After getting there sweets, they decided to call it a day. As they were walking back home, the girls were gossiping about how their araw had gone. “Did you see that?! He paid for me!” Grace whispered to them, so excitedly, she looked like she was about to burst. “Yes, we know! You have been talking about it for the last five minutes!” They both laughed. “Oh I’m sorry, it’s just so amazing!” She said, smiling like she had never had before. They had arrived at Amelia’s house where the girls would be staying for the night. “Well, here we are. We will see you some other time then.” Daniel said, as the three girls walking up the path towards the house. “Yes, we hope so.” They smiled and walked in the door. “Well that was fun.” Daniel said, taking his last sweet and eating it. “Yes, I suppose it was.” Jonathan replied, “Anyway, I’ve got to get home. I’ll probably see you two tomorrow. Bye!” He waved before walked off into the direction of his own house. “Me too. Bye.” Tommy sinabi quickly, scurrying off after him. “Bye then.” Daniel pulled a face before crossing the road to his house.
“I’m back Mother!” Daniel shouted upstairs to his Mother. He took his shoes off and walked into the lounge. His brothers Alfred and George were playing a board game whilst his sister Marissa was reading. “Did you have a good time?” Marissa asked - it seemed like she was the only one who noticed him. “Yes I did. So, did anything interesting happen whilst I was out?” An interested Daniel asked her. He slumped on the sofa susunod to her. “Not really, just Mother complaining about her throat or something.” She replied.
“Well is she alright?” Daniel gave a worried look. “Yes, she’s fine. Don’t worry.” She smiled comfortingly. “I wasn’t worried! I was just asking, because that’s what you’re meant to do, so it looks like you’re worried. You know.” Daniel explained unconvincingly. “Whatever you say.” Marissa said, laughing slightly. She closed her book and got up to walk out of the room.
The other two boys were playing chess and it was George’s turn. “Erm, I think I’ll ilipat here.” George explained as he moved his reyna a space, taking one of Alfred’s pieces. “Yes! Ha!” George celebrated, doing a little victory dance. “That’s not fair! You can’t ilipat it there!” Alfred said, looking really disappointed and angry too. “Er, I think you’ll find a I can!” George replied, shocked at how childish he was being, “If you don’t believe me, then ask Danny.” Daniel looked up at the sound of his name. “Ask me what?” He asked. “Can I ilipat this piece here?” George said, sounding pretty confident.
“Yes you can.” Daniel said, agreeing with George. “See!?” George sinabi boasting. sa pamamagitan ng this point, Alfred was very frustrated and nearly crying: “Oh, just leave me alone!” He stormed out the room but George grabbed his arm. “What is your problem? It’s only a game!” “Get off me!” Alfred managed to free his arm from George’s grip. George just stood there, watching him walk away, kind of feeling sorry for him.
Hours passed, and everything was normal that night, so far. Alfred was still in his room and the others were downstairs. “So what are we going to do tonight Mother?” Olivia asked. “Well, I thought we could have our own little iksamen night, with activities and everything! What do you think!?” Jennifer replied, smiling as she sinabi it. “That sounds great! Do you want help setting everything up?” Olivia offered kindly. “There will be no need dear, everything is already set up, but thank you anyway! Now is everyone here?” She looked around and spotted that Alfred wasn’t in the room. “Where’s Alfred?” She asked. “Oh, I think I upset him earlier. I’ll go and get him.” He gave a weak smile, and then strolled up the thin, wooden stairs up to Alfred.
When he reached the door to Alfred’s room, he knocked once, before Alfred opened it. “Come to boast again?” Alfred said, waiting for the answer ‘Yes’.
“No actually. Mother wants you downstairs because she’s doing something.”
George replied, trying not to upset him again. Alfred didn’t bother to answer him, he just pushed past him, and went down the stairs. George followed him. The activities went on for a few hours before they decided to call it a night, and they all went to bed.
It was about two o’clock in the morning when Charles was awoken sa pamamagitan ng the violent coughing from his Mother. He lifted himself up from his kama and tried to open his sleepy eyes. He looked around to see if George was awake too, but he wasn’t in his bed. Then he heard George with his Mother, trying to comfort her. He could just make out what he was saying. “Okay, maybe we should take you to the doctor or something. I’ll get Olivia, and then I’ll drive you there.” What was going on? Charles had noticed his Mother looking a little rougher than normal, but she seemed fine yesterday. Charles heard footsteps passing his room and going into the next. “Olivia. Olivia!” George was trying his hardest not to shout, but he was so worried about his Mother that he couldn’t help it. “What!? It’s two in the morning!” She replied, half asleep. “It’s Mother, she’s really ill and I need to take her to the hospital. You’ve got to stay here and look after the others.” He sinabi calmly.
Olivia looked shocked, but remained calm. “Okay, you just do what you’ve got to do.” Charles couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He tried to go back to sleep, but he couldn’t stop thinking about his Mother. He heard his Mother and George hobbling out the door and driving away. He prayed she was going to be okay.
“I’m back Mother!” Daniel shouted upstairs to his Mother. He took his shoes off and walked into the lounge. His brothers Alfred and George were playing a board game whilst his sister Marissa was reading. “Did you have a good time?” Marissa asked - it seemed like she was the only one who noticed him. “Yes I did. So, did anything interesting happen whilst I was out?” An interested Daniel asked her. He slumped on the sofa susunod to her. “Not really, just Mother complaining about her throat or something.” She replied.
“Well is she alright?” Daniel gave a worried look. “Yes, she’s fine. Don’t worry.” She smiled comfortingly. “I wasn’t worried! I was just asking, because that’s what you’re meant to do, so it looks like you’re worried. You know.” Daniel explained unconvincingly. “Whatever you say.” Marissa said, laughing slightly. She closed her book and got up to walk out of the room.
