A Collection of Short Stories

A Walk to Reminisce

                                                                                           • • •

A dozen of memories rushed through my head. I was burning as if I was on a blazing fire with blood rushing through my body really fast.

I saw my one-year-old self, crawling down the stairs to my aunt's house, who lived on the floor below us. I was hitting their door with my back; which I learned later in my life, was a style of mine knocking on their door. As that memory passed into the void, I saw my ten-year-old version, playing UNO cards with my siblings; a picture-perfect scenario.

As my mind raced off to many memories, I saw myself surrounded by people. I was in front of a crowd with a table in front of me. A plate with brown mud could be seen. There was a little glow on top of the mud "thing". As the memory got clearer, I recognized myself standing to cut the cake on my fourteenth birthday. I saw my parents standing behind me. Then, I remembered that mom, as usual, has invited most of the relatives of ours. I don't get why mom invites so many people. We just meet them once a year; on my birthday. As this memory also went into the void, I saw myself at the funeral of my grandpa; wrapped in white cloth, his body lay still in the coffin with only his face showing. Roar of tears could have been heard if the rains were not pouring. I was watching my 'memory self', think how his beautiful body will be mixed with the ground when that memory also went to the void. I saw myself running on the beach with my cousins. It was nearly a perfect day until one of my cousins got lost. Gratefully we found him playing with other kids on the beach a few yards away. Everyone gave sighs of relief. We were closely saved from his father's lecture too when the sky gave a loud cry of wrath. Taking our belongings, we ran towards the hotel. As I was running, I saw white light surround me and fell to the ground feeling the light embracing me. I could feel my body clenching.

I could see a car charging towards me and the next second I saw myself lying on the ground: motionless, with my right cheek on the ground, the vacant eyes staring at nothingness. I wish I could tell her. I was inhaling pain. My present self could see blood gushing out from in between my black strands of hair. I could hear people calling an ambulance and taking me to the nearby hospital. I heard my mother sobbing and felt her holding my hands. I could hear distant male voices. That might be my father and brother. I couldn't make out what was happening.

As the ICU light was turned off, I could hear my mother crying hysterically. As I inhaled for the last time deeply, I thought I didn't deserve to die so early. I had a bucket list to tick off.

Life ends when you want to live it, cherish it, and enjoy it. It's a gift, a journey, but for me, it was a mere walk. A walk to reminisce.