Fan Fiction |
by Carmen Yip
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MAN: Yip Wing Tim!
"TIM": Who are you?
Out of nowhere, he found a ray of strong white light attacking his eyes. He shields them instinctively with his hands, and when he opens his eyes again…
Now he was surrounded by snow white, wool-like materials. He almost thought he landed on a sheep’s back or what. The man in front of him seems to be in his 50s or so.
"TIM": (to himself) Where am I?
MAN: (smirks) That doesn’t matter!
"TIM": Who are you?
MAN: That doesn’t matter either! (laughs) Don’t you desperately yearn to know what’s going on?
"TIM": (mixed thoughts) You…
MAN: (exclaimed) I brought you here!
"TIM": (cries) But how?
MAN: Remember you made a wish last night? What did you wish for?
"TIM": I wish I could turn back time and…
MAN: There’s a price for everything!
"TIM": I know!
MAN: So, any regrets?
"TIM": No!
MAN: Final answer?
"TIM": (rolls his eyes amusingly) Yes! But… what is the price I have to pay?
MAN: Just as what you had stated! You’ll have to give up 10 years of your life!
"TIM": 10 years for a lifetime, it’s worth it!
MAN: (laughed) Hahaha… I don’t guarantee anything!
"TIM": But as long as I’m here, I’m confident of turning the tables…
MAN: (clear his throat) But I have to warn you, that you have only a week’s time here!
"TIM": What?!? A week in exchange for 10 years?
MAN: You ask for a chance, and here you are, whether you take it or not!
"TIM": A week? (to himself) What can I do in a week?
MAN: Do you know that even the slightest action of human may change history?
"TIM": Yes, but… she’s married at the moment.
MAN: I don't know what you can do, but I’ll be here to tap your movements! So, that’s a deal?
"TIM": Yes!
The moment the word came out from Tim’s mouth, the man vanished in a puff of smoke. Tim looked around, to find that he was still in that white arena.
The man came back again, and used his invisible hand to give Tim a hard brush, which seems to blow him away like a twister. Before that he caught a last glimpse of that man, he appears younger…
MAN: (shouted) Remember, you have only 7 days! Cherish your moments!
"TIM": (blown away) Ahhhhhhhhh…
Tim took a breather, and found himself landing heavily on his bed. He took a careful look.
Ooops! This wasn’t his apartment! What’s wrong! That man pulled a trick on him.
He tilted the photo frame at the side table…
It was his very own Helen… the one whose heart used to belongs to him…
But now, the one besides him was her Barry. And gazing at their intimate hug in the photo, he feels the pinch!
His heart turned into some crumpled pickles… the feeling was just so…
He recalled… he never really had any photos with her before, the only one… perhaps was the one they took on Michael’s and Ivy’s wedding as their bridesmaid and best man respectively.
He still commits to memory vividly how she used to steal occasional shy glances at him. How sweet! How he wish to revive those little moments! But he would always act cool and pretended not to see it. How cruel! He hated the past him!
She was smiling so beautifully in the photo, but was she really happy? Had she really found her own happiness in Barry? He knows the answer best! Just before they landed on plane to visit his uncle, Howard in Taiwan, he had coincidentally met the heartbroken Barry who intended to return to the states for good. Knowing the cruel fact that he was not the one in his beloved’s heart, the poor guy had decided to retreat and gave them his blessings.
But his good-willed intentions were never fulfilled. Instead, he left her to be hurt by the cruel Tim once again, until she had lost all her hopes about them…
A drop of lonely tear landed on the frame, and slid all the way down…
Some sounds were heard from outside. Tim hided himself in the attached cupboard.
Soon after, a conversation emerged…
BARRY: (shutting the door) Dear, why were you so gloomy over dinner? Something cropped up at work?
HELEN: Nope, I’m ok. (sitting on the sofa) Just a bit tired. Could you pass me a cup of black coffee, please?
BARRY: Nah, that is not good for your health! I’ll pour you some warm milk for you to sleep better.
HELEN: No, I don’t want…
BARRY: (caringly) Can you just listen me to once?
HELEN: (smiles) Ok then… How is your court case doing? The one about the husband killing his wife…
BARRY: (sits down and passes her the milk) Drink this! (sighed) Before I got my facts right, I did regretted fighting the case for the husband. How could he ever do this to a woman he loved! If he didn’t love her, he shouldn’t have married her. But… later I found out that the wife had a lover outside!
HELEN: (a bit uneasy) Is that so? Erm…
BARRY: I told you before, but you don’t seems to remember…
HELEN: Oh yeah? Maybe I forgot!
BARRY: (shook his head) You’re too tired, take a rest!
Helen proceeded to the room and drew out the side drawer, to take out something familiar…
Through the slit opening, he saw her playing with his self-invented electronic worm game. He realized how much he meant to her! She had been keeping it till then.
It was a symbol. To represents her love, her hopes, and almost unattainable dream of hoping he could reciprocate her love! She didn’t give up on him! All the while! How foolish was he to have such retarded comprehension! It was until the Jason incident, that she had started to wake up from this hopeless dream.
She loved him, she cherished him, she cherished every moment of their togetherness. But she was nothing more than a friend in his eyes! Not even that! She was despicably made used by him, once and again! Until she had seen through life, seen through him, seen through the real meaning of love!
Barry came in and she kept the device in the shortest given time, and then cast a vague smile across her cheek. He then pulls her gently into his arms, and fondles with her hair warmly.
She shuts her eyes and leans on him trustingly…
Another line of tear formed on Tim’s cheek. How he wish to rush out and tell her, “Helen! The Yip Wing Tim whom you had spent half a lifetime loving… he loves you too! Deeply!”
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He didn’t know when exactly did he manage to doze off, but when Tim rubs his eyes open, it was already daybreak. He took a peek outside the little space he was squeezing himself in.
Barry was not there, and Helen was sleeping as peaceful as a toddler with both her hands under her head.
He pushes open the cupboard lightly so as not to alert her. Then he went on his tiptoe towards her…
Raising his right hand and placing it on her cheek, he tenderly brushes away her loose strands of hair and secured a kiss on her cheek. How he desires to pull her into his hug again, but everything had became so impossible overnight. Was is overnight? He wasn’t sure.
Forcing his disobedient feet to take his orders, he got up, turned, and took a last glimpse of her before opening the door and makes his way out. Just before further action was taken, a soft voice alerted him.
HELEN: (softly) Tim…
He was shocked, and wheeled himself around…
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PS: Hahaha... this chp is a bit extra and crazy, I know! But well... I am just like this when it comes to Helen and all... so... hehehe... Pray hard I won't be so extreme! Just give your heartfelt comments! Am I being a bit exaggerative here? Ooops! :p
03/09/2004...0207hrs