The other two boys were playing chess and it was George’s turn. “Erm, I think I’ll ilipat here.” George explained as he moved his reyna a space, taking one of Alfred’s pieces. “Yes! Ha!” George celebrated, doing a little victory dance. “That’s not fair! You can’t ilipat it there!” Alfred said, looking really disappointed and angry too. “Er, I think you’ll find a I can!” George replied, shocked at how childish he was being, “If you don’t believe me, then ask Danny.” Daniel looked up at the sound of his name. “Ask me what?” He asked. “Can I ilipat this piece here?” George said, sounding pretty confident.
“Yes you can.” Daniel said, agreeing with George. “See!?” George sinabi boasting. sa pamamagitan ng this point, Alfred was very frustrated and nearly crying: “Oh, just leave me alone!” He stormed out the room but George grabbed his arm. “What is your problem? It’s only a game!” “Get off me!” Alfred managed to free his arm from George’s grip. George just stood there, watching him walk away, kind of feeling sorry for him.
Hours passed, and everything was normal that night, so far. Alfred was still in his room and the others were downstairs. “So what are we going to do tonight Mother?” Olivia asked. “Well, I thought we could have our own little iksamen night, with activities and everything! What do you think!?” Jennifer replied, smiling as she sinabi it. “That sounds great! Do you want help setting everything up?” Olivia offered kindly. “There will be no need dear, everything is already set up, but thank you anyway! Now is everyone here?” She looked around and spotted that Alfred wasn’t in the room. “Where’s Alfred?” She asked. “Oh, I think I upset him earlier. I’ll go and get him.” He gave a weak smile, and then strolled up the thin, wooden stairs up to Alfred.
When he reached the door to Alfred’s room, he knocked once, before Alfred opened it. “Come to boast again?” Alfred said, waiting for the answer ‘Yes’.
“No actually. Mother wants you downstairs because she’s doing something.”
George replied, trying not to upset him again. Alfred didn’t bother to answer him, he just pushed past him, and went down the stairs. George followed him. The activities went on for a few hours before they decided to call it a night, and they all went to bed.
It was about two o’clock in the morning when Charles was awoken sa pamamagitan ng the violent coughing from his Mother. He lifted himself up from his kama and tried to open his sleepy eyes. He looked around to see if George was awake too, but he wasn’t in his bed. Then he heard George with his Mother, trying to comfort her. He could just make out what he was saying. “Okay, maybe we should take you to the doctor or something. I’ll get Olivia, and then I’ll drive you there.” What was going on? Charles had noticed his Mother looking a little rougher than normal, but she seemed fine yesterday. Charles heard footsteps passing his room and going into the next. “Olivia. Olivia!” George was trying his hardest not to shout, but he was so worried about his Mother that he couldn’t help it. “What!? It’s two in the morning!” She replied, half asleep. “It’s Mother, she’s really ill and I need to take her to the hospital. You’ve got to stay here and look after the others.” He sinabi calmly.
Olivia looked shocked, but remained calm. “Okay, you just do what you’ve got to do.” Charles couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He tried to go back to sleep, but he couldn’t stop thinking about his Mother. He heard his Mother and George hobbling out the door and driving away. He prayed she was going to be okay.
How are the winners determined from the losers? Easy. Whoever gave in first.
And if no one gives in?
Giving in is often easier. But not the desirable choice.
Taylor tapped the glass coated floor. The tiny black droplet that bloomed on her forefinger fell with a soft plink on a tatsulok of glass below.
Taylor cautiously lifted the shard to the light. There it was. A small stain, barely the size of a pinhead, darkening the glass.
That's all I am. Just a flaw on an otherwise clear surface.
Just a flaw. A mistake that was never meant to be.
"I'm leaving," Taylor muttered to herself, getting back to her feet. She strode towards the corner, vanishing just as soon as the shadow fell over to embrace her slight form.
She closed her eyes and felt the end of her plait, fumbling with it until wove free.
She knew where she was going, if only this once.
But when she got there? She hadn't thought that far.
And if no one gives in?
Giving in is often easier. But not the desirable choice.
Taylor tapped the glass coated floor. The tiny black droplet that bloomed on her forefinger fell with a soft plink on a tatsulok of glass below.
Taylor cautiously lifted the shard to the light. There it was. A small stain, barely the size of a pinhead, darkening the glass.
That's all I am. Just a flaw on an otherwise clear surface.
Just a flaw. A mistake that was never meant to be.
"I'm leaving," Taylor muttered to herself, getting back to her feet. She strode towards the corner, vanishing just as soon as the shadow fell over to embrace her slight form.
She closed her eyes and felt the end of her plait, fumbling with it until wove free.
She knew where she was going, if only this once.
But when she got there? She hadn't thought that far.
No sun--no moon!
No morn--no noon!
No dawn--no dusk--no proper time of day--
No sky--no earthly view--
No distance looking blue--
No road--no street--
No "t'other side the way"--
No end to any Row--
No indications where the Crescents go--
No tuktok to any steeple--
No recognitions of familiar people--
No courtesies for ipinapakita 'em--
No knowing 'em!
No mail--no post--
No news from any foreign coast--
No park--no ring--no afternoon gentility--
No company--no nobility--
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member--
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds,
November!
No morn--no noon!
No dawn--no dusk--no proper time of day--
No sky--no earthly view--
No distance looking blue--
No road--no street--
No "t'other side the way"--
No end to any Row--
No indications where the Crescents go--
No tuktok to any steeple--
No recognitions of familiar people--
No courtesies for ipinapakita 'em--
No knowing 'em!
No mail--no post--
No news from any foreign coast--
No park--no ring--no afternoon gentility--
No company--no nobility--
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member--
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds,
November!