Compo 9 (Sean Pang)

Plink......Plink......!" The sound of a hammer smashing on metal woke me from my heavy slumber. Beats of sweat formed on my forehead and my hands grew clammy as my memory was jolted back to that nerve-wrecking incident.

"Plink......Plink......!" A smashing sound echoed around the corridors. I had just finished my table tennis training and was trudging home wearily. "What could that sound be?" I questioned myself. Soon curiosity got the better of me and I went to investigate the source of the sound. However, before I could reach the sound, the hammering stopped. Certainly I had heard the sound, or was it a figment of my imagination? After waiting for a while and upon hearing nothing, I continued my way back home.

"Mmm...... this sandwich surely is yummy!" I gushed buoyantly while engulging myself to a widespread of sandwiches. "Ouch! An ear-piercing cry coming from my neighbour's house broke the tranquility of the scene. Startled, I dropped the sandwich that I was munching. "Huh? I thought my neighbour went on a holiday?" I murmured under my breadth as a zillion thought raced through my mind.

I walked stealthily to my neighbour's house. At the corner of my eye, I espied a hammer and a broken lock. This was when everything struck me. To confirm my suspicion, I took a slight peek through the window. Tables and chairs were overturned and clothes were thrown on the floor. Finally, I spotted a burly man wearing cap with tattoos all over his body chuckling evilly as he stashed the crisp fresh notes into the canvas bag he was carrying. He was also limping. Upon seeing this, I dialed for the police with shaky hands and told them what had happened. Minutes ticked by slowly and my heartbeat increased with every passing minute.

Soon impatience overwhelmed me and I decided to catch the robber myself. I picked up a stick and started to move towards him when his attention was diverted to a huge gem. " Blam!" I tripped and fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Beside me lay an innocent looking broom lying on the floor. The sound made the robber turn and look at me. When he saw my presence, he yielded out a huge knife and approached me menacingly. The blade seemed to glisten with evil. My heart nearly missed a beat as I stood rooted to the ground, stunned. I shut my eyes tightly praying that the police appear at once. "It is okay now." I heard a gentle voice. When I opened my eyes, I saw two police officers escorting the robber to the police car. Before the car drove off, the man flashed me an evil smile so evil that it was carved in my memory so deeply that I would never forget.

Upon returning to reality, I shouted at my father, "Dad, can you stop the hammering! Not only it is preventing me from sleep, it is also driving me nuts!”

Sean Pang Jia Le
5 Kindness