MYAA 2022 (Senior) - Consolation
Goh Jian Seng - Sri Bestari International School
Title: Respawn
Chapter 1 - The Spawning
I opened my eyes, blinking them rapidly as sweat nearly blinds me. I wipe it from my face hastily, attempting to get a grasp of my surroundings. Snow settles on my hair, and looking around, I see nothing but a vast expanse of snow and a massive cliff to my left. I stumble forward a couple steps, and come to a stop.
"Where am I?" I asked aloud.
Some sort of mountain? I could see the jagged summit a few hundred metres above my head.
"Who am I?" I paused. "I don't know who I am." I said aloud, trying, praying that I could think of something.
But I had forgotten my name. I couldn't tell my age. I looked down, trying to discern my gender from my body shape, but it remained ambiguous.
I felt my face, trying to feel for any facial features. Nothing. My nose was a little bit sharp. I had a thick, coarse head of hair. I was clothed in a sort of tunic, which shined in the dim light. The fabric was relatively silky, and if I wasn't actively looking for it, I wouldn't have noticed it resting against my body. My hands shook and I began to spiral out of control.
"Who am I? How old am I?"
Nothing but an echo responded to me, the questions being carried away by the wind along with flakes of snow sliding off the top of the mountains. Was I alone? I realised that to answer that question, I would have to leave the safety of the ledge I was standing on. Climbing higher up the mountain was out of the question - the cliff face to my left was completely smooth, without anywhere my hands could find purchase on. I moved forward, peering over the edge of my perch. There was a ladder that disappeared into the fog below, and my fingers shook as I reached for it, praying it would not collapse under my weight. It clattered against the rock a little, and I clung on for dear life as I began my descent into the clouds below.
The shadows quickly enveloped me and I could do nothing but go down. I quickly began a rhythm in my head. Foot on lower rung. Hand on upper rung. Lower the foot down, and onto the next rung. Reach hand down for the rung the foot was on before. Hear the ladder clatter against the rock. Repeat. My machinations thundered through my head until alas, I was finally through. My foot made contact with solid ground. I opened my eyes, not even realising that I had closed them as I climbed down. Snow still covered the ground, but the rock had been replaced with dirt and a few patches of grass. My heart was still racing, slamming against my ribs in an effort to break free. Damn. I sprawled out onto the grass and stared up into the sky, realising two things. First, the sky was empty. Not just devoid of clouds, but empty empty. I could see into the void of space, and although the suns blazed white in the sky, it was still dark, unlike the blue sky of… of… I let that train of thought go. Second, saying ‘suns’ earlier was not an error in my language. Three suns shone in the sky, each one brighter than the last. But this was not a time to marvel at the view. I had to keep moving, to try and find some kind of way back to my home world. I turned back to look at the ladder, but it was gone. The mountain had disappeared, vanishing into thin air.
“Oh sh-” I muttered, before being cut off by the sudden sound of footsteps rapidly approaching. A figure stepped forward from the fog, waving their arms around.
“Hello!” I yelled, trying to get their attention.
Perhaps this was the wrong idea. They increased their walking speed rapidly, and my heart leapt with anticipation, which was quickly drowned by dread. That, and the blade that had been driven through it. Blood poured from my chest as I stared at my assailant, a shadowy figure that quickly disappeared into the fog, yanking their weapon from my chest. My vision swam and faded to black, and my journey was over before it had even begun.
Chapter 2 - The Respawning
I opened my eyes, sucking in cold air, and I realised I was on the mountain ledge again - and not dead.
“How am I-” I slapped my hands to my face, checking if I had body warmth. I did.
“What the-” I stuttered, before walking forward again, and peering over the ledge.
Yep, same old ladder. I sighed. I began my journey downward again…
…and again, after being stabbed once again by the person down there. The cycle repeated itself, over and over again, for more times than I could count. Finally, I opened my eyes once again, knowing that I had to change things. This time, something had to be different. Something.
“I’m not gonna climb all that again, you know.” I said, to no one in particular. Was I going insane? Could isolation really drive you crazy that fast?
“I need a plan.” The words that came out of my mouth shook me, but I knew they were true. If I was to survive, I would have to form a strategy.
A few hours and several failed tests later, I set everything into motion. Looking over the edge of the cliff for what I hoped was the final time, I shook my head, held my breath, and took a leap of faith. Quite literally. I dived head first off the cliff, and prayed. What did I have to lose? I already died and came back. Surely if anything went wrong, it would happen again. I closed my eyes, and…
…landed on two feet. I yelled, a sound made from pure jubilation. I did it. But I couldn’t celebrate for long. I picked up a rock from the ground, and waited patiently for my attacker. Right on cue, I heard the footsteps, and saw them charging towards me. I deftly stepped to the side, then slammed the rock into their head, knocking them to the ground. I slammed it into their head again, and again, fueled by rage and pure adrenaline. Crimson blood spurted onto the snow, and I knelt down.
“It’s over. It’s finally over.” I sighed with relief, and stood up.
“Congratulations!” A disembodied voice spoke. “You have beaten the tutorial.”
I shivered. A tutorial? Since when? My train of thought was interrupted by the illumination of several torches, which dissipated the fog.
“You may now proceed to the first level.”
I put two and two together in my head. Was this some form of sick contest? Or… No. I couldn’t think of that right now. Besides, how would that even be possible? I made my way into the path of torches, and my vision faded to black.
