The prison
Post Last Edit by akai/11 at 7-7-2012 17:54The arid air strokes over his face. A drop of sweat is dripping down his forehead. A blow of damp air suddenly pats his square face. His broad forehead crumples. The rugged hand quickly wipes away the dripping sweat.
“Arghhh..!”
“It’s getting hot here!”
Ah Hoy grumbles as he settling down on his solid bed. A concrete bed made up from stone occupied his rotten cell. Chu Long pats his wide shoulder, a stare directly fells upon a pair of withered eyes. The shriveled old man retreats.
Chu Long is much older than Ah Hoy. In fact he is considers as veteran among the tenants in that Avalone Prison. Both of them share the same circumstance, which is dwelling in the same cell.
“Hey old man!”
“Mind your business!” He shouted.
A silence resides the cell.
Ah Hoy gets to his feet heading towards the sinkhole. He turns on the water. A heavy flow of gushing water creates a sound. Sometimes the rustle sound of the rats making their ways somewhere in some parts of Avalone Prison becomes a part of Chu Long’s routine.
Ah Hoy splashes water to his square face. He rubs thoroughly his rusty face from the labor work earlier.
“Meal’s time!”“Meal’s time!”
An echo is coming from outside his cell completely diverts the occupants’ of the cell number 113 attention. Ah Hoy sharp eyes pointing towards the cell’s opening. Chu Long observes.
“This trash again!”
“How long are we going to chew on this junk!”
“Garbage!”
“You skunk!”
“You fool eat your meal!” One of the guards shouts from a far.
“Shut up!Bite your trash!”
Changing the position of his rifle, that tough guard yells out loud and mocks the prisoners of Avalone Prison. With his fierce face, he frowned.
Ah Choi gets on his feet. A strong blow falls upon the sturdy table in the dining hall. Both his hands reside the edge of the table. The food scattered. The water spilled. Then, the scene followed by a dripping sound of water coming from the pouring water. The routine recycled, the same old routine replays.
Chu Long stands up. He opens his pace and then stops.
“Cool.”
“Relax, young man.”
“Lets eat.”
*****
“Daddy, how could you!”
“Murderer!”
“Murderer!”“Murderer!”
Ah Hoy opens his eyes.
“It’s just a dream.”“Another bad dream.”
He keeps repeating it over and over again.
“This is just another nightmare!”“Arghhhhhhh…..!”
The sound of grunting filled the number 113 cell.
“Another bad dream, huh.” Chu Long asks as he sweeps his floppy eyes. The groan wakes him up. “Shut up old man!”
“You know nothing!”
Chu Long alters his body position facing the wall and continues to sleep again.
“Good night then!” Chu Long says before he vanished into sleep again.
“Mei Lin.”“I’m sorry.”“Daddy is guilty.”“I’m sorry, sweetheart.”“I’m sorry.”
“….with this, the Court has decides the defendant Man Hoi Lam is found guilty of killing the deceased
Lin Siu Ha. The defendant is sentenced for lifelong in prison….”
The scene vividly comes alive in front of Ah Hoy’s vision. A crystal clear drop of water occupies his blunt eyes.
“Siu Ha!”“I’m sorry.”
Lin Siu Ha’s face floats around his thoughts. He sees her brown eyes. She has a pair of small eyes, a pair of lovely eyes. There is nothing in this world that can describe how much he misses her. Her smiles always cheered up his life. Her smiles always meet him in front of the door when he came back home. Her smiles never faded.Her smiles always accompanied his mornings. Her smiles always greet him even though he returned home drunk. Her smiles are always there for him. She is always there for him.
Her smiles have that magical touch. They are the one that caught his heart years ago. They are the reason he falls in love with her at the first sight. They are so warm. They melt his heart. She melts his heart.
He yearns for her scent. Now the only scent he used to sniff every second is the scent of an old man and the scent of loneliness.
Everyday this prison reminds him of her murder. The scent of her blood pinched his nostrils. Every time he tries to forget, it came back haunting him.
The concentrated bright red fluid is dripping from her stomach. She was there, that little girl. Crying alone.
“Mommy!”
“Mommy!”
There is no sound of her anymore. No more laugh. No more smile. Nothing at all. She is gone forever.
“I’m sorry Siu Ha.”
