PSLE: Screams in a shopping mall

My senses were slowly devoured by a cold, blank numbness, but the physical pain I felt was growing harsher and more relentless. Slowly, the bright lights retreated and darkness took over. The very next moment, I heard muffled voices and came to, only to find myself lying on a bed in an unfamiliar room.
 

“Look! Adrian is awake!” I heard voices calling my name and I turned around. To my surprise, my parents and relatives were standing by the bed. “Why are you all here? Are you all also in heaven with me?” I asked with a puzzled look on my face. “ Adrian, you are in a hospital, not in heaven! You’re not dead yet,” came a laugh from my father, who was beside me. Memories of what had happened started coming back to me.
 

It was Mother’s Day and the shopping centre was bustling with activities. Crowds of families were out to celebrate Mother’s Day in return for the Mother’s responsibility of taking care of the family. I was among the crowd, not with my family, but myself. Despite knowing that my parents were so busy and had no time to celebrate Mother’s Day together, I still decided to buy a special gift for her.
 

After purchasing a silver necklace which was wrapped beautifully in a silky mauve box from the jeweller shop, I left the shop with adrenalin rushing through me as I thought of my mother’s pleased countenance later in the evening when I planned to surprise her. Beautiful necklaces are just what women yearn for always, right?
 

Just as I was weaving through the crowd to the exit to leave the shopping centre, the sound of gunshots reverberated through the air. At that simultaneous moment, all actions ceased immediately and the crowd stopped dead in their tracks. Some of them even looked around to find out what had happened. Suddenly, gunshots resounded in the shopping centre again. One by one, the people were shot down like dead flies. All hell broke loose as screams and panic punctured the air. The crowd was going berserk and people were running helter-skelter for safety.
 

Each time the gunshot sounded, it brought one more unlucky victim falling to the ground. Everyone was evacuating out of the building, but my legs did not bulge. I watched in consternation at the lunatic man who was holding a shotgun, almost seeming to be manacled to the ground by my shock, and unsure of how to react.
 

Bang! One more bullet was sending one more person falling to the ground. That gunshot had shot me awake, and I was jolted to my senses. I decided to make a run for the exit. As I was about to step out of the entrance, I felt a harsh pain at the back of my body, I was shot too!
 

Looking at the exit of the shopping centre, I thought of the gift that I had bought for my mother. If I could not exit the shopping centre, I would not be able to give her the gift personally. I worked up the strength and fighting the agonizing pain, I made my way to the exit onerously, with the pain growing each step I took. I persevered to succeed. Finally, I exited the shopping centre.
 

Overwhelmed by fatigue and pain, I dropped to the ground with no strength left to get up. I closed my eyes, trying to conserve most of my energy. The pain was intense, and I felt as if I was about to die. I heard the ambulances’ sirens and knew that they were coming to rescue the injured. Not long after they had stopped by the roadside, I felt myself being lifted up by pairs of hands which I guess were the paramedics’. I was laid on a stretcher to carry me into the ambulance. I was then whisked to the nearest hospital.
 

I thought I was dead, as I had fainted in the ambulance due to the loss of too much blood and I could not feel any more pain. The paramedics helped me to staunch the flow of blood so as not to lose any more blood in case I would be at risk of dying.
 

I needed an emergency operation immediately and my parents were informed. They were worried and rushed to the hospital. By the time they had reached the hospital, I was already in the operation room. My parents even prayed fervently for me to be safe and sound. Luckily, my critical stage was over and the doctor told my parents to assure them after the operation. I was being sent to one of the hospital wards, parents went to visit me after my operation. Just when I was about to sit up, I felt something in my hand. It was then that I realized that the gift was actually the present that I had bought for my mother.
 

“Happy Mother’s Day!” I chirped, handing the gift over to my mother, at the same time feeling glad to see her again. When she opened the box, she was so surprised that it was a silver necklace which is the one she yearned for. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. She hugged me tightly, feeling touched, and replied warmly, “ Thank you, thank you, my dear.”

 

(Written by Cai Kexin, P6.  Edited by Mrs Julie Lee)