Page 81 - 2023 eMag Final Draft

Written by Eanne Koo Jr1Z(1) It’s futile, isn’t it?
Illustration by Sam Jian Shan Sr1ScE
The clock resonated with an audacious
tick, loud enough to replace humans. A
restless reflection was seen on the crystal,
gazing into the abyss for unknown
reasons.
The day repeated itself yet again. The
aroma of morning coffee tantalised his
senses, only to be replaced by a sunset
hue as he blinked the hours away. He
loathed it– everything faded from his
memory through neglect, just like an
anomaly. When he was young, he sought
to achieve more; but now, he was adrift
with no goals. To put it simply, he wasn’t
satisfied at all.
His chosen path mirrored his discontent,
a desperate grasp at stability. The
disinterest he displayed was evident to
his colleagues, their words dripping with
annoyance.
“Mr. Eden Yang, I swear to whatever’s up
in the sky – if you keep spacing out, the
higher-ups will SURELY fire you.” Their
voices tinged with exasperation.
His answers were never direct, and he
knew it.
“Sorry,” he muttered tautly.
He’d make a subconscious note to
thank those who noticed his passive-
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aggressiveness.
He used to think that this job was for the
better. Rather, his parents convinced him
that being a writer would only result in
shattered dreams and empty pockets.
“Eden ah, it’s not because we don’t want
you to become a writer, it’s because we
want the best for you. Writer cannot make
money.”
Maybe they were right, there was no way
he would succeed.
But what if there was just a sliver of
chance?
This sent echoes into his mind: no way.
A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he
slumped into his chair, his hands violently
ruffling his hair.
When he was young, he had spent
copious efforts on writing pieces, maxing
out his sources of knowledge to the
limit. Yet, he quit just because of his
parents’ disapproval, a mere speck of dust
compared to all those massive errors in
his pieces.
It still troubled him today, but he was in
no place to move at all. Foolish, wasn’t he?
Then, a memory unravelled its threads,
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