Back when I was attending university, one of my most common activities at that time was studying. Heck, by the time I reached my Senior year, I was an expert in this. I had the system down pat.
The professor would assign us maybe 20 questions from the back of the book out of the 100 there. And I would do all 100.
And while I would do these questions, I would be a smunching on this snack food called “Cheese Nips”. Ah, those little golden squares were de-lic-ious! I’ll tell you what!
There were various variations made by different companies. Goldfish. Cheez-It and the good ol’ Nips.



That was my old study routine when I studied at home (my apartment room). A cup of instant coffee or tea, and Cheese Nips.
I would spend hours doing that.
That’s how I would learn. You do the boring tasks on repeat over and over, and over until you are able to perfect them.
Today…
What is an “only in Canada” moment?
Here’s my experience. This is from the time when I was returning to my place from school. It was a long day at school and I was quite tired.
I showed my U-PASS (Universal – Pass for Bus, Gym and Aquatic center), through the transparent section of my wallet, to BC transit bus driver and entered the bus. As I was tired and the bus ride was about 35 min long, I decided to doze off for some time telling the driver to let me know when my stop comes. The driver did exactly as I requested. He woke me up when my stop came and I, quickly, got off the bus. On arriving to my apartment, I went to bed in no time!
Next morning, when I started to get ready for school, I noticed that I am missing something. I couldn’t find my wallet with me. On recollecting events from the previous day, I realized I must have dropped my wallet in the bus as the last time I used my wallet was to show U-PASS to the bus driver. I thought that my wallet is gone with all my money and I will have to go though the pain of applying for all the IDs and cards again!
Even though I had lost all my hopes that time, I remembered signs of lost & found department in the transit buses. I thought I should at least give it a try. I found their number from the internet and called them. I was informed that someone had returned my wallet to the bus driver and they have my wallet! I was relieved a big time to know that my wallet was safe as it had my Credit Card, University ID, Care Card, cash, U-PASS and other reward cards. They verified my information and told me that I can pick it up from their office at my convenience.
Well, you must be thinking by now that this can happen in any country and any honest person would not keep other’s stuff with them. You’re not wrong! But I think what happened next would rarely happen in any other country.
I explained the person on phone that I can’t take transit because I don’t have my U-PASS and I also can’t take a cab as my credit card and cash were also in my wallet. Honestly, I was expecting the reply that it was my problem and I should find a way out!
However, this is Canada, things work differently here. Understanding my situation, the transit person drove to my place to return my wallet!!!! I also found that everything was intact in my wallet including every penny of my Cash! Wow!
Now this is my “Only in Canada” moment!
Thank you Canada for being awesome 🙂
Looks like Canada annexation is soon…
RCMP Secret Memo Warns Canada Is on the Brink of Economic and Social Collapse.
A secret report from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) paints a dire picture of Canada’s future — one where economic collapse, declining living standards, and widespread civil unrest are no longer a hypothetical.
The report, titled “Whole-of-Government Five-Year Trends” for Canada, was never meant for public eyes, containing “special operational information” distributed only among top government decision-makers and law enforcement.
Its conclusion? Canadians are running out of money, running out of hope, and—once they realize the depth of their economic despair — could revolt.
This is why Canada is suddenly criminalizing certain firearms ownership; they __know__ what’s coming.
“The coming period of recession will … accelerate the decline in living standards that the younger generations have already witnessed compared to earlier generations,” the report states. It warns that “many Canadians under 35 are unlikely ever to be able to buy a place to live.” In other words, an entire generation has been priced out of the dream their parents took for granted.
This isn’t alarmism—it’s backed by hard data. Canada’s economy is failing, and the government knows it.
The Proof: Canada’s Economic Stagnation
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) formed in 1961, is an inter-governmental organization that works to promote economic growth and world trade. Recent data from the OECD reveals just how catastrophically Canada has mismanaged its economy.
