Life Is Worth Living

Chapter 12: The story behind that smiling face

It was a night time and he was sitting outside on the bench as he had his eyes closed. As he was relaxing his grandmother came out and said, "Eric, it's gotten late, dear. Go to bed now". Eric nodded calmly and his grandmother went inside with a smile. Eric suddenly felt weak and as though he was having temperature. He went inside and said, "grandmother, I feel that it's medicine's side effect again". When she heard this she hurriedly came running towards him and made him sit.

She hurriedly went to the kitchen and poured some hot water in a bowl.

Eric suddenly started to cough hard as he tried to cover his mouth. He coughed and coughed that he just sat on the floor. His coughing got too painful and soon blood started to come out of his mouth . When the blood fell on the floor he could see it, and he wasn't able to comprehend if he was sad about the fact that he might die soon or not. When her grandmother came with the bowl; she saw blood and got frightened.

She placed the bowl on the table and hurriedly made him sit on the sofa. She then poured him a glass of water and helped him to drink it but still his coughing didn't stop. When she saw her grandson like that she went to the phone and called a doctor. Until then Eric lost his consciousness.

Eric found himself in a place where everything was black with a sign of nothing. When he looked around he saw a little boy standing in a pitch-black place and when he went towards him he saw his tears. He was shocked. He stood straight right there as if something scary had come to him.

"I still remember; when a boy changed his route.........when he couldn't catch up with the world. When he couldn't fight with the world. He just turned his back and stood alone. He chose that path because he couldn't fight for himself with reality. I wanted to forget it; then why am I standing in front of me"

"Mama" the boy cried. Eric got stunned. "Mama! Where are you. Mama!" the boy sobbed "I won't be a bad boy. I will study, I'll never get angry, I won't complain. Mama! Please come back. Don't leave me. I can't stop crying. Mama! You said that you don't want to see me cry. If you don't then come out! Mama"

Eric gave a sad smile as he looked at the boy and said, "silly boy. Why are you crying. You know even if you'd cry she won't come back" he patted the boy, but his hand just passed through. He then looked down and said with a straight face "because she's dead".

Suddenly the black surrounding started to get colored. The boy also started to fade away and Eric was confused about what was happening when the boy was about to completely fade away, Eric hurriedly ran to him and grabbed him in his arms. He couldn't feel any warm but then he heard a voice that made his heart flutter

"Eric! Come out now. We're getting late" a beautiful woman with light brown hair and sweet smile called out to someone. Eric again stood shocked. "m-" he was about to complete when the door slam opened, and a cute kid came out running towards that women. "Mother would you be alright?" she asked. An old woman but not very old woman came out and answered sweetly "I'll be alright and do come back soon" she said. "I know" the woman answered as she held the hand of the adorable kid.

As they walked Eric followed them. The child would smile and laugh as he would see his surroundings and her mother would smile pleasantly. Eric had a straight face with no emotion and when he would get the glimpse of the child he would gently close his eyes and turn his face to look at the houses and street people.

They soon reached a kindergarten and the child went upstairs and happily waved back to her mother who waved him back too as she bent to her. When she left Eric noticed a child who was glaring at the child. This made Eric seem uncomfortable and as if he wanted to say something to that kid to stop that attitude of his.