Chapter 3 - Levelled Up
I opened my eyes to the liveliness and warmth of a tavern. Glancing around, I see that it's filled with people, heartily drinking from mugs of alcohol, before I realise there's someone sitting in front of me. They were wearing a jacket, perhaps made of leather or some other form of animal-based cloth, and just under that was a reasonably thick layer of armour. A hood covered their head, but what I could see of their hair was platinum blonde, and their face was pockmarked with scars. The figure extended their arm towards me.
"I'm Sal’kan. Nice to meet you."
Before I could respond, they shoved a bag of something towards me, leaving the table, speaking rapidly as they left.
“Armoury is over there, use those coins to get yourself a weapon. Look around you for quests, the customers will give you some. I suggest starting with that one-” They gestured to a particularly drunken man at the far corner.
The words came out with a rehearsed fluency, as if they had said them countless times before.
“What’s her deal?” I asked a woman next to me.
“She’s not a ‘her’, she’s a he!”
A man stood up, shocked. “What? I always thought she was a woman!”
Soon, the bar erupted into chaos, people arguing about Sal’kan’s gender left and right. I sighed, headed over to the armoury, and as per Sal’kan’s recommendations, bought myself a dagger, and headed over to the man in the corner.
“You alright there, youngin’?”
I shrugged.
“Well, my sheep needs herdin’, so you can start with that.”
He spoke with a thick accent, and somehow seemed unfazed, as if he had been approached many times before. Strange. Having received my instructions, I jogged over to Sal’kan, who was standing next to a pair of wooden doors.
“You ready for your first mission?”
I nodded. The doors opened, glowing a blinding white.
“Then let’s go.”
--- END ---
(This story is unedited)
Comment from Judges
I found this story highly engaging and suspenseful from start to finish. The choice of first-person narration was brilliant as readers get to decipher what is going on amidst the confusion alongside the protagonist first-hand, and how they navigate the world around them was described with skillful use of language. The setting and characters are also especially unique, tying well into the plot of the protagonist being in a game simulation. I would love to see how this story plays out further in different levels of the game.
MYAA 2022 (Senior) - Consolation
Dania Aniesa bt. Fazzrudin - Lodge International School
Title: Sunflower Seeds
The crevices of withering leaves spilled golden sun, draping its illuminating tapestry over her idle body. Her ripe sawo-like skin was glowing ever so gently, putting even the brightest of moonlit nights to shame.
She was silent, I could only hear that of her normal breathing and the muffled melodies of my Walkman.
The Smiths’ ‘Back to the Old House’. Her favourite song.
I turned it off and scooted even if only a little, closer to her. Her eyes were still glued to the clouds above, the wind whispered gentle sighs and moaned emptily all the while softly dancing with loose strands of her hair.
“That one looks like a sunflower seed” she spoke, pointing to a small cloud that did in fact resemble a sunflower seed, well, if you really put your mind to it that is. A smile slowly crept on her face as she slowly averted her gaze from the sunflower seed-like cloud to me.
I’ve longed for that smile before I even knew it existed. Hell were the times I went through harsh reality without knowing such comfort that lies within a smile. Within her smile.
“Jun?” She called out my name. A name I despised so much ever since I was a measly child, rolled off her tongue so perfectly. I hummed in response.
“When the day comes…”
The day… that dreadful day. My stomach turned and my mouth went dry. That’s right, we don’t have much time left. The shining figure that lies before me will fade away, like a stroke of paint washed in the rain. It would happen so quickly, yet so slowly.
And it scared me to death just thinking about it.
“Do me a favour..”
I looked into her eyes intently.
“Bury me in sunflower seeds, will you?”
I must’ve had a funny look on my face to earn such a chuckle from her. She shifted from her back to her side, her full attention towards me.
“Sunflower seeds?”
“Mountains of them, will you?” her smile grew wider.
“I will. I’ll buy all the sunflower seeds in the world and pile them up high. I’ll bury you underneath it, and you’d be a sunflower seed zombie” we shared a fit of laughter.
“You make sure they’re the Naraya ones, or I’m coming back to beat you up”
‘I’m coming back’
The words repeat itself in my mind.
“Or I’ll become a ghost and haunt you forever” she giggled.
You wish you’d come back too, don’t you?
“Say, what were you listening to just now?” She sat up and leaned against the hard wood. I did the same.
“Would you like to take a guess?” She playfully rubbed her non-existent beard and thought for a while.
“Radiohead?” I shook my head.
“No? The Smiths, then” she cocked her head to the side with a sly grin. Her long dark brown hair falling so gracefully onto her shoulders, the loose strands veiling her face. Her beautiful face.
A lump started to form in my throat.
“See? I’m right, aren't I?”
She’s going to die.
“Was it ‘Back to the Old House’ ?”
I’m losing you.
“Jun?”
I don’t want to lose you. I’d lose myself.
With a hard yank on my hand I was pulled back to reality. Her eyebrows knitted, concern written on her face. No trace of that smile of hers, long gone. I said nothing. Engulfed in silence once more I forgot what to say, with slightly parted lips I stared at her. My hands began to tremble.
The coward I am.
“I don't want to lose you” as if whispering to the wind, I spoke. The upsetting lump in my throat went along with the words, now carried by the wind to places I could've been with her.
Places far away, places where only each other mattered. Tell me Sayu,
“Are you just as afraid as I am?”
Words that weren’t supposed to be said echoed between us . It should’ve stayed inside, on my tongue never to touch the air outside, simply a thought, but it didn’t. The expression on her face was unreadable. Her eyes stared into mine like I'm some kind of foreign being.
For once, I could feel her body tense up around me. I’ve never seen fear in those eyes, not with my reflection in it.
“Sayu, I-”
“It’s getting late, Jun”
-
The phone call woke me up from my restless slumber, the house phone rang and rang, screaming for anyone to answer it. I turned towards the alarm clock on my bedside table, 12:37 P.M.