Since 2015, real GDP per capita—the best measure of how an economy benefits individual citizens—has grown by a miserable one-point-four-percent (1.4%). This puts Canada second to last among all OECD countries, only ahead of Luxembourg, which actually shrank.
To put that into perspective, over the same period:
The United States grew by 18.2%
The OECD average was 13.6%
This means that if Canada had simply kept pace with U.S. productivity growth, the average Canadian would be earning $5,500 more per year.
The International Monetary Fund shows even worse financial performance from Canada:

Canada’s economic stagnation is not an accident — it’s a direct result of reckless government policy. Ottawa has prioritized mass immigration over economic productivity, flooding the country with over 1.2 million new people in 2023 alone, despite a housing shortage, overwhelmed healthcare system, and stagnant wages.
Meanwhile, the government continues to suffocate industry in pursuit of climate extremism, with carbon taxes, ESG mandates, while funneling billions into unaccountable climate slush funds.
And while Canadians struggle to make ends meet, the government has grown into a bloated, parasitic entity, consuming more wealth than it creates. The number of federal employees has exploded by over 108,000 since 2015.
This isn’t sustainable. The more socialist Canada becomes, the worse life gets. Government-controlled economics have turned a once-thriving country into a stagnant, overtaxed, mess, where home ownership is out of reach, wages are stagnant, and personal wealth is eroded by inflation and bureaucratic waste.
The United States knows this, too, which is why President Trump is already telling Canadians they should become the 51st state.
It has nothing to do with animosity toward Canada, or even expansionist dreams of the USA. The Liberal governments of Canada have already destroyed the nation; it just has not yet manifested itself at levels the public can readily see. That manifestation, is now, unavoidable.
Direct Link to RCMP Report (Redacted Version for Public distribution) HERE
Luigi Mangione Perp Walk BACKFIRES On NYPD!
Unrest in Happiness Hills
Submitted into Contest #18 in response to: Your fingers tensed around the object in your pocket, ready to pull it out at a moment’s notice.… view prompt
Jessica Stone
General
Something about them gives you a mortifyingly poisonous taste in your mouth and it all started when you went past the hills a little ways and found the thing, the thing you hold so tenderly.
And now they made you sick, not because of the culture, not because of the town that is filled with the smell of rain mixed with luminous beauty and decor, and certainly not because of the ghastly antique top hats and pearls that decorated the others and sometimes yourself now.
No, it is how unrelentingly happy they are.
You have done so much to try and shake their joy and they remain the same, like they aren’t living, they aren’t feeling. You’ve yelled at them, threw stuff, hit people, let them know how much you hate they’re creepy smiles straight to their faces.
Nothing in their faces change.
Such unrest in your soul and all because of these happy people, but the others joy was not like your own for it did not ever waver and something, you knew it, was wrong. Very wrong.
You had lived here your entire life and everything was okay until you came of age. Your parents were smiley too, but when you went through what they call the arrival, you began to feel all these things, more things than you were ever supposed to. Then you got to meet the others and the others didn’t feel the way you did either.
And it scared you, but this thing in your pocket might settle your uneasy mind. At least you hoped. You had found the thing stuck among a thick of branches and you just knew there was something special about it.
Right now the thing wasn’t working to help you feel at ease though, you weren’t sure why, but this new feeling was everywhere. The special feeling the thing gave you.
You knew it was forbidden to go beyond the hills to get the thing, but you went and you took it anyway thinking maybe, just maybe the others would feel about this object as you do.
The dirt between your toes was thick and sticky and the air was cool enough to be uncomfortable. The others dancing among the warmth of fire was so synchronized and smooth as if they were born to do what they do.
You had felt like something was off for a while now. When you were younger you were kept below the grounds and were fed and given water intermittently. In that world at least you never understood enough to care. However, your parents over the past year or so made you feel as if they were waiting to use you for something, though you’re not sure what.
You were also unsure of how the men and women pair together like they do, and unsure of where the kids of the hills came from.
