The last time he said his name

 

 "A child at the Galleger orphanage was recently killed by what seems to be a fatal, contagious disease being spread throughout the building. What a sad turn of events. What unfortunate children to go through so much." Calvin turned off the television immediately.

 

He plopped back onto the sofa where four other boys surrounded him with their jaws to the floor. Had this happened? Was this real? These were only a couple questions running through Calvin's mind. A boy behind him with bright blonde hair stared blankly at the screen. It was his brother who died from the disease. Calvin tried not to bring anything up along with the other boys for Trevor's sake. Trevor was Calvin's best friend, but he had a strange feeling they wouldn't be talking to each other much after this.

 

The silence was broken by instructor Hoff's whistle for dinner. Each boy immediately stood up and rushed over to the kitchen for food. Calvin stayed back to help Trevor. He was still staring at the screen despite the dinner bell. 

 

"Are you okay?" Calvin asked sitting cautiously next to Trevor's stiff body. 

 

"Do you think we'll catch that disease?" Trevor asked plainly. 

 

"The Galleger orphanage is on the other side of the state." Calvin said reassuringly. "Don't worry about it. They have a lot of kids and not all of them can eat everyday like we do. We're lucky." Trevor bowed his blonde head and started to sob in his hands. Calvin didn't know what to do. He had never seen Trevor cry. In fact nobody has. He was always the one who had the tough attitude in any situation. Calvin almost felt like crying himself, but he didn't want Trevor to feel worse. 

 

"I miss him so much." Trevor cried trying to get himself together. He was trying so hard to stop crying.

 

"It's okay to cry Trevor." Calvin said watching his eyes straining from the tears. Calvin put his scrawny arm around his best friend's shoulder and nearly got knocked over by Trevor. He had dug his head into Calvin's body sobbing more than ever. Calvin was very hungry, but knew his friend would need comfort.

 

"Are you two eating?" Instructor Hoff asked the two boys. Calvin turned his head to Hoff and gave him a look that said, "Get over here now". Hoff obeyed his stare and ran towards Trevor's liming body. Hoff picked him up into his arms, but Trevor wouldn't stop crying.

 

"Peter! Peter!" Trevor screamed out his brother's name while flopping uncontrollably in Hoff's grasp. That was the last time Trevor said Peter's name aloud.

 

Hard times through life will keep you down.

Keep on living and they will resolve into something better.

But no matter how many times you continue your life after a death

You will always be scarred for life.

The only thing to do is to put the grief

as deep as possible in your mind.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[Daniel Thomas Andrew Da..]

A Tragedy - a long held part of story telling. It is so sad, at times, just how harsh this thing called life can be for so many unfortunate people. So many often live alone and are depressed because of it. As the Beatles sing, 'all the lonely people, were do they all come from.' Other people, while surrounded by friends and family, can live in a little shell inside their minds, full of depression and fear, craving love yet not knowing how to find it. And others, living in orphanages, know the friendship of a true friend, to have that robbed from them. Tragedy, inevitably, is part of human life. The solution is not to try and deny the power tragedy has over us, but to walk in spirit towards healing from the dark times. I liked your story - well done. Daniel

[Palmer Blu]

A tragic but beautiful story. It is in this piece that the truth of death, love for someone close, and fear are really described. It moved me and had me thinking about the possiblity of death throughout the entire passage.

[bluessadmood]

this is so sad death is always sad,and the way you make these events happen in an orphanage it makes it even harder,a boy with no family alone will face life and death ,no one will cry for you ,no one will feel for you ,for you came into life alone and leave it alone you will,very tragic ,i loved the way you told that story,well done

[lots fo love ♥]

are you depressed. this made me cry. that was so sad. why sarah why?

[Bonnie]

Such a sad story. Well written.

The dialog and action are well balanced. The emotions are powerfully captured and shared.

[An owl on the moon]

Deeply moving words, capturing the sorrow and horror of loss... Vividly written and expressed!

Craig

[Mintwhiskers]

so sad it made me cry Boo Hoo interesting story very entertaining breathless for more