This is my entry for Day 2 of the Fast & Furious Festival. You can find out more about it HERE.
There are 4 tasks given and we can choose to do any one or more or all. I am choosing to do Task 1 and Task 3.
Task One
Describe a room (eg kitchen, bedroom, living room) in a character's house in such a way that it tells us about a person's greatest hopes and fears
The door has 3 locks, evenly spaced from top to bottom enters into a 500 sqf studio apartment. The few furnitures in it are a super-single bed, on the right, a chest of drawers beside it, a full-length mirror and a small table on wheels. The mini kitchen, more like a pantry, has a microwave, and a hidden mini-fridge. No cooking allowed.
On Level 28, the small balcony overlooks the city skyline. One wall has been painted orange by the tenant to add some pizzaz, which has to be painted back when her lease ends. On the coloured wall, hang a 2 by 6 feet Jute mat, pinned with selfies/wefies, motivational quotes and reminders.
The bed has not been made, and there are some clothes strewn over it. A laptop is sitting atop the clothes. A lava lamp on the drawers throws odd moving shapes on the ceiling and walls. Beside the lamp is a Bluetooth speaker playing Indie music off Spotify.
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Task Three
Choose a famous moment from history and create a new fictitious element: write about the setting. For example, "A romance for Napoleon just three days before the battle of Waterloo."
Date: 14th May 1969 (the day after the May 13 Racial Riots)
Two lovers are standing in the shadows in the back of her house with the last rays of the sun barely visible. She wasn't sure what made her step outside, but when she saw him there, she knew it was her heart.
"What are you doing here? You will be killed!" she whispered, pushing him deeper into the shadows.
"Ana, what are you doing outside? You better get back in!! Abah will be back any second now, and if he knows you stepped out, he will be very angry!" her mother called just loud enough for her to hear. Mother had just started breastfeeding her baby sister, so she knew she wouldn't come out after her.
Ana stood at the door to answer her Mum. "I just want to make some tea. I will be quick." Then she quickly stepped away before mother could say anything.
The concrete stove was outside under a makeshift roof 5 feet away from the main house. She had been given strict instructions to stay indoors, especially after dark and you never disobeyed father. But here he was—this crazy Chinese boy.
"What is wrong with you? If Abah saw you... he might slaughter you himself."
"I had to see you Ana. I had to know you were okay."
"I am okay. Now go. Go and stay in your house. Lock your doors. Don't get out. If anything happened to you, I don't know what I'd do. "
"I know, I know. Brother got hurt badly. They slashed him with a parang. He could have bled to death, but you know Ako. Nothing can kill him. Now he is talking about revenge."
"Ya Allah!! Why has it come to this?" she started sobbing softly as she rearranged the firewood, trying to start the fire.
He reached out for her hand, and she let him hold it. He raised it to his lips and for the first time, she did not play shy or hard to get.
"I want you to know, I love you Ana. I don't care what they say. Malay, Chinese whatever!! I don't care. When it is safer, please say you will run away with me. Let's go far away."
"I cannot do that to Abah. It will break him. Where will he put his face? You know I love you but, but..."
"Ana, I would rather die than not be with you."
She started sobbing again, trying to hold her voice down. And he pulled her to him. He held her tight like he'd never let her go.
"Where is she?", her father was back. She could hear her Mum saying something and then the baby started crying.
"Go, go. He is back. Go, he will kill you.'
She pushed him into the dark, harder than she had intended and quickly wiped away her tears, entering the house. She bumped into father at the doorway. One look at her, and he knew.
"Where is he?!" but he had already left. There was no one there. "You stupid girl!!" and a sharp slap followed to make his point. "I told you already, it cannot happen. If anybody sees the two of you talking or even looking at each other, that will be the end!!" He dragged her in and pushed her towards mother.
"Keep an eye on her. Don't let her out of your sight," then he looked at Ana. "And you, you will never ever see that boy again. Do you understand? Never. You want him to stay alive? Never!!" And he walked off into the room to pray.
You can find out more about the racial tensions that led to the May 13 riots on Wiki. I was a year old then, and my parents have talked about living through those times and how scary it was.
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I definitely didn't take as long as I did with Day 1, but still longer than 25 minutes. If anyone is hitting the end as proposed, share your tips and tricks with me please...
Thank you for reading😊
Till next time, Carpe Diem❣️
Sh33la