Something you do know is that there are no children in the above grounds, and you assume they are all living a life similar to yours and you were living similar to how your parents did, minus all these feelings. Unless those kids were of the given infants.
Either way, the above ground was rather gloomy, though it held a sort of magic, at least that’s what you thought. Never knowing what it looked like in the above ground and never knowing the feeling of wonder until the arrival would make the hills magical.
As the others did spins amongst one another with beaming smiles, and touched hands as they bounced so elegantly to the sound of the wind, you came closer to them.
The closer you got to them however, the more disturbed they seemed to get, offbeat and slow stepping, and their eyes. They seemed to all look straight at your face.
…
Not your face. Through you. They were in your head and they could see straight through you and your body felt stiff and naked.
Your insides went up in flames and you pulled the thing out of the folds of your coat with clumsy bravery. The odor of the above ground was immense smelling of what you had never smelt, and the pain of the charring of your lungs and other organs began to spot your vision.
And their eyes.
Their eyes. They were bright and prudent and deep red and they moved you.
The thing caught on fire and its angelic symbols scribed upon it started to spin inside your head.
There was screaming and writhing as you neared the others blaze. Their fire they dance around merrily now serving as your bed.
The others surround you now and they read the symbols in your head aloud, with booming voices that sound as if they come from the sirens of the underground.
And suddenly the world is black and all of the sensations are gone and you feel
so
much
happier.
China Executes Corrupt Official
How bad is life in China?
Ugh! You have no idea how bad life is in China!
I mean, every morning I get up and go to work. On my way to work, as I drive my ebike, I’m forced to go around the people who are cleaning the streets. How horrible the government is to employ people to do such despicable things as sweeping up fallen leaves (which can cause slippery surfaces, especially when tied together with morning fog).
Also, along my way to work, I pass a wall. It’s not just any wall, though. It’s a wall that they put up to block sounds and debris from construction sites. And on top of that, they even force the trucks that go in and out of the site to get sprayed with water. How dare they do that! People should be free to choke on the dust that gets kicked up and have the liberty to get headaches from the constant noise.

Well, maybe this weekend I can take a small trip. But it’s horrible when I travel, too! I should be free to waste half a day traveling, but instead I am subjected to the horrors of quick, convenient, and inexpensive high-speed rail.


Note: Only the Northeast Corridor is considered high-speed rail, even though the speed is around half of what Chinese HSR trains go. Everything else is “conventional rail”.
Oh well, maybe I won’t travel, and instead go downtown. But the nightmare still follows me around. Public transportation is everywhere – bus routes go everywhere, and the subway system is huge. And it’s all clean. The buses are electric and the subways are immaculate. Everyone knows that the true mark of freedom and liberty is to get hepatitis just by entering a subway, or getting choked to death by fumes from ridiculously priced buses.

The horror. At least there’s grocery shopping. Everyone knows that the hallmarks of a free society are spending way too much money for overly processed foodz™ (ever since 2017, the percentage of ingredients that can be classified as actual food dropped below 50%, so US companies can no longer actually call it “food”. Ya know, just like what happened with “cheez” or “creme”).
Oh, but wait… how horrible! I can’t pay an absurd amount for groceries in China!
Well, bummer. The groceries are too cheap in China compared to Freedomland. But they’re highly processed, right?

What?! No processed crap?
Where’s the freedom?
In the US, they are free to pay extra money for packaging that patriotically gets thrown away (and hides the brown spots on vegetables), but in China, we are forced to buy vegetables that not only are touching each other, but came out of the ground! That’s so gross! And why do those carrots in China look so long and pointy? Everyone knows that the shape of a real carrot is rounded and pill-like:
Minestrone Pasta Bowl

Yield: 8 servings or 24 sample servings
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked rigatoni pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons Pantry Italian Seasoning Mix, divided
- 1 large zucchini, sliced
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
- 1 (15 ounce) cangarbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions in Professional (8-quart) Stockpot; drain using large Colander.
