“Amanda, can you let me play your phone?” Ashley gazed at me with the cutest puppy-dog-eyes that I could never resist. “Alright, but not too long,” I placed my I-phone into her small hands. Ashley flashed a mirthful smile.
It was a silent and tranquil night. My five-year-old sister, Ashley, and I were in the MRT train as we had just come back from ballet lessons. Beside the whizzing sound of the train, the passengers were all quiet, dozing off.
All of a sudden, a gargantuan crashing sound sliced through the air. My heart pounded wildly like African drums and my rosy face turned as white as snow.
“Amanda, what’s that?” asked Ashley. Little did we know that it was the sound of explosion and the last few train cabins had derailed and fallen out of the railway tracks.
Even before I could even move a muscle, darkness had enveloped in the train. “Ash, where are you?” I yelled. I realized that Ashley was missing! For a split moment, panic engulfed me. Where was Ashley?
“Amanda! I am over here.” Ashley yelled out. Her flailing arms shone the feeble light from my I-phone back at me.
I looked about me. The seats of the last few cabins had vanished. The whole place was in a state of chaos. Some survivors were severely injured while some were simply too disoriented. Others were moaning in pain. I spotted a gaping hole with light shining throught it.
“Ash, you see that big hole over there. Crawl through it and I will follow right behind you.
Ashley made her way towards the hole and clambered through it. Her lovely, lilac ballerina skirt tore because of the hole’s sharp jagged edges. I followed Ashley like ducklings following behind their mother duck while some commuters followed us. Within a few minutes, we were under the glare of the street lamps along the railway tracks.
Due to intense fatigue, Ashley sat on the tracks, refusing to move an inch. Knowing that the sparks inside the wrecked train could trigger an explosion, I pleaded in tears for her to move. However, she refused to budge!
What should I do? Keep calm, I reminded myself. If we did not move away, our lives would be in danger. A brainwave hit me like a lightning rod. I bent my knees in a squatting position and spoke in an urging tone, “Come on up my back. I will carry you.”
“I am too heavy.” She shook her head repeatedly, her wails echoing in a distance.
“Hurry up!” I implored, stroking her tear-streaked face with my sticky, sweaty palms.
Reluctantly, her tiny arms wrapped around my neck and I trudged forward. The cold air kissed our soft cheeks. My arms were aching badly, carrying the frail body of Ashley painstakingly that was as heavy as lead. I walked a million miles. However, never had it crossed my mind to let her down. She dozed off on my square shoulder.
On our way back, a long trail of policemen, paramedics and firemen with all their professional gears came towards the train but a few inches away from us. Everyone was brought into the train station.
As we were not injured, we made our way home. Later we were told that someone had planted a bomb in the train and we were lucky not to be hurt. This incident has made me realize how important Ashley is to me. I have decided to treasure this kid sister for as long as I live.
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