Saturday, December 31, 2005
A moment of silence for the passing of the old year...
The cell is cold and dank but it doesn’t bother me. I’m not surprised that I’ve been given such .. accommodations. I am after all what the press is calling one of the biggest mass murderers this century. I’ve been on the Top 10 most wanted list for years ever since I blew up the Starlight Hotel. I’m still quite proud of that particular piece of work. It ranks up there as my second best piece of work ever. The scene was all set, like an entire row of dominoes. Then when the bomb squad went into the building to locate my bomb, their locators triggered the nanoclusters I had placed round the hotel. I may have set up the bomb, but they lit the fuse. But somehow that police didn’t see the humor in that.
“Khoo, come and get your last meal. It’ll be your last meal before you go to the gallows you sick bastard.”
Everybody’s a critic. Now where was I … oh yes.. after the hotel bombing there was an island wide manhunt for me. It was led by a detective Jacob. Everybody needs a nemesis. Someone who constantly forces you to excel and reach your limits. Well, Jacob was mine. After the hotel bombing, the police became smarter. They had learnt their lesson and had managed to detect a few other locations, which I had planted my nanoclusters in. Jacob and his task force were good. They were relentless. Soon the people were confident that whatever threat I posed was now over. They resumed their everyday lives. And that was true. I was indeed stumped as to how I was going to carry out my next objective. So I studied my objective. Every morning I went to the MRT station to observe, to see if there was any vulnerability which I could take advantage of. In order to avoid suspicion, I made sure that I didn’t visit the same station every day. I also had to disguise myself. Guess the skills I picked up during my time in the Drama Club paid off. So it took..
“Hey Khoo, you not hungry ah? That’s quite good food leh.. you don’t want pass to me lah.”
“Fine take the food, just leave me alone.”
“Ok ok.. so what you writing? Your will ah?”
“Just some last thoughts. Now eat the food and be quiet.”
Annoyance.. hmm.. anyway it took me close to a month to finally notice it. At the start of the day, the trains are sprayed with disinfectant and the floors are mopped. Standard stuff, nothing fancy. It would be quite easy to replace the disinfectants and the industrial strength cleaner with some of my own concoction. And since the whole train would be sprayed and covered with it, the whole train would be a giant bomb. Now where would I send it to? There was also the problem with detective Jacob. Although the rest of the police force had become complacent due to the lack of any bombing in 2 months, Jacob was still actively searching for me. I had to divert his attention. Once the train was primed, getting the train to the target was quite easy since trains nowadays are all automated unlike when they first came out.
The next step was to divert his attention. I went the classic clichéd method. Kidnapping a person close to him. I kidnapped his daughter on her way back from school. Then I got a bit too arrogant. I wanted him to be with me when I pulled off my plan. I wanted to see his face as I revealed my plan and when he realized that he could not stop it. After making him stew for half a day, I finally contacted him to inform him that his daughter was with me and where to find us. Of course the obligatory warning to “come alone… or else…”
And there we were, showdown at sunset at the top of the Changi Yacht Club with the airport in front of us. His face when the whole of Terminal 2 went up in flames was priceless. The shocked expression as in finally realized what I had done. Of course the shock gave way to anger and he emptied his entire clip of ammo into me.
But I survived. Hahahaha. Woke up in a heavily guarded ward. I was put on trial the minute I was not bedridden. The trial was a sham. What defense could my side come up with that was semi-decent? That I was not of sound mind when I committed those “heinous acts”? That I was “a victim of circumstance”? Or my personal favorite “The devil made me do it”. Anyway to get things moving, I pleaded guilty and here I am now, waiting to be executed. Let it be known that even as I am about to be hung, I do not regret my actions. My only regret is that I do not have more time.
Malcolm Khoo was hung on the 29th of December 2040. He hung for a good 10 minutes before he finally died. It provided little comfort for the families and friends of his victims.
Epilogue:
“… My only regret is that I do not have more time.” He folds the letter and puts it back in the envelope. “Well I guess I do have more time now.” The door opens. He glances up to see that it’s Alexis.
“ My employer would like to know if everything is to your liking Mr Fam.”
“Who? Oh wait.. that’s my name now isn’t it? Edward Fam. I better get used to it. No point being given a new face and identity if I’m going to blow it by forgetting the name. All things considered though, things are looking up for me now aren’t they?”
“Yes Sir.”
“And to your first question, everything is to my liking. And look at the time, it’s already January 1st. Happy New Year Alexis, it’s going to be a good year.”
