3 IRSYAD'S SHORT STORY

MUHAMMAD HAZIQ HAKIMI BIN MOHAMAD
DAHAR

COMMITMENT TO PRIVACY

Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to
her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death. It was her sister Josephine who told
her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing. Her husband's friend
Richards was there, too, near her. It was he who had been in the newspaper office when
intelligence of the railroad disaster was received, with Brently Mallard's name leading the list of
"killed." He had only taken the time to assure himself of its truth by a second telegram, and had
hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender friend in bearing the sad message. She did not
hear the story as many women have heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept its
significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms. When the
storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone. She would have no one follow
her. There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank,
pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her
soul.
She could see in the open square before her house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with
the new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a peddler was
crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which some one was singing reached her faintly,
and countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves. There were patches of blue sky showing
here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the west
facing her window. She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite
motionless, except when a sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried
itself to sleep continues to sob in its dreams. She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines
bespoke repression and even a certain strength. But now there was a dull stare in her eyes,
whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky. It was not a glance
of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought. There was something
coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? She did not know; it was too

subtle and elusive to name. But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through
the sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air.

Now her bosom rose and fell tumultuously. She was beginning to recognize this thing that was
approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will--as powerless as
her two white slender hands would have been. When she abandoned herself a little whispered
word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under hte breath: "free, free,
free!" The vacant stare and the look of terror that had followed it went from her eyes. They
stayed keen and bright. Her pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every
inch of her body. She did not stop to ask if it were or were not a monstrous joy that held her. A
clear and exalted perception enabled her to dismiss the suggestion as trivial. She knew that she
would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had
never looked save with love upon her, fixed and gray and dead. But she saw beyond that bitter
moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her absolutely. And she
opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome.

There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. There
would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women
believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature. A kind intention or a
cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of
illumination. And yet she had loved him--sometimes. Often she had not. What did it matter!
What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion
which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being! "Free! Body and soul
free!" she kept whispering. Josephine was kneeling before the closed door with her lips to the
keyhold, imploring for admission. "Louise, open the door! I beg; open the door--you will make
yourself ill. What are you doing, Louise? For heaven's sake open the door." "Go away. I am not
making myself ill." No; she was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window. Her
fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her. Spring days, and summer days, and all
sorts of days that would be her own. She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was
only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long. She arose at length and
opened the door to her sister's importunities. There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she
carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory. She clasped her sister's waist, and together
they descended the stairs. Richards stood waiting for them at the bottom. Some one was
opening the front door with a latchkey. It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-
stained, composedly carrying his grip-sack and umbrella. He had been far from the scene of the
accident, and did not even know there had been one. He stood amazed at Josephine's piercing
cry; at Richards' quick motion to screen him from the view of his wife. When the doctors came
they said she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills.

Source: https://archive.vcu.edu/english/engweb/webtexts/hour/

VOCABULARY

1) afflicted - (of a problem or illness) cause pain or trouble to; affect
adversely.
Example - His younger child was afflicted with a skin disease.

2) sparrows - a small Old World bird related to the weaver birds,
typically with brown and grey plumage.
Example - Sparrows chirping in the middle of a large forest.

3) subtle - (especially of a change or distinction) so delicate or precise
as to be difficult to analyse or describe.
Example - His language expresses rich and subtle meanings.

4) elusive - difficult to remember.
Example- The elusive thought he had had moments before.

5) exalted - of a noble, elevated, or lofty nature.
Example - His exalted hopes of human progress.

MUHAMMAD SYAZWAN HAFIY BIN SHAMSUL ZAMRI

THE WOMEN NEXT DOOR

A man checked into a hotel one night when he was travelling. As the receptionist
handed him the keys to his room, she added, "The room next door to your's
doesn't have a number on it and is locked. Under no circumstances should you
look inside or knock on the door, ok?"

The man thought this was a little odd but agreed to it. He went up to his room
and passed the door the receptionist had mentioned. He noted that whilst all the
other doors were painted white, that one was painted dark red. He went into his
room and went straight to bed as it was late.

