[ COACH ] Fall
[ SONG | ARTIST ] Ringing The Bells For Jimmy
[ WATTPAD WORD COUNT ] 920 words
Jimmy stared on the lights sparkling brightly outside from the floor-to-ceiling window of his room. He sighed as he heard the voices of children singing carols along the sidewalk.
"I wish I could have more time to do the things what a normal kid does," he murmured to himself, almost a whisper. He turned around and walked towards his bed.
He got a pen and notebook placed on top of the bedside table and started writing.
December 23, 2014
It was almost three years since I was confined inside this room. And another Christmas will pass again; it would be the second one if I can still make it. The doctor told me just a while ago that anytime I may have a critical attack anytime soon and my body might not take in anymore.
"Jimmy," his sister, Cynthia, called.
Jimmy's head automatically turned to the person spoke as he heard that voice. "Cynthia!" He ran to her and hugged her older sister tightly like there's no forever. Tears started to flow through his cheeks.
Cynthia did the same. She knew that this moment will come. She somehow knew what is happening even though she still hasn’t talk to the doctor yet and her brother was not saying something.
"Everything's gonna be ok, Jimmy. I promise." She just said to lift his hope.
"But how?"
"Just trust in God, Jimmy. You're a good boy and I know God has a plan for us. This is just a challenge."
They stayed at that position for a minute or two. Jimmy fell asleep a minute after the silence swallowed all four corners of the room.
"Promise me you will fight, Jimmy. I believe in you," she said as she broke the stentorian silence. She laid him on his bed and afterwards left the room.
It was really very hard for her to accept the fact that the moment she assumed was happening in front of her own eyes. She doesn't want this happen especially to Jimmy. If she would lose him, she will alone and lonely to live her life. Why? It’s because he was the only relative of Cynthia that was still alive. The two of them was the only survivor of their family after a super typhoon struck their hometown.
Heads down, she walked and walked without knowing where her feet would bring her. She was preoccupied by the thought of losing her brother, her poor little brother. She stopped from walking and held up her sight. In front was a church with a bell tower on the left side. All of a sudden, she entered, climbed onto the bell tower. Then, as she reached the top, she rang the bell that made the Father wonder.
"Young lady, why are you ringing the bell at this time?"
"I-I don't know, Father. All I was thinking of was Jimmy, my younger brother."
"You can share what's inside you." Cynthia remained silent while she was holding the rope of the bell. Father continued, "Tell me what's happening on Jimmy?"
"Ahmm Father, you see, Jimmy is dying. And anytime I might lose him. I don't know what to do if that time would come," with that she breakdown.
"That's right. Just let out your feelings. And never lose hope."
"Y-yes, Father. T-thank you."
"Just remember that Jimmy will not be happy if you act lifeless."
Determined, she got back to the hospital. She walked straight to Jimmy's room. She was stuck on the doorstep the moment she opened the door. There was nothing there. Only the bed and the table and chair beside the bed were there. No sign of Jimmy.
"This can't be." She said to herself. "It's not his room. I just opened the wrong door." She shifted her head up to see the room number and to prove that it was not his room.
214 were written in the metal plate.
She got her knees down and covered her eyes as teardrops fall.
"No. This is not happening. This is not really happening."
"Miss, are you the sister of Jimmy?" asked a nurse from her back.
She turned around to see the nurse then she nodded.
"He is currently at the emergency room. He got an attack a while ago." The nurse said worriedly.
Without even a blink she was already at the door emergency room. She prayed silently while she walked back and forth and her tears continued to flow on her cheeks. It was a long wait before the doctor came out from the room.
Hoping that Jimmy was okay she asked the doctor, "Is my brother ok?"
The doctor didn't bother to answer the question. He contemplated on what way he would tell it to her. "We did everything we can. Jimmy didn't make it. Sorry."
She can't believe it. In just a span of minute she lost him.
She immediately found herself again in front of the same church where she was a while ago. There were already many people inside for the evening mass but she didn't even bother to notice them. She just walked towards the altar and kneeled. She prayed for guidance, about Jimmy, and everything.
People watched her. Some got her pity when they saw the way she cry and pray. There was some that made fun of her and laughed a bit.
The day after tomorrow was the burial of Jimmy. His childhood friends come at the burial the same as to Cynthia's friends. Her friends never left her after to make sure that she won't do something bad to herself.
She stood up and wiped her tears away.
"I may lose you, Jimmy, and our parents. But it's not the end; it's just the beginning of my journey."