“I love youuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!” Post Last Edit by akai/11 at 7-7-2012 18:00
Mei Lin observed as one after another cars passed right in front of her. Her Winnie the Pooh watch revealed quarter half to 4 pm. There was no sign of his black car at all.
“Where is daddy?”
“He always forgets.”
“It’s already late and I’m hungry.”
“What takes you so long daddy??” She sighed after a couple of glances towards her watch.
“Where are you?”
Mei Lin swung both her feet, up and down. She repeated that over and over again until she felt bored. She got to her feet, moving left and then right. She made a sound with her shoe and kept her eye fixed to her watch.
“Where is daddy?”
“I bet he must forget to fetch me again.”
“Huh….”
She returned to the bench. Using her hands, she slapped her cheeks softly making a sound of “Tap!” “Tap!” “Tap!”
“Ahhhh…”
“Where are you daddy?”
All her friends have been fetched by their parents. She was the only one left there, waiting patiently for her father to come and fetch her. Lately her father seemed to keep forgetting to fetch her from school.
“Daddy!” “Daddy!” “Where are you?”
When she asked why he is acting like that, her father would smile and say,
“I’m sorry, dear. I promise to fetch you on time tomorrow, okay.”
“I’ll buy you some ice cream okay?”
“Hmm...Okay, I accept your apology on one condition I want Gummy Bears jelly too.”
He smiled.
“Deal.”
“Promise?” Her sleepy eyes sought an assurance.
He pinched her small nose. The nose turned red. Then, the groaning sound followed.
“Auch!”
“It hurts.”
“Daddy!”
Both of them laughed.
“Yes, dear. I promise.”
Ah Hoy opened the front door. She sneaked in between his arms. Holding her Hello Kitty bag, she pushed it towards him. Ah Hoy grabbed the bag and put it down at the back seat. Ah Hoy returned to the driver seat and started the engine.
He helped her fastens the seat belt.
“Ah, Daddy. Can I not wear this seat belt? I feel so suffocated whenever I wear this. It is so not comfortable. Please, Daddy. Please. Please.”
She wore her persuading face. But her efforts turned out to no avail.
“No, Darling. You see, dear, this is for your own protection. I wear mine. See.” Ah Hoy tried to convince her daughter by showing her his fastened seat belt.
He saw through his side mirror, turned on the signal. After securing the road, he joined the traffic.
“Yay!”
“I want Paddle Pop ice cream, the rainbow one. My friend said they offer free giveaway gift to any selected ice cream stick.”
“I wish I can get that gift too.”
“Jescica told me last time she bought Paddle Pod ice cream and won a video game.”
“But I didn’t think she got that video game from buying Paddle Pop ice cream. Sandy said Jescica just bluffing to make people jealous of her.”
“I’m not jealous at not. I’m a good girl, right daddy.”
“Yes, you are. My daughter is a good girl, who likes to eat ice cream.” He grinned revealing his upper molar tooth.
“Daddy!” She laughed.
“And don’t forget your promise, my Gummy Bears jelly too.”
“Yes, I remember.” He patted her head. The headband slightly removed from its place.
“Daddy, I’m already 8 years old. I’m big enough. You don’t do that anymore to your grown-up daughter.” She fixed the position of her headband as she protruding her tiny mouth, making a dissatisfied expression.
Her comments broke into laughter. He laughed out loud.
“So, you are grown-up now, heh.”
“Hmm..Okay then, a grown-up doesn’t eat ice cream anymore. And a grown-up doesn’t ask his daddy to buy her Gummy Bears jelly, right.”
“Daddy!”
“A promise is a promise.”
“I want my ice cream and my Gummy Bears jelly.” Post Last Edit by akai/11 at 7-7-2012 18:04
Siu Ha prepared the dinner for her family. She glanced at the clock sometimes.
“It’s already 6 o’clock.”
“There is a little time before my drama’s series show.”
“I better finishes this fast.”
“Mommy, I want orange juice.” A gentle voice caught her attention.
“Yes, dear. You want some drink?”
“I want orange juice.” She said as her finger pointing towards the refrigerator.
“How was your school today?”
“Hmmm..Good I guess.”
“Jescica shows me her new video game. She said that she got from buying Paddle Pop ice cream, but Sandy denies it. Sandy said Jescica just pretends she got it from Paddle Pop ice cream to show off.”
