Chapter 01

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My name is Shine . . .

It was five years ago when my father died  . . .

I was thirteen back then, I was still young, still unaware of the darknesss and evil that was the real world . . .

All I know back then was that it hurt . . . it hurt so much that i couldn't even cry anymore . . .

The thought of not having to watch major league on TV while eating popcorn on the couch with my father anymore cripples me.

My father was gone . . .

No more fishing by the lake on Sundays . . .

No more strolls at the socccer field with our dog Jumpie . . .

No more picnics at the hill on holidays . . .

No more Judo lessons and WWE marathons . . .

No one to call Dad anymore . . .

But what i did not understand was my mother . . .

As soon as my father was laid in his coffin, my mother wouldn't talk or even look at me . . .

I was left alone . . .

I have no one to talk to except for Jumpie . . .

My father is dead . . .

My mother hates me for some reason . . . 

All my other relatives wouldnt come near me -- my cousins, my uncles, my aunts -- they all stay away from me . . .

I'm alone . .

Soon after my father's wake, everything changed drastically . . .

My mother, who once was so thoughtful as to take care of me, doesnt even cook at home anymore . . .

I thought I understood her perfectly . . .

I thought it was only because of my fathers death that she's somehow like this . . .

I thought she would, in time, be able to move on, get better and return to the way she was before -- cheerful, bright, carefree, energetic, loving, and thoughtful.

And so i took all the responsibility at home: cooking breakfast for the two of us, cleaning the house before i go to school, feeding Jumpie as soon as i came back, cooking dinner, cleaning up, doing the laundry before i go to bed, then wake up early again to do the same routine . . .

It was hard, my grades dropped little by little and i had to quit club and extra-curricular activities just so that i can divide my time between home and school . . .

I quit singing too which was, since i was young, the most important part of my life with my dad . . .

My friends drifted away from me . . . 

I had to take up a part -time job at night too as a waiter at the cafe . . .

Occasionally, our neighbor -- good old Mrs. Swan -- would give us left over food during dinner . . .

It was hard . . .

But it was okay . . .

It was for mom . . .

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