Fiction: Group 2
and that his factory routine was no longer mundane. It was like a star had shone into his life. Maybe his
parents had answered his prayers after all.
Meanwhile, Raymond, while initial apprehensive and cautious, let go of all his inhibitions when he was
with Foo Ming. While he continued to collect information about the factory manager, his friendship with
Foo Ming was an assuring constant in his life.
“Fire!” Even the usual calm and clear headedness that defined Raymond was flung aside as he stared in
horror at the catastrophic scene that was unfolding around him at the factory. His eyes reflected the growing
fear and panic that was building up in his chest, which was threatening to suffocate him; even more so than
the fumes that were steadily encasing him. He felt claustrophobic as the inferno enveloped him and the
flames licked at his feet, regardless of which direction he tried to escape to. Just then, a silhouette arose and
in a moment of recognition, he shouted, “Foo Ming!” Staggering forwards, he grabbed Foo Ming’s arm in
an act of desperation. Yet this unintentional movement startled Foo Ming, and the object that was clutched
in his hand fluttered to the ground, a few feet away from the reach of the flames.
Despite the protesting cries that rang out from Raymond, Foo Ming persisted in crawling over to pick up
that object quickly. As they barely managed to escape from flames, Raymond confirmed what he had seen.
The object clutched in Foo Ming’s hand was the same photograph that he possessed. His face blackened
with fumes, he coughed and sputtered, “Who are they? Do you know?” Foo Ming gave him a strange look
and answered with a reminiscing sigh, “My parents of course. This photograph is the only reminder I have
of..”. Before he could finish his sentence, Raymond leaped forward and hugged all the breath out from him.
His eyes brimmed with tears as he whispered repeatedly, “I’ve found you, brother, I’ve finally found you
after all these years…” What followed was a frantic explanation, a tearful reunion and another brotherly hug
to replace all those missed in the past decades.
Although the factory manager was still at large for the act of arson he committed as soon as he realised he
was being watched, what he didn’t know was that he had brought together 2 long-lost brothers who had
been separated for more than 20 years. Not only so, but Foo Ming, having known Raymond’s intentions for
a long time, had crawled back into the factory during the fire to save the evidence for the manager’s crimes,
which sufficed to prosecute the dirty criminal. Every cloud has a silver lining, does it not?