- Return pasta to stockpot; add 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mix, stirring to coat. Cover and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, using Ultimate Slice & Grate fitted with v-shaped blade, slice zucchini.
- Chop carrot using Food Chopper.
- Slice mushrooms using Egg Slicer Plus(R).
- Heat remaining oil in Stir-Fry Skillet over medium heat until hot. Add garlic pressed with Garlic Press; stir-fry 1 minute using Bamboo Spatulas.
- Add zucchini and carrot; stir-fry 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Add mushrooms, spaghetti sauce, garbanzo beans and remaining seasoning mix. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5-6 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and heated through.
- Transfer pasta to Simple Additions(TM) Large Bowl. Carefully pour sauce over pasta. Grate Parmesan cheese over pasta using Deluxe Cheese Grater.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
(Light) Per serving: Calories 350, Total Fat 9g, Saturated Fat 1.5g, Cholesterol less than 5mg, Carbohydrate 57g, Protein 13g, Sodium 480mg, Fiber 6g
Attribution
Pampered Chef
Title: Sir Whiskerton and the Case of the Missing Egg
Ah, greetings once again, dear reader. It’s me, Sir Whiskerton, the undisputed intellectual and moral superior of this farm. Yes, I’m still here, surrounded by the same gaggle of blithering animals who couldn’t outwit a bucket if their lives depended on it. But alas, someone has to keep this place from devolving into chaos, and that someone is me. Today’s tale, however, is particularly baffling, even by farm standards. It involves a missing egg, a feathery drama queen, and a surprising turn of events that left even me… well, mildly impressed.
Sit back, relax, and allow me to recount this most peculiar adventure.
Morning: Henny Penny’s Meltdown
It began, as most of my troubles do, with Henny Penny, the farm’s resident hen and self-proclaimed “egg artist.” She’s a bit of a drama queen, convinced that every egg she lays is a masterpiece. Personally, I don’t see the appeal of eggs—they’re fragile, boring, and smell weird—but to Henny, they’re practically Fabergé.
I was enjoying my morning sunbath on the barn roof when I heard her squawking at the top of her lungs. “MY EGG! MY BEAUTIFUL EGG! IT’S GONE!”
Naturally, I tried to ignore her. After all, it’s not my job to babysit poultry. But her screeching was so loud that it disrupted my nap, and that simply would not do. So, with a reluctant stretch, I leapt down from the roof and made my way to the chicken coop.
“What is it now, Henny?” I asked, my tail flicking with impatience.
“Whiskerton, thank goodness you’re here!” she clucked, flapping her wings dramatically. “Someone has stolen my egg! It was right here in the nest, and now it’s gone! You must help me find it!”
I rolled my eyes. “First of all, I don’t must do anything. Secondly, are you sure you didn’t misplace it? You hens aren’t exactly known for your organizational skills.”
Henny gasped in horror. “Misplace it?! How dare you! My eggs are my life’s work! Please, Sir Whiskerton, you’re the smartest animal on the farm. If anyone can solve this mystery, it’s you!”
She wasn’t wrong, of course. I am the smartest animal on the farm. And while I had no real interest in her egg, I did enjoy a good mystery. Plus, solving the case would give me something to lord over these fools for weeks. So, with a dramatic flick of my whiskers, I agreed to investigate.
The Suspects
The first thing any good detective does is round up the suspects. Fortunately, the farm is small, and I know everyone’s habits better than they know themselves. I decided to interrogate the most likely culprits, starting with the usual troublemakers.
1. Porkchop and the Pigs
I found Porkchop and his gang lounging near the mud pit, looking suspiciously smug. “Alright, Porkchop,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “Where were you this morning around sunrise?”
Porkchop snorted. “Are you serious? We were here, sleeping. You think we stole an egg? What would we even do with it? We’re pigs, not omelet enthusiasts.”
