“What was I thinking?!”

“I’m tired of this!”

“I’m leaving…”

You probably heard one of these lines in a movie you’ve watched, a book you’ve read, or maybe you also said it yourself.

Maybe something happened?

Had a bad day?

Well… I do have a story for you and thank you if you have read this far.

---

On an afternoon, the sun was above the fields. The orange ball in the sky slowly dips down, meeting the horizon. The amber rays gives out a warm filter of a digital photograph.

The bamboo huts, the goose pen, the hand pump well, and the paddy fields with swaying rice crops blend their colours into different shades of red.

The animals chirp, grunt, and squawk from the dark jungles next to the backyard of the house. Crickets sing their choir as the winds blow to applaud and the trees dance.

Larry on the other hand, did not notice. He was by the door, leaning againts its frame. The Coco lumber was rough to the skin but he didn’t mind. He did his best to smoothen it out with the tools he got. A chisel and a hammer with added elbow grease to sand paper.

“Where is she?”

That question kept lingering and surfacing in his mind. Wearing a button up long sleeve shirt, faded jeans, and old boots that seen better days. He crossed his arms and his patience wearing thin.

*Tap Tap Tap*

Sounds of footsteps grating on a soil path. A black silhouette came walking. Holding a yellow bag and hair buttoned up. Beads of sweat slide down on the figures forehead. Eyes stuck like glue on the fields on the right.

“Maddy… Where were you?!”

Larry straighten up his back and his brows creasing deeply. His eyes lighting up and raising his voice. He was becoming red like charcoal in a kiln.

Maddy didn’t speak.

She kept staring at the fields and the rippling waters below the feet of the stalks. The grains were still green, still flesh, too young for harvest.

“Maddy!”

“I heard you… I heard you…”

Her eyes slowly follows the source of the voice. A man blocking the entrance to their house. Plywood walls and thatched roofing made from the leaves of the tree of life. The roof became brown pale and withered.

“We need to talk… I can’t do this anymore.” Said the man.

“…Sigh”

Maddy didn’t bother to respond. Her head moving from side to side as she walked closer to him. She breath in deeply and gazed into the brown eyes of the man.

“What is it this time?” She asked while her voice was raspy and weak.

“I’m leaving Maddy… Im tired of this. I didnt know what I was thinking. So…”

Larry looked back at her. Her brown eyes red and watery. Hair disheveled and oily. Uniform with a ketchup stain on the left collar. But the stain wanst alone for long as salty drops join as company.

“Again?! La-Larry? I know your tired b-but so Am I. Y-your not t-the only one… *sniff* tired here.”

Maddy’s voice was strained and cracking yet she stood firm and eyes locked to his. Waterfalls stream down her cheeks and her brows entrenching. Her lips quiver slightly and she took an effort to not shake.

“I’m not discussing this! Im leaving and that’s final”

“… *sniff* G-go ahead. Le-leave.”

She held her head higher but wasn’t any taller. She stepped aside to give him passage.

“Safe travels…” She spoke with a forced smile.

“ *Huff* ”

Larry didn’t speak anymore. He took his bags and stormed out of the front yard. His boots booming in the quiet area.

*Bam!*

Larry slammed the fence gate. A three days work he did and gone in that instant. The plywood crack and the hinge flew off. Maddy followed the man’s silhouette then carefully walked in the house.

The table was damp, the plates are clean, the cups were hollow. The pitcher however was in pieces. Shards collected on top of the dust pan.

“Sigh…”

She dropped her bag on a nearby chair and walked to their bed right across the kitchen. Maddy sat on the edge of the bed Larry made for them. Her hand caressed the pillow by her thigh and watched the fields dancing.

Larry meanwhile walked on dirt roads and grounds filled with gravel. Thorns and dirt latch on his jeans and his bag pulling down. His foot ached and his boots are not doing their jobs proerly.

“Da#$ it!”

The main road was distant and the bag was weighing on him. He held the straps with both hands. It helped a little.

*Snap!*

Then it became the cause of a new problem. He didn’t like it at all.

“For F@#$ sake!”

He lifted his bag and started to jog, smoke coming out his nostrils and breath becoming shallow.

Eventually, he reached the waiting shed. He threw the bag on the bench and sat next to it. His chest rising and falling quickly while his head look towards the heavens. He could see a star on a blue canvas. It was alone with no other stars.

“Haa… haa… hu… sh#$! This is it…”

“I’m leaving… I’m going… I’m… I — ”

…

“What am I doing”

A last hint of doubt lingers inside his chest. He’ll be gone and Maddy will the left alone. But he couldnt ponder as he he felt a rumble.

*ssssssshhhh…*

*Drmmmmmm….*

*Rrrrrr creak…*

The bus came to a halt just before the crooked rusty stop sign. He pick up his bag and trekked towards the sliding door of the bus.

“Where to sir?”

“Town Proper.. Haa… haa..”

“That will be 300"

“Sure, let me get… my… wallet?”

His hands moved up and down, patting his pockets. He opened his bag and found no wallet. Shoved his hands in his jean’s pocket and still nothing.

Just pockets with holes he forgot to sew.

He kept patting all over himself and the to driver was not amused.

“Sorry sir but we’re running late. Maybe you left your wallet back home. Come back tomorrow and sorry again.”

*sssssshhh*

The door closed shut and the the wheels inched forward. The exhaust pipe bellowed black smoke and the metallic beast rumbled forwards till it was a speck. Larry just watch as it went while the crickets play their violin.

Maddy still sat on the bed watching the fields. Glowing orbs of light float above.

*Thud thud thud*

Her ears twitched to the low sound. “Was that geese?” She asked herself.

*Thud thud thud thud thud*

“Was that the chickens or the neighbors pig?” She ponders.

*THUD THUD THUD*

“Haaa… haaa… huuu… huff…

Gulp… Where’s my wallet?”

…

*Pat Pat*

Her hand patted next to her. Beckoning him to sit with her. He didn’t have a choice and lifted his legs forwards. One after the other and he sat down.

He couldn’t look at her. How could he. He knew his audacity was now a joke. The declaration he gave was laughable. He couldn’t look at his wife and only looked at the fields outside through the window. More green balls of light float above the fields and insects cheering their performance. Bathala Mayari watches below as she glows to set their stage in the blanket of the night.

“Look…”

Larry followed and he saw Maddy’s hand lifted the pillow next to her. There it was, his wallet.

And scissors…

He returned watching the fireflies dance in the fields and spoke no more. He was tired and he wanted to sleep.

“Summer is almost over, should we harvest the grains?” Maddy asked in a soft tone. Her voice still strained.

“No… their to young. Give them time” Larry responded.

“Will they make it?” She asked again.

“They will… just give them time.”

 — End — 

Thanks for reading...