Siu Ha smiled.
“I got the marks for math today.”
“Oh, really. How is it, dear?”
“Guess what, I got 100%!”
“Wow! That was great.” A kiss fall right on to her forehead. It was warm and comforting.
Mei Lin smiled proudly.
“Miss Ho also praises me for getting 100% in math. She said if I can maintain my mark, she will reward me something.”
“Hmmm..I think I should reward you with something too.”
“I’m going to make your favorite brownies.”
“How was that?”
“You like it?”
“Yay!”
“Brownies!” “Brownies!”
“Ah, I forgot to tell you, Mommy. Daddy said, he was going home late tonight. So don’t wait for him. He got too many unfinished works today.”
“ And you know, Mom. Daddy broke his promise again today. He said he was going to pick up me on time today, but he forgets it again.”
“Ring!”
“Ring!”
“Ring!”
The sound came from outside interrupts their conversations. The telephone in the living room rang. Mei Lin run to get the call.
“Mom, it’s daddy! He wants to speak with you.”
“Oh, okay. Hang on second. I’ll be right there. ” She washed her hand and rushed toward the living room.
“Hello. “
“Hmmm..Ha’ah..Oh yes.”
“She just told me. Take care of yourself. Don’t overwork. And don’t forget to take your meal.”
The call ended.
“Did daddy tell you he broke the promise again?”
She shook her head.
“No, sweetheart.”
“Hmm…I thought you are going out with daddy today. You got ice cream dirt on your school uniform.”
Mei Lin grinned.
“Opss….”
“Yes. Daddy bought me Paddle Pop ice cream and my favorite Gummy Bears jelly.”
“He picks me up around 4 o’clock today. I waited all alone, but there is no sign of him at all. There was no one left at all. All my friends have left home.”
“Oh, dear. I’m sorry. If only I could drive and go picked up you at school.”
“No, mommy.”
“It is daddy’s fault, not yours.”
Siu Ha is a fulltime housewife. She knows how to cook, how to sew, how to tidy up house and other things a woman should master. But the only thing she is lacking, she does not know how to drive a car. She never tries to get a license. She was afraid of driving by herself. Ah Hoy never forces her to take the license.
“If she doesn’t like it. Then I’m okay with that. I can drive her. I can take her wherever she wants to go. I’ll be her driver for the rest of my life.” Ah Hoy claimed one day when one of his buddy, Max asking about her wife.
“It is so weird, man. Only conservative people think that it’s okay not to know how to drive. Such outdated!” Max said arrogantly.
“Hey man! We are in 20th century. We don’t apply that kind of thinking anymore.” Max added as he laughed.
“We are living in modern era now, man.”
“Stop it. Just stop it. You don’t want to mess with me.” Ah Hoy clenched his fist, tried to hold his rages.
“Chill, man!”
“I’m just joking.”
“Take it easy man.”
“You should know your boundaries next time when you joke around.” Ah Hoy said as he calming his masculine hormone. Post Last Edit by akai/11 at 7-7-2012 18:07
“Mommy what do you think about Muslim?”
“Oh, honey. Why would you ask?” asked Siu Ha surprised.
“Hmmm..nothing.”
“I’m just curious.” She answered while sipping the orange juice.
Mei Lin pinched the desserts her mother just made.
“Mmmm..Yummy!”
“It’s delicious mom.”
“Oh, really.”
“What is this?”
“They called it “cek mek”. It is one of the Kelantanese’s delicacies.”
“Our new neighbor, Mrs. Anita shared her secret recipe with me yesterday.”
“Mrs. Anita, the one that just moves last week, is it?”
“A’ah, she is. She and her family just move from Kelantan.”
“Her husband got transferred here, in this town.”
“Hmmm…They are Muslims, right?”
“Yes, dear. They are.”
*****
“Hello.”
“Hello, ” said Fatimah.
“I’m Mei Lin. And you are?”
“I’m Fatimah.”
“Hmm..Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too.” Fatimah smiled.
There was silence. Both of them didn’t know what to say.
“Hmm…You are the one that just moves next door, right, ” asked Mei Lin.
“Aaa, yes, I am. I saw you yesterday. You were getting out from car. I was afraid I mistakenly you with someone else, but now you approach me. So it was you alright.”
Mei Lin grinned. Her upper tooth revealed.
