Whispered Wishes: The Magic of Childhood Dreams

10

"Try opening the door", one man said.

"I am trying."

People had gathered and were trying to break in a door. They heard someone screaming.

"Did you hear that?", Mew spoke to Toptap. Toptap and Mew were having their dinner as usual when they heard a commotion. They opened their apartment door to see where the noise was coming from. They climbed a floor downstairs and saw neighbors banging on Mike's door.

"What is going on", Mew asked to a neighbor.

"It's Mike. I don't know. I heard screaming and now he is not opening the door", he replied.

"Let me go...Let me go..." Slap. Punch. They could hear Mike screaming.

Mew asked everyone to step aside and with one full swift kicked the door open.

They all barged in to see what the chaos was all about. A man was grabbing Mike by his throat. His shirt was ripped out and his face was bleeding. It didn't take a genius to see what was happening.

Toptap grabbed the man while Mew went to help Mike. "How dare you..." He couldn't finish the line before a powerful blow was landed on his face. Jirakit grabbed the man by his shoulders. The neighbors too rushed and landed a few blows on the man's face.

Mew helped Mike get back on his feet while one neighbor quickly dialed the police station. Mew noticed Toptap punching the daylights out of the man. Seeing Mike like this made Toptap miserable though he didn't understand why.

Mew was surprised to see his brother behaving like this. It was nothing like him. Toptap was never aggressive, always the dutiful child and this was completely outside his normal behavior. He stopped Toptap before things went out of hand. But Toptap grabbed the man, "Don't you ever come near him. If I ever see your face again, I swear to god, it will be your last day on earth."

By that time, the cops arrived at the apartment. They took Mike's statement and arrested the man. Mew left with the cops to take care of the formalities while Mike and Toptap were alone in the apartment.

Since the last meeting, they would bump into each other occasionally. Toptap had grown fond of Mike. His personality was similar to Saint – the same lively behavior, chattiness, innocence. If it was another life, he swore Mike and Saint would be siblings. However, when it came to Mike, Toptap's feelings were different. He made him feel different emotions. Something in Mike wanted Toptap to protect him. Sure, their start was somewhat awkward but as he got to know Mike, he felt a liking towards this innocent boy.

"I am sorry, P'Top to put you and P'Mew through this." Mike was sobbing like a child and Toptap felt his heart melt into puddles. He picked up the first aid kit and began cleaning Mike's wounds.

"Ouch..."

"Sorry. Does it hurt?"

"Yes." Mike nodded. As Toptap was wiping Mike's wound, he couldn't help but stare at the boy in front of him. He gulped his throat and looked away. The situation was sensitive.

"Who was he? Your boyfriend?"

"Yes. He was always possessive of me. He wanted me to come live with him but I couldn't. He always stopped me from talking to others including my sister but I couldn't. How can one stop talking to people? We are humans. We need to talk to each other. Last week he saw me talking to my friends in college and reprimanded me. I couldn't take it anymore and decided to break it off with him. That's why I asked him to come over to end it. But once he came in, he locked the door. Then he began to force *hiccup* himself *hiccup* on me."