Page 23 - KCN 2020

Safe Prose (JR1):Second Place PROSE (JR1) : THIRD PLACE

and Kong Ka Lok, JR1I

Sound. Should young people obey their elders without question?

Chu Yan Fong, JR1J
Everyone has experienced a terrifying moment or event in I took a glance at my watch. It was half past nine! We had
their lives, it just depends on how terrible it was. I am here to share managed to get lost in our school for an hour and a half. We all Since young, we all have been taught and educated to respect our elders and to always obey. Therefore,
my experience when I was still studying in primary school. nodded to each other, an agreement to execute the first motion of our
plans. One of my friends, Stephanie, stood forward and unclipped the sentence “Young people should always obey their elders without question” was formed. But after fur-
There were rumors among the students that a room at the a hairpin from her hair. She went to work with picking the lock of ther thought, I myself agree and disagree to it.
end of an unfrequented corridor in my school had something bizarre the forbidden door while we stood behind her and chatted quietly.
locked inside of it. Some said it housed a ghost, some said it shel-
tered stray cats, some said it was just an abandoned janitor’s closet. Before we knew it, the door was ajar, and we found out First, let us talk about why we should obey our elders. When we all do something our elders tell
However, being immature at the time, my friends and I decided to the disappointing truth. It was just a storage room which hadn’t us to do, we all believe that it is beneficial to our future, which is true. Well, it is simply because they have
check the room out, as we thought of the theories circulating around been used for some time. No supernatural beings, no magic por- gone through many years of life, thus they are experienced and know the rights and wrongs when doing
the school. We thought it was a gateway to another world. tals, not even a single stray animal. Disappointed, my friends went
back through the path we came from. Being the leader of the oper- something.
Since the classes along the corridor were only used for ation, I was not satisfied. I strode into the room with my bag and
tuition, it was closed during school hours. That meant we had to my flashlight. Young people also obey their elders just to “respect” them, most commonly their parents or grand-
wait until it was nighttime, since that was the time that tuition in
the school started. Fortunately for us, the tuition had little to no stu- It turned out to be a horrible idea. I stepped through the parents. Because they have been advising us and teaching us throughout our lives, it is right to show
dents attending it, so we were not afraid of being caught by anyone. door frame and immediately my foot got stuck in the old door. I respect to them. Therefore we should obey them without question, and we should always remember that
We didn’t need to worry about the security guards as well, as one of tripped forwards, pulling the door shut in the process. I struggled to they tried their best to educate us the right way.
my friends found a time table of their work schedules. We decided my feet and tried to open the door once more. Nothing happened,
to avoid those time periods. the door would not budge. That was when it hit me: I was stuck in
here. So, there is a mountain load of reasons to obey them. But yet I disagree in some points. Like I said,
Despite the warnings from my classmates, my friends and it is important to respect them, but sometimes we have to think for our own good. Elders always want us,
I were too determined to find out what was behind that door. After I screamed and knocked on the door frantically, but no
our mathematics class, we were done planning and were ready to one came to my rescue. Although I was terrified at the time, I was the young people to learn something they did not, which is good if you think of it. But we all have some-
execute our plans. That very night was the night I regretted the most, still able to think. I grabbed my cellphone and dialed the number of thing we ourselves want to do. Thus, obeying them would make us look like their pet when we do what
the night that left me the most scarred. one of my friends. When they picked up, they expressed how wor- they want.
ried they were but couldn’t do anything as they got caught by the
After packing our stuff, which was nothing more than a security guard. I explained what happened to me, and they prom-
bottle of water and some notes, we met each other at the gates of my ised they would get help somewhere. Thinking for ourselves is important in our lives and is much like a survival skill. But before doing
school. Somehow, we had gotten all our parents’ permission to go so, young people need to understand if what they are doing is right or wrong. This is what makes elders
out during the evening. Then, we waited. We waited until nighttime No help came for the next few hours. I was horrified, so
came. Eventually, to no ones surprise, it was 8 o’clock in the evening. scared that I lost my ability to think. I collapsed and crumbled on wrong about young people when they constantly tell them what to do and to obey. If one is well educated,
The sky was getting dark and the stars were already visible. The gates the floor, crying. I did not know how much time had passed when they can always go on the right path and to victory.
were open for the students attending tuition but we managed to sneak the door was shaken. Desperately, I tried for the door, it opened
in without anyone noticing. and I fell again outside. Staring at me was a janitor in confusion. I
took another glance at my watch and saw that the time was two in The concept of this can be so easy yet hard to understand. But we always want to enjoy our life, so
We hid from pillar to pillar, colliding into each other occa- the midnight. live how you want. The life we currently live always brings up the same questions: “Should we live like a
sionally due to our lack of coordination. I had only now realized how robot and always obey or should we live our way, happily and worthily?” What we choose can make a huge
big the school was, and how dark it could get. We walked into dead The janitor got me out of school promptly. I was glad
ends countless of times, even with flashlights on, we still mistook a that u was safe but also scared. I went home and slept, though I difference in life. Remember the quote: “If you can dream beautifully, why not live beautifully?”
hanging broom as a person, an incredibly slim person, that is. could not sleep at night. I reunited with my friends the following
morning, they saw me and sighed in major relief. We humans are strong because we have the ability to choose and change ourselves. Living under
Suddenly, in the corner of my eye, I saw a lit classroom
when we moved to another corridor. I signaled my friends to follow After this experience, I did not dare to go back to the cor- the right command is correct, but living freely is also correct. It really depends on one to choose. That is
me, and they obeyed. We crouched to hide from the light of the class- ridor again. It left me with a phobia of darkness, and doors. For as my thinking regarding the sentence “Young people should obey their elders without question.” But what
room. While we passed it, we could hear chattering from inside the much as I had went through, I was not injured in any way, shape, do other people think?
classroom. Finally, we arrived at the so called ‘Forbidden Door’. or form. In that instance, I was glad that I was safe and sound.
19 20