BShortStories

Big Tree Best Friend

Monica Mantalaba

It was early in the morning at the Wonder Orphanage, and the children woke up to a wonderful sunny morning Chloe is a little girl who never once saw her parents and grew up in the orphanage In the afternoon, Chloe went to the backyard, hoping she could catch a dragonfly this time She went further and further away until she found herself in the middle of big trees But then suddenly, there was this big, round orange seed that caught her eye She carefully reached out to hold the seed and grab it Feeling worried that someone might harm it, she then started digging and burying it in the middle of the forest

The next morning, Chloe went to the forest to check on the seed However, when she got there, she noticed a large tree right beneath where she had buried the big, round orange seed yesterday It was beautiful, but she was taken by surprise as she witnessed the tree moving She couldn’t believe what she was seeing and hearing from the big tree, saying that she was the one who gave life to him Chloe realized that this was the seed she planted because yesterday, there was no tree as huge as the one she’s talking to Until then, Chloe watered the large tree every morning to keep it robust and lush They became close friends over the years Together, they sang, danced, and played As Big Tree produced oranges, Chloe would often ask him to eat them, which resulted in her having wonderful dreams every single night

Days, weeks, and months passed while the Big Tree waited for Chloe, but she was nowhere to be found A drought began after a year passed Since the town’s residents were without anything to drink, they went in search of fruit to quench their thirst

Discovering Big Tree’s oranges, they then started abusing his generosity, and later on, Big Tree stopped producing fruits due to his great despair, and the people threw hate at him

The following day, Chloe and Big Tree reunited once again It took them hours to cry, and Chloe explained to him that she had been gone for three years because Mr and Mrs Scofield adopted her As Chloe longed to have parents She never anticipated the mistreatment she went through at the hands of her adoptive parents, but she was thankful she was able to escape from them Big Tree was overwhelmed and relieved that it caused the water to come out of his roots The dried-up brook started to flow without their knowledge After 18 months of drought, the whole town finally had water for drinking and washing The people were chanting, their voices filled with joy and gratitude After that, the branches grew, and the leaves once again began to emerge Because of their sincere and profound love for one another, Chloe and the Big Tree were able to save the residents of their community, especially the farmers Big Tree resumed producing orange fruits And each night, Chloe prays for her Big Tree Friend

Bindeth Of Tzerua

Mary Rose Burlaza Devila

I had a high-school friend who always had this pink notebook with her She was silent and always observing around She spoke only when she’s with me, and because of that, she’s always been a victim of bullying I had to protect her all the time

One time, while we were walking around the garden behind our classroom, at that hour, with no one around, we talked about how our journey to high-school got tougher and all the usual chitchat we had about our crushes She suddenly stopped walking and when I turned around to look at her, her expression was blank I asked her, “What’s the problem?” She only looked at me and handed her notebook “What’s this for? Am I even allowed to read this?” I jokingly whisper to her as I open the first page of it “Woah! You did this?” As I said, I flipped through other pages of her notebook with different drawings

I stopped when one drawing had very familiar characters “Is this me and you? Aw! how kind of you,” and I hugged her, smiling

“You can let go of me,” she spoke as I stood near her, fixing my clothes “No, you can stay here if you want I’ll miss you; I can’t let you go,” I said pouting while holding her hand “Thank you for protecting me. Thank you for taking care of my feelings But you should not stay like this Others are making fun of you It’s not your fault,” she said while pointing at the notebook I was holding

My tears fell, and I hugged her tightly “I know. I know. But I can’t let you go,” I cried She removed my hands around her gently, touched my face and wiped my tears “I am safe and sound, because of you You don’t have to take the blame. I will miss you too, but this is not my world anymore. I have to go and you have to let me go.”

I breathed deeply and said “Tzerua, I’m letting you go. You will always be in my heart.”

I was about to hug her when I couldn’t touch her anymore She was as if a reflection that glows, and she happily looked at me Forgive yourself and she disappeared through the light Crying, I flipped the last page of her notebook, and there I saw the drawing of two human figures but one’s a mere shadow

The Missing Footsteps

Angelica Padillo

“They got married ” Good for them though I looked around and saw familiar faces celebrating with us They are the people we treasure and dreamed to be with in our most awaited day

Orange sunset What more can I ask for when my dream ceremony was blessed with this beautiful view

“Let’s go, my lovely wife.” He said with a bright smile

I shouldn’t be crying This is what I wished to see God must have heard my plea to witness this day

I took a step out, I now need to depart “Theo, this is the name of my child.” He said on his visit “He’s a great musician!” He proudly blurted in his sleep

“Theo’s gotten married!” you look good in your tuxedo

“She’s sick, I’m afraid ” This somehow looks familiar “She’s dying I don’t wanna be alone ” I am sorry

I am sorry that her illness made me happy

I am sorry that I am still counting the days

Forgive me when I wish it was me you had a child with Forgive me when I knew we’d make a better musical team Forgive me but I get excited knowing life’s getting shorter

She’s sick? I can’t wait

She’s dying? I’m willing to watch her take her last breath

I have waited for this

Long enough to witness all those years

And I’ll still gladly wait

I’m still here, waiting for your last twilight

Waiting to feel your embrace

In the eternity you first promised

For I know you will come looking for me

As I have been silently walking with you with missing footprints I have been waiting in the afterlife like the air, you cannot see I have been with you side by side all throughout the years

As they cry for you,

Go, take your last breath

Then you will finally see me

And finally, you will know I have with me my promise,

And even until death, I won’t part

I’ll wait for that day

When finally, together, we’ll take this journey with our missing footsteps