Author: Ley Anne Caringal
Classification: Prose
Theme: Death, Reality of life.
Synopsis: What would you do if you only had a day to live?
What would you do if we only had a day on this planet?
The most possible answers were spending time with family and friends, and saying sorry and forgiving others. But for me, I rather spend my day alone. Do things I haven’t done when my life was still long.
I was all alone sitting at the bench near the park. There were families having picnics, children playing, groups of friends hanging out and some couples uh... at the side...
You'd never know when your time had come, hm? So, it was better to always enjoy every day that passed by. You’d never know when your family or friends would be gone, too. No one knows when. It was always up to us to make the most of it. I wasn't telling you to always forgive and forget, and let the people who hurt you make you feel less important. What I was saying was, you had to live the best life while you could. Don’t let other people ruin your life. Don’t give them the attention that they wanted from you.
I headed to the ice cream parlor and asked for a flavor that I haven’t tried in my whole life. Mint chocolate ice cream.
“Here is your ice cream.” The vendor handed me the ice cream cone. “Enjoy!”
I smiled and gave her the money. I went to the table close to the window. Mint chocolate was not that bad though...but I won’t get it next time.
As if there was next time.
I scoffed at my own thoughts. I finished my ice cream and went to my next destination which was a library. Well, I did go once but it was a school library. I wanted to explore genres because all I read was history themes and romance.
I went to the fantasy section and saw Harry Potter. I was about to get it but I remembered that this was my last day and I couldn't continue it anymore. I sighed and picked a book that only had one part. I started reading it at the other side of the library.
It was already 3pm when I finished the book. I decided to eat pizza flavored cheese because I haven’t tasted that yet. I always thought that it was just a plain flavor and I didn’t get the hype of a cheese flavored pizza.
“Here’s your order.” She smiled. I nodded and took a bite and my oh my! How I wished I tasted this before.
I finished the pizza and went to my last destination. The playground. This was hard to believe but I had never been in a playground. I walked towards the swing but immediately stopped when I felt water drop on my hand. I looked up but there wasn’t any sign of rain. I was about to sit on the swing but my head started to hurt.
“Clear!”
Huh…
My body felt numb.
“Clear!”
Was it my time already?
“No!”
I guess it was.
-
“Time of death, 5:53pm.”
I died. I was in comatose for a year now due to the car accident.
“I was just telling her about my day, Mom,” my little brother said. He was hugging our mother who was silently crying.
“I told her that I went to her favorite park... I tried her least favorite ice cream flavor and went to the library... I told her that I miss playing with her at the playground near school... But...” My brother looked at my dead body and cried again.
He doesn’t know that I had imagined everything he told me.
I smiled and went forward to hug them. It was sad that I hadn't told them that I loved them. They couldn’t see me now but I hoped they knew that I was always here.
It was sad that I couldn't spend my days with them anymore. I had to spend my nights alone. I always hated to be alone but I had no choice. I couldn’t be with them anymore.
I kissed them one last time before I vanished into the thin air.
Published by: Kim Ashley Masagca
Date published: February 9, 2022
Time published: 12:22pm
No comments:
Post a Comment