Comments: This story feels longer compared to the previous 3 stories and also took longer to write. This was originally meant to be a much longer story with more in depth look into the the motivations of Malcolm/Edward. But because it got too long (I have the original draft which is up to 6 pages and plot is moving quite slowly) so I decided to break it down into 2 parts. First part being Malcolm/Edward which serves to introduce a villain. Second part to introduce his nemesis, Jacob. It's kind of a dark ending and odd way to end the new year. Hopefully can come up with the second part before 2006 and it will hopefully have a more optimistic ending. More proper way to end the old year.
The cell is cold and dank but it doesn’t bother me. I’m not surprised that I’ve been given such .. accommodations. I am after all what the press is calling one of the biggest mass murderers this century. I’ve been on the Top 10 most wanted list for years ever since I blew up the Starlight Hotel. I’m still quite proud of that particular piece of work. It ranks up there as my second best piece of work ever. The scene was all set, like an entire row of dominoes. Then when the bomb squad went into the building to locate my bomb, their locators triggered the nanoclusters I had placed round the hotel. I may have set up the bomb, but they lit the fuse. But somehow that police didn’t see the humor in that.
“Khoo, come and get your last meal. It’ll be your last meal before you go to the gallows you sick bastard.”
Everybody’s a critic. Now where was I … oh yes.. after the hotel bombing there was an island wide manhunt for me. It was led by a detective Jacob. Everybody needs a nemesis. Someone who constantly forces you to excel and reach your limits. Well, Jacob was mine. After the hotel bombing, the police became smarter. They had learnt their lesson and had managed to detect a few other locations, which I had planted my nanoclusters in. Jacob and his task force were good. They were relentless. Soon the people were confident that whatever threat I posed was now over. They resumed their everyday lives. And that was true. I was indeed stumped as to how I was going to carry out my next objective. So I studied my objective. Every morning I went to the MRT station to observe, to see if there was any vulnerability which I could take advantage of. In order to avoid suspicion, I made sure that I didn’t visit the same station every day. I also had to disguise myself. Guess the skills I picked up during my time in the Drama Club paid off. So it took..
“Hey Khoo, you not hungry ah? That’s quite good food leh.. you don’t want pass to me lah.”
“Fine take the food, just leave me alone.”
“Ok ok.. so what you writing? Your will ah?”
“Just some last thoughts. Now eat the food and be quiet.”
Annoyance.. hmm.. anyway it took me close to a month to finally notice it. At the start of the day, the trains are sprayed with disinfectant and the floors are mopped. Standard stuff, nothing fancy. It would be quite easy to replace the disinfectants and the industrial strength cleaner with some of my own concoction. And since the whole train would be sprayed and covered with it, the whole train would be a giant bomb. Now where would I send it to? There was also the problem with detective Jacob. Although the rest of the police force had become complacent due to the lack of any bombing in 2 months, Jacob was still actively searching for me. I had to divert his attention. Once the train was primed, getting the train to the target was quite easy since trains nowadays are all automated unlike when they first came out.
The next step was to divert his attention. I went the classic clichéd method. Kidnapping a person close to him. I kidnapped his daughter on her way back from school. Then I got a bit too arrogant. I wanted him to be with me when I pulled off my plan. I wanted to see his face as I revealed my plan and when he realized that he could not stop it. After making him stew for half a day, I finally contacted him to inform him that his daughter was with me and where to find us. Of course the obligatory warning to “come alone… or else…”
And there we were, showdown at sunset at the top of the Changi Yacht Club with the airport in front of us. His face when the whole of Terminal 2 went up in flames was priceless. The shocked expression as in finally realized what I had done. Of course the shock gave way to anger and he emptied his entire clip of ammo into me.
But I survived. Hahahaha. Woke up in a heavily guarded ward. I was put on trial the minute I was not bedridden. The trial was a sham. What defense could my side come up with that was semi-decent? That I was not of sound mind when I committed those “heinous acts”? That I was “a victim of circumstance”? Or my personal favorite “The devil made me do it”. Anyway to get things moving, I pleaded guilty and here I am now, waiting to be executed. Let it be known that even as I am about to be hung, I do not regret my actions. My only regret is that I do not have more time.
Malcolm Khoo was hung on the 29th of December 2040. He hung for a good 10 minutes before he finally died. It provided little comfort for the families and friends of his victims.
Epilogue:
“… My only regret is that I do not have more time.” He folds the letter and puts it back in the envelope. “Well I guess I do have more time now.” The door opens. He glances up to see that it’s Alexis.
“ My employer would like to know if everything is to your liking Mr Fam.”
“Who? Oh wait.. that’s my name now isn’t it? Edward Fam. I better get used to it. No point being given a new face and identity if I’m going to blow it by forgetting the name. All things considered though, things are looking up for me now aren’t they?”
