The Ones Who Got Away (10 page)

“Megan…”

“You’re right, it’s best not to cry.” Megan said and wiped her tears away.

***

Danial and Jeremy walked on foot to the movies. Their route was the train tracks before they could reach town to the cinema. Danial stared off into the distance, silent as they walked by the gravel road beside the rails.

“Danial, I think I know how to make Mommy better. All I have to do is make a wish.” Jeremy broke a silence.

“That’s a great idea.” Danial said without the enthusiasm.

“Yeah. That day I wished by the fountain for Elena to like me and it came true. Then, I wished for you to come and get me at the hospital, That came true too. I wished by the place where people make calls so you could hear me. So all I have to do now is wish for Mommy to get better.”

“Jeremy, what she needs is to get stronger.”

“Stronger? Like a train? Then, this is a perfect place! I’ll stand on the tracks. And wish real hard. You think it’ll work?” Jeremy looked at Danial hopefully.

“Sounds good to me.”

“Ok. Thanks, Danial.”

Danial offered him a sad smile as Jeremy stepped on the tracks. Jeremy was unaware of the sound of a coming train. How the earth started to rumble as the giant came closer and closer in the darkness of the night. Danial watched from the side. Maybe it was best for Jeremy. He would go to a better place where there were no bullies or mean people hurting him. You’re helping him, Danial convinced himself. Jeremy closed his eyes and scrunched his face as he wished real hard for his mom to be stronger. Then, the massive machine hit him.

***

Danial was in tears when he related the secret he kept hidden all his life. Now, he was sure his future was in ruins. But then, a kid around six came up to him. “Dad, what are you doing here? You told me we could fly kites today.” The boy offered a toothy grin. He reminded me of Jeremy and I fled. My head was spinning and I felt like throwing up. As I walked home, my mind wandered somewhere else. To the memories of my childhood spent with Jeremy.

Then, I felt a tug and realized a motorcyclist was grabbing by handbag, ready to rip off my left arm. He pulled but I held firm and suddenly my arm came off. It fell to the ground together with my handbag. The motorcyclist looked terrified and sped off, leaving my handbag and its contents scattered on the tar road.

I sighed. I would have to fork out money later. I grabbed my left arm and continued my journey home. Don’t be terrified. My left arm is just a prosthetic arm that I had been wearing for the past decade. I was born with a deformity, you see. Without a left arm.

I was Jeremy’s neighbor and best friend. I cared for him more than that because he was the only one who treated me like a normal person. Who talked to me without looking at my non-existing arm and laughed with me. Not at me. Then, at eight years old, my family moved out. When I returned, he was dead. I was grief-stricken that I almost took my own life. But I guess the faith Jeremy had in life and the people in it, stuck on to me and I continued living.

The society has been rough to me too. Maybe even worse than to Jeremy but I took it all in. I believe that people should not judge others mentally like Jeremy, or physically, like me. God created all of us because we are special in our own ways. Be grateful for what you have and not judgmental to others. It helps you enjoy life more since life is too short.