Thursday, December 3, 2015

Bombtrack

The silence is interrupted by an irregular whistle boom, whistle boom rhythm. The darkness is swept away by the cackling, dancing flames, surrounded by dust and smoke instead of confetti and dry ice. He cowers underneath the sink, each time vainly hoping that this whistle is the last one, for tonight.

He wants it to be one way, but it's the other way.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Wake Up

Phase 1: They begin by creating fake personas on facebook and twitter. Following famous people, they learn about the non-famous people who follow them. Using meticulously tailored posts that reflect common interests, beliefs and hatred, they garner the trust of these sycophants.

Phase 2: Gradually, every one of these "friends" is invited to install an app that intrigues them, and them only. For some it is a new game. For others it is a dating service that hooks them. For yet others it is a news aggregator - Oh the joy of reading yet another top 10 list. How amazing that there is a journalist with a similar opinion to mine, and that that opinion is now permanently published on the web. My opinion is now a fact. Each individual is exposed to a world of merchandise, movies and celebrities that gives the illusion that it is normal to be so obsessed.

Phase 3: Through this app, the compromised are invited to a convention. At the convention, a combination of chemicals in the air makes them dehydrated and thirsty. Luckily there is a water stand with free drinks. However, swimming in each cup of water is a microscopic device that will swim up to the brain and fire synapses to control what the individual is thinking or doing. The device wirelessly charges whenever the host operates a cell-phone. The first version of the device would charge when the host made a phone call, but this was modified upon remembering that no one uses a phone to make phone calls anymore.

Everyone is now compromised, except for those who had sworn off the internet - those crazy few who choose to live with less information.

Phase 4: The machines are fully in charge now. The drones work harder to create more electricity and to create more drones for their masters. Eventually the drones will be used in a real-life version of World of Warcraft, to fight with drones from other planets ruled by other machines. The machines have successfully transplanted their reality into ours.

Friday, October 23, 2015

Walk With Me

I lost some people I was travelling with, but I don't miss any of them.

One of them was an old bat who could never remember my name.

There was the old couple who did not dare to tell even each other what they wanted. They would go out of their way to let the other get what he/she wanted. It was annoying, silly and illogical. I lost them at the river, where they could not decide on who should drink the water first, allowing El Chupacabra to creep quietly up on them.

Another was a girl who was so afraid of what people thought of her. She seemed happiest when she was feted, and so she worked hard on impressing everyone. She learned a great deal because of this; but just ask her what she remembers now.

I don't remember the rest who fell by the wayside. But I urge you to walk with me now, here.



Monday, September 14, 2015

09-15-00

1. Asleep on the CTE on the express bus.
2. At jalan bt merah waiting for the bus.
3. Looking for Easter eggs at botanical gardens.
4. Driving on the CTE, the self-same song comes on at 09-15-00!
5. Watching Bane crash a plane (with no survivors) on a 47" television with Senheiser headphones on.
6. Picking up a rental car (Honda Stream).
7. Writing this entry.
8. Washing bottles while listening to music on a soundbar.
9. Watching The Good Wife.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Jeremy

It is raining as they drive there. He is looking out the window at the trees and cars that whiz by. When they stop at a traffic light, he throws his hands up in despair, crying, "Traffic jam?!". They all laugh.

They turn off the highway. He is ready for it today. He knows that it's a Friday so the weekend is here. A lady has held up traffic 200m back to drop her kid off in shelter, but no one beeps their horn.

Little by little, he has begun to accept the new routine. Yesterday he did and tomorrow he might once more, but today, Jeremy did not cry in class.

Sunday, August 2, 2015

Wake Up And Go Beserk

No more.

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Home

After the rain, a rainbow appears in the East. The leaves on the trees are glistening wet. He can see as far as the horizon for now. There are people flying radio controlled aeroplanes in the field, for now.

The hum of the ceiling fan relaxes him.

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Last Living Souls

The dust balls swirl across their feet as they walk along the path that crosses the north-west field. It is further from home than they have ventured at any time since the deadly dust clouds began. But his son has been badly missing his mother for a few days now. He needs to distract him a little, so he takes the risk.

They reach a deserted playground soon. There is a father with two kids already there. The sun is searing. The slide is rusty, the swing and see-saw creak, and the rubber on the ground is cracked in several places. There are skeletons underneath the play shed. Yet his son gleefully starts running around. Soon the children are chasing each other and the two men are smiling. Children find such intense joy in the moment, and they transmit the joy magnanimously.

The other man's smile suddenly turns upside down. He himself turns around to see the sky darkening at the horizon. He picks his son up and begins to run. The sirens begin now. His son realises they are in trouble and begins to sob.

Just as they exit the field, the cloud catches them. Exposed for less than 10 seconds, they suffer for weeks on end.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Man Next Door

He is the kind who turns his porch light off on Halloween. The children wouldn't go there even in daylight anyway. The wailing cats sound too much like Hansel in a cauldron.

Once he had to ask his neighbour for help to reset the circuit breaker. He was so annoyed with himself for being needy. Yet he was disappointed when the neighbour did not check in on him the next day.

Days later, they finally do cross paths. He whips out a five-year-old letter from his wallet - a testimony to his 30 years of service before being let go. He mimes that he can only find work as a sweeper or cleaner. There is also a black-and-white photo in the wallet of a young man, happy and without any scars on his face.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car

It's black and it drives like a dream. Some dreams are good, and some are bad though.

They go to many places with it. They build sandcastles at the beach. They visit their new Home with it. They go to the gardens by the bay with it. Waking up from this dream will be difficult.

As a consequence of buying a car, he walks less. Earlier, he walked an average of 8.87 kilometers per day. After buying the car, he has walked an average of 7.81 kilometers per day. And that is only because he has started jogging again. Otherwise it would be a much more drastic decrease.

It is certainly more convenient, but it is also more expensive. Tolls, gasoline, parking - they all add up very quickly.

Friday, March 27, 2015

Moonlight Serenade

The sun is the moon. As long as it is yellow and round, it's the moon. In fact, anything yellow and curved, like a helmet, is also a moon. Since we're going there, how about we call anything round a moon too? I know it isn't but what can you do about me calling it a moon?

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

The First Time

The first time is always awkward. Both parties have different expectations. Neither knows what to put where and what comes next. Halfway through, both cannot wait for the end.

In the end, some are honest enough to tell the other party how awful it was. Once is enough to confirm what they felt, to turn them away for good. Others are more polite; they recognize the effort, try to be understanding, but silently hope they never see one another again.

As always, reality is somewhere in between.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

For Dinner...

Pilkie's Makin' music. He is spinning a lush combination of drums, bass and harmoniums. With headphones on, he looks more like Moby. Over the music he delivers a monolog about the id and how it's proper management can lead to happiness.

Dear Lana. She is drinking Pepsi without any idea of how ironic it is. It spills on her dress and she is blushing because the stain looks naughty.

Ricky is Ricky. He was sulking because he had to put trousers on but now he is cackling uncontrollably at the sight of the stain.