Winners of A.C.T.S Essay Writing Competition(COURAGE)

1st Prize: Muhd Nor Hilman Bin Samsuri, 14 Victoria Secondary

For you, I run.

Everything was engulfed with flames. Red hot burning flames. I was putting all my strength on holding mum’s hands. She needs help fast or she’ll be gone in no time. No no no, I cannot stand the thought of living without mum. There was fire everywhere ; the roof was on fire, the doors and windows were all on fire, fire was spreading and coming out in various openings in lightning speed. Its as though there was a fire-breathing dragon somewhere, angered because it’s slumber was disturbed.

I tried my best to move my legs but I just cannot walk across to the burned door. My legs were hurting so painfully I think I could feel my bones protruding out. I did not know what to do nor what to think. All I could do was hold one to my mum’s hand and hope for the best. I looked at mum. She was trying her best to breathe but it seems she could not do so.

Just then, a collapsing wall fell and hit mum’s head out of nowhere. My grip on her was lost and she fell on the floor, rolling away from me. I panicked. Mum, I shouted as I attempted to move towards her. No matter how hard I tried, my legs wouldn’t move. A tear streaked down from my eyelids, running down my blackened cheeks. Mum…

She was lying on the burning ground, unconscious. I shouted her name repeatedly and kept trying to move. I ignored the pain rising from my leg like a volcano erupting. I kept trying and trying till I slipped and my head hit the wall. My head kissed the ground first as I fell hard.

I heard footsteps and then a hard thug on me.

Then, everything just when pitch black.

“Hey dude, wake up.” A deep voice sounded and echoed through my ears, waking me up.

For a moment, all I see were bright but blur surroundings. Where am I? And where is the voice coming from? But most importantly, the question that was hopping about in my head was, where is mum?

As my vision started to clear up and I could see clearing surroundings, I realized where I was. In the hospital. That means I was saved, and that also means mum should be saved, I reasurred myself. I shifted my sight around searching for the guy with the deep voice. My eyes caught a man with a muscular figure but his knees were gone. Both right and left, were gone. Instead, running blades replaced his legs.

He was smiling at me. He must have realized I was looking at his running blades. He walked towards me slowly and sat down on a nearby chair. He introduced himself as Mike. I asked him about mum but he just gave me a pity look as an answer. He then quickly erased away the sad look and a serious look overlapped his face.

“Before I tell you anything, would you like to hear a story of me?” He asked me in a gentle voice.

I had to agree, right? So I went on and nodded my head. What I did not know was that I was about to hear the most life shaking story I have ever heard.

Mike was a normal boy back in the past, a normal kid leading a normal life. Like any other kids, he would always play in the playground with his friends and go to school. He grew up to a fine young teenager. But, it all changed when he lost his legs. Both of them.

The moment he heard the sound of the bell ringing, he started packing his pencil case and books into his canvas bag. He stood up and greeted the teacher, then exited the classroom and ran to the field. He laughed as he ran, enjoying the wind brushing past his head.

Once he reached the field of the school, he stopped. Taking deep breaths, he went to sit on a long wooden chair. A few minutes later, a girl sat next to him and smiled. It was Amanda. She was his childhood friend and they were like brothers and sisters till now. Amanda was in track and field too.

“You must have ran again to here right Mike?” She asked as she laughed while shaking her head.

Mike just laughed along, showing his glowing white teeth. He then went to change to his running shirt, Nike shorts and his old Nike running shoe. After he was done changing, he went together with Amanda to the track where the coach was waiting. During that time, the track and field CCA had only a few members. Mike was the fastest and youngest runner among the members.

Coach Lee smiled as waved at both of them. He told them to start off the same routine as before. Mike nodded and did his exercise routine. He then went on to the main part of the training which is jogging. Amanda and him went and jogged around the old red track rounds and rounds.

Mike was enjoying the wind as he jogged, looking around at the greenery outside the school. Just as he was jogging, his right foot felt as if it was stuck. Mike panicked a little. He looked down only to see his right foot stuck inside a hole in the track. Before he could do anything, he slipped and fell. Because of the fast speed of jogging, his body turned around as it fell to the ground. His knees made a loud cracking sound, which shot a sharp pain up his leg to his whole body. His body and legs crashed hard to the ground.