“I was not sure too at first. But since you just transfer here last week, then I guess I’m not mistaken at all. ”
Suddenly Sandy’s right hand landed on her shoulder.
“Hello guys. What are you talking about?”
Fatimah smiled.
“Oh, you’re the new transferred student.”
“Hello. I’m Sandy. Nice to meet you,” said Sandy stretching her hand, offering Fatimah a handshake.
“Hello. I’m Fatimah. Nice to meet you too, ” replied Fatimah returning her handshake.
“Hi girlsssss!”
“Whassup?”
“I smell something new here.”
“Oh, I see the new student.”
“For your information, I’m the hottest girl in this school.” Jessica says as she laughing with her heart content.
“By the way, my name is Jessica Wong. You can call me Jessy or Sica, as you like.”
“Oh, hi. I’m Fatimah.”
“Hello Fatimah. Since you’re here, I want to show you my new watch. My Daddy just bought it from Singapore. It is the latest one. There are only ten watches made. And one of them is mine.” Jessica said proudly as she showing the watch to everybody presents.
“Huh, I thought I’ve seen the same watch just like yours on streets, the one near the junction.” Sandy said sarcastically.
“You must be mistaken with other watch. Mine is expensive and my daddy clearly said he bought it in Singapore in his business trip. I’m sure of it. ” Jessica said as she passing them and leaving them behind.
“Huh, that’s Jessica. Don’t mind her. She is always likes that. Never change.” Sandy said as Jessica vanished from their sight.
“So Fatimah, do you like here?” Mei Lin asked.
“Yes, but I miss my old school and my friends,” said Fatimah.
“Don’t be sad. It’s going to be okay. We’re here for you if you need anything. I’m sure you are going to be okay after awhile, ” consoled Mei Lin. Her hand touches Fatimah’s shoulder.
“Thank you. Thank you Mei Lin, Sandy.”
Fatimah smiled. She knew both of them are really nice people. She was lucky to meet them. She hoped they can be best friends, just like Sarah, Aina and Dahlia, her best buddies. They separated from each others when she was moving away.
“Oh, I miss them so much,” whispered Fatimah in a silence. Post Last Edit by akai/11 at 7-7-2012 20:35
Aisya examined the book. She flipped the pages randomly. She put down the book and then she held it again. She felt so unmotivated.
She flipped the pages again. This time she tried to concentrate. She dilated her eyes widely.
After a couple of sentences, she felt sleepy. Her eyes turned to feel drowsy. She tried to stay focused, but her heavy eyes kept getting sluggish.
Before she knew it, her head fell down on the book. She was sleeping again.
“Aisya.”
She woke up. The calling woke her up.
“Aisya.”
“Where are you?”
“Yes, mom!”
“I’m here.”
“Did you sleep again?”
“I’m getting so sleepy mom.”
“It’s because you was studying on bed! Try to study at the table.” Her mother told her daughter.
“I’ve already tried to study on table but I can’t concentrate. That’s why I changed place.”
“You’ve already failed in SPM. You want to keep failing???”
“I don’t care. You must succeed this year. I’ve already sacrifice too much for you.”
“Since we moved, I haven’t seen you studying properly.”
“The only thing you do is just sleeping, sleeping, and sleeping.”
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Madiha, your Aunt Zainab’s daughter always scores in her examinations. Her mom said that she is studying hard every night. That is why she scored 10As in the SPM.”
“I called your aunt yesterday. She said Madiha got to further her studies in Egypt.”
“And yet you are still here, mumbling about the future.”
“Madiha….bla…bla…study….bla…bla...bla…”
Her mother’s voice kept pouring into her eardrum.
“Mom!” Aisya shouted.
Her mother startled.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to shout at you.” Aisya said when she saw her mother’s shocked face. She realized that it is bad thing to shout at her mom, but she cannot stand the torture anymore. Her mother’s words were just like thousands of sword piercing her heart at once.
“I know. I will study hard. I promise you.”
“See I’m studying right now.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“I’m going to score in this STPM. I promise.” Aisya promised confidently, although right deep inside her, the heart kept denying the fact.
“I don’t have the courage anymore.” Her heart whispered as she touched the book’s cover.
“I don’t know.”
