A Sparkle in the Rain - A Short Story

A follow up to the short story here. A girl did not think her parents’ advice were worth the trouble but ended up splashed by water. But perhaps, things might turn up well, after all…

******

A Sparkle in the Rain

Oh, dear! I didn’t mean to! Joshua thought.

He had stopped his car by the roadside and was looking through his rearview mirror at the girl at the bus stop. Moments before, he had driven over a large puddle of water and caused a huge wave of water to splash onto her. She was cursing so loud that even the sound of rain could not muffle her swearing.

Clutching his umbrella, Joshua got out of the car and ran towards her.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. I didn’t mean to-“

Splash!

Before Joshua could finish his sentence, another car passed by and drenched both of them. The profanities doubled now that two people were expressing their displeasures. 

When they calmed down (and ran out of expletives), they began to realise their foolishness. Soaked to the bone, they stared at each other and burst out laughing.

“We better get out here,” Joshua gestured. “Unless you want to get drenched again! Come on, I’ll give you a lift to wherever you’re going.”

Well, that’s sweet, the girl thought. Not such a bad day after all.

“Thanks. I was going to a party but under the circumstances, it’s not going to happen. I guess you can buy me a cup of hot coffee instead.”

End

The Metals - A Short Story

No man’s land - a vast stretch of destruction caused by two warring factions - split a once peaceful country in half. It started with a government that was not willing to relinquish its century-old rule despite the opposition’s overwhelming majority in a democratic election. Sounds familiar? It could happen to your country but let’s focus on this fictional one.

The war had ravaged the country’s economy and taken a toll on her divided citizens. Everyone just wanted it to end but the fire was being fuelled by two leaders who refused to back down. They began as a loving couple but they were not able to contain their domestic quarrels. The arguments extended beyond their professional lives. Eventually, they split and joined opposite factions. The husband, now known as Admiral Teak continued to lead the ruling coalition while the wife, commonly known as Lady Iron, joined the opposition. Through clever manipulation of their divorce by positioning herself as the victim, she led the opposition to a landslide victory in the elections.

When words were no longer sufficient, both parties took to violence as the only solution. Initial underground tactics became a full-scale war that went on for years and without any signs of either side winning. The country’s once rich reserves continued to dwindle.

******

“You have one month to figure it out,” Admiral Teak said to his chief scientist.

“Admiral, there is not enough time! Our team would need at least two years to-“ the chief scientist was cut off before she could finish her sentence.

“ONE MONTH!” the admiral reiterated with his index finger before he strode out of the room.

"The only thing that managed to get past security are flies. Anything bigger gets fried by those damn lasers! There is just no way to send anything past that rat-infested, godforsaken wasteland,” an assistant mumbled.

Then there was silence. When the assistant looked at the chief, all he saw was a grin. The lab laboured during the cold winter month to design and mass-produce robotic metal mice.

******

While Teak’s faction was busy with the master plan, spies - there will always be espionage involved - alerted the Lady’s faction.

“We have to counteract immediately! We cannot wait for their mice to come and attack us!” the advisor said.

“We don’t know that they will come and attack. Perhaps they are created to infiltrate,” said his deputy.

“Fools! If they can penetrate our defences, they can do anything! They can bring in explosives and blow all of us apart!” The Lady admonished them. “I want a plan and I want it now!”

“We can create our own rodents and-“

“Is there no originality in you, advisor?” the assistant interrupted the first advisor. “Instead of something smaller, I propose something larger, much larger so that it can carry enough explosives and give it a bigger bang.”

The advisor’s face was impassive but he felt the sting. His ambitious young deputy was getting impatient to replace him. Chosen among a pool of genius strategists, she was the most compatible with him. Perhaps too compatible - they shared the same hunger for power. She was doing unto him what he did to his predecessor. He had framed and kicked him out in a power struggle.

“What do you have in mind?” the Iron Lady asked, eager for a solution.

“I would suggest a horse, My Lady.”

“A brilliant idea indeed!” the advisor jumped in. “But a horse might prove difficult to create. The agility, the speed, might require additional time to figure out. I feel we should go for something more common in these parts. The ox is more appropriate. All brute and strength, it can stomp those rats flat and then some.”

The Iron Lady’s eyes narrowed. Her advisor might still prove useful after all.

“Good. We shall have our metal oxen. With their strength and large bodies, they will crush the rodents and for the last time, destroy our enemies once and for all. Victory is ours!”

******

One month later, late into the night, the Teak factions unleashed thousands of metal mice into the wasteland. Covered with artificial skin and equipped with tiny speakers, the mice were virtually indistinguishable from real rodents. Most of the metal mice were loaded with explosives but some were designed to squeeze through border control.

It was questionable why they chose to release the metal rodents all at the same time because it was this mistake that alerted the Lady’s faction.

“Lady Iron, the other side is pouring out their mice. They are on their way!” the military chief said.

“Very well. Let loose our very own metal oxen!” Lady Iron commanded.

The military chief punched his fist into a huge red button. Alarms blaring, thick metal doors cranked open. Behind those doors, hundreds of glowing red eyes turned on. Unlike her husband, the lady did not bother to disguise her oxen. The red flashing lights reflected off their metallic bodies. The ground shook as the creatures stormed out. They left behind a trail of dust as they rushed out of the gateway to no man’s land.