Well, I couldn’t sleep well anyway, if entertaining a random midnight phone call meant rest I’ll entertain a hundred. I quickly picked up the handset and brought it close to my ear.
“Hello?” I spoke, my voice raspy.
“We’re so sorry to disturb you at this time sir but, are you Arjuna Chen?” asked a silvery female voice through the receiver. She spoke quickly, urgently, she’s waiting for me to answer.
“It’s fine and yes, that’s me. What seems to be the problem?” Could this be a scam? How does this person know my name? Should I just hang up?
“I am very sorry to disturb you at this late hour sir, but I’m from Normah Medical Centre and I have you here as an emergency contact for Nur Sayu. It says here that you’re her close friend?”
I felt all the colour drain out of my face.
This can’t be.
“That’s me. D-did.. Did something happen?” I used all the remaining energy I had left to keep the conversation going. “Someone found her passed out at the local park and she’s brought here, I was wondering if-”
I slammed the handset onto the switch hook and grabbed my motor keys.
That was quite rude of me, I'm sure she’s had a rough day and I might've made it worse, but I couldn't care less about that right now. My stomach churned, my head was spinning like a top. The pain in my chest felt like someone took my heart out and stomped on it like a puddle.
‘..passed out at a local park..’
Local park? What was she doing there at such an hour? How long had she been there before…
I felt my mind swallow me whole.
Sayu.. please hold on for a little while, please. I pleaded, to whom I do not know myself.
-
I dashed inside, the familiar lump in my throat started growing bigger and bigger, suffocating me blind. Things were moving too fast. Had it been time or have I always been so slow?
I dragged my legs which were feeling like limp dishrags to the receptionist. A young woman came to my aid and asked if I needed any help.
“I got a call.. Nur Sayu.. I need to see her, please” I stammered, hot tears escaping my eyes.
Please, I need to see her.
“..she’s in room 206..”
206. Whatever the lady said before or after that I didn't know. Couldn’t listen. Everything was muffled and blurry, colours were fading and it was shivering cold. The bright monotonic lights were blinding and other than a few nurses, I was there alone.
Have we always been so distant, Sayu?
The door to room 206 stood proudly, as if mocking me. Right, I can't stand as proudly as the door before me, I can't do one thing without faltering. So foolish I am, how could I compare myself to a door? With trembling hands I knocked, and let myself in.
The room smelt of sanitisers, dimly lit with a small lamp on the tableside, replacing nighttime shadows with a fraction of light. She was no longer draped in golden sun, she was consumed by the darkness. I could barely see her face.
“Sayu?” I called out, making my way to her bed, where her body laid lifelessly. I can’t see her face, but I could recognise her presence anywhere. I know she’s right there.
“Jun?” The crack in her voice made my heart drop. I reached out in the darkness in hopes of finding her hand.
I won’t be a coward anymore, please, let me hold her just this once.
“Jun…” our fingers intertwine. Let this moment last, please. I kept pleading. My face was a mixture of sweat and tears. I couldn’t say anything.
“I’m scared..” she spoke as if to her pillow.
Her hands gripped mine tighter. As if I could see them I stared into her eyes.
So you are scared… who am I kidding of course you are.
“I don’t want to die…” her sobs were getting louder. Her cold hands trembled and her voice croaked through the walls.
I don’t want you to either.
“I want to live..”
I want you to live too...
“I want to be with you..”
If only I could…
“I want to be with you too…”
We wept through the night, oblivious to the fate awaiting us two, but it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter to me nor Sayu. We had each other, for what time we had left we embraced ourselves and the bitter taste of reality.
Her scent, her laughter, her tears…
and her sunflower seeds.
--- END ---
(This story is unedited)
Comment from Judges
This beautiful and heartbreaking romantic tragedy is so beautifully written, with the protagonist’s descriptions of Sayu and his innermost thoughts displayed almost poetically. The mystery surrounding Sayu and Jun’s backstory followed even more so by the mystery of Sayu’s cause of death leaves the reader grappling with only the present moment that the protagonist Jun experiences, which is a great reflection of how dealing with loss feels. The storytelling in this story is highly skilled, the the first-person narration choice is a great one to create empathy from the reader to the protagonist.
MYAA 2022 (Senior) - Consolation
Amira Hanna Binti Mohd Nizamuddin - SMK Abdul Rahman Talib
Title: Flower Crowns
Isn’t it strange how people use the term “villain”? Villains are cruel, vindictive, heartless. Villains dominate the world, curse princesses and everything else the people tell us.
But aren’t villains humans too?
I slumped into a chair and sighed heavily. I made a mistake. A terrible one, one I hate myself for yet again. I ran a hand over the creases in my dress, a habit I did when I felt uneasy. Blood coated my fingertips. Daze controlled my thoughts. Why do I feel so tired?
Silence, I realised, was so captivating. All I heard was my heart beating and ringing in my ears. It felt so suffocating, like the world became more and more silent as seconds ticked by. That was, until the door burst open and commotion flooded in. A soldier marched in, fear obvious in his eyes. He bowed quickly and passed on the message I dread hearing.
“My queen, the enemy has reached our threshold and they’re attacking our first line of defence. Our watchmen reported that we only face three soldiers of the enemy, yet I fear that these are the ones you call ‘prodigies’.”
My whole body suddenly felt so numb. “The magic wielders,” I murmured, as the candle behind me flickered and died. The only vibrant thing in the room was now the sword I unsheathed, glistening in the pale moonlight.
