Fan Fiction |
by Carmen Yip
[and the last time seeing little Flora...]
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==July 1999==
Flora runs onto the road, while Tim speeds up to catch up with her, he almost got her, but the sight of an incoming vehicle shocked him…
There was still a considerable distance between Flora and the vehicle, and Tim ran frontward and extended his hands to give the little girl a push…
TIM: (shouted) Run Flora!
The vehicle was still slightly more than 50 metres away. Tim turns to his right, and gazed at the swaying vehicle bizarrely. There was obviously something wrong with the driver. His thoughts seem to freeze, leading him into a trance.
There behind him, Meina was shocked to see him having his feet stuck to the ground.
MEINA: What are you doing, Tim?
She rushed forward…
One and a half second elapsed… The vehicle did not slow down at the sight of Tim. It ironically accelerates…
A loud bang was heard!
He turned, and fell to the ground…
Flora turned back and Meina rushed to him.
FLORA: Daddy! Daddy!
He held his hand out to reach Flora’s little ones despite being in great pain.
TIM: Flora… I didn’t lie… I didn’t…
FLORA: Sorry Daddy I am wrong…
MEINA: (picks up her phone) Don’t worry Tim, I’ll call for ambulance, nothing will happen to you…
TIM: (looks up at her) If you need to go, I will be with you…
MEINA: (confused) What are you talking about, Tim?! Where do I need to go?
TIM: I…
He closes his eyes in pain and puke out some blood, almost fainting away immediately.
VOICE: I’m here!
He struggles to open his eyes in response to the voice. Then he saw her again, standing behind them.
HELEN: Why are you so stubborn?
TIM: Aren’t… aren’t you so too?
Meina looks behind and saw no one, but was mystified.
MEINA: Who are you talking to, Tim?
TIM: (to Meina) Meina, promise… tell Ah Keung… and my Dad and Mum and auntie, to take care of Flora… (held Flora’s hand tighter) Flora… when I’m not here… you must be good and… and listen to ye ye, ma ma, Keung suk suk… and…
Another mouthful of blood ran up through his throat and he felt his head going down, and his movements halted.
The next second, he felt a force lifting himself up. He stood up and turned, to see his motionless body lying besides the pool of blood and Meina and Flora. He stretches out his hand, wanting to help Flora up but it just couldn’t touch her.
He felt the presence of someone behind…
HELEN: Are you glad now? Your daughter had officially become an orphan!
TIM: (explaining) Helen, it wasn’t my choice! It’s Cheung Chi Lik! He wanted to kill me! It’s fate I guess…
HELEN: (points) Look at Flora!
He turns, and sees Flora still squatting by his body, crying loudly over her loss of another kin…
TIM: (turns back) What about… (shocked) Helen, where are you?
He sees nobody, but a pat lands on his shoulder.
TIM: (shocked) It’s you?!
MAN: (laughs) How satisfied are you with this ending?
TIM: How did all these happen?!
MAN: Well, it wouldn’t happen if you hadn’t wanted to change history! Remember what I told you?
TIM: (regretful) Was it fated for me to distort history?
MAN: If you hadn’t done so, Fok Hei Yin wouldn’t have died, you wouldn’t have died, and your family wouldn’t have to grief over your death!
TIM: I guess that doesn’t make any difference even if I could live 10 years more… the only difference is, I brought much more unhappiness to others…
MAN: You could have live! This accident was man-made, and you had a share in it! You know it yourself best!
TIM: I think I really made a wrong choice of turning back time… it killed the one I love…
MAN: So you are having regrets now?
TIM: Which is of no use now…
MAN: What if you had a choice now?
TIM: I would rather nothing had happened… I would rather seeing Helen marrying Barry again happily. So long as she’s living happily, I wouldn’t mind if I’m not… but what do you mean? (looks at him)
MAN: Do you want to give up another 10 years of your life to exchange for this? You have a lifespan of 70 after the previous deduction, so now you have 10 years lesser…
Tim looks at the man, who now had the appearance of a 40-year-old, and nods his head with no hesitation.
TIM: If I can, yes! I don’t want to be so selfish again, I don’t want to make myself happy at the expense of others! I don’t want her to die for me! It hurts! It hurts a million times than seeing she leaves me… I rather see her finding her true happiness!