From a bird’s eye view, it could be seen thousands of tiny rodents swarm toward a large herd of oxen. The robot mice moved fluidly, consuming anything that was in their way. The oxen took a different approach. They crashed and stomped on all the obstacles to clear their path.

When the mighty clashed with the tiny, sparks flew. The sound of crashing metal followed by explosions echoed through the night. The oxen crashed head-on into the rodents. Some rodents exploded but the oxen were unscathed. Those mice that the oxen missed jumped on the giant bodies. They hung on and covered the metal beasts. In a coordinated effort, these mice exploded at the same time. The suicidal attempts took the oxen with them.

What looked like a victory to the mice quickly shifted to a win for the oxen. When the oxen fell, their own explosives took out a big group of mice. In the end, when all had perished, only metallic carcasses remained. Thick, black smoke billowed up from the smouldering, convoluted mess. The wreckages merely added to the landscape of the wasteland.

With all their resources used up for the creation of the beasts and the rodents, both factions were penniless. Both Admiral Teak and Lady Iron were weary but they were not able to rest. The guilt of plunging their broken country into poverty overwhelmed their consciousness. A thought came to them. A thought that should have come sooner.

******

“A truce?” Lady Iron tried to sound surprised.

“Yes, and you very well know that is the only option.”

They agreed to meet at dawn. They were shocked at how the years of anger and hatred had consumed their physical forms. All skin and bones, they looked so fragile that a feather might lay waste to their bodies. Still, their minds were sharp as tacks.

“You’ve lost quite a lot of weight,” Teak said, showing concern on his wizened face.

“So did you,” replied the lady, her eyes filled with sympathy.

Suddenly, memories of their early, love-filled years came flooding back. It felt like just yesterday that they had split up and started the war.

“You know, we could end this right here and now,” Teak reached out and took Lady Iron’s hand. She retreated at first but he held fast.

“What has become of us?” she asked as her armour crumbled.

They both felt guilty over the years of violence and lives sacrificed just to satisfy their whims.

“We will have to take things one step at a time. We started this. Now we have to fix it,” Teak said.

No longer alone, they felt confident they will be able to rebuild the nation together. They held hands as the sun rose, its warm rays burning through the cold, dark ruins of war.

End.

Since 2020

This is a fictional short story about a cafe and its struggling owners in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The newly opened cafe was situated among a row of shops along a cobblestone walkway lined with trees. It had a simple peach-coloured brickwork facade with full height glazings and a glass door. A blue and white canopy topped the building. It faced a river with flowing crystal clear water that glistened even during the night. Willows growing on the riverside strained for a dip. In the evenings, a sunset that set the skies on fire welcomed customers seating on the outside - a warm and relaxing moment for those winding down after a stressful day.

“You know I’ve always been impressed by shops that persevered over the decades. They are not there for a quick buck but are serious to build their business to last a long time. There is nothing but respect when I see on their signage their origin years... ‘since 1950’, ‘since 1990’, ‘since 2000’,” Joe said to his wife, Jane.

They were standing across the street admiring their shop. Aptly named Since 2020, Joe made sure customers will be awed by the longevity of the cafe decades down the road. He had the ambition to make it the most popular sidewalk cafe in his suburb town. He even dreamt of it being the destination for city dwellers seeking solace.

Business was brisk. Customers flooded in for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The momentum was relentless even during low peak hours when Joe and Jane thought they would have a breather. On the first few days, food and beverages ran out quickly but were restocked rapidly, thanks to their efficient staff and suppliers.

Both husband and wife were on the floor serving and clearing tables. They met and interviewed customers for feedback and comments so that they could improve.

“How did you like your meal?”

“Did you enjoy yourself?”

The answers were very encouraging. Most customers praised the great atmosphere, good food and memorable experience. Joe and Jane were relieved and saw their future to be rather bright. Unfortunately, a great barrier laid ahead. Barely a month had passed when the World Health Organisation declared a worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. While the graphs of infections started to rise, sales figures plunged. When a lockdown was implemented, revenue plummeted to a catastrophic level.

Customers were not allowed to dine in. Outdoor activities were discouraged except for essential services. The cafe’s brief existence was not enough to drag customers over to takeaway food and drinks. Joe and Jane were forced to temporarily halt their business.

“I’m sure it’s only for a short while, dear. Things will blow over,” Jane tried to comfort her husband but both knew the words lacked conviction.

“Whatever it is, we need to look after our two staffs, too. Letting them go must be the last resort,” Joe said.

The global outlook was not good. Every day, negative news populated the headlines. World economies were devastated. Mega companies started to shrink and employees were the first to go. Smaller businesses began to close.

Joe and Jane invested a significant portion of their savings in their cafe. The rental was high for such strategic real estate. The renovation, although simple, cost an arm and a leg because they opted for quality finishes, furniture and equipment. They were there for the long haul but they were not so sure anymore.

For the first fourteen days of the lockdown, they sustained with the profits from the first month. On the next fourteen days, the rent, loans and bills piled up. Still, they persevered. Their worst nightmare came when the government extended the lockdown for another month.

They could pay the utility bills but had to start digging into their reserves to serve the rent and loans.

