To put it simple, please do not try to copy this story in any form. If not I will be able to sue you and I do not wish to see you in court =)

Hello! Please read this chapter and send me your comments to kayhwa85@yahoo.com.sg or kayhwa@singapore.com or p0234470@sp.edu.sg ! I will be glad to hear from you, and will surely give every mail a reply! Thanks a lot! =)

THE FUTURE

Chapter 1

“Run!” I shouted. Who was there to hear it? It was loud and sharp, intended only for Linda’s ears. War was going on just below us, and we had no way to escape. I just shouted, not knowing what to do.

     It was a flash; was it? A bright light shone in front of me, from an unknown direction. It blinded me, and I wished it went on forever, because in my blindness, I saw her. Linda was there, smiling at me, waving her hands. I wanted so much to wave back, but where was I? I was not even sure if I am still in human form…

     Did I manage to move? The flash went on for merely a second, but I felt like heaven in it. Within that second, Linda was gone. Gone with her was the smile and her waving, and I experienced what we called lights again.

     “Run!” I repeated without my knowing. I forgot if I had opened my eyes or not; I just ran. And I did not meet up with air. Instead I hit on a wall directly, head first. I had just knocked onto wall.

     The world in front of me spinned. I tried to catch myself, but the entire place was spinning. Where was I?

     Closing my eyes, I hoped to find some answers. I was in this room with Linda, and we saw soldiers outside the window on the ground. He shot me, and I dodged. Then I shouted “Run” and a flash shot me.

     Was that a flash that shot me, or a speeding bullet? They said when you are going to die, you will see the person you really wish to see. I saw Linda. Am I dead?

     I saw more and more questions popping out of my mind, but I could not find any answers for them. I shook them off, deciding to solve all the riddles when I could think properly again.

     Finally, after what seemed like hours, I felt myself looking at a white empty brick wall. It looked bad, yet it was a place I had pined so much to be in.

     I wheeled to witness my entire room in front of me. I was standing just beside my door, with my computer just beside me. The television, as usual, was placed just on the right of my cupboard, which I had never preferred. My table was as neat as it had been, with all my notes neatly slacked up, ready for revision anytime.

     The wall was printed white: Yes, which was why it looked bad. It was a room of whiteness. Dull, yet attractive. A familiar clock was hanged just above my computer, and it showed the time I wanted to see badly: 7:01pm.

     The window, however, was still shining light into my room. Sun was going to set soon, but I knew tomorrow it would rise again. For a moment, I was confused what was real and what was not.

     Just one minute ago, I was in a hotel. Just one minute ago, there was a war. Just one minute ago, she was standing just beside me. But one minute later, everything changed. For the better, or for the worst? I wondered.

     The chair in front of my table was offering me to sit down. I felt no tiredness: it was like I had just had a nice sleep. In a grand hotel. Was that real, or was this real? Had it all been a dream? Which was dream, and which was reality?

     I was too busy noticing the scene around me and I forgot to look at myself. I was still wearing the jeans I wore to school this morning, and the same t-shirt. There was a mirror inside my cupboard. At least I remembered that.

     I opened my cupboard to see myself standing in front of the mirror. It was me, looking through my glasses. My black hair was messy; just like I had just waked up. The fringe was just below my eyebrow. I had always admired my looks, and wondered why I was still without a girlfriend.

     However I was not interested in that. I was interested in why I was here now. As the door of my cupboard was opened, I decided to check something. I searched my clothes, and my theory had become true: The t-shirt and jeans I was wearing were inside the cupboard as well. I remembered well enough I only bought one. What happened? Why was there an extra set? I was too poor even to have three decent meals: how could I have bought an exact set of clothing? Had God finally take on pity me?

     I felt strange about this, and so created more questions. It was 7pm; mum should be at home. Where could I have been from 10:30am to 7pm? Was I dreaming all along? Was it all just a dream, or was it something unexplainable? I wished it were both: wishing it was a dream so that my life can be normal again. However I also wished it was real: because I wished that girl called Linda were real.

     I wondered whether it was love. I was willing to give up my normal life just to make sure this girl exists. Is this the power of love? But I was well aware that that was not the issue now: now I needed to gather information. Only through information then I can find my answers.

