Skills future

[Zendude82]

and new story on the blog! woah

Originally Posted by jacket

Nice share bro

[ilikeoldchangke]

*A short preview of what is in the works. Don't want to start a new thread until it's ready, so i'll just park it here. Hope you enjoy the read.*




Lynette picked up her pace as her weary feet carried her deeper into the quiet recesses of East Coast park. With a small water bottle slung diagonally across her body, she cut across a grass patch, straying away from the well-lit path that park goers keep to especially at this hour of the night.

Something rustled in a nearby bush, it was probably a small rodent hiding in the dark. It was coming to 11pm and aside from a few late-night joggers, the park was relatively empty.

Jumping across a few small boulders, Lynette skirted around a pavilion and checked the cycling path for oncoming traffic before running onto it. Passing by an old man balancing his life belongings on a bicycle, she skipped over a small pothole in the pavement.

Holding down her water bottle with one hand, she tried to steady it while she ran. Lynette turned back and looked into the pitch darkness for a brief moment before she looked to her front again. She saw the columns of soldiers.

She could hear them.

At her age, she was proud to say that she could run 2km at one go without stopping. It was nothing compared to what her father could do but she was pretty sure that not many seven year olds could do the same. By her estimates, she had long gone past the 2km mark, she felt the burning in her lungs but it was going to take a lot more than that to stop her. Despite her exhaustion, she forced herself to go on.

The soldiers soon came into view. The lot of them were on their feet and ready to move. In fact, a couple of companies had already started marching after their short break. Lynette’s eyes tried to make out the front of the column but she couldn’t see it.

The marching soldiers stretched out as far as her eyes could see. She had come so far now that she was not about to give up. Taking a parallel path with the column, she continued running.

A seven year old girl running in the park at close to midnight could not look more out of place. The cool night air brushed back stands of stray hair that were not already matted against her perspiring forehead.

As the path she ran along merged closer to the one the soldiers were on, she attracted quite a few stares. The young men with their field packs, their LBS vests and weapons cast curious looks at a little girl running alongside them on their route march.

East Coast Park was well liked by families with kids and many flocked to the beaches in the evenings and over the weekend.

However, at this late hour on a weekday night, school going kids were not a common sight, especially not a kid who was running breathlessly beside them.

Lynette broke into a smile when she saw the front of the column. She was almost there. Looking behind her, she could see nothing in the dark but she knew she was safe. In fact, there was no place safer than where she was right then and it was not because of all the soldiers. She knew she was safe because her father was right behind her. She might not be able to see him but she knew that he was there. She just knew.

After another bout of breath stopping sprinting, Lynette raced ahead of the marching column. The 24km march marked the end of a recruit’s BMT (Basic Military Training).

This symbolic route, which begins at Changi and ends at Marina Bay, is the reverse of the march of defeat by prisoners of war who walked from Nicoll Highway to Changi during World War II.
It was a stark reminder for recruits of why they needed to do what they do. Why there was a need for generations of Singaporeans to sacrifice precious years of their lives to serve the nation.

Barely eighty years ago, men took the march along that very route to their deaths. They marched only to be executed like animals by the beach.
We depended on the British to defend us but when the fight came, they left us. That slap in the face was a wakeup call to everyone who survived. We could not depend on anyone else other than ourselves.

Having put about a 100 meters between her and the front of the marching column, Lynette identified the perfect spot. She found a stone bench and climbed on top of it.

She panted for air as she opened her water bottle and took a sip of the cool water. The relief from the refreshing drink came instantly and she gave a satisfied ‘ahhh’ while looking at the approaching soldiers.

Beads of perspiration rolled down the sides of her cheeks as she tried to calm herself down. Taking a few rapid breaths to prepare her lungs, Lynette exhaled slowly towards the end, like a sniper about to take his shot.
She was about to do something rather silly, at least that was what her father said.

“They will ignore you.” he said.

“No, they won’t.” she insisted.

“They’re too tired to bother with you.” he argued.

“I don’t believe you.” she replied.

“I guess there is only one way to find out then.” he said in exasperation.

As the marching soldiers’ approached, Lynette smiled at the front scout before asking loudly, “Are you guys from Alpha company?”

