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The First Thief

The First Thief

                Tan trembled before his boss and those accusing account books open on the huge desk before him. Mr Goh was known to be a kind and fair man, but he was also a stickler for honesty – and Tan had been dishonest.

                What a fool, and a knave, he had been in that one weak moment! He had only himself to blame.

                 It happened six months ago. His teenage daughter Mei wanted $500 for a designer dress for a party. He could not afford it. But her classmates all had such dresses, so how could she do without it? Mei was all he had now. His wife, Denise, had left him, precisely because of their endless bickering over those expensive things she insisted she had to have to look decent.

                 Some of the firm’s customers settled their bills early, and in cash too, although they were allowed three months’ credit. If he ‘borrowed’ from those payments, he could make up shortages from subsequent months’ payments –and he could roll on like that till he could repay every cent he ‘borrowed’. He did intend to repay every cent of it. He had only to be careful he had no shortage position when the auditors came around.

                It was not an easy thing for a man like him to do. He had agonised more over the ethics than the mechanics of the scam. He could not help it what could he do? Mei was crying her eyes out, preferring death to the dishonour of wearing cheap rags to the party. Mei was all he had now.

                So Tan took the money. He suffered the torments of hell thereafter. He became nervous and shifty-eyed, whenever Mr Goh looked his way. Whenever he was asked about payments received, Tan would start stammering at once. It was almost as though something in him was trying to signal to his boss to catch him out!

                 Now his boss had obviously caught him out. Why else would he summon Tan to his room, and with such a serious countenance, tell him to close the door behind him?

                “I’ve been dishonest,” Tan forestalled his boss before he could begin. He confessed everything, right down to Mei’s dress and Denise’s desertion. I have committed a crime. I wouldn’t blame you if you sack me. And call the police too.”

                 His boss listened in silence. He looked intently at Tan’s face. Then he reached his decision.

                 If I let you off will you promise me two things? First, you repay quickly what you haven’t repaid yet, and from now on you maintain absolute integrity.’

                Tan’s face lit up. “Yes, yes!” he nodded vigorously.

                “Second, tell your daughter everything, including how you almost went to jail today!”

                Tan nodded again. He understood. Mei would have to understand. He knew she would. She wasn’t bad , only immature.

                “Why have you been so good, so understanding? And so confident about me for the future?” Tan had to know from his boss.

                “You’re the second person to have stolen from the firm. Years ago someone else did. He had an understanding boss. He never let him down after that.”

                “Who’s the person? Can you tell me?” Tan asked.

                His boss did not respond at once. Then he smiled and said, “Not now. But the day the person retires, I’ll tell you.”

                Tan did well. In fact he took over as boss the day Mr Goh retired.

                That day Mr Goh told him.

Caught In A Gang Fight

Caught In A Gang Fight

                The welcoming sight of the food centre made Greg’s heart skip a beat. Finally! He seemed to have walked for ages before finding a food centre. A loud rumbling from Greg’s stomach reminded him f his obsequious need to satisfy his intense hunger and Greg quickened his pace. Greg was famished as he had not eaten anything since breakfast.

                Outside the bustling food centre, vehicles, of all shapes and sizes, lined the row of shady trees that ran alongside the food centre. Grimy crockery and scraps of food were strewn in heaps by the overflowing collection bins. Nevertheless, the unsightly scene was no deterrence to a hungry crowd.

                Greg zoomed straight for the stall selling his favourite carrot cake. “One plate of fried carrot cake without chilli, please,” Greg gushed out, thrusting his money immediately to the lady manning the stall. The stallholder nodded in acknowledgement and started frying. Soon, the aroma of fried carrot cake wafted through the air. Greg could not help salivating at the thought of tucking into it.

                 As it was lunch time, people were milling around looking for empty tables and seats. It was an uphill task finding a seat to savour the piping hot food. Just then, Greg noticed an empty seat at the far end of the food centre. Quick as lightning, he plonked down onto the empty seat next to a few strangers.

