Chapter Thirteen

Extra! Extra! Hear all about it!

1. A series of three untimely deaths shook the Placemats. But those in the know, those of the Inner Circle, knew that the three had not died. Well, not in the morbid sense of the word - at least. They had attained enlightenment; they had joined the best in Heaven. A place so far away that the other Placemats could only wish.

2. The lastest addition to the Castle! The Sultry Siren. And as her moniker implies, she's one hot favourite with the Jellyfish. Now most other Placemats - mere mortals with layman eyesight - found the Siren quite the eyesore. But to Jellyfish's trained eye and learned mind, she was walking eyecandy. And walk around the Castle, she did. Often caught sauntering past the Fish Tank, flicking her waist-long hair and tossing (quite a number of) captivating glances his direction, the Siren really worked it. Of course, it was the Placemats who bore the brunt of the aftermath of this flirtatious dance between Siren and Jellyfish. It was rumoured that any Placemat who witnessed this happening would be bed-ridden for a week, with chronic symptoms of nausea, eye sty and loss of appetite.

To be continued

Chapter Twelve

War!

There was havoc, mayhem and disarray. There was almost giving up, crying and violence. It was war.

Well, almost war. War would have entailed a state of open and declared conflict between parties. But this? This was an uncalled for, hostile takeover by the Pig.

She stood there, helpless. He towered over her with his bulging tummy and irateness. She was silent yet screaming with indignance. He was harsh in his quiet tones. She was innocent. He was unreasonable. It was hapless.

She tried to fight back, to regain her pride. To pick up the pieces of her trampled dignity. She tried to remain adamant and hold the fort. She wouldn't give in!

She tried everything and came to nought. And so the war was lost. Evil prevailed.

::

As she wallowed in her loss, a venerable monk strolled by her. He took a look at her, and said softly, "Fight not the system for it is omnipotent." She looked up at his kind face and gentle demeanour and immediately she knew.

She had to escape the Place.

She had to leave.

Continue reading Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Eleven

Enlightenment and Levitation

She levitated. On clouds high above the Castle, she gazed down with a look of serenity. And smiled.

::

It never was easy for anyone to attain enlightenment. And it wasn't easy for Mochi the Giant. It took her one year, two attempts and the will of God before she qualified for enlightenment.

And even so, she struggled and fought this holy decree though it was time.

Enlightenment is a state of mind that blessed its beholders with clarity of thought and openness of heart.

But her mortality, feeble and weak, resisted the looming unknown and resisted change. For embracing enlightenment, one had to make sacrifices. Her sacrifice was to leave the Place forever.

This was but of course, simply because the Place and the Castle was too small for one who had enlightenment - too narrow and too constricting. The Place could not comprehend the power of enlightenment and just as Mochi had initially resisted it, so did the Place.

As the Heavens would have it, Mochi nonetheless embraced her fate and welcomed her enlightenment. And through her acceptance, she found calmness and greatness.

::

The Giants wish her well.

Continue reading Chapter Twelve

Chapter Ten

Making a Mountain of a Molehill

It was a morning like any other for citizens of The Place. They went about their daily business, scuttling from one end of the Castle to the other.

Located in a secluded corner of the Castle, however, was an interesting sight to behold - a molehill.

The Placemats were stunned! They were shocked! It was an awfully bad omen! Folklore in the Place whispered terrible tales about the growth of molehills.

Technically, molehills weren't bad. It was what they haboured that sent cold shivers down one's spine: moles.

According to folklore, molehills (and moles for that matter) appeared as though they grow out of thin air. But what the naked eye doesn't see is the dark green aura of evil, greed and jealousy. The strong presence of such energy - particularly from a person of strong presence - will breed molehills. And moles, oh moles, they were horrifying! These small black cretins tunnel their way around; eavesdropping on secrets and casting animosity spells on innocent victims.

Placemats stood before this eyesore, eyes wide open and mouths agape. And to their utter disgust, the biggest, fattest, most vile-looking Mole sauntered out and glared at them.

The Placemats knew, in their hearts, that life in the Castle will never be the same again.

And with bated breaths, they awaited their sorry fates.

Continue reading Chapter Eleven

Chapter Nine

The Curse of the Black Plague

It was most peculiar. The Place has been plagued by the Black Plague for a half-century now, that we all know. But in recent times, Placemats were dying at younger and younger ages - life expectancy was nearly halved!

No one knows exactly how the curse came about; only that it was brought on because the Castle incurred the wrath of a mighty wizard. The Plague rather worried Placemats, but life went on, didn't it?

All of a sudden, a wave of epidemic shook the Castle!

In less than five days, several notable Placemats (and a handful of other inconsequentials) were placed to rest in their final resting place. Whether they are resting peace, of course, is a totally different story.

