It is a good thing to travel around the world just so that this time, I was not travelling. I was going on a business trip. Selene looked at my face, " Is it good news?" she asked with her eyebrows arched. By now, she knows when I was worried and when I was happy. " Just some business messages. Am I going to see you anytime soon?" I ask getting to my feet. Selene looked at me. I could see that she cared. " What do you want it to be, Jason?" There was a moment of silence between the two of us. I wanted her to know of my feelings for her. I walked slowly towards her, my step making a gentle sound. I stopped, staring into her emerald eyes. " What If I don't want you to go? Would you stay?" I asked, my hand grabbing hers. Selene let out a gentle sigh. " I have to go, Jason . There are things I have to take care of at home." " Fair enough. Then come back to me when you are done sorting them out. I am going to be waiting for you." I said with my head tilted forwards. I placed a ge

The flight felt longer than it should have.Not because of turbulence or discomfort, but because my mind refused to stay still. Every time I closed my eyes, images rushed in—Mrs Tracy standing in the kitchen, the smell of soup, her smile at the airport. And of course, there was Selene whose face kept popping up in my head. I couldn't let go of our last kiss. The promise of coming back. She was the woman that I had envisioned as a wife. A lady I would like to spend eternity with. I opened my eyes and stared out the window again. The clouds looked endless, white and thick like a different world entirely. Somewhere beyond them was Singapore. Somewhere beyond them was the life I had chosen.A flight attendant walked past and smiled politely.“Would you like anything to drink, sir?”“Water, please,” I replied.She handed it to me, and I thanked her. My voice sounded calm, but inside, everything was noisy. Thoughts collided with one another, fears mixing with excitement until I could not

I never wanted to stand out. All I did was work. I tried to save lives and also made sure people did not die on my watch but it looked like I had some too much. .I still cannot take my mind off what Dr Tan said last night. Did he know something that I did not?The system has not been helpful. All it ever did was monitor my heart race and tell me when I needed to slow down. But there was something else I noticed. Something I had always thought was meaningless. The blur movements. The way my hand moved. There was something about it that felt extraordinary. It can't be? I said slowly as I sip my morning coffee. I was good at what I do but I don't think the system was interfering. I let out a sigh. My thoughts drifted back to what Dr Tan has said and why he was pushing me to the edge. Today was Saturday. It was supposed to be a free work day for me after staying up or night but I don't think I would be getting that tonight. I shut my eyes and I could still hear the noises of pain

I couldn't believe what was in front of me. For every life that I saved, a year was slowly deducted from my life span. I was not even sure how many years I had to live for and now this?I staggered back, my legs weak, my head spinning. The world felt wrong, like I was underwater. Sounds came late, voices stretched and distorted.Sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder.The system interface faded slowly, but its last words etched into my mind.A year deducted.For saving a life.My chest tightened. “You didn’t say that before,” I whispered.No reply.Just like before, it went silent, leaving me alone with the consequences.Maybe I shouldn't have tried to play god. Maybe I should have walked away without looking back. But I was a doctor. My job is to save lives. How do I go about this without having to face the consequences of losing my life at the end of it all?Strong hands grabbed my shoulders before I hit the ground.“Sir! Sit down. You’re bleeding.”I blinked and realize

My eyelid fluttered and snapped open. I woke up choking.Not on air—on smell.Old cooking oil. Damp walls. Disinfectant that had long lost its bite. My lungs seized for a second before I sucked in a shallow breath and froze.This wasn’t my apartment.The ceiling above me was low and stained with water marks shaped like continents. A single bulb flickered, humming softly like it might give up any second. My head throbbed, a deep ache behind my eyes, and when I tried to move, pain lanced through my chest and arms like punishment for the attempt.I groaned.“Hey—hey, don’t move.”The voice startled me.I turned my head slowly and instantly regretted it. The room spun, nausea crawling up my throat. A hand pressed gently but firmly against my shoulder, holding me down.“Easy,” the voice said again. Male. Rough. Familiar in a way my foggy brain didn’t like.Memories slammed back into place.The alley.Blood.The knife wound.The man lying down looking injured. The system.Six months.My