                Finally! Greg could at long last savour his food. The first bite of the carrot cake was pure ecstasy. Delicious flavours of the spices swam around Greg’s mouth, tickling his senses. Unfortunately, Greg’s happiness was fleeting. Out of the blue, a group of brutish-looking teenagers yielding sticks and metal pipes charged into the food centre. Screams and shrieks reverberated through the air as customers hastened out of their way. The once peaceful food centre was now in pandemonium!

                “Bock all exits!” one of the hooligans, obviously the leader, barked. Cold sweat broke out when Greg realized the group of hooligans was heading straight towards his table. It was then Greg realised that the few people whom he was sharing the same table with were standing alert, arms braced in a fighting stance. Each of them had tattoos all over their arms and backs. Greg groaned and silently cursed himself for his stupidity. He had unwittingly stumbled upon a gang fight! In his eagerness to find a seat, Greg did not even realize that his table was filled with shady characters. No wonder the seat beside them was empty! Greg grabbed his bag and tried to escape. However, it was too late. He was ensnared.

                “Where’s the money you owed us?” the leader snarled. “Pay up now or you’ll be sorry!” Plates of food splattered all over the floor as the hooligan slammed his metal pipe onto the table for emphasis.

                Greg inched his way as far back as possible hoping to make himself invisible. Greg knew that if a fight really breaks out, he was doomed. He sent a prayer heavenwards, praying for a miracle to happen. Suddenly, men in blue stormed into the food centre. He was safe! The police had arrived! They were his heroes, his saviours. Upon seeing the police, the hooligans broke up and scattered in all directions. Policemen chased after them managing to nab a few of them.

                After giving the police officer his statements, Greg could finally make his way home. Greg’s earlier hunger was totally forgotten now. He was truly thankful that he had escaped unscathed. It was an experience that greg would never wish to experience again.

THE BODY

The body of the composition is where you tell the actual story. It joins the beginning (introduction) to the ending (conclusion). In most cases, the body is the most important part of the composition, and in just about every case, it helps to decide whether you get an ‘A’ or an ‘A*’ for your composition.

This is the part where you can make use of beautiful, colourful expressions and bombastic words (vocabulary) to make your story come to life. This is where the why, what, who, when, where and how questions are answered. If you can keep the reader engrossed in your words, paint vivid pictures in his/ her mind, arouse feelings in him/ her similar to what you feel yourself as you write the composition, then you would have succeeded in writing a good composition. Doing this takes skill and practice.

There are many different styles of writing, although certain styles suit certain kinds of compositions better than others. Nevertheless, having a good grasp of the English grammar and a good knowledge of English words/ vocabulary certainly helps.

ADDING DETAILS TO THE BODY

When you are attempting to add specific details to your writing, you should begin with personal details – those sensory, memory and reflective details you have stored inside. These are the details that come to mind naturally, the kind you don’t really think much about. At times, though, it can be useful to stop and think about the kinds of details you are using.

The following may help you do that:

SENSORY DETAILS are those that come to you through the senses (smell, touch, taste, hearing and sight). Sensory details are especially important when you are attempting to describe something you are observing:

 I could feel the warmth of the kerosene stove and smell its penetrating odour even before I opened the squeaky door leading to his third-floor apartment.

MEMORY DETAILS are those that you recall from past experiences. Often, memory details will come to you in the form of mental pictures or images, which you can use to build strong, colourful descriptions.

 I can clearly recall as a kid how I walked the noisy, wooden stairway to his attic room and how he was always waiting at the half-opened door to take the newspaper from my shaking hand.

REFLECTIVE DETAILS are those that come to mind as you wonder about or reflect on something (I wish, hope, dream wonder etc.). Reflective details bring a strong personality to your writing and allow you to write about the way things might have been or may yet be.

 I wonder if he ever knew how frightened I was then and how I imagined there to be all varieties of evil on the other side of that half-opened door – beyond the kerosene stove.

