by Phoen, Sam;
When you are living your life in joy, you are living your life authentically. Rajah’s words come to Eric from nowhere. Did he just imagine he hears Rajah’s voice? Is he hallucinating? Obviously, no one else on the boat seems to hear anything.
“Bro! Enjoy your freedom!” Nathan says, his voice catching.
“When Rajah and I came out to Pulau Ubin and took a picture together, he asked me if he looked like he was smiling,” Eric tells Mr Devan and Nathan, his voice thick with emotion, taking out the printed photo from his wallet. “Look how beautiful his smile is. I’m so glad that now he can finally see himself smiling.”
About the Author
Josephine Chia is based in Singapore and the author of non-fiction books, memoirs, novels and short stories. She was the first Singaporean to be short-listed for the UK’s Ian St. James Awards for short fiction. Her memoir of growing up in a kampong, Kampong Spirit: Gotong Royong – Life in Potong Pasir, 1955 to 1965, won the 2014 Singapore Literature Prize for non-fiction.