The young men exchanged a look with each other before chuckling at her, no doubt finding her question rather amusing and out of the blue. One of them adjusted his weapon and nodded, curious as to why she asked him that question. Several of the young recruits marching behind the scouts looked curiously at the little girl standing all alone on the bench in the park late at night.

She was about to do something that none of the recruits would ever expect.

Taking a deep breath, Lynette shouted at the top of her voice, shattering the stillness of the night that had so far only accommodated the dull dragging of tired boots on the ground by the marching men, “Alpha company!”

The silence that followed was deafening as more than a hundred tired recruits turned towards Lynette who was gathering her breath for what was to follow.

“My daddy says… all of you… doing what you do… are the reason why… the country sleeps… peacefully at night!”

The shout came out more high pitched than Lynette wanted. It sounded more like the shrieking of a spoilt brat but it was what she could manage. Her shout shocked the marching soldiers.

The recruits had been taught to expect the unexpected in their training but this was something totally new. They had trained and prepared well for the grueling march which would mark the end their basic training but no one taught them what to expect from a seven year old girl in the middle of the night.

The soldiers kept marching, the column never stopped moving. Heads turned and eyes stared at the little girl who raised up her right hand and saluted the sacrifice that entire generations of young men went through regardless of their race, language or religion.

“Alpha Company! Pandang Ke Kanan…... Pandang!”(Look right) The command came out of nowhere from the company IC and the soldiers responded with sharp jerks of their heads.

An entire company of men, chests out and marching proudly, gave the little girl their undivided attention. Lynette smiled at the soldiers, their faces covered by military face paint and their army fatigues drenched in perspiration.

The heavy backpacks and the SAR21 rifles that slung across their bodies was nothing compared to the weight of the responsibilities they would soon shoulder.

Every year, new generations of boys become men.

[ilikeoldchangke]

Men who would take over the retiring cohort who had been through the exact same journey as them. Men who were first conscripted to serve, before realizing that it was their duty to protect.

Lynette had proven her father wrong. With their heads turned and their chests out, the dragging sound of tired boots disappeared, instantly replaced by the determined digging of heels against the concrete ground.

It took barely two seconds before the heart thumping sound of hundreds of pairs of boots marching in unison fell in sync with such precision that it would make the most demanding sergeant major proud.

As the first company of men marched past her, Lynette kept up her salute and shouted to the next approaching company. “Bravo company!”

Again, Lynette expelled the words from her mouth like a sorceress casting a powerful spell, “Because you gave up sleeping in your beds, my family and I have the chance to sleep in ours!”

Lynette’s shouts swept down the line like the ripple from a shockwave and what followed was an immediate reply by the Company IC of Bravo company, “Bravo Company! Pandang Ke Kanan…… Pandang!”(Look right)

Lynette kept her salute up as another hundred pairs of eyes turned to face her. Even before the heavy thumping of boots from the first company of soldiers faded away, the second company joined in the medley.

An accompany officer marching alongside his men turned as well, jerking his chin up and returning the salute from a girl barely taller than the height of the weapon he carried.

“Charlie company!” Lynette shouted, a little breathless this time. She surprised the third company of marching men with a question this time, “What is today’s date?”

“15th of February!” Came the reply from the marching soldiers.

Nothing more needed to be said as the significance of that date sunk like weights cast deep into the hearts of the marching soldiers. Singapore fell on the 15th of February 1942 during World War Two.

“Charlie Company! Pandang Ke Kanan…… Pandang!”(Look right)

When Lynette spoke next, it was no longer a shout but she still projected her voice loud enough that the marching soldiers could hear what she wanted to convey. “Never again.” Lynette said.

“Never again!” Came the echo that drowned out the sound of waves crashing onto the beach along East Coast Park that night.

The ground trembling thumping of determined boots picked up in intensity as several noncommissioned officers ran up the line, wondering what was happening.
“Delta Company!” Lynette continued as the next company approached.
Jeff stood in the shadow of several large Raintrees a short distance away, looking at the back view of his daughter.

He wanted to stop her but he knew she would never stop until it was done. Until she had a chance to address every one of the men marching in that column.

He looked at the clear sky and the serenity of the park. It was hard to imagine that he was standing on reclaimed land. His phone buzzed and it was a message from Jane, his wife.

