Previous Challenge Entry
Topic: Rain (09/07/04)
TITLE: From Heaven to Earth By Beatrice Ang 09/09/04 |
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT SEND ARTICLE TO A FRIEND |
The rain is beautiful. That was what Hunny's sister, Alyce, always used to tell her. The rain is God's incredible gift for mankind.
Hunny closed her eyes as she sat on the grassy lawn. Her fingers ran over the short blades of grass and her eyes closed in on a wonderful memory.
She and Alyce..they were dancing together underneath the falling rain. Alyce was laughing---her bright smile lightening up the darkness of the cloud-covered sky. Erik had just asked for Alyce's hand in marriage and the young woman was elated. Hunny loved seeing Alyce smile. She rejoiced with her because she wanted to...though she never really did know why.
That was 3 years ago. Three years since Alyce had last danced with her underneath their beloved rain. Why was it?
Something tugged at Hunny's heart---she didn't know what---but she realized it was time to go back inside the house. Alyce might be worried about her.
Dragging her stuffed bunny with her, she tread slowly toward her house and into the kitchen door. Maybe Alyce would want to play in the rain.
"Hunny!" Alyce shot her sister a glare as her cup of hot chocolate fell with a thump on the carpeted floor. "How many times do I have to tell you not to play out in the rain?"
Hunny, a 9-year old girl with a misshapen head and a filthy blue party dress, did not understand. She smiled brightly as she ran her muddy little fingers through her honey-brown hair. "A-yis, pay!"
"No. Not now." Alyce replied, pursing her lips. Walking over to the smaller girl, she picked her up and gently carried her over to the bathroom. "The doctor specifically told you not to go out in the rain again! I can't risk you getting so sick again!"
Hunny screamed and struggled all the way to the tiny pink bathroom. Tears spilled down her dirty cheeks and a fistful of hair were clamped tightly around her small hands.
"NOOO!!!" she wailed at the top of her lungs, her little fists trying to beat her sister away. "LEGGO, Ayis! I wanna pay!"
With an exasperated sigh, Alyce dropped Hunny on the tub.
"Stop it, Hunny!" she screamed, grabbing a small tub of chilling water and pouring it over her sister's head. "Why is it that I always have to be the one to take care of you? Why couldn't you just have been born normal? Why were you born to make my life an absolute---"
She stopped. Hunny was looking up at her, her beautiful pale blue eyes wide and blinking in confusion. What did it matter if she screamed at Hunny? How can she tell her how she felt? She didn't understand, anyway...she'd never understand. Three years ago, Hunny had gotten sick. Very sick. Three years ago, Alyce had had to cancel her wedding because she had to take care of Hunny. She couldn't let Erik share the dreadful life she was forced to live. The life that could never let her abandon her sister.
It had always been the two of them from the beginning. Beneath the falling rain...dancing. Hunny and she. She and Hunny. No one else had to share their loneliness.
With another sigh, Alyce dropped to her knees and gave her sister a light hug. All Hunny could offer in return was a small and uneasy smile. But that was enough.
Alyce knew she made the right decision.