Toy Collection

FIRST ATTEMPT to actually do a SHORT STORY WRITING EXERCISE with just 1,000 (actually 1,186) words and getting inspiration from the things happening around me. Enjoy!

"TOY COLLECTION"

"When will you get married?" "When will you have kids?" Sheila was a 43-year old woman who lived an ordinary single life. She wore ordinary clothes; some gray t-shirt and black sweatpants for a casual Saturday by herself. She loved being alone and spending time away from her stressful work as a nurse at the Orange County Public Hospital. At 43, it was not easy for Sheila to answer her parent's questions. It was just that, Sheila never found a need to get married or have kids.

Sheila collected stuff toys. Today, she decided to buy a Rilakkuma stuff toy and 4 other small boxes of Rilakkuma merchandise. Rilakkuma is a brown bear that has become Japan's 5th most popular character. She immediately went to the cafe inside the bookstore to appreciate her new purchase. The moment she sat down on one of the tables, she took out each box and opened them. This got disapproving looks from the people around her. She felt the piecing looks of the teenagers at the next table, and she heard the murmurs of the couple behind her. But Sheila did not care much about them.

She pulled out the tags carefully from each one, making sure that she removed the prices from the bottom of the boxes as well. Then she wrote down each item on her rainbow-colored notebook. It was a worn-out notebook that was reaching its last few pages. Inside it, was a list of Sheila's different collection of toys; the Hello Kitty collection, the Spiderman collection, and the Koala bear collection. She would do this every weekend as a routine. And this earned various criticisms from her family: "Why are you wasting your money on such childish things?" and "You're a grown woman, why do you still collect toys?"

Sheila did not want to answer their questions any more than she wanted to date men on weekends. She had better things to do on weekends. Every Sunday, Sheila wakes up, makes herself a simple breakfast, and bakes cookies. That particular weekend, she made a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies. She placed the cookies in a paper bag along with the other Rilakkuma merchandise.

"Don't you want to have children?" Sheila opens a heavy stainless-steel door. On it was a small sign that looked different from all others. The sign was painted yellow, edged with blue and green popsicle sticks, and decorated with butterflies and flowers. "Children's ward," it said. Sheila worked as a nurse on weekdays, but on Sundays, she spent her time with the small individual trapped inside that room. "Sheila!" Kellie shrieks when she sees her. "I'm so glad you came here today! So, did you find any Rilakkuma items for me this week?!"

Kellie was a girl at the age of 7, with an illness that will take her last breath at the age of 8. Kellie eagerly waited on her bed, raising her head towards Sheila's direction, and tilting side to side to look for what Sheila had brought for her. Sheila stepped into the room, her hand behind her back. "C'mon! C'mon! C'mon Sheila! Don't keep me waiting!" Kellie exclaimed in excitement. She was now beaming with energy, sparks shooting out of her eyes in eagerness. She waved her arms around entangling the cords tied around her wrists, she moved so much that the oxygen tube fell off from her nose and the heart monitor beeped way faster than normal.

Sheila had been collecting Rilakkuma merchandise for Kellie for three weeks now. Each one she collected she gave to Kellie along with a pack of her favorite cookies. Every time, it brought Kellie new life, and that was enough reason for Sheila to continue.
"I just love these Sheila! Thank you!" Kellie said while squeezing the teddy bear in her arms. She swayed as she kissed and snuggled with the stuffed toy's head. Kellie was magically rejuvenated and was in high spirits. "Please bring more toys next week Sheila! And the week after that! And the week after that!" She exclaimed hopefully. "I will bring you as many teddy bears and stuff toys as you want Kellie!" Sheila responds. Kellie gave a big grin and a bear hug to Sheila as a sign of thanks.

Sheila's heart grew heavy at Kellie's genuine happiness. Last month, Sheila felt the same way for Hannah, who loved Hello Kitty and had all of her things from her gown, her bandana, and her face mask in the color pink. Four months before that, for Michael whose favorite was Spiderman and had a Spiderman poster on the wall of his hospital room facing his cardiac monitor. And a year before that, for Susan who adored Koalas and wouldn't stop talking about them even when she had her oxygen masks covering her mouth.

Two months later, Sheila proceeded with her usual Sunday morning routine. She made a batch of freshly baked chocolate cookies – Kellie's second favorite. Then she placed the Rilakkuma blanket and pillow set she had bought for Kellie the day before inside a paper bag. Lastly, she listed all of the merchandise in her worn-out notebook. Then Sheila made her way to the hospital.

When she arrived, she grabbed the metal handle of the door that said: "Children's ward." As she did, an eerie silence greeted her. There was no small voice that screamed with eagerness the moment she opened the door. There were no cords, wires, or tubes that made sounds when she stepped inside the room. There was no beeping that grew increasingly faster as she approached. There was no sound at all. Sheila saw the four small Rilakkuma toys arranged on the desk beside the bed; properly aligned like they were waiting for a person to play with them. Sheila saw the Rilakkuma stuff toy lying on the bed where Kellie was supposed to be. It was facing upwards toward the ceiling of the cold hospital room. Sheila slowly walked towards it. She grabbed the teddy bear by the hand and held it tight in her arms for several minutes. She could still smell Kellie's childlike scent on the bear's head. It was like she just played with it the night before.

Sheila left the hospital with two paper bags on her hands that day. As she walked inside her apartment's living room, she was reminded of her collections: Hanna's Hello Kitty stuffed toys, Michael's Spiderman posters, and Susan's Koala plushies. She walked towards them as tears started streaming down her face. She gently took Kellie's Rilakkuma stuffed toy out of the paper bag and placed it beside the others. She carefully arranged each toy like they were her prized possession. She wiped each one and sat them together. She took care of them like they were her children. The very next day, Sheila's parents arrived to visit her. As usual, they asked, "When are you ever gonna have kids?" Sheila could not help but cry.

Comment, suggestions, violent reactions anyone? Haha!