A Mother And Her Son I was a just-born and she was Twenty-Five, Though we were we, we were one. I would cry out in Latin and she would respond in Greek, I would learn nothing but she never got tired to teach. I was surrounded by monsters eager to pull my cheek, but they would vanish the moment I was wet and weep. She would come running and hold me in her arms, as if I had won the contest of the charms. Now I was able to walk and chew, and hey, I was two. I and she could now understand each other, I was her everything and she needed no other. I would try to walk and fall down, But knowing she was with me, the fear of getting hurt was now gone. We still could not converse that effectively, But she would understand my needs so easily. I could now roam about free, because now I have turned three. I was ready to join a new world, my academic #life was now gonna mould. She would dress me as best as a prince, but when I would come back, she would need at least an hour to rinse. I was now able to talk, I was a ferry and she was my dock. I still remember the child, whose shirt I had tore, Hey buddy, I have turned four. I now came home a little late, Nevertheless finding her waiting at the gate. She would hug me and carry me in her arms, it felt like flying through the farms. We now did the homework together, I would spoil the home and she used to work. Years passed and now I was fifteen, and with each year I would forget to lean. I wouldn"t care for what she said, because now I had become mean. She would ask me to study for a good future, but I was busy in a different culture. Now I had many shes in my #life, I dreamed of having one of them as my wife. I changed a lot which she did not teach, She would try to hug me but I was out of reach. She still waited for me at the gate, but I would look at her with utmost hate. She would be awake till late in the night, because I wasn"t home, I was in a fight. She had so much to scold, but she never did say, hoping to find me better the next day. Time went on and now I am grown, lost in the world of my own. I and she, between us have a river, I have left her for my career. When I was young, for me, she sacrificed her ambitions, but I don"t care, I now have my own mission. I am not with her now, I am in a different city, she is so old now but I don't even pity. She needs me now but I am nowhere to find, in the race for appraisal, I have become blind. In a few years from now, I will be too, there will be in my #life someone new. Then I"ll forget even to bother, I am her son and she is my Mother.

What If.... What if you slept? And what if in your sleep you dreamed? And what if in your dream, you went to heaven and there plucked a strange and beautiful flower? And what if, when you woke, you had the flower in your hand? Ah! What if then?

Those Childhood Days When you came into the world, she held you in her arms. You thanked her by wailing like a banshee. When you were 1 year old, she fed you and bathed you. You thanked her by crying all night long. When you were 2 years old, she taught you to walk. You thanked her by running away when she called. When you were 3 years old, she made all your meals with love. You thanked her by tossing your plate on the floor. When you were 4 years old, she gave you some crayons. You thanked her by coloring the dining room table. When you were 5 years old, she dressed you for the holidays. You thanked her by plopping into the nearest pile of mud. When you were 6 years old, she walked you to school. You thanked her by screaming, "I'M NOT GOING!" When you were 7 years old, she bought you a baseball. You thanked her by throwing it through the next-door-neighbor's window. When you were 8 years old, she handed you an ice cream. You thanked her by dripping it all over your lap. When you were 9 years old, she paid for piano lessons. You thanked her by never even bothering to practice. When you were 10 years old, she drove you all day, from soccer to gymnastics to one birthday party after another. You thanked her by jumping out of the car and never looking back. When you were 11 years old, she took you and your friends to the movies. You thanked her by asking to sit in a different row. When you were 12 years old, she warned you not to watch certain TV shows. You thanked her by waiting until she left the house. Those Teenage Years When you were 13, she suggested a haircut that was becoming. You thanked her by telling her she had no taste. When you were 14, she paid for a month away at summer camp. You thanked her by forgetting to write a single letter. When you were 15, she came home from work, looking for a hug. You thanked her by having your bedroom door locked. When you were 16, she taught you how to drive her car. You thanked her by taking it every chance you could. When you were 17, she was expecting an important call. You thanked her by being on the phone all night. When you were 18, she cried at your high school graduation. You thanked her by staying out partying until dawn. Growing Old and Gray When you were 19, she paid for your college tuition, drove you to campus, carried your bags. You thanked her by saying good-bye outside the dorm so you wouldn't be embarrassed in front of your friends. When you were 20, she asked whether you were seeing anyone. You thanked her by saying, "It's none of your business." When you were 21, she suggested certain careers for your future. You thanked her by saying, "I don't want to be like you." When you were 22, she hugged you at your college graduation. You thanked her by asking whether she could pay for a trip to Europe. When you were 23, she gave you furniture for your first apartment. You thanked her by telling your friends it was ugly. When you were 24, she met your fiance and asked about your plans for the future. You thanked her by glaring and growling, "Muuhh-ther, please!" When you were 25, she helped to pay for your wedding, and she cried and told you how deeply she loved you. You thanked her by moving halfway across the country. When you were 30, she called with some advice on the baby. You thanked her by telling her, "Things are different now." When you were 40, she called to remind you of a relative's birthday. You thanked her by saying you were "really busy right now." When you were 50, she fell ill and needed you to take care of her. You thanked her by reading about the burden parents become to their children. And then, one day, she quietly died. And everything you never did came crashing down like thunder. Appreciate your mother when you can before it is too late.

