Friday, March 8, 2013

Forever

He was staring at her. From the altar he kept his gaze locked with hers. The figure of angels, cherubs and clouds witnessed their silent chatter. In a little while he will ring a bell with his right hand signaling the crowd to stand. He did the task with excitement and anticipation of one moment. 

Minutes after a queue formed in the middle of the aisles. Eulb was beside the priest assisting in the communion. Yore stood and joined her grandma fall in line. Her heart was skipping a beat each time she drew a step closer to the altar. He was there and she could feel his stare. Slowly she raised her bowed head and shyly looked at him. His eyes blinked. She smiled, he winked. "The body of Christ." "Amen." she silently went back to her seat beside her grandma. Chest quivering and hands shivering. She closed her eyes, recited the Lord's prayer with all the concentration she could muster. When she opened her eyes, she was right. He was looking at her again. She sat and stared at the church ceiling. Birds were chirping merrily from chandelier to chandelier. Halleluiah! Halleluiah! the music played. It was the first Sunday of December and she felt happy. For the very first time she was sure someone cared for her. And she cared for him too. 
As she walked towards the exit door she looked back. He was there, smiling as sweetly as ever and he opened his lips. He whispered "I love you," and she whispered "I love you too." No one heard them. The angels did, the birds did, the clouds filled the air with stars. They went home on opposite ends of the street, thinking of each other, dreaming, hoping one day they could be together, forever. It was a love made in heaven. 
     Eulb heard someone call out his name. His weak knees almost gave way as he struggled to move. The church doors creaked with the wind almost like a ghostly sound. There was a little girl tugging at the sleeves of his dad asking if they could go home at once so she could play. "Who are you?" he said in between coughs. As he pushed his cane to carry his weight someone held out a hand. The hands were strong and the face that came with it looked familiar. It was the altar boy from long ago. He wondered whether his mind was playing tricks on him again. He was old and almost rotten he knew and more often than not his memory failed him, was this another of those attacks? He took his eyeglasses hanging with a tie on his neck, wore them and smiled as the face became clearer. Indeed it was the boy although some years older, it was his face as a middle aged man that he saw in front of him.The man unable to contain his emotions grabbed him in an embrace and whispered, "My name is Eulb, I was named after you." "Mama and I looked all over the world for you!" Eulb Sr.looked into the vastness of space and felt the connection. Indeed it was his flesh embracing him, their son he never knew existed until today. The man reached out and handed him something in a box.

He opened it in haste and from the box fell, the photo of a girl in church smiling as beautifully as an angel. At the back of the photo was written- "to Eulb, the only man I ever loved." Where is she? He asked. The man didn't answer only grabbed him in another tight embrace. 

     Not many months after the little girl who called out Eulb's name in church was running on grassy ground. She was carrying a bouquet of roses, one for grandma and another for grandpa. They both lay in peace in tombs that said as per Yore's request "In here lies, love forever."
           
image source


written with thoughts of my bestfriend Divine, 
with whom I shared many dreams 
not very long ago...




13 yorum:

  1. Such a beautiful love story. Glad he got reunited with his son and granddaughter before joining his beloved.

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  2. how can be sad also beautiful? i felt sad reading this very beautiful story Zen, knowing that they had years in between them of longing to find each other. it is so beautiful, because despite the time of distance, their love stayed, and Eulb was able to meet and feel the love of his son and also saw his granddaughter, and in the end, be together again in love that is forever.

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  3. So sad, but this tell you "LOVE" is one of the most important in our life. Good to know the Eulb has able to met his son and felt the love.The story has similarity in one of the novel I'm reading now.

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  4. There is something so relaxing about reading literary posts like this. It takes me to another time and place where imagination is set free.

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  5. awwwwweeeee, the story reminds me of the notebook. beautifully written as always. yabyah!

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  6. I have told you before Zen, you have an amazing knack of writing stories!! Such a simple story told so very well. I feel so light on reading this, glad he could be rested with his only love!
    Have a wonderful weekend :)

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  7. At first , I thought that this one is a typical teen love story. But. I was wrong. You sure have a way of treating your readers to some surprises. Sad but yet another beautiful Love story.

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  8. The twiests in every story are my favorite parts. They remind me all the time that things can change in an instant. This is amazinf :)

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  9. A beautiful but sad love story Sis. I wish the main characters have the time to be together as family.

    Nevertheless, the whole story is wonderfully crafted. Keep it coming ;)

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  10. Aww! =( Nakakalungkot naman, pero at least nagkasama bago nawala sya.. You really write good stories! =)

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  11. I expect to see you soon in paperback.

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  12. Beautiful story Zen! I can feel the love reading through your words!

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  13. sad yet beautiful story in the end. love always amazing thing to have in this world. enjoyed reading it...:) thanks for sharing lovely stories to us.

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