Chapter Ten. Arcade. Hell or Heaven?

"Ping."

She turned around. Her friends around her swallowed their silly giggles. Facing them was a guy who looked lost, yet somehow posed a threat to them.

"Oh it's you." Ping glared at Jun, as though warning him. Those eyes of hers, horrible.

The final glimspe of hope that Jun held on to was dashed that instant. His emotions took a rollercoaster ride. He was so naive. What made him believe that he could sought help from that arrogant sister of his? P-I-N-G only spelt more trouble for him.

"Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me." Jun blurted out. Ping's friends started to whisper among themselves. Ping was about to flare up, but was too conscious of the presence of her so-called buddies.

"You better shut up. Get me? Or you'll get it from me when I get home." Ping's tone was harsh. Jun, having been siblings with here for such a long period of time, knew that she was a spitefire. So, he left without a word.

Girls know nothing but create excessive trouble. Materialistic humans. How untrue.

Having come to this point, Jun was tired. He chose to go straight home. He fumbled for his keys, just double-checking. Jun felt a slight tringe of coldness. How unlucky.

Obedient keys. Can't they just be denial for once? C'mon. God, please stop toying with me.

"Juuuuuuuuuuuuu-n..."

Irritated, Jun looked back. What a rare chance. A computer-addict. By the name of Xiaochye.
This unexpected meeting caused some flashbacks from primary school to erupt violently.

Smiling, Jun invited Xiaochye to his house. Of course, Xiaochye agreed the minute he heard "computer".

To be continued...
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By Little Dragon Bun
Note:Cousins, cheers.
[Heh heh heh, I had my revenge, you know who you are. =P]

Chapter Nine. When you really don't exist

Oh my GOD.

Ling's breath caught in her throat and she felt giddy as her heart started to thump ten times faster than normal. She felt a blush rise to her cheeks and she cringed in embarrassment.

Here she was, a smelly, sweaty heap. And who should walk by but him, the boy of her dreams.

She did not know his name. But she still liked him anyway. Despite the fact that...

A bunch of giggly girls ran up to the boy and started to crowd around him, laughing and talking away.

Ling felt like crying as she watched them walk towards her, and as they strode right past her, without even glancing at her, a tear rolled down her cheek.

He never seemed to know she existed. Nor did anyone else, now that she thought about it.

A sudden burst of noise jolted her to her senses.

"Attention all passengers. Please do not leave your belongings unattended. If you see any suspicious articles, please inform our staff, or..."

Without even thinking about it, Ling spun around towards the direction of the group that had just passed her.

"Call 91234567!" she yelled in a fit of recklessness. "My number!"

They simply ignored her. Ling realised what she had just done and went red in the face. Without hesitation she turned and walked briskly towards the ticket gates, trying to ignore the many stares she had attracted. Her ears burning with shame, she tapped her card on the reader and ran right through.

Then someone grabbed her firmly on the shoulder...

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By Nutty Bunny Nut
Note: Keep reading, peeps

Chapter Eight. Grant My Wish.

The reality. The truth. How it hurt.

100/100

No...

The teacher smiled happily at Wei. Not again. And Wei smiled back weakly at the teacher. He felt sick. He stared at the ground as he returned to his desk, trying the avoid the murderous glances of his fellow classmates.

" Wei has once again gotten full marks for his math test! Let's give him a round of applause. Good job, Wei!!"

The reply to the excited announcement was greeted with only a few half-hearted claps and a few snorts. Wei smiled weakly at the teacher. Thanks a lot.

***

"I'm home??!"

Wei tried a pathetic attempt, hoping that his parents were home, for once. But again, there was no reply. His voice echoed down the huge empty hall.

Home-home-home-home....

"What kind of home is this?" Wei whispered silently to himself. Wei searched for an answer, but only the pitter-patter of the rain greeted him. How he wished for a proper home. He imagined himself having wonderful parents and a cute little brother to play with, himself going out with friends to have fun, himself feeling content.

This would all come true. But only in his dreams. The reality of it. Suddenly, Wei could not bear the overwhelming silence of the huge and lonely house anymore. He let out his voice and started to cry, tears of emptiness welling up in his eyes.

When would this end? His heart cried out bitterly.

Pitter-patter, pitter-patter.

Once again, only the rain had heard, and answered...

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By Pikass

Chapter Seven. A little girl.

The door opened with a loud crack. It was followed by a loud thump and the door slammed shut.
Xin turned her head away, waiting for that dreaded monster to come over with that familiar candle.

She waited.

And she waited. She was surprised. There was no movement at all.

Finally, she turned her head around.

There was no sign of him. Instead, it was another small girl. She looks as if she was around the age of 9 and she was unconcious.