Amanda stopped jogging. Her mouth made a shape of an O. Immediately, she ran to Mike and tried to turn him around but she could not because his bones were sticking out of his leg. Mike shouted in grimace as he tried to fight the pain. Coach Lee, who was sitting on a chair, stood up when he heard Mike’s screaming. Alarmed, he ran to where Mike was lying down, in a pool of blood. He became shocked.

Coach Lee took a deep breath and told Mike to calm down. Mike followed his instructions and took a deep breath too. Coach Lee fished out his mobile phone and dialed the ambulance. Amanda took out her cloth and wrapped it on Mike’s upper thigh to stop more blood from coming out of his knees.

A few minutes later, Mike went unconscious.

He woke up in a hospital just as I did. Mike looked around the hospital room and called Amanda and Coach Lee’s names. Amanda came in first, wearing a worried look. Then came Coach Lee who pulled up a chair and sat down beside Mike. That was when Mike heard the most heartpainful news of his life. He lost his legs.

“Your mum is coming soon. She will be here soon. Mike, I know you love running. It doesn’t mean you don’t have your legs anymore, you can’t run. You have to keep moving Mike. You have to. I have faith that without your legs, you still can achieve.” Coach Lee said to him in a convincing tone, shedding a tear as the words came out.

His mum entered the hospital room, tears running down her wrinkled cheeks. She went beside him and stroked his hair. Mike was crying a pool of tears when he heard the news. His mum told him that it was okay. She mumbled that he would be alright. Mike could not believe what just happened. He lost his legs. He closed his eyes and asked Amanda, Coach Lee, and his mum to give him some time alone. All of them were shocked at first, but they soon agreed and left the room.

How is he going to run now? What are his friends going to think of him now? A disabled useless guy? He could not help but release more and more tears. Then, he remembered Coach Lee and his mum’s words. Coach Lee said to him that he could still carry out his dreams. He could still carry out his dreams, to compete in running competitions with other countries. But how? He had to ask his coach. The next day, Coach Lee and his mum entered the ward. Mike quickly called his coach and mum to sit beside him. They did so, but looked at him weirdly. He then posed the question that has been in his mind since last night. How was he going to run? Upon hearing the question, Coach Lee beamed with a cheery smile. His mum’s face lighted up too. Coach Lee slowly explained to Mike that there was a way, that is to equip his legs with running blades. He also informed Mike that these running blades act just like legs.

Mike answered almost instantly that he wants those running blades.

From then on, Mike used his running blades to move around. When he first started using the running blades, it hurts quite a lot. He would constantly feel the sharp pain. Coach Lee kept on running with him and pushing him forward. Amanda kept on helping him move about and was there to protect him from the harmful words of bullies. His mum kept on staying up late at night to massage his legs and woke up early every morning to prepare him nutritious meals.

He had to achieve his dreams. He ran and ran and ran and never stopped. Before he knows it, he was running in the Olympics. He beat the World Record which sustained for 2 years and he won countless gold medals. His mum, Coach Lee, Amanda felt an endless sense of pride for him. Mike felt a great sense of appreciation and love for the three heroes of his life, and always thank them for their support, love and time. But ultimately, he knew it was his choice to kept running, to not stop, to face his fears of losing friends, failures and to put away his belief that he could not run anymore, that spark his success.

“I’m really sad to say that your mum is gone. I really am. But she must be up there hoping that you go on and achieve your dreams, like I did. In fact, after I saved you from the fire and heard your story, I have another dream to achieve. I heard you are runner for your school’s team? My dream is to make sure you keep running. So are you gonna just stop or are you gonna keep moving your legs young man?” Mike said, looking at me intently.

I could feel the hope radiating from his eyes to mine. I lost mum, yes I did. But Mike must be true. She must be hoping for me to be happy and achieve my dreams. A tear slowly trickled down my cheek as I remembered the words she said to me when I was a child.

“Honey, no matter what you face in life, you must not stop moving. You must keep pushing no matter how hard, how painful the situation you are in is.” Her sweet voice echoed through my mind.

A smile etched across my face as I looked at Mike. I gave him a nod. If he can do it, so can I. If he can run, so can I. If he can compete, so can I!

“Let’s run then Mike. Let’s run!” I shouted, and he smiled widely.