She was not going to be happy if she found out that Lynette was out and about at that hour. If not for the fact that Jane was out working, Lynette would be soundly asleep in her bed right now.

There were six companies of recruits passing out that day and by the time Lynette got to the last of the column, her voice was hoarse and her throat was parched dry. She drained the last bit of the water from her bottle as the rear guard followed by two safety vehicles came up slowly behind the marching column.

Too exhausted to say anything else, she just waved to the men bringing up the end of the line.

The Regiment Sergent Major, a gruff and no nonsense man wearing a red beret and carrying the same load and weapon as the marching recruits called out to Lynette, “It’s late girl, are you alone? Do you need help?” His loud voice boomed clearly across to Lynette like he spoke though a loud hailer.


“My daddy is here.”
She said and pointed behind her without looking. Jeff took one step out and revealed his body but not his face to the soldier.
He lifted his hand, a simple gesture to thank the soldier for his concern. The soldier returned a thumb’s up to Jeff before looking at Lynette as he continued marching without breaking pace. With the safety vehicle behind him, it looked as if the driver was trying to keep up with that man.

“That was a good cheer girl… A damm good one..” A brief smile flashed across his painted face before he gave Lynette a quick salute.

Lynette jumped off the bench and ran towards her father. “They did not ignore me! I told you they will not ignore me! See!” she laughed as she hugged onto her father who effortlessly picked her up.

“Let’s go home before your mother kills me for bringing you out this late.” Jeff said.

“Daddy, do you think we will win in a war?” Lynette asked in her innocent voice.

Jeff smiled and wiped the perspiration off the brow of his daughter. He had a lot on his mind, stuff that he could never share with Lynette.

“Baby… in a war…” Jeff paused.

“Yah?”

“Nobody wins.”

Lynette took a second to register her father’s reply but it was clear that she didn’t understand the significance of his answer.

“Then, then why do you fight…? Why do Uncle James, Uncle Boon, why do you guys fight?” Lynette asked, barely able to keep her eyes opened as she laid her head to rest on her father’s shoulder.

Jeff smiled and he held his daughter tighter, making sure she was comfortable in his arms as she rested.

Exhausted, Lynette fell asleep before she could hear her father’s answer,

“We do it… so your generation doesn’t have to…”

*

[maddog_mlvn]

Very nice start of the next chapter, will be waiting for ur next update Bro ilock.

[benzyme100]

Will be camping here!

[Tai_zi21]

U started late this year idol… usually ur stories start ard Dec or Jan… now coming to March soon…

But with this storyline I foresee I will be dropping some tears again soon

Awaiting ur next blockbuster story

Ur faithful reader

[water_boi]

Welcome back bro ilock n thank you in advance for the upcoming masterpiece from u

[Orange22]

Bro ilock is back!!

[Phython1]

Bro Ilock time his release exactly on 15 Feb, the fall of Singapore during WWII. really looking forward to a heart warming, tears falling story soon.

This couldn't come at a better time, only 2 posts, but my eyes are full of tears already.....

[Icebreg79]

Any update on the new sequence?

[sean8338]

Beautifully written!

Can't wait to read the rest of the story!

[godsfury]

Bro ilock, wat is your new blog address? The okd 1 cannot access as no permission.

Can share? Thanks

Originally Posted by ilikeoldchangke

Men who would take over the retiring cohort who had been through the exact same journey as them. Men who were first conscripted to serve, before realizing that it was their duty to protect.

Lynette had proven her father wrong. With their heads turned and their chests out, the dragging sound of tired boots disappeared, instantly replaced by the determined digging of heels against the concrete ground.

It took barely two seconds before the heart thumping sound of hundreds of pairs of boots marching in unison fell in sync with such precision that it would make the most demanding sergeant major proud.

As the first company of men marched past her, Lynette kept up her salute and shouted to the next approaching company. “Bravo company!”

Again, Lynette expelled the words from her mouth like a sorceress casting a powerful spell, “Because you gave up sleeping in your beds, my family and I have the chance to sleep in ours!”

