IT'S MAGIC

It's Magic PROLOGUE

I sit on the platform of the swing in a certain area of our city’s park, with my hands on both sides, holding the braided rope. I have nothing to do but to sit here and be a child, as I am; a nine-year-old kid.

            I feel another pair of hands on both ropes of the opposite swing, maybe also sitting as well. I look at him, and the first I notice is the fact that he looks at me, too. If you ask me, I would say that he looks like a ten-year-old kid, with a brown hair capping his head round, then thin bangs just above his eyebrows, and fair skin. I’d say that he’s just as of my age as well.

            “Hi,” in a child’s voice, he starts our conversation.

            “Hello.” I greet him as well.

            “I’m Ron,” he introduces himself. “How about you? What’s your name?”

            “Kate.” I say in reply back with a smile.

            Silence follows and later on, I hear a sound of a foot against the ground which takes me back to my senses. He strides with the swing, first slowly, and as moments succeed, he speeds up. He seems to be enjoying it, while me – I’m just on my swing, motionless.

            Later, he holds the rope of my swing, just above my hand, dragging me as well to a stride which causes me to panic. But when his hand reaches for mine, maybe trying to balance the motion between two swings, that’s when I feel myself to its safest. I think, he’s to a stop, but I am quickly proven wrong. He throws his feet against the ground again, speeding the stride more, with his hand still capping mine. I seem to be enjoying it as well, since all we do is laugh and laugh while looking at each other. But I am not just looking at him; instead, I’m looking through his smart hazel eyes. I wonder what lies beyond those…

            When his strong hands let go of me, that’s when the balance and the stride ends. We are thrown to the ground. But still, we seem to have felt no pain despite our smash against it.

            We both stand up, and then he holds my hands again. His lips curve a smile, so does mine. Then he drags me and we’re turning around. We have so much fun doing that!

            After that, we played other games together, like sliding in the slide of the park, playing on the see-saw, turning with the revolving wheel stand. Well, these stopped when a nice shiny black car blows its horn on the side of the park, on the road. An older woman inside the vehicle waves her hand – to us, I think. Then I see Ron smiling at that. He quickly comes near me, and fondles something behind his jacket. Later on, he draws out a necklace. It’s a golden half-moon-shaped pendant, with a gold necklace, if I would tell it. It really is a half-moon in shape, semi-circular. He holds it towards me with the kind of smile which his eyebrows raise...

            “What’s that?” I ask.

            “You can keep it,” he starts. “I have the other half anyway.”

            “Why?”

            “You are my first girl playmate...” He says with a smile and that brightens my face like being struck by the morning sunshine. Well, he’s not my only boy playmate. I have my tricky older boy cousins. “I’m leaving. But promise – we’ll meet again.”

            I ask again, still unsure. “Are you sure?”

            “I’m sure.” He says and then put the necklace around my neck, pushing his fingers against the pendant on the middle of my chest, which feels good.

            “Keep that one.” He says, and then inserts the pendant behind my clothes. My eyes are just locked on those… “Take that as a remembrance from me. I’d be gone for maybe long…”

            “Okay, Ron. Thank you.” I say, holding the lace above the pendant with my hand tightly.

            “But I promise, really… I will come back. And I’m very sure that we’ll meet again.”

            “Why? Where are you going?” I ask.

            “We’re on a trip. But I don’t even know where we’re going...”

            I chuckle and he also does. “Well then, take care there. See you soon.”

            “Yeah. See you soon, Kate.” He says then fixes the necklace in place with a few touches. “Take care, too. Bye!” And then he leaves.

            I immediately search in my pocket for something.

Coins… Cents… Badge… Badge!

            I draw the badge out. It’s a circular plain-colored yellow one with the letter “K” embedded in the center, white in color.

            “Ron, wait!” I run towards him. He’s on the way to the car yet… “Wait!”

            He stops and then turns back.

“Here’s a remembrance from me, too.” I gasp as I reach him.

            “Oh… thank you Kate.” He says with a smile.

            “Don’t forget me and your promise.” I begin and pin the badge on his jacket in place. “I also promise that I’ll be waiting when you come back.”

            “I will.” He ends. “Goodbye.”

            “Bye!”

            He then goes to the car, and sits on the thighs of the older woman. It must be his mother. Well, I see another boy about Ron’s age inside. He looks a lot like Ron, too, and he seems to be sober. He is looking at me, but his face is just still. Is that Ron’s brother?

            He just keeps on looking at me, and when the engines turn on, I see Ron waving a hand through the car window. I also wave my hand and smile at them. His mother is also smiling at me. And then the car starts moving.  As their car drives away, I hold the pendant out of my clothes and look at it closely. Ron’s smiling face comes in my mind...

            I look at the skies above, and with a tight grip with the pendant, I smile.