Poor girl. She must have been captured and thrown here just now.

Just like me.

Xin's heart went out to the little girl. She crawled over and began to stroke her hair gently, tears streaming down the side of her face.

She shouldn't be here. She should have never reached here.

There were rough marks around the little girls hand and blood was stained on her skirt.

She must have struggled very hard.

Just like me when they first brought me here.

The girl had pretty features. But there were scars and stains all over her face and neck.

Suddenly, a little hand reached out for Xin's hand.

"Save me..." the little voice mumbled, all its energy drained away.

Xin's teardrops landed on the little girl's face with a gentle splat. She tried to clean up the little girl with her bare hands. Fresh blood covered Xin's hands.

Just then, the door slammed open...

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Hamster soup has presented you with her next chapter on Xin.

Provoking thoughts: Where is Xin and the little girl? Why and who is the girl there? Who came in?

Chapter Fourteen. Gambling.

"Where is the computer, Jun?"

Xiaochye sniffed around like a hungry dog. Only that this one hampers after computers.

Jun sighed.

What really is death? It not only ends one's life, but the hopes of others. Take Xiaochye for example. He was actually better off than me prior to his current state. Grades, family warmth, happiness... Xiaochye seemed to have had everything that I yearned for back then. However, ever since Uncle Lim had forsaken them, Xiaochye was reduced to this state.

Nope. Uncle Lim was never going to come back. He couldn't. As least not as a solid human, provided that the myths regarding the Seventh Month was true.

Jun was unsure if Xiaochye ever missed his father. This was the first time they have met since that fateful incident. According to what he knew, Xiaochye's father was a addict-- to tiles, dices, cards... Mountains of debts were accumulated. Once, Xiaochye's mum, slogging most of the time at work to earn extra keep for the family expenses, helped his father pay off a debt amounting to $10, 000. Xiaochye's father even threatened to end his life and those of his and his siblings countless times. A chopper was even involved.

Xiaochye must have had a hard time. Being the eldest child...

Gambling is the real cause of Xiaochye's plight. Did Xiaochye ever hated his father? Nobody really knows. Well, except for Xiaochye himself.

Unknown to himself, Jun suddenly found himself overwhelmed by Xiaochye's story. What could he do? Having been friends with him since birth, he felt hopeless for once. No, this time was different. This time, it was for somebody he knew even before their existence in life.

Xiaochye, everyday is a brand new experience. Life is still full of sunshine, no matter which area of Earth you are on. Even at night, there is still the moon to accompany you. Look around you, your mum, your brother and sister, your friends...Don't ever give up. Look ahead. All the best to you.

Glancing at Xiaochye once more, Jun left the room. Leaving Xiaochye alone to further explore his own world, where more fascinating stuff would be discovered when he makes his journey down the road fill with hope.

To be continued...
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By Little Dragon Bun
Note: What's in store for Jun after this? Check it out in later chapters.

Chapter Six. Life is but a game

In a shield of foggy mist, only an old army soldier with a face of rough beard could be seen walking from that distance. A sturdy, almost illuminious, axe held tight in his fists, ready for a real wacko. The stomping of his soggy, heavy boots shook the solid earth. The most prominent feature was his bloodshot eyes, pratically piercing through everything in sight. If looks could kill, many would have lost their lifes long ago.

He looks ready to battle. One with plenty bloodshed.

Both yield out their weapons, preparing for a fierce and fiery interaction. The stressing clinking of metal deafened the ears. Fiction, what a powerful energy. Sparks could almost be seen from the blades against each other. They were wrapped in such a blur that only a grey shadow could be made out from that mess.

Alas. One fatal distraction cost the battle to end aruptly. One lay injured on the ground. And it wasn't the warrior wielding the axe.

Game Over.

The two most depressing words in the whole universe ever appeared on the monintor.

How many 'Game Overs' can one have in their whole life? The answer is 'no'. Reality likes to mock at people. How interesting.

Jun tried to feel for the shillings in his pockets. Nope, he couln't hear the jingling of coins. Sigh! Sadly, he stood up to leave, the seat still warm from three hours of sitting.

How much time has passed? None, to be exact.

Lazily, Jun slung his heavier than ever school bag over his shoulders. Eventually, Jun has to face his fears. Escape was never a workable option. In fact, nothing ever worked for him.

Just then, Jun saw a familiar figure entering the arcade.

Something might work, after all.

To be continued...

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By Little Dragon Bun
Next Chapter: Who did Jun saw that would save him after all? Stay tuned...

Chapter Five. When you don't exist

The sun blazed mercilessly, scorching the back of her head. Yet Ling did not seem to feel the heat as she trudged on along the sidewalk.