He had a point. Pigs are many things—greedy, messy, and generally annoying—but they don’t have much use for eggs. Still, I couldn’t rule them out entirely.
2. Bessie the Cow
Next, I interrogated Bessie, who was chewing her cud with her usual vacant expression. “Bessie, did you happen to see anyone near the chicken coop this morning?”
She blinked at me, slow and clueless as ever. “Oh, I don’t know, Whiskerton. I was busy… you know… standing here.”
“Of course you were,” I muttered. Bessie wasn’t exactly a criminal mastermind, but her size alone made her a suspect. If she’d accidentally sat on the egg, we’d be dealing with a very literal case of scrambled eggs.
3. Harold the Rooster
Finally, I turned my attention to Harold. He was strutting around the yard like he owned the place, as usual. “Harold,” I said, “you’re always hanging around the coop. Did you see anything suspicious this morning?”
Harold puffed out his chest. “I’m too busy protecting the hens to notice every little thing. Maybe if you spent less time napping, Whiskerton, you’d be more helpful.”
I resisted the urge to claw him. Barely.
The Breakthrough
After interrogating the usual suspects, I was no closer to finding the egg. Frustrated, I returned to the chicken coop to examine the scene of the crime. That’s when I noticed something peculiar: a trail of tiny, muddy footprints leading away from Henny Penny’s nest.
“Interesting,” I muttered, crouching down to examine the tracks. They were too small to belong to any of the larger animals, and they seemed to lead toward the barn. My curiosity piqued, I followed the trail, my tail twitching with anticipation.
The footprints led me to a pile of hay in the corner of the barn. I sniffed around, and to my surprise, I heard a faint rustling sound. Carefully, I pawed at the hay until I uncovered the culprit: a tiny, wide-eyed mouse clutching Henny Penny’s egg.
“Well, well, well,” I said, smirking. “What do we have here?”
The mouse squeaked in terror. “Please don’t hurt me! I was just borrowing it! I didn’t mean any harm!”
“Borrowing it?” I echoed, incredulous. “What on earth could a mouse possibly need with an egg?”
The mouse hesitated, then confessed. “I… I wanted to use it as a gift for my wife. She’s been feeling down lately, and I thought it would cheer her up.”
I stared at him for a moment, torn between annoyance and amusement. On one paw, this was the dumbest thing I’d ever heard. On the other paw, it was kind of sweet.
The Resolution
I returned the egg to Henny Penny, who was so overjoyed that she practically fainted. As for the mouse, I let him off with a warning. “Next time, stick to flowers or seeds,” I told him. “Egg theft is a serious crime.”
By the end of the day, I was back on the barn roof, basking in the glow of another case solved. The animals were singing my praises, as they should, and I was once again reminded that this farm would fall apart without me.
And the moral of the story? Sometimes, even the smallest creatures can cause the biggest problems.
You’re welcome.
The End.
This Tactical Manoeuvre by Putin SHOCKED The WORLD: Russia Dealt a Mortal Blow To NATO
Some fun Pictures of Masculine home offices






































Uyghur Fighters In Syria to Fight China
Spicy Tomato Fettuccine

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fettuccine, cooked
- 2 ounces turkey bacon
- 1 large onion
- 4 or 5 large tomatoes, peeled and seeded
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Keep warm.
- Fry bacon until crisp on 11 inch griddle; drain and set aside.
- Chop onions and tomatoes with food chopper.
- Snip parsley using kitchen cutters.
- Heat olive oil and stir-fry skillet. Press garlic with garlic press into skillet. Stir-fry 15 seconds.
- Add onion. Stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, parsley, and seasoning to skillet.
- Gently stir 3 to 4 minutes until thoroughly heated.
- Remove from heat and serve over pasta. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese over top.