The man took of his glasses and wipe off a drop of tear… he was touched too…
MAN: No regrets?
TIM: Why are you helping me?
MAN: I’m helping you and helping myself. Is that a deal? Which means everything would be back to square one...
Tim took another look at Flora, he was reluctant not to see her again…
TIM: (looks away, firmly) Deal!
The moment the word emerged from his mouth, he found himself pulling away by a force again.
MAN: Friend, I’m doing the best for you, hope it helps!
---
==May 1997==
Tim woke up in fear, finding himself breaking out in cold sweat. On his left Wing Chak was shaking his arm.
TIM: (sleepy) Ah Chak?
CHAK: Gor, Gor ah! Wake up! Helen jie is leaving today!
TIM: (opens his eyes wide) Leaving? Where is she going?
CHAK: Going to England! She’s leaving by the 5.15 p.m. flight, if you rush there now, may be able to make it…
TIM: (jumps out of the bed) What time is it now?
CHAK: Eh… I don’t have a watch…
TIM: Then I better get going now…
-----
[HK International Airport]
It wasn’t difficult for Tim to spot Helen, who was in blue, as she was standing and talking with her mother, and preparing to get inside.
He runs towards them…
TIM: (grins) Helen!
LIZA: (turns and looks at Tim) I think I should leave some time for others…
HELEN: Mummy…
LIZA: Okay, take care of yourself! Call me when you’ve reached there!
HELEN: (nods her head) I will.
LIZA: (to her assistant) Let’s go.
TIM: (went forward) Helen, can you don’t go?
HELEN: I don’t see why…
TIM: Aren’t there things or people here you won’t bear to leave?
HELEN: I made up my mind.
TIM: What about Flora?
HELEN: (confused) My ex-secretary?
TIM: No! Our little sweetie! How could you…
HELEN: Tim, I think you really need a rest!
TIM: Since you came back this time, you have seen how much effort I have put in!
HELEN: There was a time, when we were very, very close. But you never cherished me. Now that this wound had closed up, let’s not touch it again, will you?
TIM: I know I deserve to die, but can you not put forward the death penalty so soon?
There was a moment of silence, as she looks away. His unsteady gaze was still fixing on her.
Then she picks up her luggage on the ground.
HELEN: (softly) I have to go…
TIM: No!
He snatches the luggage from her.
HELEN: Give it back to me!
TIM: Don’t go, Helen!
She stretches out her hand, while he held on to the luggage and looks at her pleadingly…
From behind abruptly came passing on a shrieking of a woman…
A man was rushing towards them with a 12-inch knife, as he raises the shiny object up…
MAN: An eye for an eye, Fok Geng Leung!
Tim drops the luggage almost immediately and went in front of Helen to shield her. The knife was driving its way down, Tim uses both of his hand to block the attack, while the man keep pressing down with all his might.
TIM: (shouts) Go, Helen!
Using all his might, Tim finally snatched the knife from the man’s hand. Just as he was about to drop the knife, another smaller knife emerged from the man’s left hand and came driving into Tim’s abdomen. He pushes the man away and dropped to the ground.
MAN: Blame yourself for being a busybody!
Then the man grabbed the knife in Tim’s right hand to try to make another attempt on Helen. Fortunately, the security guards had already arrived and captured the attacker.
The others around have already dialed for the police and ambulance. Tim extends his bloodstained hand…
TIM: Helen, Helen… don’t go…
HELEN: I’m not going, I’ll go to the hospital with you okay?
His lips turned paler.
TIM: Helen… I feel so cold… so cold… can you give me a hug?
HELEN: (rubbing his hands) It’s not cold, it’s not cold… the ambulance will be right here…
TIM: I feel so tired…
HELEN: No, don’t fall asleep… if not you won’t be able to see me again…
TIM: (grabs her hands tightly) If I don’t die, will I have another chance?
HELEN: You’ll be alright!
TIM: Answer me, will I? Will I?
HELEN: You’ll be alright, Tim!
TIM: (disappointedly) Why aren’t you answering me? Is it… is it because you know it won’t be the answer I want?
A drop of tear rolled down his cheek, as his hand slipped off hers…
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PS: Quite a long chappie... Finale up next! What do ya think abt this chp? Extra? :P
16/01/2004 ... 0051hrs