I could imagine myself running across a track, competing with different people from different countries. I could imagine myself holding a medal and Mike clapping his hands with my other friends.

Mum, this is for you. I will never stop running and running, don’t you worry. Never.

2nd Prize: Lee Han Wei, 11 Jing Shan Primary

Courage surfaces in unexpected situations

Albert Spike murmured to himself, Would the scheme work? There were flaws that the conspirators had not reviewed. He whispered into his walkie-talkie, “Target spotted.” Objective completed. His accomplice at the other end snorted in approval. “Well, take him down!” He gulped in dread. He regretted joining this and he knew the consequences if he made even the tiniest mistake. The death sentence.
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Stendeval was one of the nation’s most noted security guard for apprehending three criminals in cahoots single-handedly. After all, he wasn’t famous for nothing. He had a baton and a revolver in his holster for emergency use. He had been tipped off by a source that there was something fishy going on hence, he was keeping an eye out for surreptitious activity. “Stendeval, do you copy? It’s Tom here! There’s …”The line went dead.
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Albert could not register what he just did in a moment of impulse. He’d just rendered a security guard unconscious. It felt wrong, and that nagging voice grew into his conscience. Unacceptable.
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Stendeval stood dumbfounded. He contacted the other guards patrolling the area but there was nothing except static. There was definitely something amiss as fear clutched his heart in a vice-like grip. It was unfathomable. All systems seemed intercepted and screens in the mall fizzled and blanked out. The other guards were incapacitated.
The thugs shoved the unconscious guards into a cupboard, nodding at their boss with unspoken understanding. Nine guards down. One left. A thin smile played on their lips. Success was almost guaranteed.
___________________________________________________________________ Stendeval’s heart raced. Blood pounded in his ears as he ran to the only place he was thinking of. The person whoever he was had secured the perimeter by taking out the guards, and that somebody would sooner or later take over the intercom at the PA system room. Which was where he was running towards.

Albert steeled himself. He’d followed instructions to go to the PA room to tell everyone in the building that the doors were locked and that they were hostages at least until the government coughs up 50 million dollars. It was a good plan, he privately thought, but will soon be foiled by me, and my conscience is clear.
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Ten meters. Stendeval’s heart was racing.
Five meters. His lips turned pale and dry.
Three meters. Jittery as he was, he braced himself.
He was at the door.
He opened the door a crack, to see a disheveled-looking man facing ahead. Quick as lightning, he grabbed the revolver from its holster and pointed it at him.
“Raise your hands up! Tell me who you are and who are you working for!” Albert followed Stendeval’s instructions and said coolly, “The name’s Albert Spike. I’m now on the side of the law.” “But how can I trust you?” “I’d told the shoppers to evacuate due to an emergency, which you’ve heard and they’re frenzied. The gang members of the Destructive OperationS, a terrorist group, must have worked it out by now that I am a traitor. So I suggest that if you want to get out of here alive, we’d better go than be sitting ducks.”
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Stendeval admired Albert’s courage. Rather than to go against his own conscience, he chose to do the right thing. Albert dialed 999 for the police and told them about the situation. The police officer at the other end of the line listened intently and said a posse of police and paramedics will arrive shortly. Albert cut the line and gave a curt nod to Stendeval; time to go. Suddenly, there were voices down the corridor. “Quick, they’re here!” Stendeval whispered frantically. The voices became audible and Stendeval gave his baton to Albert as he sprinted to the front of the door. His intention dawned upon Albert and as the first man walked in, Albert dealt a powerful blow to his head and he went down like a ragged doll. The second man saw Albert knocking out his buddy and bellowed angrily. He charged towards Albert with his club raised but before his club made contact, he felt a tiny prick in the back and collapsed like his partner. Stendeval had striked him with the butt of his pistol. Let’s go, he mouthed the words to Albert who mumbled a thank-you.