Attribution
Pampered Chef
Looks like Mexico is prepping for an invasion…
Behold: The End for Mexico Drug Cartels
The United States has now deployed two . . . count ’em . . . 1, 2 . . . Navy Destroyers, and with this deployment, the ENTIRE Mexico Drug Cartel network can be utterly destroyed within . . . . minutes.

Last Monday, the USS Gravely (FILE PHOTO BELOW) took to the Gulf coast, heading toward Mexico.

Yesterday, the USS Spruance (FILE PHOTO BELOW) took to the Pacific Coast, headed toward Mexico.

Each vessel carries a total of ninety-six (96) missiles in vertical launch cells. Those missiles can be of several different types, but the Tomahawk cruise missile, with it’s 1,000+ mile range, is worthy of particular mention because, as shown on the map above, each US Destroyer, when equipped with those missiles, has the ENTIRE land area of Mexico within reach. All of it!
These cruise missiles are so accurate, that the United States can target a particular WINDOW of a particular Building from 1000+ miles away, and when the missile arrives, it will go through the center of the window so perfectly, it won’t even touch the window frame. That’s how accurate these things are.
Targeting? That’s probably already being done.
For weeks, the United States Air Force has been sending surveillance aircraft along both coasts of Mexico, and surveillance drones over the actual land of Mexico – with permission from the Mexican government.
On February 15, CNN Reported:
The US military has significantly increased its surveillance of Mexican drug cartels over the past two weeks, with sophisticated spy planes flying at least 18 missions over the southwestern US and in international airspace around the Baja peninsula, according to open-source data and three US officials familiar with the missions.
The flights, conducted over a 10-day period in late January and early February, represent a dramatic escalation in activity, current and former military officials say, and come as President Donald Trump directs the military to secure the border and deter cartels’ drug smuggling operations.
These drones are equipped with surveillance gear that would make the former Soviet KGB blush. They can pinpoint particular cell phones within . . . . inches . . . . of its actual location. They can see in the day, at night, through storm clouds, rain, sleet, snow, hail, fog. They can use regular vision, infra-red, even thermography. NOTHING can escape their view.
Some of these drones – and US military space satellites — are equipped with technology that actually lets them peer through . . . . roofs! They can get imagery from INSIDE a structure!
Which brings us to the whole Drug Cartel infrastructure. They need laboratories to make and mix — and warehouses to store — their poison, to be smuggled into the United States. Take a look at what happens when US Cruise missiles start striking targets. Below, video from the year 2003 in Baghdad, Iraq:
Those are steel-reinforced, concrete government buildings being individually hit. None survived. What do you think the drug labs would look like if the US hits THEM?
Many of the Cartel laboratories are underground; dug into hills in remote areas of Mexico.
The U.S. learned all about underground and cave warfare from our hunt for Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan. We located the caves, then sent a missile to COLLAPSE the cave – or bunker – entrance. Here’s a small video showing how we do it. Send a single Fighter Jet:
The blast either buries them alive in tons of rock rubble, or they suffocate to death in minutes. If the blast itself doesn’t kill them, suffocation will.
As mentioned earlier, the two ships carry a total of 192 missiles between them; 96 missiles each. But in reality, there may NOT be that many drug labs. So what else might the US target? The Cartel bosses in their homes.
With such accurate missiles, the US can put a missile right through the bedroom window of the Cartel bosses homes.
So if only half the 192 missiles have to take out labs, the other half can take out Cartel bosses in their homes.
In one fell swoop, the ENTIRE Mexican Drug Cartel problem is stopped – dead.
This would also be a powerful message to all those who weren’t targeted and therefore survived. When they see the labs destroyed, and find out their bosses were blown up in their own homes, it would be a powerful deterrent from anyone else doing the same thing.
It remains to be seen if the U.S. undertakes such an operation but if we do, it can all be over in one night, with zero US personnel on the ground.
In my personal opinion, the US looks to me as though it is planning something exactly like this.
As for Mexico and its “sovereignty” . . . . we should just do this operation and when the Mexicans complain, we just need to say “Look, we told you who was doing this. We told you where. We told you to take care of it. You didn’t. So, we did.
