The Wall
I can’t stop looking at it. My name is too common for you to remember, I’m old enough to have forgotten how many flavours of ice-cream there are and I just can’t stop looking at it. All those chalky colours filling every inch of it. When I was a kid, I used to draw whatever my unruly mind would throw at life all over it. “The wall of scattered dreams” my grandfather would call it. And what a complete description that was.
I remember moving into this house. The town was small at the time and I did not have many mates to play with so our brick backward wall was my only diversion. Man, did I like to draw! It’s been a while since I last did – always busy. It’s a hard life. Ever listened to Queen? You should.
But back then I was nothing but a dreamer and boy was I proud of it. I used to make up stories, people, worlds, and write them down on this very wall not knowing that my mom would soon come and lecture me about my clothes being all dirty with the chalk. I guess the less you know the happier you are.
Oh, there’s the dragonfly! It was my favourite drawing. Did you know that dragonflies do not hatch out with wings? In fact, they spend most of their lives in larva form – they only have wings for two weeks of their whole life. If you see a winged dragonfly, you should know that it’s nearing the end of its life. Funny how the world works.
You know I’ve never wondered what’s behind that wall. And why should I have? My world was on my side of it. All those years and I still don’t get it - why do people measure freedom in the lack of walls in front of them? I felt freer painting that dragonfly than I would ever do in my entire adult life. Actually, what is it that truly matters – being free or feeling free? Never mind, you shouldn’t be thinking about stuff like that.
The miracles I’d never again see, the dragon-slaying knight I would grow up to be, the hands of the princess locked in a far-away tower I will now soon marry - all those wonders engraved upon this wall with the colours of a boy’s dream. “The wall of scattered dreams” – what a complete description that is.
One, two, two, eight, two. Twelve thousand two hundred and eighty-two flavours. And to answer your original question – what am I going to do with my life – well, for now, I think I’m going to buy myself an ice-cream.
As for the wall – it’s all yours, kid.
Random people check out a short story I wrote for last year's contest for prose and/or poem in a foreign language organized annually by my school. It did win first prize if you're wondering and that were my own 15 minutes of fame :D I'm going to try out for this year's contest for sure! Hope you like it -V.