THE SHOUT

Schrödinger's Project

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

submitted by HARITH ISKANDAR from 5ARIF;

Pascal gripped his handgun, fighting back his tears and sobs. He knew what he had to do, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Tearing up again, he collapsed to his knees as he remembered everything that had been going on.

He was a prodigy. A genius. The best amongst all his colleagues. It was for that reason that the government had assigned to him The Schrödinger's Project, the creation of an indestructible monster. The ultimate weapon against all of the other countries of the world. And after 2 years, he and his colleagues finally did it. They had succeeded.

But they could not have anticipated what came next. Within seconds, the creature escaped. Pascal had watched as his colleagues simply disappeared. And yet the next second, they reappeared screaming in agony. Both alive and dead. Quantum superposition.

He was the only one who survived. And he knew what he had to do. The creature's survival was based on the knowledge of its existence. It was merely an idea given shape. The only way to kill an idea was to make sure no one could think of that idea anymore. He was the only one alive.

He was the only one who knew about the creature. Soon, the creature would find a populated area. From there, the news of its existence would spread throughout the world. And Pascal would succeed then. He would have created an indestructible monster.

Slowly, Pascal staggered back to his feet. In front of him was a picture of his wife and their first child. He did not want them to die to his creation. Pascal knew he had no time to waste but he had to do this. Gripping a pen, he wrote down a letter for his wife and children. When he was done, he drenched his lab in gasoline and set fire to all traces of The Schrödinger's Project. He could already knew the creature coming to investigate the source of the noise, Pascal thanked God for the handgun that he found, shot his colleagues, and just as the creature appeared before him, shot himself.

Mann heard the gunshot.

He knew then that he was completely alone. He was the last one alive. He knew what he had to do. he gripped the pistol tightly and took a deep breath. He brought the pistol to his mouth and—

He couldn't do it.
He couldn't kill himself.
I don't want to die.

REVERIE

Growing Up

Friday, July 10, 2015

REVERIE

A Promise

Tuesday, July 07, 2015

submitted by SOFEA AZLAN;

Kim was nervous when the door opened. This was her very first interview. A look of concern spread across my face. I raised my eyebrows and asked her, “Are you alright?”

She looked up at me with her two hazel eyes and nodded. Her big eyes were two pools of worry. She looked like she had something to say, but the poor little girl was really nervous. Quickly and quietly she said, “What if they don’t like me? Can I just stay here with you, Ms Fletcher?”

I gave her a serious look. “Kim, one of our main purposes is finding all our kids a home”. In a softer tone, I said, “You’ll find a nice home, I promise”. I placed my hand on her little one and gave it a squeeze.

Mr and Mrs Lennon entered the rather squarish room with big, wide smiles upon their faces. I smiled and greeted them. I told Kim to do the same, but she just shook her head. Mr and Mrs Lennon looked like they already had second thoughts, but they still played along and commented on how cute she looked. Throughout the entire interview, Kim held her head down and only nodded and shook her head when she was asked a question.

By the end of the interview, I had already known that they wanted a more open child. I thanked them anyway, and wished them that they would find the right child.

“Kim?”

She looked at me with both her eyebrows raised, “Yes, Ms Fletcher?”

“Let’s go for a walk in the park.”

She nodded and got off her chair.

The park was just in front of the orphanage, it was a nice park, not too big, not too small. With her little hand in mine, we took a stroll.

“Kim, you have to be more open. Don’t be shy and show them that you are a great child.”

Kim looked at her feet. A minute went by before she answered, “But I didn’t want them to have me.”

I crouched down and placed both my hands on her shoulders. I looked her in the eye and asked, “Why?”

“…I want to be with you, Ms Fletcher. Why can’t you be my mum?”

My heart melted. Such a sweet little girl. Whenever she had something wrong, she always came to me. Whenever she had a nightmare, she’d always come to me, with her nightie and a teddy bear in one arm.