Interesting Vocabulary and Phrases for Creative Writing

Interesting Vocabulary and Phrases for Creative Writing

1.                   Viciously attacked me

2.                   Fled but not before seriously wounding …

3.                   Cared and nursed me back to health

4.                   Defended myself but he was too strong and swift for me.

5.                   Frolicking between the seaweed and corals

6.                   Grew increasing anxious

7.                   Calming the frantic _____, she furiously ____

8.                   Oh! Horrors of horrors! I had forgotten ___

9.                   Alas! My remorse was too late. Dr Soon clucked disapprovingly.

10.               The roar of his equipment was deafening. I tensed, waiting for the pain to start. Suddenly, he   stopped prodding my teeth.

11.               “Okay, Julia, we’re done,” said the dentist matter-of-factly.

12.               Could something be keeping him? Was he at work? My mind was confused and thoughts ran     wild as I thought of the horrible things that might have befallen him.

13.               Dragging my weary body, I  went to bed.

14.               I saw a small box tied with a silk ribbon next to me. I opened it and then saw a gorgeous,              sparkling ring sitting on lush, blue velvet. At that moment, I realised that my husband was a                 good man and that was why I married him!

15.               “Screech!” The screaming of the tyres skidding against tar and granite woke everyone up            immediately while I was rudely snapped out of my pleasant daydreams.

16.               Jenny’s frightened wails made us even more frantic.

17.               A single shaft of moonlight filtered through the thick curtains of Andrew’s room. The only           other source of light was the flickering computer monitor that Andrew was gazing ever so     intently into. The sound of the continuous frog-mating symphony that was being performed      outside the window was mingled with unnatural, often eerie sounds coming from the              computer speakers.

18.               Seized by a moment of frustration, Andrew turned off the computer and decided to resume     his game tomorrow. He jumped quickly into bed, hoping that the four hours of rest would    allow him to survive the long day he had ahead of him.

19.               Evidently, this was not to be. As he slowly dozed off into what should have been a dreamless    sleep, a strange, hissing cackle sounded from the direction of the window. Needless to say,          Andrew was wide awake now. Even the frogs seemed to sense that something was amiss            and ceased their desperate calls for a mate. Thoroughly scared of his wits, Andrew could not          even muster the courage to draw back the curtains to investigate the source of the noise.

20.               Suddenly, another even more sinister laugh punctuated the stillness of the night. It sounded     even closer this time – somewhere inside the room! Next, a shadow descended upon the           room, easily overwhelming the light of the moon. Andrew opened his frail mouth in a silent              scream. After a short scuffle, all was quiet again and the frogs resumed their calls.

21.               Until today, this mysterious tragedy remains unsolved. Only his grandmother with the other      old people who gather at the senior citizens club nearby, merely shake their heads          resignedly saying, “What can one expect when one stays awake during the first few hours of             the seventh day of the Hungry Ghost Festival?”

A Blackout

22.   Father thundered in exasperation

23.   Father got angry over such trifles

24.   Being under unreasonable pressure at work does not give him the right to scold me unnecessarily

25.   The usual din of the HDB flat we lived in died down

26.   Darkness rapidly descended as the TV flickered off and the lights went off

27.   …so terrified of the dark that I could not even pass a dark alley without shivering in fright.

28.   Could feel the monsters lurking in the shadows, ready to attack if the fragile light of the candle flame went out

29.   Electricity was restored

30.   Heaved a sigh of relief

31.   No more monsters waiting to eat me

32.   Loud cheers that filtered through the walls seemed to echo my feelings of relief

33.   How important energy conservation really was

34.   Never again would my father have to nag at me about switching off the lights anymore.

The death of a pet dog

35.   The boy was handsome but what caught me were his eyes. They were anxious. He was carrying, with both arms, a dog. It looked friendly enough, yet there was a hint of arrogance in the way it postured itself.

36.   I carried her and as I conversed with the boy, I felt her body all over until my fingers detected a slight hardness on the stomach.

37.   I did not know what to do then, how to tell this young boy such painful news.

38.   As the boy stroked the white fur of this lovely creature, my palms turned sweaty as I pondered what to say.

39.   If the tumour was removed surgically, she would survive about a year with regular chemotherapy treatment but it was not guaranteed.