From the shadowy confines of the gate, I observed the trio, who miraculously called themselves ‘the heroes of the kingdom’. What a load of arrogance. I twisted the sword in my hands and the main hero must have saw the twinkle of the blade, for his eyes locked with mine.
The ruby hooded cloth he held in one hand was dropped soundlessly to the floor. I managed a sly smile. “Gosh, Erie, you don’t want to get your treasured bathrobe bloody in our little skirmish? I heard you bathed in your enemies’ blood.”
He visibly turned red at my ridicule, and pointed his also-very-cherished-ruby-sword towards me. “It’s Erid, hag, and I shall soak in your blood as well, as you please.”
I chuckled. “Always the gentleman.” And as if a silent agreement had passed, our blades crashed simultaneously in the duel. My hand reached his collar and I yanked him down to my face level.
“So, what brings you here, Eric?” I jeered, knowing how enraged I make him when I incorrectly say his name. Erid kicked me in the ribs and swiped his sword at me. I barely dodged the first slice.
“Oh nothing. Just ya know, saving the world from a rampant murderer,” his blade fended off mine with a clang. “Who kills her own friends without mercy.”
A bomb had dropped.
Erid swivelled, then brought his sword up, aiming for my chest but I was quick to defend. In turn, I elbowed his stomach and he doubled over in pain. I heard one of his friends shout his name. But Erid merely wiped the sweat off his brows and scoffed. “Such a feared villain, yet you fight so inelegantly,” My heart slowed for what he had to say next. “Maybe your friends did the right choice by leaving you.”
My heart stopped beating. “What?,” I whispered.
The world exploded.
Erid dropped his sword and backed away. My own sword clanged to the ground. I gripped my eyes as harrowing anger coursed through me. All I saw were vibrant colours flying around me. Lightning cracked and the wind howled like never before. The earth seemed to imitate my anger. As I released a piercing scream, I accelerated my own wrath until the night sky grew dark, as if the moon itself feared me.
The earth shook below me. I summoned all my anger for this one last display. I’d show the fool what it really means to be feared. To be powerful. My throat hurt from screaming. My body hurt from pushing my limits. But I needed to go further.
The ground pulsed and cracked. Through my half open eyes, I saw one of Erid’s friends fall to his ultimate death. Erid and the other girl scrambled to the edge of the earth, and they both let out similar screams of grief. I’ve heard so many shouts of people losing their loved ones. It brings sadistic joy to me, seeing them grieve. But seeing Erid and the girl sobbing out of character, I only felt empty. My hands were trembling. My legs were weakening.
But my power kept getting stronger and stronger. Pain gnawed at my bones, flesh and all. I wanted to stop, I needed to stop, or I’d die. But I can’t. I can’t stop, no matter how much I willed myself to. When I looked down at my hands, they were cracking and fear pulsed through my skin.
I was falling apart.
Despite my agony, I glanced once more towards Erid. His tears had stopped and he was soothing the girl. All the while, he stared straight into my eyes. He looked so angry – I remember seeing that expression on my own face. I fear the anger he holds in his eyes may lead him down my path. A path no one should tread.
I held up my handmade flower crown, silently proud of myself. The crown was decorated with daisies, sunflowers and wildflowers. A small sigh escaped my lips, because I never knew how nice it would be to have someone to gift this to. To show how much I love them. Maybe a mother, or a father. All I have is myself, my best friend and this flower crown.
I never truly knew how much the flower crown meant to me until that night, when I surprised my best friend, Minne, with it. I wanted to see her face light up with warmth when she sees it. Hopefully she’d like it, because the crown was not easy to make. I waited at her place, as she took her daily evening walk. My chest fluttered with excitement and I was bouncing slightly from the eagerness.
Then, the door opened and Minne walked in. She was dressed nicely in overalls, her hair tied neatly into two braids which hung from her shoulders. Her lips bore the ghost of a smile. If this was a normal day, I would have complimented on how lovely she looked. But this was not a normal day. Another girl stepped in behind her and my heart dropped into my stomach.
Minne never said she had another friend. She always told me I’m the only friend she’ll ever need, and I held on to that loyalty. Just because I can’t fit in with the rest.
Despite that, I still wanted to give her the crown. Maybe she’ll like it anyway. So I gave her a half-hearted smile when I saw her shocked expression.
“Niz, how did you get in here?” she asked me.
“Your mother let me in, of course. It’s not like I’d break into this place anyway,” I replied, voice sounding all too casual. Minne raised an eyebrow and her friend silently watched.
“Why are you here?” Minne asked more. I bit my lip. From behind my back, I presented the made flower crown. Her friend turned away from me and her shoulders shook. Minne’s lip quivered.
“Um…what’s this, Niz?” Minne asked, and I knew from her face that she was holding back laughter.
“It’s a flower crown, for you,” I croaked, my confidence suddenly wavering. Why was she acting like this? Minne was always happy about a present. Is it wrong to make a flower crown for my best friend?
Minne snorted. “Thanks, I guess,” she took the flower crown from me. A breath of relief escaped. Maybe she did like it.
Maybe not. The flower crown slipped from her fingers and tumbled gracefully to the ground. Her face scrunched in mock concern, “Oh dear, I think I dropped it. Well, its dirty now.”
I watched in terror as she lifted her nicely laced boot and stomped on the crown. The flowers, all crumbled beneath her feet. Our flowers. My flowers. Me, myself, my own. I never mattered, I realized. Me, disgraced, quiet little Nizell, who would bother accepting me? Me, filled with love and now all of it had been taken away in mere seconds. Me, my petals crumbling beneath my best friend’s boot.
