hikikowriter

XXVI | Bitch ❦ That’s not the end of it. The doorbell rang again. Jerry was going to ignore itthis time but then he rememberedhe had seen Rowan outside earlier. Why was it the donkey who spoke to him? Wait, the donkey spoke?! Anyway, he was spooked.So he picked up the phone, called the police. … Read more

XXV | Witch ❦ We played socceruntil it turned dark. Now:surrounded by cans of Red Bull,sprawled in the empty carpark,faces lit by yellow streetlights. Jerry leans on Tom’s shoulder. Tom tilts his can of Red Bullfor Jerry to drink. He smileswhen it trickles out the side of Jerry’s mouth and wipes it for him. Ming’s … Read more

XXIV | Necklace ❦ I take off my earphones and find that I’m standing in frontof the nameless chicken rice shop. Again. I’m coming here too oftenfor someonewho wants nothing to do with Rowan. What excuse do I have tonight? I lean against the pillarof the neighbouring shophouse,thinking. I put my earphones back in. That’s … Read more

XXIII | Will Be ❦ Aren’t these peoplesupposed to be recovering already? What am I supposed to say?Why am I even here? This situationdoesn’t make any sense. I look at Rowan. You handle this. I pick at my Scrabble tilesand form a word.   Rowan watches meand says, ‘God kept you alive.‘There are still things … Read more

XXII | Age ❦ Sunday morning,I thought of texting Rowan to apologise but I foundthat I don’t have her number. So at the hottest time of the day,I got out of bed and went to the nameless chicken rice shop. Grey shutters covered the glass doors. In big painted red letters a sign:CLOSED ON SUNDAYS. … Read more

XXI | No Choice ❦ The baristawho made our coffeeis new, Shuhui says. That’s why the coffee’s so badly calibrated. We’re in the handicapped toilet. Together. It’s cold.A bit dusty. I got herto leave her cigarettebehind. Her lips still taste like ash. Ash and crayon. She smells like flowers though.‘Life sucks,’she whispers. For some reason,that … Read more

XX | Torn ❦ Rowan stares at mewithout saying anything. We don’t speakbut everything I have to sayis clearly visible in my eyes.   She pulls her arm from my grip. ‘You don’t want to see her,’she says. I don’t reply. I search her gaze,to find out how her expressionless black eyes can see the … Read more

XIX | Zoo ❦ I haven’t visited the zoo since primary school. It’s stupid.Singapore imports all the animals. We buy ticketsand go inside. Rowan’s wearing a bucket hat,a long black skirt.She looks like an auntiewith that free National Day tote bag. I don’t know whereI’m supposed to look.   Yesterday I told her about the … Read more

XVIII | Empty ❦ In the end,I don’t join my friendsat the park. I’m here at this chicken rice shopthat used to be a bar. It’s empty when I walk inside.   There’s no sound when the door opens—there’s none when it closes either. Inside, it looks like a museum exhibitand hasn’t been touchedfor a … Read more

XVII | Lost ❦ I can’t concentrateon what the teacher is saying. There’s hieroglyphics on my worksheetsand mud in my brain. The bell rings(I think). I follow my friends to the back gate(I think). Rowan watches me from underneaththe rowan tree. Her eyes follow me even though I’m sureshe doesn’t know it’s the same Ria. … Read more