Like most food businesses, Joe and Jane signed up with third-party delivery services. The commission was high so they were forced to build the cost in. Business was lukewarm at best. Although the dining experience was pleasant, customers quickly forgot about the cafe. In difficult times, people went for common and cheaper food instead.

Joe decided that they had to tell their story in social media and hoped that people will notice and sympathise. Both of them talked briefly about how they got started. They had a one-year-old baby so they decided to quit their jobs and start their own business. They needed the flexibility to balance between family and work. Their journey was not unlike many other entrepreneurs but worth sharing, nonetheless.

A week went by without any improvement. Then, with a stroke of luck, one of their customers shared their plight and, miraculously, others started spreading their posts. People started to notice. Delivery orders increased, just enough to settle monthly commitments. Their landlord came to her senses and decided to grant them rental relief.

Since 2020 endured one month after another. When the number of infections greatly reduced, the lockdown was replaced with a less stringent control order. Dining in was allowed but seating had to be reduced so that social distancing of at least a metre could be observed. As a result, the dine-in business was halved from before but delivery sales managed to supplement their income so that they just broke even.

Eventually, customers returned and so did their reviews. One particular comment attracted Jane’s interest when she was flipping through the responses on social media platforms.

“I love the sunset view of this wonderful cafe. Their service is top-notch. The food is good and accompanied by a cup of coffee, it’s one of life’s greatest pleasures,” Jane read to her husband. “But, life is never going to be the same again. Something is missing but I can’t quite place what it is.”

“Ditto!” Joe had a sympathetic look. “So many changes in such a short time. No one was prepared for this. It’s going to take some time to adjust.”

“We had a close call. I’d count our blessings. We are so new but thankfully we got noticed.”

“You got that right. So many others had to close down permanently.”

They leaned against each other and held hands. They stood by the doorway and looked beyond the horizon as the sun started to set. They only had a brief moment before a customer interrupted to ask for a spoon but it was a couple of minutes well spent.

“Yes sir, one spoon on the way, “ Joe said.

In the months that followed, they managed a small profit. Festive seasons came and went. It could not have been sooner, but they were on the eve of a new year. When they first opened, Joe and Jane had their minds set for a big new year’s eve bash. Unfortunately, it was still not possible. They closed early and the day ended on a quiet note.

“This is no more than a stumbling block,” Jane assured her husband. “Things will be better in 2021.”

Faint sounds of fireworks in the distant signalled a new year had begun. They went outside to catch a glimpse. Trees covered most of the night sky. Occasionally, a missile flew high enough before it burst into a display of light like a time-lapse of a blooming flower.

“Happy New Year, darling,” Jane leaned on her husband.

“May the year ahead be filled with greatness,” Joe wished.

-End-

History Lesson - Flash Fiction

Happy new year! A flash fiction I thought of when I came across the phrase "the pen is mightier than the sword". This short is just to explore today's society that hardly holds up a pen. Instead, most people just swipe and touch type on their touchscreen phones. Probably in another few more decades, the pen (and pencil) will disappear altogether...

A very passionate history teacher was emphasising on the importance of learning from past mistakes.

“Many wars were waged by egoistic men who knew nothing more than violence but, throughout history, as I will demonstrate to you, many battles can be won, or even avoided, minus the brawls.”

He reached into his inside jacket pocket and took out a pen.

“‘The pen is mightier than the sword.’ I want this legendary phrase to sink into your minds,” the teacher brandished his pen in the air.

There was a momentary silence as everyone tried to grasp the significance of the last few minutes. All of a sudden, the crowd of young students burst out laughing in unison. When the laughter died down, everyone returned to their phones and tablets, swiping expertly with their fingers. Only a minor few appeared to write down some notes on their digital devices with a stylus. There were even fewer who jot something down on paper notebooks with a pen.

The history teacher stood puzzled as the bell rang to signify the end of class.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow I will continue to pursue my cause to eliminate violence, he thought.

End.

Winter Lights - A Short Story

A follow up to the short story “Watching Fireflies” that is just as readable as a standalone short to spice up your festive spirits. :)

“No, Elfie!”

“But Dad! It’s Christmas Eve! It’s a season of joy!”

“There’s no joy for you until you’ve done all your homework! You’ve been procrastinating all week,” Elfred gave his son the ultimatum.

While Elfie went into his room to finish his homework, Elfred and his wife, Elna, packed their things and strolled hand-in-hand to the city square. Rooftops, treetops and everything else with tops were covered in snow. A gentle breeze blew past the couple. In a cloudless blue sky, the morning light glistened off ice crystals to form millions of tiny suns.

Elfred and Elna set off early to make sure all the props were in order and the tree lights functioned. The square was going to be the night’s centre of attraction. Town folks will queue to take photos with the trio. Those that still believed would tell Santa their wishes. It was going to be another promising Christmas Eve. Elfred felt it in his bones. He had been the town’s Santa for a decade. For the past two years, he was joined by his wife, the one and only Santarina, and their son played the role of Santa’s greatest helper, the elf.

The night will culminate into a climax of fireworks, cheers and dances as the clock struck midnight. Everyone would party until the wee hours of the morning. Those thoughts excited Elfred and his family. There was no reason they would not make it a successful family hat trick tonight.

