Voices In The Wind

By Aylin Pereira

This is about a little girl, Lisa, growing up in the early sixties with her siblings and her immigrant parents and how they coped with life. In this era, the children didn't have the technology of today but enjoyed a carefree and simple life. Lisa's parents who were from Kerala, came to Malaya, speaking only their native language, Malayalam but picked up the National Language and made a living as a tailor. Life was not easy but together they pulled through.

The story was seen through five-year-old Liza as she passes through each phase of her life. Her early life, she was described as stubborn, street smart and tomboyish. She developed a sixth sense and according to her, Lisa's Mum disliked her. Lisa made childish attempts to reconcile with her. She craved for her Mum's attention and resented the attention she was giving to her little brother, Brian. The story is divided into three other parts and seen through the eyes of her Dad, Mum and her not so favorite sister, Anna.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aylin Pereira
• Release date: Mar 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463668467

Aylin Pereira

I live in Malaysia with my family. My first short novel "Voices in the Wind" is my first attempt in writing.Writing is my hobby and now I am now working on bedtime stories for children which I hope to publish soon. I also enjoy working with children especially those with special needs.

Book preview

VOICES IN THE WIND

Copyright 2020 Aylin Pereira

Published by Aylin Pereira at Smashwords

ISBN No: 9780463668467

Cover Illustration by: Elaine Nisha D’Cruz

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Chapter One: The Green Village

Chapter Two: Brian

Chapter Three: Baby Brett

Chapter Four: A New Home

Chapter Five: Mum’s Story

Chapter Six: Dad Left Us

Chapter Seven: Dad’s Story

Chapter Eight: Cries In The Forest

Chapter Nine: Anna’s Story

Chapter Ten: The Mystery Of Wind

Chapter Eleven: The Hut

Chapter Twelve: The Puppies

Chapter Thirteen: Scowling Mona Lisa

The Girl In The Forest

About Aylin Perera

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Chapter 1

THE GREEN VILLAGE

I grew up, in a small town, located in the northern state of Perak. During those days the village was known as the Green Village because there was more greenery, shady trees and wild flowers like Senduduk plants with its pretty purple flowers, jasmine and wild alder in front of almost all the houses. You would get the mingle scent of these flowers in the breeze which was lovely like, someone had sprayed perfume in the air. These flower plants needn’t much trimming and pruning, and they made their houses pretty. At the back of the houses most of them grew their favorite vegetables.

There were also more birds, butterflies and grasshoppers and the loud sounds of croaking frogs in stillness of the night. The stars and moon looked larger and brighter in those days, so the need for electricity was less. The candles and oil lamps did the job. Most areas did have electricity, tap water and schools, but there was not much development. So, the air we breathed in was fresher and cleaner and people didn’t fell ill often. Therefore, the need for doctors was less. I hardly remember going to the hospitals except maybe for the normal childrens' injections.

We lived in large bungalow house, with a huge compound and securely fenced and heavily planted with all kinds of flowers and fruit trees. The vegetables and fruits we need were all around the house. There were also chickens and turkeys, so there was plenty of meat and eggs. So, there was nothing much we wanted to buy outside this house except maybe spices and milk for the baby. The lawn was so huge that one can hold a grand wedding dinner party with 300 guests. In other words, it was a huge place for us to run and play but we lived an isolated life, in an almost abandoned house. When someone looked at it from outside, the house looked rather sinister and haunted until they came inside and heard the noise of young children. The kitchen on the other hand, was about ten feet away from the house, a building by itself. The house was rented out to us at low rate by the owner who lived overseas. To make it even cheaper and since the house was so huge, dad leased part of it to another family and usually to someone he knew and who had young children like us. Unfortunately, there were also, and at times unwanted visitors in our compound; snakes! But then no one was stung by the snakes. Dad was quicker to strike them dead. Even Mother who at their sight, whimper and scream, quickly learned to kill them. So, these unwanted visitors ceased to visit us. It was the early sixties and the British who were in Malaysia were long gone. But at times, we do see a military truck full of White Men as we call them, passing through our village. Each time the truck came by, the children ran out to wave and shout, and were rewarded with toffees and sweets thrown out to us. It was a rare treat for the kids.

It was just past seven and the skies were getting darker, and there was going to be a storm. I was playing outside with my siblings. I was five, skinny and small for my age. My thick wavy hair hung below my waist and Mum kept it neat by parting my hair in the middle and pleating. I was agile and mischievous;