40.   The boy looked away, the heavy blow numbing him first.

41.   Then as the seconds ticked by, the numbness gave way to sheer agony.

42.   His face contorted as he tried so hard to keep the tears inside – a small boy, grappling with tragedy. He stroked his friend again, tears dripping onto her coat.

43.   I told the boy that I could put him to sleep quite painlessly and it would end her suffering. The boy closed his eyes and bit his lip. I waited patiently. Then he nodded his head.

44.   I prepared the needle as the boy knelt beside the dog, whispering his last words.

45.   Sometimes, the finest gift you can ever give is to assume the pain of someone you love so that he can be free of it.

46.   A needle pierced the dog’s skin and within two minutes, she was asleep. The boy cupped his face in his hands, the pain overwhelming him. His shoulders slumped. I followed the boy as he shuffled outside.

               

                A mistake that Jasmine would not want to repeat

1.       Followed the good advice of her elders, studied hard and never once had she been caught talking unnecessarily in class. In fact, she had been awarded a Medal of Commendation during ….

2.       Her one ‘fatal flaw’ was the fact that she would never willingly help her parents with the housework.

3.       Had always resented the fact that she had to do menial chores when all her other friends had the luxury of maids cleaning up after them.

4.       Trying to concentrate on an interesting book, Jasmine merely nodded without actually listening to her mother’s instructions.

5.       “The sky is overcast, jasmine. Remember to take the clothes down later.  Don’t get too engrossed in your book’” Mrs Chng continued before closing the front door.

6.       Suddenly, Jasmine remembered her chore. She scrambled hurriedly to the back of the house to get the clothes in. How could I have forgotten about them? She thought to herself exasperated. Oh! How I hate doing this. They shouldn’t make her to do such stupid things. To her horror, she realised that her costume to that night’s Halloween Party at Sandra’s house had also been hanging on the clothesline as well. Its limpness made it clear that it, too, was wet. She had to be dressed in half an hour! What was she going to do?

7.       Mrs Chng’s irritated voice boomed across the hall. Jasmine turned around guiltily at the sound of her voice.

8.       As she plodded heavily to her room that night, she thought about the unhappy turn of events and vowed to herself never to make the same mistake again.

It was my first goodbye

1.       I became depressed. I could not believe that we were actually moving!

2.       It was Father’s dream for us to be able to afford a more comfortable life.

3.       Although Mother had been constantly upbeat about our move, I knew that it was merely a mask for the benefit of Billy, my three-year-old brother and myself.

4.       I could see the hesitance and fear in her eyes when she thought that no one was looking.

5.       The many memories I had accumulated in my twelve short years flitted rapidly through my mind. I started tearing.

6.       “Oh stop being such a coward!” I chastised myself. I said goodbye to my three best friends yesterday. It was my first goodbye. This thought brought fresh tears to my already wet, red eyes. I was never going to have friends like that ever again.

7.       School was probably going to be a serious and unfriendly place where no one would want to talk to the new girl. Why would they? If I were in their position, I might feel the same, too. No neighbours like Mrs Ng would give me treats every day and no cousins would ever be able to come over and play anymore.

8.       Wondering who it could be, I opened the door and immediately, a loud merry voice boomed, “Hi! You must be our new neighbours. We’re the Chans. We brought you some cakes that we just baked.”

9.       Wow! I had always wanted to try roller-blading, but unfortunately, I did not have a pair of roller blades and I told Kerry, my neighbour, so.

10.   “Why, I’d love that. Thanks!” I exclaimed excitedly. We had lots of fun that day. Maybe life in Singapore was not going to be that bad after all.

Interesting Phrases

FEELINGS

1.            ANGRY

§   Tom turned red with fury.

§   Peter was boiling with rage.

§   He stamped his foot in anger.

§   Sally gritted her teeth in anger.

§   They were too angry for words.

§   Her voice crackled with anger.

§   Jake stormed off towards the exit.

§   His anger turned into violence.

§   He drew in his breath with a long hiss.

§   He was like a bull in a china shop.

§   A wave of futile rage swept over him.