Secrets In the eyes of the world, I am a wealthy and lucky businessman. I live in a luxurious villa in Hong Kong. I have three adorable children and a charming and voluptuous wife. We have ten maids to care for out needs. My deranged mother lives under my liberty, in yet another bungalow right next to mine, with five experienced maids and a private nurse looking after her, making sure she is alright. I spend my days looking after my kids and donating large sums of money to orphanages and homes for old folks. My name is Leonard Wang. I'm forty years old and I have committed a crime. I killed my best friend for his wealth. In the early days, I came from a poor family. My father worked as a cobbler while my mother was unemployed. I had ten siblings and I was the youngest in my family. Money was never enough. I remember those days when Mother had to starve so that we had enough to eat. Those days when Mother had to cut her own clothes whenever any of ours were torn. In school, kids my age would tease me for wearing hand-me-downs. My brothers and sisters were very bright and managed to study up to university levels with the help of scholarships provided by the government. It was this very day when a group of other boys were teasing me for not having anything to eat during lunch breaks. I was on the verge of tears when a rich boy, David Simmons, came to my rescue. He drove the bullies away and put his arm around my shoulder. "Hey! I'm David. What's your name?" he asked me. That was the start of our long lasting friendship. David always shared his wealth with me. He told me his deepest, darkest secrets and shared his food with me during lunch breaks. He was always there for me whenever I needed him. This went in till university. As if by fate, we both received scholarships for the same universities for different courses. I was doing business while he was doing engineering. We remained best of friends. We went through thick and thin together until that one unfortunate event. In my business class, there was a snobbish boy called Gerard Lee. He was filthy rich and he loved to boast about his family's fortune. When he found out about my poor family, he scoffed at me and bullied me every single day. He even managed to pull David into his group and they taunted me mercilessly every single day. My university #life was hell but I graduated with a Masters degree in business. A couple of years after I left university, my clothes business was still running slow. With so little money, I could not expand my business. Luck was also not on my side. I always lost half my goods due to inadequate storage space and the other half sold poorly. David however was blooming to be a well known engineer. He earned millions, making him extremely rich. I soon got jealous of his wealth. Late one night, I snuck into his mansion and pointed a revolver at his throat. He had no wife and his servants were away for the night. Well, luck must have been on my side and I forced him to write his will, leaving all his riches to me. As soon as he signed it, I freed his arm but he threatened to tear the will. In the haphazard scramble for the will, I accidentally fired a shot right through his neck. David slumped dead in his study. I ran for my #life for the fear of being caught as the killer who assassinated his best friend. The police found David dead the next day. Just as expected, I inherited David's riches as in the will and I felt really happy. In the next five years, my business expanded and I became the richest man in Asia. My wedding with a world famous French model was an elaborate one. There were a thousand guests, amongst them were my family members, all of them did not know how I actually became so rich. Shortly after my wedding, my wife bore a set of fraternal twins. An adorable baby boy, with features exactly like mine , and a gorgeous baby girl, who looked exactly like her. I was on cloud nine. Two years after that, she bore yet another daughter. I soon forgot about the fact that I had killed David that night. It was two weeks ago when I was clearing out my drawer when I stumbled upon my old photo album. I gingerly opened the album and peered at its contents. There, pictures of me and David brought back nostalgic memories of us growing up together. I was about to make a call when I remembered how I had assassinated him that very night. My heart dropped and tears fell out of my eyes like bullets as I recalled how he had helped me in everything. I'm sorry David. It's my fault your family is suffering now. Your mother never got over the fact that you died that night. I'm sorry she died of heartbreak last winter and your father followed suit the next spring. Your brother treats me as his business partner and I do not know how to reveal the fact that I am the one who killed you. I am a monster. I am so sorry David, my best friend. I never should have done that. May you rest in peace, forever.

