Bridgetg - Blog Posts

Photo courtesy of New York Times

Moving

          “Isn’t it boring here, Noah?” Elijah complained.

          “Patience Elijah. Soon enough, a huge wind is going to blow us away from here.” Noah reassured him for the umpteenth time with an exasperated sigh.

          Both Elijah and Noah had been in Antarctica for many years, standing in the great vast of water, only moving a little by the winds that could have knocked any human down. Due to their great size, they haven’t been moving a lot recently. Elijah had been very impatient. He was just a bit smaller than Noah, he really wanted to explore the world.

But the winds weren’t cooperating.

          “Seriously Elijah? It’s better here. We can survive here before those dreaded humans come and destroy us.” Peppy piped up indignantly. She was the smallest ice berg there was. She was always annoyed with Elijah, for all he kept talking about was to explore the world and complain how boring Antarctica was.

          “I don’t think all humans are that bad! And I hate all the boring white here...” Elijah continued on and on and on. Peppy and Noah sighed in defeat.

          One day, Elijah and Noah were just chatting about their day. It was one of those rare days where Elijah wasn’t complaining the ice off about how boring Antarctica was.

That was when the howling started.

          It wasn’t audible at first, the wind wasn’t too strong, nor was the water current. But slowly, is started picking up faster and faster. It was like a blizzard, Noah and Elijah could barely see anything. Then they started moving little by little. They saw Peppy speeding past them, screaming as she went. Elijah and Noah started moving faster and faster. It was the biggest storm they ever had.

Then all light had disappeared.

          “Elijah! Wake up! Look where we have arrived!” Elijah groaned and woke up to bright light and warmth. It was really unlike Antarctica. Elijah gasped upon finding out where they were.

          They were floating in warmer waters next to colourful land! Well, not really colourful, but it wasn’t white! At last! Something other than blue and white! Elijah stared in awe. A red house stood further away, and another white house peeked from behind. What humans called ‘cars’ were standing around on the land. Human were looking at us and talking muffled words. “I think they’re talking about us!!” Elijah exclaimed excitedly. Noah didn’t say anything.

          They floated in the warm waters, not moving. Soon, night came and all the human went home. Elijah and Noah stood floating in the waters all alone. “Hey Elijah, I think I’m starting to melt...” Elijah looked over in a panic just in time to see a small chunk of ice falling down from Noah. It dropped own and splashed loudly in the sea.

Both looked at each other in horror.

Photo courtesy of New York Times

The dream

          I had the same dream over and over again. My sister would always be there to wake me up. She said that I was sweating and sometimes screaming. And yet in the dream I never scream at all. Every morning I would wake up to my sister’s calling, and the dream still fresh in my mind. But when I try to tell anyone about my dream. It would disappear, and I wouldn’t have anything to say. I could tell no one.

          It all happened after my mother’s death. She died in a car crash, a tragic death. I was still sullen months after her death, I could not move on, her death haunted me. She was the only person, besides my sister, who truly loved me and cared for me. She was the best mother, but now she was gone....forever.....

Except my dreams...

          I would go to sleep and wake up in an unknown place and the sky would be pink, which always reminded me of my mother, since it was her favourite colour. I would be standing on a wooden bridge that led somewhere. I would also find myself wearing my mother’s jacket, I took it from her to remember her. But instead of a pink jacket, it turned red. I would walk and walk and walk till my sister called me up and pull me back to reality. It was the same, strange dream every night. 

I didn’t know what was going on...

          One night, my sister was away to attend a party hosted by her friends. I was left all alone in the house. I had lots of work to be done and went to bed real late. But my sister still hadn’t come back home. I figured that she had fell asleep in her friend’s house. I lay awake, thoughts all on my mother. I missed her terribly, I really wished to give her one last hug. To feel her warm embrace. Her presence. My eyelids grew heavily, and I was pulled into the web of unconsciousness.

          I woke up. Again on the same wooden bridge and pink sky with pink and white clouds. With my mother’s once pink now red jacket. I stood up and once again waked towards the end. The only thing different was that now no one was there to wake me up. 

I reached a dead end.

          I found a beautiful mirror at the end. Unknown light glinted of the surface of the glass. I saw my face looking right back at me from the mirror. I picked up the mirror and sat at the end of the wooden bridge. I stared at it, uninterested. When the image of my face changed. It turned into my mother’s loving face! We looked very alike, I just needed long hair and blue eyes to look like her. She stared unblinking at me, frown curling up into a smile. I was shocked. It was a dream, but with my mother. I grabbed the mirror and shouted, “Mom! Can you hear me! Where are you? Mom! Mom?” I stared at the mirror. Mom’s face was just there, smile frozen in place.

“Henry, dear?” A soothing voice piped up.

          I whipped my head up and tears ran down my cheeks. “MOM! Oh my god mom I miss you so much!” I put the mirror down and got up. Mum was floating with beautiful white wings, about two metres away. “I know we haven’t talked in a while. Come to me.” She head her arms outstretched. I ran towards her, but she changed in a split second, to bloody eyes, shirt and wings... Everything became red around me. And after that split second, I fell into the red abyss, and darkness whisked me away...

Mother’s P.O.V?:

I looked down and couldn’t see him anymore. I smiled. That was another one who took something from the dead. I stared at the pink jacket o the bridge.

