Lincoln's Happiness Only Real When Shared

Lincoln's Happiness is Only Real When Shared

"HAPPINESS ONLY REAL WHEN SHARED"

August 18th, 1992

Weakly dropping the pen and directing his tearful eyes towards the window, Lincoln began to sob quietly. He knew that the inevitable was coming.

The thirteen-year-old had spent the last few weeks in this state, and it was all because he wasn't prepared for living in the wilderness of Alaska.

He had planned to trek home to his family in Royal Woods, Michigan about a month ago. His supplies were running out and he discovered that the wilderness was a harsh and uncaring place. He was better off being at home in Royal Woods, sharing happiness with his family and friends, than living in an rickety, abandoned bus and making regretful, incompetent decisions.

His mind set, he said farewell to The Magic Bus and had begun making his way back home. It could take him another two years, but he didn't mind.

Unfortunately, the once-icy river Lincoln crossed in April had thawed, making the water deep and difficult to cross. He almost drowned in an attempt to cross it and was in a cold and heartbroken state as he returned to The Magic Bus that very night.

He tried to find other ways out of his dilemma but only came across other dead ends, leaving him trapped, alone, and desperate. 

Starving, Lincoln resorted to eating berries and seeds. He ran out of rice and beans a few days prior and the moose he tried to cook weeks ago became rotted and littered with maggots. He discovered in his problematic situation that he couldn't hunt, and that only made him more desperate. 

Sadly, because of his carelessness and desperation, Lincoln confused similar plants of the unknown sort and ate a poisonous one: the wild sweet pea. 

When the effects of the seed kicked in, Lincoln could only cry in despair. He should have left the bus when he had the chance.

Shivering, weak, and succumbing to the poison. Lincoln awaited the inevitable, writing notes in his journal to pass the time.

The boy could only imagine how his family felt, he hadn't seen them in two years. They were probably searching for him, they probably blamed themselves for his selfish actions, or worse yet, they moved on and forgot about him.

He wouldn't find the answers though, as he wouldn't be seeing or cherishing moments with his family, friends, or anyone else, again.

Over what would be left of his short life, however, Lincoln had begun to accept his fate.

He prepared a farewell note to the world and looked back on funny memories he had of himself, his family, friends, and the people he met on his journey.

Freshening his legs with water and pulling on his pants, Lincoln weakly crawls into his sleeping bag.

Zipping it up and facing the sky, Lincoln can only hear the sounds of nature, his heart beating, and the serene quietness of the wild.

After a few moments, he begins to hear the faint sounds of himself and his family. They all sound joyful without a hint of sadness anywhere.

Images flash before his eyes. He sees his younger, two-years-past self running out of Vanzilla towards his whole family, in his hand is a certificate. What for? He couldn't remember, but he accomplished something and wanted to cherish the moment with his family.

"What if I were smiling, and running into your arms?"

He leaps into their arms, the embrace feeling warm and fuzzy. He felt like he was really at home, away from the cold and harsh Alaskan wilderness.

As he engaged in the hug, Lincoln shifted his eyes towards the bright, blue sky.

"Would you see then, what I see now?"

His heart beating faster, a tear rolls down Lincoln's face as he takes his final breath.

The Magic Bus became silent, cold, and empty once more.