He awoke in the middle of the night to a loud scratching noise coming from on
the other side of the wall next to him, as if someone was scraping their fingernails
against it. He ignored the noise for a few minutes but eventually became
annoyed. He got out of bed and went out into the hall, and realised the noise was
coming from inside the "forbidden" room with the red door.

He considered knocking but instead decided to peep through the keyhole. The
room was dark and bare, but in the middle was a chair with a young woman
sitting in it with her back faced towards him. The women had pale white, almost

luminous skin and dark black hair falling to her waist. The man wished for a
moment that he could see her face, but decided to go back to bed. The scratching
noise had stopped.

The next morning, he got ready to leave the hotel and continue with his travels.
As he left his room, he passed the room with the red door. Remembering the
night before, he decided to have one last peek into it. But when he looked
through the keyhole, all he could see was blank red - as if someone had draped a
crimson curtain over the other side of it. A little disappointed he left, handing his
keys back to reception.

"Did you have a good stay?" She smiled.
"Yes, thank you. Although last night I heard some strange scratching noises
coming from inside the other room..." He replied.
The receptionists face paled. "You looked in there, didn't you?" She said, her voice
full of fear.
"I did, but what's so terrible about that?" He asked in confusion.
"Well, ten years ago the manager's daughter died in that room. They say she still
lives in there. We had to lock it so she couldn't get out," the women explained,
trembling. The man thought it sounded absurd. "You must never look into her
eyes, everyone who has has died, including her father. She's pale with long dark
hair..." She went on.

The man now began to feel a bit of fear settling in. Well, he thought, At least I
didn't look into her eyes, she had her back to me.

"And her eyes are the worst of all," The receptionist said, "They are a blank,
staring red."

Source
https://www.wattpad.com/37170410-short-horror-stories-the-women-next-door

Vocabulary

1) Scratching- score or mark the surface of (something) with a sharp
or pointed object.
The dog was scratching at the door.

2) Peep- look quickly and furtively at something, especially through a
narrow opening.
She sat there to peep through the hole.

3) Luminous- giving off light; bright or shining.
The make-up reflects light and gives the skin a luminous
glow.

4) Draped- cover or wrap loosely with folds of cloth.
She draped the scarf loosely around her shoulders.

5) Crimson-a rich deep red colour inclining to purple.
The school's designated shirt colour is crimson.

MAIZATUL HUDA B T MOHD HISHAM

THE SAGACIOUS MONKEY & THE BEAR

Long, long ago, there lived in the province of Shinshin in Japan, a traveling monkey-man, who earned his living by
taking round a monkey and showing off the animal’s tricks.One evening the man came home in a very bad temper
and told his wife to send for the butcher the next morning.

The wife was very bewildered and asked her husband:
“Why do you wish me to send for the butcher?”
“It’s no use taking that monkey round any longer, he’s too old and forgets his tricks. I beat him with my stick all I
know how, but he won’t dance properly. I must now sell him to the butcher and make what money out of him I can.
There is nothing else to be done.”

The woman felt very sorry for the poor little animal, and pleaded for her husband to spare the monkey, but her
pleading was all in vain, the man was determined to sell him to the butcher. Now the monkey was in the next room
and overheard every word of the conversation. He soon understood that he was to be killed, and he said to himself:

“Barbarous, indeed, is my master! Here I have served him faithfully for years, and instead of allowing me to end my
days comfortably and in peace, he is going to let me be cut up by the butcher, and my poor body is to be roasted and
stewed and eaten? Woe is me! What am I to do. Ah! a bright thought has struck me! There is, I know, a wild boar
living in the forest near by. I have often heard tell of his wisdom. Perhaps if I go to him and tell him the strait I am in
he will give me his counsel. I will go and try.”

There was no time to lose. The monkey slipped out of the house and ran as quickly as he could to the forest to find
the boar. The boar was at home, and the monkey began his tale of woe at once.