     I went out of my room and saw my mother watching television in the living room. Her eyes were half-closed, as if sleeping. I have heard many comments that she had eyes similar to mine: big and bright.

     “Mum,” I started. “Where was I from 10:30 to 7pm?” It sure felt odd asking such a question, but it was necessary to fill up the emptiness inside my memory.

     “Huh?” an expected respond from her. However she continued, “10:30 you went to school, reach home at 4pm. Then you went to sleep till about 6:30pm. You just had your bath. And what happened to your hair? It seemed to dry almost instantly after your bath. Did you forget to wash your hair again?”

     I only forgot once! I had expected some answers in her, but instead I got more questions. I did not know whether I should tell her about what happened to me; but I guessed it would not be important. After all, life had been normal again. All good things will come to an end: so will the bad things.

     “Erm, thanks. I used a hair dryer.” I replied and was about to go back to my room when she cut in.

     “We don’t have a hair dryer in our house.” She said, which I agreed. My lie had just been busted. She did not care about that and continued, “By the way, Richard called just now. He said he’s already at his void deck and is waiting for you. Get your gears and don’t keep him waiting.”

     It was all so normal: I was supposed to have Taekwando training tonight. Since life had been shoot back to the normal side, it was time to forget everything that had happened just a few minutes ago, except Linda.

     I went back into my room and got changed. It was then that I remembered something: where was my school bag? The bag was supposed to be in the hotel. I glanced quickly towards my beneath of the table, and saw the bag standing there. Fortunately my bag was not left in my dream. Somehow, or rather, there was still something missing.

     It was my new bag. The bag that I just bought two days ago. How could it been gone? I bought it for over $100! It was the most expensive bag I had bought in my life! I had skipped a meal everyday just to save up for that bag, and where had it gone?

     That bag even created a bad quarrel between Ju Joo and me. Ju Joo was one of my classmates: he was rumored to be mentally ill. He liked the bag as well and wanted to buy it, but considering all the savings I had done for the bag, I quarreled with him on the spot in the shop and the shopkeeper decided to sell it to me because I saw it first. I could still remember his face when he walked off: his face was full of anger, as if revenge was his new name.

     I dashed out of my room and asked aloud, “Where’s the new bag I just bought? The one that I quarreled with my classmate, you remember?”

     My mother woke up from her doze and stared at me blankly. “What new bag?”

     “The deuter bag!” I exclaimed. How could she forget? She was there to witness the quarrel, and even encouraged me to fight for the bag because I saw it first! “The blue bag! The big blue bag, the bag I had been saving for!”

     “Didn’t Ju Joo bought it?” my mother asked me curiously. What was wrong with her? She saw it with her own eyes!

     “I brought it! The shopkeeper gave it to me!”

     “Son, Ju Joo bought it,” she said calmly now, and slowly she decreased her caring voice. “Do you really like the bag that much?”

     I silenced myself and went back to my room. There was only a way to confirm whether my memory had failed me or not. I opened up my piggy bank and I found nothing but the truth: it had $120 in it. My savings. I had not bought that bag after all.

     But how could I have remembered buying the bag? 7:15pm. I had to meet Richard fast. That incident with Linda, it was not a dream now. Something strange was going on in my life, and I was determined to find out what is it, and how it would affect me.

Richard waved at me when I got close to him. He had a smaller built than me, however he was taller. Maybe it was his dyed hair that made him look like a gangster, but he was not. He had short hair like me, but had prefect eyesight.

     He was my best friend. We studied in the same class, and attended Taekwando lessons regularly. We were known as the best fighters, and though we always sparred, our friendship was never ever destroyed.

     We came from two different backgrounds: He was always the rich and humble man, helping me cope over my finical crisis. Me, well, I was always the one who got the help from him. I had always been the poor man. I always got pity, and he always got praise. That was life.

     I could get some answers from him. “Hey, sorry I’m late.” I apologized.

     “I’m used to it.” he smiled, no sight of anger at all. “Come on, let’s go!”

     We had attended Taekwando lessons since we were in Secondary School, and both of us had got black belts. As we proceeded towards the basketball court we always used to train, I took the time to ask him some questions. “Hey, did I attend today’s lesson?”

     It was another odd question, and Richard gave me an odd answer. “I ate three hotdogs yesterday.”