When they approached the town square, they were impressed by the perfect Christmas tree that stood against the test of time. Six centuries old, it never needed any trimming. It had been through many hardships with generations of townsfolk. It was the town’s pillar of strength during the Wizards’ War - the tree was the source of energy for the wizards to draw from at the final moment to fight back the darkness. It became a symbol of nature when people desecrated the earth to make way for the industrial revolution. When the forest was bare except for this tree, the town was hit by extreme weather - storms and prolonged dry spells - for decades. The tree eventually transferred its energy to the earth and regenerated the forest. Unfortunately, all was forgotten when modernisation turned magic into nothing more than tricks and entertainment. Only a special few like Elfie secretly studied real magic.

“I’m going to turn on the lights just to make sure they are fine,” Elfred said and went into a shack built next to the tree to house the incoming electric supply. It will also serve as the backdrop for Santa to greet his guests later in the night.

The lights did not turn on when Elfred flipped the switch. He desperately tried to fix it. Racing against time, he ran to the source of the power and discovered that it was shorted out. The roof sprung a leak and melted snow dripped into the power socket. Part of the cable was burnt. There was nothing that Elfred could do. He tried calling the electrician but none had their phones on. This year the village will have to celebrate Christmas without a beautifully lighted tree.

******

The sun set and dusk settled. Without the attraction of the Christmas tree lights that people had come to expect, the town square was cast in shadows. Elfred was dressed in his Santa costume and doing the jingles. Elna stood by her husband in her Santarina costume while, Elfie, dressed as Santa’s little elf, stood on the other side of his father. They tried to keep their smiles and cheers on but no one bothered.

“Ho! Ho! Ho!”

The villagers walked past as if he did not exist. Some managed to acknowledge the family’s presence and forced a smile. But everyone looked at them with accusing eyes of their failure to light up the tree and spoiled Christmas. As dusk made way to night, Elfred and family sat hunched on the bench with a heavy burden of guilt weighing them down.

“We should call it a night, my dear Elna and Elfie. I’ve spoilt Christmas for everyone.”

“Give me a few minutes, dad. I will be right back,” Elfie replied and ran off.

True to his words, he was back in less than ten minutes. He was lugging a few boxes behind him. As he got closer, Elfred’s eyes widened.

“Fireflies! Why of course!” Both parents exclaimed and stood up to help their son.

Gently, the three of them slid the top covers off the boxes. Fireflies drifted lazily out of their warm and cosy home, bathing the family in a warm glow. The insects settled on the tree and produced random points of lights. Their hope was short-lived when, from a distance, no one else noticed the dim glow of the fireflies.

“I’m sorry, Mom and Dad, I don’t have enough fireflies to make a difference and I’ve not learnt any light spells to brighten the tree,” Elfie said, tears flooding his eyes.

“Its all right, dear. We know you’ve tried your best,” Elna said. “Anyway, it’s not the end of the world.”

The family hugged. And then, as though given a supercharge, the fireflies magically brightened up. In an instant, the shadows disappeared and the Christmas tree dazzled in grandeur. The tree saved the day! It radiated its energy through the fireflies and enhanced their chemical reactions so that they glowed many times brighter.

The townsfolk gasped in astonishment as they gathered around the square. The fireflies’ slow but random movements turned the tree alive, something that no electric lights could do. The fireflies that were floating around looked like dancing stars that came down from the heavens. A truly unique experience. Words of mouth, passed from one to another, reached the farthest folk within minutes. They flooded in to witness nature’s magical powers.

“Ho! Ho! Ho! Come and make your wish!” Elfred’s voice boomed amidst the chatter of thousands of voices.

A queue began to form as the townsfolk waited for their turn to meet Santa and his sidekicks. Before all that was well ended well, another hurdle presented itself. It began to rain. The iced cold rain threatened to force everyone away. Cheerful faces became anxious ones.

Elfie had another idea.

But, but, but...

Being an apprentice, Elfie was not sure if he could pull it off, but he would need to try. Nothing could be worse than not trying. He stared up into the heavens and concentrated. Elfie felt a surge of power flowing through his body. The tree was once again lending its energy. With the amplification, Elfie’s magic reached out to every raindrop. Like fireworks, each drop burst into snowflakes that drifted down on the folks. The snow enhanced the mood of the people. Laughter and happy chatter returned as the queue to meet Santa continued to grow.

Elfie thought he heard the tree whispered “Merry Christmas” but he could not be sure.

End.

Dirty Water - A Short Story

A few recent incidents where our water source - a river - was polluted caused water treatment plants to be shutdown for days without warning. These prompted me to write a short story to illustrate unscrupulous people only interested in profits without any care to the effects they cause to the environment and to the people.

Dirty Water

It was a dark and stormy night. Rain pelted on the windows, trying to force its way in. However, Gridy the Boss was oblivious to the noise. He was smoking an expensive cigar with his legs propped up on his grand table, made out of a chunk of a once magnificent tree he ordered chopped down. His personal office, although spacious, was filled with smoke. He liked the feeling because it gave him the illusion of being in the Swiss Alps and not this hot and humid dump.

No matter. At the rate he was going, within a year he will be able to afford a luxurious house and live a promiscuous life, wherever he chose.

But at the expense of a lot of people.

******

He operated a shabby factory hidden in a secluded part of a small town. His factory was legally registered as a food processing plant but that was just a front. Hidden inside, he employed illegal immigrants to manually strip and process precious metals out of electronic waste. The chemicals were easily discharged into the river that conveniently ran along with the backyard of the factory.

