A short story... The little girl spied the tall sturdy tree thick with leaves and generous branches on top of the hill just across the playground where she and her best friend were playing. A bright idea clicked in her mind as she grinned at him. He gave her a quizzical look until he saw where her eyes were trained. Thrilled that she thought of the same thing he did minutes before, he simply asked, Are you sure? Race you to it! she laughed, leaping off the swing and running towards the hill. It wasnt too high a hill, but the grass that covered it was slippery from a previous rainfall. He held out his hand and simply said, Come on, Ill help you climb up. Its a bit slippery. She snorted at him, taking her hand away. She started climbing, clutching at the blades of grass that proved to be futile. He was already halfway up the hill when he heard her shriek, and he saw her slide back down to the foot of the hill. Frightened, he raced back down to her and knelt beside her, inspecting her whole body for scrapes and bruises. Her legs and knees got the worst of the fall, with grazes and grass stains. Trying to be brave, she brushed at her skirt and legs, refusing to look at him. He on the other hand was scared enough for her that he almost cried too, but he wasnt going to show her that. Instead, he shook her shoulders lightly and reprimanded, You silly girl! I told you to hold on to me!. Why do you always insist on doing things your way? Now look at your legs, youve got a lot of scrapes and theyre bleeding! Gosh! Because the tears were already threatening to overflow, and because she hated to see him upset and angry, she wailed, I j-j-just wanted t-t-to do it m-m-myself. D-dont sh-s-shout. Exasperated, he leaned closer to her and hugged her tightly, saying, Dont cry, please. Im not angry. I was just scared to see you fall. Please stop crying, your mom might hear you and shell wonder what it is Im doing to you. He took off his white shirt - his mother would have his hide again for getting his shirts dirty - and dried her tears as well as wiped the dirt from her wounds. When she slowed down to hiccups, he helped her up the hill slowly, clutching her to his side tightly so she wouldnt slip and fall again. Reaching the top, he let her sit down on one of the trees large roots. She smiled sweetly at him, glad that it was he who was with her in the playground, and not any of her other playmates who would just laugh at her and call her a crybaby. No, John was her bestest friend in the whole wide world, because he always understood her, and shared the same thoughts and feelings with her. She felt safe and secure when she was with him. Thanks, J, she said. Youre my best friend ever. I wish youd always be with me so we can climb hills and trees and have fun playing together. He was still trying to brush the grass from her skirts when he stopped. He couldnt say it; he couldnt say goodbye to his dearest friend. His family was moving for parts unknown, and he hadnt told her about it. He didnt want to say goodbye, because he realised, with the wisdom of a young man on the verge of growing up, it would be a long, long time before he would ever see her again. Youre my best friend too, Ann. Always. She sighed. If you would ever go away, would you find a new best friend? His whole body rebelled against the thought. No! I wont, because I want only you as my best friend! he adamantly replied. Happy at this, she smiled, then grew pensive. I wont mind, you know, if you found a new best friend. Just as long as you dont forget that I am your first best friend! She giggled at his scowl, and poked at him. He didnt want to linger over the topic, else he cried in front of her. He pulled her to her feet and hugged her long and hard. We need to go home. Those wounds ned to be cleaned properly. They left the tree and playground hand in hand, talking about nonsensical things like they usually did. It was always laughter and teasing between them, loving each other like it was the most natural thing in the world. So it was like dying when, two days later, Ann woke up to see her mom with a sad look on her face, and a box full of letters addressed to her. She recognised Johns large scrawl, and the topmost letter explained everything. But she could only register in her brain the words Goodbye, I will love you always, because youre my best friend. And she cried, silently this time, into her pillow, because she knew with a womans instinct that she had lost her best friend, and she didnt know when she would see him again. But deep in her heart she knew, just as instinctively, that one day she would find him again, and he would be her best friend like always. So she smiled at her mom through her tears, and started the first of her days without her best friend John. ---------------------- to be continued.................
Posted on: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 09:29:22 +0000
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