“…Because you need parents. A family. A couple that can raise you well and provide you with a brighter future. And plus, I have to take care of all the other kids in the orphanage.”

She cringed at the word ‘orphanage’. “But Ms Fletcher, I already have a family, you are my mum, Ms Hiddle and Ms Lange are my aunts and everyone is my brother and my sister.

“I’m sorry, Kim. But this is only your temporary home. This is also my temporary home.”

“How is it your temporary home? Don’t you have a family?”

“Yes, I do. But once I’m married, I’m going to move somewhere far from here.” My heart twisted. She was the first kid in the orphanage to know. I wasn’t supposed to pick favourites, but Kim was definitely my favourite.

Her eyes went wide and she gasped. “But why?”

I squeezed her shoulders. “I’m sorry, Kim… He had a good offer and couldn’t decline it.”

With her eyes still wide she asked, “Who is he?”

I looked at her tiny feet before looking into her eyes. “My fiancé.”

“How come I’ve never met him before?”

“…He doesn’t live around here. He lives over there, the place that I’ll be moving to…”

She looked like she was going to cry. “You’re going to leave me here…”

I pulled her and hugged her. I stroke her dark brown locks and quietly said, “That’s why I need to know that you’ve found a good home, before I leave.” I pulled her away from me and looked at her in the eye again. “Can you do that for me?”

Reluctantly, she nodded. She didn’t look at me in the eye when she did it.

The walk back to the orphanage was quiet. Just as we were about to exit the park, Kim stopped. She gripped my hand tightly and her eyes seemed to spark. Rather excitedly, she looked up at me. “Ms Fletcher, can I come along with you then? You’ll be my mum and your fiancé my dad.”

Softly, I told her, “I’m sorry, Kim. There are far too many things that have to be settled.”

It was obvious that I burst her bubble.

At the entrance of the orphanage, she gripped my hand tightly and said, “Then come back for me once you’ve settled everything. I don’t care how long it will take, I will wait for you. I know that you will give me a good home. You want to see me go to a good home before you leave, but Ms Fletcher, no home is complete without you.”

“Oh, Kim.” I gave her a hug.

Still wrapped in our embrace, she asked, “Do you promise?”

Softly, I said, “I do. I promise.”

DIALOGUE

Interact Club

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

by AISYA SUFIAN;

From International Understand Day to little sales at the school, Interact Club is known for doing whatever it takes to raise awareness and raise money for the needy. But that seems to be the only thing everyone who isn't in the club knows, so we at Shout! wanted to know what other things the interactors do to help make the world a better place. We interviewed the club president, ALYAA NAJIHA and her vice president, AMMAR AZMI about what it's like to be an Interactor.

SHOUT: What is Interact Club?

AMMAR: Interact Club is a club that helps those in need. Commonly, the general view of Interact Club is that we are a club that holds a charity event once a year but there is more to that. We don’t make charity events just for fun, we do it because we get to give people second chances. People who really need it the most.

"WE DO IT BECAUSE WE GET TO GIVE PEOPLE SECOND CHANCES"

SHOUT: What inspired you both to join Interact Club in the first place?

ALYAA: What inspired me to join the club was the former president of the club, back in 2012 which was Liya Luqman. She approached me, just as she did with other people to get more members, and something about her spirit and vision for this club was what attracted me to join.

AMMAR: The 2013 International Understanding Day was what inspired me to join. Frankly, I've never heard of the club before IU Day but I was a bit naïve because when I joined, I was expecting fun events happening every time. But the real cause of the club to make the world a better place was the reason I'm still in the club today.

SHOUT: What would be Interact’s best achievement?

AMMAR: I think we both can agree that Interact’s best achievement was last year’s IU Day where we managed to raise RM17,000 in charity for the families in Palestine. Honestly, every Interactor was so surprised.

SHOUT: Every club in this school often receive positive and negative comments, so for Interact Club, when you receive negative comments, what would the two of you and your other board of directors do or say to the Interactors in order to cheer them up?

