Memoirs of a cell

When my time began, it was all darkness around me. i dwelled in a pool of liquid, freely swimming and floating along with using my long tail. it was a rather boring life, but life was easy and perhaps good. i didnt have to work or find food. the nutrients i need was all around me in abundance. more than enough for me and my countless number of brothers i stayed with.

But all things must come to an end. one fine day, the floodgates to the pool were opened. my brothers and i were forced out of our comfort zone and with a strong gush, we were flushed out through a long tunnel and into a new unfamiliar place.

using whatever little knowledge i had, i realised we were in grave danger. our source of nutrient had been cut off, and we are helplessly left to fend for ourselves. death is almost certain but on one exception - that one of us (may be more, but most of the time only one will succeed) could find and claim a highly-coveted ovule. it was a high risk, high reward situation.

we couldnt even be sure that there was an ovule in the first place, but there was no time to waste, and laziness would only bring death. i came to the part where i had to make the most important choice of my life - the way was a split into 2 paths; only one could save my life. i cant remember which path i took; i took no time to think and dashed into one of them.

into another long tunnel i went, swimming at full speed. i was blessed with a strong tail and i managed to keep in the lead of the swarm. after what seemed like an eternity of relentless racing, the glimmer of life and hope flashed before me - it was the ovule! this was the last lap, the final hurdle towards the grand prize. with eyes set on the goal, i raced with every milligram of strength i had towards it. i wouldnt let anything stop me now.

i managed to reach it in time, but the race was not over. i had to break into the outer layer of the ovule, tunneling my way through. in the midst of the struggle, my precious tail dropped off, but finally i managed to get through. coming in first place, i immediately sent signals to the control stations of the ovule, "i'm in! it is occupied! shut the doors and let no one else in, lest we be overcrowded to death!"

immediately the ovule deployed its emergency shutters. the walls of the ovule started to harden up, preventing any others from entering. some of my brothers still making their way through were stopped in their tracks. desperate pleas for mercy resounded from outside. the cries soon faded out into silence as the walls hardened, and i knew they were doomed. sorry, my brothers, but i couldnt afford to be softened in such a situation.

i found my refuge and supply in the ovule. i began to grow rapidly, growing to many times my original size, and futher more. in replacement of my tail, i developed legs, hands ears and many other complex bodyparts, so much better than before. with my tiny ears i heard sounds from beyond the walls and i began to use my tiny legs to kick the wall, hoping so much to enter the big open world.

soon enough the time came, and the rest is history. now, exactly 18 years from the day entered the world, i look back and reflect on that particular life-changing race. I thank God for giving me the strongest tail and fighting spirit back then, which granted me that grand decisive victory. and i realise, how fortunate i am.

therefore i can say, anyone who has been born was once a winner of a competition of far greater scale than the olympics!