“Aww….oops. My bad.” Minne laughed. “I’m sorry, Niz. You’re nice and all, but sometimes you get too boring, you know? Flower crowns? Books? Fantasies? When are you going to outlive that child that I left behind so long ago? I’m done playing make believe, Niz. It’s time for you to hold the imaginaries to yourself.”
All I have is myself.
Why do I regret taking her life, when she had a happy one?
“Don’t go down my path, Erid,” I whisper, tears sliding down my cheeks.
The last thing I remembered was the cold blade piercing my skin, and Erid whispering, “It ends here…
…villain.”
--- END ---
(This story is unedited)
Comment from Judges
The narration in this story is exceptionally powerful. Alongside sharp, witty dialogue between the protagonist and Erid, we as readers are kept engaged in the action that surrounds them – the enemies’ attack and the swordfight that occur between the protagonist and Erid. Tension is created and well maintained by the dialogue, and the use of analepsis to deliver the story of Minne is effective at adding depth and clarity to both the plot and the protagonist’s weaknesses. The final ending scene was especially profound as it hits directly at the protagonist’s vulnerabilities and ties back to her thoughts in the introduction.
MYAA 2022 (Senior) - Consolation
Nur Ariana Qistina Binti Shamsur Imran - SMK Seri Bintang Utara
Title: A Ride Home
My fingers were cold, and my shoulders felt heavy. My entire body was numb and I could barely feel my fingers.
I awoke to the sound of water pattering on my ears, which only made my ears tingle with annoyance. I opened my eyes to see red liquid dripping onto the ground, but it didn't look like the ground where my feet were. With my groans, the silence was broken.
When I regained consciousness, I realised I was upside down in my school bus. I panicked and looked beside me, only to discover my friend's comatose body. She was covered in blood, and all I could do was gape in disbelief. I reached out to take her icy, pallid hands in mine.
"Hey, Alice? Hey, get up!" I desperately shook her. There was no reaction, and tears welled up in my eyes. My breathing became faster as I opened my wide eyes. "Hey, get up! Don't mess with me!" I cupped her face, revealing lifeless eyes and blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.
This can’t be happening..
My tears landed on my brow, and I sought for the seatbelt. Prepared for impact, I shrieked as I fell onto puddles of blood. My head began to hurt, and I felt my internal blood drain to my toes. I fought to stand but could do nothing except stumble.
I could only let out a trembling exhale in shock. I could only see the unconscious bodies of my classmates buried in glass and blood. My knees gave out, and my lips trembled. I approached the door only to discover the driver dead. I climbed to the inverted door while stabbing my hand in pieces of broken glass. I gritted my teeth and dragged myself up, tumbling to the leaf-covered ground.
As my face touched the ground, I stood and hissed in pain. At the corner of my eye, I spotted a group of people near a tree. There's people! In desperation, I crawled to my feet and dashed for them.
As I approached the quartet and their pair of eyes turned towards my body. Suddenly, they were all crossing their fists in front of me, and all I could do was raise my hands in terror. They lunged for a gleaming knife that blinded my sight. I shielded my eyes from the blinding ray of light. “Hey! I'm new around here. I don't like it when you assault me." They were silent, and the silence was received.
"Hey, buddy, we got another one." A tall man spoke up. He jerked his head towards a brunette bleeding on his thigh.
“Adam! What happened to you?!” I shrieked. The ginormous glass shard on his thigh pierced through his skin as he hissed out a few words.
“We… I don't really know what happened either. I think we’re survivors.. We can’t do anything because we’re in the middle of nowhere”
Survivors? I switched my gaze to the bus I had just exited, which was utterly bent and damaged. The engine released a torrent of smoke, and the wheels shifted out of place. As a result, I could only breathe in tremor. Suddenly, a thought struck me: "What about our phones?" We could still get help!" The brunette shook his head. "Our phones are broken, and even if we could use them, there's no connection here."
I curled my lips as I watched him struggle to move even a finger. “Adam, stay still. You want to be saved do you?” A girl beside him spoke. Adam only wrinkled his nose and smiled bitterly at the girl. “I think it’s the end for me, I’ve lost too much blood to even be alive right now.”
“Don't say that garbage! I’m going to save you no matter what!” I could see her hands quivering from anxious strain as she grabbed for a med kit, presumably from the teacher's bag.
I look at the other two: a big man who was simply looking away from his companion in pain, and a blondie who was coated in mud. She covered her nose with her hands and made a wailing motion with her hands.
“Hey, don’t you think I deserve treatment? Look at me! I’m covered in nature poop!” The blonde exasperated.
The black haired girl could only glare at the brat, concluding to her there were more worse things happening to her right now. The other could only roll her eyes and scoff in return.
“If you’re so injured, Clara, why don’t you ask someone else to help you? Can’t you see I’m busy?”
I only stood there, watching everything unfold. I don’t know what to say… Our class was planning to go on a trip near the coastline to celebrate our senior year of school but now, all that exciting hope turned to excruciating deaths.
Right there and then, I decided to help the blonde girl. “Hey, why don’t we bring you to a river to clean up? I also need to get rid of all this blood.” The girl looked at me up and down in judgement. “Aren’t you that loser in class? I want at least someone who can protect me while I’m out” she preached.
Adam faced towards her “She joined our martial arts club before. She’s at least capable of fighting, unlike you” He snarled.
“Fine! If I die then it’s her fault alright?!”
We travelled not far from the group and soon came to a rocky river that dropped to what appeared to be a mountain. When I gazed up at the sky, the sun obscured my vision. "Wow, we really are out in the sticks."