Just a few more steps...

The cool, shady MRT station was right ahead. Ling's shoulders ached and her forehead glistened with perspiration. The sweat was stinging her eyes. She brushed it off with her free hand.

There, nearly there now...

With a sigh of relief she stepped into the cool shade of the MRT shelter. She stepped onto the escalator and started the ride down...

Orchard MRT

The sign greeted her like a wonderful slap of cool water on the swelteringly hot day. She felt the rush of the cool air from the air conditioner and took a deep breath...

Then, she saw him.

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By Nutty Bunny Nut
Note: Who did Ling see? Stay tuned to find out.

Chapter Four. Left out.

The big house stood empty. Everything was matellic and futuristic. Not at all realistic. Empty and lonely. Exactly how Wei is feeling right now.

Empty. Lonely.

Wei sighed deeply as he prepared to pull through another day of nothingness. His parents were out.

Leaving him alone.

Again.

Wei strode through the big hall. The day was dreary and boring as usual.Wei sighed deeply again.

How he envied the other kids in his school. They all had a happy family, loving parents, wonderful siblings and great friends.

Yet he had none of them.

His parents were always out to work. He had no siblings as he was the only child. He had no friends as they all thought that he was stuck-up and proud because he was well-off. Yet nobody knew the true him. He had a big house, a big room, a big swimming pool, straight As. His teachers all loved him for being such a bright student. He had everything.

But he wanted none of them.

What he wanted was love.

A sense of belonging.

How he craved for it. Deep down, he knew that he was nothing. Just a puppet. He could not help being rich, he could not help having straight As. The truth is, he was rich because of his parents. He had straight As because he was bright. He could not help it. His parents thought highly of him, so do his teachers. All his schoolmates thought that he was a teacher's pet and they hated him for that. But yet nobody understood him. What he needed was

Love.
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By Pikass

Chapter Three. Fairytales.

Freedom...

It seems so near... yet so far away...

She didn't want to live anymore. Everyday was just another nightmare. And her life was just a collection of nightmares.

The only source of light now in the endless darkness of the sky was the moon. The beautiful and graceful moon. The only thing that will connect and bring her back to where she belong. To her world of fairytales, to feel the power of the endless sky...

Xin grasped on to her necklace tightly. One day, one fine day, she will find her parents...

Her mother used to tell her stories about the moon and her favourite was the one about the moon fairy living on the moon, forever parted from her loved ones. Is this happening to her? Forever parted from her loved ones?

No.

She insisted in her belief. She will find her parents, she will get return home happily, she will escape from her nightmares...

She must...

To be continued...
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Done by the infamous hamster soup. =)
It's not cliche.
Provoking thoughts: What is Xin's nightmare? Where is she? What is happening to her?

Chapter Two. Dark Fears

A dark cloud hovered over his head. Jun knew that his doom was approaching. Doom. What a magical word. Black magic, to be specific. It feels so good on the tongue, yet makes one have goosebumps.

Jun's fingers were clasped together tightly, trembling furiously. There, the devil awaits, grinning away evily. Each step he took brought him nearer to his doom. At last, the moment came. His time was up.

Jun held out his trembling hands. He couln't bear to look. But a strong, dark force tempted him to pry open his eyes. His heart ached in regret. He shouldn't have succumed to the dark side. There was no return now. He had chosen to go onto this path himself.

The striking red ink stood out from the blinding white.

15 marks...

Jun's heart sank down the bottomless pit. It wasn't the first time. Every week, he has to go through this painful process. Nothing else could ease the pain now.

Jun shrugged his shoulders as if nothing bothered him at all.

Wow!

Jun's friends look up to him with envy. He was ever so calm on the outside. Nobody knew the real him. Jun. The coolest guy around. Ever so steady.

But Jun's worst fears has yet to come true.

To be continued...

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By Little Dragon Bun

Note: What/Who is Jun fearing? Read on for more interesting stuff...

Chapter One. Moonless Nights

No...

Please don't end now...

Ling tossed and turned in her sleep, muttering restlessly. A trickle of perspiration dripped down her forehead. A cool breeze blew in through the open window, and the soft thin curtains fluttered gently.

I don't want this dream to end...

But all dreams have to end somehow. The alarm rang suddenly, piercing the still night air with its shrill cry. Ling woke up with a start and practically sat up, sweating profusely.

It had been so real...

She reached for the clock, and squinted to read the glowing digital numbers. It was 6a.m.

With a sigh, she got out of bed and put on her slippers, still deep in thought.

That had been such a perfect dream. But too bad it was only a dream. But what could she do? Fate was just so cruel to her.

To be continued...

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By Nutty Bunny Nut
Note: Stay tuned for the next chapter...