Destiny's Game

1

warning:

 the first few chapters might be a little heavy and painful for some...

=  =  =  =  =  =  =  =

The smaller girl sat quietly on the swing, away from the other kids. Her yellow outfit caught Nic's attention right away. The other kids were just looking, some covering their mouths while whispering to each other.

"Hello. I'm Nic, what's your name?" Nic greeted the girl cheerfully.

The girl looked up. She had a rather surprised but sad expression on her face. She had been crying.

"Oh, what's wrong?" Nic asked as she sat on the empty swing beside the one that the little girl was on.

"Yuck! Why are you talking to her? She smells!" Clarice, one of the girls in the playground who was slightly younger than 8-year-old Nic by a few months, said. Clarice was making faces, disgusted by the 'situation'.

The girl's mouth corners turned down and tears threatened to fall again. She was slowly turning red and her sweat started to bead. Nic shot Clarice a hurtful gaze and frowned at her.

"What?" Clarice said then walked off with the other girls just walked off toward the other end of the playground.

"Don't mind them..." Nic turned to the little girl again. The girl sighed and looked down, moving the swing by putting her weight on her feet but not lifting them off the ground.

"Chi! Halika na!" An adult in scrubs called out. The girl looked up and glanced at Nic. Nic smiled and nodded.

The girl stood up and began walking toward the adult. Nic followed the girl with her gaze. She gave a small wave when the little girl turned back as they walked away.

"Sino yun?" Belle, Nic's best friend, asked. She arrived when the girl was walked away.

Nic shrugged her shoulders. "Nakita ko kasing mag-isa lang sya dito sa swing..."

"Baka yun yung bagong lipat. Sabi ng Mama ko, may bagong lipat daw ulit dito sa village e."

"Ah" Nic replied.

Days passed and Nic would often see the girl in the park. She would just sit close to whom Nic guessed was her Yaya while two boys would sometimes go near them.

---

Nic's real name is Nicomaine. She's eight years old and lives with her grandparents. Her parents were killed in an accident when Nic was still a baby. She was also "Meng" or "Menggay" to her grandparents and other people.

Belle is Nic's classmate and bestfriend who also lives in the same village. They always hang out together. Belle was like Nic's sister whom Mama and Papa, Nic's grandparents trusted the most.

---

Weeks passed and the rainy season began. There were less people in the park and hardly anyone played in the playground.

"...kamusta si Chichi?" Carlo asked.

"...race you to the end of the street!" Rj said as he pedaled faster.

In the hospital, Richi's frail body was slowly withering away.

Rj or J and Carlo are cousins. They're both 10 years old. Chichi or Richi is Rj's younger sister. Rj's family had recently moved into the same village as Carlo upon the suggestion of their grandfather, The General. Mama and Popsy are Rj and Richi's parents.

Richi, Rj's younger sister, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Although she looked and acted like any normal looking girl at 7-years old, her health was quite frail. A week or two after 'meeting' Nic at the park, Richi was diagnosed with an aggressive type of pneumonia.

---

"Saan tayo nagkulang?" Mommy asked as she and Popsy could only see their little girl behind the glass of the PICU.

"Hindi ko rin alam..." Popsy replied. He was a doctor but he could not help his little girl.

A few moments later, they were allowed a few minutes with Richi and Mommy cradled her little girl in her arms, being careful with the wires and tubes attached to the little girl's frail body.

"We love you, baby. If you're tired, have a long rest now. Mommy, Popsy, and Manong J will understand..." Popsy said softly as he stroked Richi's head.

Richi opened her eyes a little and tried to speak even if she had a tube in her mouth. She tried to reach up to Mommy's face but was too weak so Mommy took her hand and put it against her cheek.

Richi closed her eyes again. She took in a few short breaths then suddenly, the beeping sound of the heart machine turned into a steady sound.

---

The moment Richi flatlined, Rj saw a yellow butterfly flutter near him even if he thought he was going fast on his bike. He stopped on the side of the road and watch it flutter nearby. Carlo eventually caught up with him and looked toward the same direction that Rj was looking at. But Carlo didn't see any butterfly. He only saw houses and cars parked along the street.