     “I’m serious.” I pleaded.

     His smile vanished from his face and he answered me seriously, “Yes, you did, Zinc. What happened?”

     “Nothing…” I whispered. Had I lost my memory of what I did this afternoon?

     “We had two hotdogs today, however… and you nearly quarreled with John. Luckily I stopped you. Remember?” Richard added in.

     “Ya… ya.” I lied. Those memories never existed in my mind.

     “Great. Stop scaring me, will ya!” Richard returned his smile, and patted my back really hard. “I’ve got heart attack!”

     “I’ve got brain attack.” I said, trying to lessen the air of seriousness in the atmosphere. Maybe that was true: my mind had been invaded, and some alien had implant memories into my mind. Richard laughed, and we continued our journey to the court. I thought this could mean the end of my story, but I never expected this was just the very beginning of a legend that could change my life forever.

The next day, when I woke up, everything was as normal as it could be. I went to class, but I was curious on the bag that I did not buy. The most amazing thing was that Ju Joo was really carrying that bag. Did someone drive into my mind and altered my memory?

     I was always thinking of whether I wanted to forget about everything, but I guessed the main obstruction was Linda. I did not want to forget her. Her smile, her fear. I did not consider the fact that I was in love with her now, because absence makes the heart fonder.

     I had decided to do what my mind told me to do that day. I told Richard everything. He, as usual, joked about it at first. After I informed him of how serious it could be, he became serious and promised to help me. I had to tell him more than two times that I was not mentally ill; not like Ju Joo. I never liked him; people tend to pity him, but definitely not me. He had skipped appointments with his counselor and seldom went to the neuroscience clinic as instructed. He claimed he was okay now; I never believed him, and it was true. If he had not exists, I would not have a story to write.

     I recalled once when I just accidentally stepped on his shoe. He actually pulled out his penknife and threatened to kill me if I do that again. Insane, yet that was him.

     I skipped my lunch that day and Richard promised to accompany me in the search for Wu Hotel. That was the only clue I had, as I regretted not memorizing the car number at Linda’s house.

     We searched the yellow pages and found out that the hotel really exists. We went ahead with our plans but the hotel’s staffs refused to provide us with information about their big boss. Richard wanted to bible the staffs, but they were not tempted. We tried many other ways but still failed, hence we gave up.

     Our first plan had failed, and we had no secondary plan. There were not enough clues to the whereabouts of a lady called Linda. All I knew was that she was 18 and she just got her driving license. That was all. And all that information did not help a bit.

     I went home exhausted that day. Now I had two sets of the exact design to remind me of Linda. I wondered if I wore that shirt and jeans tomorrow, would I get to see her again? I doubt it, because I had to go to another school tomorrow for a joint-polytechnic project.

     The next day came, and the memory of that dreadful day slowly weakened. My image of Linda was fading every minute, and I was always trying to patch her face up. I wore that shirt and jeans I wore two days ago; the set found inside my cupboard.

     My class had to go to Ngee Ann Polytechnic today for a joint-polytechnic project. Richard was excited: he claimed that there are many cute girls in NP. I appeared unpleased about that, however, in my heart, I was wishing so much to see the cute girls there as well.

     We went into the Poly and Richard started to point at different girls he sees. I had to admit his taste was a bit strange, but there were some that really caught my eye. To act tough in front of him, I would just say, “Pretty, but I don’t like.” The truth was, I don’t dare. Never dared to confront and asked to be friends.

     “You like girls who wear glasses, right?” Richard asked me. I nodded, and he pointed at my right, “Look, surely that is your type.”

     I did as I was told, and from afar was familiar glasses. Frameless rim glasses. She was looking at me from a distance, and I could tell from afar her glance never left. Closer and closer we went, and that image in my mind started to patch up completely, and she was standing in front of me, her eyes on me.

     Linda.

     Her smile was the same as I saw in the flash. I was stunned, not knowing what to say. Does she know me? Or was it just a dream, my soul meeting hers? After that she walked pass me, however I could still feel her eyes on me. What could I do now?

     I did something very stupid. It would not embarrass me, and it would tell if she knows me or not. I shouted aloud to Richard, “Linda!”

