Ten Strands

Olive: intj, mastermind. She is a quiet member of the Ten, disgusted with nearly everybody, seemingly vague and a trouble, but is actually a great help in times when the situation seems hopeless. Wavy raven black hair reaching forearms, impassive tawny eyes that stares deeply. She has reluctantly agreed to become Heather’s personal assistant.14.

Heather: entj, commander. A strong leader, Heather leads the Ten to conquer the youth’s weakness. She is humble and servant like even as she wisely leads the group. 17

Mae: enfj, giver. She is a charismatic girl who often influences the Ten as a group with her motivational words. However, she does not contribute much in decision making in the group and sometimes she lets her feelings get in the way of her goal. 18

Sara: infp, idealist. A reserved member of the Ten, she does her role obediently and automatically, and it seems that without her the Ten could still go on. But once, her brilliant mind was revealed when she suggested a seemingly bizzare but marvellous idea to a problem. 13

Queenie: isfp, counsellor. Another quiet member of the Ten, she is ironically shy and extremely sensitive despite her towering size. Being the gentle giant girl of the Ten, she is sometimes used in plans to trick people, along with small sized Sara. 16

Caleb: estp, doer. He is a rash and bold member, always doing before he thinks. Like a horse biting on the bit, he is always eager to help and get on with plans. He is the youngest of the Ten. 12

Karl:istj, inspector. He is a smart member of the Ten, quiet and reserved, but he will share some of his ideas at times, and they are usually brilliant. He strongly believes in honour and always stays true to his principles. 20

Nigel: intp,

Johannes: infj , protector. He is hardworking and persistent, and feels that it is his responsibility to protect any of the Ten who might need his help. His is strong both in body and in mind. 19

Martin: enfp, provider. He may be often seen as the encourager of the Ten, and though he is not very wise in making choices, he is glad to help in any way he could, always eager to lend a hand to someone in need. 15

Potential quotes:

“Heather Ridley. Seventeen years of age?”

“Yes your honor.”

“You are here to argue your point of view regarding this case I presume. You may commence your speech.” He nodded slightly, the double chins squeezed a little like a bellow.

“Well,” Heather began rather shakily. Inwardly, she cursed herself for starting with such a weak and unstable word. Yet she repeated it. “Well, I am here to say that I deserve to be punished accordingly for what I have done.”

Silence. Then, murmurs and stifled gasps from the jury.

Taking better hold of herself, she continued, “Although many young women and girls do abortion these days, I am aware that the law reasonably states that ‘no woman under the age of 18 may do abortion with the exception of the following...’ I will not list the exceptions as I do not follow any of them. It is clear that I have committed wrong, and although I come from a broken family, this does not give me a valid excuse for disobeying this law.” She pauses a moment and took time to digest her own words and the wide eyed reaction of the fat judge. She bit her lip momentarily, then went on,”

~

Mae slumped into the plastic seat, her grey eyes staring at the empty projector. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind, but she is ignoring them as she was ignoring her text messages since three days ago. Who cares. The audience around her were clapping wildly at the entrance of Heather, who has long proven her strength and intelligence as a youth.

what have I done with my life... Mae thought miserably, and she felt her heart twist and ache. Oh no. Now to make matters worse is she going to cry in front of her idol and embarrass herself to the brink of failure? Of course not. There are no more tears to cry. Failure completed. It’s the only thing she is good at.

Oh shut up, she told herself as the her eyes became sore and tears started to form at the corners. She instinctively ducked under her green hair and half shut her eyes so that her mascara will hide her tears. Her mind was spinning, a headache was starting to form, and her vision was jumping, and blurring due to her watery eyes. She did not realise that Heather had requested all audiences to “please stand if you are for this new revolution.”

She only noticed it when the chairs creaked as everyone sat down again. Oh great. Now she’s done it. Never mind. She did not really listen to the rest of the talk, and quietly left as the audiences were still cheering and clapping at the apparently motivational speech. Forget the revolution, forget Heather Ridley, forget-

“Bullett Junior?!” She stopped in her tracks as she realised she has just collided into the billionaires handsome son. The one that SO many girls crazed over. Then she gasped. “I mean, sorry, Mr Bullett!” As if anything could get worse!