“Yes Sir.”
“And to your first question, everything is to my liking. And look at the time, it’s already January 1st. Happy New Year Alexis, it’s going to be a good year.”
Comments: This story feels longer compared to the previous 3 stories and also took longer to write. This was originally meant to be a much longer story with more in depth look into the the motivations of Malcolm/Edward. But because it got too long (I have the original draft which is up to 6 pages and plot is moving quite slowly) so I decided to break it down into 2 parts. First part being Malcolm/Edward which serves to introduce a villain. Second part to introduce his nemesis, Jacob. It's kind of a dark ending and odd way to end the new year. Hopefully can come up with the second part before 2006 and it will hopefully have a more optimistic ending. More proper way to end the old year.
Monday, December 26, 2005
Ctrl-Alt-Del
New year's to me is like a ctrl-alt-del to life. Basically if the past year was good or bad.. well you get a brand new slate to write on. I really need this ctrl-alt-del function.. Cause no matter which year it is, I will somehow mess up somewhere or the other.. This year.. yeah.. a few rough spots here and there.. Anyway its almost over, then as Sting says.. "It's a brand new day". Or in this case, year. So let's raise a glass to the new year and shake off the wounds, cuts and bruises of the past year. Cherish the good, forget the bad.
New year's to me is like a ctrl-alt-del to life. Basically if the past year was good or bad.. well you get a brand new slate to write on. I really need this ctrl-alt-del function.. Cause no matter which year it is, I will somehow mess up somewhere or the other.. This year.. yeah.. a few rough spots here and there.. Anyway its almost over, then as Sting says.. "It's a brand new day". Or in this case, year. So let's raise a glass to the new year and shake off the wounds, cuts and bruises of the past year. Cherish the good, forget the bad.
Friday, December 09, 2005
Taking a second look at the plants around us...
We sensed it in the air the day it happened. Well, not really us but the story has been passed down from generation to generation. Things used to be very good before that day. We always had enough to eat and drink. Everyone had enough. And because of our abundance, we provided for those who were to come later too. The fishes of the sea, the beasts on the ground and the birds of the air. No one starved. Then came man. The Creator put him in charge of us all. He tended to us. He and his wife. We fed them too because that was our purpose. We were created for this purpose. And we fulfilled it. Just as the fishes of the sea, the birds of the air and the beasts of the land fulfilled their purpose.
But man and woman would not. They were given specific instructions by the Creator. But they did not listen. They ate from the one that was not of us. The Creator was angry. Their actions brought a curse upon us all. Before this, we enjoyed eternal life. However, with the curse came death. No longer did the living things of the air, sea and land enjoy eternal life. Even we were not spared from this curse. Even though we did no wrong. We fulfilled our purpose but we were punished as well.
“So you feel that you all have been treated unfairly?”
Yes. Do you know what it’s like to live forever, to never die and have that taken away from you because of something someone else did? But we have been unable to do anything about it. They constantly destroy us and we cannot retaliate.
“I can imagine what you all must be feeling. What if I told you that it is possible for you to take revenge on the offspring of Adam and Eve? Every single one of them.”
No that is impossible. The Creator would not allow us to strike out at them. And even if the Creator would allow this to come to pass, we do not have the capability to attack them. They are shrewd and would strike out at us. They are capable of mass destruction to us. Their weapons can devastate whole species of my kind within hours.
“They won’t realize if you do it subtly. Just off the top of my head, you could begin to synthesize toxins. Can you imagine the effects, if a product like wheat was poisoned? And you have one advantage over every other species on the planet. You’re the original Internet, the World Wide Web. All of you can communicate with each other via roots and pollen and what not. You can lead a coordinated attack on them. You lack only one thing. A tactician. And that’s where I come in.”
What is in it for you then? Why would you want to strike out against your own people?
“Well, firstly, I’m not one of them. In fact my kind has suffered greatly because of the actions of their kind as well.”
You make a very convincing case. But then again, so did the serpent. I…we will need to discuss first. We will get back to you.
“I’ll be looking forward to that.”
Idea for this story came mainly when I looked at 2 of my mom's plants yesterday. Plants seem so helpless and all.. makes you think if they are...
We sensed it in the air the day it happened. Well, not really us but the story has been passed down from generation to generation. Things used to be very good before that day. We always had enough to eat and drink. Everyone had enough. And because of our abundance, we provided for those who were to come later too. The fishes of the sea, the beasts on the ground and the birds of the air. No one starved. Then came man. The Creator put him in charge of us all. He tended to us. He and his wife. We fed them too because that was our purpose. We were created for this purpose. And we fulfilled it. Just as the fishes of the sea, the birds of the air and the beasts of the land fulfilled their purpose.
