THE FISH AND THE BOY

It is rather imposing how feeble humans are. They make rhapsodic memories only to look back at times of sorrow. Like rivers, we keep flowing to the edge of the wistful waterfall. At the bottom lays the recollections of our past. However, surely like the falling droplets, we have no other choice but to cherish what is gone.

An amber tinted bliss was painted across the horizon. Climbing my way to the horse chestnut tree, my fingers ran through the tall grass. I clenched my palms with every heartbeat; every second the birds sang in harmony a familiar melody. As if those, rapturous euphony of strains asseverated my state of mind.

The planks got heavier at every step. I should have just brought a cart, I thought to myself. Succumbing to the weight, my knees gave up. I let out a big sigh, dropping the planks and spread out on the grass. Nothing felt better than gazing at the blue abyss and forgetting all woes.

On the left side, a stream followed to the hills across the tree. Although, the stream was not used by the people anymore, fishermen occasionally used it to catch small fish. The stream ran downhill with such speed, one with normal sight could never catch a glimpse of the fish. I hunched towards the wet reflection, taking a deep breath, I ducked my face under the water. A wiggling shadow was getting closer to my face when suddenly the water jumped and splashed on the ground.

I raised my head, finding a fish on the land squirming. My eyes widened in excitement and rushed towards the delicate creature. Covered in stripes of dark blue, her fins reflected a vivid yellow. Placing her back in the stream, I noticed that one of her fins was missing. She could not swim anymore.

‘Oh no! How did this happen to you?’ I asked as I searched for the bowl in my bag. Loading it with dirt and water, I gently put the fish inside. ‘Now now, what should we do with you, fishy? It doesn’t look like your fin is going to heal soon.’ I murmured as I picked up the bowl.

After a little more walking, I arrived at the tree house at last. The vanilla orchids bloomed, incensing the fragrance of home. The beehive under the hanging mistletoe, aromatized the area with sweet honey. I greeted the tree, and placed a white sunflower at the bottom where lied the carvings of an old buffoon. The baby sparrows chirped, returning to the nest after learning to fly all morning.

I took a deep breath and climbed to the other side of the tree. There stood a small house, which was still under construction. The place was narrow, but enough for one person to fit in. The planks on the roof were painted with pink stars. On the wide left, a small bookshelf occupied space. I put down the bowl on a cushion and removed my shoes.

‘Welcome to my home, … umm’ I paused searching for a name ‘Sophia!’. Rushing towards the side of the bowl facing me, she nodded. I giggled a little, it was the first time I had invited someone over to my tree house.

The sun hid behind the clouds, giving a shade of grey. The wind was growing rougher and steady, almost as if indicating the start of a cold weather. I closed the window, and lit a candle to keep the place bright. As I did, I wondered how dark it must be for the fish deep under water. The candle was small, and was not going to last for a longer time.

I sat near Sophia, closing the distance between the bowl and my hand. ‘Do you like it?’ I asked. She floated, resting near the bottom right corner. Her pain seemed to be gradually healing. The wax from the candle melted, leaking out through the tiny hole on the floor.

‘Your family must be missing you, Sophia. You have to get stronger to meet them again.’ I looked up to the stars, the tiny details of a clumsy old man were hidden between them. ‘My family you ask? They are back in town. Oh and that old man? He was my grandfather. His persona was that as of Robin Hood except he stole from himself to give to the people he loved. He was pure. His wisdom exceeded those of any, and yet at heart he was a playful child.’

I grasped the picture standing on the bookshelf. I wiped the dust off it, and held it close to my heart ‘He built this house for me when I was younger. We used to come here together often. He would sit outside the house, either playing his flute or sleeping. But I suppose all good things come to an end eventually, right?’

Sophia got closer to the top. She poked my finger with her head. With her still in pain, she struggled to remain steady. I held her fin up, so she could float at ease. ‘Don’t you think it is amusing how the most unforgettable moments can be so trivial? One second, everything will be in the clutch of your hand. However, the next second, it would just slip through.’

I ran my fingers through the side pocket, in search of candy. ‘Do fishes like candy? I have never seen them eating one. Imagine if they could actually eat candy. Now that would have been a funny story.’ I chuckled as I rolled the wrap.

I opened the window to check the weather. ‘It is about to get dark soon. We should probably get you back before your shoal moves.’ I put the picture back on the shelf and lied down on the floor for the last time. The heat from the melting wax oozed pleasing warmth. It smelled like ripened grapefruit with notches of mint on top.

‘Do you believe in fate, Soph? My grandpa always used to say that life is like a long journey up the hill. It gets steeper the more you move forward. But people do not stop to look for the precious things along the journey. If you maybe just sit back, notice the subtle purity, and capture the raw beauty of nature, you will know what life is all about. I don’t really believe in fate but maybe there is a possibility that I was meant to find and help you.’ The candle was about to run off soon. I sat up straight, picking up the bowl. ‘I guess it’s almost time now.’

I paused, I did not want to let go. A strong current flew and the flame extinguished. I closed my eyes, and hugged the bowl tight. The air settled down, leaving a cold shiver down my spine. My hair relaxed against the water in the bowl, when I felt a nudge. I observed a warm embrace approaching me. A kindness coursing through the coral leaves in the bowl. Bubbles rippled through the ends of my hair.

In that moment, all I could think about was peace. I could not remember the last time I felt like this before. Getting reassured of the fact that there was someone who could watch over me; someone whom I could talk to, made me at ease.

‘I am going to miss you.’ I cried softly ‘Thank you… for everything.’ Like the end of a melancholic memory, a droplet slipped through my face, falling into the pit of many.