a short story by James Chong

Sound of Silence and lizard

I woke up at 4 am this morning then walked peacefully to the computer room.
a 6 centimetres lizard suddenly dashed toward the back of the door.
Lizards do cry at night,sharp at high pitch,''Keat.....keat....keat...keat..''
This particular lizard, a snake like creature, remind me the incidence of waking up 3 am early in the morning
20 years ago at the old house, 24 Jalan Sungai Maong Hilir. That time my first child Richard( Ric) didnot sleep well due to the sudden out burst of lizards crying.
at 3 am, I comforted Ric and told him,''That is lizard.....lizard''. ''It is ok, not to worry''
anticipating something new or great, the 3 years old boy sat up and grasped my right hand and tightened grip over the last 3 fingers.We walked quietly like pink panther pacing towards the kitchen.We already determined to find the noisy lizard that disturb sweet dreams.
He tagged on ten centimetres right behind my right hand side and leaned toward me. 'Those lizards not going to bite ?!' I thought but didnot say that.
There at the wooden structure of 20 times 20 feet and 12 feet high old kitchen, 3 lizards scattered on the wall and stared at Ric and me.One was over the north east corner, another at south and the third over the north west position.
I took 15 size 4 natural latex rubber bands, then demonstrated the procedure of interlooping 2 sets of 6 rubber bands then twisted the linked rubber till it was forming a natural power to recoil into a firm corrugated rubber ball. both ends then approximated and formed a little loop to enable 3 new rubber bands to enter then tied within the 3 rubber band loop. The weapon was ready, a rubber ball with super latex spring as leading force.
I could not tell how left handed Ric comprehened my action of usng right index finger to steady the loop and pointed the out stretched rubber band towards the lizard with my right index finger, coordinated with steady left thumb holding the rubber ball firmly on my left index finger which is almost touching my left eye.
In split second. My left hand released the hard rubber ball weapon, and it flew towards the lizard.
''Pang'' synchronizing that piercing sound, the ten centimetres lizard dropped from the ceiling.It was similar to watching the speed of coconut dropped from a 100 feet tree but the acceleration was different with that living creature.
''Pak...'', as soon as the lizard landed at the grey cement floor, we dashed toward the lizard and executed it.(Hope no need to describe the execution).
By the time we hit the second lizard, the third snake like creature disappeared without making a noise.
Ric happily stumbled with slow steady pace towards the bed room 50 feet away from the 'lizard' room.
His soft, tender, elastic youthful 3 years old shoulder felt warm and secure cupped by my right palm. He went to sleep alright and might have sweet dreams.
(note: I wonder whether there could be other snake like lizard that one may be scared to encounter.
as one grow and glow, is there any fancy living creature that is adorable yet may reduce quality of life such as stealing away precious time!? minimising potential of one's success. Ok, Just now another real lizard, right in frnt of me, at this quiet morning. It is completely dark outside the house at this moment.
Immediately the music of the tune' sound of silence' of Bee Gees covered my whole body and soul. It hovered in my mind and I feel like it is 6 cm deep in my brain. The music seems to dance in 2 areas 6 centimetres from my both ears. It is feeling smooth as silk.