Story No.1: Paradise

Paradise

            The sand ever so shiny, the sky ever so blue, the sea ever so green. A beach with the following properties, and not to forget, filled with coconut trees. Ain’t that a paradise that could light up anyone’s heart? The waves ever so calmly. With the breeze blowing towards the seaside. A sea breeze indeed. Correction, a paradise indeed. But the thing about one’s paradise is that it varies among different peoples. Especially when it’s to the villagers of Gothania.

Gothania , like any other village, is filled with people. People who call themselves Gothanian. For them, Paradise is something that resembles death. They do not cry over people dying. They feel happy for them. For it resembles darkness, the dusk of Man. They do not cry nor weep. For that’s not what they do. Paradise for them are graveyards, for graveyards resembles death, and for them, a sanctuary. Lemonni, Lemonni Cricket is a Gothanian. But the thing about Lemonni is that he is different from the others.
He, unlike the others, does not have interest in darkness nor death. He was a kid, a kid at the age of twelve. And what he wants to know, is the true meaning to paradise. A true paradise that does not involve death , a paradise that might be somewhat like we all dreamed for. A beach? But he was not aware of a paradise would look like. He wanted to know so badly, so what he did? What he did was a challenge for most people. Running away from home, was not much of a big thing for kids their age. He decided to run away from his village, to search for what he could truly call a Paradise of Dreams!

            There was not much sunlight in Gothania. The village was misty , twenty-four seven. It would give the creeps to anyone normal. But for them, misty, with the feeling of being creep out is normal. The love the feeling of it. The feeling of darkness. Lemonni was in Black, black robes. He was not packing, nor was he preparing. He was waiting, waiting for the right time, to get out of the house, get out of the village, to search for a place he could call paradise. It was dawn. The sun just came up for an hour or so. And everyone was preparing for their morning sleep. For they do not sleep at night.  Nocturnal , most people would say. Sunlight does not really enlighten their spirits. Like everyone else, Lemonni felt the urge to sleep. The continuous yawning was the prove of his sleep that he would need. But he was not prepared to sleep. He was waiting, waiting for the right time.

            Lemonni opened the door to the living room. Sneaking away was a bad idea, but he was determined. He popped his head out as he check if the coast was clear. Like he expected, the coast was clear. He walked out as he saw cans of beers on the dining table. His parents have been drinking again, he thought. He was aware of his footsteps. Gothanian have light footsteps. But he was afraid of any noise made. He tip-toed all the way to the front door. He checked his pocket for some money, he was well aware that he needs some money. He took his savings that he saved for five whole years, Two hundred bucks. That was not much. But for a kid at ten, it was a fortune. He opened the front door as slow as ever as he took off, and made a run for it. To Paradise, He Spoke to Himself.

           A few more steps till Lemonni reaches the gates to the village, or as he would say now, the gates for his leave. He had some doubts in his heart, but for once, he was pretty sure that he should follow his heart. He made his steps to the gate. The moment he stepped out, there were howls. Oh no, he thought. He sped up, he ran for it this time. For he know what is coming, Guard Dogs. The guard dogs that the village rare. To alert the villagers if anyone would ever get in or get out of the village.

            Lemonni was panting heavily from the running. But he was not ready to give up his hopes and dreams and turn back just yet. He was not sure if he could out run the villagers. But he was sure he could not out hide the dogs. He stopped and grabbed a stick for combat. He was not sure what he was doing. But he was telling himself that he must getaway. The Dogs caught up with Lemonni, sniffing and growling all the way. They weren’t just dogs. They were Hybrids, a mixture of Dogs and Wolves. Long jaws and teeth were in sight. Imagining their sharp fangs biting the flesh out of you could not be the worst nightmare. But it was one of the bad-est dreams ever.

            Lemonni made no sudden move. For he was aware of the speed that the guard dogs possessed.  He gripped his stick tighter. Not knowing what good use could it be for. He knew he could not out run them. So he decided to try his luck. He made his decision, and he threw the stick as far as he could. He waited, with his eyes close. Waited for them to go away. After a few seconds, he heard noises. He was not sure to open his eyes or not. But he managed to open a little. Taking at a peek of what’s going on. The guard dogs were sitting right in front of him. But only one had his stick that was thrown. They were all wagging their tail vigorously. And from the looks of their face, they were seemingly pleased. Lemonni pulled up his guts, as he reached his hands toward the dog’s mouth. He was afraid that he might have his arm bitten off. But for the mean time, his senses told him to get that stick back and throw it again. He placed his hands under the dog’s mouth as he waited. The guard dog biting the stick let go of his jaws as the stick feel into Lemonni’s palm.

