The Story of 3 Ikhlas

1

Music of the Rain

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“One, two three… Time to sleep. Goodnight.” Amir mumbled to himself and released a snore.

“Amir Syed!” shrieked a shrill voice. Amir blinked. Oh no.

“How can you possibly be sleeping during my history class? Sleep, don’t listen to historical facts, then you’ll be HISTORY.”

“Huh? Wh… what?” Amir blinked his eyes sleepily and glanced surreptitiously around. The furious teacher was filled to the head with lava, ready to explode any minute.

“Uh… Teacher—” poor Amir tried to give an excuse. Teacher’s hand went for the cane, “Why you—“

RINGGG! Before the teacher could finish her lecture, the students were all gone, bags, bottles, and all. “Sigh” was all she could do.

“Phew, that was close,” Amir said gasping for air as he freed his bicycle from the horrendous lock. The sky was grey and the wind was howling. Amir glanced at watch. 7pm. His stomach was growling in hunger. He closed his eyes and imagined his yummy-yummy dinner of fish and chips waiting on the table, calling him. “Come home Amir. We’re waiting for you.

Poof! His daydreams disappeared when he felt raindrops on his bare nose. Without haste he raced home, under the incessant onslaught of the rain.

*****************

House of Suping Tan, 6.45pm

“Achoo!” SuPing sighed. Falling sick on Monday wasn’t a very great thing to happen. SuPing’s mom just gave her a scolding for coming home in the rain and dripping water all over the house, and now she has caught a cold.

“Next time I gotta remember to bring the stupid umbrella. What a simply great day.” She grumbled under her breath. She went to the mirror and examined her face.

“Hmm, a few more pimples to go,” exclaimed SuPing as she reached out for a bottle with the label ‘EXTRA STRONG PIMPLE REPELLLANT’

The cream turned out to be bright green in colour. After applying lots of them on her face, the pimples instantly vanished!

“Go to SLEEP! You’re sick, you know,” her mum called out from downstairs. “Don’t waste time ridding your pimples!”

“But mum, its only 7.20pm!” She groaned and switched off the lights. “ And I haven’t even play my online game or do the karangan that Miss Zubaidar gave…” In minutes’ time, she was flying around with her admirer in Dreamland.

**************

Main road, Jalan Desa

Meanwhile, Amir sped down the dark morning market, past phase two and towards the flats area. A blinding zag of lightning scarred the dark sky, followed by a deafening thunderclap. Syed jumped, almost falling off his bike. Tonight the flats area is unusually dark, he thought. Must be some electric blackout due to the thunderstorm. He decided to take the back road since it is sheltered from the rain.

While pedaling furiously, the sound of sweet wonderful music drifted past him. He pulled his brakes to a sudden stop and closed his eyes, listening to the melody. Suddenly without a warning, the music changed to rock music and Amir could imagine fingers clashing on the piano keys loudly. To make things worse, a rough-and-out-of-key voice started singing; or maybe, shouting.

“I’ll be the smartest in the world, yeah, yeah! The smartest in the world, baby…” It was really pure torture. He closed his ears and groaned.

“This really isn’t worth listening to. I’d bet even Datuk Dr. Mahadir singing to his shower head is better than this.”

He grabbed the handlebar and exerted pressure on the pedals. Before he could travel even 5 meters, the rock music stopped abruptly, leaving the whole alley in eerie silence. As Amir was pedaling furiously he felt the goosebumps emerge and his hair stand. The cold chilling wind whipped around him, sending shivers down his back.

“Freaky,” he muttered quietly.

“Ikhlas… Ikhlas… oh, Ikhlassss…” the wind’s whisper echoed around the freaky alley. Amir pedaled even faster. Soon I will be home and I don’t think I’ll take this shortcut again; ever again, he thought...