Recently, he landed on a job to dispose of electronic components from an international conglomerate of tech companies. He employed even more illegal immigrants and bribed many officials. He expanded his factory and, naturally increased discharges to the river. The once clear river was now reduced to a source of murky liquid. Withered foliage ran in parallel with the river, death and misery spreading by the day.

“Hey boss, I’ve got an idea for ya,” his sleazy factory manager said.

“Spell it out. I ain’t got all day,” Gridy was irritated. He did not like to be interrupted when he was counting his fortunes.

“You know those rubbish we paid to that company to dispose of every week? The tens of thousands of dollars that dumpster guy rips us of -“

“Rips ME off, Rat. This is MY company and mine alone,” he reminded his manager whom he always called Rat for the whiskers and protruding nose that reminded him of the rodent.

“Yes, your company,” Rat corrected himself. “I’ve got an idea that could save us... you, save YOU hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

“Get to the point!” he was getting impatient. Despite their similar alignment towards unscrupulous practices, he was well aware nothing good would come out of a rat.

“Yes sir. Behind this factory are acres and acres of nothing but an endless jungle. I would suggest we dump the waste there, bury them and when the shrubs grow back, no one will be the wiser.”

“Well, I don’t know...,” it took Gridy thirty seconds to decide that Rat was on to something big. “Make it work and you will be handsomely rewarded.”

Rat made it work and became Gridy’s second in command. Together, they compounded their riches... and the suffering for those that lived within the radius of the effects.

******

While Gridy was dreaming of bigger plans in his office and Rat planning to open up another dumping ground, the storm grew in intensity. Lightning turned the dark, night sky as bright as day before surrendering back to the blackness. Defying physics, the lightning ignored the nearby trees and stroke down into the river. The energy transferred caused even the dark, murky water to glow.

Mixed with clean, crystal clear rain, the polluted river water started to rise and rise and rise like a huge column of wall. The polluted liquid struggled to expel the onslaught of clean rainwater. The dark and the clear separated and morphed into two giant monsters the size of mountains.

Both appeared like blobs of jellies but in contrast to the smooth curves of the crystal clear monster, the dark one had sharp spikes protruding out of its body. The lightning flashes were relentless, just like strobe lights used to stop motion, illuminating the two giants as they engaged in battle. In a flash, the dark blob connected an uppercut to the clear blob’s face, sending it stumbling backwards.

In another flash of lightning, the clear monster retaliated with a head butt. In the next few subsequent flashes, both were tumbling into the forest. Whichever tree the dark blob touched or enveloped into its mass, the tree withered. On the other hand, the clear blob’s touch brought life back to the trees. Although it tried to save as many trees as possible, the fight was too intense for it to focus.

There was no clear winner until both monsters clashed and rebounded onto the ground. The clear blob recovered first and took the opportunity to heal the surrounding trees and plants. With its attention on the greens, it did not notice the dark blob slithered behind, its arm morphed into a stake. The evil monster stabbed the clear blob, its dark poison quickly spread through its body.

The poisoning was swift. The clear blob lost its powers and collapsed into a pool of dark liquid. The victorious dark blob absorbed its nemesis and grew twice in size. It let out a growl into the night so loud that even the storm could not suppress. The force was so great that it pushed the storm away, revealing that dawn had arrived. The rain and thunder stopped, there was silence.

The dark monster turned towards the factory, aware it was the source of its powers. It towered over the fourteen storey building twice over. It bowed down and stared through the factory’s thirteenth-floor windows at the back of Gridy and Rat. Oblivious, the two men continued talking about their fortunes and how to earn more.

The sight of them somehow irritated the monster. It let out another growl, shattering the windows and threw both men across the room. They stared at the face of death for the first and the last time. The monster gobbled up the factory complex, feeding off the nuclear supply that powered the building.

It felt the energy and then, even more energy as the nuclear reaction warmed its body. It felt satisfaction for the first time in its short life, and then, pain, as its corrupted body started to react with the uranium. It growled in agony. Its body ballooned for a second before imploding into a speck of light. Attracted by the light, a curious blue-green butterfly flew towards it, only to be disappointed as it fizzled out.

People who had dealings with Gridy were puzzled by the sudden disappearance of him and his factory. They searched high and low for him to reclaim their losses but he was nowhere to be found. His vanishing brought the downfall of his equally corrupted accomplices. 

The good and the clean triumphed once more. There was relief for those who wished Gridy and Co. never existed. After a few days, the river started to deliver clear water again from the mountains and life returned.

-End -

Nothing to Drizzle About - A Flash Fiction

It was a rainy evening. While driving back, I drove past a puddle of water which gave me an idea to write a quick short. Injecting some parental advice, the following flash fiction came to fruit. Enjoy!

******

“Make sure you keep your raincoat and umbrella on at all times, especially at the bus stop! When it rains, cars passing by might drive over puddles and splash water on you!” mom told Audrey. “And you won’t want your new dress to get all wet and dirty, do you?”

“And don’t forget to put on your yellow boots, too!” dad shouted from the kitchen.

Nag, nag, nag. That was what Audrey heard.

“Yes, mom, yes dad,” she said.