            Lemonni did not have the best grades. Nor was he the best student in class. But he knew he had a plan. He started waving the stick as he continued to move forward toward his path. The Guard dogs did not bark, nor did they howl to alert the villagers anymore. Instead, they let loose of their tongue and started drooling while wagging their tail at the same time, following the pace of Lemonni. Lemonni had no more intention to run, for he knew he might trigger the dog’s offensiveness. He would take a few steps as he throws the stick and wait for the dogs to come back to his side to give it back. He continued this routine for a few hundred times, thinking that the guard dogs would get tired. But he was wrong; the guard dogs became more energetic than ever.

Lemonni decided to stop and to take a rest. The guard dogs were sitting next to him, he decided to do the unimaginable. He raises his hands over to the guard dogs head. He was waiting for it to bite his hand or do some unimaginable stuff that would cause pain and sorrow.  Instead, it lowers his head for Lemonni to pat. After patting the first dog, the others came and lowered their heads too. What was thought during Lemonni patted was, these dogs never had an owner to pat them. He was not afraid of the dogs no more; instead, he decided to name them, each and every one of them.

            There were three dogs altogether. He decided to name them Puffy, Muffy, and Luffy.  He turn his head back, looking at the village to see if Puffy, Muffy , and Luffy’s previous howls has startled the villagers. He looked far beyond. There was not a sight of human. So he decided to continue his journey.

            He walked a long distance, not having water or food. But he was sure he could still cope up with the thirst and hunger he was having. He swallowed continuously, to clench his thirst, but he knew that was of no use. He walked and walked as he reached a road. He was out of the woods, and he made the slightest smile for the first time. He saw a sign, as he walks toward it. He was not aware of what might happen. But once again, he trusted his senses and his heart. He did not know what to do, he just waited, waited with his new pets he would call friends.

            After an hour or so, there was an object from far away coming near towards the bus stop. Lemonni stood up, as he looked at that object out of curiosity. He walked to the middle of the road as his pets followed him, to take a better look at what is coming. That moving vehicle kept driving until it reached the front of Lemonni. Lemonni started examined the vehicle, for that was the first time he ever see something like that. He examined until he was at the door of the bus.

            “what’cya doing kid? Looking for bugs?” asked the man sitting on the driver’s seat.

            “I’m not really sure; I wanna know what does it look like, a paradise.” Lemonni replied.

            “What? You sure are one interesting kid.” The man laughs as his wave his hands come over, “Come on in, and I will bring you to somewhere I would call a paradise.”

           “Thank you” Lemonni spoke as he walked into the vehicle. There were unoccupied seats in the whole vehicle. “Are you supposed to be driving a lot of people?”

            “Today’s business ain’t that good” The man replied, “Bring your dogs in, but make sure they don’t bite me though” He made another laugh.

            “Don’t bite that mister” Lemonni turned back and told his Puffy, Muffy and Luffy as he walked into the vehicle with his pets.

            “Take a seat, any seat, and we shall head off to Paradise!” The man shouted.

            Hours passed as they continue sitting on the bus, waiting for the paradise the man was talking about. Hoping that it would really be something good, something special, that might just warm their hearts.

            “Destination arrived” The man sitting in the driver spot wave his hands toward that floor covered with sand.

            Lemonni took his steps down the bus as he looked at the man’s so called Paradise. He was not sure what it was, but he had a feeling, a really good feeling about the place. He could not resist, he started to run towards that place, that paradise. He took off his shoes as he felt the sand and the breeze blowing towards him. Puffy, Muffy and Luffy followed too, with their tails wagging ever so hard.

            That vehicle’s driver, Tom, tucked his hands on his waist as he shouted “ Kiddo, paradise ain’t a place. Paradise is a place, where you feel is the best place ever!”