*****
Gathered here with my family
...My neighbors and my friends
Standing firm together against oppression holding hands
It doesn't matter where you're from
Or if you're young, old, women or man
We're here for the same reason; we want to take back our land
Oh God thank you..
For giving us the strength to hold on
And now we're here together
Calling you for freedom, freedom
We know you can hear our call, ooh oh
We're calling for freedom, fighting for freedom
We know you won’t let us fall, ooh no
We know you're here with us”
The KMPlayer kept playing. Maher Zain was there. There was big screen right at his back. Voices came out. Flags from different countries were fluttering. Many people gathered.
There was also a middle age man, holding a baby, uttering something with a smile. Thousands of hands were up to the skies, waving. A boy was there too waving his flag victoriously.
“We know you won’t let us fall…….”
The tune kept playing; the screen portrayed a small boy with an Egypt’s flag at his left hand. He tripped. He fell, and then he got on his knee. He stood again. The melody continued.
Aisya paid her attention to the monitor as the video clip of Maher Zain keeps playing. She hummed by herself.
“…..No more being prisoners in our homes
No more being afraid to talk
Our dream is just to be free, just to be free
Now when we've taking our first step
Towards a life of complete freedom
We can see our dream getting closer and closer, we're almost there
Oh God thank you..
For giving us the strength to hold on
And now we're here together…..”
An arm alighted on her shoulder. Aisya turned round.
It was Madiha’s arm folding onto her shoulder.
“What are you looking at?” asked Madiha.
“It’s Maher Zain new video clip. I just finished downloading it from youtube.”
“Freedom”
“It is the song from the new album, Forgive Me.”
“I want hear it too,” Madiha requested as she was taking a place beside her.
Aisya plugged out the earphone from her laptop. She replayed the KMPlayer. The tune was coming to their eardrums.
As the player kept playing, both of them were humming the tunes together in unison.
“It’s nice, very nice,” said Madiha as the song comes to end.
“Yes indeed. I like it so much. I just download the mp3 for the song. I wonder if it’s already complete.” Aisya checked the Internet Download Manager’s button at the taskbar in her laptop.
“Oh yes. Complete already.”
“I’m going to make it into ringtone.”
Madiha smiled.
“I want the song too. I’m going to take my thumbdrive. I want both, the video clip and the mp3.”
“Hmmm..I heard that you are going to continue your study in Egypt. My mom told me,” asked Aisya hesitated.
“A’ah yeah.”
“It has been long, we didn’t chat like this, right. I miss those moments.”
Aisya smiled.
“I miss them too. You have been so busy since you got accepted to that Shah Putra College.”
“Ahh, yeah.”
“How is it there? Is it great there?” asked Aisya.
“Yes. I enjoy being there. They teaches a lot of things. I learn how to speak Arabic a little.”
“Can you speak Arabic? I want to hear it, please.”
“Hmmm… “
“ كيف حالك؟ ”
“What does that mean?”
“How are you doing?” Madiha replied.
“Ohhhhh..” Aisya said excitedly making her mouth the "O" shaped.
“How is your life?” Madiha asked.
“Hmm…Just like always. Nothing special. The same lame school uniform. Only I got to wear black instead of blue. And the shoe also upgraded to black one. I’m glad it is black, since I hate to brush that whitey school shoe every weekend.”
Madiha laughed as she heard Aisya’s comment.
“You never change, still hate those whitey shoe, huh.” She said as she continued laughing at her cousin.
“She is just like always, my lovely cousin.” Madiha whispered when she saw her cousin which is smiling at her. kene berleter dgn mak....hehe...who doesn't experienced that?
p/s: haaaa..dah mula malas menaip la tu! sambung2!{:mllaugh:} kene berleter dgn mak....hehe...who doesn't experienced that?
p/s: haaaa..dah mula malas menaip l ...
kambeng_masam Post at 30-6-2012 02:46 http://mforum2.cari.com.my/images/common/back.gif
x sempat nk karang lagi..kawan baik bru je selamat diijabkabulkan semalam di bumi perantauan tanpa kehadiaran famili, kwn2 la yg ganti jdi famili..tu tak sempat nk karang :D x sempat nk karang lagi..kawan baik bru je selamat diijabkabulkan semalam di bumi perantau ...
akai/11 Post at 30-6-2012 18:50 http://mforum.cari.com.my/images/common/back.gif
ni berada di bumi hujan emas orhujan batu skang ni?{:mlhehe:} ni berada di bumi hujan emas orhujan batu skang ni?
kambeng_masam Post at 30-6-2012 22:41 http://mforum2.cari.com.my/images/common/back.gif
duk bumi hujan emas lagi..sedang mengutip emas utk dibawa balik ke negara hujan batu :lol::lol::lol: Post Last Edit by akai/11 at 7-7-2012 20:45
Aisya put down her schoolbag. She switched on the fan and lied down on the bed.