We’re really sorry we violated your sovereignty, but how sovereign are you that you didn’t take care of this when we told you about it?
Now, it’s done.
The next time we tell you that more than two thousand Americans are dying every week from illegal Fentanyl, cocaine, and Heroine, and we tell you who is doing it and where they are, maybe you should take care of it right then and there, so we don’t have to come in and do it for you — again.”
All’s fair in love and war
Submitted into Contest #18 in response to: Your fingers tensed around the object in your pocket, ready to pull it out at a moment’s notice.… view prompt
Millie Spence
General
“My people won’t let you win. Not this time.” The former spoke, keeping his tone low and ominous. The small boy brought his gaze forward, eyes burning their way through the soul of the taller boy.
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that, my friend.” He chuckled, menacingly. His lips turned up into a cruel smile, causing the tanned boy to take a step back, intimidated. While taking a step back, his foot hit a rock. Stumbling, he tried to regain his footing but failed and with as little grace as humanly possible, he went tumbling towards the ground. Xander laid on the floor, his eyes closed, braced for death. But when he had opened his eyes again, he saw that his opponent had left. His eyes locked on him on the other side of the battle field, conversing with his team. Enraged, he came running towards the freckled boy, weapon in hand.
“You coward!” He bellowed, waving his weapon. His enemy merely laughed and lowered the weapon that was being waved in front of his face.
“Careful, you might hurt someone.” He teased, walking away. Xander closed his eyes with frustration, tired of this fight, when he heard a loud shot. Panicked, he opened his eyes and ran towards the sound of the deafening shot.
When he got there it was a sight he couldn’t believe. It was one of his teammates. He was lying on the floor, red staining his blue uniform.
“Vincent!” Xander cried, holding onto his friend.
“Who did this to you!” He choked out through the tears, motioning towards his jacket that is stained a blood red.
“Sylvester.” He mumbled, coughing violently between syllables. Xander began to try and lift his injured friend, only to be stopped by a weak hand preventing him.
“No.” Was all that the weak teen could say.
“What?” Xander asked, confused that he would want to be left in a place like this.
“You leave me here. Save yourself, there’s still a chance for you.” Hearing these words, caused Xander to cry more.
“Please. Please let me help you.”
“There’s nothing that you can do for me.” He whispered. Xander took one final glance at his fallen comrade before he ran over to avenge him.
Frantic. Panicked. Alone. He was the last person on his side on the battlefield. He was the only person left. He knew what he needed to do. He needed to win. Not only for himself, but for all the people he had lost during this gruesome battle. His senses were heightened; his heart was pounding. Was he dying? He couldn’t let that happen. Sluggishly picking up his weapon he stumbled slightly towards the group of enemies. They all turned in surprise, grabbing their weapons ready to strike. In one foul swoop, he took out all three of them. Without a blink of an eye or breath taken into the lungs, he was running again. Running. Running. Running. His eyes were burning with tears that threatened to spill, his throat was tight and he found it hard to breath. He had to win. He couldn’t lose. Not to them.
“I won’t let you win!” He heard a disembodied voice. He knew that voice. He ducked behind a bush quickly so that he could think about a plan. Loud bangs were heard, he had one again narrowly avoided death.
“You can’t run from me forever!” The voice taunted, another round of shots. This time closer.
“Are you scared? It doesn’t hurt that bad.” The voice teased, chuckling manically. Another round of shots. Closer.
“You know your fate, you can’t escape it.” Another round of shots. They were now so close that the noise caused Xander’s ears to ring slightly. He moved back. He was not ready to engage. Not yet. He needed a plan. He couldn’t risk this. There was too much riding on this.
“I’ll fight you when I want to fight you.” Xander called out to the silence battlefield, earning an incredulous scoff from the freckled boy.
“You’re running out of time.” He taunted in sing-song. Moving away back to his own safety. They sat there for some time, each not wanting to make the first move. Both of them wanted to win. They both had something to prove.
