EXTRACT: Words: Sauntered, Shuffled, Wandered, Crept

Jeff imagined himself sauntering to his Mercedes, his arms around Sammy's waist, the girl of his dreams. He shook his head and realised he had been dreaming.

"Sammy doesn't want me anymore." Jeff muttered under his breath after Sammy did not want to go out with him that day.

He sighed and shuffled to his truck, his arms around his aged mother's bent back. After sending her home, he got out of his truck and went for a walk.

Jeff wandered around the park. He was thinking about his crush, Sammy. "Maybe I was too ugly, too old." Jeff thought to himself. Suddenly, someone crept up on him and shouted in his ears.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

It was Sammy. She had organised a surprise birthday party for him! Jeff was so delighted he wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a big hug. Jeff realised that it need not take a Mercedes to make him happy. Sammy was all he needs.

By EMILY TAN
2E

extract

I groped my way through the darkness in a frenzy. I had to get the money quick. I roamed around, searching and searching but i could not find anything. In my hurry to find the money, I did not bother where I was going and all of a sudden, I tripped over something, falling to the ground. Though I injured my leg badly, i did not give up, hobbling around the room in pain, still hoping to find what I had been looking for. And then all of a sudden, I heard someone coming. I swallowed hard as I felt my stomach churn. I had to admit defeat now. I would never be able to find it. So, i quickly slinked out, willing that I would not be seen......

By Audrey

the corrected version of the "shit story"

She ran through her short, permed hair with her wrinkled hands. Frowning, she sighed loudly and dropped the coins back into the small plastic box. Mrs Tan had been practicing her coin tricks the whole afternoon. Amusing herself was her only form of entertainment. She stopped suddenly when she thought of her grand child. Her grandchild, Johnny, never had a good life. His parents were gone, and Mrs Tan could not afford to give him a comfortable lifestyle. He rarely had new things, he never went on holidays. When all the other children had exciting vaccations, he would spend his holidays in the run down two-room flat, playing with the worn out toys. What could Mrs Tan do? She had no money.

"Ah, tiolet! Finally!" A man's voice suddenly broke her chain of thoughts. She snapped out of her daze and found a very familair looking man in a track suit, clutching his stomach and looking relieved as he stared at the toilets behind the desk she was sitting at. Duty calls. She gestured to the sign that said " 20 cents per entry" and strecthed out her palm. She waited as she watch him dig into his pockects, searching for coins. Then she realised who he was... He was the star of The Freezing Point! Yes, it was Derek Ng Tian Rui! Derek looked up after a short while, looking panicky and asked in a pleading voice " I dont have any coins, but can you please let me in, auntie? I really need to go..." Then he dug in his pockets again and all of a sudden, a five hundred dollar note dropped out from his pocket. Mrs Tan straightened in her seat as her eyes kept glued to the cash. "This money could be the only solution," she thought slyly to herself. There was hope...

Derek picked up his dollar note and looked at it, then stared at Mrs Tan awkwardly. He felt really urgent to use the toilet but was he going to spend five hundred dollars just to use some old, public toilet?Mrs Tan broke the silence by clearing her throat and then she said " I'm sorry, but you have to pay to get in," her eyes never leaving the cash in his hand. Derek grimaced. The urge to use the toilet just got stronger but how could he let this " toilet auntie" take advantage of him? Then finally, when the pain in his stomach got to the point where it was unbearable, he finally gave in. Derek slammed the note on the table and dashed off to the toilet to relief himself. Mrs tan chuckled to herself and she picked up the dollar note and kissed it. Five-hundred dollars was not a big sum, but she could probably just bring her little Johnny to malaysia. She could imagine how thrilled he would be.

As she wished, hoped and longed for, Mrs Tan got to see a bright smile on Johnny's face. The three-day vaccation was anything but extravagent but it still was a treat for Johnny. And until today, Mrs Tan is still amazed by how lucky she was that time...

This money is the only solution ....

I stared at her once rosy cheeks now pale with fatigue. A wet ragged cloth was placed over her forehead. I took my only woollen blanket and gently tucked her in. Upon knowing my arrival, she started sobbing. She was too weak to cry. I lifted her up gently and embraced her. It was only then that I realised how much weight she had lost. I was filled with sorrow. I regret not staying at home and taking care of her when she was down with fever. Now, she was on the verge of death.

On my way walking to school, images of my sister kept flashing in my mind. I needed to save her but what could i do ? I had no money to bring her to the doctor. Throughout the whole journey, my mind was filled with ways to get money. By hook or by crook, I had to save my sister.

During recess, i was still pondering about what i could do to get money.It was then that i saw my teacher's handbag lying on a table unattended. I was desperate. I had to go against my principles and decided to take her money. My eyes scanned the surrounding. No one. With trembling hands and wobbly legs, I fished out her wallet and took whatever money that it contained. Stuffing the cash into my pocket, I dashed out of the classroom and ran out of the school gate. All I could think of was my sister, her rosy cheeks, her eyes filled with happiness...there was hope.

I woke her up and carried her frail body on my back to the clinic. "You're going to be alright." I promised her.By then, she stopped moving.I put her lifeless body down. She was asleep...forever. Was this my retribution for taking the money? My conscience told me to return the money but even in doing so, i knew that nothing could bring my sister back to life.