Ten minutes later, the police had arrived, helping to evacuate the shoppers while the bewildered criminal mastermind rounded up his men and told them to flee at once; the odds were against them. Stendeval and Albert could not suppress a grin, they had thwarted the conspirators! When the place was devoid of shoppers, a police officer yelled into an amplifier, “Show yourselves and surrender!” The criminal mastermind, aka Mike Murray, muttered under his breath, “Over my dead body.”
The police, seeing that the terrorists were not coming out, shouted a warning and went into the building armed. Stendeval and Albert appeared, behind the criminal who had managed to escape from the law for years. “There’s no way out, trust me. Just surrender without putting up a struggle. There’s no escaping the long arms of the law.” The criminal mastermind turned around and when he saw Albert, he turned purple with rage and sniggered, “Well look who’s here. The rat.” Just then, the police surrounded the evasive criminal with Stendeval and Albert. “Hands up!” two police officers dashed in and gripped the villain tightly. “Before I go, I have a present to give you, Albert.” He struggled free of their grip and unsheathed a dagger from his waistcoat. Then the criminal plunged his knife into Albert’s heart. It was a fatal wound.
When happened next flew by in a blur. Paramedics declaring Albert dead on the spot, Stendeval, too shocked for words… … interrogation continued.
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On December 19, 2003, Daniel Grove, aka Mike Murray, was hanged for murder and several charges against him. And Stendeval received a promotion, Albert Spike was known as a courageous hero who stopped a disaster in time.

3rd Prize: Chin Li Ting Samantha, 15 CHIJ St. Joseph Convent

The Escape

I ran, feeling intense pain on my legs. Heavily panting, gasping for air.  Time seemed to slow down, and I felt as if everything was in slow motion. Ever cry of pain I screamed, echoed and it was slurred. I couldn’t care less anyway. Two big burly men were chasing after me and I knew they would catch me. I just know they will. I did not know where I was. It was extremely dark and I was trapped. I was running away from two big burly men, men from Hitler’s army.

They had captured Jews and placed them in this gas chamber. I am a Jew. I was only 15 when I was captured. I did not know where my family had gone. Were they good as dead? Or hiding?

Let me assure you. Those rumours you heard about having to be naked, it is not true. We did not have to strip. We were not humiliated. We were just being tortured. Before we entered the chamber, men, sizes of elephants, injected each one of us with a blue concentrated liquid. As the needle penetrated through my skin, I screamed in agony, feeling the liquid sipping through my veins. It felt icy and it stung. It was as if injecting minty gooey solution into your arm.

They grabbed me and opened the chamber’s door. The smell in the air was so morbid and horrid. I could pass out any moment. I could feel toxic fumes entering my nose and then, to my brains. Many were screaming. I could not comprehend what they were saying. I turned to the men, whose eyes were filled with pity. I tried to say, “Please sir, help me”. However, it came out as “ preaisee sirp, herll mmai “. In pity, one said, “I’m sorry.” I was thrown into the chamber. Lying on the cold hard floor, my shoulders started to tense up. I felt as if my body was on fire. I managed to take a glance at the people around me. Most of them looked green and zombie-like. That brought me to tears of fear. I wanted to get out of this deathlike place. I tried getting up, my body felt numb. I probably only have thirty minutes before the toxic fills my entire body and I would be just like the zombie-like people. Every one minute, someone comes in. I had to do something. I had to escape. I wanted to tell the “newbies” my plan, but I was unsure if it would work! My voice was still slurred due to the blue liquid. A guy next to me took up a note book and held up a pen. He’s probably in his late twenties? He tried writing something, it looked illegible but I could comprehend it. He wrote “You have a plan?” I looked at him in shocked and I immediately took the pen from him. Now, it was not an easy task to write. My hands felt wobbly and numb but I wrote it down anyways. I pleaded to God, asking him to help all of us because he is the God who gives us strength. We passed the paper around. I knew that God would help us. As everyone read it, they looked up and nodded. With courage, all of us stood up. Together, with courage, we linked arms. The door was going to open anytime now. With courage, I led. The door was going to open anytime now. As the guard pulled the heavy door open, we shouted “CHARGE!” We ran out of the door with all our strength and the guard was shocked. They chased after us. As we ran, many fell and some had passed away. With all my strength, I knelt down trying to pick up them up and muttering to them that they should not give up now. I might be dead any moment too as it had been twenty-five minutes since the inhalation of the toxic fumes.  In anxiety, I turned my head slowly only to see a gun pointing at me. I stood up, raised my hands in the air, and I inhaled the gas that I had been longing to smell, the sweet smell of freshness. He pulled the trigger, the bullet flew towards me and I exhaled my last.