FALLENTALE: PRESERVING [KINDNESS]

A WILTED PETAL

[??? POV]

I didn't know how I manage to get this far, time went by so fast.

My time went by too quickly I would say.

One day, I fell into the underground when my brother and I were playing. We went to far. We ran closer to a nearby cave and my brother accidentally shoved me... into a dark hole when we didn't notice it. I went all the way down in an instant until the light above me went dark.

I thought I died, I really did.

But a friend saved me, he was a scientist and a skeleton.

It was strange that I became friends with the tall skinless and organ-less man but I wasn't scared really. Though the nice monster was a little frightened when I fall down, strangely more so when I said I wasn't afraid of him. Soon after, I made many more friends. One and many different kinds of monsters.

My parents always advised me to not talk with strangers but how do I make friends if I didn't?

I even managed to talk with the king and queen of monsters! I never thought I would be able to meet someone royalty. I only heard of them in story books. They let me stay in the palace when I needed to rest. We even had tea together. But I knew I couldn't stay forever, luckily the king guided me on how I can leave the underground.

I needed to walk through the barrier.

Except, when I did...

I started feeling pain in my body. I couldn't stand and I was breathing heavily. The good news is that the king took me to my friend and helped me feel better. The bad news is that... I can't leave.

Apparently my soul was damaged, broken.

If someone passed through the barrier with an unstable soul, their said soul will disintegrate with only a body left to decay.

I was distraught, my brother is still up there. Wondering if I'm alive. I can't stay here. What will happen to him if I can't pass through at all? I'm running out of time!

...

Days became weeks and weeks became months.

I became bedridden when I struggle to walk. Apparently I have an illness that weakens my body and soul until I die at 16. But it caught on early and I'm still 10 years old. My friend decided to help me take a stroll with me seated on a wheel chair.

The queen and I built and made a garden with variety of seeds that I had. It was in the ruins. The same place I have fallen.

The same place in where I will lie and rest.

I didn't feel sad or depressed. I feel content with the time I spent here. With all my new friends I would never be able to make on the surface. To explore freely when I was never I allowed to exit my home under my parents watch. To take care of the baby my friend and his wife have when I can't take care of my brother on the surface.

There still so much I needed to do, so much I wanted to say...

Dear brother,

I'm happy to be your older brother and I wish I could do more for you. But I've run out of time, time is such a precious thing isn't it? We use it to spend our moments and memories together as we play and take care of our garden. The time after I fell, I made more happy memories with the monsters here so please don't cry for me. After a short nap, I want to wake up again and see your best smile ever. That is my last wish to you.

Sincerely yours,

Azzy