The youth grinned then said, ‘tsok. As he brushed past her, he noticed her slightly stained eye make up and later the tears. His face etched slight concern for the flustered stranger, but he kept on going his own way.

~

“Hi Heather.” It was the deep, melodious voice of a girl. Heather spun around to face a tall girl staring at her with tawny eyes.

“Oh!” She gasped, “I know you, don’t I?”

“We were former competitors.” Was the low, rather cold answer.

“Ohhh” Heather rolled her eyes to the left, trying to remember which competition it was. Suddenly, a fleeting image passed her mind- her, standing in second, on her left a- the very same girl standing before her now. “Oh! Yes, the Wilkinson debate competition right?”

The other girl nodded silently. Then she turned awkwardly away and motioned to a young man standing with his back partly away from her. He turned around, and Heather stared at him wide eyed. So there was Bullett Jr. He came after all. The boy casually walked over and nodded at Heather politely.

“Hi.” He greeted, extending his hand. “I believe you already sort of know my Cousin?” He gestured to the black haired girl.

Heather, still astounded, slowly stretched out her own hands. So they were cousins. Quickly regaining her composure, she smiled and nodded. “Yes. We were former competitors in... a debate competition. I think a year ago, yeah.”

Olive raised her eyebrows in acknowledgment when Heather glanced at her for confirmation. Then she quickly glanced back to her table, feeling like a magnet drawn to the book she was finishing. It’s not that it was a very exciting one, as it was a dystopian novel. All dystopian novels had similar structures. Still, it is painful to just stop reading when she only had four to five pages left. Besides, having to chat with a former opponent wasn’t something that she particularly liked. Especially when the opponent is Heather Ridley.

Jon read his cousin’s familiar body language and knew that she obviously was experiencing the ever present socially awkward situation moment. Feeling slight empathy, the boy started chatting lightly with Heather. It was not that he needed someone to talk to either, but because he needed to talk to her. He wanted to join the new revolution.

As the two chatted together, Olive slowly backed away to the table. She felt horribly rude. oh you stupid, can’t you just stand there and listen!

Feeling too guilty, she grabbed her book and walked back and stood again next to Jon.

~

Everyone was more or less finished. Olive, Jon and Queenie were first to finish their burgers at a rather appalling or amazing rate, mostly because they did not talk much and that they were at the peak of growing. Karl started gathering the paper packages and crumpling them into one big ball. He quietly excused himself as he tossed them into the trash bin. Soon everyone was either patiently or impatiently waiting for Mae, Caleb, and Sara to quit talking and finish their food. Heather cleared her throat a little and wondered if she should just begin while they were still eating. Queenie has suddenly found keen interest in a peculiar scab on the table and was running her fingers around it. Olive was sitting back, arms crossed, and staring at the trashbin methodically, and Karl was gently drumming his fingers on the cleared table.

“Oh- kay.” Heather finally said, glancing at the still- eating trio.

~

Well. She’s here. Feeling very confused and unwanted in the empty grand lobby, Mae slid her phone out of her purse and hesitantly started to type to Jon.

Me: hi Jon, I’m here :)

She waited impatiently, staring at the boy’s contact page. It said “last seen today at 7:46 pm”. Then “online”. Then, to her relief, “typing...”

JB:ok

JB: I’m coming down wait a sec.

Mae sighed with relief then immediately tensed up again as she heard footsteps coming down the spiral staircase. Is her hair neat? Her mascara? Is her dress in place?

“Hey, Mae!” Came the warm, friendly voice. Then the footsteps were seen, and soon Jon Bullett Jr himself. His deep, cello-like voice filled thawed her frozen stature like wine. She smiled widely, and greeted him, “Hi Jon!” as she approached him descending from the stairs. When he reached the ground floor, he placed a firm hand on her shoulders. Mae felt even better.

“Been waiting long?” He asked as he led her to the dining room.

“No. Just since I messaged you.”

“Oh ok.”

Their voices fell silent as they arrived at the dining hall. Mae gaped at the lavish decorations and the crystal lamps. A long table stood in front of them, its old oak wood polished and covered with a silken tablecloth. Two velvet It was like those halls where the Disney princesses ate. Jon gently led her to one end of the table, pulled her chair, and beckoned her to sit down. Still dazed, she did an awkward curtsy before smoothing her dress and sitting down. Jon then moved to the other end of the table and ordered the food to be served. While the servants were preparing their rich feast, Jon folded his hands and looked at the mesmerised Mae, wondering that maybe this wasn’t the best sitting arrangement for a “date”.