“Ah, so tired.”
“I have to catch the bus again today.”
“This is all because of that old security guard and that nerd school prefect.”
“They don’t care if I have to wait for another two hours to get the next bus.”
“Huh, it’s so hot today. I’m dripping in sweats.”
“Ah, I feel so tired and thirsty.”
Aisya remembered the conversation with her friend, Najwa,
“When ‘Cik Las’ comes, no work can be done,” said Najwa.
“Cik Las? Who is that?” Aisya asked.
“Cik Malas* a.k.a Cik Las.” Both of them laughed.
Aisya got up from the bed and changed into her casual wears. She hung her school uniform and headed out towards the kitchen. She reached for the fridge and took out the mineral water.
She opened the food cover and inspected the lunch’s menu for today.
“Ah, this again!” Aisya exclaimed in dissatisfaction as she looked into the dishes in front of her.
“Mom, fried chicken with these leaves and your favorite “budu” again?”
“Yes. Why is that?” Aisya’s mother emerged at the kitchen’s door.
“Oh, I forget. There is also ‘sayur lemak’ in the pot.”
“Help me, put that ‘sayur lemak’ inside the bowl.” Her mother ordered Aisya.
“Aaaaaa..okay.”
”….another fried chicken, ‘sayur lemak’ and that leaves with that annoying ‘budu’…bla..bla….” Aisya mumbled as she made a move towards the stove.
Fatimah appeared with her pencil box.
“Kak Long, I want water.”
“…..ish, this girl, can’t do anything with her own, always asking me to do this and to do that. Do you think I’m your slave?!”
“How annoying. Luckily you’re just 8 years old and you’re my only sister, if not….grrr….” Aisya whispered in her heart while starring at Fatimah in disgust.
“Here!” Aisya pushed a glass of water towards Fatimah.
Fatimah took the glass and grinned revealing her tooth.
Fatimah gulped the water in one go. She put the glass on the table and ran towards the living room. Her favorite cartoon show was on air at that time.
“Upin and Ipin!”
“Yay!” Fatimah’s voice vividly heard from afar.
Aisya continued her munching.
Mrs. Anita was approaching the dining table.
“Aisya, can you help me do the laundry. ”
“Ala, I got something else to do mom. I have promised Najwa to go to the town today. I’ll do the laundry when I’m back, okay.” Aisya said as she washed her hands.
Mrs. Anita shook her head, listening to Aisya’s excuses.
Aisya is always like that. She likes to avoid any chores given by her mother. She would use any means to escape from doing any household errands. Mrs. Anita is a nurse in one of the hospital in Kelantan, but once her husband had to transfer to another place, she has to apply for relocate to the new place.
Mr. Hamid and Mrs. Anita are blessed with two daughters and a son. Aisya is one of their daughters, which is the eldest one, followed by Salahuddin, the second child and the youngest offspring, Fatimah.
Salahuddin is a form 4 student. Because of the flying color result he had been offered to further his studies in one of the prestigious schools in Malaysia.
Aisya always dislike when her mother compares between her and her brother, Salahuddin.
“See, your brother. He always gets good grade.”
“He never let me down me.”
“Udin has brought glory in our family.” Her mother’s words kept flowing inside her eardrum.
“Imah, should be like Abang. You should study hard like Abang.” Dad used to say to Fatimah when Salahuddin got good grade in his examination.
“Mom, when I grow up I want to enter the same school as Abang.” Fatimah once said she wanted to be like Salahuddin when she grows up, not becoming like Aisya, her only eldest sister.
“Udin! Udin! Udin!”
“What is it so good about Udin?”
“Why all of you always praise him?”
“You are just spoiling him.”
“You just love him right, mom. You never love me. You just hate, aren’t you?” Aisya’s heart kept questioning one day when her mother persisted praising her brother’s great achievement in PMR.