ALYAA: For me, I would give them a talk. I would tell them to not listen to those comments and to always look at the big picture. I will remind them the cause of Interact Club, like the important thing is the people not us.

AMMAR: Yeah, I would agree with Alyaa. I would also remind them to think positively, like at the end of the day what matters the most is that we get to make others smile.

SHOUT: What would you both intend to achieve this year for the club?

ALYAA: To maintain the club and to raise more money than we did last year on IU Day.

AMMAR: This might be a bit sensitive to mention but I really hope that we can clear our status as the “Controversial Club” in school and show our good side.

SHOUT: Speaking of IU Day, what is Interact Club raising money for this year?

ALYAA: For this year, we are donating money to homeless people in Malaysia. We realized that we've been donating to other countries, which is a good thing, but we thought that it'd be nice to do something for our country, for our people.

SHOUT: This one is mostly for Ammar, because Alyaa would have already graduated school by next year. Ammar, what would do or say to encourage students to join the club next year?

AMMAR: I would encourage them by saying that if they've been wanting to help people but never have gotten the chance to do so, then Interact Club would be the perfect club and that it would also be the perfect club to find friends. Friends who are so kind and humble, that will also help each other when one is in need.

SHOUT: So a certain someone— wink wink, Mr Francis; has stated that Interact Club is the most active club in this school, would you both agree?

ALYAA: Honestly I don't because I know that there are clubs that are more active than us. For example, the Chinese Language Society. Every month, representatives from that club will go around classes, sending newspapers for those who have ordered. Not to mention the activities that they hold every year, like the Mid-Autumn Festival and sometimes field trips. They are always up on their game and I really admire that.

SHOUT: On a lighter note, what are your favourite memories while being in the club?

AMMAR: For me, my favourite memory is being in Interact Camp. I got to meet a lot of wonderful and friendly people. It did not take a long time for us to connect very quickly, it was such an honour to meet them.

ALYAA: Last year, the board of directors invited me to watch Transformers 3 with children from the orphanage. They looked so happy and excited because I think not many of them get the chance to go to a cinema but it was very heart warming. Seeing the faces of those children really made my day. They were smiling from their ears and laughing. They were in so much joy.

SHOUT: Before we end it, what would the both of you miss about the club once you leave school?

ALYAA: Definitely the Interactors, their commitment and their sacrifices for the club is really what keeps me going.

AMMAR: I have to agree with Alyaa, I would also miss the Interactors a whole lot.

"THEIR COMMITMENT AND THEIR SACRIFICES FOR THE CLUB IS REALLY WHAT KEEPS ME GOING"

REVERIE

Kidnapped

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

submitted by CHARMAINE GAN from 4ARIF;

“Hey sis, wake up!”

I felt a small fist hitting my leg repeatedly. Groggily, I looked up from my desk. A miniature puddle was dirtying my homework. I’ve been drooling, again.

“I’m never gonna get this done!” I screamed. I was prepared to rip out every single hair from my head. I’ve been at this report for days and I can never seem to stay awake long enough to finish it. The small fist hit my leg again.

“Ouch!” I pulled a face at the only person who dared to hit me, my little brother. “Don’t you have any homework to do, JJ?” I asked JJ, short for Jason Junior.

“Mom and dad aren’t home,” JJ ignored my question, giving me his killer smirk. “Wanna go to the trailer?”

I sighed, looking back and forth between JJ and my paper. “Well,” JJ slowly made his way to the door, “I guess I have to go on my own then.” He pouted before closing the door. Why? Why did he have to do that?

“Wait for me!”

It was Sunday night. Mom and dad were out at some party with their friends and we were not allowed to leave the house but the last time they were out, JJ and I found this secret camping site near our house and there was an empty trailer parked there.

JJ wanted to go there for a while now, so it was obvious that he was excited to hear our parents leaving the house. He ran ahead of me towards the trailer. When I got there, the door was half open. JJ signaled for me to enter. My body tensed up; this was trespassing private property. Well then again, if it was private property, the owner shouldn’t have left the door unlocked.