“I feel like I’m in Beauty and the Beast. It’s all so- magical!” Mae finally got out her words.

Jon smiles slightly. “You’re not saying I’m the beast now are you.”

“Oh of course not!” Mae gasped, then when she realised it was meant to be a joke, started giggling. Then Jon stood up and carried his chair next to her. “I think I know why you say that. Let’s make it a Little Mermaid dining arrangement instead.”

Mae laughed her silvery laugh, sending tingles of light in Jon’s spine. “Just that I talk, a lot, and I do know how to use a fork.”

Jon joined her laughter. She was such a wonderful girl. Just beautiful and cheerful and humorous. Wonderful.

~

So fast! Well that’s great!” Heather exclaimed, then quickly ran through the graphs for any obvious mistakes. Obviously there were none. She smiled at Karl.

“You are so dependable. thanks a lot!” She said, then wondered if she might have just blurted her heart out. No she hasn’t. Karl simply gave her a half smile and replied with his quiet, German-accented voice,” You’re welcome. Heather.”

Then he left the IT room for lunch, leaving the girl standing quite pleased at what just happened. Then she hurriedly dashed out, overtook Karl, and plunged into the already streaming queue for lunch. Bad move. But too late.

Karl took his place behind her, and whipped out his phone, an endless roll of WhatsApp messages spamming his phone. With an inward sigh, knowing they were mostly from his colleagues, he started clearing them up. Heather leaned to her right, examining the row of food in front. Brussels, yes. Beef patty no. Grilled chicken...? Nah, she’ll stick to baked fish. Piling her plate with her choice of foods, she glanced around the crowded cafeteria. There was only one table available, and that was the table with the typical loner. Heather sighed. These people still exist? She had thought that the standard “sit-alone” people had long vanished to quietly join bigger groups. She quickly made her way to sit down with the girl.

“Hi, can I sit here?” She asked pleasantly. The younger girl looked at her curiously, then said, “Sorry miss Ridley, but my friends are sitting here.”

Heather laughed at herself. Of course, the girl is keeping the seats for her friends. She looked around the cafeteria again.

“But you can sit here if you like. I bet we can squeeze in an extra chair here.” The girl added hastily.

Heather laughed out loud this time. “Okay, thanks so much.” As she sat down, she spotted Karl carrying a chair to sit with a bunch of rowdy but welcoming boys. She grinned. It was high school all over again.

~

“Junior, come here.”

Jon walked to his father’s table, tending and wary of what he has to say. Sensing that this will be no small talk, he dragged a nearby chair and quietly sat on it. When the boy was settled down, Dr. Bullett nodded slightly. “I hear you got yourself a girl.”

Jon sighed. How did it leak out so fast? He nodded slightly.

“I also heard that she is from a broken, Low-income family. Doesn’t even receive proper education. Skipped high school.”

Jon nodded stiffly again, knowing with dread and certainty where this talk will lead to.

“What have you to say about that?”

“Nothing.”

The older Bullett’s eyes narrowed. “Nothing?” His voice was starting to rise. “Nothing, he says! Do you know who you are? Tell me that!”

There was an awkward silence in until his father repeated the demand, louder. After a few seconds-

“Uh, Jon Bullett?”

“Junior! Bullett Jr. Do not forget that name. Do not forget your origin, and what you are meant to be. Rebellious kids these days don’t care about spoiling their parent’s well thought plans for them, am I right?”

Silence.

“Shame!” His voice has risen to the orange Dorscon. “Yes, and I know what other people will say. ‘Poor Bullett Jr., he loved the girl no matter her wretchedness but his selfish Father, due to his high esteem, forbid him marry her, and left the poor boy broken hearted.’ A typical fairytale.”

Jon winced. That was what he expected might happen. What he feared would probably happen.

“WHILE ALL HE WAS DOING WAS PROTECTING HIS SON FROM THE EVIL OF THIS WORLD!!!!” The table banged. Jon jumped a little, and blinked. This has gone too far for his liking. His heart was raging at his Dad for saying such things about Mae. True, what was stated was truth, but it did not define her. It is not going to define him either.