But man and woman would not. They were given specific instructions by the Creator. But they did not listen. They ate from the one that was not of us. The Creator was angry. Their actions brought a curse upon us all. Before this, we enjoyed eternal life. However, with the curse came death. No longer did the living things of the air, sea and land enjoy eternal life. Even we were not spared from this curse. Even though we did no wrong. We fulfilled our purpose but we were punished as well.
“So you feel that you all have been treated unfairly?”
Yes. Do you know what it’s like to live forever, to never die and have that taken away from you because of something someone else did? But we have been unable to do anything about it. They constantly destroy us and we cannot retaliate.
“I can imagine what you all must be feeling. What if I told you that it is possible for you to take revenge on the offspring of Adam and Eve? Every single one of them.”
No that is impossible. The Creator would not allow us to strike out at them. And even if the Creator would allow this to come to pass, we do not have the capability to attack them. They are shrewd and would strike out at us. They are capable of mass destruction to us. Their weapons can devastate whole species of my kind within hours.
“They won’t realize if you do it subtly. Just off the top of my head, you could begin to synthesize toxins. Can you imagine the effects, if a product like wheat was poisoned? And you have one advantage over every other species on the planet. You’re the original Internet, the World Wide Web. All of you can communicate with each other via roots and pollen and what not. You can lead a coordinated attack on them. You lack only one thing. A tactician. And that’s where I come in.”
What is in it for you then? Why would you want to strike out against your own people?
“Well, firstly, I’m not one of them. In fact my kind has suffered greatly because of the actions of their kind as well.”
You make a very convincing case. But then again, so did the serpent. I…we will need to discuss first. We will get back to you.
“I’ll be looking forward to that.”
Idea for this story came mainly when I looked at 2 of my mom's plants yesterday. Plants seem so helpless and all.. makes you think if they are...
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Trial Presentation is over..
Wasn't great.. but wasn't abyssmal also.. it falls somewhere between the cracks where most things in life fall into.. mediocrity.. (Probably spelled that word wrongly..) Anyway my supe helped me edit a few slides, added in a few more slides and stuff.. Guess just need to prac a few more times then I'll be ready for next Tuesday.
Today was a nice and relaxing day. Watched some shows, played some games.. no worries.. well sort of.. wedding video is done, presentation is prepared.. life should always be like this I guess.. No sense of forboding dread or deadlines to meet..
Is this a real sense of calm ? Or the calm before the storm... ? Given me.... probably the latter..
P.s.. What is Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes Fame's last name? I keep thinking Watterson..
Wasn't great.. but wasn't abyssmal also.. it falls somewhere between the cracks where most things in life fall into.. mediocrity.. (Probably spelled that word wrongly..) Anyway my supe helped me edit a few slides, added in a few more slides and stuff.. Guess just need to prac a few more times then I'll be ready for next Tuesday.
Today was a nice and relaxing day. Watched some shows, played some games.. no worries.. well sort of.. wedding video is done, presentation is prepared.. life should always be like this I guess.. No sense of forboding dread or deadlines to meet..
Is this a real sense of calm ? Or the calm before the storm... ? Given me.... probably the latter..
P.s.. What is Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes Fame's last name? I keep thinking Watterson..
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
The video is done!!
Yay.. after lots of hours put in and lots of manpower and logistic support I am happy to say that the video is done. Both the actual and director's cut edition.. ah.. Feels good to have the final product.
Now onto my trial presentation for FYP tomorrow morning..
Yay.. after lots of hours put in and lots of manpower and logistic support I am happy to say that the video is done. Both the actual and director's cut edition.. ah.. Feels good to have the final product.
Now onto my trial presentation for FYP tomorrow morning..
Thursday, December 01, 2005
I heard a rumour...
And the rumour goes something along the lines that it's supposed to be my Uni Hols now.. but guess what? I don't get any.. My holiday was the time after my paper ended on Monday to Tuesday morning.. kinda short.. I've been going to school every day now.. In the afternoon all till late at night.. It's annoying enough when you have to go to school during the holidays, but it's even more annoying when you go back and get useless results...
Sigh..
And the rumour goes something along the lines that it's supposed to be my Uni Hols now.. but guess what? I don't get any.. My holiday was the time after my paper ended on Monday to Tuesday morning.. kinda short.. I've been going to school every day now.. In the afternoon all till late at night.. It's annoying enough when you have to go to school during the holidays, but it's even more annoying when you go back and get useless results...
Sigh..
