Team: Chain Reaction
School: Serangoon Garden Secondary School
Lucas Young was once a cheerful Secondary 3 student, but after his father’s betrayal and his parents’ messy falling out, his life spiraled out of control. Living with a mother broken by loss and numbed by drugs, Lucas endured constant abuse. He took it silently, believing that by being a personal punching bag for her frustration would spare her further pain. To her, every trace of his innocent curiosity echoed her ex-husband’s deceit, and she lashed out, seeing not her son but a reminder of betrayal. While one was due to care and concern, the other reeked of utter betrayal and cowardice. The bruises Lucas carried to school mirrored the wounds he hid inside.
Decades later, as a parent himself, Lucas faces a defining moment when he discovers his own child holding drugs. Standing at the crossroads of his past and his future, he must decide whether to allow the cycle of suffering to repeat, or summon the strength to break free.
This story explores the sub-theme of cycles of trauma and the struggle for self control, showing that true strength lies in becoming the change you wish to see. Reminding us that “every choice you make is a stone in the path your loved ones will walk.”