§   An angry frown creased her forehead.

§   I could see her eyes glowing in fury.

§   He was so angry that his blood boiled.

§   She stormed out of the room in anger.

§   His fist came down on the table with a loud bang.

§   In a fit of rage, he stabbed her to death.

§   His eyes flashed with anger and resentment.

§   His face was contorted with rage and fury.

§   He clenched his fist and shook with fury.

§   He was fuming but he contained his anger.

§   Seething with anger, he approached me menacingly.

§   In a blind fury, he smashed the chair against the television set.

§   With hands trembling from anger, the man slapped the boy hard.

§   She was hopping mad when she heard the slanderous accusations.

§   His hands were shaking uncontrollably and his face turned an ominous red.

§   His face had turned to the colour of molten lava and his eyes flashed angrily.

§   She stared with eyes filled with anger and hatred that were beyond description.

2.            SAD

§   Sue broke into tears.

§   A dark mood came over Jane.

§   Tears welled up in Nancy’s eyes.

§   She was on the verge of tears.

§   Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks.

§   No words could express his agony.

§   The poor child sobbed sorrowfully.

§   With a heavy heart, he left the hospital.

§   My heart sank when I heard the sad news.

§   Her eyes were puffy and red after all the crying.

§   She cried her heart out on hearing the tragic news.

§   The frightened child was on the brink of tears.

3.            SLEEPY / TIRED

§   I felt run down after a hard day’s work.

§   She felt drowsy and weary after the night shift.

§   He fell asleep the moment his head touched the pillow.

§   She was dog-tired and kept yawning.

§   His eyes were red from the lack of sleep.

§   He was snoring loudly after a few minutes.

§   He was curled up in bed, fast asleep.

§   He was overcome with fatigue and soon fell asleep.

§   The minutes ticked by and soon his eyes started to droop sleepily.

§   He complained sleepily at the endless homework he had to do.

§   His whole body ached in protest as he forced himself to continue. 

4.            HAPPY

§   She was as happy as a lark.

§   He laughed heartily.

§   He laughed till his sides hurt.

§   He burst into fits of laughter.

§   The winner jumped for joy.

§   They were filled with happiness.

§   He rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

§   Her eyes glittered with tears of joy.

§   They were saturated with happiness.

§   He was smiling like a contented old man.

§   He poured out his gratitude profusely.

§   He was all smiles when he saw the results.

§   They roared with laughter on hearing the joke.

§   She kept a straight face but inside she was giggling like mad.

§   Our hearts were full of joy when we heard the good news.

§   My father, coughing hard to suppress a laugh, turned his face away.

§   We were in high spirits and the mood was set for an enjoyable day.

§   Her eyes widened with pleasure when she saw the new gleaming bicycle.

§   He was so happy that he could not help thinking that he was the luckiest man in the world.

5.            FRIGHTENED / EXCITED

§   His knees went soft.

§   Terror seized us all.

§   Panic started to engulf him.

§   She was at a loss for words.

§   He froze for a few seconds.

§   I rose shakily to my feet.

§   A rude shock awaited them.

§   A chill went down her spine.

§   She felt a shiver run down her spine.

§   The sight of the ghost sent shudders down her spine.

§   A loud voice boomed, sending shivers down their spines.

§   I was powerless and frantic with terror.

§   She screamed at the top of her voice.

§   She screamed her head off when she saw the corpse.

§   She jumped in fright when her mother suddenly shouted at her.

§   His face turned pale and his skin felt cold and clammy.

§   Overcome with fright, she lost her balance and fell down in a swoon.

§   She experienced a feeling of weakness and then she blacked out.

§   She stood rooted to the ground.

§   The shock robbed him of speech.

§   I was too afraid to utter a word.

§   A haze of fear surrounded him.

§   The timid girl shrank back in fear.

§   Gary stood motionless with horror.

§   She was panic-stricken when she realized she as trapped.

§   Frightening thoughts raced through his mind.

§   They fled in panic when they saw the charging dog.

§   It took him several days to overcome his nervousness.