Before mom could continue, Audrey took off with her umbrella opened but she left the raincoat hanging on the coats hanger. It was just a light drizzle. Nothing was going to stop her from attending her best friend’s birthday party!

A couple of blocks away, she was waiting at the bus stop for the next bus when the sky opened up. Cats and dogs rained down furiously from the heavens. Puddles of water began to form on the road but...

Hah! Mom and dad should see this. All the cars are avoiding the puddles! Ha! Ha! H-

Splash!

- End -

Invasion - A Short Story

Also published in Reedsy Prompts.

*****

Rapid footsteps interrupted the sound of a peaceful jungle with calls of the wild. A boy, drenched in sweat, was running for his life, away from the new king of the jungle and his minions. By his side was a lion cub, the heir to the old throne.

A rival pride had attacked the lion kingdom and imprisoned the old guards. Years of betrayal and losses had moulded the lion at the head of this new pride into a cold and heartless beast. There was nothing left in his life but to conquer and destroy all things living. In the midst of the chaos, the boy managed to wriggle his way through the bushes and escape with the lion cub. They hardly ran a few kilometres before hyenas and snakes blocked their path. Soon, they were surrounded. The only direction they could go was down a steep cliff. Beneath the cliff was rocky terrain created by the sea with waves so strong that each splash sounded like a thunderclap. It was instant death in the hands of the evil creatures or take a leap of faith. The boy hugged the lion cub, and they both jumped.

~~~~~

The sound of laughter was welcoming. The boy was at the beach, splashing water at his sister on one side and his father on the other. The fun was all about splashing water at each other.

“Ha, ha, ha! You ain’t getting away, Tib!”

“I’m not trying to!” Tiberius replied.

An elephant blared from the rear. It filled its trunk with water and sprayed at the trio. In the distant, the sound of a roar pierced through the day. The king of the jungle announced his arrival. A lion emerged from the bushes with his cub. When they reached the water, he encouraged the cub with his muzzle to join his friends.

"Go on, Lionel, your friends are calling you. It will be fun."

But the timid little cub clung on to his father. The lion picked Lionel up with his teeth and dipped him in the water. Within moments, Lionel and his human friends were splashing water at each other. Through generations of friendship, Tiberius’ royal family had become close allies with the animal kingdom, both protecting each other’s domain.

Suddenly, a giant wave appeared right in front of Tib. The sky turned dark as the wave blocked out the sun and came crashing down on to Tib, his family and friends.

SPLASH!

Wave after wave of water crashed down on them. Tiberius was pushed underwater. He choked and gasped for air. No matter how hard he tried to swim to the surface, the pressure was so strong that it pushed him back under. He was drowning. In one last attempt, he gathered all his strength and thrust upward with his hands and legs. The surface, only an arm's length away, still seemed too far. His lungs were on fire and about to burst-

~~~~~

Tib woke with a start. He was not on a familiar beach with his family and friends. He was being washed ashore in a strange place. He scrambled to look for Lionel. He found the cub further up the beach, its body appeared devoid of life. The boy knelt beside it, not willing to touch it because he was afraid to confirm his suspicions that Lionel drowned. He wept but opened his teary eyes when he heard Lionel coughing out water. Overwhelmed with joy, the boy hugged his little friend.

"We have to get out of here and look for help," Tiberius said to Lionel. They scoured the place but soon discovered that they were lost on an island. Accepting their fate, they worked together to survive. To Lionel's disgust, his friend's diet became mostly of fruits and fish. Eventually, out of hunger, Lionel became the first lion to live off fruits and fish as his staple.

Curiosity got the better of the island's natural inhabitants. When they were convinced the boy and lion were harmless, they approached them. They sent their messenger, a blue parakeet, to test the water.

"Ahoy there! State your names and purpose for invading our island!" it squawked.

"We... we mean you no harm. We... we're lost," Lionel stuttered and eventually told it their story.

After the parakeet returned into the jungle and relayed the story word for word, the island's origins left the protection of the foliage and revealed themselves. The earth shook as a tribe of men and women, elephants, giraffes, horses and flocks of birds made their way forward.

"We came here centuries ago when our ark crashed into this island. Half perished, but our ancestors of this island pulled the rest of us out of the wreckage and saved our lives," a giraffe said. "This was initially a paradise island for giraffes but ever since the incident, this is a peaceful island for all."

"We sympathise with you. You are welcome to stay as long as you are willing to live among us in peace," a squirrel said, climbing on to the head of the lead giraffe.

Tiberius felt a little awkward because all eyes were on him. Shouldn't they be more concern about a lion instead?

"Especially humans," a tall, angular tribe member said. "It took years to correct a terrible mistake one of us made. In the name of progress, he tricked all of us and nearly destroyed the environment."

