A Wish
The Afterlife

He lay in the middle of the grass field filled with bloomingflowers. It was solemn and so peaceful. His eyes fluttered open and saw theclear blue sky. It felt so out of place because of the hazy feeling lingeringinside his system. It somehow felt so lonely even though he shouldn’t be. He looked around and saw emptiness. For somereason, it was too silent for him to take even though he was supposed to beused to the silence.

He watched the flower petals flutter across. A part of himfelt so nostalgic of the scene. It was so weird because all these sensationscame from a dream he doesn’t remember. He looked across and saw a tree,standing tall like it’s supposed to be. Feeling the heat of the sun, he wentunder the tree for the shade. He closed his eyes.

Then an image of a certain someone flashed across his mind.

“FOUND YOU!!”

His eyes shot open and saw a girl around his age, smiling sobright that it might beat the sun’s rays. He covered the sun’s rays with hishand then looked at the person who surprised him.

The girl giggled, “I found you!” She said.

He was partly confused yet so happy. He shook his head inutter confusion, “What are you doing? You shouldn’t even know this place...” Heslowly said, pointing at his very spot to prove his point.

The girl just absent-mindedly shrugged her shoulders as sheextended a hand, “I happened to catch you go inside!” She cheekily said.

He accepted the hand and stood up, “You’re weird...”

The girl brushed off the idea, “I’m used to it...” Shestared for awhile then noticed something, “... Did you get a new head orsomething..?” She carefully said as she pointed at the stitch-like mark aroundthe boy’s neck.

He shook his head then felt the birthmark, “I was born withit... I mean... It’s a birthmark, so no... This is not a new head.” He lookedat the girl. He had to take note that she was smiling too bright for him, “Whyare you even talking to me..?” He asked, raising a brow as he questioned so,“No one like to talk to me, so why are you talking to me?”

The girl put her hands on her hips, “You speak as thoughyou’re non-existent!” She then stared at the boy’s eyes, “Why are you speakinglike that?!” She exclaimed.

The boy looked offended, “Why are you speaking to me like that?!” He retorted back, “You don’t evenknow me—you don’t have the right!” He answered back. He threw away the musicplayer in his hand—which he had totally forgotten. He waited for the girl toreply, “Speak up!”

She shook her head in dismay, “Your way with your words willthrow away any people who would come your way...”

“Well I say, don’t speak like you know me.”

She pointed a finger over the boy, “Good point. Iapologize.” She then giggled, “Then how about we start anew!” She chirped. Sheskipped around then paused to the boy’s side. It was to help the boy to get hiseyes away from the sun. With a better light setting, the boy finally saw all ofthe girl’s features.

She had brown hair and green eyes, in contrast to his blackhair and red eyes. She looked all jumpy, bubbly and energetic unlike him whowas always dark and gloomy. She looked like the type who was popular with otherpeople while he was the type who could ward off the people coming near him.

The girl gave a smile, “My name is Freian Risette. I live inthe Sky orphanage the one across yours! And you are?”

The boy was blinded by her light for a few moments, “I’mRosthow Stein... I’m from the Hope orphanage...”

...

...

...

“Oh... It seems like you’ve woken up! Do you feel anythingthat hurts? No? Oh good! Follow me!”

A petite girl followed the old man and made their way up tothe ground floor. She looked around, curious and such. Her eyes just wenteverywhere practically everywhere.

The old man gave a husky chuckle, “Is there anything thatcaught your fancy?”

The little girl found something interesting on his desk.

The old man chuckled once more and got the picture for thelittle girl to see. He looked nostalgic as he saw the smiles of the people hecared for. He looked at the curious little girl, “This picture... It’s from myfriends. I made a replica since I can’t bring them here...” He showed it to thelittle girl, “That’s them.” He proudly proclaimed.

The little girl just looked at it then nodded upon seeingthe faces. Curious, she turned it over. There she saw something written.

Entry # 138

I wanted to seesmiles. So I made something pictured from what I hoped to see but never to haveseen. No one really knows but some people; day by day, slowly die inside whenthey don’t see the smiles of those who they care for. Without happiness, wewould just live to die another day...

The little girl gave the old man a questioning look.

He just gave her a pat in the head, “It just means to saythat we need happiness.” He said as he accompanied her to the front door.

The little girl said her words of gratitude and the old mangratefully accepted those words. He opened the door and let the girl beengulfed by the light.

The old man smiled.

“It’s so lonely here...”