Everlasting Love, Ellie C. [leveled readers TXT] 📗

Everlasting Love, A Short Story

Everlasting Love

 

“We are born of love; Love is our mother.”   - Rumi

 

“Why did you let them? Huh? Why? How long did they torture her?” Sababa murmurs, with a vacant look on her face. She is staring at Munmun, but it seems like she is in another world. A flood of remembrances courses through her brain like a panorama, and gradually, Sababa starts to recall her unwanted memories.

 

*****

Hooonk!

Sababa hears the blare of car horns. The hood of the car crumples, the glass shatters and the tires squeal. Blood splatters around a little girl with a shiny heart shaped pendant around her neck. She looks four or five years old, with her arms and legs shriveled. A cripple.

“No!” yells Sababa in shock, running to the girl. Her husband follows her lead. They smell metallic blood and fumes from the car.

 

“Lololi? Are… are you alright?” they whisper, stumbling over their words.

Unable to move, Lololi sheds a tear. Slowly, her eyes cloud.

 

Sababa and Caiphas hold their breath for a second that seems to last forever. Sababa bursts into tears, collapsing into Caiphas’ arms. Her whole world stops. Her mind ceases working and she is blacked out.

Sababa is looking at her newborn daughter, Lololi. The baby stares back at her. She feels wondrous, like she is on top of the world, and is moved to tears. The mother promises herself that she will take care of this baby better than anyone else in the whole world. It was not until a nurse calls her attention that she realizes she must give her kid to the “Beggar Gang” soon. Little Lololi will have to live in a kerosene drum for a while, crumpled. Knowing how tough that will be, Sababa sobs loudly, hugging Lololi tightly. The baby’s skin feels so soft and vulnerable. ‘I am a terrible mother,’ she thinks, feeling useless and frustrated. ‘What is wrong with this world?’ A host of doubts appear in her mind. ‘Why…?’

She opens her eyes in the bedroom of her house. She sits up immediately, and remembers what happened. The darkness and silence press on her, cold as judgement. She starts weeping, saying to herself, ‘This is not real. I must be having a terrible nightmare. It cannot be true…’ Her daughter’s pendant shines in her hand. Whenever Sababa thinks about Lololi, she looks at the pendant.

 

But then an idea pops into her head; maybe, maybe it is better for poor Lololi. She does not have to suffer anymore; she could run around like a normal child in the next world.

 

Few days later, Sababa and Caiphas walk across a street where there are many young beggars who belong to the “Beggar Gang”. Sababa expects Caiphas to ask her for money to donate as always, and therefore takes out her shabby wallet. But Caiphas acts differently today. He goes around them, holding his fists tight.

 

“Honey, what’s wrong?” Sababa asks her spouse.

 

“It’s just… They remind me of Lololi a lot. I can’t stand it. They… disgust me, you know? I don’t want to see those children again. Ever.” Caiphas mutters, biting his lips. He halts and lights a cigarette, holding it close to his lips. He exhales a stream of smoke, avoiding Sababa’s eyes.

 

“Well, I understand your feelings, Caiphas. They remind me of our girl too, but that’s why I wish to help them.” Sababa speaks softly.

 

“No, Sababa. Please. Let’s not talk about them anymore,” Caiphas says firmly, ending the conversation.

 

*****

 

“Ma’am? Are you okay?” a voice interrupts her recollection. Sababa must have been lost in her memories for quite a while. She finds herself grabbing Lololi’s pendant. The boy is watching his sister sleep next to him.

 

Sababa starts to respond, “Oh, yeah. I am all right. Sorry. I was just…”

 

“It is fine, ma’am. Don’t worry,” says the boy quickly, cutting off her words.

 

Feeling embarrassed, Sababa inquires, “Don’t you have anyone? In the villages?”, although she knows the answer already. The boy also notices that and simply shakes his head. Sababa feels a rush of pity for the children, wishing she could keep and protect them forever. But she knows it will never be possible. She cannot afford taking care of them with her economic state, and her husband is absolutely not going to like it. She decides to let them stay for just a night and tells the boy to sleep. The sight of these poor siblings saddens Sababa deeply, reminding her of Lololi once again. She starts to whimper.

It is five o’clock in the morning and Sababa watches the kids dreaming, feeling sorry that she has to wake them up. They look innocent and tired. But Caiphas is coming back from the factory so they must be gone now. She awakens them and helps them get dressed. The brother and sister leave the house without a word, and Sababa watches them disappear under the sunrise.

Imprint

Publication Date: 03-17-2016

All Rights Reserved