“Because I’m stupid, not good with studies. And you are always disappointed with me, right.”
“You must regret having me, right mom.”
Aisya’s heart kept pouring negative thoughts, but she never let those words out of her mouth. She only kept it to herself, deep inside her heart.
“I’m just a burden to our family….”
Another day came to end. The darkness accompanied the dark skies. Aisya closed her eyes as her heart burden with regret and sorrow. Deep inside her, there was something bothering, it was always there.
There was always that bar of her own prison, the iron bar of the prison that was holding her from being happy. All this while, she was inside her own prison.
She is the prisoner of her own prison, the prison of mind.
The prison.
*****
Ah Hoy met Jack one day accidentally. Jack is one fine young man in his early thirties as it seems to Ah Hoy. Jack drives a shiny red BMW M5. Women keep holding onto Jack’s arm. Ah Hoy knew Jack is not just an ordinary man, he is something else.
Jack was the one that introduces Ah Hoy to that new world, a world that Ah Hoy always dreamed of, a world of wealthy, but it was a world that Islam detested so severely, a world that brought human civilization toward devastation.
Ah Hoy saw nothing, he only saw the glittery gold awaits him. Ah Hoy knew how to gamble from Jack. Jack had became a teacher to Ah Hoy, a teacher to destruction.
Later on, Ah Hoy learned that Jack owned a financial company. He believed in Jack. He saw more prosperity come flowing towards him.
He saw Siu Ha wearing jewelries. They would live in a majestic mansion. He will give everything that Mei Lin ever asked. Mei Lin’s room would be flooded with toys, mountain of toys. They will only wear branded stuffs. He saw himself driving a Porshe. He kept dreaming.
Ah Hoy continued returning home late in the night and sometimes never returned at all. He kept forgetting to fetch Mei Lin at school, consequently, Siu Ha ended up fetching Mei Lin herself by bus.
Siu Ha noticed his changes. She knew something is wrong with her husband, but she never asked. She still wanted to keep her trust toward her husband, but one day she cannot bear anymore.
“Honey, you have other woman, right!”
“You always return home late in middle of night or you never return at all.”
“You always forget to fetch Mei Lin.”
“You are not the same man I used to know. You have changed!”
“Tell me, who is that woman?”
“What is missing at me?”
“Look at me! Tell me the truth!” Siu Ha shouted. The silence accompanied.
Ah Hoy did not know how to start.
“Listen to me, dear”
“Hon, I have no other except you.”
“You are my only one. You are my whole world, my soul, my life, my everything.” Ah Hoy uttered softly while touching her hair.
Siu Ha pushed back his hand.
“What’s with the lipstick mark at your shirt that day.”
“And you keep hiding something from me. I can’t take it anymore.”
“I have been in this home waiting for you every day, thinking that you are working to support our family, but you are doing something else behind me. You have changed.”
“Siu Ha, listen.”
“Love, I can’t tell you right now what I’m doing, but I promise you when it is a success I will tell you.”
“Listen, sweetheart. You are my everything. There is no other woman in my life. I swear. Believe me, I swear!”
*Malas --> Lazy=) Post Last Edit by akai/11 at 7-7-2012 20:49
Behind the iron bar, a pair of eyes throws the vision to the outside world in between the sturdy bars. The scenes continue playing in front of his retina. The familiar images emerge one after another.
“Hey, you. Stop day-dreaming!”
“Start working!” One of the guards shouts from far.
Ah Hoy awakes from his illusion. The images disappear, all of them at once.
His old tales keep playing like a cassette going in a circle, return to the starter point once again and then keep repeating the same thing all over again.
The story never comes to an end. His story always stays the same. There is no such thing as happy ending in his script. It only occurs in the other's books and movies, not in his drama.
Ah Hoy comes to his sense. Chu Long pats his shoulder. It has becomes a habit for Chu Long to pat his shoulder.
Chu Long laughs.
“What are you dreaming, young man?”
“Let me tell you a story.”
“It is about a man who is always live in his own prison. He builds his prison. He builds bars between the happiness and the sorrow. He keeps the sorrow right beside him, but set a boundary, a firm barrier between him and the happiness.”
“The happiness always tries to find a way to get near to him, but he always push the happiness far away from his life.”
“The sorrow keeps him company. The sorrow always uploads the negativity.”
