James

• Natalia Rodrigues, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2022

He sat there on another cold night as a crack of thunder roared in the distance. The same questions that kept on nagging him lingered in his mind. How could a family man end up like this? Where had he gone wrong? Why did he lose his family? The constant questions plagued him every day. As he looked up, he saw a mother with two children crossing the road. He eyed them for a while remembering his own family. Why did this happen? Was it his doing? He continued to set his gaze on them as they crossed the road. He watched the children and couldn’t help feel forsaken and forgotten. Where were his kids? How could his kids grow up without a father? He noticed that they were asking some of the homeless people if they had seen someone. Some of the people shook their heads or didn’t comment at all. He just sat there by the lamppost with the light flickering on and off, watching them. The memories of the good old days captured his mind. He recalled the days when he’d play ball with his son and when he served tea to bears with his daughter. Then there was his wonderful wife, who was the most cheerful person he’d ever met. Oh, why had things turned so bad? He had been perfectly happy! He lay there with little hope in a world that used to have so much light. Instead, darkness was all he could find. He watched as a family of rats scurried past him. Even rats have families, he thought to himself. He felt for the dollar coin he had found earlier and gave a little grin at the thought of having coffee for breakfast. It had been so long since he’d had a hot drink. He set his gaze on a puddle of water and looked at his reflection. Had he always looked so horrible? He noticed the holes in his clothes, how awful he looked. He sighed and looked up at his surroundings. He continued to watch the mother walking around the streets with her kids following her as she examined every homeless person. He continued to gaze at them when the rain started to pour again. He sighed in dismay at the sight of rain and covered himself with a blanket beside him. It was then he felt a tug and looked up to see who it was. He was shocked to see the woman he had been watching.

‘’James?’’

He got up and stared deep into her eyes. He longed to reach out and hug her, but refrained himself. He immediately felt ashamed as he was in her presence. He must look so awful to her, so unkept, not the man she used to know. She took a step forward while he took one back. It was then she flung her arms around him.


‘’We finally found you!’’

‘’Daddy!’’ the kids exclaimed as they suddenly embraced him.