Prose Writing Sample 1:
‘Mistakes’

Everyone dies. That is the truth. The funny thing is, people nowadays live as though death would never be able to catch up with them.

He lay there on the cold, hard floor, staring intently at the ceiling. His head hurt. He was in striped pants and shirt that was made out of poor quality polyester. They were itchy against his skin. But what could he have done? Complain? Of course not.

 "Tan Hee Leng, a visitor is here to see you, " the large guard had said, while peering through the small rectangular hole of Hee Leng's cell door. Hee Leng snickered and stared at the guard with eyes full of sarcasm. The guard just shrugged. The guard led him down to the booth where a thick layer of glass separated the inmates and their visitors; depriving the inmates of any hugs, kisses or even the slightest touch of their mother's hands- that is, if their loved ones even came.

As he sat down, the chair creaked. He picked up the receiver that was attached to the wall and listened. Mister Doyle was no visitor. Hee Leng had never considered him as such. Business- that was all that it was. He was his lawyer who just needed a little extra cash; that was why he took his case. Not his friend, not his counsellor, but just his lawyer. 

The guards had to call for back up. Hee Leng, being in his late thirties, threw himself down on the floor and wept
hysterically. Tears of anger, of regret and of sadness welled up in his eyes, and flowed endlessly down his cheeks, an overflowing river.

In three days' time, Hee Leng would be hanged. The verdict was out, the judge and the jury declared him guilty of second-degree murder and in possession of over 9 tonnes of cocaine. He did not mean what he had done to his sister. He was high! He was not in the right state of mind! How then could they plead him guilty of murder, and sentence him to die? These thoughts ran hard and fast in Hee Leng's mind, not allowing him to
get any rest that night. 

He had written a letter to his family two days before his hanging. He was hoping-no, praying, that they would reply to his letter before it was too late. He knew they could and would never forgive him for the things that he had done. But all he asked of them, all that he wrote in his letter was, "Please be here on the day that I'll be hanged. I miss you mom and dad. And, I'm sorry for everything..." He had written this just so that he could get a last glance at his mother's face. He did not care anymore if he saw the contempt in his mother's eyes. All he wanted was a glance. Just a glance of his mother. 

They never came. The letter was never read. Hee Leng died lonely. He died without receiving any forgiveness for his mistake. Death had finally caught up with him. It had swallowed up his soul and his whole being. He was dead before that day- before the hanging. His heart had stopped beating a long time before that.