The blonde didn't hesitate to reach for the water, and rubbed it on her hands and clothes, irritated by the watery reaction. “Ugh, I better get a nice bath after we get out of here!”
I dipped my hands into the water, extracted the stuck glass, and mumbled in pain.
“But how-” I pursed my lips. “Can you even get out of here?”
“My dad’s the mayor, of course we’ll get out of here! My dad never fails to find me”. We locked gazes for a few seconds, and I merely responded with a smile. We’re finally alone.
“You know, I don’t really want to talk to you so pretend like you’re busy with... I don’t know, what losers do”
The audacity! “Hey, just because I don’t talk as much doesn’t mean I’m a loser, alright? Plus, I always ace my tests, and I get some closure in school.” I slapped my hands in the water, splashing onto her face.
“Oh please,” She slapped back. “I’m better than you in all aspects, you don’t need to deny it” She quipped.
“Oh, don’t flatter yourself. Just because you’re slightly popular and rich doesn’t prove intelligence.”
“Look, just keep quiet and wash yourself. We’ll have this conversation when we’re not in an apocalyptic movie”
After a splash of water woke me up, I exclaimed in relief. I lightly wet my hair and cleansed my hands. I saw her dipping her toes in the water to clean her feet.
It looks like she’s having trouble, squirming around so much. I won’t help, since it looks like she hates my very being.
I scrunched up my hair and decided to let it dry.
“Well, I think I’m done here, I’m gonna go and check what they’re doing”.
“Hey! You can’t leave me yet!” I stopped in my tracks as she reached for my wrist.
“Don’t think about getting anywhere! We’ve wandered this place for hours and got lost!”
“So.. are you saying that you’ll get lost? Without me?”
“Just stay here!” The blonde only scoffs. “I told you that I’d get out of here! So be grateful and stay here if you want to escape too!” On my wrist, I crossed my right hand over hers. I softly clasped them around my fingers.
“What if I don’t want to escape?”
The blonde only raise a brow in confusion “What do you m-” In that moment, I pushed her
Into the river, and her body leaned towards the moving water. Her left leg attempted to gain balance, but only fails to and slips due to the moist dirt touching her feet.
She screamed as the impact caused her head to collide with a boulder, leaving blood trails in the water.
Well I'm definitely leaving. Thank you for giving me a free ride home.
“YOU!” I quickly turned to my right, only to find the same towering man from the bus. He aimed a rifle at my face and gazed at me with trepidation.
Oh crap, I messed up.
"YOU KILLED HER!" He exclaimed. I only put my hands towards my mouth, and my knees started to go weak.
I collapsed on the ground and sobbed uncontrollably. Soon, two other people arrived at the scene. “What’s going on?!”
“I… I didn’t kill her! She slipped and I tried grabbing her!”
--- END ---
(This story is unedited)
Comment from Judges
The author succeeded in writing an intriguing beginning accompanied by an unpredictable finale with detailed imagery however there was a lack of build-up causing the story to feel forced.
MYAA 2022 (Senior) - Consolation
Alyssa Chin Yian Yee - Riam Road Secondary School
Title: Sobbing Angel of Titania
The Titania ocean wind blew strong and hard. The dark and starless skies brought sadness and depression. There was no sight of any life except for a lonely avian humanoid flying around searching for humans in need. The godly presence of the flying being didn't affect the surrounding weather. Thunder roared through the sky, leaving the little being afraid. Prima, the avian humanoid, was the only one able to survive in the harsh conditions of the deadly sea.
Prima was wearing red robes with a hoodie attached. Her silver long hair wavered in the unforgiving storm. Tears were streaming out of her eyes continuously. She was in visible misery and guilt. Her wings were white, with red streaks running across them. The black sceptre she was holding was the only thing she was able to use in an attempt to save people.
Suddenly, a cry for help reached Prima's ears. She snapped out of her miserable state and started searching for the source of the scream. She saw a handsome man trapped in a cage of dark matter. The boy, whose name is Dominic, screamed in pain. The dark matter seemed to be torturing him while the ocean waves keep drowning him. He kept spitting out blood and was struggling to stay alive. Cuts were forming on his face, blood gushing out of the deep wounds. His body started to glow purple as the evil magic was in his body, destroying every cell and nutrient they found. Vines made out of pure dark magic spun about the caged boy, not letting anything come near it.
Prima quickly flew to him and used her sceptre to send out waves of holy magic. The white waves of magic clashed with the cage and dispersed the dark matter. The girl flew with such skill that she avoided all the vines that came spinning her way. She caught Dominic in her arms just in time before he completely drowned. Prima flew far away from the scene and summoned a platform high above the sea and laid the unconscious man on it. Dominic's face was full of scratches and wounds from his struggle. Prima touched him with her glowing hands and all the evil magic left his system. She looked at him worriedly, still not understanding how humans ended up in the endless ocean. They should be in the human realm, but somehow, humans still found a way to fall into the Ocean of Titania.
Prima gently stroked Dominic's hair, hoping he was alive. Suddenly, he coughed out water and blood, came to his senses, and sat up. Dominic looked confused about why a strange lady in weird clothing was holding him. She offered him a healing potion. The potion was cyan and it glitters in the light Prima emitted. The bottle had a fancy design with a diamond phoenix head as the cap. He was reluctant but still drank it in pain. He was healed in a second and was feeling fit and strong again. She also dried him up by manipulating the ocean wind.
