9 January 2013
Not my best, but my favorite.
Every year Since the age of twelve Steven had done something on his birthday for his late parents. At thirteen he completed his first marathon, aged fourteen he completed his first parachute jump. From wing walking to scuba diving every year he would come up with a different activity to raise money on his birthday for various charity's, but the real reason he did this was a slightly vain attempt to make them proud of him.
Back in 1982 Stevens dad, a solider in the army was off to fight in the Falklands, one week before Stevens birthday. Being ten years old Steven had objected strongly to his dad going away. The day he left is one Steven will never forget, he threw the biggest tantrum of his life when it was obvious his dad was going, no matter what he said. He had stormed upstairs and refused to come down and say goodbye to his dad, even shouting out that he hated him from his locked bedroom. One week later, on his birthday, they got the news from two immaculately dressed solders on his doorstep that Stevens dad had died whilst defusing a booby trapped land mine that had exploded killing him instantly. One year later, also on his birthday, Steven had come home from school to find his mum stone cold dead on the sofa with an empty vodka bottle still in her hand and pills scattered on the floor.
Steven had always blamed himself for their deaths. He always thought that his dad must have been thinking about him whilst defusing that mine, therefore taking his eye off the ball and making a mistake which in turn had turned his mum from a happy go lucky women into one that was depressed and full of drink. He would often see his parents in his dreams, where he was always ten years old and they were always out of reach and always with flashing blue lights all around them. He would run to them but always wake up before he could reach them.
It was no coincidence that today, his 30th birthday, was the day he was getting married to his childhood sweetheart. "I hope they are looking down on me today" he thought to himself as he was getting ready for his big day. His wife to be had objected at first to having the wedding on the anniversary of his parents deaths and his birthday to boot. But Steven had explained how this date has meant so much to him in his life and that he couldn't imagine having it on any other day.
Steven was looking forward to the day immensely, everything had been planned right down to the last detail, he had been up extra early and was ready with hours to spare. Feeling a little nervous and excited he went to the shops for a paper and cigarettes. He purchased the paper along with twenty benson and hedges and walked out the shop into the bright morning sunshine.
What happened next happened in a flash, some people said afterwards "He didn't even think about it" but he did. The mind is a powerful thing, yes it was all over in less than a second but in that second Steven saw the van, he saw the little girl, and his mind knew instantly the outcome here, he even had time to think about his wife to be, waiting at the Alta for a husband that wouldn't be walking down the aisle or anywhere else for that matter ever again. Steven had finally done something he had waited his whole life for, he pushed the little girl out of the way of the van saving her life and ending his own in the process.
This was a scene he remembered, flashing blue lights were all around him, he was a child again and there in front of him stood his parents as he remembered them at there best. His dad looking immaculate in his army uniform still had his 80s mustache and was grinning from ear to ear, his mum in her flower skirt with her golden hair and radiant smile. This time, unlike in his dreams, when he reached out for them they took his tiny hands and walked with him to the city of light with the words echoing in his ears. "We are proud of you son"
Proud • Opuss № I