Now, citizens of the Castle are mighty accustomed to the early demise of fellow workers. It was, after all, the curse of the Black Plague. And curses being curses, they were not easily lifted.

And so it seemed the brilliant counteraction of Jellyfish was simply to keep replacing Placemats who had dropped dead. This silly course of action led to a constant in- and out-flow of Castle workers, causing anxiety in the old-timers.

This may not have been clinically proven, but Placemats tended towards the notion that anxiety, coupled with the stress of being overworked, weakened one's immune system and lowered one's biological defence; this opened one to the brutual attack of the curse of the Black Plague; and consequently, led to a higher mortality rate by the Black Plague.

But of course, this was not proven. And even if it were, Jellyfish would not be inclined to believe or act on it.

After all, his favourites were still alive. For now.

Continue reading Chapter Ten

Chapter Eight

The Great (Illegal) Assembly

One fine day, an official decree was passed and announced to Placemats all across the land:

Come hither! A Great Assembly has been called for one and all to speak their minds!

The Castle was abuzz with excitement! The overworked and underpaid Placemats could finally rally together, voice their concerns and most amazingly, be heard. The big day finally arrived and what a crowd gathered in the great hall!

Jellyfish took to the stage and spoke dispassionately of an open and inclusive Place where all were equal and all were cherished. The Placemats looked on with disdain and disbelief, whispering furiously amongst themselves.

Above the cloud of murmur suddenly rose a deep tenor voice that questioned and challenged that which the Jellyfish had preached. How the crowd cheered!

"Answer that!" they exclaimed, "Answer!"

Jellyfish turned a sickly shade of green. Stammering and stuttering, and tripping over his own words, Jellyfish backed into a corner.

The motley crowd hollered, "ANSWER US!"

Something inside Jellyfish's IQ-of-4 brain must have snapped. He angrily took two steps forward, and yelled, "S-I-L-E-N-C-E!"

The hall fell uneasily silent.

And before anyone could react, Jellyfish flung a mighty tentacle toward the source of the unrest.

*SMACK*

The Mastermind fell to the ground with a slimy thud, and gasps of horror filled the room. Jellyfish stood over the fallen giant with an ugly sneer and a pressing air of arrogance.

"You are rallying my people against me; revolting against me! The Place and The Castle will not tolerate a Union," Jellyfish spat. "This is an Illegal Assembly! I will have all of you arrested, detained and punished!"

Slowly but surely, Mastermind picked himself up from the ground - swiping off the residue slime from Jellyfish's tentacle. Regaining his composure, Mastermind turned to his comrades.

Without a word uttered amongst them, the great assembly of dissatisfied, disillusioned Placemats pushed forward, taking large angry steps towards Jellyfish.

"This.. this.. is ILLEGAL!" Jellyfish hollered, while inching towards the exit. Upon reaching it, Jellyfish swung around and made a mad dash to safety.

The Placemats may not have gotten the answers they were looking for but after this great assembly, they were charged with a force within them. For they knew, deep down inside, that they had the power to change what they detested; the will to create their ideal habitat; and the capability to do all that without Jellyfish.

He may not have been in the know, but Jellyfish was in for the shock of his life.

Life in the Castle will never be the same again...


Continue reading Chapter Nine

Chapter Seven

Bearing with the Blackfaced Bear

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, stood the Castle...

Oh hang on. You've already heard that one. Now hear this.

The latest addition to the Castle is the Blackfaced Bear. And while it's commonly felt that Blackfaced Bear's name may not truly justify the blackness of the black, and the bearishness of the bear, the moniker is largely accepted as accurate.

Blackfaced Bear entered (with quite a huff, I must say) the Castle by invitation of Jellyfish. He had meant for her to work for him, but things quickly evolved such that she was working against him.

Now, as any Placemat would know, this did not sit well with Jellyfish. He was the reigning supreme! The one! The only..('Spineless little twerpt', Placemats would add with a chuckle)!

But I digress.

Blackfaced Bear was as vocal as any bear (and stubborn and aggressive), and had an unfortunate ear-piercing, eerie growl that she was evidently unafraid to flaunt. Grunting and panting, she attacked her subordinates with the gusto of a hungry predator.

And blackfaced as she was, she hobbled around the Castle with a perpetual frown and snide remark for luckless Placemats who crossed her path.

So one fine day, Blackfaced Bear was doing as she always did when she bumped head-on into Sea Snake. Both ladies glared at each other antagonistically.

Tension thickened the air.

Bystanders watched with bated breaths.

This could be it! The showdown!

And suddenly! Sea Snake tossed her two heads in a show of mock magnanimity, threw the growling Blackfaced Bear a faint nonchalant smile, and sashayed off. That left Blackfaced Bear feeling very indignant and silly indeed!

The audience of Placemats quickly scampered off, each harbouring a knowing smile.

This, they knew, was only just the beginning...

Continue reading Chapter Eight