I entered the trailer, it was epic. A flat screen tv, a hot tub and a king-sized bed. While I stood there in shock, JJ took the chance to run around the whole trailer, turning on every switch he could see. After a few minutes, he stopped in front of me, his gaze fixed outside. “What’s up, JJ?” I turned around, following his gaze.

It was the stars. I led JJ outside and we laid down on the wet grass, identifying every star we knew— well, every star I knew. It was fun and all but eventually I got up to take JJ back home before mom and dad have panic attacks. But before I could, JJ ran back inside the trailer, saying that he wanted to experience a trailer toilet— he was seven, so I can’t blame him. I waited outside the trailer. 2 minutes. 3 minutes. 4 minutes… “What’s taking so long?” I muttered as I stormed back inside. “Jason! Hurry up!” I banged on the bathroom door.

Suddenly, a screeching sound caught my attention and I whipped my head over to the window near the hot tub. A green car sped off with someone banging on the back window. I raised an eyebrow, the person looked familiar. My heartbeat rose. JJ?

I ran out of the trailer and chased the car but it was long gone. I crashed on the grass. Was that JJ in the car? My consciousness began playing tricks with me. It can’t be JJ, he’s still in the bathroom. But the person in the car was wearing the same shirt. There’s gotta be thousands of people with the same shirt, right?

The thoughts were giving me a headache. I went back into the trailer and found the bathroom door left ajar. I took a look around the trailer. Had JJ left thinking I went back already? Without hesitation, I ran back home. But the sight of police cars and a few dozen neighbours crowding on my front lawn stopped me in my tracks.

I continued standing there for a few seconds until my dad pulled me past the crowds. “Where have you been?” My mom embraced me. Dad still stood there, cold sweat dripped down his forehead. He kept looking around, constantly tapping on his trouser pocket. I broke away from my mom’s hands and said, “I was out with JJ.” Dad snapped over at the word “JJ”. “Where is your brother?” he asked. The blood instantly drained from my face. “Hasn’t… hasn’t he returned yet?” I stuttered. Dad asked the cop nearby and the cop shook his head.

“Seriously, where is your brother? We’re not playing around here,” Dad growled. “Didn’t he come back?” I bit my lower lip, multiple negative thoughts ran through my mind, worrying the crap out of me. Dad sighed, “No. We got this anonymous text saying that they had one of ours. That’s why we called the cops.” Dad showed me the message. Then it struck me. The person in the car was my brother!

I took off towards the trailer, mom and dad screaming their lungs out behind me. The cops nearby followed me, their weapons drawn. I got to the open field where the trailer was originally parked. I looked around. The trailer wasn’t there!

I fell onto my knees, my head in my palms. “It… It was here. I swear!” I called out to no one in particular. “Ma’am, we found something,” One of the cops held out a shiny in front of me. “JJ… It’s JJ’s fav…. Our family necklace…” I felt nauseous. The cop put the necklace into a clear evidence bag. I could clearly see the blood smudged from the necklace smudged against the clear bag. “Ma’am, let’s go, there’s nothing out here.” The cop held me up. I muttered incoherently under my breath all the way back to my house. But when my parents asked me what happened all I could say was, “Jas…J… JJ’s been kidnapped…”

SUBMISSIONS

Why Do Problems Still Exist

Saturday, June 06, 2015

submitted by JEEVANRAJ SUNTHER from 4BIJAK;

So there I was, staring blankly at the wall of my bedroom on a self-declared-over-excessively-timed study break, silently contemplating on the mysteries of the Universe when a thought struck me. If we, the human race have so many brilliant ideas at our fingertips, why do problems still exist? Why do conflicts arise every now and then? That was when a shocking realization came to mind. The reason was petrifyingly simple… we simply do not care.