"Do not be alarmed. From where we came from, we lived in harmony with the rest of our jungle folks. That was until-"

"We do not wish to interfere with the outside world," the giraffe interrupted.

~~~~~

And so years passed. Tiberius and Lionel lived among the tribes and animals. The passage of time slowly dulled the pain and sorrowful memories of their families. Lionel grew to become a handsome lion that ate vegetables and fruits with the occasional supplement of fish.

Unfortunately, their past caught up with them. It was a mild afternoon. The inhabitants of the island were sunbathing on the beach when the evil lions and their minions landed. They had used their human and animal slaves to build them a ship to find new lands to conquer.

The tame and complacent islanders were no match for the invaders. Before dusk, the minions had captured most of the animals. Tiberius and Lionel managed to evade capture. The boy, drenched in sweat, was running for his life, away from his old, ruthless emissary and his underlings. Next to Tib was the grown Lionel, the heir to the old throne. Their nightmare was beginning all over again.

End

The Creature - A Short Story

Also published in the Reedsy Prompts contest.

Late in the chilly night, the lone spiralling mountain road laid dormant. One side protected by the mountain, the opposite side was bare to a steep and sharp drop down the forest below. Anyone worth his or her salt knew better than to go up or down such a treacherous mountain in the dark except for the unusual daredevil such as the single truck speeding down the winding road. No doubt the driver had someplace else he wanted to be. No doubt he was cursing why the government did not just bore a tunnel through the terrain instead of making him go up and down mountains just to transport some chickens. Yes, he could be drinking with his mates and talk about the wonderful things that they could do in life. Instead, he was ferrying farm animals across the country.

As he was about to negotiate a turn, he thought his headlights caught a lump of ice lying in the middle of the road.

Ice in the beginning of autumn? The weather is screwed. It had something to do with global warming. Wait. What? Globe is warming and I’m thinking of ice? It had got to be something else!

By the time he got back to the present, he tried to step on the brakes but was too late. The truck went over the shiny mass with a thud and the driver lost control. The truck skidded and plunged into the dark ravine below. The driver cursed himself for his reckless driving. He cursed the lump of mass in the middle of the road. He cursed his sorry, unsuccessful life. Before he could curse anymore, his truck crashed into a huge tree and he was knocked out. The blackness was a welcome relief.

When the driver regained consciousness, he realised that the front of the truck was completely ripped off. He had a clear view of a running stream down below illuminated by the pale moonlight. It was going to be a fatal fall had it not been his seatbelt holding him to his seat. His whole body was dangling unhindered. 

Once the cobwebs had cleared from his mind, his body started to ache all over. He realised he was still attached to the rear of the truck which was suspended on thick branches. He could hear the clucking of his truckload of chickens. The driver tried to heave and move to no avail. Finally feeling hopeless, he turned to the divine and started to pray for a quick rescue when suddenly something seemed to be frightening the chickens.

Before long, he felt a presence directly behind him that sent chills down his spine. It slithered past him from his left shoulder and turned to face him. It was cold like steel. There were no eyes, nose, mouth or limbs. The dim twilight reflected off its glistening, silver surface. It looked like a floating pool of liquid metal. The creature felt cold to the touch and was, in fact, the ‘lump of ice’ that the driver was trying to avoid earlier. A mysterious creation of nature yet to be discovered, it was returning to the forest below when the truck chanced upon it.

The driver thought his eyes were playing tricks on him as a part of the featureless creature morphed into a familiar human face - a shiny silver version of the driver. Its soulless eyes stared back at the driver.

The creature extended a tentacled arm and reached out for the seat belt release button. The clueless driver watched as the seat belt clicked and he plunged into the river without warning. He closed his eyes and screamed and screamed, wondering what took so long for the final impact that did not happen. He was still dangling from the truck with the creature wrapped around his torso. Slowly, the creature carried the driver upwards passing the chickens and on to the road above. 

The driver heaved a sigh of relief and wanted to thank the creature but it had disappeared back into the truck to save the rest of the chickens. When all the cages were up, the creature cut open the locks and released them into the wild. It was at this moment that a car passed by and accidentally squashed one of the free-ranging chickens that strayed onto the road.

A silver tentacle burst out of the creature’s body and grabbed hold of the car. Effortlessly, it tore the car into two, separating the front and back. Before the front of the car crashed into the mountainside, the creature wrapped its liquid metal tentacle on the driver and lifted him out of the car. Holding the car driver by the front of his shirt, the creature stared at him. The creature suddenly burst into fiery flames, its intensity starting to scorch the car driver.

“No, no, no! Don’t do it!” the truck driver, who froze during the whole episode waved his arms, trying to stop the creature.

“Why did you kill it?” the creature spoke for the first time in a deep, terrifying voice. 

“It... it was an accident. I... I... I didn’t see it until it was too late,” replied the terror-stricken car driver.

The creature growled but eventually dropped the driver onto the asphalt. It turned away from the two humans and slid towards the dead chicken. With every step, the creature slowly morphed into a silver sentient figure. By the time it reached the carcass, it was able to bend down and pick up the chicken much like how a human would do.

Both drivers stared in puzzlement as the creature cradled the chicken. Liquid metal from the creature wrapped around the dead chicken until a silvery cocoon was formed. It held the cocoon around its arm and ushered the rest of the chickens to follow it to the roadside, away from the hazards of any oncoming vehicles. 