Pleasure With the dagger glistening in my hand, my mouth turned upwards into a gleaming smile, waiting for the time to strike my victim. I looked over my shoulder at Justin. He looked so handsome in his suit and tie, making it such a waste to kill him. 'Don't worry, the night is still young,' I assured myself. *************** Joy. What does the word actually mean? People experience ''joy' differently. Sadists experience joy when seeing others in pain. Children experience joy when receiving presents. Me? I experience joy when killing. I'm a killer. From Çanakkale, Turkey , ready to annihilate my next victim. **************** I got ready for my appointment for the night. A lovely evening dinner in a high class restaurant overlooking the glorious Aegean Sea. I tightened the straps of the case holding my gun and prized dagger onto my upper right thigh. My fluffy pink gown covered everything nicely. No one ever suspected me of handling any weapons, never, since i started killing for a hobby. I covered my luscious lips with a thick layer of blood-red lipstick covered with yet another layer of shiny lipgloss. I slathered myself with perfume, put on those stilettos and floated out of my mansion gracefully. When I stepped out of my mansion, a blast of cold air hit my face. I smiled a sinister smile, like a lion waiting for its prey. Justin was already waiting in his jet-black Prius. "Hey babe! New car?" I asked. "Yes doll! Specially for tonight," was his reply. I stepped gracefully into the car, making sure my weapons remained hidden from view. "Love the dress. You like pink?" Justin asked. I nodded gently. I did not want him to find out I was a man slayer, so pink was the best feminine color I could think of. We drove towards the 'special' restaurant in which the murder would happen. I smiled to myself, thinking how handsome Justin's head would be on my living room wall, together with the other fifty handsome men I had killed in this same outfit. ************* "Bayview Restaurant, eh? Why on earth do we have to be here?" I asked my colleague, Bill Patterson. "Because, Julie, there will be a murder here tonight. Besides, Captain Murdoch would know what he is doing anyway. Come on, loosen up girl! Have a little fun tonight. But keep your eyes out for her," Bill replied. "Her? You mean the killer is a woman? How..." I spluttered. "Wait, haven't you been listening to Captain? He briefed us about the mission earlier. It's a well off lady about twenty to thirty years old, kills with either a dagger or a gun and her victims are usually rich handsome young men," said Bill. Just then, the doors swung open and in waltzed a young couple. The man was ridiculously handsome and the girl equally beautiful in her pink padded dress. 'That can't be the killer, she looks too innocent. Besides, they look really romantic together. I'll just look at them a little longer,' I thought to myself. My eyes glazed towards them. "Hey, Julie, do you think it's that couple?" Bill asked me. "I'm not sure. But they don't look like the killer type, especially the girl. She's so innocent. And pink? How many killers do you know wear pink?" I replied. "Yea. Lets keep a lookout anyway," Bill said. I shrugged and looked over at the couple. They were really sweet together. The perfect couple. ***************** We arrived at the restaurant, 'Bayview Restaurant'. "So this is the secret restaurant? Looks classy fora seaside restaurant," I replied as we walked through those doors. Justin smiled at me and showed me to my seat. He pulled out the chair and invited me to sit. "Would you like something to eat?" Justin asked. "Okay. I'll have the fish please," I replied, gently stroking his hands. He grinned and left the table to place our order. So there I sat, looking around the room. All of a sudden, my eyes stopped at a table not far from here. Two people, a man and a lady were staring intently at me. Their eyes followed my every movement. 'Have I been found out?' I thought to myself. "Alright darling. I've placed our orders. The food will be coming soon. Meanwhile, would you like to dance?" Justin asked as he walked back to out table. I shook my head. "Sorry dear, I'm not much of a dancer. Lets take a walk outside instead. Would they remind us when the meal is here?" I asked sweetly. "I'm sure they will. Besides, we won't be long," Justin replied. We set off, telling the waiter at the front door our intentions. The time has come. *************** "The couple have left without their food. Should we follow them?" I asked Bill. Bill shook his head. "Nah! Besides, they don't look like a pair of killers anyway. The only thing they are killing is some time before their food arrives. Leave the two lovebirds alone, okay?" was Bill's reply. I looked around the room. From the corner of my eye, I watched as the couple kissed each other on the shore outside the restaurant. Then they walked hand in hand by the sea shore. Over in the restaurant, no woman matching Captain Murdoch's description were seen. "Sir, I don't seem to see any lady matching your description. And also, the waitress is asking us to leave now as we have been here for over four hours. The food here is not exactly cheap too," I heard Bill saying to Captain Murdoch. Bill grunted a few times and an occasional 'Yes Sir' was heard before he put down his hand phone. Bill turned to me and paid the bill for our drinks. "Come on, Julie, we're leaving. Captain said that the plan has changed. We are asked to abandon the mission," said Bill. I looked over at the beach but I did not see the couple. "They still look suspicious to me," I muttered. Seconds later,I heard a loud bang from the walls of the restaurant. The restaurant walls began to crumble, followed by a blinding light before I slipped into darkness. *************** I looked around the beach. There was not a soul in sight. I smirked and took hold of my dagger. Justin was still enjoying the sunset, looking as handsome as ever. I felt so in power as I imagined slaying Justin. "Hey, babe, what's with the knife?" Justin asked. I smiled sweetly at him. "You chose the wrong girl to date, Justin. And now, you'll have to pay the price," I replied with a sinister edge to my voice. Justin stared at me wide-eyed. "N... No..... P... Pl.... Please..... Don..... Don't...," he stammered. I gave him a last smile and drove my dagger through his head, piercing his brain and repeating the cycle on his chest, arms, legs and back. Then, I shot him in the chest and left him, slumped against a rock. I chopped off his head, washed it with seawater and dumped it into a sack. I took his keys and drove home, happy to get another head for my collection. *************** "Just moments ago, a waiter from the all time famous Bayview Restaurant found a headless dead body lying by the beach. He was making his way for his shift at the restaurant when he stumbled upon the dead body. Since the head of the body is missing, police have found it difficult to trace the identity of the dead person. It is believed that several minutes after the body was found, the entire restaurant was blown up. Five hundred people were killed, including diners and the restaurant staff, causing this attack to have been the most dangerous attack in the beautiful city of Çanakkale, Turkey. Amongst them were two police officers. This case has baffled the police. Only time will tell if the case can be solved. Till then, I'm Miranda Smith from Sky TV."