It was freedom, which enabled us to go anywhere we liked. It was freedom, which changed the extents of our lives. It was freedom, the pleasure of being able to do things without feeling guilty. However, to experience freedom is very challenging. I explained this freedom just seconds ago.
I was located in a torture room of a dilapidated office, the Selarang Barrack. The room was equipped with a variety of torture weapons which could inflict pain onto a person’s body, but not likely to be able to cause death. Tortures were being held once every week, which were carried out by ‘kempeitais’, experts in torture. Today, eighth of August, nineteen forty-five, was the day when water torture would be carried out on my body, bruised and injured.
“Number 1234, please cooperate with us and tell us the leaders of Force 136. If you fail to cooperate, then I am sorry.” A kempeitai said with sarcasm. The motto of the force was ‘Loyalty before Death’. With these three words etched in my mind, I failed to mutter a single word to the kempeitai. The kempeitai walked over to the water hose and brought it to me. I was kicked in the legs which forced me into a kneeling position. I shut my eyes. Footsteps were being heard. A ‘screech’ sound was also being heard shortly. The valve was being turned on.
My face turned red, and in less than a few split seconds, water gushed into my mouth. I could feel the power of the gushing water passing through my oesophagus. The pain was excruciating, my mind was being embraced in a colour that was blacker than black. At that point of time, I started to hate Percival for surrendering to the Japanese. I wished to burn him on a stick in front of everybody in Singapore. However, the torture had not come to an end. The kempeitai retrieved the hose which was originally in my mouth. I fell onto the ground, vomiting out water at the same time. The kempeitai forced the hose onto my belly button which all his might which caused my belly button to break apart. A totally reverse action of the previous torture was being executed. Water gushed out of my mouth.I looked like a fountain.
This torture could be compared to the torture some people believe that the eighteen levels of hell execute. I wanted to die there. The desire to commit suicide was really tantalising, but I could not die, no matter what I did.
“Over!” the kempeitai shouted with his uniform all wet. I loved this particular word. It symbolised that the torture had come to an end. Surprisingly, today was a little different. We were forced to assemble in the field of the Selarang Barracks. A high-ranking officer, who looked rather conspicuous in his blue coloured attire walked into the field.
“Sorry for the ill treatment the Japanese has given all of you! We surrendered to the British! You all are now free to go!” The officer shouted and bowed deeply, his legs almost perpendicular to the body.
I could not believe myself. I was being freed from ‘hell’! I stood there as if I was in a dream which ceased to exist. I slapped myself on the face and found out that I was indeed in reality. I felt very surprised over the arrogant Japanese’s surrender to the British and went around asking about it.
“An atomic bomb called ‘Fat man’ was being dropped onto some place in Japan, so they had no choice but to surrender.” a fellow captive responded. Everyone cheered with pride.
I walked out of the Barracks and took a deep breath. This particular breath was very different from the air in the Barracks. My legs felt numb and I was unable to walk anymore. I fell onto the ground.
Lying on the ground, I finally knew the true meaning of freedom. I am now free to go anywhere and never would I feel guilty anymore. This freedom was being taken away by the Japanese, trapping us captives like caged birds with limited movements.
But a few moments ago, the cage opened and the birds flew high up into the sky, hoping that they would never again, return to the cage.
I muttered, “Thank you, Fat man.” and I shut my eyes.
Word count: 728
Excellent job, Jin Da! I think that this essay is really well done. There are two or three bombastic vocab words, which is enough to make the reader aware of your standard of English. Too many would be too stiffling (well, that’s what I feel anyway). I really loved the way Jin Da crafts his essay. The dialogues are appropriate and he shows instead of just merely telling.
Take a look at his intro. He employs the repetitive technique (he repeats “it was freedom”) and then ends his essay with a simple statement of the definition of freedom.
A one word title like freedom, is very open and as you all know, everyone has different definitions of it. The protagonist here, states his own meaning of freedom very clearly and simply, which is good as it does not complicate matters.
Even though there are not many emotional moments in his essay, as a reader, I felt aware of the pain during the water torture due to his sentence structures and the descriptions used. Selerang Barracks was ‘hell’ and he likened the torture to the 18 levels of hell. How his mind was engulf in darkness and the hate he felt when his superior surrendered to the Japanese. I also felt the relief and happiness which overwhelmed him when they were freed from the way the protagonist’s legs gave way and he just laid there on the ground, still in shock due to this sudden freedom.
A very compelling essay which brings out the meaning of freedom really aptly.
Well done, Jin Da!
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