Lynette’s shouts swept down the line like the ripple from a shockwave and what followed was an immediate reply by the Company IC of Bravo company, “Bravo Company! Pandang Ke Kanan…… Pandang!”(Look right)

Lynette kept her salute up as another hundred pairs of eyes turned to face her. Even before the heavy thumping of boots from the first company of soldiers faded away, the second company joined in the medley.

An accompany officer marching alongside his men turned as well, jerking his chin up and returning the salute from a girl barely taller than the height of the weapon he carried.

“Charlie company!” Lynette shouted, a little breathless this time. She surprised the third company of marching men with a question this time, “What is today’s date?”

“15th of February!” Came the reply from the marching soldiers.

Nothing more needed to be said as the significance of that date sunk like weights cast deep into the hearts of the marching soldiers. Singapore fell on the 15th of February 1942 during World War Two.

“Charlie Company! Pandang Ke Kanan…… Pandang!”(Look right)

When Lynette spoke next, it was no longer a shout but she still projected her voice loud enough that the marching soldiers could hear what she wanted to convey. “Never again.” Lynette said.

“Never again!” Came the echo that drowned out the sound of waves crashing onto the beach along East Coast Park that night.

The ground trembling thumping of determined boots picked up in intensity as several noncommissioned officers ran up the line, wondering what was happening.
“Delta Company!” Lynette continued as the next company approached.
Jeff stood in the shadow of several large Raintrees a short distance away, looking at the back view of his daughter.

He wanted to stop her but he knew she would never stop until it was done. Until she had a chance to address every one of the men marching in that column.

He looked at the clear sky and the serenity of the park. It was hard to imagine that he was standing on reclaimed land. His phone buzzed and it was a message from Jane, his wife.

She was not going to be happy if she found out that Lynette was out and about at that hour. If not for the fact that Jane was out working, Lynette would be soundly asleep in her bed right now.

There were six companies of recruits passing out that day and by the time Lynette got to the last of the column, her voice was hoarse and her throat was parched dry. She drained the last bit of the water from her bottle as the rear guard followed by two safety vehicles came up slowly behind the marching column.

Too exhausted to say anything else, she just waved to the men bringing up the end of the line.

The Regiment Sergent Major, a gruff and no nonsense man wearing a red beret and carrying the same load and weapon as the marching recruits called out to Lynette, “It’s late girl, are you alone? Do you need help?” His loud voice boomed clearly across to Lynette like he spoke though a loud hailer.


“My daddy is here.”
She said and pointed behind her without looking. Jeff took one step out and revealed his body but not his face to the soldier.
He lifted his hand, a simple gesture to thank the soldier for his concern. The soldier returned a thumb’s up to Jeff before looking at Lynette as he continued marching without breaking pace. With the safety vehicle behind him, it looked as if the driver was trying to keep up with that man.

“That was a good cheer girl… A damm good one..” A brief smile flashed across his painted face before he gave Lynette a quick salute.

Lynette jumped off the bench and ran towards her father. “They did not ignore me! I told you they will not ignore me! See!” she laughed as she hugged onto her father who effortlessly picked her up.

“Let’s go home before your mother kills me for bringing you out this late.” Jeff said.

“Daddy, do you think we will win in a war?” Lynette asked in her innocent voice.

Jeff smiled and wiped the perspiration off the brow of his daughter. He had a lot on his mind, stuff that he could never share with Lynette.

“Baby… in a war…” Jeff paused.

“Yah?”

“Nobody wins.”

Lynette took a second to register her father’s reply but it was clear that she didn’t understand the significance of his answer.

“Then, then why do you fight…? Why do Uncle James, Uncle Boon, why do you guys fight?” Lynette asked, barely able to keep her eyes opened as she laid her head to rest on her father’s shoulder.

Jeff smiled and he held his daughter tighter, making sure she was comfortable in his arms as she rested.

Exhausted, Lynette fell asleep before she could hear her father’s answer,

“We do it… so your generation doesn’t have to…”

*

[bruceJKD]

Thank you for this amazing story bro ilock. I literally binged on this since yesterday. You've successfully had me glued here during my whole break time.

[driedlemon3]

love this skill future story alot, hope to read more on the continuation.. Lynette

[sennheiser]

Originally Posted by godsfury

Bro ilock, wat is your new blog address? The okd 1 cannot access as no permission.

Can share? Thanks

https://sensualsingapore.blog