Chapter 5 - The Switch

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Recess came, and recess ended. Students hurried back to their respective classes.

“Class! Please go to the language room, and please bring your literature book!” Amir called.

Students grabbed their books and headed toward the language room.

“Here, let me help you with those books,” requested Jon. Wei Wen glanced up.

“Ah… no need lah…”

I could’ve sworn I saw steam coming out of Su Lee’s face. Ah well.

Students chose their favorite seats in the Language room and sat down. Miss Azura strode into the Language Room.

“Stand up class…” Amir called out.

“Nevermind, nevermind, sit down. Who is in charge of the Word Power for today?”

“Khai Nee Yap Connie!” came Angelina Qi’s voice from the back of the class.

“Connie? Ok. Come and write the word power on the board.”

Strangely, Sue Anne got up and wrote the word power.

“Not you Sue Anne, I said CONNIE,” teacher commented.

“Ya lah, I’m Connie,”

The whole class stared with their mouths opened in disbelief. Sue Anne was writing the word power on the board, and Connie was seated, doing her comprehension exercise. Connie stood up, and went over to Miss Azura to hand up her Comprehension Book.

“Here, teacher,”

“Thank you, Connie,” Connie stared at teacher.

“No, I’m Sue Anne, teacher,”

“Ah? Err…” Miss Azura was thoroughly perplexed.

Connie placed her book on the teacher’s table and returned to her seat. She bumped into Sue Anne, who just finished writing the word power. Their gaze rested on each other for a moment, and then the color drained from their faces.

“I see myself!” exclaimed Sue Anne.

“And I see me…” Connie replied, equally stunned.

In a matter of split seconds, they both fainted from adrenal spikes. Miss Azura panicked.

“What’s going on?!”

Sue Anne collapsed onto teacher, and Connie piled on Sue Anne. Unlucky for Connie, Sue Anne was holding a sharp pencil which punctured Connie’s fingertip. Blood dripped. Silence and shock. Then the pandemonium started.

“What’s that smell?” May sniffed the air. “Who’s cooking spaghetti?”

“Duh, no one is a cookin’ here. This is a Language Room, for goodness sake, not a canteen,” Ellie replied tartly.

“But I smell spaghet--” Yimay paused when she caught sight of the scenario at front, especially the red-thing dripping out of Connie’s finger. Yimay gripped the sides of the table. Oh my, it smells so damn nice, like Penang Assam Laksa with prawn paste… Shoot! What crap am I thinking?

A shriek came from the back of the room. Jhanenie was darting around the class like a luna. Poor Bavani was trying to catch her and calm her.

“Dey, macha! You ‘karat’ already ah?” joked Goviind.

“Arghh! Blood!! Get that substance outta my sight! It smells like… spaghetti with lots of cheese on it… Eeeee! GET IT AWAY!” said a crazy Jhanenie. She doesn’t want to see the ‘spaghetti sauce’ because she knew that humans DON’T say that blood smells like spaghetti sauce.

All the girls and boys chattered away excitedly. T-Bone Tan and Yuw Men Wong offered teacher a helping hand. Miss Azura was almost going hysterical.

“SIT DOWN CLASS! PLEASE KEEP SILENT! OR I SHALL CALL PUAN MUNAHHH!!!!”

Everyone scrambled back to their desks and zipped up their mouths. Even Jhanenie who was ‘mad’ sat on the floor and became silent.

“Such behavior,” mumbled Miss Azura. “and some more you are the first class… Vandy Tee, please pass that First Aid Kit behind you.”

Vandy reached behind him and passed it to teacher. Selohah walked over to teacher.

“Teacher, I help you,”

Before Miss Azura could finish treating Connie’s finger, a blackout occurred. All the lights went out. Pitch dark.

“Whoa,” said someone, most probably Harvin Nard.

All the students were too stunned to scream or shout or cry out loud.

“Bang!” the door slammed open. Mr. Toh Say Hi (a teacher) stumbled in. Daylight emerging from behind Mr. Tohsay filled the dark room.

“WHO TOOK MY LAPTOP?”

Everyone exchanged glances at everyone.

“IN THIS WHOLE FLOOR, ONLY YOU PEOPLE ARE HERE!”

“But sir, uh, anyone could have came and take it,” Kok Lam piped up.

“Lam, the metal grill is locked lah, no one else could’ve entered this floor,” said Ngui.

Mr. Tohsay snorted and stumbled out of the Language Room. By now, Connie and Sue Anne had regained consciousness.

“Ohw… I feel so weird,” mumbled Connie.

Sue Anne sat on the floor looking dazed.

“What happened teacher?”

Before Miss Azura could answer, the bell rang. English class was over. School was over. Teacher gave a sigh. Another period of precious time wasted. So much for going through the synopsis of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde.

“Thank you, teacher!” Amir called out loudly, eager to leave the freaky Language Room.

“Thank you, class. Next week on Monday, we will have the class debate.”

“Teacher, what’s the topic?” asked Angelina Qi eagerly. Angela (for short form) loves debates. Why? Because debate is something close to arguing. And Angela loves arguing.

“Let’s see…” Teacher paused a moment to ponder while the students kept their books and stationeries into their bags at a frenzy rate.

“The topic is This House Believes That PMR Determines the Path of Your Future,” replied teacher while closing the Language Room’s door. “Split into two groups, 4 people per group.” And Miss Azura padlocked the grill.

The students of Daysar Secondary School rushed towards the school gate, all eager to get home and enjoy lunch. After all, there was no school tuition on Friday.

High up on the fourth floor of Block A overlooking the school gate, stood a sinister figure. The stranger peered down at the school gate, watching the small figures clad in school uniforms rushing out of the school gate. His lips stretched into a taut smile.

“Soon,” he sniggered, “All will be mine…”

What on earth could that stranger have meant by saying that?

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I'll be off 4 hols so

No postings till 14th.