Dominic was so happy he gave Prima a big hug. She was shocked as this was her first time getting a hug in her lifetime. He was also her first save in 534 years, so she was very emotional and cried. Prima felt safe in the arms of someone who survived the whole ordeal. The sense of survival and resistance gave her a comfortable feeling. The two talked for days since there was nothing to do at that time. When Dominic was hungry, Prima would flap her wings and take off with such force that the wind would change directions. She then would come back with food a minute later. Whenever he asked something of her, Prima would always give him. She slowly became his maid, even though both of them seemed to not notice it. She slowly came to her senses, noticing that it was always her who was doing all the work. It was always her who had to get everything for him when he could’ve just stood up and walked a few steps to get what he wanted. Slowly but surely, she had gained hatred for him. Prima didn’t want to admit that she hated him, she always had faith in him and his abilities.
One night, Dominic asked if Prima wanted to sleep next to him since he was cold from the ocean breeze. She agreed and felt excited because she was going to sleep next to her first-ever crush. Prima hugged Dominic tightly all night long, leaving him unable to sleep comfortably. In the morning, he yelled at her due to not having enough sleep. Her eyes started watering and she cried. Prima screamed at him, finally letting out the sorrows from her heart that she had been holding in for weeks. She despised him for using her as a maid, she was mad that he treated her this way and she demanded that he respect her. Dominic then yelled at her with tears in his eyes, he too had been resisting the urge to push her off of him when they were hanging out. Prima had been clinging onto him out of love and he didn’t like it at all. He just wanted her to get away from him, that’s why he always sent her for errands. Prima was about to reason with him, that she loved him and was already planning out their marriage together since he can’t even return to the human realm. Might as well marry the only person there, she thought he would think this way.
The poor man was stunned. He told the girl that he already had a wife and that he planned on staying loyal to her. His wife, Alissa, and his daughters, Yanyee and Adreena were his pride. Dominic kept on showing off the family photos that he managed to save, not noticing the jealousy in Prima’s eyes. In rage, she pushed him off the platform, and into the ocean. His scream of terror and betrayal left his mouth and he fell into the depths of the Titania Ocean, never to be seen again.
The whole ordeal just happened so fast that Prima still hasn't processed what just happened. She looked at where Dominic disappeared and was too shocked to say anything. Did the angel, who was supposed to save people, murdered somebody? The sceptre in her hands dispersed into thin air, she had lost her magic. She can’t believe herself and her actions. Prima was in denial, she cannot accept the fact that she just pushed someone into the ocean in jealousy and rage. The girl let out a blood-curdling scream, she was alone yet again. Not because of the ocean, but her fault.
Years passed, and Prima had forgotten the man she murdered. She forgot what he looked like, what his name was, she could only remember the very last scream he let out before he died. Every time she got close to saving another person with only her flight abilities, the heartache returned and distracted her from saving anyone. She would always remember why she couldn’t be heroic anymore. It was because she failed to save the man because of her emotions. Prima vowed to never let her feelings get to her…… But it was too late, the curse was done.
--- END ---
(This story is unedited)
Comment from Judges
I love how this story explores the complexities behind a heroic figure, suggesting that not all people can be perfect and sinless. The jealous rage against Dominic’s wife and family which leads Prima towards murder is a pivotal climax in the story which develops Prima’s character in a more haunting way – she is unable to fully accept the side of herself that is no longer heroic nor angelic, stunting her from her role of saving others permanently. The narration of this story is simple and palatable, yet it unveils a complex psychology which I enjoyed seeing condensed into a more fantastical setting.
MYAA 2022 (Senior) - Consolation
Loh Jia Xi - Chung Hua High School, Seremban
Title: Symphonie Macabre
The universe is a manuscript, the staves filled with the notes of every object in its infinite expanse, melodies and symphonies hiding within everything around us. When he was born, Ludwig was bombarded by the sounds of the world, welcoming him into its ever-expanding family. His parents told him that he would coo musically as he rolled around in his crib.
Ludwig always heard and remembered the songs. There was never a moment of silence in his world. He remembered the loud and vibrant Sun, the harmonic chirps of the birds outside his bedroom window, the screeching noises of cars, the warm and loving tones emanating from his parents......
He remembered hearing the dissonant chords of the wilting flowers in the garden and transposing the notes which sung of sickness into its rightful key of health.
That was when he discovered he could change the music of the world. That was also the first time he heard the cautious staccato of fear. “God, have mercy......” his father said.
Ludwig never understood when people told him to be quiet, asking for silence. Silence was something foreign and terrifying to Ludwig. How could anyone stand the emptiness of the void that is silence? This state of… not-life? How ridiculous.
Ludwig was never quiet. He played and ran with the symphonies of the world. It was only when Hilary was old enough to speak properly that Ludwig realised that those horrible statements were very true indeed.
“How can you not hear it? You’re deaf and strange!” he huffed. However, Hilary was right. His parents didn’t hear it, Hilary didn’t and neither did the children and his teachers at school……
----------------------------------------------------
Afflicted, rude and inattentive, the teachers would call him. Furious, Ludwig yelled and complained to his mother, who ruffled his hair and shushed him.
“It's alright, sweetheart. You have an extraordinary gift, Ludwig, but you mustn’t talk about it to anyone else, okay?”
“Why not?”
“Because people won't understand. They'll think that it's bad,"
“ It's not though! I can show them! I-”
“ No Ludwig!” His mother's voice rose as she looked Ludwig in the eye. “They must never know. Understand?”
Indeed, no one would know......until months after when Ludwig understood what his mother meant.
The symphony of the world was like a drug, intoxicating to the point that Ludwig was often times oblivious to his actual surroundings.
