*The Numbers Game

Dan Wise

"Miss Mysterious" Diane Shine

==========================================================

Numbers are ubiquitious. Without numbers, there's no life. Numbers denote almost everything in life,from the insignificant to the fundamental. To some, numbers are just pure numbers, existing for no particular rhyme or reason. For others, numbers are their life, for example, in their line of work. Is it possible however, for numbers to play an even more significant, maybe even frightening, role- to determine certain outcomes in your life?

Nick Ivans and Hans Basil had endured a rocky past few days, their friendship stretched and tested after several misunderstandings which placed their trust in each other in jeapordy. After days of treating Hans like a complete stranger, Nick finally relented and resumed normal service. For Hans though, he was well aware that the damage caused could not be fully repaired immediately, but he gladly welcomed back his friend. And their first step in the rehabilitation of their relationship was the one activity they enjoyed most-pool. That broke the ice of awkwardness, and the "after-party" ensured great leaps were made in the recovery process.

Ordering in supper, the pair crashed Nick's hostel, and that was when Nick started becoming intrigued by a certain set of numbers. Agglomerating all his past failures in relationships, he started discovering a common link with a set of numbers. The more he thought about it, the more these numbers coincided with things- from random items like an iron and a rice cooker to the more significant like his unit floor and room number. Even the place where his fag ash was laid had a significant link. Initially, Hans found it amusing, but little did he know that Nick's little 'obsession' with the numbers were about to take a more terrifying turn.

Almost everything present in Nick's life seemed to have a link with the numbers, and it started bothering Hans, who felt bewildered himself. But the one that took the cake was when the numbers apparently led to the morbid topic of death. Meddling with his fag box, which also had a number link, a conclusion was derived that March 2010 was a significant time in his life- apparently it was the time he would meet his maker, his life stopped short by the element of fire. Hans started feeling worried at Nick's belief in the message conveyed through the numbers. Did Nick have a solid case in believing that these numbers could actually plot his destiny? Or was it just a severe case of paranoia?

While wish number 1 worked out well for Sanya Dival, it seemed her second one bombed horribly, and that her actions failed to conform to her words. Promises to herself were reneged, and it was as if she herself made a mockery of them. Truancy last semester had costed her much, and yet in 3 short week, history had repeated itself, ridding herself the opportunity of fulfilling her promises. Whether this insidious enemy would dent her reputation and affect her greatly remains to be seen, but her steady progress back to the summit looks like it will not be a one way trip.

Mathematics & Accounts- two subjects based on and revolving around numbers. Two subjects Sue Anne finds herself stuck unhappily in. In both scenarios, the lecturers seem to be the cause of eradicating the joy from the subjects. While the teaching method of the Accounts' one irked her, the Math one just drove her up the wall. Sue never had to endure the misfortune of being mistaken as one with a disability. Unfortunately for her, her Math lecturer had other ideas, wrongly getting the impression Sue was a slow learner. And no one gets a second shot at a first impression. Poor Sue. It seems her hot streak of luck gained last semester had finally run out.

John Bow and Hans Basil bonded pretty well for two people with different backgrounds, but the former possessed one potentially fatal trait of the latter- indecisiveness. The two roommates, set to part in a matter of days, had been engaging in deep conversations of late, the last occuring outside their home amidst the wind and rain. During the course of their talks, they discovered they shared much more common traits and backgrounds, and one of them, as earlier mentioned, was indecisiveness. While Hans' life decisions had usually been made by others, John's weren't, but his lacked direction. So it was apt that the pair thrashed out their future education plans, each hoping the other could shed some light on the matter. Sadly, they remained stuck, and it led to nowhere. Seems the only place John was heading to was away, threatening to knock the final nail in Hans' coffin as he struggles to comprehend his 'outsider' satus.

Everything's more fun at night. Perhaps Nick had this in mind when he invited John, Hans and Diane to explore Sunway University College at night. Rumours were rife that ghostly sightings had been made when darkness took over. Armed with excitement and consternation, the four students found the college in different light in all its nightly splendour. After two fun-filled hours of exploring, they rested in the dark where jokes and random topics were strewn across. The night was getting more fun, but not for Hans, as the dreaded alien language made its way out yet again. He decided to call it a night, storming off back home, leaving the other three surprised. Unknown to him, his departure sparked off the retreat of the language, where the universal one awoke. Serious issues were debated and shared among the triumvirate, which only served to bring them closer. Poor Hans was not there to enjoy the bonding. Apparently he left just when the real fun started.

One year. Two semesters. Three Weeks passed. Four individuals struggling with studies. Five months to the end. Six complicated lives. Seven days for rest and refuel. Eight people. Nine stories.




======1379802576389420785320957201927197846378247838======