Thirteen Flowers (A Short Story - FICTION)

It was just like yesterday when I had an argument with my wife and we had a falling out. I had to get out of the house to simmer down. As I was walking in the park, I saw a flower, a red one standing at the edge of the park. I was mesmerized by it that I found myself going out there to pick it up. What kind of flower was this? It was gorgeous and the color was crimson red, just like my blood. As I picked it up I thought of my wife. How lovely was she. It was just like yesterday when I married her and we had a turbulent relationship. We had our shares of quarrels but somehow, we managed to patch things up. And today was just like any other day that we had a spat.

As I looked at the flower, my anger seemed to have vanished and I realized just how important she was to my life. Ah, I'm going back to her and fix our relationship. I could not really go on with my life without her. And the children, they need a father to bring them up as wonderful kids. How foolish of me to run out of my house. Hah, I'm going back and straighten everything out. And I promise to God that I will never quarrel with my wife again. Life is more bearable with her charming presence around.

The house was in disarray. Everything seemed in topsy turvey. Rows of flowers lined the entrance to the house. It was so bright inside. People were milling around. Stifled cries can be heard outside. I saw familiar faces in the house. My father was there and so was my mother. I saw faces of my friends and relatives there. They were all there. Must be some sort of a reunion I guessed. Then I saw my wife. How lovely was she. She was wearing a white gown. And I saw my children, their faces ashen and sad. How I missed them all. I will tell them how much I love them.

I approached my wife and gave her the flower that I have. And she placed it with the other flowers in a big vase. I counted them all. Twelve white flowers and mine was the thirteenth, one that stand out in crimson red.

Everything became so eerie. Something's wrong. Suddenly, I realized that my father and mother were dead and so do all the relatives and friends that I saw there. They were all dead. My God don't tell me that my wife and children are all dead too.

Everything seemed to whirl around me. Flashes of darkness and light kept flickering all around me. My body stiffened and I could sense a vague light penetrating my eyes. Then voices occupied the peripheries of my mind. He's coming into. He is breathing. He is alive. I saw people milling all around me. And I saw the loveliest face that ever beheld my eyes. It was my beautiful wife, as she hugged me with all her might. And I saw my children milling around me, all crying unabashedly. What happened? I asked timidly. You were ran over by a car and you were brought here in the hospital already dead. The doctors tried to revive you and it's only now that you were revived.

And I saw the red flower that she held in her hand. Where did you get that, I asked? I got it from you. You were clutching this flower as though your life depended on it. Ah, freedom at last. I have been given back a new leash on life.


Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Literary/Short Story