~

“Care to have some dessert?” Karl asked after Heather scraped the last of her gravy. The girl glanced at him in surprise. It wasn’t like Karl to hang around for dessert.

“Okay.” She replied, her eyes running down the list of cakes and ice cream. “I’ll have a New York cheesecake.”

Karl nodded, then raised his hand for the waitress. “I’ll like dessert— a New York cheesecake and tiramisu please.”

When the waitress left, Karl slipped his hand into his pocket and fingered the small box that rested awkwardly inside. No. Not yet.

Heather, having no clue at all of what Karl might be thinking, slipped out her phone and went to her excel drive. “Hey, I made some changes for the Budget for the merchandise. I think we should cut out tote bags. Too many people have tote bags already. Don’t you think?”

Karl, half relieved, half irritated at the unexpected subject, ran down the list of merchandise and frowned. “If you ask me, I would have spent on only $400 for the whole thing. Why spend $700 for merch that don’t even sell? I just got an update on the statistics. You’re right, the tote bag’s the lowest, but see,” he showed her the statistics from his phone, “the others aren’t selling as well as expected either. It isn’t time to popularise our idea yet, Heather. Too rapid.”

Heather nodded. “Makes sense. So where should the Budget go, do you think? We still got to rent the auditorium at King’s. $200.”

“That, and the pamphlets. The pamphlets are running out pretty soon. I think put at least $250 for it.” He reminded her.

The desserts came. Both put away their phones as their other hands reached for the forks. Karl gazed at Heather for longer than he should, wondering if this was the...

“What?” Heather asked with her mouth full of cheesecake, fork stuck up like Poseidon’s trident.

Karl shook his head, looking away from her. “Nothing.”

Heather raised her eyebrow. “Cake’s nice.”

“You’re nicer.” Karl said abruptly, turning his head back to face her.

“What?” Heather said again, but this time she stopped chewing.

He decided to just get it done and over with. “I love you. Heather.”

“Oh. I love you too lol.” Heather replied nonchalantly, but her heartbeat was rapidly rising.

He extended his right hand with the small box and opened it. “Then you’ll want this?” He asked, the simple golden circlet gleaming in the restaurant’s dim romantic light.

“Oh.” Heather stared at the ring, put down her fork, then stared at Karl. Karl stared back at her. Their eyes burned holes at each other, each envisioning their lives with each other.

“Yes.”

Karl smiled widely. “That’s that then.”

Heather couldn’t restrain a quiet giggle of delight. Her dream come true. Oh, darling Karl.

“Can’t afford much for you, though. Not many dates in lavish places or whatever.” Karl said rather bluntly.

“Oh I understand. We’re in this revolution together, after all.” Heather grinned, then took a big bite of cheesecake. Karl smiled at her fondly. A thousand thoughts went through his mind, but he knew he didn’t need to say them to her. They knew they loved each other, and that was all they needed to know. He picked up his fork, and dug into his tiramisu. Heather glanced at him and chuckled suddenly. “I know you’re nicer, but is the tiramisu nice? Can I try?”

Karl instinctively started to say no, but remembered that she was officially his girlfriend now and that he should share his cake. “Sure. May I try yours too?”

Heather laughed and nodded. They ended up switching cakes. When they were done, Karl commented, “Next time, to cut budget, we can share one cake.”

Heather heartily agreed as Karl proceeded to pay the bill. This time, she didn’t object on splitting the bill. Karl will pay it all today, she thought bemusedly.

As they stepped out of the small restaurant, Heather once again found Karl gazing at her. She waited patiently until he said, “I can kiss you now, hm?”

Heather laughed and tiptoed, placing her hands on his shoulders. Karl felt a strange unearthly feeling shiver through him, then warmth from her hands started to radiate into his shoulders. He gently wrapped his arms around her waist, leaned down, and whispered, “turn your head over.”

She obeyed, and he softly kissed her on her cheek. She did not contain the rosy perfume that most other girls adorned, but a plain human smell that was far more genuine than the rarest flower. He breathed it in, and treasured her touch.

Heather’s touch. His touch.

Then he found himself gently drawing her away from him. “Until next time.” He said, and smiled in the darkness.