“Good Mr. Boar, I have heard of your excellent wisdom. I am in great trouble, you alone can help me. I have grown
old in the service of my master, and because I cannot dance properly now he intends to sell me to the butcher. What
do you advise me to do? I know how clever you are!” The boar was pleased at the flattery and determined to help
the monkey. He thought for a little while and then said:
“Hasn’t your master a baby?”
“Oh, yes,” said the monkey, “he has one infant son.”

“Doesn’t it lie by the door in the morning when your mistress begins the work of the day? Well, I will come round
early and when I see my opportunity I will seize the child and run off with it.”

“What then?” said the monkey.

“Why the mother will be in a tremendous scare, and before your master and mistress know what to do, you must run
after me and rescue the child and take it home safely to its parents, and you will see that when the butcher comes
they won’t have the heart to sell you.”

The monkey thanked the boar many times and then went home. He did not sleep much that night, as you
may imagine, for thinking of the morrow. His life depended on whether the boar’s plan succeeded or not.
He was the first up, waiting anxiously for what was to happen. It seemed to him a very long time before
his master’s wife began to move about and open the shutters to let in the light of day. Then all happened
as the boar had planned. The mother placed her child near the porch as usual while she tidied up the house
and got her breakfast ready.

The child was crooning happily in the morning sunlight, dabbing on the mats at the play of light and shadow.
Suddenly there was a noise in the porch and a loud cry from the child. The mother ran out from the kitchen to the
spot, only just in time to see the boar disappearing through the gate with her child in its clutch. She flung out her
hands with a loud cry of despair and rushed into the inner room where her husband was still sleeping soundly.

He sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes, and crossly demanded what his wife was making all that noise about. By the
time that the man was alive to what had happened, and they both got outside the gate, the boar had got well away,
but they saw the monkey running after the thief as hard as his legs would carry him.

Both the man and the wife were moved to admiration at the plucky conduct of the sagacious monkey, and their
gratitude knew no bounds when the faithful monkey brought the child safely back to their arms. “There!” said the
wife. “This is the animal you want to kill—if the monkey hadn’t been here we should have lost our child forever.”

“You are right, wife, for once,” said the man as he carried the child into the house. “You may send the butcher back
when he comes, and now give us all a good breakfast and the monkey too.”

When the butcher arrived he was sent away with an order for some boar’s meat for the evening dinner,
and the monkey was petted and lived the rest of his days in peace, nor did his master ever strike him
again.

Source: https://www.studentuk.com/2016/07/28/the-sagacious-monkey-and-the-boar/

VOCABULARY

1. Bewildered - perplexed and confused; very puzzled.
Alex stared down at her with a bewildered expression.

2. Pleaded - make an emotional appeal.
She pleaded with them not to gag the boy

3. Barbarous - extremely brutal.
Killing people for no reason is an example of a barbarous act.

4. Infant - a very young child or baby.
She was seriously ill as an infant.

5. Crooning - hum or sing in a soft, low voice, especially in a
sentimental manner.
He held her close for a while, caressing her hair and back crooning to
her as if she were a child.

INAS MARYAM BT MOHD SAYUTI

Source:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fenglishunite.com%2Fproduct%2Fshort-
storythe-honey-bee%2F&psig=AOvVaw2C-
1OqS2fzcugfgLFJwqh_&ust=1645228382437000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAkQjhxqFwoTCKiStsP

3 h_YCFQAAAAAdAAAAABAK

VOCABULARY

1. Shuffling - to walk slowly without lifting your feet completely off the
ground
Example : He was shuffling across the room to the window.

2. Pebbles - a smooth, round stone that is found in or near water
Example : They will swallow pebbles as well as their food

3. Gland - an organ in a person’s or an animal’s body
Example : She’s gone to bed with swollen glands and a temperature.

4. Camouflage - the way in which an animal’s colour or shape matches
Example : Predators make as much use of camouflage as their prey do

5. Molt - a bird or an animal to lose feathers of hair before new feathers
or hair grow
Example : The adults birds were already molting

MUHAMMAD ALIF DANIEL BIN SHAIDAN

THE STELLAR ONE

When the universe was young the sky was filled with planets, and stars, and stardust, and many
many rocks. One of these rocks was a bit more special than the rest. She was unlike any that
came before her. She was a kind and happy rock, who always floated near a big blue planet.
Sometimes when the light hit her surface, she would glow a brilliant green. At times like those,
she almost didn't look like a rock at all. As the sky moved from day to day, and week to week,
the rock would see planets far off in the distance.

