"Don’t touch me!" Adam hollered as he felt a hand touch his forehead. He shoved the hand away and flipped his body to face the wall. He heard an exasperated sigh. "Your medicine is on the table. You will feel better after you take them," his mother said softly. "I say, get out of my room!" Adam shouted again, he wished his mother would just leave him alone. His mother treaded out of the bedroom without another word.

Adam’s head was throbbing, he felt as if his whole body was on fire. Groaning, he kicked his bed sheets and blankets away from his body. A minute later, he felt as if he was placed in a freezer, his whole body was shivering. Grabbing his bed sheets and blanket back, he reached for the medicine. Adam found the tablet and popped it into his mouth. With much effort, he managed to force it down his throat. Adam cringed at the uncomfortable feeling in his mouth. He cursed his mother under his breath for giving him such a horrible thing to eat. Forget it. He thought. Massaging his temples, Adam fell back on his bed and dozed off.

The next morning, Adam’s mother crept out of her bed. It was still dark as the sun had yet to be risen. Making her way in the dimly lit hallway, she came to Adam’s room. Quietly, trying to make as little noise as possible, she opened the door. Adam’s mother peeped at the table. The tablet was gone. She gave a sigh of relief. She shut the door and went to the kitchen.

Being a single parent was not easy at all, she worked day and night just make sure both their stomachs were filled. Just the night before, she barely slept three hours before she had to wake up to start a day’s work. However, she had no regrets; she would do whatever it takes to give Adam a good life.

She was glad that Adam took the medicine, at least it would bring down his fever. Although he was very hostile to her, he was still her flesh and blood; she still loved him.

Ignoring the cries of her worn out body, she carried the kettle and placed it on the stove. Just then, she heard footsteps. Stopping her work, she walked out of the kitchen and saw Adam heading towards the washroom. His footsteps was steady but hesitant. Apparently, the medicine worked because last night he was almost staggering the entire way to his bedroom. His eyes were groggy, half opened. Adam’s mother could not help but noticed that the glittery brightness in his eyes when he was a child had disappeared totally.

"Adam! You’re up early. Are you feeling better?" His mother asked cheerfully, hoping to infect her son with her lightheartedness. Adam did not respond.

She was used to it already, talking to Adam was like talking to a piece of wall ever since his father’s death, except that sometimes Adam snapped back. She hid her disappointment and started preparing sandwiched for breakfast. The sound of water flush came to her ears and Adam stepped out of the washroom, looking slightly more alert. "Adam, you want a sandwich?" She tried again, hoping that this time he would show some kind of response. A look of acknowledgement, a dismissal wave, anything, anything would do. Indeed he responded, but it was a "Shut up."

Adam’s mother bit her lower lip, unable to hide the hurt expression on her face. Although the sandwich was made with the best brand of peanut butter, but in her mouth, it was tasteless.

Adam stepped out of the apartment. By then, the sun was already out. He leaned against the parapet, still thinking of where to go afterwards. Anywhere would be fine; he just wanted to be away from his mother. She does not even have the right to be my mother, if she was really my mother, she would not have caused father to die! All because of her! If she had not borrowed money, father would not have to die by protecting her from the loan sharks! Now Dad is gone and it’s all her fault!

Adam felt a lump swelled up in his throat, he swallowed it back, not wanting bad memories to overwhelm him.His head still felt slightly feverish. Maybe I should head over to Sean’s house. Adam dug into his pocket to retrieve his cigarette case, to his disappointment, not a stick was left. Frustrated, he went down to get a pack

So many years had passed, she was still wearing it. Adam’s mother took off her wedding ring from her finger that used to be slender. Turning it over, she could see the words still clearly engraved at the back. " Clement and Lily forever 1980". How she wished it were true; how she wished her husband was still with her. Lily closed her eyes, recalling that awful night.

The loan sharks had came to their doorstep for an overdue debt that was way over what Lily had borrowed. They were making such a din, afraid that the neighbours would be awaken and getting unnecessary attention, Clement decided to confront the loan sharks despite Lily’s protests. In the end Clement was slashed and was bleeding profusely. Fortunately, a kind soul had called the police and before the loan sharks could do any more harm, they were being cuffed. When Clement was brought to the hospital, he was pronounced dead due to loss of blood.

Lily had a hard time trying to convince Adam that father was not going to come back anymore. Since then, Adam had blamed her for Clement’s death. What Adam did not know was why she had to borrow money. He had questioned a number of times but Lily always remained quiet.

The truth was the money borrowed was actually for Adam’s hospital and operation bills. When Adam was 10, he was seriously ill and later diagnosed with a blood vessel clot and therefore very little amount of blood could reach his heart. He needed an operation fast. Their family was poor; their income was meagre. Not wanting to worry her husband, she told her she had enough to pay, but in fact she went to the loan sharks.

She kept it from Adam because she did not want him to feel as if it were his fault. She knew Adam’s temper, if he knew the truth, he would probably do something drastic. However, she kept a letter in her wallet with what really happened. It was addressed to Adam, when she feels the right time had come, she would show it to him.

Sighing, she took her handbag and headed to work.

At the road junction, Lily was still in low spirits. Seeing the green man, she strode across the road. At that moment, a lorry from the road bend rode right in at an illegal speed. Lily could not respond, she stopped at her tracks and screamed. In a spilt second, she could feel herself being flung over a distance, and landed on what felt like grass. Lily called out, but no voice came out. Then all was pitch dark.

Adam rushed into the ICU ward, searching for his mother’s bed. He found her and was surprised to see her mother wrapped in bandages and tubes was connected to her body to form an entangled pattern. The doctor was there. "Excuse me, are you Lily Tan’s son, Adam?"

Adam nodded.

" I’m afraid your mother is in critical condition, we found a letter addressed to you in her wallet. Please spend this time wisely with her." Adam’s mind was in a whirl, just this morning she was having breakfast, now she was going to die? It was just too fast for him to accept.

Adam opened the neatly folded letter and read through.

Adam was dumbstruck, shocked, paralysed for the moment. The dam in his eyes opened its gate and water flowed out uncontrollably. He felt as if the whole world collapsed on him. Adam grabbed his mother’s hand, and knelt by her bedside, tears of guilt still streaming down. "I’m so sorry Mum." He paused, it had been the first time in so many years since he addressed her as ‘Mum’ again. "I’m so sorry, I was too childish to realised Mum. Sorry for all these years Mum. Please wake up," Adam said through sobs.

That’s not fair! I lost my father, now I have to lose my mother. I do not even have the chance to tell her I love her. That’s not fair!

Then, the lifeline machine came to a pause. A neon-green straight line appeared, accompanied by the monotonous signal.

(1460 words)