     Richard was taken aback. I never stole another glance at Linda. “I know you miss her, but-” suddenly Richard halted. A shadow had just been created beside us, and I turned to see her.

     Linda.

     Smiling.

     At me. I returned my smile. She had hugged me at our first meeting; would she do that again? Her eyes were trying to tell me that she remembered: everything.

     Warmth. I could feel it all over me. It was like a dream came true: A dream catcher had caught her here. There she was, smiling at me. Was it just another dream? Or was this going to end again? Will we ever meet again?

     “Hello.” A soft greeting; yet it made me so happy. It was unlike the first meeting: we met each other with fear then. But now, for me, I met her with love. Her appearance had really changed my attitude forever.

     I heard Richard voice, but I never concentrated on him. Maybe he was shouting, but who cares? Linda might just be whispering, but her voice was loud inside my heart. It was clear that Richard had shouted a lot of times, but I just pushed my hand towards his face. I forgot what his respond was: I was too focused. Too focused on the girl standing in front of me.

     “Hello,” I replied to her greeting. All voices were silenced: For now, I could only hear my heartbeat, her voice and my voice. Richard was beside me screaming like a mad man, or rather, he seemed like a mute trying to speak his mind. “Is it all real? Those dreams…”

     “So it’s not fake!” Linda exclaimed excitedly. “I thought I was dreaming… until I saw you.”

     “I thought I was dreaming… until I saw you.”

     It was such a great sentence. I thought I had dreamed her up, until I saw her. I shook my head. “No, it’s not a dream.” I had said. She was looking at me. She was so beautiful when she smiled. I wished she would hug me again, this time not out of fear. But there was no movement. It was like we were standing there for hours, not knowing what to say to each other.

     “You have any idea what happened? I heard you shouting ‘run!’ and after that I got so scared… so scared. I was praying, praying that it will be over. I was beginning to believe you are the only one I could depend on when the flash came in.” she muttered.

     “I don’t know… was it fate? Bringing us to this adventure.” For the first time in my life, I could feel my words coming from my heart directly. My mind and mouth had no control over it; I just listened to my heart and wished I would not say any embarrassing things.

     “Maybe yes…” she spoke again. Her voice was so sweet that I could hear it a million times and not get bored. “Maybe-”

     “Shut up!” I shouted. Oh, man. My heart had lost control. However, it was targeted at Richard, who was still screaming beside me. Upon hearing that, he kept quiet and I felt he got a lot smaller. Just like an ant crawling beside me. “I’m sorry.” I said to Linda.

     “It’s okay. You’re cute.”

     One word: Cute. Just one word made my eyes fixed on her. “Thanks…” I wanted to date her. I wanted so much to date her. I hinted my heart that, and my heart did the job for me. “Hey… care to have dinner together one of these days to chat about what happened that day?”

     I never knew my heart was so clever to use this trick to get her on a date. However it was smart. And I liked it.

     “Hmmm…” Linda hesitated. Her lower lips popped out, making her cuter. I wanted so much to pinch her cheek, but luckily my heart was there to stop me, to make all things go right. “Sure no problem. Here’s my contact number.”

     She gave me her hand phone number. I had no idea how happy I was when she took my hand phone to add her number, I could see the clouds swinging beside me: what happened to me? What was this feeling? Is it love? It has never been so powerful…

     “Thanks.” I thanked her. She claimed she still had to attend a lecture and went off. I was dazed for a minute and saw a hand waving in front of me. I shook it off and saw Richard, now full sized, looking at me curiously.

     “Yo, you there?” Richard asked, as if talking to a statue.

     “What?” I asked. Suddenly my desire to seek out the truth seemed to be gone; because now I knew that the world we visited really exists. Some of my questions had been answered, but not all. That female image had completely dominated my mind: I had no control to delete it. After all, I did not want to.

     “You don’t know what you did?” Richard pondered on as we continued our walk.

     “What did I do?” I had completely forgotten that Richard was there when I was conversing with Linda.

     Richard shook his head, jumped in front of me and shouted, “You tried to kill me!”

     I laughed. I pushed his head off again, and wished he would be my best friend forever so he could always bring laughter to me.

End Of Chapter 1

Chapter 2 will be out on 31/3/2003 (Monday)

Copyright 2003 By Low Kay Hwa