Who will be next I wonder?

Inspired by a Korean Urban legend made by ‘707′

Photo courtesy of New York Times

Another Chance

          My mom passed away right after I was born. My father was devastated, but he didn’t tell me anything about her death. I was too young and innocent. But of course, I found out sooner or later. I wasn’t that sad though, to be honest, I did not see my mom at all except in photos. Didn’t mean I was all that jolly either.

          I respected my dad. He wasn’t abusive or anything. He was nice, though he was a bit distant. It broke my heart to see him so depressed and sad, when he looked at pictures of mom. But I couldn’t help him. I tried, and it went horribly wrong. I told him it was alright and that mom was in a better place. He practically screamed in my face and threw a vase at me. It might’d flew an inch from my face. I felt the wind of it go by. Let say I didn’t say anything after that.

          It might be somewhat fine in the household, but high school, was hell.      

          I was 15, starting a second new year of the same school, with same people. I walked through the packed hallways with my head down and hood up. The kids there know me by a lot of names. ‘Emo Freak’, ‘Loser’, ‘Quiet Freak’, ‘Idiot’. You name it. I was the quiet kid of the school who barely had any friends. You think I should had speak up or something, right? I did, in fact. But it also went horribly wrong.  I tried speaking to some people, and tried to make friends but it just got me more enemies. I didn’t know why they hate me so much. But I could guess the suspect to be my eyes. Their purple, and they think is the sign of death. Which is stupid. I tried telling teachers, but they won’t do anything.

          Then on the 20th of October. Something life changing happened.

          Dad’s mental health must had gotten worse without me knowing. I come home to find dad...                                                                                                                                 ....in a pool of blood.

          News spread like bush-fire. Soon nearly the whole school knew that the ‘Emo Freak’s’ father had committed suicide. And what was disgusting is that they find it funny! The bullying got worse day by day. I got more depressed each day by each day. The demon and taken over my head and there was no more angels singing in my head. I grew colder and colder. Till the point where I started to think that grabbing a knife and killing everyone was better off. 

          I got up from bed and walked to the kitchen. Then something had happened, but it was a blur before I fell into darkness.

          I woke up in a bed. It wasn’t mine though. All around me was blue. Peaceful blue. I stood up and caught a door in my sight. It was blue except for the doorknob, which was sparkling gold. I timidly tip-toed towards to the door and opened it. I was immediately blinded by bright light.

          I shot up from my bed. The covers flew of my body. I was sweating profusely. It was all just a dream. I ran a hand through my hair and heard a familiar voice calling for breakfast. “MUM! DAD! Oh my god I’m so glad you’re alive!” Both gave confused and amused laugh and glances. “I had this dream and... Nevermind, It’s not important.” I smiled and ate my pancakes with my loving family. Then a voice sounded in my head, 

“You’re not hopeless Mandy. Don’t listen to others. Purple can represent anything. For you it would be hope. I’ll give you another chance to live. To change.”

Photo courtesy of New York Times

Hope

                   I met Hope in the rescue center for dogs. He was placed in a cage between two well groomed and beautiful dogs. He was very different from them. When I first saw him, I was shocked! He barely had any hair and he was skinny to the bone. While other dogs pressed their pretty faces onto their cage doors. He sat in a corner, away from the light. So I had to take a second look at the cage.

         When I first looked at him, I felt pity. I thought that the reason he stayed at a corner is that he had no hope on people adopting him. That was why I adopted him. And that was why I named him ‘Hope’.

         Hope was skeptical of me at first. He avoided me for the first few days. But I gave him space and time. Slowly, he warmed up to me after a week. He started to sit on my lap and lick my face. I gave him the adequate amount of food he needed, and if he wanted more I would give him. He was a sweet dog overall. But more time passed, and his hair or size didn’t seem to grow. The veterinarian said that it was harmless and he would be fine.

         Hope was a sweet dog. On bad days, he would snuggle at my neck and lick my tears away. On rare days, where I wanted to be alone in my room, Hope would wait outside the door till I got better. He was a patient dog and would be there to help me when I got hurt. Like a time where I fell and broke my leg and couldn’t move. Fortunately, Hope was there. Even for his small size, he managed to bark loudly enough to get my neighbor’s attention to get help. So I consider him my savior and comforter.

         Most of my friends favored him despite his appearance. Of course some still despised him. But still, I hosted a party at my house and sent invitations to all my friends. I smiled after I sent the last invite. This is going to change on how some would view my dear Hope. I then started getting ready for the party.

         When my friends arrived, I could tell by their faces that I’d succeeded. I had placed paper moon and stars all around the living room. The walls were covered with wallpaper that were black and starry. Like a night sky or space. There, sitting at a table, was Hope wearing a small but majestic cape, sitting behind a sparkling crescent with the words: There is hope in every living creature.  I then turned to my gawking visitors and calmly said, “I don’t think I got into the origin on why I named Hope, ‘Hope’. He looked so helpless at the center. Like many people had rejected and made fun of him. I gave him hope when he had none left. I gave him food and shelter and love. And hope.” I took a deep breath. “Give him a chance. He may not be beautiful. But he needs love and hope. So give him a chance. Hope.”

         My friends all stared at me with tear-filled eyes...