Xander looked down at his leg and noticed he was bleeding. Must have cut it on the thorn bush. He thought to himself, cursing himself loudly.
“The cries of the weak.” His opponent chuckled, checking his weapon. Now would be a good time for me to strike. Xander thought to himself quickly, before occupying himself with stopping his leg from bleeding.
“Let’s end this!” Xander called, leaving the safety of the bush.
“Yes, lets.” The enemy said, mimicking his actions. Xander heard the sound of leaves and branches breaking getting louder and louder. He went to pick up his weapon. It wasn’t there. Oh no. He’s right there. Xander’s mind filled with anxious self-doubt. What was he doing? Why was he doing this? What was he hoping to achieve by risking so much?
“No!” Xander bellowed, making sure to keep his voice straight and steady when standing face to face with his worst nightmare. The stern tone in Xander’s voice caused his opponent to take a step back, surprised by the force of the command.
“What? You can’t do that! You cant back out now!” the freckled boy screeched, voice becoming more and more frantic with every syllable.
“I believe I can.” Xander was cocky now, he had let his guard down. Only a few seconds left. While he was thinking, the small boy took advantage of his distracted state and with one elegant pull of the trigger. Bang!
There was a silence that rung through the battlefield. 2 second left on the clock.
“Babe!” The fallen soldier whined, laying on the floor like an infant that was just told that their parent won’t buy them the toy they want.
“What?” The enemy chuckled, offering a hand to the taller boy, who took it gratefully.
“You always win, Finnley!” Xander pouted, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend.
“Maybe you’re just terrible at paintballing,” his gaze dropped to the cut on his leg, “and clumsy. How did you manage that.”
“Manage what?”
“How did you manage to cut your leg.”
“There are thorn bushes everywhere.”
“And you’re wearing padding.”
“Shut up.” Xander pouted more, causing Finnley to giggle slightly. He grabbed the pouty teen’s clammy hand and led him over to the table where all of the other players sat.
“Which team won?” Vincent asked, looking up from his book.
“The red team!” Finnley yelled, earning a gently punch in the side from his stroppy boyfriend. From the distance, a slow clapping could be heard. All intrigued, the group walked over to see the event organiser’s table.
“That was a very interesting game.” One of the organisers chucked, earning cheers from the tired teenagers.
“A little over dramatic, but that’s what makes it fun.” The second organiser added, taking a bite out of their slice of pizza. Looking at that pizza reminded Xander that he hasn’t eaten in hours.
“This was fun guys, let’s go get pizza.” He said, earning more cheers from the teens.
“Oh great, I’m starving!” Sylvester called, excitement ringing through his voice. with that, the group left the harsh battlefield and went to go get pizza from the brightly coloured restaurant across the road. For the rest of the evening, they stayed in the restaurant talking and laughing about the day’s events until the manager had to ask them to leave so that he could close up.
What are the unwritten dress code rules in Singapore that visitors often miss?
Have spent time with family and friends in Singapore for ages I still don’t know any written ‘dress codes’ in Singapore. I saw my staff where a gym suit with oversized backpack to work all the time, even a 50-year-old family man wore an oversized Micky mouse T-shirt on Saturday when he did an O/T for me.
My client who became a friend’s 20-something pretty daughter wore a standard ‘white T-shirt and tiny Levi’s denim shorts with Adidas shoes driving a Mini Cooper on all occasions, not sure if to college, to collect her NRIC, shopping, Gym, police station, hawker center, hospital, you name it.
Andrew, my Singaporean Chinese buddy ever told me, he’s never seen his mom wearing anything other than pajamas.
Even if you and your gf wear a T-shirt with ‘The Lion King or I💕Singapore’ to a wedding lunch at ‘ The Four Seasons’, no one raises an eyebrow.
Any visitors to Singapore won’t miss anything about unwritten dress code rules in Singapore.