“Pain, sadness, distress, regret, grief, misery and hatred become his best friends.”
“Eventually, happiness is scared to come near him.”
“He only sees darkness, there is no more light for him inside his own prison.”
”He has become blind in his own world, a world that he chooses to create, a path that he decides to take, a life which he summons as an option.”
“It is a blind man in a bright world, where eyes is well-functioned and can see thing clearly but it is he who actually closes his eyes to see things.”
“He sees things with the iron bar installed in front of his iris. They are always there blocked his sight, hindering his vision of the beauty of the happiness.”
“Pain craving for his attention. Sadness accompanies his sleeps. Regret emerges in between his seconds. Grief and misery are holding him tight. Hatred keeps pushing him to an end.”
“What are you barking old man?!”
“Stop your morning sermons already. I had enough of your growling.”
“Go!”
“Go find someone else to bother!”
“Argh…How annoying!” Ah Hoy shouts in annoyance. Chu Long is just smiling.
“Hey the two of you!”
“Stop talking! Do your work properly!” A guard is approaching them.
Chu Long makes a small pace and leaves the furious Ah Hoy.
“A blind man who can actually see.”
“A prisoner of his own prison.”
“Never see a light from the outside world.”
“An iron bar that he can never break. A bar of hatred, sorrow and pain.”
“Let go of the bars.”
“Let it go all at once. Let go all the pain, sorrow, hatred and regret inside your heart.”
“You will find your lost peace.”
“You will find your own happiness smiling back at you.”
“Free yourself from your own prison.”
Chu Long sings out loud as he left the site.
“Argh…Shut up old man!”
“Shut up!!!!”
Ah Hoy’s voice can be heard from behind Chu Long’s back. Chu Long increases his tone. Deep inside his heart, he prays one day Ah Hoy can see that lights too. No more darkness.
*****
“A blind man who can actually see.”
“A prisoner of his own prison.”
“Never see a light from the outside world.”
“An iron bar that he can never break. A bar of hatred, sorrow and pain.”
Chu Long keeps singing the song whenever he feels like. Ah Hoy gets irritated every time he hears him singing.
Chu Long remembers the day that the court had announced that he is sentenced to prison for 15 years for the crime that he never commits.
Even though he is now inside a place full of bar, never come to his mind that he is actually inside a prison.
The prison itself never keeps him imprisoned. He is free as flying birds. He can go anywhere he likes. He just needs to close his eyes and imagines.
No one can lock up his mind. No one can detain his brain. His mind is in his power. He can control everything he wants to do in his life. No one can imprison him except himself.
Chu Long is a Moslem. He prays 5 times a day, sometimes he adds up additional prayers in between the compulsory prayers. He believes in Allah.
He is converted to Islam when he met an old man in his adolescence. It is fated.
The old man taught him many things that he still applies through years. The old man answers to his questions about the God and His creations.
He started to show interest to Islam when he enters high school. The old became the source of knowledge when he is in doubt. The old man became his unofficial teacher. The old man taught him how to recite the Holy Book, Al-Quran.
That old man taught in his village. There was an obsolete hut which that old man used to teach about Islam. At first there are only one or two people that would listen to him, but eventually, more people show up seeking more about Islam.
Chu Long’s real name is Anuar Lee, but people used to call him Chu Long instead of Anuar. They were accustomed to call him that.
There are also a lot of people calling him Anuar instead of Chu Long. He respects others whether they are calling him Chu Long or Anuar Lee. But he prefers Anuar Lee more, because it reminds him of his old teacher, the one that choose the name.
“It is “Anuar”. ” The old man said one morning.
“What does that mean, teacher?”
“It means lights.”
“I want you to spread lights wherever you go.”
“Never let the places you stepped is left with darkness. Spread lights to others. Spread the beauty of Islam to others.”
“There are more people who were still lost in total darkness.”
“They need the light, to guide them back toward their creator, The God, Allah Almighty.”
Chu Long remembers his first day as a prisoner in the Avalone Prison and how he met Ah Hoy for the first time. The time flows.
He is now gets used to the environment of the so-called prison. He knows every tenant in that prison. He makes friends with all of them. They all respect him even though all of them know that he is a Moslem.
“Hello, I’m Anuar Lee. And I’m a Moslem.”
Pages:
[1]