That is the cold, hard truth about this dire situation. Our mindset is at the epicentre of this problem. It is always happening to a different country, a different race or another person. But as long as it does not concern us, many are simply not going to waste their time or energy on it. And THAT is the problem right there. We need to scrap this mindset for the benefit of the human race.

The famous Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw once uttered these words of wisdom— “I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community,and as long as I live, it is my pleasure to do for it whatever I can.” Some of the world’s greatest people have been individuals who dedicate their entire lives for the community and the people around them. They struggle not for the benefit of themselves but for the benefit of others. This attitude right here is the answer to all the gaping problems in the world right now.

"I AM OF THE OPINION THAT MY LIFE BELONGS TO THE COMMUNITY, AND AS LONG AS I LIVE, IT IS MY PLEASURE TO DO FOR IT WHATEVER I CAN."

For an example, let’s take a look at the recent destructive force and the deleterious side effects of the Ebola epidemic that continues to plague West African nations and beyond. Why was this epidemic not contained by more well-to-do nations such as the United States of America? Why did it take the death of tens of thousands of people for global leaders to finally pledge support to the task of containing this deadly virus? The answer once again is a simple one, we simply do not care. Why? Because it was not within OUR shores. It was not plaguing OUR people. It was not having any effect on OUR country’s infrastructure. One can only imagine how significantly downsized this situation would be if global leaders came together as one for the benefit of those around them. Millions of lives, billions of dollars gone in the blink of an eye. All because we did not care soon enough.

Or what about the countless rape cases that takes place in India every single day? The infamous and heinous rape case of ‘India’s Daughter’ (Jyoti Singh) and the mammoth street protests that followed was what it took for the Indian government to finally tackle this long-standing problem. A brutal attack on a bright medical student who had just finished her exams and was out celebrating was what it took for them to finally care.

Another glaring example can be seen from the financial crisis of 2008 that swept through the US like wildfire, causing global markets to crash. From Singapore to Mexico, the United Kingdom to China; people lost jobs and entire life savings thanks to the excessive borrowing practices and various Ponzi schemes that took place on Wall Street. A risky derivative system was put in place, people’s savings were being tossed around like they were nothing, deregulation was pursued— and authorized— despite countless warnings and execs of the big banks such as Merill Lynch and JP Morgan raked in billions. Then, just like that, the inevitable happened. The bubble burst and with it, the global economy crumbled. This whole fiasco manifested from greedy individuals on Wall Street and in the US government. This whole fiasco was caused by them not caring.

The list goes on. The European migrant crisis, natural disasters that occur thanks to climate change such as Hurricane Sandy, poverty, world hunger. All of these stem from us not caring. Such is the nature of human beings that more often that not, we are obsessed with OUR issues, OUR problems. We overcomplicate the very simplest of things. And for what? Does it help better our world? Our inner world maybe, but is that the right thing to do? Absolutely not. We need to focus on the BIGGER PICTURE here. Just a little bit of care and love can indeed go one heck of a long way. Many of us are fortunate. We do not have to worry about the next meal on the table or whether we’ll be alive tomorrow but the reality is this— there are people around the world still living in these conditions thanks to conflicts and the crime that is the act of not caring for these people. That is exactly how we should view it as— a crime.

I am of the opinion that the way everyone should live their lives should be based on 2 things. One, experiencing as many experiences this world has to offer and two, spreading love, humanity and genuinely making an impact on people’s lives. So, dear reader, ask yourself this— are you going to be remembered by being someone who is obsessed with your own problems or will you step up and change the plight of our fellow brothers and sisters around the world? Will you ignore all the problems that plague humanity and your potential to change that or will you do what is right,what is powerful and what is fundamentally required to save the human race and start caring?

HOME ABOUT EDITORIAL BOARD SUBMIT

Fire

Schrödinger's Project

Growing Up

A Promise

Interact Club

Kidnapped

Why Do Problems Still Exist

SHOUT!

COLUMNS

Follow Us

ARCHIVE