Sample 21

Sample 21
1 On that fateful night, I was listening to the radio, which was currently playing classical music. This has always been a habit of mine since the age of seven and has always been since. This has been a ‘bad habit’ to my mother so that she has been telling me to change this habit but I think there is nothing wrong in doing so.
2 I was sitting in the living room as usual, on the comfortable armchair as usual, and of course, listening to classical music as usual. All of a sudden, the radio spluttered and died. Question marks seemed to be flying about in the air as I stood up and shook the radio. That was what I always did when this happened. However it did not work this time. I was thinking of changing the batteries when a low growl burst from the radio, breaking my train of thoughts. Out of the blue, a news reporter as shouted excitedly,” A bomb is about to drop on Ang Mo Kio by Japanese fighters! Residents of the area RUN FOR SHELTER!” and the message abruptly ended.
3 On hearing the shocking news, my blood froze for a moment. How could the Japanese be attacking us right now, almost forty years after the World War II? Is it because they bore a grudge with us? Questions like these ran through my head rapidly as I unknowingly stepped back towards the door, taking the radio with me.
4 As I stepped out to the common HDB corridor, I spotted a few radio-listeners like myself, all having apparently fleeing for their lives. I then realized that I had forgotten my family! But since I was already halfway downstairs, it would do no good to run back and get my family as bombs would be dropping form the skies anytime.
5 The small amount of late-in-the-night radio listeners gathered in the common bomb shelter at the void deck, each clutching a radio as if it would save their lives. As each of us turned on the radio, we waited for a while as the coverage was poor, especially if you’re in a thickly armored underground bomb shelter.
6 All of a sudden, the radio spluttered to life and the voice of a flustered reporter said, “Apologies to the residents of Ang Mo Kio, as the radio report earlier was due to a joker who wanted to play a trick on everyone today, and had his reasons unknown. There was an uproar in the bomb shelter as many scrambled out, many cursing and swearing under their breaths. I checked my watch for the date. April the First! I should have known. (442)