It was recess time. Ludwig could hear a squirrel chittering on top of the mighty branches of the tree in the playground. The animal’s melody sounded mischievous and had a fast pace to it, reminding Ludwig of Hilary’s song. He sang “here” into the squirrel’s song. It was easy to conduct the orchestra of the world, always had been. The squirrel then looked up at Ludwig from where it sat, confused in the palm of Ludwig’s hands. Ludwig smiled.
A scream broke him out of his trance, slamming him back into the real world. Steve was staring at him with suspicion and spat something at Ludwig. He didn’t hear them.
“What?” Ludwig said.
Steve talked and talked and talked………but the songs around him sounded so amazing. Ludwig couldn’t hear Steve. He stood there, staring at him like a cat entranced by a laser beam.
Suddenly, Steve knelt down, grabbed a fistful of pebbles and hurled it at Ludwig. The loud, blaring alarm-like sounds of danger rang in Ludwig’s ears. ‘Stop.’ he commanded.
The pebbles obeyed, suspended in the air. Steve’s eyes went wide. He stumbled backwards, running away while screaming to tell everyone what he saw.
The next day, Ludwig’s family moved to another town.
-------------------------------------------
Ludwig thought that no part of the music was ugly. That was until he heard the song of death.
Death’s song was haunting like a shadow looming behind you, like glowing eyes in the darkness. Death prowled and hunted in the sea of the songs of life, waiting for the exact moment to pounce and snatch those songs.
It was supposed to be a happy day, celebrating Ludwig graduating from high school without any “incidents” and at the top of his class no less. Hilary had begged him to take her swimming in the lake near their house. He obliged.
The cold, frigid water stung the scraped skin of his knees. Beneath his hands, the rhythm of a still heart was created from a string of calm notes. So very slowly, as if they were fading out of the song of life itself. Her song was always a constant hum in his ears, bringing him comfort.
Ludwig couldn’t hear it anymore.
The youthful melody of Hilary no longer played. He called out for her, but she didn’t answer. Only the unforgiving song of death did. He cried for the death song to stop through the fog of the music, but death’s notes were stubborn, unmoving from their stave. They wouldn’t listen. Ludwig would make them.
Ludwig wrenched the death song in his hands and tried to change its notes but it was not as easy as changing “here” to “there”. Death’s song continued to haunt Ludwig’s ears.
“Alright,” he thought “We’ll do it this way.” He sang Hilary’s song but then rewound it, trying to return it back to a state of life. He tried to pull her back through her life but death still held strong, clinging to Hilary’s soul.
A boy’s sobs echoed around the lake, momentarily interrupted by screams.
Ludwig’s parents found him kneeling beside the lake, humming a broken tune. In the palm of his hands, he held a limp and dead foetus.
Horror echoed in his ears accompanied by the song of loneliness.
-----------------------------------------
Ludwig never thought he could find any semblance of normalcy, but here he was, working as a doctor alongside Rachel, the love of his life. Rachel was a godsend to Ludwig, putting up with his constant singing and humming and accepting it as one of his many quirks. All was well, or so Ludwig thought.
A normal day in the emergency room turned into chaos as the collapse of a construction site caused many to be sent to the hospital where Ludwig and Rachel worked at. Tons of people with injuries ranging from minor bruises to broken bones filled the halls of the hospital. Doctors and nurses were rushing about triaging patients. Ludwig ignored the melancholic and pain-filled melodies of the patients. He had a job to do.
After the bulk of the work was done, Ludwig took a breather at the nurse’s station with Rachel. Suddenly, a ragged man with various cuts on his face limped into the room from the hallway. Ludwig was taking a sip of his coffee when the sound of danger flooded his ears. The man pulled out a pistol from his pants and pointed it directly at Rachel.
“WHY DIDN’T YOU SAVE MY DAUGHTER?!” the man sobbed, tears running down his injured face.
Every person in the room immediately panicked and tried to escape, which made the already distraught man even more so. He shot randomly at the wall and pointed the gun towards Rachel again.
“Doctor, why did my daughter have to die?”
“I’m sorry, sir. Your daughter’s condition was critical. There was a slim chance of saving her. I had to prioritise other patiens,” Rachel explained, trying to calm the man.
However, Ludwig could see that the man was beyond reason, could hear the grief and frustration in the man’s song. He took a step towards Rachel, wanting to provide support but his sudden movement startled the man, causing him to pull the trigger.
Danger built up to a crescendo in Ludwig’s ears and in the haze of chaos, he commanded the bullet. “Stop,” he sang and the bullet hung in the air, frozen, just like the pebbles all those years ago.
Ludwig could feel the eyes of everyone staring at him with shock. He looked to Rachel for comfort, only to be met with the song of surprise….and fear. In terror, he ran, ran to his car, sobbing as he drove away.
-------------------------------------
“I can’t take it anymore.”
How long has it been? Days? Months? He didn’t know. They always came and took him away randomly, wanting to know more about his ability.
Ludwig should’ve remembered that there were cameras which recorded the display of his abilities. They took him a few days after the ‘incident’. His days were then nothing more but tests and evaluations……..
His song which was once full of life and vigour, now sounded like a whimper.
He looked at the pistol in the holster of the guard standing outside. The guard looked young and naive. His song sounded like a timid mouse.
“I’m sorry” Ludwig thought as he sung “here” and pulled the trigger.
How ironic that a person named after Beethoven would be the only person who could hear the true wonders of the world.
The previously haunting melody of death became a lullaby, echoing in his ears, lulling him to sleep.
Forever.
--- END ---
(This story is unedited)
Comment from Judges
Author has a beautiful writing style that immediately enraptures you the moment you start reading. There is a minor issue of overusing ellipsis throughout the script. Other than that, brilliant story. Would absolutely love to read more.
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