A Dream

The sound of keyboard clacking in the dark room sounded, only a computer's monitor was faintly giving out light. The clacking stopped, followed immediately by a heave of accomplishment.

The person sitting in front of the computer leaned back into the chair, eyes shining as bright as the North star. A faint smile, upturned eyes, believing that this is a new beginning as an author, a dream that will be achieved.

The book has been polished again and again over a period of ten years, starting from when a young age, barely seventeen. At that time, most people was still studying with no future goals set, no idea of the path they want to tread.

However, it was different for this particular person. Since a fledging, a profession was already etched deep within mind. A writer, an author whose name will resound even when centuries passed, to be a person whose name was recorded in history.

Praises were rained upon each of the works produced, essays, short stories by either teacher, parents or peers. What truly motivated the ambition to become a write was neither a well written novel nor comic, however an essay written by a child.

It was titled “A Heartbroken Bird”. A mother bird flew home after days of searching for food, tired but yet happy, anticipating to see her mate and her children that are still in their eggshells.

She anticipated the lush green forest, with the chirping of the birds sounded throughout it, only to be greeted by the stumps of trees.

She panicked as she flew towards where her nest is. The sight of the nest on the ground greeted her. The nest which she so painstakingly built, for the arrival of her children, which she look forward so much for, which would be her pride and joy.

Broken, the nest is broken. Hoping that her worst fear did not happen, she looked inside the nest, all her prayers and hope was in vain. Perhaps she would feel better if there isn't hope inside her, the eggs inside are broken too. She already knew this would happen, why still hoped?

Her eyes then searched wildly for her beloved, the sadness within her welling up suffocatingly, though it was not right, she wanted to vent it on someone.

Who could blame her? She had just lost her home and children whose faces she never got to see. She had never experienced the joy of watching her eggs hatched, the happiness which she would have when her children learn to fly, the proudness she would have when her children caught their own food. None of those.

However the eggs was destroyed not because her own beloved abandoned them, he laid not far away, motionless.

Her wings that touched his body was dyed red by the blood coming out from the already cold and lifeless body. The twinkle in his eyes that was ever present was gone. What was left is the cold and lifeless eyes she could not bear to see on her beloved.

The mother bird shed tears for her destroyed home, the friend and relatives which was lost, her dead beloved and lastly, her children who was never born.

What did we do to deserve this? The lonely heartbroken bird who was once a friend, a lover and a to be mother, lost all of it all because of the cruelty of mankind.

It wasn't written with fabulous or eloquent words, just simple words that are understandable for most people. However, the story moved emotions from people's core.

The finished novel was sent to a publishing company, heart palpating in excitement, waiting for good news. One day passed, the enthusiasm was still at its peak, then a week which later became months.

The passion that was burning dimmed down day by day, until it finally diminished. Just when everything seemed lost, an email came, claiming the novel was accepted. Jumping into the air, crying out hurray, the happiest day in life where recognition was given to the novel.

The novel was published, titled “Dream Accomplished”, it sold well, income was flowing in waves, but there was nothing more desired and raises the spirit other than the praise of people for the novel. Nothing could describe it except for on cloud nine, even that might not do it justice.

Everything was well for a few days, until another book came out, “A Silent Wish”. Sales plummeted, praise turned into criticism when the two books was compared.

The feelings of anger and frustration when the book “A Silent Wish” was picked up and read, turned into astonishment and admiration, intertwined with despair. Even if twenty years was devoted to writing “Dream Accomplished”, it would never beat this.

Choosing not to give up, but to strive further. As the saying goes, failure is the mother of success, Rome was not build in one day. Eyes still burned with fervour passion, relentless determination.

Another novel was published, about him unwavering, his stubbornness, “Mountain Determination”. Nose up tall, chest puffed out, giggles let out. However, it still lost to the same author's book “Last Performance”

A puff of anger, once again picking up a book written by the same person, same as last time. After reading it, utterly defeated rang out in both mind and body.

Each time, any book that was published clashed with the same author, that

'BlueEarth' author. Everytime, the outcome was same, the two books shouldn't even be put in the same sentence. The difference was clear at a glance.

Every time, sleeves was rolled up, endless sleepless nights, clacking of the keyboard resounded until daybreak. Never giving up, always striving for improvement, yet the outcome was the same.

The hurtful words of the publisher still rang clearly, craved onto the soul, “You were born in the wrong Era, with BlueEarth, you would never be successful.” Could it be, hard work could never beat talent? A sigh was released, but this time, it was woeful without hope.