She would wonder what it would be like to go to them. Week after week and month after month
she would wonder. Until one day she decided to go find out. The rock had never gone anywhere
before and wasn't sure how to go about it. She started to rock back and forth. Then she started to
spin. Soon enough, she was flying through the sky. As she left, clouds swirled on the big blue
planet. For it was sad to see her go, and when planets cry there is a rain storm.

At first the rock was not good at moving. She would spin too far to the right or too far to the left.
Slowly she learned how to travel whichever direction she liked, and she enjoyed exploring space.

She saw a planet filled with water, with not a speck of land. Then found a planet all dried up,
with beaches made of sand.

She swore she met a planet who looked suspiciously like her. And then she saw a planet that
was, well… she wasn’t sure.

One planet she discovered, had grown forests made of green. Another one was very shy, not fond
of being seen.

She flew right by a planet, that was frozen icy cold. And then she saw a planet that was made of
jewels and gold!

She had started to notice that each planet seemed brighter than the last. They were all so
different and all so pretty.

It became hard for her to decide where to go next. If each planet she visited was more beautiful
than the one before it, then how could she decide which way to go next, and how could she
decide where to stay.

Source: https://www.freechildrenstories.com/the-stellar-one-1

VOCABULARY

(Self-esteem) - is an individual's subjective evaluation of their own
worth. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself as well as
emotional states, such as triumph, despair, pride, and shame.
"assertiveness training for those with low self-esteem"

(Swirled) - move in a twisting or spiralling pattern.
"the smoke was swirling around him"

(Speck) - a tiny spot.
"the figure in the distance had become a mere speck"

(Absence) - the state of being away from a place or person.
"the letter had arrived during his absence"

(Bold) - (of a person, action, or idea) showing a willingness to take risks;
confident and courageous.
"a bold attempt to solve the crisis"

UKAIL IFWAT BIN USRAH

THE SMOOTH SEA

I’ve always loved proverbs, mainly because they bring out a beautiful message in
the shortest and wittiest way possible. One of my absolute favorites however is
“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor”. This correlates with our lives.
Obstacles and hardships in our lives don’t deter us from our goals. Rather, they
refine us and make us more perfect in our life’s goals. A smooth path will allow us
to wade easy in the waters, not knowing how tough reality can get. This quote
implies that when the going gets tough, the tough get going and when the tough
do get going, they can manoeuvre their boat with great skill. Just like when
sailing, the sailor sails smoothly- without any jerks or inconsistencies in his
journey when the waters are smooth. However does that really train the sailor to
face high waters or rough seas? The same sailor might think he is the best sailor
but is that completely true? Its only when the sailor handles rough seas with
equal ease we can really judge this fact.

Sailing in smooth waters isn’t a challenge, tackling the rough waves is. Even if the
sailor does badly the first time when posed with this challenge, it teaches him
what and what not to do the next time. This makes the sailor a more experienced
one and can now tackle both rough and smooth waters with equal ease. Similarly
in our lives we must not back down when troubles face us- rather take it as a
learning opportunity. Crying and whining will lead our boat to sink; it will never
make us strong. We must open our eyes to the possible ways to solve this
catastrophe of sort. One cannot gain glory with shedding blood, sweat and tears.
Even though calm seas can be a beautiful sight to the eyes and can keep us quite
delighted, when the skies grow dark and the waves take a different turn the smile
on our faces can disappear quite quickly. Backing out is an option but not
necessarily has to be our choice. We can face these adversities and work hard to
make things right again. Nothing good ever comes easy.

Source: https://exploreabc.com/2018/07/10/smooth-sea-never-made-skilled-

VOCABULARY
NURHANIS YASMIN BT HADAFI