A story...

A quiet day in town. Too quiet.

I kept thinking of a hundred and one reasons why it would be so quiet. Almost like a ghost town. The shops were opened. the people in the shops had a fearful look on their faces. No one came out.

I walked past several shops and the reactions were all the same - shock and surprised.

I don't know what was happening. Looking at all their faces, I started to feel my throat tighten and my heart beating faster. I felt myself walking faster too.

The roads were clear of people. I mean, really empty of people. I was the only one. Cars whizzed past. One red sedan honked rudely at me as he passed by.

I suddenly realised that it was very quiet too. The birds didn't sing. The music from the shops were dead. trees didn't rustle. What was once a bustling, noisy place of trade and bargains, now was tensed and pensive - waiting - for something.

I walked on.

Suddenly, I heard a frenzy of voices behind me. I turned to see the people from the shops rushing to close their shutters and lock their doors. The panic in their faces sent chills up my spine. I tried to find a place to hide, but I couldn't find anywhere that seemed secure enough.

I ran to one of the shops. They saw me coming and pulled their doors shut. Locking it. I banged their door, shouting. Let me in! Let me in! They didn't look at me.

I couldn't breathe! Panic took over. I ran. I didn't know where I was heading for, but I ran.

I heard a loud buzzing noise behind me. It sounded like a plane taking off. It got louder and louder. I didn't dare to look back to see what monster created such fear in the hearts of man.

I smelt a pungent odour that made me feel sick. I was still running. I didn't know I had such stamina to run so long, so fast.

I still couldn't think of what could be behind me. But I had a gnawing feeling that I didn't want to know. The pungent odour came from a dense smoke that the 'monster' permeated. The 'monster' rumbled on behind me - getting closer and closer to me.

I saw the a blur of people's faces staring out at me from the shops. All had the same indifferent face.

The whirring sound from the monster came so close to me I could smell the rot and sour off it.

I felt a cold hard iron touch my leg from behind. I screamed. I started running faster.

I didn't see this ledge in front of me and tripped over it, landing on my knees, scraping it badly. My head knocked onto the road, blurring my vision momentarily.

The buzzing noise slowed down. And then stopped.

I held my breath.


A coarse voice said, "WOI! You gila ka!"


I turned quickly to see a human form wrapped up in layers of cloth. Only his eyes were visible. Cold dark eyes.


"You crazy ah? I killing here. You running. WHY?"


What? He's killing? Killing whom? Which idiot would not run if being chased?

He lifted up his gun. It was a big barrelled gun. He pointed it at me with one hand, and removed his mask. Revealing his face. His face was as rough as his voice. Merciless. Vicious. Cold-blooded.


"Allo. I toking to you lah! I killing. Aedes mosquito ah! You know or not? Killing Aedes. So smelly here. Why you here? I tot they all announce to stay indoors. This fumes can make you dizzy. They announce on ladio, you didn't hear ah?"


He walked away. I heard laughter.