Short Stories

1. Lost at Sea

"K," she replied two months after I had sent her that text.

I was heartbroken to see that my best friend, Riley, had become so distant.

At first, I thought that maybe she had found another friend. But I was soon to be proven wrong.

School started. I went to her class to see her, but she wasn't there.

Days passed.

She still didn't come to school.

I started getting worried and got the feeling that something was wrong.

A few days later, I saw her mother at school. She had been to visit the principal. I almost ran towards her and was gonna hug her, when I noticed that her eyes were red-rimmed and bloodshot like when a person has cried so much that the tears just won't come anymore. She was exhibiting the tell-tale signs of sleep deprivation. The bags under her eyes were all too visible. She looked like she had lost a lot of weight. Her hand was trembling on her purse.

"Aunty," I reached forward and took her hands in mine.

"What happened? Are you okay? Where is she?"

"My poor baby-"

She broke down. I comforted her, rubbing circles onto her back, as she wept on my shoulders. Her whole body shook while she cried. I felt helpless as I watched her fight against the pain that was racking her heart.

After a few minutes, she slowly collected herself, though her breathing was still harsh.

I asked her what happened to her daughter. She told me I would never see my best friend again. My heart sank.

Oh no, I thought, dreading the next words that would come out of the lady's mouth.

"What are you saying?" I asked her.

She told me her family had gone to the seaside for vacation. I remembered Riley mentioning something like that.

Her next words were a knife to my heart.

She told me Riley was lost at sea. They never found her body.

I was shaken badly by the news.

Is this how short life really is? I thought.

I knew I would never be the same again.

I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out.

My best friend was gone. I was never gonna see her again.

I tried hard to stop the tears from streaming down my cheeks.

I had to not cry for the lady's sake.

Her mother told me that the text I had gotten hadn't been from Riley, but from her.

I was ashamed for ever thinking that my best friend had found someone else.

Without saying goodbye, her mother left.

I was suddenly overtaken by my emotions. I cried my eyes out.

From that day forward, I was the never the same again. It was as if a piece of my heart had been lost at sea with my friend. My heart would never be whole again.

~*~