Heather breathed deeply, stuffed her hands into her jacket pocket, and her voice floated in the foggy night air. “Yeah. Next time.”

Then she turned around and walked swiftly to her apartment, the ring encircling her middle finger like a cooling embrace. It will warm, she thought. It will warm with time, as I keep wearing it.

~

“Deny it!” The guard shouted, and levelled his revolver. The tender hearted one approached Karl hastily. “Look boy,” he whispered urgently, “you don’t have to mean it now, just say it.”

Karl’s gaze dropped to the bloody black concrete, then to the revolver’s dark small hole where the bullet will come out if he did not deny. Inside, he was raging a battle on his own. If he were to refuse, think of what will happen to people around him, to the world that desperately needed his presence. Heather will be broken hearted... she had fought so long to make things right and she was going to lose the steady ember of her life? He knew she will go on as surely as he would if she was gone, but she’ll go on with a permanent scar in her healing heart. So many people relied on him. But the truth also depended on him. He sighed, and shook his head. “I will not.” He said in his firm quiet voice.

“Don’t!” The guard beside him cried frantically, now desperate to try save this boy’s life. “You’re still young, bright, don’t give up your life just for such a stupid matter-“

“It is a stupid matter,” Karl agreed, then continued, “and to such matters I will not succumb, for it is better to die that to live being seen as a coward.”

The whole group of guards were quiet. Jon and Mae, trembling, watched with wide eyes as the officer nodded to the guard holding the revolver. Jon felt like leaping out of his hiding position, and take Karl’s place on that crimson soaked ground. But common sense told him it will be foolish. They will both die. So he kept hiding and covered Mae’s eyes with his shaking hands.

“One last chance.” The officer declared.

“I will not deny it!” The youth shouted.

The roar of the revolver deafened the ears of those watching the scene, shooting rapidly at the tall standing body, the silhouette like that of a rock amid flowing water even as he slumped to the ground, dead. The guards, after standing there either stunned or nonchalant, eventually took the dead body and dragged him to the open burial, where dozens of other bloody bodies were already starting to smell and rot. They tossed him like a sack of flour , wiped their grimy hands on their dark jeans, then headed to the truck.

Mae watched all this in silent horror.

~

“The world isn’t worthy of him.” Nigel murmured as the last sit of wet earth was dishearteningly thrown over the chestnut coffin far down below.

“The world isn’t worthy of any of us,” replied Mae softly, “and we will all one day languish. But this is not the day for the remaining. The fight is not over.”

To this Olive muttered, to herself, “It never is over. We all will fight even when our bodies are rotting in identical wooden coffins. Our souls will fight in and on.”

Heather heard this. She heard all of it. The scraping of the soil falling against the carven coffin, the quiet sobs of some, the drolling of the preacher. She tried to listen to something else. To run away. She had to fight, but she also needed to pretend. To give herself some sort of alcohol, telling her all’s well and that she should just go on. This plan didn’t work, try another one. it wasn’t a plan. she thought to herself angrily. it was my life. And now it’s gone. How the heck am I supposed to continue without my life?

Only then did she realise how much she depended on him. Now she had to do everything by herself. If she ached, her balm would be naught but her memories. Past. Regrets. Oh Karl, didn’t you love me? Did you love the truth over me? Must it be that way? Have I not gone through enough?

Then she remembered her own words, boldly telling the one who is now in the grave-

“God knows I can take it. I should be honoured if more sufferings should come upon me, because it shows that I can bear it.”

~

Olive felt her heart ache like it never has in a long time. She felt an emotion she had despised welling up inside her stomach. It made her eyes sore, then it blurred her sight. Her first reaction was alarm. She cannot be crying. But the emotion was too great, and she daren’t wipe the tear away lest someone might suspect her weakness. Suddenly, she remembered something Martin told her.

”I would like to see you cry someday. It will be one of the seven wonders in the world for me.”

Well, she thought as the tears poured freely and snot trickled down her nose, I am crying now, and that is because you are dead. I don’t know what to think. It was on his death that she realised how much she actually loved him. He was the only person who listened to her, who attempted to comprehend her strange riddles, who just whispered “I understand” even when he didn’t. How she wished she can take away the blunt, stinging words she used to spew at him! Yet he took them all good-naturedly. How she despised him, yet how she adored his simple character.