The chickens followed the creature like how chicks trail their mother hen. They moved along the galvanised road railings until they found a way down to the forest below. Just before they disappeared from view, the two drivers saw the cocoon crack open like a hatching egg and out popped the head of the dead chicken, very much alive.

-End-

A Last Minute Surprise - A Short Story to Celebrate Mother’s Day

Just like this short story, in the last minute, a father and son ponder what hardship they might face if they fail to come up with a Mother's Day present in the wee hours of the morning.

*****

A Last Minute Surprise

“We’re doomed, son,” the father said. “It’s one in the morning and we’ve nothing for mom!”

“What’s mom’s favourite?” asked the five-year-old son, trying to rub the sleep away from his eyes.

“She has a lot of favourites but they are all unreachable at this time of the day.”

“Why did you wait till this time of the day, Dad?”

An innocent question that brought silence into the night. The father was speechless.

“Well, I suppose we can give her some money,” the father continued several minutes later.

“Does Mom love money?”

“I suppose money is everyone’s object of affection.”

“I don’t. In my cartoons, all the bad guys always go for money but they always end up getting caught or killed.”

“Killed?! They kill people in cartoons?”

“Yes. Sometimes with guns, sometimes with swords, you know, basically anything can kill,” the precocious child replied.

The father covered his face with his hands and sighed. When he recovered, his son had disappeared.

“Dad, I’ve got an idea. Why not you give me some money and I can put them together into a heart like this,” the son returned, holding a large A3-sized board with what appeared to be an origami heart in the middle. “I just need like ten pieces and-“

“That’s brilliant!” the father cut his son off and ran into his room to retrieve ten pieces of hundred dollar bills.



When the mother woke up, she was pleasantly surprised to find her husband had brought breakfast to the bed. A hearty meal of toast, sunny-side-up eggs, sausages and a muffin sat on a tray at the end of the bed.

“Well, that’s very sweet honey. A kiss is in order.”

“Do you think that’s all? Come on, son!” the father beckoned the kid.

The son entered with a large card with “Happy Mother’s Day” scribbled on it. At the centre of it all was the heart made of hundred dollar bills. He handed it to his mother who was beaming with pleasure.

“Well, darling, that’s very... creative of you. The heart looks like it’s made with real money. Hahaha!”

“They are! Dad gave ten of them to me. I cut them into pieces before I glued them up to form a heart.”

-End-

More of the Same - A Short Story

For some, too long a break may not be a good thing. Here's a short story inspired by such thoughts. This is about a series of self-centred characters that revolve around an equally selfish young man who thinks he is the centre of the universe. This problem is more common than we know, living inside every one of us.

*****

More of the Same

“Victor, could you bring the butter from the fridge?” mom asked, not so much a question but more of a polite demand.

“Sure, mom,” he was about to protest but knew better, especially at the start of the day.

Besides, the fridge often held delightful desserts. There, calling out to him was a slice of moist chocolate cake. Before Victor could reach for it, his father appeared next to him.

“Hi, son. After breakfast, I need your help with some carpentry works. I’m building a new shelf.”

"While you’re at it, don't forget to water the plants, dear," mom called out from the dining room. "Oh! By the way, before you go out, please bring the clothes out to dry. They are in the washing machine now. The cycle will finish by the time you've eaten breakfast."

Exasperated, Victor sat down and stared at his breakfast. French toast, grilled sausages and scrambled eggs were his favourites but they did not look so appealing that morning.

How could they do this to me? Can't they just leave me at peace to enjoy my holiday? I've got it all planned! I'm going to hang out with my buddies in the day, catch up on the latest movies and stream my favourite series! I've got so much to do!

He always welcomed the weekends, especially those with festive holidays that extend his off days. This time around, he did not need to return to work until Wednesday, but he was no longer sure if he was going to enjoy himself given the circumstances. He was still going through the stressful chores in his head when his mother interrupted him.

"Good news, sweetie. We're both going shopping at the mall tomorrow. You need new clothes and underwear... and you're going to help me carry some stuff," mom smiled, much more thrilled than her son.

"Mom! I'm already twenty-two! I can buy my own things. Why can't dad help you with your shopping?" Victor complained and turned to his father for help.

Dad just shrugged and gave him a warm smile with a wink before carrying his empty plates to the kitchen.

"Oh, by the way, Victor, on Monday, I’d need you to send the car to the mechanic. On Tuesday..."


And so all four days of the extended weekend came and went just like that. On the last night, Victor let out a sigh of relief just before he went to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a better day.


Wednesday morning, at last! That was the first thing that came to Victor’s mind when the cobwebs cleared. He reached out and turned off the alarm on his smartphone. He rushed into the washroom to complete his morning routine, dressed, and ran off to work. Best he skipped breakfast lest there be more chores in store. The thought of the freedom from his house chores invigorated him. His office tower suddenly became a welcoming sight.

“Good morning, Victor,” a smile crossed his boss’ face.

“Good morning, sir.”

As Victor turned to walk to his desk, his boss said, “Hey, could you run over to the pantry and make us some coffee?”

“Sure, boss.” Victor hates coffee but he knew better than to deny his boss this early in the morning. Besides, if he was lucky the occasional cookies could be waiting for him.

Before Victor could head towards the pantry, his senior colleague asked him to detour to finance to get some financial statements whilst on the way back.

By the time Victor sat down at his place, a good half an hour had passed. Just as he was about to turn on his laptop, his boss’ wife tapped him on the shoulder.

“Hey kid, go pick up my dry cleaning and pack some sandwiches for your boss and me. It’s going to be a long day.”

Victor’s head began to hurt. How could they treat me like an errand boy? I’m a graduate! Did the lady boss not hear of delivery services?

This could not be worse than my last four days, could it?


-End-