§   Our hairs stood on ends as a cry rang high into the night.

§   Fighting back tears of fear, he stared motionless at the approaching danger.

§   With his sense of direction gone, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him.

§   The frightened child was screaming incoherently.

§   Paralyzed with fear, he was speechless.

§   I woke up sobbing, drenched in sweat and paralyzed with fear.

§   I was awakened by a sound, which brought my heart into my mouth.

§   They huddled together and stared apprehensively into the darkness.

§   Terror gripped his whole being and perspiration started dripping from his forehead.

§   A chill ran swiftly up his back, causing the nape of his neck to tingle.

§   I was sick to my stomach at the horrendous sight.

§   Suddenly, he heard his children’s shouts from the garden, shrill with excitement.

§   Back in the room, Tom was simply quivering all over with excitement.

§   The crowd let out a stupendous cheer as the team scored a home goal.

§   Their pulses raced as they neared their final goal.

§   Henry’ skin tingled with excitement as he watched the hair-raising race.

§   They stared at him in blank amazement.

§   She rummaged frantically in her handbag for the revolver.

WEATHER

1.          GOOD / BEAUTIFUL WEATHER

§   The sun shone brilliantly and the water in the pond glittered invitingly.

§   The sun filtered through the clouds, signaling the end of the rain.

§   A golden glow spread across the sky as the sun chased the dark clouds away.

§   The whole landscape was bathed in the warm glow of the rising sun.

§   Palm / Coconut trees swayed to the gentle breeze in the warm tropical sunshine.

§   The fresh air filled my lungs and I felt refreshed and exhilarated.

§   The breathtaking scenery captivated everyone.

§   The pond was bathed in a golden hue by the gentle sunlight and the water was as clear as crystal.

§   The high sunlit clouds drifted across a clear blue sky.

§   The sun rose in a pool of crimson and gold, spilling light all over the land and the white clouds.

§   As the sun set, the few thin strips of clouds on the horizon turned shimmering gold.

§   It was a lovely walk, with the sun setting behind the mountain in a sea of liquid gold.

§   The sunset was glorious, all rosy and salmon-pink.

§   Crimson and amber-tinted clouds overwhelmed the sky.

2.          BAD WEATHER

§   The sky above was full of tumultuous, dark, ragged clouds.

§   It was a cold grey afternoon with a dull sky threatening rain.

§   Black ominous clouds covered the sky and released a sudden shower.

§   Thick black clouds grew ominously.

§   Thick black clouds and thunder rolled in from the west and rain began to fall.

§   Thunder came marching from far away with increasing tread.

§   Lightning and thunder raged with fury.

§   A flash of forked lightning and a great clap of thunder came close upon each other.

§   A bolt of lightning tore across the sky and a peal of thunder came close upon each other.

§   Thunder roared and lightning flashed across the sky.

§   The howling of the wind frightened us all.

§   The wind was howling and soon there was a heavy downpour.

§   The wind was thrashing in the treetops.

§   The morning was cold and wet with a brisk wind sweeping the rain across the land.

§   A curtain of rain beat down from the heaven.

§   Rain pelted down from the skies.

FIRE

§   The car burst into flames after colliding with a stationary lorry.

§   Within seconds, the room was engulfed in flames.

§   A minute later, a loud explosion rocked the building.

§   Screaming in pain, the occupants of the burning house came staggering out into the streets.

§   Screams and loud cries pierced the air.

§   Flames swept over them.

§   Everybody was fleeing frantically.

§   Panic-stricken occupants rushed out from the burning house.

§   Cloaked in a wet blanket, I crouched as low as I could to avoid the toxic smoke.

§   Horrible screams filled the air.

§   The scene was chaotic.

§   The wail of sirens of the fire engines could be heard.

§   There was not a moment to lose. The firemen started putting out the fire as soon as they arrived.

§   Smoke and sparks were whirling in all directions.

§   Thick smoke filled the air, shrouding the surrounding in total darkness.

§   Columns of smoke were seen streaming out from the burning building.

§   Many corpses were charred beyond recognition.