~

The rose was already wilting, and it wasn’t wilting like a pitiful dying flower should. It had started to smell a little, and and the edges were bruised and a dark maroon hue. Mae leaned against Heather’s shoulder as she plucked one petal and let go of it, letting it flutter and fly with the gentle breeze. She felt Heather’s arms go around her neck and squeeze her shoulders. She knew the younger girl did not really know what to do. She placed her own hand on Heather’s one.

“It’s ok. I’ll be okay. You’re busy.”

Heather’s umber eyes gazed her with concern. “You sure?”

“Yeah. I just- yeah, I’ll be fine.” Mae hoped she wasn’t telling a lie. She will be alright, wouldn’t she?

But Heather knew better. “You may be fine later, but now you aren’t. I mean, you know I’m not much of a comforter, but you matter more than my work. That can wait.”

The tears finally came. The warmth of the leader poured into Mae’s aching heart. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to be a burden on you like this, really-“

“Don’t say that!” Heather sounded lightly annoyed, then her tone changed back to gentle again. “Everyone will feel like you do when they are in such a situation.”

“You wouldn’t. When Karl died, you didn’t just sit down and sob. Like what I’m doing now. You went on with life.”

“Just because I didn’t show it doesn’t mean I didn’t feel it. I felt every bit the same as you, maybe more? I don’t know. I just- you know, expressed it in another way?”

Mae looked up at Heather, wondering if she had unintentionally touched the other girl’s deepest grief. She has. Heather was fighting back her tears, her eyes growing a little red even in the dark night background. Mae hugged the girl all the tighter. They were both in need of comfort. Maybe Heather needed it more. She doesn’t know.

“Well I guess we all just have to do the next right thing.” Mae found herself saying. “Whatever storm or grief is brewing in my or your heart, we just have to-“ her breath hitches as more sobs threatened to spew themselves out. Heather clutched her shoulders even more tightly, then whispered, “- we just have to continue.”

There was silence for about five minutes until the nurse finally appeared at the rooftop garden. “Miss Mae Hatter?”

Mae spun around, her teary eyes wide with fear and trembling. “Is he alright?”

“He is in stabler condition, but is still unconscious.”

“Will he live?”

“The percentage remains the same, but you may visit him now.”

Mae swiftly stood up, felt a little dizzy at standing too fast, then rushed along with the nurse to the room. Jon was lying motionless on the hospital bed, the straps binding his scarred body. His pale eyelids shut out his pair of deep green lanterns, and Mae wondered if she would ever see them again. She didn’t dare hope.

~

“I’m here. I won’t leave you.” Mae choked, and placed her hands on Jon’s unmoving one. She squeezed his hands tightly, her grey eyes turning into silver as the tears begin to form again.

“I can’t feel your hands,” Jon reminded her miserably. Mae nodded then placed her hands on his cheeks, then threw her whole body on him, sobbing loudly now. Jon felt wretched. He can’t even hug her back. He is supposed to be her back, her support, her love...! But now it is his fault she is like this and he can’t even hug her.

Why?

It was the obvious question. In movies, when something unexpected happens, “why” becomes the whole point of the movie. And there always was an answer to Why there. In real life, does the same theory apply? Jon’s mind tumbled over the 180 degrees turn of his life.

“It’s okay, Mae. You- you can leave me.” He found himself saying.

Mae looked up from where she had buried her head in his chest, her eyes widening with surprise, then hurt. “Jon! How can you say that! I won’t leave you!”

“No, that’s not what I meant, just, I feel so- like I lost everything- just please leave me.” It was a random spam of words.

“Hey, I don’t love your money or your looks or your popularity or your status or anything else that you own. I love you.” Mae suddenly felt very sure of what she is saying. She continued even as her tears flowed, “so I don’t care so much if everything is stripped off you and you are left as a beggar, ‘cause I want you.”

Jon gave her a small, bitter smile. “That’s nice of you Mae. I know you won’t leave me. That’s how much I trust you. But what I meant was, just go out to get your lunch or something and let me alone.”

This took Mae by surprise. “Oh. Well.” She burst out, but sensing that all he was asking was some alone time, she quietly left the room, wondering if Jon still wanted her, or he truly did not want her anymore, and that it had nothing to do with what happened to him.