VOLUME 0: AUDITIONS

Entry #21: Time's Gift

TIME'S GIFT

They say time was cruel for making the happiest moments of our life fleeting. For this reason, time gave each mortal a chance to exchange one thing that causes them grief for one happy moment in their life.

So Simon, Jane and Ronan decided to collect all the things that causes them grief, and put it into a box.

They showed it to time, but time said, "I can only accept one thing."

The three children pondered and decided what they will give.

Simon chose his wristwatch; Jane chose the picture of her family; and Ronan chose the painting of Night his mother gave to him on his tenth birthday.

"May I ask why you have chosen these three things?" Time asked the three children.

Simon was the first to answer. "I chose my wristwatch because Time keeps on pressuring me."

Jane was the second to answer. "I chose the picture of my family because they always give me stress."

Ronan was the last to answer. "I chose the painting of night because night gives me nightmares."

Time nodded. "But may I remind you that in exchange of that one happy moment in your life, I will remove these things in your life permanently."

The three children nodded.

Time smiled. "Now, open your hands and close your eyes. Then feel this deep into your heart: what was the happiest day in your life?"

Simon, Jane and Ronan did what they are told to do. They opened their hands, closed their eyes, and felt within their hearts the happiest days in their lives.

A ball of dancing green and blue light suddenly appeared in their hands.

When the three children opened their eyes, time was gone. But in their hands were the happiest days of their life they can always go back to when they want.

Contented, the three of them parted ways.

***

Simon unconsciously looked at his wristwatch to see what the time is, but then he remembered he gave it to time. When he arrived the door, his Mom asked him why he was already home.

"I think it's already past seven in the evening, Mom," Simon answered.

His mom smiled at him. "Don't worry, honey. You have all the time in this world."

***

Jane was confused to see strangers in her house, but she was quite sure she came in to the right house.

Hysterical, she ran upstairs to search where her family is. But the strange thing is she can't remember their names and faces.

***

Ronan looked at the sky then back at his watch. The time on his clock said eight in the evening, but the sun was still up.

His hands started to sweat. Then he remembered what he had given to time in exchange of the happy moment of his life: the night.

***

The three children didn't know what to do. They just wanted to go back to time and take what they had given up.