The Journey

My face broke through the surface of the thick black liquid. I spluttered and gasped for the sweet air that now seemed so far away. I got pulled back under. Eyes streaming tears of pain and sadness, I attempted one final break using what felt like the very last ounce of my energy. After flailing around for what seemed like an eternity, I let my body go limp. Why should I fight for dear life? When I've got no one to share it with.

The darkness spread it's icy arms open to welcome my being. It surrounded me from all sides. Pressing the light, the air, and my very soul out of me. I squeezed my eyes shut, because for the very first time, I let myself be subjected to the darkness. My only regret right then, was that I was going to leave without a trace. Nobody would even realise I was gone. Nobody would care.

Just as I let my last breath escape my lips, something flashed before my eyes. Even with my eyes shut, I saw it clearly. Gossamer threads of light danced around my body. Curiosity got the best of me and I tried to reach out for them. But my body was so weak, I couldn't move a muscle. Something deep inside my heart told me this wasn't over yet. The threads of light performed one last elegant sweep around my body and converged to form a ball of light. A light of Hope.

Then I heard a whisper. "Not now.. We need you.." I forced my lips to move and form a reply but to no avail. But my mind whispered back, "I can't. Not anymore. I'm too weak."

An answer I never expected came back to me, "Then we'll help. We're here for you." And just like that, the ball of light vanished into the darkness.

Almost at once, I felt a numb tugging sensation. My body was being pulled away from the darkness, astonished at not being able to keep me in its clutches. I didn't know when I broke the surface, but air rushed back into my lungs and I felt more alive than I have ever been. I stumbled, and I fell, body still weak and nauseated. I heard the voice again, "Don't worry. We're here for you. You'll be okay.." It was only this time that I realised that it wasn't just one voice. It was many voices talking in unison.

The same tugging sensation overcame my body and I found myself back on my feet. When I opened my eyes, I saw people. Not a few, but many. Hundreds maybe. All looking at me, wearing smiles of relief, but all different in their own ways. Each one unique.

But one thing about all of us are the same. We're all covered in the same black liquid that I was just rescued from. Some little, some covered from head to toe, but each and every one of us was stained. "Come on, we still got a long way to go, and we need you." The person closest to me said with his hand stretched out to me. I smiled, grabbed it, and followed on the journey of life.

I saw then, that each and every one of us have went through our own share of hardships. Some not so much, and some went through unbearable tragedies. Alone, we are weak. Alone, we can never go far. But together, we share those hardships, we overcome them together, and hand-in-hand, we can go beyond the horizon and reach our dreams. I looked at all the familiar faces around me. Each with different dreams. Each with different goals. And each with different problems of their own. But we live under one sky, we walk on the same earth, and we face the same direction. Forward. 

I was wrong. My friends DO care..

-Izzat R.