Sakura

• Bettina Liang, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2010

Aimlessly kicking the tanned pebbles with her unkempt sandals Sakura with her heavy head lowered, trudged along the dust beaten path towards her house that resided on the edge of a large forest as the red hot sun continued to blaze in the still air. As she neared her house she noticed an ambulance parked in front and the charcoal soot and ash that engulfed her home. Her heart, pounding with fear, trembled at the thought of what might have happened. As she entered the house, she was greeted by and overwhelming, pungent smell of smoke. Lotus, her mother covered in black soot, her hair tussled, her eyes gray on the verge of turning milky white and her skin peeling with unimaginable burns was lying on the bed motionless with labored breathing.

“Sakura, go…into forest…flower, for you… Bless you…” her raspy voice trailed off.

“No…no…NOOO!! MUM!!! What are you talking about?” she screamed in agony as she shook her mother violently,” Wake up!”

The paramedics struggled to restrain Sakura as she continued to reach for her mother. Tears streaked Sakura’s face as she sobbed on the floor, beating the wooden floor and unleashed the worst curses she could think of at the gods for taking away her mother so early in life. Lotus was no longer on the Earth of mortals; she was sailing on the distant seas of Time.

“MOTHER!!!!” resounded Sakura as the heavens tore open. Lightning and thunder reverberated everywhere. There was no life left in Lotus. All there was left was a lifeless body as a bitter reminiscence.

Wandering along the wild untamed bushes, Sakura gradually felt the life draining out of her. The rain and her tears flowed together forming a river streaking down her face. Her mother was her source of hope, life and love. What use was there to live? What was she here for? These questions ran over her mind.

She sat down next to a tree and huddled, placing her knees close to her chest.

‘How great her presence was, all this time she has been by my side, how could I not notice?’ reflected Sakura.

Her already wet eyes again slowly filled to the brim with tears. A blurry shape floated down, a flower. Rubbing her tears of regret away, Sakura distinctly remembered what type of flower it was.

“A sakura,” she breathed with new hope. Sakura thanked her mother for the comfort, now knowing her mother will continue to be her guiding light and angel, silently protecting her.